Manuscript volume, c1527, containing translations into English of a collection of treatises and diplomatic documents, mostly of the fourteenth century, comprising a list of coronation claims of Richard II, [1377]; a treatise on the form and manner of holding the English Parliament; a treatise on the office of Earl Marshal, described in the table of contents as 'The Erle Marshal's Boke', with details of Henry VIII's reform of the office and its duties in time of war; a collection of documents relating to ordinances for war, [1350-1514], notably the Scottish campaigns of 1350 and 1385, the statutes of the Order of the Garter as renewed by Henry VIII in 1522, and the creation of dukes and earls, including the creation of Charles Brandon, Viscount Lisle, as Duke of Suffolk (1514); an incomplete history of the kings of England, ending with the coronation of Richard II in 1378; a collection of treaties concerning diplomatic events during the reign of Edward III, notably documents relating to the Treaty of Brétigny (October 1360), documents relating to treatises between Edward and John II, King of France (1360-1366), letters of Alfonso X, King of Castile (1254), letters of Edward concerning a treaty with Peter the Cruel, King of Castile (1369), and an indenture recording the terms of the treaty of Berwick between Edward and David II, King of Scotland (1357). A table of contents shows that the manuscript is unfinished, and that it lacks several folios.
Percy , Henry Algernon , 1478-1527 , 5th Earl of NorthumberlandManuscript volume containing a copy of 'Noyes Projects: being a declaration or description how the King of England may support and increase his annuall revenues, being collected out of the records of the Tower, the Parliament Rolls and the Close Petitions...1634', written by William Noy, Attorney-General. This copy of Noy's work was written in the mid 17th century. A shorter version was printed in 1715 as A treatise of the rights of the crown; the text is substantially that of MS 581 except that folios 29-31, in the section on 'bullion', are not printed. The volume is inscribed by Nathaniel Atcheson, with an unaddressed presentation letter in his hand inserted at the front. With an engraving by Henry Meyer of a portrait of Noy.
UnknownThree volumes entitled Notes for H. R. H. the Prince of Wales' Visit 1925. Typescript carbon copy in three files for the Prince of Wales' visit to Argentina. The notes contain a detailed account of Argentine society and British connections with Argentina, illustrated by captioned photographs. Each volume has a table of contents.
Tower , Sir , Reginald Thomas , 1860-1939 , Knight , diplomatManuscript book containing various tracts and writings concerning the monarchy, constitutional history and royal revenue compiled by Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1637, and copied 'at Sir Roger Mostyn of Mostyns house at my being there from Christmas to May, which was drawen out of the books of . . . Richard Grosevenor Esqr sole son and heire until Sir Richard Grosevenor Knight and Barronett of Eathen [Eaton]-Coate in Cheshsire . . . finished and bound upp the 25th of Aprill 1637". A list of contents shows 23 items: 'An appollogy for the raigne of Queene Eliz'; 'A discourse of Courte and Courtiers'; 'Consideracions of Intercourse dedicated to the Kinge'; 'De sepultura by Sir Hen.Spelman'; 'A tracte sheweinge howe all the kings of England . . . have made meanes for money in their wants, with an Abstracte of the Revenue of most of the Princes of Christendome'; 'The Cause of the Marches of Walles'; 'Off the office of Composicions for Alienacions by Sir Francis Bacon'; 'A Treatise of the Lawe of wrecke of the sea, of the Inundation of the sea, and Cases uppon the Comission of Sewers'; 'The oppinion of the Judges uppon divers questions Concerninge parishes, and . . . toucheing the Comission, by which the Comissioners sitt at Newegate, 1633'; 'Letters of Sir Francis Bacon uppon several occacions'; 'Mr Cuff his letter to Secretary Cecill declareinge the Instruccions [of] the Earle of Essex, to the scottishe Ambassador touchinge the Kings Tytle to the Crowne of England'; 'The Lord Norris his letter to the Kinge after hee had slayne a servant of the Lord Willoughbies; 'The Lord Chancellor Ellesmore his letter to King James desireinge to bee dischardged of his office'; 'A Letter by the Lords of the Counsell to King James toucheinge meanes to advance the Kings Revenues by unusuall wayes soe as the Kinge would take the Acte uppon himself'; 'A Letter from the Bishopp of Lincolne to the Minister of Grantham concerninge the placeinge of the Communion Table' [1636]; 'Twoe Lettres . . . one from the States of Bohemia to the Elector of Saxony, the other from the Pope to the Emperor concerninge the Trobles of Germany'; 'Sir Tho. Smythe his protestacion toucheinge the speeche used to the Earle of Essex'; 'An admonition from a friend nameles to Sir Edward Cooke after his degradation 1616'; 'A Speech of Sir Francis Bacon Lord Keeper at the takeinge of his place in Chancery 1617'; 'Sir Edw.Cooke his speech at the instellation of 11 Serjeants 1614'; 'The lyfe of Sir Tho. Bodley'; 'The death of Queene Eliz'; 'Mr Seldens discourse of the twoe greate offices of state, the Chancellorshipp and Keepeinge of the greate seale of England 1617'.
