Copies of Papers of the Earls of Cork

The volume contains copies of the following papers relating to Richard Boyle (1566-1643), 1st Earl of Cork, Lord High Treasurer of Ireland:

• Boyle's last will, 24 November 1642 (folio 2);
• his True Remembrances, 1632 (folio 22);
• his Decree of Innocency as to the Irish Rebellion of 1641 (folio 27v);
• his Grand Settlement Septipartite, executed 14 May 1636 (folio 31).

Also included is a copy of the last will of Richard Boyle (1695-1753), 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork (folio 88), and extracts from patents, etc., relating to the office of Lord Treasurer of Ireland (folio 90). Folios 92-188 are blank. Pasted on the front fly-leaf is a note from Mrs Stevenson, Ashley Park, 12 November 1778, to [Henry Boyle] Lord Shannon, hoping that the manuscript ('the only thing we have found relative to his Famaly [sic]') will be acceptable to him.

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (1566-1643), landowner and administrator, was born at Preston, near Faversham in Kent, on 13 October 1566. Richard went from King's School in Canterbury to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1583. His studies were continued at the Middle Temple, where he attached himself as a clerk to Sir Richard Manwood, Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Created Lord Boyle, Baron of Youghal, on 6 May 1616, Boyle was advanced to the earldom of Cork on 6 October 1620. Between 1629 and 1639 he was Lord Justice and Lord Treasurer of Ireland. He died on 15 September 1643.

Former owner: W.A. Copinger: Lot 398 (i) in the Copinger sale of 1910, where it was acquired by Ernest Hartland.