Originally published in 1973, this book provides an account of the Treasury’s early evolution within a clearly defined period, from its emergence as a department in the reign of Charles II to the point in 1870 when its powers and internal organization were comparatively mature. By taking this broad span of two centuries it is possible to set the Treasury’s development in perspective and concentrate on three main themes: the foundation of its unchallenged authority in the late 17th Century, the construction of a working relationship with Parliament, and its internal development as an efficient, professional organization. The documents, drawn from manuscript and at the time of original publication, little known printed sources, provide the first compact record of the landmarks in the Treasury’s early history.