Add MS 72709

ELIZABETH, LADY RALEGH: six letters to her brother; 1611-1623, n.d. Partly autograph and signed. These letters were addressed by the wife of Sir Walter Ralegh to her brother Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington. Two of them, dated 23 Feb. 1610-1 and 21 Dec. 1623, are in a scribal hand and signed, while four are autograph and without year. Among the latter, one, dated 8 Sept. [1617], includes news of her husband on his voyage to Orinoco, and another relates to the sale of her house. Included are a printed extract (f.iii) from Maggs's Catalogue no.780, 1948, item 461, and a typewritten receipt (f.ii) for the manuscript, made out on 14 March 1949 to (Annie) W[inifred] Bryher, nee Ellerman (d.1983). Bryher gave it to Agnes Latham (d. Jan. 1996), editor of Ralegh's poems (1929) and letters (forthcoming 1996), in accordance with whose wishes it was donated to the British Library by Professor Joyce Youings in March 1996.

Paper; ff. v+12. Binding of full blue levant morocco [? by Riviere], with gilt rules and doublures, lettered on spine `Six letters / written by / Elizabeth, / Lady Ralegh / 1620-1623 / etc.', this inscription being repeated on the calligraphic titlepage (f.iv). Letters mounted individually between recessed boards. On the final blank leaf (f.v) is written in pencil `5/5/8'.