Letters and papers relating to the Beaumont family, of Whitley in Yorkshire, written in the 15th-17th century

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MS. Add. C. 259

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Letters and papers relating to the Beaumont family, of Whitley in Yorkshire, from the 15th century to A.D. 1688. The whole volume, except three papers were printed for the Roxburghe Club in 1884 by the rev. W. D. Macray, so that it is only necessary here to mention a few of the chief papers:

(fol. 1) a letter from Alice Beaumont ('Bemont'), in Latin, the only 15th century document;
(fols. 8, 9, 11, 16) four letters from sir Henry Savile of Eton, 1603-1609;
(fol. 108) a letter from qu. Anne of Denmark to James i, of which there is a facsimile in the printed volume;
(fols. 25, 27, 32, 47) four letters from sir Nathaniel Brent, 1618-1629;
(fol. 136a) one letter from sir Thomas Wentworth, afterw. earl of Strafford, abt. 1626, mutilated;
(fols. 56, 60, etc.) eighteen letters from sir William Savile, 1643-1644;
(fol. 95) one letter from prince Rupert, July 10, 1644;
(fol. 100) articles for the surrender of Sheffield castle, Aug. 10, 1644;
(fol. 140) papers recommending the establishment of the woollen trade at Berwick and on the Scottish border, abt. 1610-1620;
(fol. 145) pedigree and notes showing the descent of sir Kenelm Digby from Mulshoes, Nevills and Nowerses;
(fol. 146) a Latin poem, signed 'Johannes Stewart' inviting James i (?) to visit Scotland, beg. 'Tune ille, ætherej';
(fol. 148) 'The Tilters' Lawnces', a list and diagram of a tilting match in which Prince Charles (?) took part, probably at Whitehall, March 24, 1619/20.

A copy of the treaty with Scotland of Feb. 11, 1481, is at fol. 139, and copies of four letters of the earl of Strafford (May 1, 1627, Sept. 21, 1639, Sept. 1, 1640, and n. d.) are at fol. 149, in the hand of Richard Henry Beaumont, Aug. 15, 1801.

Dates

Creation: written in the 15th-17th century

Extent

160 Leaves

Language of Materials

English
Latin

Shelfmark

MS. Add. C. 259

Additional Description

Other Finding Aids

Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. V, no. 28798.

Our best descriptions for medieval items in this collection are in Medieval Manuscripts in Oxford Libraries under MSS. Add. C. 259.

Custodial History

These papers have had a curious history, which may be seen at length in the preface to the printed edition. They were presented by K. H. Beaumont in about A.D. 1800 to 'J. P[rice]', Bodley's Librarian, and by him to his successor Dr. B. Bandinel, at whose death they may be regarded as having passed into the possession of the Library.

In 1881 they were rediscovered by Mr. Macray in a dirty parcel, tightly rolled up, at the bottom of a small box or drawer in the Library, and repaired and bound.