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Auction: 24019 - Stamps and Covers of Great Britain
Lot: 1010

(x) Great Britain
Merchant Mail
From Ireland
1591 entire letter from Guglielmo Petala to Filippo Corsini and Vincentio della Barne, London, most unusually containing three copies made out by Richard Henneage as "Copia Vera":

1591 (5 June) giving the bearer, William Perala, licence to transport 1500 qrs of wheat to the Duke of Florence, signed by Thomas Norreys at Mallowe

1590 (19 Oct.) "Elizabeth Regina. By the Queene" explaining the shortage of "corne and grayne doth not Ryse in so plentyfull measure as hertofore ... we undertande hath fallen owt otherwise in that our Realme of Ireland", and giving permission to export 1,500 quarters of wheat to "our Right entyrelye beloved Cosen the Duke of Florence ... paying the Custome and all dewties for the same ... Geavon under our seanet at owr Castle of Wensworth".

1591 (26 May) letter from William Fitzwilliams confirming the arrangement "so praying you herein not to fayle but to have that specyall Care of the man and his Cause which is met havynge to deale for A prynce of that leage and Amytie with her Majesties. I byd you verrye hartlye farwell from Develin (Dublin)."

Eventually forwarded on by Petala on 27 May.

A most extraordinary document of both philatelic and historic interest. One of only eleven Corsini letters from Ireland and providing not only a rare copy of an Elizabethan letter, but also an invaluable insight into the workings of wheat export and Protestant England's reliance on Catholic Ireland to facilitate this. Paper lightly worn in keeping with age and not detracting in the slightest from the important of this great rarity. Photo

Notes: Sir Thomas Norris (Vice President of Munster). Richard Henneage (Nephew of Sir Thomas Henneage, Vice Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth), William Fitzwilliams (Lord Deputy of Ireland).

Guglielmo Petala was the key travelling agent for the Corsini merchants, in 1591 Petala visited Ireland on business which, at that time, was Catholic whilst King Henry VIII had made England Protestant. As such an air of distrust existed between England and Ireland, and although Petala clearly had Queen Elizabeth's approval, dealing with Ireland must have been secretive.

provenance:
Christie's Robson Lowe, 11 October, 1988, Lot 214

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,000

Starting price
£1000