Bonhams 1793 : CROMWELL (RICHARD) Document signed ("Richard P" at head), as "Lord Protector of the Commonwealth", 1658

Document signed ("Richard P" at head), as "Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging", to the Commissioners authorised by the Ordinance for Approbation of Public Preachers, or any five of them, presenting Thomas Burdsall to the vicarage of Selby "in Our County of Yorke" now void; with papered seal impressed with the arms of the Commonwealth, plus dockets and endorsements, one page, on vellum, old stain in lower right-hand corner, slight rubbing and dust-staining, with wear at edges, 290 x 310 mm., Whitehall, 19 October 1658

Sold for £4,000 inc. premium

Footnotes

RICHARD CROMWELL AS LORD PROTECTOR OF THE COMMONWEALTH, appointing a puritan minister. For details of Thomas Burdsall (died 1686), Perpetual Curate of Selby, see Bryan Dale, Yorkshire Puritanism and Early Nonconformity; Illustrated by the Lives of Ejected Ministers, 1660 and 1662 (1909); 'He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, of which also he was Fellow, when Dr Winter (from Cottingham, near Hull) was Provost, 1651-1660; and he acknowledged the goodness of God in the many advantages he enjoyed in public ordinances and godly society there. He was presented to the living of Selby (where Richard Calvert, who replaced one Paul Hammerton, died in 1657) by Richard Cromwell, Protector, October 27th, 1658 ...On his ejection by the Act of Uniformity he became chaplain to Mrs Hutton, of Poppleton (sister to Lord Fairfax, and widow of Richard Hutton, who died in 1648), in whose family as well as the neighbourhood he was of great use by his example, prayers and preaching... He was of a blameless life, and very temperate, and any contrary reflections because of the flushing of his face, which was natural to him, were altogether groundless'.

The document is untrimmed and in attractive condition (compare with similar documents signed by Oliver that have recently appeared on the market). See illustration overleaf.