National Archives, SP 39/4, no. 68 no foliation,
Signet Office, King's Bills (Formerly State Papers Domestic, Warrants) Bills, 28 March
1614 - 22 March 1615
Undated discharge (probably July 1614) to Meredith Morgan and his heirs, for various
sums paid for the debts of the late Earl of Dunbar, including expenses for masques.
The discharge appears on the recto of one long parchment leaf. It is signed by King
James
's signature manual in the top left hand corner.
[fol. 1]
[sign manual]
Iames R.
[first hand]
Iames by the grace of God &c. To our right trusty and ^ ⎡right⎤ welbeloved Cousen
and Counsellor Thomas, Earle of Suffolke, lord Treasuror of
England
, To our right trusty and welbeloved Counsellor Sir Foulke Greville knight Chauncellor and vndertreasuror of our Exchequer, and to the Barons of our Exchequer and to all other our officers and Ministers of our Exchequer and to the Treasuror, vndertreasuror Barons and other officers of vs our heires and successors of the said Court that heerafter shalbe and to all others
to whom theis pntes shall come greeting. Wheras heertofore by our Letteres of privy Seale bearing Date the eight & twentieth daie of May in the tenth yeare
of our reigne of
England
France and
Ireland
and of
Scotland
the xlvth directed to our vndertresuror and Chamberlaynes of our Exchequer for the tyme being, wee gave Commandement
and order for payment to be then made out of our Exchequer vnto our welbeloved subiect Meredith Morgan gentleman late before that tyme servant to our late right trusty and right welbeloved Cousen and Counsellor George Earle of Downbarr
deceassed, of the some of ten thousand poundes to be by the said Meredith Morgan paid
to divers persons for moneyes of them borowed by our said late trusty and welbeloved Cousen and Counsellor the Earle of Downbarr in his
life tyme for our speciall service in our Counties latelie called the borders, and since become the midle Shires of great
Brittaine, as by our said letteres of privy Seale appeareth And wheras by our like letteres of privy Seale Dated the seaventh daie of August in the said tenth yeare of our reigne of
England
France and
Ireland
and of
Scotland
the xlvjth directed to our Comissioners for the office of our high Tresuror, Wee gave order for like payment to be then made out of our said Exchequer vnto our said subiect Meredith Morgan of one thousand poundes more in full satisfaccion and payment of all such somes as wee were to paie and discharge anie waie for our said late Cousen and Counsellor the Earle of Downbarr, as by our said letteres of privy Seale doth likewise appeare. And wheras alsoe by our like letteres of privy Seale Dated the eight and twentieth Daie of December in the nyneth yeare
of our reigne of
England
France and
Ireland
and of
Scotland
the xlvth directed to the Treasuror and vndertresuror of our Exchequer, Wee did give order for payment to be made vnto the said Meredith Morgan
out of our said Exchequer of the some of two hundred poundes towardes the performance of a maske in our Court in the Christmas tyme of that yeare, as by our said letteres of privy Seale appeareth. And wheras likewise by our privy Seale Dated the thirtieth daie of Ianuary in the said nyneth yeare directed
to the Tresuror and vndertresuror of our Exchequer wee gave order for payment of fowerscore poundes more out of our said Exchequer vnto our said subiect Meredith Morgan to give full payment and satisfaccion to such persons as had beene imployed in the said Maske as the same was due and
payable vnto them, as by our said privie Seale appeareth. And wheras by our letteres of privy Seale bearing Date the nyneth daie of December in the Eleaventh yeare
of our reigne of
England
,
France
and
Ireland
and of
Scotland
the xlvijth directed to our Comissioners for the exercise of the office of our highe Treasuror of England Wee gave order for payment to be made vnto the said Meredith
Morgan of such somes of money for the performance of a maske to be performed before vs in the Christmas tyme of that yeare by certeine gentlemen our servantes as should from tyme to tyme be signified by our right trustie and welbeloved Couzen & Counsellor Thomas Earle of Suffolke then our Chamberlayne, and Sir Iulius Caesar knight then our Chancellor and vndertresuror
of our Exchequer to be requisite for the expences therof. And wheras thervpon the some
of six hundred and twoe poundes was by them signified to be requisite for the said expences therof and was paid out
of our said Exchequer to the said Meredith Morgan accordinglie for the vse and purpose above mentioned as appeareth by our said privy Seale and otherwise in our said Exchequer. And wheras by vertue of our like letteres of privy Seale bearing date the nyneth daie of Ianuarie in the tenth yeare of
our reigne of
England
France and
Ireland
and of
Scotland
the sixe and fortieth directed to the Comissioners for the office of our high Treasuror of
England
and to the Treasuror and Vndertreasuror of our Exchequer for the tyme being Wee gave order for payment to be made out of our said Exchequer vnto our servant Inigo Iones or to anie other person or persons that should any waie be imployed
for the performance of a maske then to be provided against the solempnizing of the
marriage betweene our Deerest Daughter the lady
Elizabeth
and
the Prince
Elector Palatyne of Rhyne, as by our right trustie and welbeloved Cousens and Counsellors the said Earle of Suffolke then our Chamberlayne, and the Earle of worcester, then Master of our horse , should bee thought fitt and necessary in that behalfe. And wheras thervpon
the some of fower hundred. eleaven poundes, six shillinges and eight pence were yssued out of our said Exchequer by direccions of the said Lordes and delivered vnto the said Meredith Morgan, as by our said privy Seale and otherwise of Record in our Exchequer appeareth And wheras alsoe by our like letteres of privie Seale bearing Date the eight and twentieth Daie of Ianuary in the Eleaventh
yeare of our reigne of
England
,
France
and
Ireland
, and of
Scotland
the xlvijth directed to our Comissioners for the exercise of the office of our high
Tresuror of England Wee gave order for payment to be made out of our said Exchequer
vnto the said Meredith Morgan for provision of Hawkes, horses, Cowes, Dogges and divers other thinges for a pre sent then shortlie after sent by vs to the king
of Spayne, of such severall somes of money as should be signified by writing vnder
the handes of our said right trusty and welbeloved Cousens and Counsellors the Earle of Suffolke then our Chamberlayne and Sir Iulius Caesar knight then our Chancellor and vndertreasuror of our Exchequer to
be from tyme to tyme requisite for performance therof. And wheras thervpon divers
somes of money amounting in the wholl to the some of three thousand three hundred
fiftie twoe poundes, fourteene shillinges and nyne pence have beene yssewed out of our said Exchequer and delivered vnto the
handes of the said Meredith Morgan to be by him paid over and disbursed for the provision
of the said present and for the Charge of such persons as were sent therwith over and besides some
somes of money as yet by vs to be paid vnto the said Meredith Morgan for divers thinges by him provided for the said present Nowe forasmuch as wee have received Credible informaci on and full satisfacion that the severall somes of money heerby mencioned to be delivered to the said Meredith Morgan have beene from tyme to tyme duely
and iustlie disbursed and satisfied respectively according to our Direccions and according to the Direccions of those to whose care wee appoynted the said severall services to be done and
performed, Our will and pleasure therefore is that neither the said Meredith Morgan
nor his heires, executors, administrators nor Terretenantes nor any of them shall at any tyme heerafter be troubled or any waie Charged or questioned
by vs our heires or successors for or in respect of the said severall privy Seales or any
of them or for or concerning the severall somes of money by vertue of them or anie
of them or otherwise received as is afore menci oned. And that neither hee the said Meredith Morgan nor his heires, executors, administrators,
assignes or Terretenantes or anie of them shall at any tyme heerafter be Compelled to accompt to or with vs our heires and successors or any of vs for or Concerning the same, Nowe knowe yee that wee doe acknowledge by theis pntes
that the said Meredith Morgan hath already by our Direccions paied the said severall somes of ten thousand poundes, one thousand poundes, two hundred poundes, fowerscore poundes, sixc hundred and two poundes, fower hundred eleaven poundes sixe shillinges and viijd and three thousand three hundred fiftie and twoe poundes fourteene shillinges and nyne pence to those which wee appointed to receive the same of him according to the trust by vs reposed in him for and concerning the same. And knowe yee alsoe that wee doe by theis
pntes for vs our heires and successors pardon, release, acquite, exonerate and discharge the said
Meredith Morgan his heires, executors, administrators, assignes, Terretenantes landes goodes and Chattells of and for the same severall somes of ten thousand poundes, one thousand poundes, two hundred poundes, fowerscore poundes, six hundred and two poundes, fower hundred & eleaven poundes six shillinges and eight pence and three thousand three hundred fiftie and twoe poundes, fourteene shillinges and nyne pence and euery of them and of and for every parte and parcell of them and
every of them, and of and from all and all manner of accomptes, accions, sutes, proces, extentes, distresses, execuci ons and Demaundes to be had, prosecuted or sued by vsour heires or successors of or for the same or of or for any of them or of or for
anie parte or parcell of them or any of them. And therfore wee for vsour heires and successors by theis pntes authorize will and require yow and every
of yow to whom in this Case it doth or shall apperteyne to give and make vnto the
said Meredith Morgan his heires, executors, administrators, assignes and Terretenantes and every or anie of them such further and other exoneraci on and discharge of and for the same as by the said Meredith Morgan his heires, executors,
adminstrators assignes and Terretenantes or any of them shalbe reasonablie devised, advised or required, Be it by Iudgment
of the said Barons of vsour heires or successors or by Cancelling, adnihilating or Crossing of our Recordes concerning the same in our said Courte of Exchequer or by making of the same voyd
or otherwise as shalbe most meete And theis pntes or the inrollment, Constat or exemplificacion
thereof shalbe to yow and everie of yow a sufficient warrant and Discharge in that
behalfe. And wee doe by theis pntes for vsour heires and successors Covenant and graunt That theis pntes shalbe good, avayleable
and effectuall in the lawe and shalbe deemed, iudged and expounded most beneficiall
for the said Meredith Morgan his heires, executors, administrators, assignes and Terretenantes according to the intent and true meaning heerof against vsour heires and successors Notwithstanding the misrecitall or not recitall of our said
letteres of pivie[sic]Seale or of anie of them or of anie some of money in them or any
of them Counteyned or menci oned And not withstanding there be not expresse menci on heerin made of the severall persons to whom the said Meredith Morgan paid the
same somes of money or any of them. And notwithstanding that the said Meredith Morgan
have not accompted for the same in our said Court of Exchequer. And notwithstanding
anie other matter or thing whatsoever to the contrary heerof. And theis our letteres &c Giuen &c.
[second hand]
This conteyneth your Majestie s discharge to passe the priuy Seale onely for certaine sommes of money heertofore
paid out of the Exchecquer to Meredith Morgan gentleman somtime seruant to the Erle of Downbar & since to the now Lord Treasurer, for payment of the said Erles debtes, & for performance of diuers Maskes & other thinges in the time that the said Lord Treasurer was Lord Chamber laine, which moneys were by the said Meredith (as is well knowen and certifyed by the said Lord Treasurer) to haue bene paid for those seuerall occasions to the seuer all persons to whome they were due, for which if it please your Majesty it is thought meete & necessary the said Meredith should haue exoneracion & discharge.
[third hand and signature]
And is don by order of the Lord Treasurer
Windebank
[fourth hand]
By order of the Lord Treasurer
[The sum of £200 to Morgan appears elsewhere in the records for this masque.]
Bibliography
CSPD 1611-18, 418