MARY I (1516-1558). Queen of England. Sister of Elizabeth I.
Document Signed ('Mary the quene' at the head), 1 page folio (oblong) on vellum, Dated at Oatlands, 18 June [1554]. Countersigned by W[illiam] Petre, Secretary of State, and with the papered seal at the foot. Neatly inlaid. With complete transcripts in both the original and modern orthography.
A passport for Nicholas Taphoren, giving him permission to leave the country, and providing a method of identification.

'... Whereas Nicholas Taphoren, gentleman, of the town of 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant, hath made humble suit unto us for our licence to depart this our realm into the parts of beyond the seas, we let you with our pleasure and straight commandment is that ye and every of you permit and suffer the said Nicholas Taphoren with one servant in his company, two horses or geldings, ambling or trotting, with a picture of Ecce homo embroidered, his bags, baggages and all other his utensils and necessaries, peacably to pass by you, without any your unlawful search, trouble or contradiction. ...'

Taphoren had come to England in 1545, being in March that year given a patent as pay clerk of the German mercenaries in Henry VIII's service. By the following year he was being accused of emblezzlement, and in June 1550 he was ordered to attend Edward VI's privy council to be examined about residual financial claims he made for his service. He was called to the council again on 17 June 1554, when it was resolved that he had no claim against the Crown. It would appear that, as the present passport was issued the very next day, he had decided there and then that he would get nothing from the English government, or he may have been thrown out.
 Mary was at the palace of Oatlands in Surrey on her way to await the arrival of Philip II of Spain, her future husband, at Winchester.
[No: 7756]