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Auction: 17020 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 824

Autographs
Nine Years' War in Ireland
1601 (9 August) folio of laid paper being a letter to the mayor of Bristol from the sheriff and justices of peace in the County of Becknock (Wales) who had to supply 25 soldiers for service in Ireland, asking for payment for the expenses for the conductor of these soldiers, Harry Awbrey.


A footnote addressed by the mayor of Bristol, " Wheras Mr Henrye Awberie, the Conductor of the Souldyers aforesaid hathe demaunded of me the Maior of bristoll, allowance for Coate and Conducte monneyes for the foresaid xxv men and for his owne entertaynementt here I have not made him any satisfaccion thereof for that I have receaved noe order of commaundementt to paye the same..." and signed "Jno hophenes". A final endorsement at foot reads, "mr skinner, make an order. TB". This final note is from Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, the Lord Treasurer, to the Clerk of Receipt.


There is a little fold wear which barely affects the upper leaf, which carries the whole text, and light staining on the upper half which does not affect the legibility of the text. Photo

Fresh levies of soldiers were being raised in several parts of the country and were being directed to convenient ports, such as Bristol and Chester. It seems from this letter that the counties had not only to provide so many soldiers, but also a sum of money (in this case £3 10s. per man) to defray the cost of maintaining them in the Queen's service for a substantial period; the soldiers to be conducted to their allotted port of embarkation, and the money to be handed over in London. In this case, the conductor, Henry Awbry (or Aubrey) was claiming expences for fifteen days; six days were taken up in the march from Brecknockshire to Bristol (apparently 9th to 14th August) and the remaining nine days were calculated to cover the subsequent journey to London and back home again. The wording suggests that Henry Awbry, having failed to get his conduct money from the mayor of Bristol, had more success in London from the Lord Treasurer

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