Stowe MS 812

PAPERS relating to a suit between the city of Chester and Sir Ranulph Crewe, Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1625-6, concerning the tolls at the East-gate; 1627-1631. For more documents respecting the same suit, see Harley MS. 2091, ff. 243-300. At the beginning is a table of contents, in the hand of the third Randle Holme (ob. Mar. 1700, see Ormerod's Hist. of Chester, vol. ii. p. 252), headed: "Thinges of most note in this Booke, anno 1669." The original foliation begins with 320, and that of Harl. 2091 (to which is prefixed a similar list of contents) ends with 319, so that the two MSS. were no doubt originally in one volume. The letters addressed to Edward Whitby, Recorder of Chester 1613-1639, are all originals; of the remainder (of which only a few are originals) a large proportion are endorsed by Whitby, and there is much of his writing elsewhere. The contents are as follows:-

1. Notes on ancient customs and laws regarding the tolls at East-gate, in Whitby's hand. ff. 3, 110.

2. Letters from Sir Ranulph Crewe (a) to the Mayor and aldermen of Chester; 2 Jan. [162⁶/₇], 25 Sept. [1629]. ff. 8, 28 (copy) ;-(b) to E. Whitby; 2 Jan. [162⁶/₇]-14 Mar. 163⁰/₁. ff. 10, 18, 20, 23, 116;-(c) to [Thomas Savage, lst] Viscount Savage; 13 Jan. 162⁶/₇n.d. ff. 12, 79 (copy) ;-(d) [to E. Whitby ?] concerning the nomination of a serjeant for the East grate; n.d. [after 11 Aug. 1613]. f. 90;-(e) Petition to the Privy Council; [Apr.-June, 1630]. Copy. f. 100.

3. Letters from E. Whitby (a) to Sir R. Crewe; 25 Jan. 162⁶/_7. Copies, the first autogr. ff. 14, 15;-(b) to Lord Savage; 21 Dec. 1630. Autogr. copy. f. 49.

4. Letters from the Mayor, aldermen and citizens of Chester (copies, except those at ff. 70, 84):-(a) to Sir R. Crewe; Jan. 162⁶/₇, 24 Sept. 1629. ff. 16, 17, 25, 26;-(b) to - Greene; 29 June, 1630. f. 33;-(c) to [Sir J. Bridgeman and Sir M. Lloyd,] the Judges of Chester; 19 July, 29 June, 1630. ff. 40, 82;-(d) to E. Whitby; 4 Feb. 163⁰/₁. Signed by Charles Walley, Mayor, Thomas Cowper, Sheriff, and thirteen aldermen, including Randle Holme [the first, ob. 165⁴/₅]. f. 70;-(e) to Lord Savage; 21 Dec. 1630-26 Apr. 1631. ff. 48, 50, 63, 78;-(f) to the Privy Council, and to individual members of it; 29 June, 1630-Jan. 163⁰/₁. ff. 45, 46, 52-55, 60, 80, 84, 86, 94, 104-108.

5. Miscellaneous letters, viz.: (a) Thomas Bavand to his uncle, E. Whitby, reporting the proceedings of the Privy Council; Inner Temple, London, 15 July, 1630-15 Jan. 163⁰/₁. ff. 34, 43, 72, 74;-(b) Thomas Gatliffe to T. Bavand; 7 Sept. 1630. f. 41;-

(c) [Thomas Savage, lst] Viscount Savage, to the Mayor and aldermen of Chester, E. Whitby and Sir R. Crewe; 17, 29 Jan. 163⁰/₁, n.d. ff. 56, 58, 62, 65 (copy), 66;-(d) to Sir R. Crewe; [1630-1]. Copy. f. 62;-(e) Charles Walley, Mayor of Chester, to E. Whitby; 4 Feb. 163⁰/₁. f. 68.

6. Letters from the Privy Council to the Mayor and aldermen of Chester; 9 June, 20 Dec. 1630. With order in favour of Sir R. Crewe; 12 Jan. 163⁰/₁. Copies. ff. 88, 92, 102.

7. Certificate to the Privy Council from Sir John Bridgeman and Sir Marmaduke Lloyd, Judges of Chester, of their judgment in the suit; 17 July, 1630. Copy. f 96. Besides the above, there are two petitions not connected with the suit;-(a) Richard Halliwell and Richard Burrowes, concerning a lease in Dodleston [co. Chester]; 1633. f. 2;-(b) Richard Sneyd to the Mayor, etc., of Chester, requesting that Robert Gryce, Sergeant at the Mace, may be compelled to yield him his place according to their bargain; 4 Sept. [1634]. Copy. f 98. At f. 7 b is a portrait of Sir Ranulph Crewe, engraved by Hollar, 1664. Paper; ff. 117. Folio.

