Harley MS 253

Contents:

ff. 1r-9r: 'Certaine reasons to approove the menes that fostered and contynued all the abuses Comitted in the office of the Shippes'

ff. 9r-10r: 'The forme of a Privy Seale, for tounage of a Nue Shippes at 5s the tonne, to incourage others to builde Shippes of great Burthen'.

f. 10r: 'The forme of a Certifficat for the tounage of a Newe Shippe'.

f. 10r: 'Orders to be observed or the true Calkinge of Shipps'.

ff. 10v-11r: 'The lengthes that all Sortes of masters oughte to Containe answerable to their severall Circomference at Parteners) and their Circomfrence at top ende or at least somanie times .3. Inches shorte of the top ende as the maste is to Containe nomber of handes at the Parteners, 19 September 1597.

ff. 11r-11v: 'The Distance from the Butt ende, that every severall Scantlinge of Mastes at Parteners ought to be measured att'; signed by 'W. Boroughe .19. September 1597'.

ff. 11v-12v: 'Instructions for the :vj: Principall maisters of her majesties shippes to observe'.

ff. 13r-13v: 'A Direct Rule to finde the Sommage of anye Shippe by the Bredeth, lengthe, and Depthe of the Shippe'.

ff. 13v-14v: 'Orders observed in vicualinge of Shippewrightes and Calkers in Queene Elizabethes tyme when the built any of her Shippes'.

ff. 14v-15r: 'Orders to be observed by the Shippwrightes and workemen, in the tymes of their workinge'.

f. 15r: 'Orders for laborers working ther majesties Shippeyardes be to observe'

ff. 15r-15v: 'The forme of a Deputacion to be given to suche as are appointed for the PRessinge of Shippes and Marryners for her majesties Service'.

ff. 15v-16v: 'Orders and Instructions for suche as are Deputed for the Pressinge of Shipps and marriners for her Majesties Servis'.

ff. 16v-17v: 'The Coppie of a warrant for the takinge uppe of workemen & Cariage for the Service of her Majesties Navy, with a proclamacion for the cleeinge of such Deptes owinge for the same'.

ff. 17v-18r: 'Divers soartes of Provisions which here tofore hathe bene usuallye Committed to the Keepinge of the Clarke of her Majesties Storehowse at Deptforde strand, beinge necessari Provisions for her highnes Navye'.

ff. 18v-19r: 'The Prizes of Cordage for the Shipp from time to tyme as followeth'.

f. 19r: 'A note of all sysse of Cordage with the waight in white as followeth'.

ff. 19r-19v: 'A note of all sysse of Cordage with the waight in Tarre as folowinge'.

ff. 19v-20v: 'The Names of all the Ropes and Riggeing of a Shippe'.

ff. 21r-21v: 'An Estimate of a quantetie of Iron hoopes which maye suffice to hoope so muche caske to serve for the lower tyer of Beere in all her Majesties Shippes for service to the seas, when they shalbe soe appoynted'.

ff. 21v-22r: 'The Joyn Peticion of all the Pursers of the Navy to the .4. principall officers to have the auntient allowance of .viijd. a man per mensem to provide the Incidentes as followeth'.

ff. 22v-23r: 'Provisions incident for the Purser to Provide and to be allowed for the same after the rate of viijd. siche man per mensem'.

ff. 23r-23v: 'The Causes and reasons that wee the Pursers have to alleadge for the increas of our necessary mony aswell in the harbrowe as otherwis at the seas, the .8. of June .1590.'.

ff. 23v-25v: 'An Estimate of the perticuler Charge that the Pursars are at, in makinge of their Provicons of necessaries at the Shippes goinge furthe to the Sea for one moneth'.

ff. 25v-28r: 'Instructions for the .iiij. principall Officers of the navye. viz. The Treaserer, the Survayor, the Controwler & the Clarke of the Shipes for the better Servinge of her Majestie'.

ff. 28r-29r: 'instructions and Comission for John Houldinge Confirmed by the Lord High Admirall and the officers of the Navy the .17. of October anno .1597.'.

ff. 29r-29v: 'A remembrance for the Maistershipwrights at Chatham Dated the .30. of Aprill anno 1591'.

ff. 29v-30r: 'A remembrance for Peeter Bucke Clarke of the Pricke and Checke for her highnes Shippes in the River of Chatham September .8. anno .1597.'

ff. 30r-31v: 'A Comission graunted for the Survay of the State of all her Majesties Shippes and provicions Dated in January .1583.'.

ff. 32r-36v: 'A Discourse importing the assembly of a Parleament, written by Mr Francis Tate of the Midle Temple London / Tempore Reginae Elizabethae'.

ff. 37r-42v: 'A declaration of great troubles pretended against the Realme of Englande by a nomber of semenarye Preests & Jesuists, sent, & very secretly dispersed in the same, to worke great Treasones under a false pretence of Religeon, with a provision very necessary for remedy therof, Published by this her Majesties Proclemation Dated at her mannor of Richemond the xviij october .1591. in this xxxiij yeare of her raigne'.

ff. 43r-44v: 'Mr Robart Beales Collection of the Kinge of Spaines Injuries offered to the Queene of England, dated the .30. of may. 1591'.

ff. 45r-49r: 'If these thinges be excused by reason of her Majesties dealinges in the Low Countrys or upon any accion Comitted by Sir Francis Drake or others, in the Indyes, etc. it may be excused or answered as followeth'

ff. 49v-50r: 'The Nomber of Spanyardes that are in all the Citties, Townes and mynes in the Province and Countray of Mexico as nere as I Myles Phillippes coulde learne as I Travelede in the saide Countrie the time of my beinge there, was the space of .xvj. yeares'.

