Catalogue description ENGLISH VOYAGES ETC.

This record is held by Lambeth Palace Library

Details of MSS 250
Reference: MSS 250
Title: ENGLISH VOYAGES ETC.
Description:

Many of the items in this volume belonged to or were written by George Carew, Earl of Totnes (1555-1629), and may be strays from the main body of Carew Papers (MSS.596-638). The contents are as follows:

 

1 Summary, incomplete at the start, of statutes and ordinances relating to purveyance, weights and measures, riot, forcible entry, liveries, the statute of labourers, rogues and vagabonds, 23 Edward III - 8 Henry VI. On f.1 is written, 'This boke ys myne John Ford' (ff.1-20v).

 

2 Historical account of the Black Prince in the hand of George Carew apparently written in 1610 (f.28). Begins: 'Edward Plantagenet the first sonne unto that prudent, religious and triumphant monarche kinge Edward the third'. It ends with the siege of Calais, and is followed (f.54) by notes from Froissart and Stow apparently intended for a continuation (ff.25-28v).

 

3 Copies of royal charters of confirmation of the privileges of Oxford University dated 10 October 1510 (C.S.P.For. & Dom., 1, pt.1, no. 604 (19)), 1 April 1523 (C.S.P.For. & Dom., 3, pt.2, no. 2926), and 16 July 1543 (C.S.P.For. & Dom., 18, pt.1, no. 981(71)), early 17th cent. (ff.61-71).

 

4 The Life of Wolsey by George Cavendish, copied in about 1589 (incomplete). Foliation by Carew (ff.73-154v).

 

5 'The manner of the Earle of Essex his deathe in Ireland Anno domini 1576', including (f.159) 'The songe the Earle of Essex songe the night before he dyed'. The song is printed in J.P. Collier, Ancient biographical poems (Camden Miscellany III), 1855, 19-20. On f.159 is written 'finis 1589'. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew. See MS.251 ff.231-236v (ff.155-9).

 

6 The case of Henry Cromwell, 2nd Baron Cromwell, 1572, headed 'The Arguments exhibited by the Lord Keeper in parlyament provinge that noble men's persons be attacheable for contemptes comitted by them in the Quene's Majestie's Courte of Chauncery disobeyinge the decrees made there in matters examinable in the same Courte which came in question for that there was an attachment accorded out of the same Courte to the Shereff of Norfolk to attache the body of the Lord Cromwell for desobeyinge of a decree made in the same Courte betweene one Taverner, plaintiff, and the said Lord Cromwell, defendant, which attachment was executed by the said Shereff and the body of the same Lord Cromwell brought prisoner in the said Courte of Chauncerye'. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (f.160r-v).

 

7 Memorandum of things 'meete to be considered [at] a Consultation at the Lord Treasorer's howse nere the Savowey' concerning the provision of military aid to the United Provinces in the war against Spain, 8 May 1584. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.161-3).

 

8 Report of a speech in the House of Commons, probably by Sir Christopher Hatton, concerning attempts on the life of Queen Elizabeth and the need to take measures against the Queen of Scots, 3 November 1586. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.163v-167).

 

9 Report of a speech in the Star Chamber at the examination of William Davison, 28 May 1587. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.167v-169).

 

10 Proceedings at 'the Arreynment of Phillip Earle of Arundell the xiiiith of Aprill 1589 at Westminster'. A shortened version of the account printed in State trials, 1730, I, 156-61. Foliation by Carew (ff.170-5).

 

11 'A trew Reporte of Sir Francis Drake's Voyage as followethe, wherein he dyed, Anno domini 1596'. Begins: 'The 27 of August they went from Plymoth 27 sayle, 6 of those the Quenes Shipps and others marchants'. Same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.176-7).

 

12 'The Voyage of the Right famous and worthy man the Earle of Essex made in the portes of Spayne and Pertingale in the yere of our Lord God 1596'. Begins: 'We set sayle from Plymothe the thirde of [ ] in number, 44 saile of Ships and pynnasses'. At f.179v is a list of knights made at sea on the expedition. Same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.178-80).

 

13 Copy of correspondence between Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper and (1616) Viscount Brackley, and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, 1599. Printed T. Birch, Memoirs of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1754, II, 384-8. Same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.181-184v).

 

14 'An Apologie of the Earle of Essex against those which falsely and maliciously tax him to be the only hinderer of the peece and quiet of his Countrey'. Printed in 1603 (STC 6788). Other copies are MS.933 item 4 and MS.2872, ff.59-73. In the same hand as item 4. Foliation by Carew (ff.185-91).

 

15 Journal, with copies of instructions and despatches, of an embassy to France by Sir Robert Cecil, Sir John Herbert, Master of Requests, and Sir Thomas Wilkes, Clerk of the Council, 10 February - 30 April 1598. The MS. is written in the hand of an amanuensis much used by Cecil at this period, and perhaps came into the possession of Carew when he joined Cecil as ambassador in France in May 1598 (ff.198-246v).

 

16 'Of Islands arrisinge in the sea and of the Salt shore compared with the freshe'. An examination of legal authorities intended to assert the rights of the crown to ownership of the sea shore, with particular reference to Kent, late 16th cent. (ff.250-5).

