Add MS 33596

This is a miscellaneous collection, including warrants and awards made by King Charles I both before and during the Civil War; captured royalist correspondence; seven royalist cipher keys; and articles of surrender to George Monck during his pacification of the Highlands.

The tranche of seven letters to and from George Digby, Lord Digby (ff. 7r-18v) - one letter to Digby from Henry Jermyn, Baron Jermyn, and the rest a series of drafts by Digby - were evidently amongst the papers taken seized when the coach of George Digby, Lord Digby, the King's Secretary of State, was captured after the royalist defeat at Sherburn-in-Elmet on 15 Oct 1645, which were duly read in Parliament. They bear the marks of their interception: a couple are noted as read on 1 and 3 November (in the Commons), ff. 17v, 18v, whilst one is endorsed as 'Too bee printed', f. 18v. All are endorsed with the numbers given them for their captors' filing systems and a number are underlined for the juiciest or most incriminating points.

Contents:

ff. 1r-2v: Declaration by Charles I. of the intent of an award, made 8 July, 1632, between Thomas Howard. 14th Earl of Arundel and Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke relative to the management of certain unspecified lands, and to the payment of an annuity to Mary Herbert (née Talbot), Countess Dowager of Pembroke, Theobalds, 13 May 1633. Signed by Charles I. See also ff. 5r-6v.

ff. 3r-4v: Accreditation by King Charles I of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, as Ambassador Extraordinary to the Imperial Court, directed to Peter Heinrich, Baron Stralendorf, Imperial Vice-Chancellor, Westminster, 1 Apr 1636. In Latin. Signed by Charles I.

ff. 5r-6v: Declaration of King Charles I vesting the trust of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, made in the award dated 8 July 1632 and interpreted on 9 May 1633, in Henry Howard, Lord Maltravers (Arundel's son and heir) if the Earl should die in the lifetime of Mary, Countess Dowager of Pembroke; Whitehall, 5 Apr. 1636. Signed by Charles I. See ff. 1r-2v.

ff. 7r-8v: Letter of Henry Jermyn, Baron Jermyn, to George Digby, Baron Digby, Paris, 24 June 1645. In cipher, with the cipher translated. Amongst the political news, Jermyn writes of 'a proposition from the Scottish Commissioners to the Queene . . . that, if shee would interpose with his Majestie for their satisfaction in setling the Presbetery, they will in all things else serve the King', to which she has replied that she would never move it with the King and it would be fruitless if she tried. Endorsed as read, 3 Nov 1645, and numbered 24, and 140.

ff. 9r-10v: Letter of George Digby, Baron Digby to Henry Jermyn, Baron Jermyn, Raglan Castle, 10 Jul 1645. Unsigned. A draft. An endorsement instructs Jermyn to 'mark your post-script'. To be delivered by Mr Progers. The letter gives particulars of military movements in the West, his own differences with Prince Rupert and the petition of the Dorset clubmen. Endorsed no. 50.

ff. 11r-12v: Letter of George Digby, Baron Digby to Henry Jermyn, Baron Jermyn, Cardiff, 5 Aug 1645. Unsigned. A draft. To be delivered by Endymion Porter. On the desperate condition of the royal cause, which had been ruined by Prince Rupert, on the four ways of saving it, and on the means of gaining the Scots. Endorsed No. 48.

ff. 13r-14v: Letter of George Digby, Baron Digby to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, Raglan Castle, 10 Sep 1645. Unsigned. A draft. Digby writes on the latter's 'miraculous successes', explains the impossibility of sending him help and describes the military situation in England. Endorsed no. 41.

ff. 15r-16v: Letter of George Digby to Sir Edward Hyde, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hereford, 16 Sep 1645. Unsigned; a draft. On the surrender of Bristol (where Digby opines that possibly God has ordained it for the best, and underlined is the passage 'that we shall gaine more in being ridd of Pr[ince] Rup[ert]' and the fall of the Prince and his followers); the probability of the Scottish army revolting from the Parliament, and the successes of the Marquess of Montrose. Endorsed no. 47.

ff. 17r-v: Letter of George Digby to Henry Jermyn, Baron Jermyn, Newton, 21 Sep 1645. Unsigned. On the military situation in England and Montrose's successes in Scotland: 'Doth not all this looke like a dreame? It will be soe to future ages, but all is reall ; and you cannot fancy any thing soe greate and soe glorious as Montroses conquests and condicion there'. Endorsed as read 1 Nov 1645, and as no. 7.

ff. 18r-v: Letter of George Digby to James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, Denbigh, 26 Sep 1645. To his 'deerest and most glorious friend', Montrose, on the King's attempt to make his way to Scotland and his future movements, and on the conclusion of peace in Ireland. Endorsed as 'To bee Printed' and as no. 81.

ff. 19r-20v: Warrant of King Charles I to Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley, to be Governor of Worcester, Oxford, with instructions, Oxford, 28 Feb 1646. Partly in cipher, deciphered. Signed by Edward Nicholas.

ff. 21r-22v: Cipher key with Mr Secretary Long (Sir Robert Long), 1649.

ff. 23r-27r: Three cipher keys of Thomas Killigrew with James, Duke of York and others.

f. 28r-v: Cipher key of Henry Killigrew.

ff. 29r-30r: Royalist cipher key.

ff. 31r-32v: Roylaist cipher key.

ff. 33r-34v: Articles of Agreement between George Monck, Commander-in-Chief in Scotland, and Robert Gordon, 4th Viscount Kenmure, 14 Sep 1654. Signed by the parties and witnesses, with the seals of the parties. Endorsed as read 7 Feb 1655.

ff. 35r-36r: Articles of Agreement between George Monck, Commander-in-Chief in Scotland, and Hugh Mackay on behalf of John Mackay, 2nd Lord Reay, 18 May 1655. Signed by Monck and Hugh Mackay (with their seals) and attested by witnesses. Endorsed as read 2 Oct. 1655.