A more thorough explanation:

The State Paper Office was an office established in London in 1578. Its purpose was to maintain custody of state documents. The office was headed by the Clerk of the Papers.

For example, if a government official needed to access a historical document related to a past decision or event, they would go to the State Paper Office to retrieve it. The office was responsible for keeping important state documents safe and organized.

The State Paper Office played a crucial role in preserving important historical records and documents. Without this office, many important documents may have been lost or destroyed over time.