Cotton MS Cleopatra F VI

Codex chartac. membranulis quibusdam insertis, in folio; folior. 445.

A collection of various Papers, chiefly relating to the revenue of the Crown, made by sir Robert Cotton, for his Majesty's service, in time (as is expressed in the title) of extremity.

• 1. An answer to such motives as were offered by certain miltary men, to prince Henry, to incite him to affect arms more than peace: made at his command by sir Robert Cotton, Ao 1609. 1.
• 2. Means to repair the king's estate: collected by sir Robert Cotton, for the earl of Northampton, Ao 1612. 51.
• 3. Assignment made K. Henry VI. of the profits of wards, reliefs, vacancies of church livings, &c. to certain persons, for payment of king's servants, Ao 1452. 62.
• 4. A licence granted by Q. Elizabeth, to raise money in the ports of London and Ipswich, towards building and repairing the exchequer. 62. b.
• 5. A discourse touching the courses used by the kings of England in raising money for the defence of the realm; viz. by power of prerogatvie, by grant of Parliament, by imposition of tonnage and poundage; also for conclusion of peace, for suppression of heresies and defence of the church, for paying of the king's debts, for increasing of the treasure of the realm, and for provision of the king's household by purveyors. 63.
• 6. A table of the means to repair the king's estate. N. B. Parts of this systematical table are in other places in this volume. 77.
• 7. A memorial of most of the sums taken by the kings of England, upon urgent occasions. 79.
• 8. Account of the committees for repair of the king's estate, and raising of monies, under these four heads:
  • (a.) Disinherison of the king, by concealments and detainers of his right.
  • (b.) Revenue revealed, but not improved.
  • (c.) Tenures, with their incidents and other casualties.
  • (d.) New projects. 82.
• 9. Several other courses, how to repair the king's revenue; as by a pardon project, fee-farming all the lands for treble value, improvement of forests, wastes, and commons, sale of lands, resumption of grants, patents for monopolies and licences, &c. in which collection are found also: 90.
  • (a.) Considerations of the present estate of the crown, and the repairs and improvements thereof; by the E. of Northampton. 96.
  • (b.) A discourse of sir Robt. Johnson, on the same subject. 112.
  • (c.) A brief account of the annual receipts and issues. 114.
• 10. Collections out of records, concerning lands of the king, surveyed or farmed out, some being reserved in his hand for provision of house: the first articles by sir Fra. Bacon. 118.
• 11. A summary collection of all such subsidies, dismes, fifteenths, reliefs, contributions, taxes, gifts, grants, loans, benevolences, and payments (by what name soever they have been called) as have been exacted and levied of the subjects of this realm of England since the Conquest down to Ao 1598; out of records and histories: with a great number of original papers hereto appertaining, among which we find: 144.
  • (a.) A commission for raising a subsidy by a poll-tax. 2 Ric. II. 160.
  • (b.) Money granted by the convocation, out of registers. 161.
  • (c.) Summa taxationis cleri Angliae. 217. b.
  • (d.) A rate of the fifteenth, throughout England. temp. Jac. I. 244.
  • (e.) Decimae cleri, Ao 4 Hen. VIII. 255.
  • (f.) An indenture, and another instrument, relating to the subsidy of cloth. 49 and 46 Edw. III. 264.
  • (g.) A commission to rate the subsidy of the nobility. 12 Edw. III. 270.
  • (h.) A subsidy granted by the Lords alone, upon conditions; and to be ratifed after by Parliament. 14 Edw. IV. 271.
  • (i.) A commission for improvement of a subsidy rated, and to assess such as by negligence of favour were omitted. 276.
  • (k) Among the many original commissions and other instruments that here follow, are several signed by the kings: viz. fol. 294, Hen. VI. 298, do. 309, Edw. IV. 313 and 314, Hen. VII. 316, 356, 359, 362, 364, and 365, Hen. VIII. 372, Mary. 278.
• 12. Instructions to commissioners for levying of an aid for making prince Henry a knight, Ao 1609; with the rate of the composition in the county of Huntingdon. 398.
• 13. A bond of Francis D. d'Anjou, for the payment of £.30, 000 sterling, lent him by Q. Elizabeth. (French.) Westm. Dec. 17, 1581. 401.
• 14. A warrant of James I, ordering the E. of Northampton to pay £.300 into the exchequer, being his assessed loan. (Orig.) Westm. July 20, 1604. 405.
• 15. Of loans upon pawns of jewels of the crown: several originals. 412.
• 16. Of monies borrowed of several German princes and cities, in queen Elizabeth's time. 426.