Add MS 45716 A

'THE BOOKE OF THE NEWE ORDYNARYE OF THE KINGS MOST HONERABLE HOUSHOLD'; 31 Hen. VIII (1539-1540), with additions down to 35 Hen. VIII (1543-1544) at f. 66). A collection of ordinances, declarations of bouche of court, lists of wages, bills of fare, etc., relating to the administration of the royal household, made apparently by or for William Dunche (see further below), who was at the time presumably a minor officer in it. He is known subsequently to have become Auditor of the Mint in 1546, M.P. for Wallingford 1563-1567, and Sheriff of co. Berks, 1570. The MS. is described, and extracts printed, by A. G. W. Murray and E. F. Bosanquet, 'Excerpts from the Manuscript of William Dunche', The Genealogist, New Ser., xxix, 1913, pp. 12-244 passim, and xxx, 1914, pp. 18-212 passim (cf. Add. MS. 45716 B following). The texts of some other portions are printed from elsewhere in Collection of Ordinances and Regulations for the Government of the Royal Household, Society of Antiquaries, 1790, pp. 197-240 passim. The contents include:-

(1) An Estimate of charges for the purposes of the royal household for the twelve months beginning 1 Oct. 31 Hen. VIII (1539). ff. 50-51b.

(2) Bills of fare for meals served on various ceremonial occasions; 1527- 1541, n.d. Four are printed in The Genealogist, New Ser., xxx, pp. 154-158. ff. 55-61, 71b-72, 125.

(3) Ordinance (i.e. bills of fare, etc.) for the coronation of Richard III; 6 July 1483. Erroneously ascribed in the MS. to the year 1327. ff. 72b-78.

(4) Account of the funeral arrangements for Queen Jane Seymour; 1537. Ibid., xxix, pp. 19-22, 94-1O1, 144-150. ff. 83-94b.

(5) Account of arrangements for a feast of sergeants-at-law kept at Ely's Place, Holborn; 2 Henry VIII (151O-1511). Ibid., XXX, pp. 208-211. ff. 109- 111.

(6) Arrangements for the christening of Prince Edward (i.e. Edward VI) at Hampton Court; 15 Oct. 1537. Ibid., xxix, pp. 238-244. ff. 112-115. Paper; ff. ix + 126 (1, 126 fly-leaves; 62-65, 79-82 blank). Folio. Mid XVI cent. Inserted loose papers include (f. v) a copy of a warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery on behalf of a groom of the royal stud at Warwick, 34 Henry VIII (1542-1543), of which another copy is entered in the MS. at f. 115b. Contemporary limp vellum binding (ff. vii, viii). Ex libris inscription of William Dunche (for whom see further above), 16th cent., f. 1. Sotheby's sale, 16 Feb. 1912, lot 382; other books in this sale are said to have contained the name of Sir George Oxenden, 5th Bart. (d. 1775), whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Dunche, see The Genealogist, New Ser., xxix, p. 14. Bookplate of the donor, f. ix.

Bequeathed by E. F. Bosanquet, Esq.