Stowe MS 493-496

REGISTERS Of the Privy Council, chiefly in the reign of Elizabeth; in four volumes. Copies, in various hands of the latter half of the xviith cent. Paper. Folio. Vol. I. (ff. 263) 16 April, 1581-26 June, 1582, and 19 Feb. 1585 [6]-11 June, 1587. Vol. II. (ff. 302) 15 May, 1589-6 April, 1590. At the end is a doggrel inscription beg. " John Diggons his booke," etc., 1666, and below is the entry " When you John Diggons have made an end of this booke, you are to receive a reward of the said Right Honourable the said Lord Roberts, Lord Keeper of the King's Majestye's Privy Seale," etc. The volume therefore belonged to John, Lord Roberts or Robartes, Keeper of the Privy Seal, 1661-1669, and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1669- 1670, Viscount Bodmin and Earl of Radnor in 1679; and the name of Henry Roberts, his 3rd son, afterwards 3rd Earl of Radnor, is written repeatedly on the inside of the cover, once with the date 1667. Vol. III. (ff. 268) 6 April-23 Dec. 1590, and 20 Sept. 1597 -31 July, 1598. Vol. IV. (ff. 246) 20 Dec. 1590-30 Sept. 1591, the portion which overlaps the preceding volume differing considerably from it in contents. These Registers are followed by extracts from the Registers of the Privy Council of Charles II., entitled "Out of ye Councill Register of King Charles y^e second, this being an appendage to an other manuscript which was written through." The periods covered by these extracts are from 17 Aug. 1670 to 10 March, 1670 [1]; 1 June to 20 July, 1677; and 1 June, 1677, to 21 April, 1679; and references are given to the folios of the volume from which they were taken.