General Correspondence of Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth. Many letters being...

General Correspondence of Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth. Many letters being from his agents, surveyors or lawyers on business and estate matters, and some on business arising from his executorship and administration of the estate of Frances[Devereux] Duchess Dowager of Somerset.. The names of the writers will be found in the index and the substance of the more important letters is given below: -

1. Thomas Flatman: London and Oxford. 22 Nov. 1657 - ff. 1,7-11.

2. William Godolphin: Christ Church Oxford, and London. 18 Jan. 1657[8], 18 June, 1658. ff.3,5.

3. John Theyer: Cooper's Hill. 21 Jan. 1660[1]. f.14.

4. John Stephens, that he will furnish one horse as required, but cannot furnish a second, as his estate is only worth £280 a year and as one horse is reckoned to be due in respect of £300 a year thinks it must be a mistake that he is asked to supply two: 23 March, 1660[1]. f.18.

5. E. Jollyvet: (a) "The common discourse is an agreement betwixt France and England, which sounds very well to our ears, but very ill to ye Hollands Party, which seems to hang down theirs": Hamburgh, 18 May, 1667. f.89: (b) The Prince is at Blackwall and Wollage ordering all things for the better security of our ships there, 100 guns are sent thither for a battery": etc. Hamburg, 2 July 1667. f.34: (c) further news of military affairs on the Continent: Hamburg, 13 Aug. 1667. f.38: (d) on affairs in France, the illness of the Pope, the Dutch West Indies: Hamburg, 19 Mar. 1667[8]. f.43.: (e) with general continental news: Hamburgh, 22 Mar. 1667. f.45.

6. Sir William Swan: (a) that he is just going for Oldenburgh to send "from thence a gallant sett of coach horses to Sir John Coventry", and pay a visit to "Felt Herr Wrangell": Hamburg, 17 May, 1667. f.31: (b) is sending some venison the best that country can afford, viz. "16 potts of Stagge and 2 of wild boar for his R. Hgnesse, on of stagge and on of wild boar" for himself, "on for Mr Charles Berbye and on for Sir Walter Vane": Hamburg. 22 July, 1672. f.76.

7. Sir John Paull, English Resident in Denmark, "Ye Deans [Danes] hath not made ordinary Rejoycings but Extraordinary, ye Holland's resident and several others had bonefires and feasted severall ministers, Ye Hollands man of warre and some parts of his fleett at Elsenore Road fired moste parte of the night and by their mirth some 8 Scots Prisoners made ther escape from abord this shipe .... and gone to sea towards Gotenburgh": Elsinburgh, 2 July, 1667. f.36.

8. Richard Gorges, a business letter: London, 5 Oct. 1668. f.47

9. Thomas Hawkes, on business matters, 1671 - 1674. ff.65, 87, 94,102,112,124,133, 156, 162.

10. Richard Marsh, hopes the London air has done him more good than his "Chymicall Doctor", and that he will soon come to Longleat for a long visit. Recommends Dr Elliot & "an ezcellent Physician of Bath": f.69.

11. Edward Villiers, recommending Lieut. Blancher who is joining T. Thynne's ship "The Prince": Tinmouth Castle, 4 Aug. 1672. f.79.

12. John Arnold to Master Lucas, Chaplain to Sir L. Jenkins's Ambassador at Cologne, speaks of "Mons. Pierauill, a Frenchman, a great acquaintance of the Lord Snt Johns' (as the Phanaticks heare terme him) and was by this Rebel Snt Johns at his death, and was onlie acquainted with his secretts": Utriche, [Utrecht], 16 July. 1673. f.109.

13. James Davenant, about a Mandamus and Sir John Ernle: Oxford, 15 Feb. 1673[4]. f.142.

14. Robert Dawes, on business affairs: (a) "As for the picture of the Countess of Hertford with her some William in her armes Mr Clarke afrirmeth it was sent unto London with the rest of the pictures directed by him to Mr Whitfield": Welles, 3 June, 1674. f.165: (b) concerning the live stock at Easton, etc. Wells, 17 Oct. 1674. f.192: (c) on affairs relating to the Somersetshire estates: Welles, 20 Dec. 1674. f.200.

