Miscellaneous legal papers of William Seymour, Earl and Marquis of Hertford, Duke...

Miscellaneous legal papers of William Seymour, Earl and Marquis of Hertford, Duke of Somerset, and Frances, his wife; 1622-1674. At the end (art.16) are inventories of household-goods, jewels, etc., of the Duchess, 1649-1674. Included, among many other papers, are:-

1. Fine by William. Earl of Hertford, to Hugh Crompton, of the hundred of Alderbury; the manors of Midgehall, Allcannings, Burbage Savage, Burbage Darrell and Burbage Esturmy and the advowson of Allcannings, co. Wilts, and the manor and advowson of Norton under Hamden, co. Somerset. Dat. Hil. term, 5 Chas. I. [1629-1630]. f.5.

2. Order for stay of process for arrears of Crown-charges on manors of the Earl of Hertford in cos. Wilts and Somerset, pending the trial a claim by the Earl that all such rents were extinguished by an act of 3 Edw. VI; Hil. term, 6 Chas I [1631]. f.11.

3. Privy Seal for a patent to William, Earl of Hertford, to be Marquis of Hertford; 1 June, 17 Chas I. [1641]. f.21.

4. Schedule of deeds relating to the marriage-settlement of Frances, Marchioness of Hertford, received by her from the Executors of her brother the Earl of Essex, 12 Nov. 1646. Signed F. Hertford. f.34.

5. Receipt by Richard, Viscount Molyneux, to the Marquis of Hertford for £8000 for a marriage portion for Lady Frances Seymour, his wife; 27 Nov. 1652. f.65.

6. Abstracts of deeds of the Marquis of Hertford and his wife for the settlement of their estates, 18 Apr. 1654 - 5 June, 1655. f.71.

7. Conveyance by the same to Tho. Gape and Amos Walrond of Essex House, etc, as security on a bond by which they were engaged for payment of the debts of Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp; 5 June 1654. f.72.

8. "Abstract of the Deed of Trust [13 Nov. 1652] and of my Lo. Duke of Somersets Will" [15 Aug. 1657, 4 Oct. 1660]. f.100.

9. "The state of the lands in trust for payment of the old Duke of Somersets debts's." In the hand of Thomas Thynne. f.103.

10. Lease and release by Frances, Duchess of Somerset, to John Stanhope and James Tempest of the manors of North Perrott and Kingsbury Regis, co. Som., with an annuity of £100 from lands of the late monastery of Newsham al. Newsam, co., Linc. Dat. 18,19 March, 19 Chas. II. [1666-1667]. ff.110,111.

11. Answer of the Duchess of Somerset to a proposal to lease Drayton House and Park. f.120.

12. Will of William, Duke of Somerset, 11 Dec. 1671 (he died 12 Dec.). An incomplete draft. f.127.

13. Pledges by Frances, Duchess of Somerset, to Francis Child, goldsmith, of diamonds and other jewels for £500 and £400. Dat. 18 Feb. 1672-1673, 20 Feb. 1673-1674. ff.128,143.

14. Declaration of John, Duke of Somerset, renouncing of jointure settled on his wife by the Duchess his mother, he having himself made an estate to her on succeeding to the title; 1673. f.130.

15. Draft or copy of an Act of Parliament, to compel Frances, Duchess of Somerset, and Sir Seymour Shirley to pay to Sir Thomas Higgons a sum of £4550 arrears of a rent of £1300 from manors, etc., in cos. Stafford and Warwick settled by Robert, late Earl of Essex, as dower to Elizabeth, his wife, who after his death married the said Sir Thomas f.144. See SE/BOX III, artt.13-16.

16. Inventories of goods of Frances, Marchioness of Hertford, Duchess of Somerset, 1649-1674, including:- (a) Goods brought from London to Drayton Basset, Aug. 1649. f.159;- (b) Goods and household-stuff at Drayton Basset, 27 Mar. 1658. f.161;- (c) Jewels in pawn with Sir Will. Turner, 31 Aug. 1667. f.167;- (d) Goods in custody of the Lord Keeper, 27 Aug. 1668. f.168b;- (e) Goods "in her Graces mannour house at Drayton", 26 June, 1671 f.172;- (f) General inventory of household goods of the Duchess, as appraised after her death, dat. 2 July, 1674. f.178;- (g) Seals "which belonged to the family and by her bequeathed to her son the Duke of Somerset", 1674. f.198;- (h) "The goods given away by will", including "Queen Janes bed" and "King Henries bedstead", 1674; with other lists of articles drawn up after the Duchess's death. ff.199-211;- (i) List of "jewells and other goods deliverd ... for the use of my Lady Elizabeth Seymour" out of the Duchess's effects, including portraits, etc., and "the bedd which was Queene Jane's", 31 Dec. 1674. f.213.