Add MS 7965

WARDROBE ACCOUNTS: accounts for the King's Wardrobe, 25 Edward I; 20 Nov. 1296-20 Nov. 1297. Latin. Origin: England. John Droxford was Keeper of the Wardrobe and John Benstead Controller. Wardrobe books and other surviving records for 1285-1289, chiefly at the PRO, are published with full introductions in Records of the Wardrobe and Household, ed. B. F. and C. R. Byerly, 1285-1286, 1286-1289 (HMSO 1977, 1986). Owned by Thomas Martin, antiquary (d. 1771), whose signature appears, f. i. Subsequently owned by Craven Ord, see heraldic bookplate, f. ii. Bound at the front of the volume are pages of memoranda concerning the MS. by Craven Ord (ff. iii-xxv). Purchased with Add. 7966-7968 at Craven Ord's sale, Evans, 25 Jan. 1830, lot 1004.

Vellum and paper; ff. xxv+159. Old foliation in ink, arabic numerals, foot recto, 1-27 from f. 2. 330 x 210mm. approx. Gatherings (23) generally of 8 (i lacks 1, xvii lacks 6 and 7, xxii lacks 3), ii6, v16 (gathering of 10, lacking 9, with another gathering of 6 placed between 7 and 8), vi4, ix6, xi2, xv12, xxiii4. Single columns. Documentary cursive script. Paper ff. viii-x are possibly fly-leaves from an earlier binding.

Contents:

1. ff. 1-11. Alms given by the King and the Wardrobe clerks.

2. ff. 12v-42v. Necessary expenses.

3. ff. 43v-59. Victuals and stores for the war in Flanders.

4. ff. 59v-87. Wages and fees for knights, esquires, bowmen, etc., for the war in Flanders.

5. ff. 88v-105v. Wages for sailors.

6. ff. 106v-114. Expenses for messengers and cooks.

7. ff. 114v-119. Expenses for falconry and game.

8. ff. 120v-132. Robes for the household.

9. ff. 133v-148v. Purchases of jewellery and plate, with inventory of jewels and plate in stock at the beginning of the period of account.

10. ff. 149v-154. Purchases made by the Great Wardrobe, purchase of wines, expenses of the King's daughters and of the sons of Edmund, the King's brother, of John, Count of Holland and John Balliol, and of the Chancellor.

11. ff. 155v-159v. Payments to the King's allies, including Guy, Count of Flanders, John, Duke of Brabant, John, Count of Holland, and Henry, Count of Bar.