Private papers, deeds, accompts, rentals, etc., chiefly of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl...

DE/VOL. III

1536-1625

Private papers, deeds, accompts, rentals, etc., chiefly of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, Robert his son, 2nd Earl, and Robert, his grandson, 3rd Earl; 1536-1625. Included are :-

1. Settlement on the marriage of Richard Devereux, son and heir of Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, and Dorothy, daughter of George Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon; 1 July, 28 Hen. VIII 1536. Copy. f.1.

2. "My Lorde Herefordes reconing": a tailor's bill for Walter Devereux, 2nd Viscount Hereford [cr. Earl of Essex 1572], Oct. 1559 - May 1561 amounting to £158.9.9. ff. 14-25.

3. Receipt by John Vernon, of Hodnet, co. Salop, [mar. Elizabeth, sister of the above Viscount Hereford] for £40 in part payment of 300 marks due to him from Lady Dorothy Devereux (see art. 1) his mother-in-law; 30 Mar. 1570. Signed. f. 26.

4. "The charges of my Lord of Essex his patentes", when created Earl(?); 1572(?). f.27.

5. The title of Walter, Earl of Essex, to certain manors willed by Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March (d.1425) to Isabel his niece (aunt of Edward IV.) afterwards wife of Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex. f.30.

6. Survey of the manors of Swell and Prestbury, co. Glouc., "latelye graunted by her Maiestic to .... [Robert Devereux] the Erle of Essex", made Jan. 1589-1590. f.37.

7. Bill of Peter Vanlore for jewels supplied to the Earl of Essex in 1589 and 1590, to the amount of £1305.8. With two signatures of the Earl. f.47.

8. Release by Robert, Earl of Essex, Sir Gelly Meyrick and Robert Wright to Thomas Crompton of the manors of Fanhope [Fawnhope] and Ross, co. Hereford; no date (after 1591). Draft. f.49.

9. "The Declaration of the Accompte of Gelley Mericke, Esquier, Steward of... the Erle of Essex houshold and Receivour Generall of all his rentes and revenewes", 24 Nov. 1592-14 Dec. 1593. The receipts amount to £5189.1.10 and the payments to £5182.2.7. f.72.

10. Book of accompt of household and other expenses of Robert, Earl of Essex, 1594-1595. ff. 78-106.

Among the "Rewardes" is a payment of £10 "to the Players at Essex Howse at the marriage of therle of Northumberland" [sc. Hen. Perey, m. Lady Dorothy Devereux, widow of Sir Tho. Perrott] (f.84); and under the heading of "Playe" (f.90b) are the entries "Imprimis to a lynnyn draper your Lo. playeinge with him at chesse and lost at that time ... XL" - "Item to your Lordship to plaie at cardes with the L. Sheffeild on Newe yeres daie at night in the Presence, your Lordship giving him oddes at Noddy ... XXl" - "Item to the Countesse of Leicester which your Lordship lost at chesse to Sir Robert Carewe.

11. Papers relating to debts of the Earl of Essex and the means proposed for paying them off, etc.; circ. 1593-1598. ff. 107-109, 116-124.

According to the first paper (f.107) Essex owed £29,993.4.6; of which £4000 was secured to Peter Vanlore out of the profits of the "lease of swete wynes" (see vol.VI). The balance it was proposed to raise by the sale of lands valued at £30,520, leaving to the Earl a yearly rental of £1787.5, or with "the countesse revenue" of £1300, in all £3087.5.

12. Accompt of moneys received to the use of the Earl of Essex, 13 Nov. 1594-19 July, 1595. f.111.

13. Schedule of evidences of the Earl of Essex at Essex House, 1597, with additions to 1599. ff. 126-133.

14. "A particular of the uses of the lands of the late [2nd] Earl of Essex mentioned in the tripartite deed of 37 Eliz." [17 July, 1595]. f.136b.

15. Schedule of "the mannors and revenues of ... Robert, [3rd] Earle of Essex which he hath in possession", in cos. Stafford, Pembroke, Cardigan, Carmarthen and Hereford and in Ireland; 1603-1607. f.140.

