Catalogue description Miscellaneous Papers of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1559-1601; together with a few...

Miscellaneous Papers of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1559-1601; together with a few (f.133) of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, his brother, and Sir Andrew Dudley, his uncle, 1559-1590:-

1. "The booke of my lordes servaunttes wages and borde-wages", from Mid summer, 1 Eliz. [1559] to Lady-day, 3 Eliz. [1561]. f.1.

2 Note of "The Master of the Horssys alowans [of harness and horse-furniture] in the grate warrante for ii yeres". Dudley was Master of the Horse 1559-1587. f.19.

3 "The names of the Quenes Footemen." f.21.

4 List of "Landes yevon by the Queenes Majestie unto the Lorde Robert Duddeley", etc, in tail, viz. Knolle manor, etc., co. Kent, Burton Lazar manor or hospital, co. Leicester, and the manor, park and borough of Beverley, the manor of Skytby [Skidby] and the site, etc., of Meaux Abbey, co. York. f.23.

5 Note by Philip Browne of evidences received, to the use of Robert Armiger his father-in-law from Lord Robert Dudley, relating to lands of Sir Fyrrye Robsart, temp. Hen. VII, etc. f.25.

6 "Monney receaved by me Richard Ellys, servaunt unto .... Lorde Robert Duddley", from 22 Dec. 1559 to 28 Feb. 1560[1]. See Vol.XIII, below. The whole amount is £21,249. 19.11. Included are:- Won by your L. at tennys 12li.6s.8d," and "won by your Lordshipp at play 15li.8s.4d." f.27b.

7 List of payments made to tradesmen and others in 1560. f.29.

8 "A note of the Lord Dudleys land," i.e. of Edward Sutton, Lord Dudley, including Dudley Castle and Manor. f.31.

9 Address of the House of Commons to Queen Elizabeth urging her to marry, [28 Jan.1562-3]. f.33;- Answer of the Queen. f.37;- Address of the House of Lords to the Queen urging her to marry, [10 Nov. 1566]. f.39.

10 "A note of alle suche stuff as I have reseved of the clarke of the quenes stable as also of the sadler, bytmakar and steropmaker", 4 June, 1567-18 Apr. 1568, "with alle suche stuffe as hathe ben gyven by my L[ord] and what remaynithe yn my charge". f.43.

Among the items are "clothes of vellytt of the quenes" and "for the ladyes" and the gifts include horses, with their names, as "To the Emperors ymbassator Dun Sydney with a vellytt sadle", etc.

11. "Remembraunces to deale with my L. of Leicester and Mr. Secretarie [Walsingham]": a paper, signed by Sir Henry Sydney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, as to the state of that Kingdom and his desire to return home, [1571?]. f.47.

12. "The cawses of my hyndraunce in my ferme this yeare": a paper by a farmer of the customs of London, [1570-1]. f.49.

13. A list of royal parks in cos. Notts. and York, the Earl of Leicester being Ranger of Forests north of the Trent. f.51.

14. "Occurrentes": a paper of news from Strasburg, 7 Apr., from Paris, and from Lyons, 13 Apr. 1571. f.53.

15. Quantities of powder and other materials for fireworks "for therle of Leicestre, to be used at Killingworthe", Aug. 1572. f.55.

16. "The Queenes Majesties festes": a list of stages in the Queen's progress from Kenilworth to Windsor, 23 Aug. - 24 Sept. [1572]. f.57.

17. "Frenshe Occurrentes", by letters from Paris, 12 Oct. 1575. f.58.

18. "The chardges of your L[ordships] gunpowder made at Kennelworthe castell", Mich. 1577 - 8 Apr. 1578. f.60.

19. Deposition of Humphrey Tyndall, B.D., of his having married the Earl of Leicester to Lettice, Countess of Essex, at Wanstead secretly on 21 Sept. 1578, in presence of the Earls of Pembroke and Warwick and Sir Francis Knolles.; sworn 18 Feb. 1580[1]. f.61. See below, Box IV 84.

