State Papers relating to the Civil War and Interregnum, 1640-60, formed by John Nalson (1637?-86), Rector of Doddington and Canon of Ely
State Papers relating to the Civil War and Interregnum, 1640-60, formed by John Nalson, including royal letters, 1642-1651; letters and papers addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons, 1641-60; papers relating to treaties, 1644-8; letters from foreign rulers and states, 1645-9; papers relating to foreign affairs, 1641-59; and papers relating to Scottish and Irish affairs, 1638-60, n.d.
Dates
- Creation: 1640-1660
Extent
3.45 Linear metres (23 Shelfmarks)
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. Nalson 1, fols. 1-2].
Full range of shelfmarks:
MSS. Nalson 1-23 (formerly Dep. c 152-176)
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 13325
Abstract
State Papers, mainly 1640-1660, removed by the Rev. John Nalson (1637?-1686) from the office of the Clerk of the Parliament, to be used in connection with his published work, An Impartial Collection of the Great Affairs of State(London, 1682-1683)
Biographical / Historical
John Nalson (bap. 1637-1687) was baptized at Holbeck Chapel, Leeds on 2nd August 1637. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge entering in 1654. He graduated with a BA in 1658 and continued his education gaining a MA in 1662 and LLD in 1678. In 1668 he became the rector of Doddington in the Isle of Ely. As well as being a Church of England Clergyman he was a proflific author of numerous literary works including polemics and An Impartial Collection of the Great Affairs of State(London, 1682-1683)
Other Finding Aids
A calendar and detailed index of the papers is in the appendix to the 13th Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, parts I and II, The Manuscripts of the Duke of Portland preserved at Welbeck Abbey (London, 1891, 1893). This calendar is arranged chronologically, and brings together related papers whose connection was lost by the somewhat artificial arrangement they were given when they were bound. The HMC references follow the same pattern as the shelfmarks used in this catalogue, so that N. I = MS. Nalson 1, N. II = MS. Nalson 2 etc. However, the HMC have employed the document numbers used in the index volume MS. Nalson 23, as the papers were not originally foliated. The documents have now been foliated (in pencil), and the folio references should be used when citing the manuscripts. As an example, Cromwell's report on the battle of Dunbar has the HMC reference N. VIII., 19; its current reference is MS. Nalson 8, fols. 37-38.
Documents are cited in the appendix to the 13th Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, parts I and II, The Manuscripts of the Duke of Portland preserved at Welbeck Abbey in the form N.I.1 etc, where each number refers to a document. The documents have now been foliated and the Bodleian references are given with each volume (eg N.XXII.66, 'The humble Remonstrance of...Fairfax and his Generall Councell of Officers...' is now MS. Nalson 22, fol(s). 232-281.
Custodial History
The basis of Nalson's collection seems to be original papers from the office of the Clerk of the Parliament, from which he was allowed to take material to be used in connection with his published work, An Impartial Collection of the Great Affairs of State, 2 vols. (London, 1682-3). He also made copies of papers in the State Paper Office, and of papers in the possession of the Duke of Ormonde, now MSS. Carte in the Bodleian Library. His death in 1686 prevented him from completing his work, which covers the period 1639 to January 1642 only.
After his death, some part of his collections came into the hands of Bishop Thomas Tanner (1674-1735), and are now to be found among the Tanner manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. Most of the remainder passed to Nalson's grandson, Philip Williams, who bound and arranged them before 1730. Many were published shortly after this, in Francis Peck, Desiderata Curiosa (2 vols., London, 1732, 1735); Zachary Grey, An Impartial Examination of the Third Volume of Mr. Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans (London, 1737), and An Impartial Examination of the Fourth Volume of Mr. Daniel Neal's History of the Puritans (London, 1739).
According to Nichol's Literary Anecdotes, the collection passed to the Reverend William Cole of Ely, the son-in-law of Zachary Grey, and then to his brother, Charles Nalson Cole (d. 1804). Its history is then obscure until its discovery in 1885 by Maxwell Lyte in a cupboard in the Duke of Portland's library at Welbeck Abbey.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Deposited by the Duke of Portland, 1945. Allocated under the Acceptance in Lieu of Tax Scheme in 1987.
- Title
- Catalogue of State Papers relating to the Civil War and Interregnum, 1640-60, formed by John Nalson (1638?-86), Rector of Doddington and Canon of Ely
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Michael Webb
- Date
- 2010
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk