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Collapse Z - MiscellaneousZ - Miscellaneous
Expand 1 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission1 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission
Expand 2 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/L2 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/L
Collapse 3 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LI3 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LI
1 - Translation of agreement between the abbot and burgesses of Reading in [1254].
2 - Draft answer of Richard Clech[e] to a bill of complaint brought against him and others by the abbot of Reading.
3 - Warrants to provide conduct money for troops travelling from Devon to the Cinque Ports, Kent, December 1627-January 1627/8.
4 - Receipts from Thomas Walker and Thomas Turner, fellows of St John's College, Oxford, for payments of 20s, comprising half-yearly installments of exhibitions (scholarships) awarded by the borough.
5 - Letter from J[ohn Williams, Bishop of] Lincoln, CS [Lord Chancellor and] Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, to Sir Richard Lovelace, custos rotulorum for Berkshire, and the justices of the peace for the county, with copy of Berkshire Quarter Sessions order relating to the same.
6 - Petition by John Grip, a student at St John's College, Oxford, to the mayor and aldermen, to have his former exhibition of £2 p.a. continued.
7 - Letter from William Grippe (from his school in Temple Bar) to the Corporation, thanking them for help in his 'extreamity' and apologising for not doing so earlier.
8 - Letter from Edward Clerke [steward of the borough] to a Mr Barnard, enclosing £3 to allow 'one Grippe of Magdalen Halle borne of poore parents in Readinge', formerly a pupil at Reading School, to discharge 'suche dues as the Batchelers degree requyres' and to provide him with decent and becoming apparel.
9 - Letter from the Privy Council to the High Sheriff of Berkshire requiring the attendance of two 'sufficient and well experienced Clothiers' to attend the Board at Southampton on 23 August 1625 to give their opinions as to the most suitable place to house the Staple of Cloth during the outbreak of plague in London.
10 - [Copy?] letter to Sir James Whit[e]locke, judge, at his house, concerning the progress of plague in Reading, 24 August 1625.
11 - Orders by the mayor relating to the plague, all dated 8 August 1625.
12 - Letter from W[illiam Knollys, Viscount] Wallingford, to the Corporation, 30 October, n.d. [1616-1626, possibly 1617?], on behalf of one John Ne[wman] and urging his restoration to his ancient place.
13 - Certificate to the mayor, burgesses and constables, against eight women (named) accused of being disordered persons [possibly prostitutes?] living in the borough, and against [John] Ballard, the Keeper of the House of Correction.
14 - Letter from James Heron at Abingdon to Walter Bateman, mayor of Reading, dated 24 February 1629/30.
15 - Copies of order by the Privy Council restricting the use of grain, particularly in malting and brewing.
16 - Certificate of the election of Henry, Earl of Holland, as High Steward of the borough.
17 - Orders to the mayor to summon all persons in the borough with an annual income of £40 who have not compounded for not having received a knighthood to appear before the king's commissioners at the Lion, Newbury, on 19 April 1631, and at the Bear, Reading, on 20 September 1631.
18 - Warrant from James Whitelocke to the constables, tithingmen and other 'ministers of the peace' in Reading, for the apprehension of speculators in food (engrossers and forestallers) by 20 February 1630/1.
19 - Letter and lists relating to tobacco sellers in Reading.
20 - Copy letter from the Privy Council to the justices of the peace for Berkshire, requiring a return of all malsters in the county and the number the justices think fit to be allowed, [31] March 1635.
21 - Articles to be propounded by the king's commissioners, to be observed by all persons they compound with and allow as common malsters and brewers, 31 January 1636/7.
22 - Copy licence from the High Steward for Thomas Spencer of Reading, butcher, to buy, kill and sell meat privately during Lent 1635/6.
23 - Certificate that the house of William Moseley of St Leonard Shoreditch, [London], and the houses of his neighbours, are free of plague, 16 June 1636.
24 - Copy petition from the mayor and burgesses to the kings commissioners for grievances, relating to the unemployment due to the decline of clothmaking in Reading.
25 - Opinion of Da[vid] Jenkins concerning the authority of the mayor and aldermen, and the whole Corporation, to appoint four attorneys in the borough court.
26 - Copy of the king's declaration at the head of his army to defend the Church of England, Parliament, etc, 19 September 1642, and declaration to be made by loyal subjects, 6 October 1642.
27 - Copies of the king's warrant to impress all the tailors within a six-mile radius of Reading to employ them making clothes for the soldiers of the king's army, with orders to implement the same, 8 November 1642.
