Add MS 14028

This is a collection of Robert Beale's papers and other collected documents. At some point, possibly in 1784, it became split from the main collection of Beale papers in the Yelverton Manuscripts. It was acquired by the antiquary George Chalmers and after his death was bought by the British Museum. Most of the items relate to Anglo-Dutch history, particularly his mission to William I (the Silent), Prince of Orange, and to the Admiralty of Zeeland in 1576, and to relations between the Dutch and Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1586-1587 (Beale was English representative on the Dutch Council of State, 26 Jun - c. 28 Sep 1587). There are also a handful of items in German, most relating to Poland, and a stray earlier document from 1526 or after noting the succession of the Kings of Bohemia and Hungary. Also note reports of missions to Mary, Queen of Scots in 1581, ff. 36r-46v.

Contents:

f. 1r: Title-page, in Robert Beale's hand: 'Acta in Zelandia 1576'.

ff. 2r-v: Particular grievances of subjects of the Queen of England, exhibited to the officers of the Admiralty [at Flushing (Vlissingen)], 27 Apr 1576. In French. In Robert Beale's hand.

f. 3r: Addition of certain other complaints upon the receipt of Mr Secretary's letters: sent to the officers of the Admiralty [at Flushing (Vlissingen)], 13 May 1576. In French, apart from the heading. In the hand of Robert Beale.

ff. 4r-v: Response made to particular grievances exhibited by Commissioner Robert Beale to the Admiralty of Zeeland. In French. Noted by Beale as received 30 Apr [1576].

ff. 5r-v: Demands to be resolved by the officers of Admiralty of Flushing, 27 Apr 1576. In French. In Beale's hand, with note by him (in English) that they were exhibited to the officers of the Admiralty, 27 Apr.

ff. 6r-6r*: Reply of the officers of the Admiralty to Beale's demands. In French, noted by Beale as received 30 Apr [1576], with a note by Beale. With address to Beale at Middelburg.

ff. 7r-v: Supplication of the Flushing [Vlissengen]) Admiralty, exhibited 4 May [1576] for the stay of the 4 ships. In Dutch. With Beale's note and endorsement.

ff. 9r-v: Demands exhibited to William I [the Silent], Prince of Orange, in Middleburg, 12 May 1576. In French. In Beale's hand, with heading and note in English, the note recording, 'To this the Prince hathe particularly answered: as shall appeare among the writings sent herewith.'

ff. 10r-11v: Touching the four ships of Flushing [Vlissengen] stayed at Falmouth, exhibited to William I [the Silent], Prince of Orange, 12 May [1576]. In French. In Beale's hand. Notes in English at the head stating when it was exhibited, znd at the end on the Prince's answer.

ff. 12r-14r: The offer I [Robert Beale] made to William I, Prince of Orange, to release the ships, exhibited to the Price, 18 May [1576]. In Beale's hand. With heading and note at the end in English.

ff. 18r-19v: Accord between William I, Prince of Orange, and Sir William Winter, [1576]. Date lost. In Robert Beale's hand.

ff. 20r-21v: Draft of an accord between William I, Prince of Orange, and Sir William Winter and Robert Beale, Middelburg, 1576. In French.

ff. 23r-31v: Letters of the Estates of Holland to M. Guilpin [?George Gilpin], Secretary of the Council of State (at Dordrecht), Delft, 17 and 27 Dec 1576. In Dutch. With address, from which the recipient comes. Endorsement says 'Rs [?Regents] of Amsterdam as recipients.

ff. 32r-35v: Report of Thomas Wilford and others concerning the claims made by the Spanish Ambassador against the executors of Benedict Spinola, made to Sir Francis Walsingham, London, 2 May 1581. With address. Endorsement by Robert Beale.

ff. 36r-40v: Report on dealings with Mary, Queen of Scots, by [Robert Beale] to [Sir Francis Walsingham], Sheffield, 17 Nov 1581.

ff. 41r-46v: Report on dealings with Mary, Queen of Scots, by [Robert Beale?] to [Sir Francis Walsingham], Sheffield, n.d. [?Nov 1581]. Draft, not in Beale's hands

f. 47r: Extracts of Imperial and Diet records, 26 Jul, 1 Aug 1582. In German with Latin headings.