UnknownCollection of royal warrants directed to Richard Temple (afterwards Grenville-Temple), Earl Temple, as Lord Privy Seal, directing him to issue letters to the Commissioners of the Treasury under the Privy Seal for the payment of monies to the following persons. The warrants all have duty stamps and an impression of the Signet seals of George II and George III under paper. Some of the warrants have dockets signed by three Commissioners of the Treasury.
- 1758, 25 Feb. To William Davis, for salaries of former servants of Princess Louisa and Princess Mary of Hesse (names given), £500.
- 1758, 25 Feb. To Richard [Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron] Edgcumbe, an annuity of £1200.
- 1758, 22 Mar. To George Augustus Selwyn, as Paymaster of the Works, £40,000. With docket.
- 1758, 22 Mar. To George Grenville, as Treasurer of the Navy, £1,000,000.
- 1758, 20 Apr. To William Hall, Viscount Gage, as Paymaster of Pensions, £50,000.
- 1759, 21 Feb. To John [Hobart, 2nd] Earl of Buckinghamshire, as Comptroller of the Household, a gift of 1,000 ounces of 'white plate' worth £333/6/8.
- 1759, 12 May. To Francis Gashry, as Treasurer and Paymaster of the Office of Ordnance, £300,000. With docket.
- 1759, 15 May. To George Grenville, as Treasurer of the Navy, £1,000,000.
- 1759, 25 May. To William Hall, Viscount Gage, as Paymaster of Pensions, £50,000.
- 1760, 30 Apr. To George Grenville, as Treasurer of the Navy, £1,000,000.
- 1760, 13 Dec. To William Hall, Viscount Gage, as paymaster of Pensions, £50,000. With docket.
- 1761, 15 Jan. Docket of a Privy Seal warrant for the payment to George Grenville, as Treasurer of the Navy of £1,000,000.
- 1761, 20 Jan. To Henry [Fiennes Clinton, 9th] Earl Lincoln [later 2nd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne], as Gentleman of the Bedchamber, a pension of £1,000 p.a.
- 1761, 22 Jan. To George Augustus Selwyn, as Paymaster of the Works, £40,000.
- 1761, 28 Feb. To John Shelley, as Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, salary of £500 p.a. With docket.
- 1761, 7 Mar. To Henry [Herbert, 10th] Earl of Pembroke, as Gentleman of the Bedchamber, a pension of £1,000 p.a. With docket.
- 1761, 13 Mar. To Thomas [Osborne, 4th] Duke of Leeds, as Cofferer of the Household, £100,000.
- 1761, 28 Apr. To William Davis, for salaries of former servants of Princess Louisa and Princess Mary of Hesse (names given), £415 p.a. With docket.
- 1761, 30 Jun. To 'The Justices of Wales' (not named), salary for each of £400 p.a. With docket.
- 1761, 30 Jun. To Edward Cornwallis, Groom of the Bedchamber, pension of £500 p.a. With docket.
Petition, dated Aug 1619, of John Addis, Officer of the Wardrobe, for reimbursement of expenses incurred in taking one man, two horses and four labourers for six days from Warwick to Compton and transporting 'all such stuffe then needfull for the Prince [Charles], his service'. With the signature of Sir Robert Cary.
UnknownReceipt, dated 3 Nov 1647, for £6.11.0 paid by the Receiver General to Caroline Holland on behalf of Sarah Frank for 'semptrys [seamstress] workes...for the King's Children' by virtue of an order dated 21 Jul 1647. Signed by Sarah Frank.