16. Draft of a grant by Henry, Prince of Wales, to Robert, Earl of Essex, and Theophilus Howard, Lord Walden, of the office of Steward of numerous manors in Wales; [circ. 1606-10]. f.141.

17. Accompt of sums paid to Peter Vanlore for jewels, etc., and to others, 10 May-28 Nov. 1607, headed "A noate of such somes of mony as I have received towardes my debett concernynge the jorny into the Lowe Cuntryes". Essex was travelling on the continent in 1607-1609. f.168.

18. "The case of Essex House and tenements", as to whether the Countess of Clanricard [widow of Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex] has a life-interest in them, and whether the 3rd Earl has an interest prejudicial to the estate of his Grandmother, Lettice, Countess of Leicester. f.170.

19. "A note of such somes of mony as I owed for lands sould by my Lord of Essex which I bought againe since his death and stated [settled] uppon my sonne of Essex and his sisters and for belding at Binington [Bennington, co. Northt.] and Essex House". Signed "Fra. Clanricard" [Frances, dau. of Sir Francis Walsingham, widow of Sir Philip Sydney and Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex, and wife of Rich. de Burgh, Earl of Clanricard]. f.172.

20. Survey of lands of the Earl of Essex in cos. Pembroke and Carmarthen; circ. 1610. f.176.

21. Schedules of "Evidences", or deeds, of the Earl of Essex; 30 Oct. 1610, and no date. ff. 195, 197, 199.

22. Statement of the Earl of Essex's "receytes after bothe audites" viz. £8000.6.7¾, and of his debts, viz. £20,315.2.4; 26 Nov. 1612. f. 203. With further note of debts, Oct. 1613. f.205.

23. Drafts of Petitions of the Earl of Essex (a) to the King, for the speedy trial of the claim of one Garnon to lands in Farney, etc., in Ireland granted to Walter, Earl of Essex, by Qu. Elizabeth; circ. 1620. f.207;--(b) to the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland against Rob. Whythead who pretended a title to certain lands in Farney, etc. f. 208b;--(c) to the Chancellor and Barons of the Exchequer, that the Sheriff of co. Hereford be ordered to pay him an annuity of £13.6.8 out of the issues of the county for the support of "his dignitie and honour of Viscount Hereford", according to grants from the Crown. f.210.

24. Bill in Chancery of the Earl of Essex v. Margaret Wynn, widow, for non-performance of covenants in a bond, with answer, etc.; after May, 1614. f.211b.

25. Answer of Edward Johnes to a bill in Chancery of the Earl of Essex, maintaining his right to certain lands, etc., late of the Abbey of Whitland, co. Carm, under a lease from the abbot for 99 years; Mich. term, 1616. f.217b.

26. Powers of attorney from the Earl of Essex (a) to deliver seisin to John Jones of lands, etc., of the grange of Castle Cossam late parcel of Whitland Abbey, co. Carm., 10 Mar. 1616-1617. f.233;- (b) to represent him at a Commission at Priestheane, co. Radnor, on matters between him and tenants of the Countess of Pembroke; 2 Mar. 1617-1618. f.234.

27. Application of the Att. General v. the Earl of Essex, to show cause, under the Act of 18 Eliz. for the confirmation of grants and patents, why he should not pay £198 as assignee of the manor of Earisland with the woods, etc., of Shirley Vallett, co. Hereford, granted to Thos. Hanford and Kennard Delabere, 28 Sept., 1575; East. term, 16 Jas. I. [1618] f.236.

28. Bill for the Earl of Essex for a doublet, hose and cloak, amounting to £42.15; with receipt by Piere Macala, 23 Nov. 1619. f.258.

29 'A breife of the cause concerninge the dett of [Thomas] Hanford and [Kennard] Delabere to the king" [see above, art. 27, and vol. viii); circ. 1619. f.267.

30. List of "fines, paynes and amercyamentes forfited at the three greate Courtes and Leetes of....Robert, Earle of Essex and Ewe holden within his mannor of Lichfeilde", co. Stafford, I Chas. I [1625]. f.273.

Folio; ff.288.

English