Letter from Lord Newburgh, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to the Clerk of the Duchy Chamber

TNA: DL 41/597, item [d]

single sheet (21 May)

Master Clerke of the Dutchye

Lett the orders I send yow herewith subscribed by myself and Master Attourney concerning ye Minstrells Courte yearlie by Custome holden at Tutburie bee kept safe in your office and the same bee exemplyfied vnder the Dutchie seale gratis as I am enformed hath beene vsed, an order beeing added to them that they shalbee voyde vnlesse they bee enrolled with Master Auditour of the North partes, at his next Auditt holden for Tutburie, or within one yeare after; to the ende hee maie Call the Officers therein to account yearelie to his Maiestie for the Moyetye of the Proffittes arising, as is intended by the first Order. And for soe doing this shalbee your sufficient warrant./

(signed) Edward Newburgh

Dutchie Howse

21mo Maij 1631
to the Clerke of his Maiesties
Dutchie of Lancaster or to
his deputie

  • Document Description

    Record title: Letter from Lord Newburgh, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, to the Clerk of the Duchy Chamber
    Repository: TNA
    Shelfmark: DL 41/597, item [d]
    Repository location: Kew

    These two sets of orders for the minstrels' court contain, in items [a/b] and [c/d], the two variant versions of the orders. It is assumed that [a], the version of the orders which cannot be precisely dated, is earlier because it is a re-issue (with minor changes, errors, and omissions) of the orders of 1618 (TNA: DL 41/587). Presumably the letter of 7 May 1630, [b], was intended to accompany this version of the orders. It could not have been intended for the orders dated later, the revised orders of 10 May 1630 (1631?), item [c]. These revised orders presumably reflect changes ordered by the new chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Edward Barrett, Lord Newburgh, who held office from April 1629 concurrently with his predecessor, Sir Humphrey May, or perhaps by May himself. May's death in June 1630 likely caused some upheaval in the workings of the Chancery office, and may account for the confusion in dates with this version of the orders. In any case there appears to have been a delay of a little over a year before the revised orders, item [c], were issued, along with item [d], Newburgh's letter of 21 May 1631 ordering that the orders be exemplified and enforced. However, the existence of an exemplification dated 10 May 1630 (1631?) may indicate that Newburgh's letter was related to yet another recension of the orders, now lost. The relationships between these variant versions, one concludes, are not at all clear.

    21 May 1631; English; paper; bifolium used as single sheet for letter written on f [1]; 295mm x 180mm; autograph.

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