DUDLEY PAPERS.

DU

DUDLEY PAPERS.

1550-1627

Correspondence, household and wardrobe inventories, accompts, rentals, letters-patent, deeds, tradesmen's bills, and miscellaneous papers of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (cr. 29 Sept. 1564), Master of the Horse (1559-1587) and Lord Steward of the Household (1584-1588) to Queen Elizabeth; together with a few letters and papers of, or relating to, his successive wives, (1) Amy, daughter of Sir John Robsart (m. 4 June, 1549, d.8 Sept. 1560), and (2) Lettice, daughter of Sir Francis Knollys and widow of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (m. 21 Sept. 1578). In twenty volumes; the deeds, etc, in eight boxes.

English

20 Volumes and 8 boxes

Microfilm editions of these papers are readily available in public collections, including the Institute of Historical Research, the British Library and Cambridge University Library amongst other repositories. For further details of the microfilm editions please apply to Michelle Mortimer, Publishing Manager, Microform Academic Publishers at the following address: Main Street, East Ardsley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF3 2AT. E mail address map@microform.co.uk

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At the Earl of Leicester's death, without lawful issue, on 4 Sept. 1588 his Papers no doubt passed to Lettice Knollys, his widow, who shortly after his death married as her third husband Sir Christopher Blount and survived until 25 Dec. 1634. Her son Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, having been executed in 1601, the Dudley Papers, with her own of later date, descended at her death of her grandson Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, the Parliamentary General. The latter died without issue in 1646, leaving as his co-heirs his two sisters, Frances, wife of William Seymour, Marquis of Hertford (cr. Duke of Somerset 1660), and Dorothy, wife (1) of Sir Henry Shirley and (2) of William Stafford, the elder of whom thus became possessed of the Dudley Papers as well as those of her own family of Devereux.

The Duchess of Somerset was left a widow, 24 Oct. 1660, and died 24 Apr. 1674. One of the executors, as well as a beneficiary, under her will was Thomas Thynne (cr. Viscount Weymouth, 1682), who had married her grand-daughter Lady Frances Finch, daughter of Heneage, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea, and Lady Mary Seymour; and by this means the present collection of Dudley Papers, after having been successively united with the Devereux and the Seymour Papers, ultimately came to form part with them of the collections at Longleat.