CUSTOMS DUTY IN 1591 [BURGHLEY (William Cecil, Lord, 1520-1598, Tudor Statesman)]

Fine Contemporary Notarial Copy of a Document from William Cecil as Lord High Treasurer to Alderman Henry Billingsley concerning "certain shippes arryved Londenn with Currans Oyle and Muscadells for the which they are to aunswer to her Majesty after the rates underwritten over and above the Custome, theise are to requyre you that before the said goodes be unladenn that you doe take to her Majesties use accordinge to the saide Rates of every kynde of merchandyse underwrittenn. So fare you well from my howse at Westminster .... you Loving Freinde W. Burghley. Under is writtern for every C waight of Currance v^s vj^d For every barrell of Oyle v^s, For every butt of Muscadell xxx^s... This presennte Coppy doeth in substance agree with his originall ...", attested by Cornelius Spirrmy (?), 1 side folio, Westminster,

Sir Henry Billingsley (died 1606) was an English merchant, Lord Mayor of London and the first translator of Euclid into English. He was made sheriff of London in 1584 and alderman of Tower Ward in 1585. He became one of Elizabeth's four customs collectors in 1589. In 1596, he succeeded Sir Thomas Skinner as Lord Mayor of London. He was knighted the following year. In 1603, he sat in Parliament for London. He founded three scholarships for poor students at St. John's College and served as President of St. Thomas's Hospital.
This copy may have been made in Germany or the Netherlands. The repeated use of the double 'nn' at the end of words is unlikely to be in the original. Not in the Calendars of State Papers.

Item Date:  1591

Stock No:  39796      £775

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