MARY I (1516-1558). Queen of England and Ireland.
Document Signed ('Marye the quene' at the head), 1 page oblong folio on vellum (age-toned overall but entirely legible; original seal slits). Dated from St James's 18 April 1 Mary I [1554]. The overall size is ca 220 x 280 mm. (8½ x 11 inches). Countersigned at the foot by Th[omas] Kerry, deputy clerk.
Ordering her treasurer and chamberlain to pay the sum of £10 9s 2d as a reward for good service to one of the grooms of her stable, John Fordham, the amount to be made up from fines imposed on two Southwark merchants, William Bourne and Thomas Gallyard, for evading the duty payable on the export of five hundred dozen and one hundred and twenty-four dozen pairs of shoes respectively.

'Mary by the grace of god of england fraunce and yreland quene defender of the faithe. To the Treasourer and chamberlaynes of our eschequier greetinge. Where Willm Bourne of Southwarke in the countye of Surry Broomeman hathe by judgement given before the Barons of the eschequier to ow[re] late brother of famous memory Kinge Edward the sixt forfaicted the some of eightene powndes six shillinges and eight pence for that he the xv date of june 1552 at Southwarke aforesaide shipped and from there carryd unto the p[ar]tes of beyounde the sea five hundrethe dosen of shooes contrary to the forme of a statute in that behaulfe made and provyded. The moitye whereof being ow[re] parte amountithe to the somme of nyne pounds three shillinges and foure pence and wheare also Thom[a]s gallyard of Southewarke aforesayd marchaunt on lyke judgement gyven before the barons aforesayde forfaithed the somme of fiftye one shillinges and eight pence for the first daye of septembre the yere abovesaide in the Cytye of London shipped and from thence caryed into the partes of beyond the Seas Cxxiiij dosen of shoes contrarye to the forme of the statute aforesaide; The moytye whereof being our parte amountethe to the somme of xxvs xd [25 shillings and ten pence] we ?ate yow wille that in consideracon of the true and faithefull service heretofore done unto us by owre welbelovyd servaunt John Fordam one of the gromes of owre stable we have geven and graunted and by theise p[re]sentes doo gyve and graunt unto ow[re] saide servaunt the saide sev[er]all forfeitures amountinge in thole the some of xli ixs iid [ten pounds nine shillings and two pence] wherefore we woll and comaunde you ow[re] saide Treasourer and chamberlayne that at the receipte of ow[re] said eschequier ye do levye or scrite or cause to be levied and scritten one tayle [tally] or tayles conteyninge the said some of xli ixs iid and the same so being in due and sufficient forme levyed and scritten to delyver or cause to be delyvered to our saide serv[a]unt To be taken to him of ow[re] gift and rewarde w[ith] out prest or othere charge to be set on him for the same and theis ow[re] l[ett]res shall be yowre sufficient warrant and discharge in that behaulfe, geven under ow[re] pryvye seale at ow[re] manour of saint james the xviijth of aprill the first yere of ow[re] Raigne.'

The reign of 'Bloody' Mary ran from 19 July 1553 until 24 July 1554, after which date she reigned jointly in her name and that Philip II of Spain until 17 November 1558. Edward VI, who is named in the document ('owre late brother of famous memory Kinge Edward the sixt') had died on 6 July 1553, the throne being then briefly occupied by Lady Jane Grey (6 to 19 July 1553). Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and was therefore the half sister of Elizabeth I, daughter of the king's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Edward VI, Henry's only legitimate male heir, was the son of his third wife, Jane Seymour. Documents signed by Mary are rarely seen on the market.
[No: 25168]