f. 48r-49v: Extract of the Imperial proposition to the Diet of Augsburg, relating to the United Provinces, 3 Jul 1582. In German with Latin endorsement.

ff. 50r-55v: Copy of the Resolution of the Emperor Rudolf II in the cause of the Hanseatic League against England and the county of Frisia, 28 May 1584. In German, with Latin endorsement.

ff. 57r-59v: 'Copi decrets pro Syndico Lubekensi, in causa Hansæ', 4 Jun 1584. In German with Latin endorsement. Copy

ff. 60r-61v: Letter of complaints of the Estates to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Utrecht, 28 May 1586. Addressed to 'Son Excellence'. In French.

ff. 62r-63v: Letter of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester to to the Receiver of the Convoy, 15 Aug 1586. In Dutch.

ff. 64r-65v: Copy of answer of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester to the letter of the Council of Estates of 2 Sep, touching non-payment of garrisons, 5 Sep 1586.

ff. 66r-69v: Instructions for Thomas Wilkes on going into the Low Counties, Oct 1586.

ff. 70r-71v: Speech of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, to the Estates. A relation to Thomas Wilkes by letter of 3 Dec 1586.

ff. 72r-73v: Letter of the Council of the Treasury to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 12 Dec 1586. In French with glosses in English. With address and seals.

ff. 74r-75v: Commissions of Governor and Superintendents, Mar-Dec 1586. Commissions evidently granted for officers in the Low Countries, including Count Maurice of Nassau and sir Philip Sidney. In French.

ff. 76r-77v: Letter of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, concerning military affairs in the Netherlands, n.d.

ff. 78r-79v: Remonstrance of Van De Bergh[?] touching Flushing (Vlissengen) to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, n.d. Endorsement by Robert Beale.

ff. 80-81v: Particular requests made to Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange. In French. In Robert Beale's hand.

ff. 82r-83v: Notes [by Rob. Beale] upon the choice of a person to treat with the King of France, on the subject of Mary Queen of Scots; and arguments concerning the precedence claimed by sovereign princes and their ambassadors, n.d.

ff. 84r-85r: Papers concerning the Hanseatic League. Draft, with corrections and note by Robert Beale.

ff. 87r-89v: Remonstrance of Maurice, Count of Nassau to Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst, Ambassador, 21 Apr 1587.

ff. 90r-93v: Remonstrance of the Estates to Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst, touching the payment of soldiers and their entertaining 10 English companies at their own charge according to the Queen's pay.. In French. Endorsement and some marginal notes by Robert Beale.

ff. 94r-99v: Report of the Deputies of the Council of State, sent to Wolfgang, Count of Hohenlohe, 8 Aug 1587 (new style). In French. Endorsement Robert Beale's hand.

ff. 100r-101v: Points of difficulty made by Van Der Donez[?], Commissaire of the States, touching the musters, 20 Aug 1587. With endorsement and note by Robert Beale.

ff. 102r-v: Copy of order of the Council of Estates, 6 Oct 1587.

ff. 103r-104v: Paper on the international situation, 1587-1588. In German.

ff. 105r-107v: Letter of Johann Szari Zamoysky, Great Chancellor of Poland, to Sigismund III, King of Poland, 12 Aug 1591. In German. Concerning the King's his contemplated marriage with the Archduchess Anne of Austria.

ff. 109r-110v: 'Zeitungen aus Poln, von Mo. Polnitz, den 14 Sept. 1591'. Endorsed 'Polonica'. In German.

ff. 111r-112r: Mandate of Sigismund III, King of Poland, to the English merchants of Elburg, requiring redress for injuries done to merchants of Dantzig, 30 Aug. 1594, with their answer. in German and Latin.

ff. 113r-v: Notes concerning the succession of Kings of Bohemia and Hungary, to the year 1526. In Latin. Author unknown; the original catalogue entry indentified as Philip Melancthon, referring to a document (Cotton MS Cleopatra E V, ff. 239r-v) in a similar hand - or possibly the same - which is that of Friedrich Myconius (1490-1546), writing to Thomas Cromwell in 1538.