Lot 123
Cromwell, Thomas, 1st Earl of Essex
Letter signed ("Your assuryd ffreend Thomas Crumwell")
£25,000
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 17 June 2020 at 11:00 BST
Description
Addressed on address panel "To my very loving and assured Frend [..] doctor Wotton the Kinges ambassador in the parties of Germany", 2pp, folio (31 x 21cm.), with address panel on 2nd sheet
Footnote
Provenance: From Volume XXXI of the Manuscripts in Towneley Hall, Lancashire, which were dispersed by sales beginning in the 1880's. Recorded in the Fourth Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, Appendix (1874), pp.412-13; [Calendar of] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the reign of Henry VIII, vol. XIV, part 2 (1895), p.137, No. 394.
Note: A remarkable diplomatic letter about the furtherance of the fourth of King Henry VIII's six marriages by the man chiefly responsible for it.
"... by this berer yow shall receyve the kinges highness lettres conteyning his graces most gentle and princely affection toward the Duke of Cleves, with his graces divise for the encrease of their amytie which his highness doubteth not but yow woll so discreately handel and setfurthe as the same shall take effect wherein I assure you you shall doo the thing that shalbe muche to his Majestes contentaction and consequently not a Lyttle to your owne commodotie... handel the matier soo that... the Duke... takieth his graces most kynde offer in most thankfull parte and that his suite and desire is that it may please his highnes to procede... with all possible diligence and yet tempering the compassing of this purpose soo as they gather none occasion to thinke that this offre implyeth any other purpose thenne is expressed for that myghte cause them to take the same in lesse thankfull parte then it is woorthie - I have directyed my lettres of congratulacion to my ladie Annes grace whereby I doo exhote her to the nurrishement of the amytie bitweyn those princes to the greate honor bothe of the kinges Majestie her owne, and to the assuraunce of them and of their issew and posteritie... I doubte not but you wool so setfourthe the kinges Majestes presentes with goode and modest woords as the same shalbe by your discrection the more acceptable..."