20 A note of the number which are to attend your Lo. in your jorney into the Low Countries", [1585?]. f.63.

21 "Advertizements from Cales, of the xxiii Junii, 1588", with others "from Sir Edmond Stafford at Parrys", etc.; relating chiefly to the Spanish Armada, one item being "Many wagers layde that they wilbe in England before Mighelmas day and say Masse". f.65.

22 Abstract of the rents and revenues of Robert, Earl of Leicester. f.69. Followed (ff.80-88) by miscellaneous notes and papers.

23 Privy Council warrant for a search of the house of Thomas Fowler, servant to the late Earl of Leicester, who had fled to Scotland with £7000 or £8000, and for the imprisonment of John Montgomery his servant, if he refused to answer questions; 11 Nov. 1588. Signed by Burghley, Walsingham and four others. f.89.

24 "The state of the debte charged upon the deceassed Earl of Leicester for exceeding his allowance in the time of his lieutenancy generall in the Lowe Contreis", amounting to £3619; with other papers relating to his debts, etc., from which it appears that he died "in depte to the valewe of £20,000 more then his goodes and chattelles are worthe". ff.91-102. See below, DU/BOX IV/82.

25 Warrant of T[homas Sackville, Lord] Buckhurst, Lord Treasurer, to the tenants of manors of the late Earl of Leicester under an extent for his debts to the crown ordering them to pay rents to Edward Barker, to whom the said manors had been demised under bond at the request of the Countess of Leicester; 2 Apr 1601. f.103.

26. Petitions to the Earl of Leicester, with a few to the Queen, from:-

(a) Robert Atkyns, "grolme of the Queenes Majesties powltrey", for payment of £3:17:9 for poultry. f.104b.

(b) James Beamount, [or Beaumont], for the continuance of an allowance of 12d. a day made to his brother now dead. f.106b.

(c) John Bradley, merchant-adventurer, "and consarge off the Englishe howse in Barrowe", for compensation for losses inflicted upon him in the Netherlands for having aided in conveying Dr. Storye to England. f.108.b. John Story, L.L.D., an active persecutor under Qu. Mary, was decoyed over from Antwerp in Aug.1570. (cal. State Papers, 1547-1580, pp.389-393) and executed as a traitor, 1 June, 1571 (Strype, Annals i. pt.i. p.296, Wood, Athena, i. col.386).

(d) Henry Dames, "straunger", for release of a hawk seized by a customs-officer. f.111.

(e) Sir Valentine Browne, Treasurer of Berwick, to be recouped for losses in victualling Berwick. f.112 b.

(f) Hans Franke, goldsmith, for payment of £46 for "certeyne jewelles"; before Sept. 1564. f.114.

(g) John Hetherley, yeoman of the Queen's Chamber, for aid to obtain a crown-lease. f.115b.

(h) Henry Hovener, to the Queen, for the re-delivery of "a jewell of diamondes in forme of a combe, to the value of 180 li", supplied to the late Earl of Leicester on approval and detained by the Countess. Endorsed with a note, signed by Wm. Aubrey, that "of her owne gratiouse remembraunce her highenes did knowe that the late Earle of Leicester hadd the jewell .... and that the peticioner hadd neither solde it not given it unto him", and that it should therefore be restored; [after 1588]. f.117.

(i) The Mayor, burgesses; etc., of Leicester, praying that in any crown-lease of the pasture called Beaumount Leas the inhabitants of Leicester may have agistment for their milch-kine and riding-horses as in the lease to Michael Corbett granted in 1 Edw.VI. f.119.

(k) Sir William Malorye, to the Queen, for a grant of "the towne of Lertyngton [Lartington] and Cotsterton [Cotherston] in Yorksher" or equivalents, in consideration of his services against the rebels in the north and in Scotland; [after 1571]. f.121.

