William Cecil, Lord Burghley | Letter signed, confirming a fee to paid to a Queen's Messenger, 1573

William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

Document signed ("W.Burghley"), on behalf of Robert Podley ("one of the Quenes Majesties Messengers")

endorsing Podley's claim for his fee for delivering a letter to the Lord High Admiral, with, laid down, a docket signed by Robert Petre, Clerk of the Receipt at the Exchequer ("'Mr Taillor I pray you pay this Warrante"), 1 page, folio, endorsed 'Robt podleys bill xvj viijd...termino Pashe 1573', 1573, slightly trimmed into the endorsement down the left-hand edge and with slight staining down the same edge on verso

In this warrant, which was probably written by Podley himelf, the messenger sets out his claim for his allowance for riding at Burghley's instruction with a letter for the Lord High Admiral, the Earl of Clinton, at his house at Horsley. He was forced to hire a guide from Cobham to Horsley and onward to 'purfoye', where he delivered the letter to Clinton. He then waited for a reply, which he carried to Burghley at the Court at Greenwich. His own fees and those of the guide amount to 16s 8d for five days at 4s 4d per day.

A document providing an interesting and unusual insight into the work of the messengers who enabled the transmission of important correspondence. 

PROVENANCE:

Roy Davids; his sale, part 2, Bonhams, London, 29 March 2011, lot 407