ff. 51r-51v: 'A list of suche Porte Touns as were appoynted to set forthe Shipping inthe voyage to Cales Anno .1596.'.

ff. 51v-53v: 'A liste of her Majesties Armye by Sea and Lande for the present Voyage to Cales under the Conducte of the Earle of Essex .i. June 1596'.

ff. 54r-55r: 'A Breefe Collection of all the Regimentes, Collonels & Captaynes with the nomber of Souldiers, whence they were raised to whom they are Disposed and where they were quarted, before they were shippede for the voyage to Cales in June .1596.'.

ff. 55r-55v: 'A Commission under the Great Seale for the appointinge of Deputy Liuetenantes'.

ff. 55v-56v: 'A Comission for the Lordes of her Majesties privie Councell authorisinge them to apoint Comissioners of the Musters in such Counties wher there be noe Liuetenantes'.

ff. 56v-57r: 'A letter from the Lords of the councell for the addinge of Commissioners for the Musters'.

ff. 57r-57v: 'A minut of a letter from the Lordes of the Councell for the addinge of Deputy Liuetenants in the Comission of Liutenancie'.

ff. 57v-58v: 'A letter from the Lordes of the Councell aucthorisinge of Comissioners for the musters upon the Decase of any Liuetenant'.

ff. 59r-60r: 'Orders established for Retinews of Captaines Seruinge her Majestie in any highnes owne Shippes Pinnaces or other vessels as also in any other Shippes or vessels in her Majesties Service by the Lorde Admirale and the officers of the Navy in anno 1597'.

ff. 60v-62v: 'The names of all her Majesties Shippes and what nomber of men and officers are alowed for ech Shipppe, as also the Rates of all the officers wages in the said severall Shipps when the Serve at sea / in anno .1590.'.

ff. 63r-64r: 'The ordinary Charge for the Keepinge of her Majesties Shippes and other vessells in harborowe at Chatham, Deptford, Wolwich, and Portesmouthe'.

ff. 64v-65r: 'The State of the Mooringe of her Majesties Shippes'.

f. 65r: 'A Proportion of a Cable made for tryals, with a true observation of what wast fell therin'.

ff. 65v-66r: 'An order agreed upon howe the ordinance of her Majesties Shippes shalbe Placed whilst they remaine in harborowe at Chatham'.

f. 66r: 'The Sysses of Streamers and Banners fit for the Queens Shippes'.

f. 66v: 'The Prizes of the Severall Soartes of Shott for the use of her Majesties Shippes'.

ff. 67r-72r: 'A memoriall of some Pointed extracted out of the Discourse offered for the defence of the Realme to be Committed in Execucion in January anno .1597.'.

ff. 73r-77v: 'Consideracions Preferred to the Commonshows of Parleament against the Pattent for Transporting Iron ordinance to fortefy our Enemyes in anno 43. Elizabeth'.

ff. 78r-82v: 'The more general heads of two Orations made in the Rhenish College, Mr Jeir the Regent beeing the Authour and President; In which it is disputed whither the Queeene of England bee to bee married to the Duke of Aniow Brother of the French Kinge'.

ff. 83r-83v: Extracts from two letters of news, written at Antwerp, 1560.

ff. 83v-92v: 'A Speche delivered by the Lord Keeper Bacone about .x. dayes before Christmas Anno secondo Elizabethe [1559] at the counsell bord concerninge an aide requirede by the Scotts for the Removinge of the frenche out of Scotlande'.

ff. 92v-97r: 'A speeche Publised by the Lord Keeper Bacon in the Starred Chamber to the Justices; shewinge the causes of Powere sent into Scotlande in Hillary terme Anno .2. Elizabethe .1559.'.

f. 97v: 'The Answer by Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Lorde Keeper of the greate Seale of Englande, given in the Queenes presence to the Lorde Maiore when he was Presented unto ther Majestie in anno .1559.'.

ff. 98r-123v: Extracts of news from various foreign letters, written between 1562-1570.

ff. 124r-125r: 'Responsium summarium eorum quae Serenissima Regina Angliae, cum Consilio suorum Consiliariorum proposiut in Colloquio habiot de tribus Articulis cum illustrissimus Oratoribus Christianissimi Regis .24 Augusti, 1571'.

ff. 126r-127r: Extracts from letters relating to state matters from the year 1572.

ff. 127r-142v: 'A devise for the having of a Marte, Cittie, or Toune within the Realme of Englande, presented to the right Honorable William Citcile [sic] barron Burgleighe Lorde Tresorere of Englande and upon his aprobation to have procured her Majesties allowance and Letteres Pattents for the same, Colected & Proiectede by John Johnson & Christopher Goodman the xxiiij of December .1571.'.

ff. 143r-152v: 'Instructiones given to Sir Thomas Smithe Knight on of her Majesties Privie Counsell, sent into Fraunce to the Frenche Kinge, to treat of the Marriage betweene Queen Elizabethe & the Duke of Anioy the Frenche Kinges brother as also to Signefie the practises then Discovered betweene the Queene of Scottes & the Duke of Norfolke against the Queene & State the .3. of December anno .1571.'.

ff. 153r-155r: Extract of news from various foreign letters, written in 1572-1573.

f. 156r: Extract of a newsletter, dated 5 June 1574.