[no shelfmark]
A folio composite volume of state and antiquarian tracts, in probably three professional secretary hands, one of them (on 286 pages, including a title-page (f. 1r), a ‘Table’ of contents (ff. 2r-5r), and foliation throughout) being the ‘Feathery Scribe’, vi + 211 leaves, in late 17th-century calf. c.1625-30s.
Bookplates of Sir John Dolben, second baronet (1684-1756), of Finedon, Northamptonshire, and of ‘The Rev. H.C. Beeching/Yattendon/1897’. Acquired from Maggs.
ff. 1r-8r
• CtR 251: Sir Robert Cotton, A Discourse Off the Offyce of the Lord Steward of England, Written by Sr Robte Cotton, knight, and Baronnett
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Tract beginning ‘For the Clearinge whereof wee will intreate off the name...’. Hearne (1771), II, 1-12.
ff. 8r-11v
• CtR 326: Sir Robert Cotton, Of the steward of the King's household by Sr. Robt Cotton Kt. & Bart.
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
A tract beginning ‘Which office because it was neuer hereditary...’. Unpublished?
ff. 12r-14v
• CmW 33.5: William Camden, The Antiquity, Authority, and Succession of the High Steward of England
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’, headed ‘A discourse of the Lord Steward of England collected by Mr William Cambden’.
A tract beginning ‘Whom we call in English steward, in Latine is called seneschallus...’. First published in Hearne (1771), II, 38-40.
ff. 15r-17v
• CtR 234: Sir Robert Cotton, A Discourse Of the Offyce of the Lord Highe Connstable of England, written by Sr: Robte Cotton, knight, and Baronett
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Tract beginning ‘Yff wee curiouslye will looke the Roote of this question...’. Hearne (1771), II, 65-7.
ff. 17v-23v
• CtR 50: Sir Robert Cotton, The Antiquitye and Offyce of Earle Marshall of England, Written by Sr Robte Cotton, knight, and Baronett
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
Tract beginning ‘The plentye of this discourse, the last question of Highe Connstables, whereto...’. Hearne (1771), II, 97-103.
ff. 23v-5v
• CtR 215: Sir Robert Cotton, A Discourse Of the Antiquitye, and Offyce of the Earle Marshall of England, written by Sr Robte Cotton, knight, Att the request of the Lord Henrye Howard, Earle of Northampton [25 November 1602]
Copy, in the hand of the ‘Feathery Scribe’.
A dedicatory epistle beginning ‘Sir, Yor small tyme, I must Ballance, wth as sclendr Aunswere...’ followed by a tract beginning ‘Because the Jurisdiction att the Comon Lawe was vncertayne...’.
ff. 34r-42r
• CmW 23.2: William Camden, The Antiquity and Office of the Earl Marshall of England
Copy, in the hand of an unidentified scribe, headed ‘The Etimologie antiquitie and office of the Earle Marshall of England’.
A tract beginning ‘Such is the vncertainety of etimologyes...’ and sometimes entitled in manuscripts ‘The Etymology, Antiquity and Office of the Earl Marshall of England’. First published, as ‘Commentarius de etymologia, antiquitate, & officio Comitis Marescalli Angliae’, in Camdeni epistolae (London, 1691), Appendix, pp. 87-93. Hearne (1771), II, 90-7.
[no shelfmark]
Copy, on six folio leaves, in modern grey boards.
CtR 339.5: Sir Robert Cotton, A Relation of the Proceedings against Ambassadors who have miscarried themselves, etc. ...[27 April 1624]
Acquired from Maggs Brothers, 20 January 2006.
Tract, addressed to George, Duke of Buckingham, beginning ‘In humble obedience to your Grace's Command, I am emboldned to present my poor advice...’. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. 1-9.
[no shelfmark]
Copy, in a professional hand, as ‘Written by Sr Robert Cotton Anno 1621’, on six unbound folio leaves, once folded as a letter or packet. c.1620s.
CtR 104.5: Sir Robert Cotton, A Briefe Discovrse concerning the Power of the Peeres and Commons of Parliament in point of Judicature
Swann, New York, 15 September 2011 (Eric. C. Caren Collection), lot 147.
Tract, the full title sometimes given as A Brief discourse prouinge that the house of Comons hath Equall power with the Peeres in point of Judicature written by Sr Rob: Cotton to Sr Edward Mountague Ano Dni. 1621, beginning ‘Sir, To give you as short an accompt of your desire as I can...’. First published in London, 1640. Cottoni posthuma (1651), pp. [341]-351.
See also the Introduction.
[no shelfmark]
A folio volume of proceedings in Parliament 1628/9, 60 leaves plus blanks, in contemporary limp vellum. c.1629.
Later owned by Thomas Martin (1697-1771) of Palgrave, antiquary and collector. Acquired by Charles Brietzcke (c.1738-95), government official, 19 May 1774. Later owned by Arthur Beauchesne, parliamentary clerk in Canada. Sotheby's, 15 July 2010, lot 3.
f. 27v
• RuB 113.5: Sir Benjamin Rudyerd, Speech in the House of Commons, 10 February 1628/9
Copy, headed ‘Sr Beniamyn Rudyard’, dated 10 February ‘1628’.
A speech beginning ‘There be diverse recantations, submissions and sentences remaining on record...’. Variant versions include one beginning ‘That there have been many publique censures and recantacions...’. See Commons Debates for 1629, ed. Wallace Notestein and Frances Helen Relf (Minneapolis, 1921), pp. 137, [274]-5.