Miscellaneous state papers and letters belonging to John Thurloe, Secretary to the Council of State during the Protectorate. One of the letters describes the key points of a sermon delivered by Christopher Feake, Fifth Monarchist (f.124).
Paper. 305 -350mm x 205-235mm. 207ff + f. 101* + 159* + 161* + 189* + 192* (plus 4 flyleaves at the front and 4 flyleaves at the rear). Bound in brown polished leather; gold tooling; blind stamping; gold-stamped on front and rear, 'E Bibiotheca Birchiana'. The volume was bound by the British Museum between 1772 and 1782.
The main series of Thurloe's papers were found behind false ceiling in a garret over his chambers, and were first sold to John Somers, 1st Baron Somers (1651-1716). Somers likely came into possession of the papers contained in this volume when 67 volumes of Thurloe Papers which are now in the Bodleian Library (Rawlinson MSS A 1-A 67) were bound. The papers were subsequently "communicated" by Thomas Birch to Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor. After Hardwicke's death, the letters passed to Birch who left them to the British Library.
Bequeathed by Thomas Birch to the British Museum upon his death in 1766.
Jeanne Shami; British Library Online Catalogue of Archives and Manuscripts
Many of the documents contained in this volume were published in Birch, Thurloe State Papers (1742), vols 6 and 7.
Sermon on Hebrews 11:24 -- f.124