Catalogue description MUSTERS

This record is held by Lambeth Palace Library

Details of MSS 247
Reference: MSS 247
Title: MUSTERS
Description:

Copies of documents relating to the military system in England in the 16th century, chiefly during the reign of Elizabeth. The volume is in two parts, each foliated separately in an early 17th century hand. Many of the papers appear to be copied from the State Papers. The contents are as follows:

 

Part I

 

List of the Constables of England from the time of William the Conqueror to Edward III (ff.1-2v).

 

Instructions from Queen Elizabeth to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal and Lieutenant of Hertford and other counties, 26 May 1559. Printed G.S. Thomson, Lords Lieutenants in the sixteenth century, 1923, 156-9 (ff.3-4v).

 

Commission to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, to be Lieutenant-General of the queen's forces in the south of England, July 1588. Printed H.M.C. Report XV, app.pt.V (Foljambe), 49-51 (ff.5-8v).

 

Commission to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, Lord Chamberlain, to be Lieutenant-General of the queen's person, 1588. Printed H.M.C. Foljambe, 53-5 (ff.9-11v).

 

Form of commission to a Lieutenancy, May 1585 (ff.12-14v).

 

Form of appointment of a Deputy-Lieutenant, n.d. Printed G.S. Thomson, op.cit., 63-4 (f.15r-v).

 

Articles to be delivered to the Lieutenant or Deputy-Lieutenants of a county and other Justices of the Peace by the muster master, c.1573. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 471 (no.18) (ff.17-21v).

 

Articles of instructions given by the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters, temp. Eliz. (ff.23-24v).

 

Instructions by the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters in a county referring to the musters of 1573, c.1576-7 (ff.25-31v).

 

Letter [from the Privy Council] to the Vice-Admirals and officers of the ports in the maritime counties for staying ships and sailors, 14 February 1579/80. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 390-1 (f.32r-v).

 

Instructions [from the Privy Council] appointing surveyors to view castles and fortresses in Kent, Sussex, Southampton, Dorset, Cornwall, and Essex, c.1579. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 381 (ff.33-4).

 

Letter [from the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters] and other Justices of the Peace ordering the muster of men allotted in 12 Eliz. for the defence of the sea coasts and ports in Devon and Cornwall, [31] January 1579/80. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 381 (ff.34-7).

 

Letter [from the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters] and other Justices of the Peace of the inland shires adjoining the maritime counties ordering musters to make up shortages in the numbers allotted for the defence of the coasts of Devon and Cornwall in case of invasion, Whitehall, 29 February 1579/80 [recte 31 January]. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 381 (ff.37-8).

 

Lists of men to be mustered in different counties for defence of the chief ports on the sea coast in the event of invasion, 1579. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 9 (ff.38-9).

 

Names of the principal captains each in command of 500 men in each county, c.1579 (ff.39v-40).

 

Variations in the certificates of musters between 12 and 20 Eliz. in the counties of Berkshire, Cambridge, Lincoln, Somerset, and Wiltshire (f.40v).

 

Letter [from the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters] for Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and Northampton (recte Norfolk), sending the commissions under the great seal for general musters to be held, with various directions, [18] March 1579/80. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 422 (ff.40v-45).

 

Variations in the certificates of musters between 15 and 20 Eliz. in the maritime counties of Dorset, Essex, Kent, Southampton, and Sussex (f.45).

 

Letter [from the Privy Council to the Commissioners for Musters] for the remaining shires, ordering general musters on receipt of the commissions under the great seal and the instructions as to musters, 10 March [1579/80]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 646 (nos.49 and 52); Acts of the Privy Council, 1578-80, 422 (f.45r-v).

 

Instructions for general musters, [March 1579/80]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 646 (nos.49 and 52) (ff.46-54v).

 

Instructions for musters by the Commissioners for Musters in the maritime and adjoining counties, temp. Edward VI. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 471 (no.18) (ff.55-57v).

 

Instructions for musters issued to the Commissioners for Musters in inland shires [between 6 June and 24 October 1513 when Catherine of Aragon was Regent] (ff.58-60).

 

Articles for the execution of the commission issued to Justices of the Peace in the county of [blank] for general musters, [14 March 1572/3]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 459 (no.12) (ff.60-62v).

 

Letter from Queen Elizabeth I [to the Commissioners for Musters] and the Sheriff of the county of [blank] ordering general musters according to the commission issued to them in March 15 Eliz., [April 1573]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 476 (no. 67) (f.63r-v).

 

Instructions to Muster Masters, with a list of words of command, March 1597/8. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1598-1601, 38 (100) (ff.64-7).

