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Auction: 24015 - Stamps and Covers of Great Britain
Lot: 1001

Great Britain
Postal History
1588, entire letter datelined "Whitehall the 4 of Februarie late in the night", endorsed in the hand of Lord Howard of Effingham, "for her Mats affayres/to my verie lovinge friend Sr Martine Frobisher knight Admyral of her Mat Fleet on the Narrowe Seas / Haste haste haste haste poaste haste haste", and in the hand of Francis Walsingham "Whitehall the fifth of ffebruary at eleven in the forenoone / Post of Dover see this letter conveyed with all speed / Fra. Walsingham", fine embossed "Honi Soit qui mal y pense" seal, endorsed "Dartford past iii in the afternoon/Rochester past seven/syttynborn at 10 in the night/cannterberi at paste 1 o clock in the morninge"; fine. The address leaf with the earliest recorded reference to the Dover road by 48 years, and with important contents concerning the French Ambassador. An incomparable letter of postal and historical significance. Photo

notes:
(i) Lord Howard of Effingham, First Earl of Nottingham (1536-1624), Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I, commander of the English Forces during battles against the Spanish Armada.
(ii) Sir Martin Frobisher (c.1535 -1594), English privateer and naval commander, famed for his early exploits, knighted by Lord Howard for his services in repelling the Spanish Armada.
(iii) Francis Walsingham (c.1530-1590), Secretary of State under Queen Elizabeth I from 1573 until his death, remembered as the Queen's Spymaster.

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Sold for
£13,000

Starting price
£7000