Autographs and historical documents, including a number read at SA meetings, 16th century - 1841. As follows:-
(1) William, 5th Earl of Bedford: autograph letter to Richard, 2nd Baron Gorges, relating to floods in Bedfordshire and drains; 18 Sept. 1659. fols. 1-2v;-
(2) A contemporary account of the battle of Edge Hill, 23 Oct. 1642. Read to SA, 20 Dec. 1792 (Minute Book XXIV, pp. 344-7). fols. 3-4v;-
(3) Papers relating to Nicholas Steward, of Hartly Mawdit, Hants. Exhibited by Robert Bryer, FSA, 19 Nov. 1801. Minute Book XXIX, pp. 3-5:- (a) Sign manual of Charles I to a letter to his generals and officers admitting Nicholas Steward to his protection; Oxford, 27 Dec. 1643. fol. 5;- (b) Order by Henry Elsynge as Clerk of Parliament that Nicholas Steward, whose estate was in the possession of Parliament, should have protection from arrest; 5 Sept. 1648. fol. 6;- (c) Copy of a letter of Oliver Cromwell referring the case of Nicholas Steward to a committee for the discharge of his fine, 21 Dec. 1655, with a note in another hand in Steward's favour, fols. 7-8v;-
(4) Oliver Cromwell: signature to a commission to the Generals at Sea (Col. Robert Blake, Col. George Monck, Major Gen. John Disbrowe and Capt. William Penn) for any two of them to hold the place of Admiral General; 17 Dec. 1653. Vellum. Papered seal. Exhibited by the Rev. Charles Lyttelton, 14 Nov. 1765. Minute Book X, p. 53. fols. 9v-10;-
(5) Request signed by members of the Council for Virginia to Sir John Lullisforde (Lunsford; cf. Coll. Top. et Gen., 4 (1837), 141), high sheriff of Surrey, for financial help and men to send to Virginia; 28 Feb. 1610/11. fols. 11-12v;-
(6) Copy of a letter of Sir Simonds D'Ewes to Sir Martin Stuteville describing the coronation of Charles I (2 Feb.); 4 Feb. 1625/6. Read to SA, 13 March 1794. fols. 14-15;-
(7) 'A breif for the good and sufficient shott for the defence of the Realm..'. Regulations conc. gunmakers, ordnance; temp. Eliz. Read to SA, 14 Nov. 1793. fols. 16v-17;-
(8) Marie de Medici: autograph letter to her daughter, Henrietta Maria, recommending the husband of a servant to a place in the latter's household; Paris, 9 Feb. 1626. French. Exhibited by Dr Maxwell Garthshore, FRS, FSA, 16 Jan. 1806. Minute Book XXX, pp. 525-6. fol. 18;-
(9) Robert Plot: description of Thetford (ancient Sitomagus) addressed to Henry, 1st Earl of Arlington (Viscount Thetford); n.d. Read to SA, 20 Dec. 1792. Minute Book XXIV, pp. 342-4. Published in F. Blomefield, The History of Thetford (1739), 3-8. fols. 20-5;-
(10) Copy of an order by Theophilus, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, Lord George Goring and Sir Edward Capel conc. the Gentlemen Pensioners who waited on the King on his journey to Scotland; 12 Nov. 1633. fol. 26;-
(11) Certificate from the inhabitants of Orsett, Essex, conc. Richard Homer of Grays Thurrock, Essex; 9 Feb. 1605. Read to SA, 20 Dec. 1792. Minute Book XXIV, p. 344. fols. 27-8v;-
(12) Elizabeth I: sign manual to a warrant to (Sir) Thomas Heneage, Treasurer of the Chamber, to pay £3 to the Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal as a reward towards their feast; 22 June 1571. Papered seal. Annotated by John Brand as a gift from J. Kelley. fols. 29-30v;-