 

Letter from Queen Mary [to the Lieutenants of the counties] ordering musters to be held in view of dangers following Wyatt's rebellion, February 1553/4 (ff.67v-68v).

 

Articles [for the Commissioners for Musters] for increasing the number of horses available for musters and improving their breed, [March 1579/80]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1547-80, 645 (no. 42) (ff.69-73v).

 

Tables arranged by counties of general musters in England and Wales in 1574 and 1575, and a memorandum of counties which had returned no certificate (ff.75-76v).

 

Certificates of musters in England and Wales, 1592. The certificate for Somersetshire (f.85v) gives the names of officers. At f.101v is a summary of the Welsh certificates. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1591-94, 301 (no. 108) (ff.77-101v).

 

Certificate of the officers and companies raised in the Hundreds of Southamptonshire for the relief of the Isle of Wight, 20 June 1591. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1591-94, 60 (no. 46) (ff.103v-104).

 

Orders for musters in the maritime counties in the event of invasion, [1588] (ff.105-112v).

 

Summary of former instructions to Lieutenants and their deputies in the maritime counties, [1588] (f.113r-v).

 

Numbers of troops to be raised in various counties to resist an invasion of Kent, August 1601 (f.114).

 

Report by Sir John Norris of his survey of the defences of Hampshire according to instructions by the Privy Council, [1588]. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1581-90, 481 (no. 131) (ff.115-18).

 

Declaration and tables drawn up in 1552 of the cost of the wars of Henry VIII and Edward VI in France and Scotland in 30-38 Henry VIII and 1-6 Edward VI, and of the rebellion in England in 3 Edward VI (ff.119-31).

 

List by Bartholomew Dodington of the wages and allowances of the nobility and officers and their retinues serving in France, 36 Henry VIII, and in Scotland, 34 Henry VIII, 17 June 1588 (ff.133-4).

 

Summary of sums paid by the Exchequer for expenses in Ireland, the Low Countries, and other foreign parts from Easter 1 Eliz. to 10 March 35 Eliz. Total £1,517,351.12s.1¼d. (ff.135-138v).

 

Rates of pay and other expenses of 3,400 men to be levied [for service in France], 20 June 1591. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1591-94, 61 (nos.49-50) (f.139r-v).

 

Estimate for victualling 2,000 men for a month at a rate of 6d. a day for each man, [1591] (f.140r-v).

 

Part II

 

'The manner of proceedinge in the musteringe and trayni[n]ge of the severall counties since the yeare of our Lord god 1583'. Printed G.S. Thomson, op.cit., 159-63 (ff.1-7).

 

List of the names of the Lieutenants of counties and of their deputies, and of counties with no Lieutenants, [1590-1] (f.8r-v).

 

Abstracts of the authority given to the Lieutenants of counties by their commissions and of orders to be observed, [1587-8] (ff.8-9v).

 

Various abstracts:

 

(a) Orders to be observed by Muster Masters.

 

(b) Certificates of horse and foot serving on the Scottish borders.

 

(c) Number of men to join Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, [13 August 1588]. Printed with the omission of Leicestershire in Acts of the Privy Council, 1588, 231.

 

(d) Names of gentlemen appointed to view the forces and assist the Lieutenants, with their allowances, [November-December 1587]. C.f. Acts of the Privy Council, 1587-8, 296-7, 310.

 

(e) Names of principal gentlemen appointed to view 'places of discent' in the maritime counties, [April 1588]

 

(ff.9-11).

 

Abstract of the trained and untrained men in the counties of England and Wales with their arms and equipment, 1588. Printed with minor differences in H.M.C. Foljambe, 36-9 (ff.11v-19).

 

Abstract of certificates of lances and light-horse from 1574 to 1589. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 39 (ff.19v-20).

 

Projects on 'the discovery of the Spanishe Navie', [July 1588]:

 

(a) Numbers of the army to be raised to meet the enemy. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 45.

 

(b) Numbers remaining on guard in the counties.

 

(c) Numbers of troops to be raised for defence of the Queen's person with names of regimental commanders; numbers from inland shires to be trained in London; ordinance and equipment to be provided. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 46-7.

 

(d) Lists of principal and inferior officers of the camps (no names).

 

(e) Provisions to be made for the equipment of both armies.

 

(f) Lists of counties not charged with sending men.

 

(g) Further supply of men for the queen's army.

 

(h) Names of officers of the army for the defence of the queen's person. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 56.

 

(i) Names of captains appointed to attend the Lord Chamberlain [Lord Hunsdon, commander of the queen's army]. Printed with minor variants in H.M.C. Foljambe, 55-6.

