File 05 - Rough court minutes

Manuscript

Draft minutes are dated 26 Mar 1686, 3 May 1686, 7 Jun 1686, 3 and 5 Jul 1686, 2 Aug 1686, 6 and 8 Sep 1686, 4, 11 and 12 Oct 1686, 8 and 26 Nov 1686, 6 and 20 Dec 1686, 7, 21 and 28 Feb 1687, 1, 7 and 23 Mar 1687.

At front of folder is a small piece of paper with the inscription 'The Court. 1686'.

Some minutes have other documents inserted:

Minutes for 3 May 1686:

1. bill for clerical Corporation and English Stock work undertaken in 1681; on the front is written '23 April 1686 The two Wardens Mr Towse and Mr Henry Clarke have considered Mr Garretts Bill within mentioned & have searcht presendents for that purpose & have thought fitt that he may have £12 given him as a gratuity for the same. Jo: Bellinger Ambrose Istid John Towse Hen: Clarke Robert Scott', undated.

2. letter from Timothy Goodwin to Mr Warden Isted at Stationers Hall, stating that he is willing to resign from the Livery, as Mr Isted and Warden Billing had asked him at the Castle Tavern to make his choice to remain or not if he found the role an inconvenience, 3 May 1686.

Minutes for 7 Jun 1686:

1. petition from several London master printers to the master, wardens and assistants, stating that despite an Act of Parliament authorising only one printing press in York there are three present, which print many copies that are the property of London booksellers and that should be printed in London, and praying that the Company orders the suppression of such grievance, undated.

Minutes for 3 Jul 1686:

1. memorandum reading 'Before the election of Warden Bellinger to be Master the Court first voted the manner how they would press to the election of a Master And because some members moved for the Balotting box to be made up of [illegible] It was putt to the question & carried in the negative And then the Court preceded to election againe by scoreing and the Major vote fell upon Warden Bellinger to be Master', undated.

Minutes for 8 Sep 1686:

1. letter from John Bellinger and Rob[er]t Clavell to Roger L'Estrange, referring to a decision made that morning to put off the election of treasurer, and assuring L'Estrange that when they and the partners of the English Stock do proceed to the election then he will be given timely notice of this, 8 Sep 1686.

Minutes for 6 Dec 1686:

1. copy of bond binding Obadiah Blagrave to the company as treasurer, 8 Nov 1686.

Inserted into minutes for Court sitting of 7, 21 and 28 Feb 1687 are 4 documents:

1. letter from Mr Thynne to the master, stating that no copies of books had been sent by the company to the library at St James's as required by the Act of Parliament for Printing, requesting that these copies be sent, and stating that if this is not done then he shall be forced to prefer a chancery bill against the persons involved, 7 Feb 1687.

2. surrender of yeomanry share of the English Stock by Thomas Pierrepont, 7 Feb 1687.

3. letter from Jo[hn] Bellinger and John Baker to Mr Garrett, stating that as Mr Blagrave cannot execute his security as soon as intended he should give a bond of £1000 for the present, 21 Oct 1686.

4. letter from Simon Miller to the master, wardens and assistants, requesting dismissal from the table of assistants, 6 Sep 1686.

Committee minutes are written on some Court minute documents:

Court sitting of 8 Nov 1686: meeting of the Committee appointed about buying Mr Sawbridge's interest in Cambridge printing, 19 Nov 1686.

Court sitting of 8 Nov 1686: meeting of the Committee appointed about Mr Leigh's account, 26 Nov 1686.

Court sittings of 7 and 23 Mar 1687: meeting of the Committee appointed about Haberdashers stall booksellers, 4 Mar 1687.

Court sittings of 7 and 23 Mar 1687: meeting of the Committee appointed about the Court's last copies, 18 Mar 1687.

• English

• Latin

The Court minutes of which these are drafts are contained in TSC/B/02/04 [Court Book F]

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