 

17 Cumberland's voyages. 'All the Nyne Memorable Voyages made by the Righte Honorable George Erle of Cumberland, to and from the King of Spayne's territoryes, wherof the first Seaven are here onely briefly comprehended, the other twoo vizt the Eighte and Nyneth onely at large collected and written oute of Credible advertizments', by Richard Robinson, citizen of London, 23 April 1599.

 

At the end of the seventh voyage occurs the following statement: 'Thus muche was related unto mee by the sayde worthy Capteyn Willyam Midleton's worde of mowthe some tymes having bene a Soldyer and Leevetenant as allso Ensigne bearer under the vertuous renowned Sir Philip Sydney Knight in the Lowe Contryes and here a follower in all these voyages and in the Eight Voyage allso here now next followyng, wherof hee and Capteyn Thomas Greenewell gave mee under theyre handes in wryting these Credible advertizments in maner and forme from poynte to poynte as followeth'. The Ninth Voyage is prefaced with the statement, 'Firste penned at sea by Ro. Thornton, Mr. Walter Cope and Peter Hayburn Passingers 1598. Newly amplifyed and trewly written by other credible advertizments per me R.R.'.

 

See H.M.C. 12th Report (Cowper), 1888, pt.1, 16; G.C. Williamson, George, third Earl of Cumberland, 1920, 26. See also MS.2688 (ff.256-67).

 

18 Journal of the expedition of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris to the coast of Spain, 15 March - 3 July 1589. From 10 June the journal appears to be in the hand of Sir John Norris (ff.270-304).

 

19 Lists of coins 'in my lord's purss' and of 'soch things as I have in my keping', including bed furniture, clothing, and weapons apparently belonging to a nobleman, March-April 1595 (ff.304v-305v).

 

20 Journal of the expedition to Brittany commanded by Sir John Norris, 11 April - 10 July 1591, when the writer breaks off (ff.308-311v).

 

21 Account of the purchase of clothes and lists of articles headed 'deliver to the laundresse', late 16th cent. (ff.312v-313).

 

22 Copy of Sir Walter Raleigh's account of his voyage to Guiana in 1596. It differs in important respects from the version printed by Hakluyt (Voyages, III, 1600, 627-62) (ff.315-337v).

 

23 Journal in the hand of George Carew of the expedition to Cadiz and the Spanish coast, in which he took part, commanded by the Earl of Essex and Lord Howard of Effingham, 11 April - 14 August 1596. Printed S. and E. Usherwood, The counter-Armada, 1596, 1983 (ff.338-362v).

 

24 Journal in the hand of George Carew entitled 'Notes of our voyadge after my beinge at Rochell', apparently concerning his participation in Essex's voyage to the Azores, 4 September - 14 October 1597 (ff.366v-373).

 

25 Copy of an unsigned letter concerning Virginia, early 17th cent. (f.382).

 

26 'A Discourse of Virginia' by Edward Maria Wingfield, June 1607 - May 1608. Printed Archaeologia Americana, 1860, IV, 67-163. Endorsed by Carew (ff.383-95).

 

27 Copy of a letter from William Adams to 'some or many of my acquaintances in Limehouse or in Gillingham by Rochester', from Japan, 22 October 1611. Printed Purchas his Pilgrimes, 1625, I, 125-9. Endorsed by Carew (ff.397-405).

 

28 'A Iournall of the voiadge of discoverie made in a barke builte in Newfowndland called the Indeavour, begunne the 7 of October 1612 and ended the 25th of November followinge', concerning a voyage by John Guy in which he encountered the Beothuck Indians. Printed The New World. A catalogue of an exhibition ... held at Lambeth Palace Library, 1957, 52-64. See also Purchas his Pilgrimes, 1625, IV, 1880-2. Endorsed by Carew (ff.406-412v).

 

29 'Captain William Morgan's discourse concerninge the Northwest passage, from thence to the South Sea', temp. Jas.I. Printed The New World, 73-7 (ff.414-416v).

 

30 'A Breife Narration of the Discouery of the Northerne seas and the Coasts and Countries of those Parts, as it was first begunne and Continued by the singular Industrie and Charge of the Company of Muscouie Merchants of the Cittie of London [(in the hand of George Carew) written in the defence of the righte which the Englishe hathe unto the new discoverie of Greenland otherwise called Kinge James his Newland]', 1613. Perhaps by Thomas Edge but differing from the account by him printed in Purchas his Pilgrimes, 1625, III, 462-6. Printed The New World, 77-89. In the same hand as item 27. Endorsed by Carew (ff.419-427v).

 

31 'A Breefe Journall of the Action at the Ile of Ree in Anno 1627', 2 June - 13 November 1627 (ff.428-33).

 

32 'De Rebus Liveciae et Poloniae 1598'. An account of relations between Sweden and Poland to 1609. Latin (ff.434-49).

 

33 'Neues out of Suethlande, or the Coronation of the younge Gustauus Odolphus, verie honorablely celebrated at Vpsallia, An Vniuersitie in Suethlande', by W. Portington (ff.450-60).

 

34 'A battell, or the honorable Seige of Vobesco, a Citie in Russia, Foughte betwixt the Rushians and the Tartars', by William Anderson, 'lieftenant'. Dedication to Sir Arthur Chichester. In the same hand as item 33 (ff.463-75).

 

iii + 478 ff.

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

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