Add MS 75367

Althorp Papers. Vol. lxvii. Political writings of Halifax, [1690?]-1694. Autograph.

Paper; ff. 48. Mounted on guards in a modern binding and casing of dark green leather, stamped with the Spencer arms. 310 x 240 mm.

1. ff. 1-21. `Some Cautions offered to the Consideration of those who are to chuse Members to serve in the next P[ar]l[iament]': a political pamphlet by Halifax in twenty numbered paragraphs; 1694. Autograph fair copy, with a few deletions and alterations by Halifax, not all of which are incorporated into the printed editions. The first edition, Some Cautions Offered to the Consideration of those are to Chuse Members to Serve in the Ensuing Parliament (1695), has been several times reprinted. The most significant of a number of differences between the manuscript and the printed editions is the prediction (f. 21v) that the Triennial Bill `will certainly revive and be animated by the Royall Assent'; this has been changed in the first edition to, `we see that the last Session, it was revived and animated . . .'. The pamphlet must therefore have been written in anticipation of the passing of the Triennnial Act on 22 Dec. 1694, although it was not published until after Halifax's death on 5 April 1695, to influence the General Election in October of that year. English Literary Manuscripts HaG 55.

2. ff. 22-48. Journal by Halifax of his conversations with William III; 30 Dec. 1688-9 Feb. 1690. Autograph copy, [1690?]. In most cases the King's statements are entered on the right hand pages, with Halifax's comments on the left hand facing pages. At the beginning (ff. 22v-25) are a series of undated entries datable on internal evidence to April 1689, followed (f. 25) by one entry for 14 Feb. 1689. The main sequence of entries from 30 Dec. 1688 to 9 Feb. 1690 follows, with those of 12 and 16 Sept. (f. 41v) and 17 Dec. 1689 (f. 42v) out of sequence. The manuscript was apparently compiled by Halifax after his resignation as Lord Privy Seal in Feb. 1690, using some but not all of his earlier notes. For a late 18th cent. transcript of two fuller versions of this journal, from original notes which are now apparently untraced, see 75372 and 75373 below. A complete version is printed in Foxcroft, op. cit., II, pp. 200-252, where the differences between the three versions are noted in detail. English Literary Manuscripts HaG 61. The journal was one of the sources used by Halifax to compile his notebook of observations on his political contemporaries, formerly known as the `Devonshire House Notebook', of which a copy made for Charles James Fox is now Add. MS. 51511.