28 - Statement of accounts (described as 'a p[ar]ticuler noate'] of disbursements relating to the king's stay in Reading with his army.
29 - Order by the king for Reading to supply a thousand suits of clothes for soldiers, Abingdon having sent the mayor of Reading 137 cloths (sufficient to make 1644 suits), 9 November 164[2?].
30 - Statement of accounts (described as a 'p[ar]ticuler noate') of the payment by installments of £2000 lent to the king by the town.
31 - Receipt of Sir Arthur Aston, governor of Reading, for £2000 lent by the mayor and burgesses for the maintanance of the king's garrison, 3 January 1642/3.
32 - Allegations and depositions in a dispute between Henry Bradley and Francis Seakes, each claiming the other had parliamentary sympathies, 9 January 1642/3.
33 - Copy petition by the mayor, aldermen, assistants and inhabitants of the borough, to the king for security for their loan to him of £4000, with reply on the king's behalf referring the matter of a security to the Commissioners of the Treasury, 18 March 1642/3.
34 - Copy letter from the king (per Edward Nicholls) to Sir Jacob Astley ('Asteley'), governor of Reading town and garrison, with orders relating to the preparation of the town [for a siege], 3 March 1643/4.
35 - Copy petition from the clothiers, malsters and bargemen of Reading to the king for permission to trade and carry their goods to London, notwithstanding his proclamation prohibiting the same.
36 - Copy petition from the 'cloathing tradesmen' of Reading to the king, requesting that the cloths seized by Sir Arthur Aston may be kept in safe custody until they and the inhabitants of Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire have procured safe conduct from Parliament for the transport of their goods to London.
37 - Letter from [Sir] Thomas Maynwaringe to Mr Willmer, reporting delivery of the petition of the inhabitants of Reading [ R/Z3/36], 22 March 1642/3.
Expand 38 - Copy petitions from the mayor, aldermen and inhabitants of the borough to the king.38 - Copy petitions from the mayor, aldermen and inhabitants of the borough to the king.
39 - Draft petition to the king to allow [the inhabitants] to trade and carry their goods to London.
40 - Letter from Colonel Thomas Blagge, governor of Wallingford, to the mayor of Reading, [30] June 1643, concerning orders by the king for Reading to contribute to the fortification of Wallingford.
41 - Letter to the mayor from John Clarke,[undersheriff?], 5 July 1643.
42 - [Copy?] letter from Thomas Thackham, mayor of Reading, stating the town's inability to repay monies borrowed to pay taxes for the king's army, and requesting relief from present and future taxes, 1 September 1643.
43 - Copy oath of allegiance to be sworn by soldiers in the regiment raised for royal service by the town of Reading.
44 - Copies of petition to the king from 'the poore distressed Towne of Reading' against the payment of arrears of £700 required from the town by Prince Rupert and any future contributions.
45 - Copy order from the king to the mayor and aldermen for the levying of 'a sufficient number of yo[u]r fittest and ablest men well Armed' from the three parishes of Reading to replace that part of the garrison withdrawn from the town to reinforce Lord Hopton's army, 5 April 1644.
46 - Draft petition to the king from the 'poore distressed Towne of Reading' for licence for the merchants of London to come to Reading to buy cloth and commodities, 20 April 1644.
47 - Letter from the king's commissioners of excise to Henry Gardner or Gardener, ordering him to request the governor of Reading to proclaim that all persons in possession of exciseable goods, or selling them at market or in shops, are to pay the rates appointed; and to collect such dues at the next market.
Expand 48 - Letters relating to a request for a drawbridge at Caversham Bridge, both dated 16 July 1644.48 - Letters relating to a request for a drawbridge at Caversham Bridge, both dated 16 July 1644.
49 - Warrant from the Parliamentary [Committee of] Deputy Lieutenants for Berkshire ordering the muster of the trained bands of Reading and all men aged over 16 at the Forbury ('Forberry') at 3 p.m. on Friday 26 July 1644.
50 - Warrant from [Jeremiah Horton?] to the mayor for 24s for provisions for prisoners, and requiring the 'constant releife' of prisoners left in Reading, 26 July 1644.
51 - Draft petition of the mayor, aldermen, assistants and inhabitants of Reading to Parliament 'to take into consideration the poore & sad condition' of the petitioners and give an order for their relief from unruly soldiers, [December 1644].
52 - Letter from George Varney to William Willmot [sic] (Willmer), town clerk of Reading, regretting his inabilty to pay rent for the farm he holds from the borough, and complaining of his troubles at the hands of the two armies.