Edward Whitby, Recorder of Chester: Correspondence on Chester business: 1627-1631.

City of Cheater: Suit with Sir R. Crewe: 1627-1631.

Ranulphe or Randolph Crew, or Crewe; of Crewe Hall, county Cheshire; Knight 1614, Chief Justice of KB 1625: Papers relating to a suit with the city of Chester: 1627-1631.

includes:

• f. 2 Richard Burrowes: Letter to -: 1634.
• f. 2 Richard Halliwell: Letter to -: 1634.
• ff. 3, 110 Edward Whitby, Recorder of Chester: Notes on Chester customs: 17th cent.
• f. 7 b Ranulphe or Randolph Crew, or Crewe; of Crewe Hall, county Cheshire; Knight 1614, Chief Justice of KB 1625: Portrait: 1664.: Engr.
• f. 7 b Art. Portraits: Sir R. Crewe: 1664.: Engr.
• f. 7 b Wenceslaus Hollar, d 1677 engraver: Portrait of Sir R. Crewe engraved by: 1664.
• ff. 8, 10, 14-28, 90, 116 Ranulphe or Randolph Crew, or Crewe; of Crewe Hall, county Cheshire; Knight 1614, Chief Justice of KB 1625: Correspondence with the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1627-9.: Orig. and Copies.
• ff. 12, 62, 79 Ranulphe or Randolph Crew, or Crewe; of Crewe Hall, county Cheshire; Knight 1614, Chief Justice of KB 1625: Correspondence with Lord Savage: 1627-1631.: Orig. and Copies.
• ff. 12, 62, 79 Thomas Savage, 1st Viscount Savage: Correspondence with Sir R. Crewe: 1627-1631.: Orig. and Copies.
• f. 33 Greene: Letter to, from the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• ff. 34, 36, 43, 72 Thomas Bavand: Letters to E. Whitby: 1630-31.
• f. 41 Thomas Bavand: Letter to, from T. Gatliffe: 1630.
• f. 41 Thomas Gatliffe: Letter to T. Bavand: 1630.
• ff. 45, 80 Henry Cary, Viscount Falkland; Lord Deputy of Ireland: Letters to, from the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• f. 46 John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater: Letter to, from the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• ff. 48-50, 56, 58, 63-66, 78 Thomas Savage, 1st Viscount Savage: Correspondence with the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630-31.: Orig. and Copies.
• f. 52 Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry: Letter to, from the mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• f. 53 Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington: Letter to, from the mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• f. 55 Edward Sackville, Earl of Dorset: Letter to, from the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• ff. 60-108 passim Privy Council, The: Petitions to, etc., concerning a suit about tolls at Chester: 1630-31.
• ff. 68, 70 Charles Walley, Alderman of Chester: Letter, as mayor of Chester, to E. Whitby: 1631.
• f. 70 City of Cheater: Letter from the Mayor, etc., to E. Whitby: 1631.: Signed.
• f. 70 Thomas Cowper, Sheriff of Chester: Signature: 1631.
• f. 70 Randle Holme, ob. 1655: Signature, as Alderman of Chester: 1631.
• f. 74 Thomas Bavand: Report of proceedings in the Privy Council: 1631.
• f. 84 City of Cheater: Petition from the Mayor, etc., to the Privy Council: 1630.: Signed.
• f. 84 b Robert Ince, Sheriff of Chester: Signature: 1630.
• f. 84 b John Aldersay, Sheriff of Chester: Letter signed by: 1630.
• f. 84 b Christopher Blease, Mayor of Chester: Signature: [1630].
• f. 86 Sir Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester: Letter to, from the Mayor, etc., of Chester: 1630.
• f. 96 Sir Marmaduke Lloyd, Justice of Chester: Certificate of judgment: 1630.: Copy.
• f. 96 Sir John Bridgman, Justice of Chester: Certificate of judgment: 1630.: Copy.
• f. 98 Richard Sneyd: Petition to the Mayor, etc., of Chester: [1634].: Copy.
• f. 100 Ranulphe or Randolph Crew, or Crewe; of Crewe Hall, county Cheshire; Knight 1614, Chief Justice of KB 1625: Petition to the Privy Council: 1630.: Copy.