$550.00
Description
Description: This one-page manuscript document was penned for John Sheffield, the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, after his tenure as Lord President of the Council, and signed by Sheffield as “Buckingham & Normanby” in the presence of two witnesses, P. Green and Rob Grimley. The document attests that the Duke has appointed Goldsmith John Mead as his attorney to trade his share in the “Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas and other parts of America,” a sum of eleven thousand pounds as he lawfully sees fit.
“Know all men by those present that I the Most Noble John Duke of Buckingham and Normanby have made nominated Constituted and appointed and doo hereby make nominate constitute and appoint John Mead of London Goldsmith my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name too sell assigne and transfer all or any part or parts of Eleven thousand pounds Interest or Creditt in the Principall and Capitall Stock and fund of the Governor and Company of Merchants of Great Britain trading to the South Seas and other parts of America & unto any person or persons whatsoever attand for such price or prices Consideration sums or sumes of money as my said Attorney shall think fitt, and to receive the moneys for the Same, and doo Every lawful act and acts thing and things whatsoever in and about the premises as I myself might or could doo if personally present Hereby Ratefying Confirming and holding Good and valid all and whatsoever my said Attorney and Lawfully doo or cause to be done in and about the same In Witness I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the Seventeenth day of a December for Anno Dom One thousand Seven hundred and Eighteen Anno Regni Regis Georgy Magna Britania & Quinto[?]
Sealed and delivered Being first & Buckingham & Normanby
Duly Stamped in the presence of us
P Garden/ Rob Grimley”
Written on a 9¼” x 7 ¼” sheet of ivory laid paper. There are three embossed stamps (2 six pence and 1 seven pence) along the top blank margin bearing the inscription, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense,” (Shame on him who thinks evil of it, the motto of the British Order of the Garter). The paper seal on the lower right margin is intact. Item #A01892
John Sheffield (1647-1721) the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, was a statesman, poet and essayist. His friends were Dryden and Pope. A personal favorite of Queen Anne’s, he was appointed to the Privy Council and later to the Lord Privy Seal (1702-1710) and Lord President of the Council (1711-1714). He built Buckingham House, later the palace, between 1703-05.
Condition: Partially tipped to modern card stock, toned along fold lines, a portion of what seems like a missing chunk of paper on the lower right corner is folded onto the original seal. Generally good condition.