Petitions from Nottinghamshire to Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), Lord Protector, c.1658

The principal items in the collection are two original petitions to Oliver Cromwell from inhabitants of Nottinghamshire, dating from c. 1658. Both have suffered physical damage and although now repaired lack small elements of text. The first petition requests tougher control on profanity, libertinism and heresies, revision of the laws of the nation, and asks that during Cromwell's lifetime provision for future government is secured. The second petition requests regulation of the ancient laws regarding the Sacrament of the Last Supper and has 15 signatories.

The collection includes a number of items referring to the history of the petitions and research into them. A catalogue issued by Jabez Elliot (1972) provides the entry which prompted their purchase by a local Nottingham bibliophile. Cuttings from 'Notes and Queries' for 19 February 1853 contain a transcription of the second petition. A manuscript transcription of the first petition, mounted on card presumably for display purposes, is also present.

Nothing is known about the people that composed and signed this petition.

No archival arrangement has been necessary.

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

• This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright on the description belongs to the University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and the responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishing to publish.

The collection was given to the University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts in January 1973.