Letter from William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (1573-1645) to the City of Edinburgh dated 15th May 1637, relating to ecclesiastical matters. Bound in a guard book with some later materials relating to an 1870 printing of a letter in Greek sent by Laud to Cyril I Lucarius (1572-1638, reforming Patriarch of Constantinople) to accompany a presentation copy of the editio princeps of Clemens Romans, edited by P. Junius in Oxford in 1633. Given by W.H. Hutton (1860-1930, historian and Dean of Winchester, as well as Fellow of St John's).
- 1a.) Bifolium tipped onto fol. 2 of guard book: manuscript note introducing a printed letter. English. 19th c. hand. Page size 179 x 114 mm. "With Archdeacon Churton's [i.e. Edward Churton, 1800-1874, Archdeacon of St David's?] respects. The inclosed is printed, he believes, now for the first time, from a MS copy of the Seventeenth Century, either in the hand-writing of Laud himself, or of one who was entrusted with the writing of it by him. It was evidently intended to have been sent to Cyril Lucan, with a presentation copy of the Editio Princeps of Clemens Romanus, edited by Patrick Junius. Oxon. 1633. Oxford. Oct.8. 1870." [fols 1v &2 blank].
- 1b.) Single leaf tipped onto fol. 2 of guard book: 19th c. printed copy of a letter in Greek.
- 191 x 114 mm. Latin caption: "Epistola Gulielmi Archiep. Cantuar. ad Cyrillum Lucar. Patriarch. Constantinopol. (Anno 1638)."
- 2.) Single leaf tipped onto stub between fols 2 & 3 of guard book: Laud, William. Letter to the City of Edinburgh, dated Lambeth 15th May, 1637. Hutton (1930) states that only the signature is in autograph. Page size 262 x 181 mm. Text area: 210 x 162 mm. Has received 'yo[ur] letters if Apr. 3. Concerning ye Augmentation, & payment of ye Minist[ers] stipends' and sorry that there are disagreements regarding these. Hopes that the lawyers will not hold up 'so good a Worke'. Has 'moov'd His Ma[jes]tie' to take order with the Lord Treasurer [John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquair] and the Clerk Register [Sir John Hay, Lord Barro] to help settle the business. Goes on to request haste on the repair? of St Giles and the construction of new churches, so that the King may 'be more ready thereupon to gratify yow of that Citty in such other suites as you may ... make unto Him.' With a postscript stating that the King desires these works to be done under the direction of the Lord of St Andrews, and the Bishop [David Lindsay] & Dean of Edinburgh, and that the Clerk of Register will give his best assistance.