Add MS 46354

WRIOTHESLEY'S HERALDIC COLLECTIONS. Vol. IV. 'Writhe's Book of Knights': collections made apparently by John Writhe, Garter King of Arms 1478-1504, and his son Sir Thomas Wriothesley, Garter King of Arms 1505-1534, mainly consisting of lists of knights arranged chronologically under the occasion of their creation, ff. 2b-29, and in the second part, ff. 72b-192b, of the volume painted drawings of their arms and of arms granted by Sir Thomas Wriothesley (see A. R. Wagner, Cat. of English Mediaeval Rolls of Arms,1950, pp. 120-121). Included, ff. 30-67b, is a certain amount of historical material in a sixteenth-century hand. The chief contents are,- (1) Account of the creation of Edward Seymour and Sir William Fitzwilliam as Earls of Hertford and Southampton respectively; 18 Oct. 1537. See Letters and Papers of Henry VIII,xii, pt. ii, pp. 328, 329. Add. MS. 6113, f. 87, has a different account. f. 1b.

(2) Account of the creation of John Dudley as Viscount Lisle; 12 Mar. 1542. See Letters and Papers of Henry VIII, xvii, p. 72. See also Add. MS. 6113, f. 89, for a different account. f. 2.

(3) Lists of knights created on various occasions between 1460 and 1533. For the period 1460-1494, ff. 2b-19b, the lists appear to be in the hand of John Writhe throughout and were written at different times. His hand appears last on f. 24b, for the year 1503. The remaining lists are in a variety of 16th cent. hands. ff. 2b-29.

(4) Fees paid by the Knights of the Bath created on the marriage of Arthur, Prince of Wales; 14 Nov. 1501. Cf. Harley MS. 41, ff. 24, 24b. ff. 23b, 25b, 26.

(5) A list of robes, etc., with charges, appertaining to the installation of a Knight of the Garter. See Harley MS. 304, f. 142b. f. 32.

(6) 'The names of the lordeshipps' (of the Duke of York) with their badges. Similar lists are in Add. MS. 45132, f. 62, and Harley MS. 4632, f. 23b; the latter is printed in Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica,iii, pp. 54, 55. Another MS. is Oxford, Bodl. MS. Digby 82, which is printed in Archaeologia,xvii, pp. 226, 227. (See also H. S. London, Royal Beasts,1956, p. 25.) f. 32b.

(7) Account of Edward IV's second invasion of England in 1471, being apparently an English version of the shorter account in Frenchof the events between 2 Mar. and 26 May 1471. 'The longer English account was printed from Harley MS. 543, ff. 31-49, by J. Bruce, Historie of the Arrivall of EdwardIV, Camden Soc., 1838. The shorter French account exists in two MSS., Ghent, Bibliothèque de la Ville et de l'Université, MS. 130, printed in an English translation in Archaeologia,xxi, pp. 15-22, and Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS. français 11590, printed by M. le Dupont, Memoires de Philippe de Commynes,iii, pp. 281-290; see also C. L. Kingsford, English Historical Literature in the Fifteenth Century,1913, pp. 174 -176. ff. 32b-36.

(8) Memorandum relating to the reception of a cap and sword sent by Pope Alexander VI to Henry VII; 31 Oct. 1496. See Add. MS. 6113, f. 209. ff. 36b - 37.

(9) Charges belonging to the creation of a Knight of the Bath. See also Harley MS. 41, ff. 16, 16b. ff. 37-38.

(10) Three short paragraphs:-(a) 'Howe a manne shalbe armyde at his ease when he shall fyght afowt'. ff. 39 - 39b;-(b) 'To arme a mane'. f. 39b. Both are printed from the Astley MS. (New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS. 775) in Archaeologia,lvii, pp. 43 - 44;-(c) Requisites for such a combat, printed ibid., p. 44. f. 40b.

(11) 'Abillements for Justis of pes', printed from the Astley MS. in Archaeologia,ibid., pp. 40-41, and from Lansdowne MS. 285, ff. 96, 100, in Archaeologia,xvii, pp. 292-293. f. 41.

(12) Account of the christening in the chapel at Eltham of Bridget of York, 4th daughter of Edward IV; 11 Nov. 1480. For other copies see Add. MS. 6113, ff. 74, 74b, Harley MS. 364, f. 1, Stowe MS. 1047, f. 204b. Printed from Add. MS. 6113 in The Gentleman's Magazine,ci, 1831, p. 25. ff. 41, 4lb, 51.

(13) Account of the ceremonial at the marriage of the Princess Margaret of York, sister of Edward IV, with Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy; 9 July 1468. Printed from this MS. by Sir Thomas Phillipps in Archaeologia,xxxi, pp. 326-338, and from Cotton MS. Nero C. ix, ff. 173b-177b, by S. Bentley, Excerpta Historica,1831, pp. 227-239. Other copies are in Harley MS. 543, ff. 131-139, and Add. MS. 6113, ff. 93-101. ff. 41b-50b.

