Add MS 39830

Volume 3 of papers relating to the Tresham family of Northamptonshire. Correspondence and papers of Thomas Tresham, gentleman and recusant (1543-1605). Historical and theological material.

ff. 2r-3v Oath of allegiance of the Lords to King Henry VI; 24 July 1455.

ff. 4r-7v Notes on the divorce between King Henry VIII and Queen Catharine of Aragon.

ff. 8r-11v Extracts from the account of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton's arraignment, 1554. In the hand of Sir Thomas Tresham.

ff. 12r-13v Questions and solutions on the position of recusants under the Treason Act, 1581.

ff. 14r-20r Political tract, ‘Against going to Churche’, beginning ‘Great is the iniquitie of our time’. c. 1580.

ff. 21r-25r ‘An offer of the Catholikes to the Protestantes’: a challenge containing twenty-eight questions concerning the Catholic church. c. 1580.

f. 26r Notes from a sermon, Oxford, 1596. Titled ‘Annotationes ex sermone habito Oxonii 1596. Textus. Interroga patres et anuntiabunt tibi’.

ff. 27r-30v Letter from Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper, to Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Earl Marshal, [15 October 1598].

With a reply from Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Earl Marshal, [18 October 1598]. Two copies of both.

ff. 32r-39v Arraignment of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. Titled ‘The order of arrayning of Robert Earle of Essex and Henry Earle of Southampton at Westminster the 19th day of February, 1600.’ c. 1601.

ff. 40r-1r Copy of the speech made by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, at his execution. Titled ‘A noate of what was done and of the speaches of the Earle of Essex at his deathe’. c. 1601.

ff. 41v-42r List of those involved in the rebellion of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. Titled ‘The Names of all the Earles Lords, Knights and Gentlemen which did accompany the Earle of Essex into the citty of London upon the 8th day of February Anno 1600 and was taken the same nighte for Traytors at Essex howse in the strande’. c. 1601.

ff. 43r-44v Objections by ‘M.B.’ against ‘M.L.’ Defence drawn up by Sir Thomas Tresham. Written before 3 or 5 March 1605, the date of the death of Pope Clement VIII.

ff. 45r-75v Collections of texts and commonplaces from the Bible, the Fathers, and John Foxe's Actes and Monuments (f. 54r-). Made by Sir Thomas Tresham, possibly in preparation for his defence before the Star Chamber, 1581.

ff. 80r-80v Fragment of a letter in the hand of Muriel Tresham, wife of Sir Thomas Tresham.

ff. 81r-84v Collection of notes on the eucharist. Made by Sir Thomas Tresham.

ff. 85r-89r Collection of notes on heresy and heretics. Made by Sir Thomas Tresham.

ff. 90r-153r Collection of commonplaces and definitions concerning theology and Catholic recusancy, some under alphabetical headings.

f. 154r Accounts for the purchase of books.

ff. 155v-214r Catalogue of printed books owned by Sir Thomas Tresham. Two differing copies of a catalogue with books published before 1589; additional lists give acquisitions (in some cases with prices) published up to 1605.