I. Collections relating to Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland (d.1616, daughter...

I. Collections relating to Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland (d.1616, daughter of Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford, and wife, in 1577, of George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland) and to Anne Clifford her daughter (b.1590, d.1676, married in 1609 to Richard Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, afterward. 2nd Earl of Dorset, and, secondly, in 1630 to Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery), viz.

1. Transcripts of letters of Margaret, Countess of Cumberland, to her husband her daughter and son-in-law, James I. and Queen Anne, Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, Edward Bruce, Lord Kinloss, and others, relating, among other matters, to her differences with her husband and to her daughter's inheritance; 1591-1615. The first letter addressed to Leyfeild, D.D, in June, 1591, gives particulars of her life to that date. ff. 2-42. A letter to the Countess from Samuel Daniel, the poet, - Feb., 1616, is included (f.29), and at the end (ff.43b-48) are particulars of Roger, Lord Clifford (d.1327), and Henry, 1st Earl of Cumberland (cr.1525, d.1542).

2. Transcript of "A Summary of the History and a true Memoriall of the Life of me, the Lady Anne Clifford", etc., brought down to 1659. ff.49-72b. This autobiography agrees with that in Harley MS.6177, f.1 (which however, is continued to 16), both being copies.

3. Transcript of a Journal of Lady Anne Clifford (Countess of Dorset), 1616-1619; preceded by autobiographical notes from 1603, and followed by two letters from her to the Earls of Bedford and Arlington, the last being the famous letter "Your man shall not stand". ff.74-119.

II. Account of the siege of Brampton Bryan Castle, co. Hereford, by the Royalists in 1643, and its defence by Lady Brilliana Harley, wife of Sir Robert Harley, K.B., with other matter; the whole volume being a transcript, in a single hand, made in the 18th cent. The full contents are:-

1. Letter of Charles I. to the Sheriff of Herefordshire to prepare for the siege; Oxford, 28 Jan., 1642[3]. f.120.

2. Summons from the Sheriff to Lady Brilliana to surrender; Hereford, 4 Mar., 1642[3]. Followed by her answer. ff.121, 122.

3. Letter from Lady Brilliana to Lieut. Col. [Edward] Massey, on her condition; no date. f.122.

4. "A True Relation of the Siege of Brampton Castle in the county of Hereford, begun on Wednesday, July 26th, 1643, being the Public Fast day" and raised Sept. 9th. The relation, which is in form of a diary, appears to be by Captain Priamus Davies (see below), one of the besieged. f.123.

5. Letters which passed between Lady Brilliana and Henry Lingen, the Sheriff, Sir William Vavasour, commanding the besiegers, and Sir John Scudamore, mediator from the king; 26 July - 6 Sept., 1643. ff. 137-173.

6. "A True Relation of those Strait Sieges of Bramton Castle .... (together with the Massacre of Hopton Castle).... By Captain Priamus Davies". The narrative down to the end of the first siege is practically identical with that in art. 4, but it is carried further (f. 65), giving an account of the death of Lady Brilliana in Oct., 1643, the seizure of Hopton Castle by a detachment of Brampton Garrison and its recapture and their massacre in Feb., 1644, and the second Siege of Brampton, ending with its surrender on 17 Apr., 1644. f. 173.

7. "A list of those that were in Brampton Castle during the siege" f.199 and in Hopton Castle. f. 204.

8. Epitaphs of Lady Brilliana, d.-- Oct, 1643, and of her husband Sir Rob. Harley, d. 6 Nov., 1656. f. 205.

9. Letter from Will. Bagley to Tho. Harley, as to the siege and Sir R. Harley's losses by it; Putney, 15 June, 1646. f. 206. Followed by accompts, claims, etc., relating to the same subject. (ff. 208-214).

10. Correspondence of Thomas Harley, respecting the release of himself and his two sisters from Ludlow Castle, their journey to London, etc., May. - 1 July, 1644. ff. 215-225.

11. "Relation of the siege, surrender and butchery at Hopton Castle (see above) by Colonel Samuel Moore", who commanded the garrison. Printed in J. B. Blakeway's "Sheriffs of Shropshire", 1831, p. 217; some passage here written separately being there worked into the text. f. 226.

Folio; ff. 234.