(14) Account of the order of sitting at the coronation feast of Catherine of Valois, wife of Henry V; 28 Feb. 1421. Printed by Sir H. Nicolas and E. Tyrrell, A Chronicle of London from 1089-1483,1827, pp. 162-164, from Cotton MS. Julius B. i, ff. 54b-56b. Other copies are found in Add. MS. 6113, ff. 47b-48b, Egerton MS. 650, ff. 111b-112b, Harley MS. 169, ff. 43, 43b. ff. 5lb-52b.

(15)'The presenment of Knyghtis' (of the Garter), by John, Duke of Bedford; [April 1429?]. See E. Ashmole, The Institution of the Order of the Garter,1672, pp. 269, 270, and J. Anstis, Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter,ii, pp. 169, 170, who printed the text from Stowe MS. 1047, ff. 207-208. ff. 53b-55b.

(16) Orders for the Royal Household (temp. Edward IV). See also Harley MS. 642, ff. 204b, 205; Stowe MS. 1047, ff. 208-209. ff. 56-57.

(17) Ordinances made by John (Tiptoft), Earl of Worcester, Constable of England, for 'Justes of pece'; 29 May, 6 Edward IV (1466). Printed in Sir J. Harington, Nugae Antiquæ,ed. T. Park, i, pp. 1-5; see also R. J. Mitchell, John Tiptoft,1938, pp. 101-103. ff. 57-58b.

(18) Note of the 'Justes of pes' held at Smithfield; 6 July, 6 Edward IV (1466). See Stowe MS. 1047, f. 209b. f. 58b.

(19) Note of the reception by Edward IV of the sword and cap of maintenance from Pope Sixtus IV; St George's Day, 1482. See J. Anstis, Register, ii,p. 211, who took it from Stowe MS. 1047, f. 210b. ff. 59b-60.

(20) List of peers and knights with their arms, possibly dating from the 14th cent., beg. 'The barron of hilton berithe silver 11 berys in azur'. ff. 61-62.

(21) 'The charges to the paintter for entringe of the marques of barkeley', i.e. for banners and escutcheons for his funeral, 1492. f. 62b.

(22) Account of the creation of William, Lord Berkeley, as Viscount Berkeley; Easter day, 21 Edward IV (22 Apr., 1481). Other copies are in Add. MS. 6113, ff. 18, 18b, and Harley MS. 169, ff. 43b, 44. ff. 64 - 64b.

(23) Forms of:-(a) Confirmation of arms by John Writhe, Norroy King of Arms, 1477-1478. f. 65;-(b) Grant of arms to a prior by the same. ff . 65b-66.

(24) 'Proclamation for the host & ordynaunces.' This is shorter than the version printed in The Blacke Book of the Admiralty,ed. T. Twiss, Rolls Series, i, 1871, pp. 282-295. ff. 66-67.

(25) Drawings in colour, usually with crests, of the coats of arms of knights created on various occasions between 1485 and 1509. These are in general agreement with the arms described in W. C. Metcalfe, A Book of Knights,1855, pp. 9-43. Those up to 1494, f. 98, have the names of the owners written in the hand of John Writhe. The remainder have the names written in a variety of hands. On f. 72b, preceding the drawings, is a painted sketch for a coat of arms to be borne by the Tudors. ff. 72b-117b, 123, 123b, 128b-136b.

(26) Drawings, in colour, of arms apparently granted by Sir Thomas Wriothesley, with a few later additions. On ff. 169b, 170 is a drawing of part of the funeral procession of Thomas Ruthall, Bishop of Durham,11 Feb. 1523. For an account of the ceremonies (without the drawing) see Add. MS. 45131, ff. 147b -150b. ff. 118-122b, 124 -126, 138b -192b. Paper; ff. ii+208 (ff. 4,70 blank). 330 mm. x 260 mm. Late XV and early XVI centt. In the 17th cent. belonged probably to Francis Layton, yeoman of the Jewel House (1577-1661), and through his son, Henry Layton (1622 -1705), passed to the Rev. William Smith, Rector of Melsonby, N.R., co. York (see Stowe MS. 749, f. 133). Smith, who also owned Wriothesley's Heraldic Collections, Vols.I - III, viz. Add. MSS. 45131 - 45133 (for descriptions of which see Cat. of Additions 1936 - 1945,pp. 95 - 103), added circ.1718 (see f. iib) an index of names, ff. 193-198, and a list of contents, ff. 199 - 200b. Belonged to Sir George Nayler, Garter King of Arms (d. 1831) (sale-cat. 25 July 1832, lot 37); afterwards to Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. (MS. 11820); Phillipps sale, Sotheby's 11 Nov. 1946, lot 135.