UnknownCollection of transcripts, [1560]-1624, mainly relating to Privy Council matters, notably a petition presented to King James I by Sir Robert Heath, Solicitor General, 1624; a survey of the Forests and Chaces [Chases] of Bringwood, Mocktree and Darvell, with the Manor of Buriton, 1604; a letter from King James I to the Peers of England and the Privy Council concerning the composition of the Privy Council and the replacement of the ailing Lord Chamberlain by Thomas Howard, Lord Howard of Walden, 1603; copies of documents relating to the French conquest of Guiana, South America, including commissions granted by King Henry IV of France to Renée Marie, Lord Mountbarrot, and Daniel de la Touche, Lord of Raverdiere, for the conquest of Guiana, 1605 and 1609, the appointment of Robert Le Brette, Lord Dubosc, as Raverdiere's lieutenant in Guiana and other parts of America, including Brazil, 1609; the commission of Sir John Digby, Vice-Chamberlain, to negotiate a marriage between Prince Charles of England and the Infanta Maria, daughter of King Philip III of Spain, 1615; a letter written by Captain Charles Parker, one of Sir Walter Raleigh's company at Guiana, to Captain Alley, 1607; a declaration of proceedings in the Star Chamber against John Wrenham, who charged the Lord Chancellor of injustice against the King, 1618; a discourse of marriage written by Charles Blount, Earl of Devonshire, in defence of his wedding to Penelope, Lady Rich, [1605]; a discourse written by Dr Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Ely, against second marriage following a divorce, 1601; a discourse made by merchant adventurers on the occasion of a bill preferred to the High Court of Parliament, requiring free trade to all kingdoms and countries, [1610]; a consideration of the office and duty of a herald in England by John Dodridge, the Solicitor General, 1605; proceedings in the Star Chamber against Mary Countess of Shrewsbury for her refusal to give evidence against Arabella Seymour, Duchess of Somerset, 1618; an Act of Council upon the proceedings against James Whitlocke and Sir Robert Mansell for speaking against the King's Commission for reform of the Navy and also against the King's power and prerogative, 1609; speeches, and a memorandum on the union of England and Scotland, by Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, 1617; a copy of 'The present state of things as theye nowe stand, betweene the three greate kingdomes, France, England and Spayne, [1623], and 'A breviarie of the historie of England from William I, intitled the Conqueror, both written by Sir Walter Raileighe, Knight'; a speech by John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln and Keeper of the Great Seal of England, on the occasion of the collecting of the subsidy, Aug 1621; two versions of instructions by William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, Lord Treasurer to his son, Robert Cecil, 1561 and [1598]; letters from Sir Henry Sidney to his brother and to his son, Phillip, [1560]; a treatise entitled 'Toucheinge the Antiquities of Baronies delivered in the College of Antiquaries', [1600].
UnknownPrivy Council letters, 4 Dec 1668, signed by George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley (later 1st Duke of Shaftesbury), and Thomas Clifford (later 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh), directed to Sir Robert Long, Bt, Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer, ordering the payment to Sidney Godolphin (later 1st Earl of Godolphin) of £60, the bi-annual instalment of his salary as Page of Honour to Charles II.
UnknownManuscript volume containing transcripts of parliamentary papers relating to grants in England and Ireland, 1690-1702, including an account of royal grants made in Ireland from Jan 1698 to Dec 1699, presented by William Lowndes, Secretary to the Treasury, 1699; a report by the Commissioners of Enquiry into the Forfeited Estates in Ireland, [Dec 1699]; an account of rents in the honour of Windsor presented by David Cobb, 13 Feb 1700; an abstract of the sale of fee-farm rents, presented by William Haward and Sir John Talbot, [13 Dec 1700]; an account of royal grants made in the Duchy of Lancaster Mar 1699 to Jan 1702, presented by John Bennett, Auditor of the Duchy, 1699-1702; extracts from parliamentary proceedings relating to policy towards forfeited estates in Ireland, 4 Apr 1690-26 Feb 1700; an alphabetical list of those holding land of the crown [in Ireland], their debts to the Crown, and notes of proceedings against them; an account of all royal grants made in England from Feb 1685 to Jan 1702, presented by William Lowndes, 1700-1702; an account of grants and gratuities paid by the Commissioners for Prizes since Jun 1692, Mar 1701.