 

(j) Abstract of the officers of the forces raised by various noblemen to attend the Queen according to letters [from the Privy Council], June 1588. Printed H.M.C. Foljambe, 40.

 

(k) Abstract of certificates from the bishops of men furnished by the clergy. C.f. H.M.C. Foljambe, 40.

 

(l) Total of numbers of the queen's army. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1581-90, 517 (no. 69).

 

(m) Total of numbers of the Lord Steward's army [Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester].

 

(n) Notes of forces under the Presidents of the North and of Wales.

 

(o) Forces to be in readiness for service in Ireland (ff.20-3).

 

Commissions for Lieutenants to Richard Fitz Alan, 10th or 3rd Earl of Arundel, and William de Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury, and to Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, 11 Edward III (ff.25-8).

 

List of generals employed beyond the seas or in England from 1072 to 1585 compiled from Holinshed's Chronicle ('last edition' i.e. 1587) (ff.29-40).

 

Laws and ordinances issued by William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, President of the Council of the Welsh Marches, Lieutenant and Captain-General of Calais and Guisne, and of the army against the French king, for the government and discipline of the army, [July 1557] (ff.41-48v).

 

Ordinances and instructions for the army in Brittany, c.1590 (ff.49-54).

 

Orders of the Privy Council for the pay and distribution of the imprest to the army in Brittany, Richmond, 20 December 1590 (ff.54v-58).

 

Laws and ordinances by the Privy Council for the discipline of the army in Brittany, c.1590 (ff.58v-62v).

 

'Ordinances militare' concerning the discipline and pay of the army in the Low Countries drawn up with the concurrence of the States General, 1589 (ff.63-71v).

 

Oath to be taken by all officers and soldiers at their 'entry into paye' and at musters in the Low Countries, c.1585. Printed C.G. Cruickshank, Elizabeth's army, 1966, app.6 (ff.71v-72).

 

'A conference of a good and bad Muster master or his inferior Commissaries of Musters by the fruits to discerne the Tree'. Printed G.S. Thomson, op.cit., 165-8 (ff.73-4).

 

'A brieffe conference of twoe pagadores or millitare Treasurers', n.d. (ff.74v-76).

 

'A Conference of twoe Auditors', n.d. (ff.76-8).

 

Commentary on ff.73-8 above and reforms necessary, n.d. (ff.78-91v).

 

'A Course sett downe wherby her Majestie can in noe wise be abused neither by Treasurer nor Marchante', n.d. (ff.91v-93).

 

Order by the Privy Council for paying forces in the Low Countries and directions as to musters, Nonsuch, 27 July 1589. Printed with minor variants in Acts of the Privy Council, 1588-89, 438-43 (ff.95-9).

 

Orders by the Privy Council for reforming abuses in paying common soldiers in the Low Countries, c.1590 (ff.99v-106).

 

Orders by the Privy Council to distributors of apparel of soldiers of the garrison of Flushing and elsewhere in the Low Countries, Hampton Court, 15 November 1592 (ff.106-112v).

 

Orders by the Privy Council concerning pay, distribution of the imprest, and apparel, to the forces in Normandy, London, 20 February 1592/3 (ff.112v-115v).

 

Orders by the Privy Council concerning the same matters for the forces in Brittany, 24 February 1592/3 (ff.115v-119).

 

An explanation by the Privy Council of points in former orders, with additions made at the request of the chief officers of the forces serving abroad, Hampton Court, 3 February 1594/5 (ff.119-25).

 

Order by the Privy Council at the request of Sir Conyers Clifford and Sir Thomas Baskervile concerning officers out-staying their leave, Greenwich, 1 April 1594 (ff.125v-126).

 

Rates of pay for 3,000 soldiers and their officers, 17 February 1593/4. C.f. C.S.P. Dom. 1591-94, 433-4 (nos.67-8) (f.126).

 

'Remembrances for the better execution of the Booke of the Contribution', containing details of the assessment of noblemen, bishops, royal officials, ecclesiastics, the city of London, and other corporations, [17 February 1593/4] (ff.127-128v).

 

Account of the duties of officers in the army, 'concordat. cum originali Anth: Ashley [clerk of the Privy Council]', c. February 1593/4 (ff.129-148v).

 

Laws and orders issued by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, for the good conduct of the service in Ireland, [April 1599] (ff.149-153v).

 

Incomplete index to part I of the Book of Musters; list of some papers not copied into the volume; diagram of troop movements taken from an unidentified printed book (fig.21.Ca.5.par.6).

 

144 + 159 ff.

Date: n.d
Held by: Lambeth Palace Library, not available at The National Archives
Language: English

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