(13) William Lenthall, Speaker: signed letter confirming that Col. Hammond, Governor of the Isle of Wight, should have charge of the King; 29 Nov. 1648. With a covering note from the donor, the Rev. Joseph Hunter, FSA, to Sir Henry Ellis, 12 Apr. 1827, saying that the letter came from Rushworth's papers and quoting the relevant passage from the latter's Historical Collections. Read to SA, 3 May 1827. fols. 31-4v;-
(14) 'De officio Executoris'. Legal extracts conc. the duties of executors; 17th century. fols. 35-40v;-
(15) Particulars of wrongs sustained by William Steward during the Long Parliament; mid 17th century. Read to SA, 19 Nov. 1801 (see also fols. 5-8v). fols. 41-2v;-
(16) Legal dispute conc. a tithe of corn taken by force in kind by James Hewet, minister, from lands in the manor of Hassopp, Derbs., allowed to the wife and children of Rowland Eyre, a sequestered delinquent, with the autograph opinion of John Bradshaw; 4 Dec. 1648. Communicated by Sir George Nayler, FSA, 8 Dec. 1803. Minute Book XXX, pp. 50-1. fol. 43, with a transcript, fol. 45;-
(17) Elizabeth I: sign manual to a warrant to Sir Robert Constable, Lieutenant of the Ordnance, to deliver powder, shot, etc., to Sir John Wingfield, Master of the Ordnance; 26 July 1591. Papered seal. Formerly part of MSS/0200, art. 2 (see Ellis (1816), 59). fols. 46-7v;-
(18) Sir George Rooke: autograph letter to Prince George of Denmark relating to the capture on 12 Oct. 1702 of galleons from the Spanish treasure fleet in Vigo Bay (a more detailed account in a letter to Sir Charles Hedges is not now enclosed); 16 Oct. 1702. With a letter of presentation from Thomas Bryan Richards to John Brand, 20 Nov. 1801. Minute Book XXIX, 26 Nov. 1801, pp. 13-14. Archaeologia, 14 (1803), 287. fols. 48-50;-
(19) Robert (Devereux), 2nd Earl of Essex: letter to Anthony Bacon mentioning the Queen's apprehension of the danger from Scotland, and asking if the Queen of Scots (Anne of Denmark), were with child, etc.; 29 Oct. n.y. fols. 51-2v;-
(20) Bill for carpenters' work on building the scaffold on Tower Hill for the execution (9 Apr. 1747) of Simon, 11th Baron Lovat, and receipt for the same, 5 Jan. 1747/8. fols. 53-4;-
(21) Letters and other recommendations for Justices of the Peace addressed to the Lord Chancellor (George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys), with (fols. 56-7v) a letter to the same from William Godolphin, Madrid, 2/12 Feb. 1686/7, expressing his willingness to assist Sir Thomas Jeffreys at the court in Madrid and his wish to return to England, and (fol. 68) a recommendation by Richard, 1st Baron Arundell of Trerice (d. 1687), for Thomas Hawkins as Master in Chancery Extraordinary in Helston; 1685-7. fols. 55-74;-
(22) Petition to the King from the town of Deptford asking for a Justice of the Peace and recommending Balthazar St Michell, n.d. Signatures include John Evelyn, fol. 75;-
(23) Information on oath of Lady Charlotte Jeffreys (daughter-in-law of George, 1st Baron Jeffreys) conc. an attempt to have her marriage declared void; 31 Oct. 1688. fols. 76-7v;-
(24) Instructions signed by Commissioners for the Navy to Kenricke Edisbury, Assistant to the Officers of the Navy, to go to Portsmouth, survey ships and supplies, etc., and get an account from the officers of prizes and merchandise taken at sea; 9 Apr. 1629. fols. 78-9v;-
(25) Ann Fanshawe: autograph letter to Thomas Stoner conc. moneys due to her, and her needs; 28 May 1611. fols. 80-1v;-