UnknownManuscript volume entitled 'Messis Accademica, a Liborio Nicomede Comite Cini collecta', containing a collection of orations in Latin and Italian, including those made at the funeral of Joseph I in 1711 and the coronation of Charles VI in 1712 delivered by Clorindo Erimantico ('peregrino arcadie pastore'), orations made on the birthday of Charles VI and, headed 'Mysterium Magnum', for Leopold, Archduke of Austria, on 13 Apr 1716, and funeral orations for members of the imperial family. A number of the orations begin with an 'Expositio' followed by a 'Iudicium', and take as their text propositions of [Gottfried Wilhelm von] Leibnitz, [Rudolf] Count of Rabatta, and Count [Johann] Cobenzl. All the orations except those for Joseph I, the coronation of Charles VI and Archduke Leopold, include 'Epigrammata Extemporanea'.
UnknownLetter from Maximilian II of Linz to Bartelme Khevenhüller von Aichelberg, 11 May 1562. Maximilian (as King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria) requests Khevenhüller's presence in Prague on 15 Jun 1562, for his coronation.
Written in another hand and signed by Maximilian.
Maximilian II , 1527-1576 , Holy Roman EmperorManuscript volume, 1669-1670, containing 'miscellanies' relating to Ireland, namely 'The establishment beginning Michaelmas 1669', including lists of salaries for civil officers, pensions and annuities, military payments, salaries for military officers and soldiers, the names of officers of regiments of horse and foot on 25 Dec 1670, provincial, noble and clerical subsidies, and a list of Parliamentary seats; 'A table for reducing plantation acres into English and ascertaining the King's rent in the severall provinces of Ireland according to the explanatory act', [1669]; an abstract of the demise made by King Charles II to John Foorth and Partners of the revenue of Ireland, 12 Jul 1669. There is an index, added by Sir David William Smith, 1st Baronet, in 1828.
UnknownManuscript volume, 1606, containing a list of all the Offices of England, with the fees belonging to them in the gift of King James I. It contains particulars of the offices connected with the Law Courts, the Court, the Royal Household, garrisons, towns, fortresses, castles, parks, forests, and bishoprics. Of the King's artificers, the Sergeant Paynter was at the head with £100, while the Keeper of the Libraries was at the bottom with £3 6s. 8d.
UnknownManuscript volume, 1590, entitled 'A generall collection of all offices of England with their fees in the Queenes gifte', giving details of the offices in the courts at Westminster, the Royal Household, military posts, and posts connected with royal houses, parks and forests. The manuscript also includes a valuation of clergy livings and the tithes payable to Queen Elizabeth I. An eighteenth century index is included.
UnknownCopy of a letter from Sir Frederick Madden, 10 Dec 1840, to Sir Frederick Fowke concerning 'our grievances as Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber', with a memorandum in Madden's hand dated 23 Jan 1841 and headed 'Copy of a paper sent to H.R.H. [Augustus Frederick] the Duke of Sussex drawn up by me at his own request', with notes on the history of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber since the time of Henry VIII.
The letter, marked 'private', recounts how the subject of the loss of the privileges and precedence of the Gentlemen had arisen in a conversation between a Mr. Savory and the Duke of Sussex, who had desired 'to be made acquainted with the whole of our case'. Madden asks Fowke to accompany him and Savory to wait on the Duke 'and present a paper embodying our claims...I should like much also to have your assistance in drawing up a paper to be placed in the Duke's hands'.
Manuscript volume containing transcripts of legal papers, 1686, mainly relating to the attempts of King James II to increase his powers as the Supreme Head of the Anglican Church, including papers appointing the Lords Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, 17 Jul 1686, and their proceedings against Henry Compton, Bishop of London, 9 Aug-6 Sep 1686; proceedings in the Court of King's Bench against Sir Edward Hales, Baronet, 1686, (where the judges found in favour of the king's power to excuse individuals from the Test Oath); observations on the case of customs cited in the Reports of Sir Edward Coke...of divers resolutions and judgments (W Lee, London, 1658), 1686; and notes on proceedings in the Court of King's Bench against Samuel Johnson, [1686].
UnknownManuscript volume containing a Jacobite tract, [1715] attacking the partisans of Holland and the Dutch alliance, urging the peers of England to follow the example of the Scots and rise up in support of James Edward Francis Stuart (the Pretender) to the throne of England, and protesting against his expulsion from the country.
