Lord Bledisloe Discovers Historic Papers

Chronicle (Levin), 6 September 1949, Page 5

Lord Bledisloe Discovers Historic Papers

♦ LONDON, Sept. 4. A eollection of papers wliicli has thrown considerable light upon the period immediately prior to the Civil War, when King Charles 1 was governing by ordinances and proclamations without the help of Parliament, has been discovered by Viscount Bledisloe among family documents at Lydney Park, Gloucestershire. The papew form part of the official records of Sir John Barikes, who was Attorney-General to King Charles from 1634 to 1640. They include copies of hundreds of petitions for monopolies and other privileges, aceompanied hy reports and warrants authorising the Attorney-General to prepare Royal proclamations in cases in which petitions were granted. The petitions cover a wide range of subjects. One deals with an application for what would amount to a patent for "an engine which will cause and mainteyne it own mocion With continuancp and without borrowed force of man, horse, winde, river, or brooke. " Another, more modest, deals with carrot seeds alleged to produce "a carrett both bigger and better than the usual carrets. " Another applies on behalf of a man named Reymes for an appointment as surveyor of all wrestling grounds within three miles of London. Iii return for I this privilege Reymes promised "to pTepare suitable seats for noble, honourable and worthy per'sonages who * are now crowded with the common multitude" and "to releeve such poore gamesters 1 as shall be bruised and have their lymbs 1 broaken in the said exercise. ' 3 , Documents of more serious import include reports by the Star Ohamber upon examinations of persons accused of seditious u+terances, and documents relating- to the Engli'sh settlements in Virginia and New England. ' Lord Bledisloe does not know how Sir John Bankes's papers came to. be at Lydney Park, for so far as is known there has been no connection between i Rir John Bankes and the Bathursts ■ (Lord Bledisloe 's family) or the ' family of Wynter, from whom Lvdney Park passed to the Bathursts in 1723. Lord Bledisloe has handed over the papers to the Public Records Office bor i further examination.