(26) Laurence Hyde: signed letter to Sir Robert Clayton asking for a letter of credit; Nijmegen, 22 Oct. 1677. fol. 82;-
(27) George, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and others: bond to Sir John Talbot of Salwarp (Salwarpe), Worcs., and another, to keep conditions in an indenture; 29 March 1666. fols. 83-4v;-
(28) Petition of Sir Richard Hawkins to Robert, 1st Earl of Salisbury, for payment for a delivery of anchors, annotated by Salisbury; 19 Nov. 1608. fols. 85-6v;-
(29) George, 1st Duke of Buckingham: signed order to Sir John Hampden to take up command of the 'Triumph'; 29 June 1626. Papered seal. fols. 87-8v;-
(30) James I: sign manual to a warrant to Charles, 1st Earl of Nottingham, Lord High Admiral, conc. two ships taken from the King of Spain and bestowed on Sir John Leigh, 27 Sept. 1604, with an autograph memorandum of Nottingham, 18 Feb. 1604/5. fols. 89-90v;-
(31) Dymoke Walpole: autograph letter to John Morrice partly relating to the wool trade; 13 Aug. 1675. fols. 91-2v;-
(32) Giovanni Bianchi: autograph letter to Girolamo Ferri, Professor of Rhetoric of the College in Faenza, conc. Latin inscriptions by the latter and discussing classical examples; Rimini, 19 Jan. 1751. Italian. Presented by William Henry Hart, FSA, 17 Nov. 1870. Proc., 2nd ser., 5 (1870-3), 6. fols. 93-5v;-
(33) James, 4th Earl of Perth: signed letter to George, 3rd Earl of Linlithgow, requiring him to promulgate an order for heritors (landowners) and others to meet on 18 Sept. at the head burgh in his shire (Stirling) with their best horses and arms for the King's service; Edinburgh, 4 Sept. 1688. Published in Proc., 1st ser., 3 (1853-6), 111. Presented by Hugh Edmonstone Montgomerie, FSA, 23 Nov. 1854 (ibid., 120), with a proclamation, 1692, and a broadside, 1849 (placed with SA Proclamations and Broadsides). fols. 96-8v;-
(34) Receipts for a legacy towards the rebuilding of St Paul's by Lady Anderson (?Sybilla (d. 1661), widow of Edmund Anderson of Broughton, 1st Bt.), after judgments obtained by Sir William Juxon, executor of Archbishop Juxon; 16, 22 March 1681/2. Signatures include Christopher Wren. Exhibited and presented, 8 May 1862, by W. Bain (letter, 12 Apr. 1862). Proc., 2nd ser., 2 (1861-4), 115-16. fols. 99-101v;-
(35) Petition of the nobility and gentry of Buckinghamshire to Oliver Cromwell asking him to accept sovereignty; c. 1656. fols. 102-3v;-
(36) William Smith, rector of Elsing, Norf.: autograph letter to Lionel Thallamache (Lionel Tollemache, 1st Bt. 1611) saying that his sons and others in Elsing, were well, but the times were dangerous and he seldom lodged scholars (a reference to the plague); 21 Sept. 1603. Exhibited and presented by Philip Henry, 5th Earl Stanhope, PSA (letter, 26 March 1870), 31 March 1870. Proc., 2nd ser., 4 (1867-70), 463. fols. 104-5;-
(37) Sir Walter Raleigh: photograph of a letter (owned by Miss Glubb of Great Torrington, Devon) to Mr Duke relating to the purchase of Hayes, a farm once in the possession of his father; 26 July 1584. Exhibited and presented by Thomas Nadauld Brushfield, MD, FSA (1899), 20 June 1889. Proc., 2nd ser., 12 (1887-9), 421-3; ibid., 13 (1889-91), 12-13. fol. 106;-
(38) Edward B. Wood: letter to his wife Anna, relating to legal matters, attempts to let his house and land, debts, children, etc.; Woodville (Ireland, near Lucan), 9 May 1841. Incorporated, Dec. 1996. fols. 107-8v.