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Auction: 18038 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 3002

Autographs
King Edward VI
1547 (18 June) a written document on laid paper headed "By the King" bearing a very fine example of the wooden handstamp "Edward". Addressed to nobody in particular and starting "Trustie and welbiloved we grete you well"; these would have been prepared in quantity and distributed by agents to persons throughout the country thought to have been sufficiently wealthy to comply. The document appears to be an instruction for the recipient to make preparations of horses and equipment for defence.



(1) Trusty and well beloved we greet you well And albeit being (2) put (thanks be to God) in amity and peace with all….. ***(3) the parties of beyond the seas and so minding to continue (4) the good advice of our dearest noble and councilor the (**Duke of**) (5) Somset governor of our person and protector of our realm and dom**(inion)** (6) and the rest of our privy council ……. as evident ***.(7) our honour and danger to our realm shall enforce(?) us to the ****(8) ……necessity to ………any of our …. (9) matters of the war yet conceiving that as in time (10) things that may prove for the conducting(?) of a good … a **** (11)………… as may be conveniently *****(12) in time of peace(?) the prince ought to force such things (13) for the maintenance thereof and defence for the war (14)………cause be…..(15)….. out of all parts….(16) other prince of C(h)ristianity be in amity for what purpose (17) know not……….. now have by the advice of our said **** (18) counsel thought convenient(?) to put all things in **** (19) order and readiness, as what …. part shall(?) be off*** (20) us ….. of our honour and the …**** (21) good ………. the same as now shall*** (22) wherefore (?) doubting not but that you for your *** (23) not………………us and the realm **** (24) that you….., to do by …. (25) of horses but thinking also (for) the towardness that (26) to us and our said noble and counsel to be …. (27) have(?) the said furniture …… if the**** (28) so require, we have thought good to require you al*** (29)the ….. you are bound to the ……of horse…… *** (30)…..as that which we do mean, may be to a (31) purpose and for the surety of yourself and the rest of *** (32) to …………. and putting to your …. (33) ….. the same may be & to your…. (34) in good …. horses or good gelding *** (35) well………for a demilance and to (36) appoint ………upon the said horses or (37) geldings causing the same… so to exempt themselves .……(38) … in harness of a demilance. As upon the next (39) warning (?) to be given you in our behalf the same … and horses (40) or gelding(?) well appointed and in good order may be ready(?) (41) upon an hours warning to march to such place as *** (42) shall cause to be…….. nor shall*** (43)cause so to do. And like as for your furtherance……if y*** (44) want harness we have as before by our… to that shir***(45) was signified, given order here that you shall have harness (46) at Sir Richard Gresham's hands upon reasonable prices (47) So you shall understand that when … your men and (48) horses shall be employed there shall be such a liberal (49)…… given unto them for the maintenance of themselves (50) their horses and harness as they shall have better cause (rest not readable until 54) (54) at the Manor of St. James the xviij (18th) of June(?) (of the) first year of our reign

….. words not deciphered *** words missing from right hand edge (1) etc. line numbers.

The document is signed at foot "E: Somerset" and there is some notation in the upper left corner, possibly the name of the recipient, which includes "John Thanto of Cantorburie".

Trimmed a fraction at side and with central tape repair over two horizontal folds. A rare and fabulous document. Photo

Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch raised as a Protestant. During Edward's reign, the realm was governed by a Regency Council because he never reached his majority. The Council was first led by his uncle Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, (1547–1549), and then by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick, from 1551 Duke of Northumberland.


Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (c. 1500 – 1552) was Lord Protector of England during part of the Tudor period from 1547 until 1549 during the minority of his nephew, King Edward VI . As Lord Protector, Somerset had full executive power

Wooden signature handstamps were also used by the Tudor monarchs Henry VIII and Elizabeth I

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