15. John Seymour 4th Duke of Somerset: (a) thanks him for acquainting him "with ye prosecicion of Coll. Panton, hee was mightily upon ye Rant with my officers in Westminster Hall ye Last Tearme in threatning what hee would doe": 7 July, 1674. f.173: (b) thanks him for his favour in speaking to the Lord Keeper to restore to him the place of Custos Rotulorum for Wilts: 15 July, 1674. f.177: (c) that his servant Wayte has waited on him (Mr Thynne) seven times for the "books of the Survey of Wetley, Eston and Ansbury", and hopes they will now be delivered to him 17 Feb. 1674[5]. f.208.

16. Rev. William Gulston: (a) asking for preferment in the Church of Gloucester or elsewhere, and mentions his great poverty owing to the loss of four years salary from the late Duchess of Somerset (whose executor T. Thynne was): Symondsbury, Nr. Bridport, 24 Apr. 1675. f.229: (b) on the same subject and gives the names of four local clergy whom he suggests might be deputed Commissioners "in order to my examination" in a suit relating to the late Duchess of Somerset's estate: 5 June, 1675. f.240: (c) that he has been summoned to London to give evidence in the suit above-mentioned, and further complains as to his loss of salary: Symondsbury, 12 July, 1675. f.253 (d) renews his "petition ..... concerning Glocester or sarum" that he may "have a little respite once a year from this unwholesome air": 30 June, 1677. f. 329.

17. Thomas Thynne, to his father, with particulars or the illness and death or the writer's little son, in London: 24 Apr. 1675. f.232.

18. Rev. Thomas Washbourne to Lady Thynne, asks for her influence with her brother the Secretary of State, for either a Crown sinecure living or a Canonry at Worcester or Westminster: 29 June, 1676. f.276.

19. John Rushworth, on the laws against Popish recusants, that Sir Thomas Jones, Judge of Assize at Chelmsford declared that "those people called ffanaticks that did not come to the church were within the meaning of that statute": 13 July, 1676. f.280: a letter of London and Court news: 23 Aug. 1677. f.341.

20. Se---- Repington, apologising for his conduct to him at Lichfield on the ground that he was "rather overwhelmed with Liquor there": Hinington, 9 Aug. 1676. On the back is T. Thynne's reply, accepting his apology: 10 Aug. 1676. f.295.

21. Robert Bruce, Earl of Ailesbury, asking if he will be in London next Term, with the "accounts ready" in the matter of the writer's son's marriage with Lady Elizabeth Seymour (T. Thynne being executor to the late Duchess of Somerset): Ampthill, 4 Sept. 1676. f.309.

22. John Severn, concerning the breaking up of Wallop Common Wallop, 14 Sept. 1677. f.342.

23. Robert Lloyd, that he will not trouble him with more letters to obtain his favour "which is so hard to be procured" as he (Mr Thynne) has resolved "to be displeased", etc. Lichfield, 17 Mar. 1679. f.370.

24. W. Forrester, that Lord Newport hopes he will "grace with his presence" the election of Lord N's son and nephew at Shrewsbury: Dothill, 12 Aug. 1679.

25. Capt. Corbyn, presumes he has heard of the "death of the Barron" who hath left his whole estate to his eldest daughter which will be £5000 per annum after her mother's death, asks for his favour "in making him "knowne to ..... the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury": etc. 114 Feb. 1679. f.391.

26. Samuel Leigh, on the conduct of the Warden and Company of the royal town of Sutton Coldfield in the election of Mr Thynne as High Steward: Sutton, 28 Feb. - 28 Apr. 1860. ff. 397,434,449,452. In the second letter (17 Apr 1680) the writer mentions a report that he (Sir T. Thynne has been "nominated to goe Embassador for Turkey".