UnknownA volume from the second half of 18th century entitled Memoirs of the Life and Character of Mithridates K [ing] of Pontus. Extracted from various authors by Richard Gough Esq.
Gough , Richard , 1735-1809 , antiquaryManuscript volume, [1720], containing an account of the negotiations for the return of King Louis XIV of France to the city of Paris in 1652, following the civil disturbances known as The Frondes, with details of the return of Bordeaux to the control of the King in 1653.
UnknownManuscript extracts from 'le plus ancien registre qui se trouve au grand Conseil du Roy [lequel] commence [au] dernier jour du mois d'octobre 1483 & finissant le 7e jour de fevrier 1527', possibly written in 1528.
UnknownManuscript volume containing a metrical chronicle composed by the Chandos Herald in French verse, commemorating the life and feats of arms of Edward the Black Prince, [1385]. The poem is a valuable authority for certain events of the Hundred Years War, and gives a brief description of Edward III's French campaign of 1346, culminating in the Battle of Crecy, and followed by the Battle of Calais, with some details of the plot for the recovery of the latter at the end of 1349. Next comes a very detailed description of the Battle of Poitiers (1356), and an eyewitness account of the Spanish Campaign of the Black Prince on behalf of Don Pedro (Peter) of Castile, culminating in the Battle of Nejera (1367). A brief overview is given of the end of the Black Prince's government in Gascony, and of the war which led to the loss of almost all the possessions gained at Brétigny, followed by a comprehensive account of the last years of the Prince's life. After the poem, the author also gives a list of the chief officers of the Black Prince in Aquitaine, and copy of the epitaph on his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral.
The manuscript contains a full-page miniature illuminated in gold and colours, which is divided into two compartments. The upper compartment contains a representation of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity; God the Father is here portrayed in a blue robe on a background of gold. He is seated on a throne and holds in His extended arms a crucifix, above which a dove is introduced to symbolise the Holy Ghost. In the lower compartment the Black Prince is depicted kneeling in adoration on a red cushion. His hands are joined in prayer, and his special devotion to the Holy Trinity is indicated by a scroll proceeding from his mouth bearing the words 'Et hec tres unum sunt' (1 John v.7). The Prince is clad in armour, covered by a tight-fitting leather jupon without sleeves, finished along the bottom edge with a border of escallops, and emblazoned with the arms of England and France. He wears a sword and dagger, golden elbow and knee cops, and golden spurs. On each side of the kneeling Prince, standing in a golden socket, is a large ostrich feather in silver, his personal badge assumed after the Battle of Crecy, with the motto 'Ich dene' on a scroll below. The text of the poem commences on the next page with a large illuminated initial O, containing the Royal Arms emblazoned, and this leaf is surrounded by a border of strap work and flowers in gold and colours. There are also a number of small initial letters in gold on a coloured background.
The Chandos HeraldDeed relating to Danish royal finances, 15 Feb 1822, entitled 'Acte hypothécaire sur plusieurs revenus des finances royales', by which revenues were assigned to secure a loan of 3 million pounds at 5% raised on the London market by C.J. Hambro and Sons of Copenhagen through A.T. Haldimand and Sons on terms settled on 16 Oct 1821 and ratified by Frederick VI on 10 Nov 1821. The loan was to be secured on tolls from the Sound, and on mortgages and revenues from plantations on West Indian islands. Includes the signature of Frederick VI.
UnknownBroadside ballad, sold at the time of the coronation of King George VI, printed and published by The Raven Press, Middlesex (1937).
Raven Press , publishersA typescript of King George VI and correspondence written by Henry Hector Bolitho.
Bolitho , Henry Hector , 1898-1974 , authorManuscript volume concerning the expenditure of the royal household of King Edward III, [1550], namely an abstract from the accounts of Walter Wentwage of 'the rates of wages of peace and warre, expenses necessarie of officers and other charges concerning the household', dating from 21 Apr 1344-23 Nov 1374 and mainly relating to armed forces. Includes a statement of the costs of diplomatic, military and naval activity taken from the accounts of William Norwell, Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, for the period 15 Jul 1348-25 May 1350.
UnknownManuscript containing an account of the revenue of King Charles I, entitled 'A briefe view of the State of his Majesties ordinary Receipte for the yeare ensueing 1642 together with the ordinary paymente unprovided for, for the said yeare', 1642.
Unknown