(l) Elizabeth Massye, to be "so good lorde" to her and her husband "persoune within the Towre of London", as to obtain from the Queen a lease of "a saltehowse that was sumtyme of the churche landes within the Nomptewyche [Nantwich] conteynyng iii dozen leydes" for 21 years, she and her late husband, Richard Ynce, "that was hyr graces servant and in his graces affare at the Newhavyn having been the former tenants of the same. f.124.

(m) The Earl of Leicester's "Players", praying that, in consequence of "a certayne proclamacion out for the revivinge of a statute as touchinge retayness", .... "you will now vouchsaffe to reteyne us at this present as your houshold servauntes and daylie wayters, not that we meane to crave any further stipend or benefite at your Lordshippes handes, but our lyveries as we have had and also your honors license to certifye that we are your houshold servauntes when we shall have occasion to travayle amongst our frendes, as we do usuallye once a yere and as other noblemens players do", etc. Signed by James Burbage, John Perkinne, John Lanham, William Johnson, Robert Wilson and Thomas Clarke, the names, however, being all in the same hand. Without date, but probably written in 15 - f.125. With a printed copy (f.127), from Notes and Queries, 1867. p.350.

(n) Raphe Shelton, praying Leicester to prefer one of two suits to the Queen, either for a license to import wines without paying the impost, or for a grant of concealed lands. f.128.

(o) Symon Jewkes, "one of them that broughte over Doctor Story" [see above, c], for relief in the way of license to buy some Spanish prize. f.131.

27. Letters addressed to Lord Ambrose Dudley [cr. Earl of Warwick in 1561] and (a) to his wife, from:-

(a) [William Paulet, Marquis of] Winchester, Lord Treasurer, to [Elizabeth], Lady Talboys, wife of Lord A. Dudley, warning her to pay £40 due for the last subsidy before 22 Aug.; 24 June, 1559. f.133.

(b)A[drian] Stockes, praying that, as "Brodgat is geven to mye lord Jhon" and he is forced to remove his "stufe and katell", Lord Ambrose will further his suit with Lord Robert Dudley his brother; Knebworth, 6 Jan. [1559-60]. f.134.

(c) Wylliam [Willoughby, Lord] Wyllughby [Willoughby of Parham], complaining of "Mr. Controwler" for "placing of the Frenshe embasadors" in his house in London and turning out his servants and "stuffe", and praying Lord Ambrose to obtain him redress through Lord Robert Dudley his brother; Kneyth, 23 Mar. 1559[60]. f.136.

28. Will of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick; 28 Jan. 1589[90]. Copy. f.138.

29. "An Inventory of the goodes and cattelles of Sir Andrewe Dudley, knight, deceassed"; [? Nov. 1559]. f.170. See below, Box II. 3, IV. 68.

30 Schedule of deeds and evidences of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, relating to lands, etc., in various counties, together with patents for offices, etc., drawn up about 1580; with additions of "wrytinges brought by Nuttall the ii of June, 1581. Imperfect, the first leaf being numbered 10. f.176.

31. Deposition of Charles Arundell [2nd son of Sir Thomas Arundell of Wardour] as to a conversation with Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, "on Sundaye laste beinge Christmas daye", in which "he unfolded to me all his treacherie and what had passed betwene her Maiestie and him". Without date, but probably written at the end of 1580, in which year Christmas fell on a Sunday. See also the Cal. of State Papers, 1581-1590, under date 14 July, 1581, p.23, and pp.38-40. f.203. This paper probably belongs to the Dudley Collection.

32. Tract on "godlie fame", in the form of a letter addressed to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, signed by the author Thomas Lupton [author of "A thousand Notable Things", 1579, etc.]. Three leaves, small 4to, in vellum covers; on the upper cover is written in another hand ".... of vertuous life". A flattering character is drawn of Leicester himself, prefaced by the words "which godlie fame your honour sekis dailie to acquyre, as it semes by the way you walke yn". f.206. Folio. ff.209.