53 - Letters from Parliamentary Committees, ordering the assessment and collection of taxes for defence, mostly for the relief of Parliamentary forces in Ireland, 1645-1647/8.
54 - Draft petition of the mayor, aldermen and assistants of the borough to the Parliamentary Committee of Both Kingdoms, for respite from the taxation for relief of the army in Ireland.
55 - Summons (printed, with names, dates and places added by hand) from Philip Darell, auditor of the crown revenues for the mayor and burgesses to appear to pay rents etc dure to the crown, and copy proclamation relating to the same, both dated 10 June 1647.
56 - Petition from John Blackman for additional funds to enable him to complete his degree at [St John's College], Oxford, where he has been elected a fellow.
57 - Copy warrant from [Sir] T[homas] Fairfax to Colonel Vincent Goddard, to take an account of the arms in the custody of the mayor of Reading, and ensure they are secured in a safe place, 13 August 1647.
58 - Letter from [Sir] T[homas] Fairfax to the mayor of Reading, recommending [Thomas] Wells for admission as a freeman, 22 January 1648/9.
59 - Draft letter from the mayor and aldermen to [Daniel] Blagrave, High Steward of the borough and MP for Reading, 28 October 1650, concerning a petition to the Council of State from a group of 'the Inhabitants of the Borough', with a copy of the petition.
60 - Letter from Daniel Blagrave in reply to R/Z3/59 and another letter concerning money he had borrowed from the town, 2 November 1650.
Expand 61 - Letters relating to Dutch prisoners at Reading.61 - Letters relating to Dutch prisoners at Reading.
62 - Copy certificate of election of Robert Hammond, esquire, as High Steward of the borough, June 1654.
63 - Draft certificate of election of Bulstrode, Lord Whitlocke, as High Steward of the borough in December [1654], in succession to Hammond.
64 - Letter from Thomas Bulstrode to [the mayor], announcing that he has informed Lord Whitlocke of his election, 25 January 1654/5.
65 - Letters from Richard Bulstrode to the mayor concerning a lawsuit brought by Daniel Blagrave against him over the post of steward of the borough, February 1656/7-May 1658.
66 - Draft certificate of election of Daniel Blagrave as steward of the borough.
67 - Petition from 'all the poore Coblers in Reading' to the mayor and burgesses against the shoemakers who have been repairing shoes against the terms of the borough ordinances, which has reduced the cobblers to poverty.
68 - Letter from R[ichard] Aldworth to Thomas Seikes, sending four licences for butchers to kill flesh in Reading during Lent, dated February 1662/3.
69 - Table of fees to be paid to the king's servants from all sheriffs, mayors and corporations on the king's entry into or passage through a county, city or town.
70 - Letter from T[homas, Earl of] Southampton, Lord High Treasurer, and Lord Ashley, [Chancellor of the Exchequer], to the justices of the peace of Berkshire and the boroughs of Berkshire, concerning arrangements for the assessment and collection of hearth tax, 7 October 1663; with copy of the same.
71 - Copy letter to the master of University College, Oxford, on behalf of Richard Pawley, a poor fatherless youth born in Reading and educated at the Free School, for a place in the college to allow him to be 'comfortably sustained & brought up in learning', 4 May 1664.
72 - Copy letter from the mayor to Sir Busltrode Whitlocke requesting him to resign the position of High Steward.
73 - Copies of loyal addresses to Charles II, signed by the mayor and aldermen, and relating to oppsition to the movement to exclude the Duke of York, later James II, from the royal succession.
74 - Copy letter from the mayor to Sir Leoline Jenkins [1625-1685], Secretary of State, 15 May 1682.
75 - Draft minutes of the Corporation concerning the surrender of the charter to James II to facilitate the drawing up of a new charter, 6 November 1685.
76 - Two manuscript draft replies of the Corporation to an anonymous 'scandalous Pamphlett' entitled 'The Case of the Towne of Reading stated'.
Expand 4 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LII4 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LII
Expand 5 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LIII5 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LIII
Expand 6 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LIV6 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LIV
Expand 7 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LV7 - Miscellaneous documents formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as HMC/LV
Expand 8 - Papers relating to the house of correction (formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as LVIII)8 - Papers relating to the house of correction (formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as LVIII)
Expand 9 - Papers relating to Reading School (formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as LXI)9 - Papers relating to Reading School (formerly listed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission as LXI)
Expand 10 - Miscellaneous papers relating to Reading during the Civil War10 - Miscellaneous papers relating to Reading during the Civil War

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