DYER, Sir Edward (1543-1607). Courtier and poet.
Document Signed, 1 page 4to (oblong, indented at the top, brown stain to lower right hand side), 24 November [1604]. Acknowledgement of Dyer's payment of five pounds, part of the sum of four hundred pounds due to Sir Edward Stanhope. Witnessed by Edward Benstede and Edmund Littleworth.

'Payed bye me Sr. Edward Dyer of Weston in the Countye of Som[er]set knight, unto Sir Edward Stanhope knight doc[to]r of lawe and one of the Ma[ste]rs of his Ma[jestie]s high Courte of Chauncerye the foure and twentith day of November in the second yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god kinge of England France and Ireland defender of the faythe, and of Scotland the eight and thirtithe the sume of five poundes of lawfull money of england in parte of payment of the sume of Fore hundred poundes of like lawfull money dew unto the said Sr. Edwarde Stanhope knighte, by the name of Edward Stanhope, Doc[to]r of lawe s[enio]r, by me the said Sr. Edward Dyer knight by the name of Edward Dyer of Weston in the Countye of Som[er]sett esquier, And by Thomas Dyer while he lived of the Cittye of London gent: sonne and heire of John Dyer of ?Rowndhill in the Countye of Som[er]sett gent: by our recognizaunce acknoweledged by us unto the said Sr. Edwarde Stanhope knight, by the name of Edward Stanhope S[enio]r and enrolled in his Ma[jestie]s said Corte of Chauncery bearing date the sixte day of december in the five and thirtithe yeare of the raigne of our late queen Elizabeth. In wittnes whereas I the said Sr. Edwarde Dyer knight have herunto subscribed my name, the date and yeare first above written.'

Despite a considerable inheritance Dyer had been in financial difficulties throughout his life. At his death in 1607 his estate was valued at £13,000 and his debts at over £11,000.
 Documents signed by Dyer, and indeed by any poet of the Elizabethan age, are very rare on the market.
[No: 24185]