COBHAM

On one skin of vellum. Aged and worn, with some loss to text. Laid out in the customary fashion, with tax stamps in margin and the gutter carrying the Earl's signature, its two words on each side of his seal, in red wax, on green ribbon. Signed by witnesses on reverse, and docketed in a later hand: 'Pigeon Close | May be of use in identifying the bounds of the Pigeon Close at the expiration of the Lease of the <?> Rectory house'. The document relates to lands surrounding Fingall's Berkshire country estate, Shinfield House, with reference to Cobham and Peter and Henrietta Floyer.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Reads: 'Dear Sir | I have to thank you for the courtesy of your letter received by post this morning. It is always gratifying to an author when another takes an interest in what he has written'.

2pp., 12mo. 24 lines. On the rectos of two leaves of a bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with neat thin strips of paper from mount adhering at head and tail of second page. He begins by acknowledging the safe receipt of the paper knife, and thanking her 'for the kindness & promptness of carrying out my wish. I certainly thought the article could not be entirely strange that it could not be discovered in six weeks'.

4to, 1 p. Nineteen lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Thanking him for 'the two charming letters' which Luke wrote to Cobham and his wife. 'It is always a great encouragement when one is in a new and unfamiliar job to receive a pat on the back from someone who has been in the game all his life.' Cobham's 'loud and noisy family' make Government House 'a bit of a family home', but he will try and 'stiffen it up for State functions, receptions, etc. although noises are still apt to drift down from the upper quarters'.

The Earl of Darnley's four letters (all signed 'Darnley') total 27 pp in 12mo; Lady Darnley's eight letters (all signed 'H. Darnley') total 26 pp in 12mo. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Darnley's first letter, 16 September 1853 (12mo, 12 pp), is unusually blunt for the period, and revealing on the etiquette of the period. It begins: 'I trust that the change in your mode of addressing me was accidental, and I have therefore not imitated it, and have used one word which you omitted [presumably 'Dear'].

All 4to, with the letters totalling 22 pp, and the list of 'Funghi, East Kent' of 15 pp. All items clear and complete. Three leaves with light staining (one with short closed tear), otherwise all in good condition, on aged paper. All three in envelopes (lacking stamps), addressed by Clifton and with his seal in red wax. ONE. 4 October 1889. 4to, 12 pp. Begins: 'It seems a long time since we had a ramble on the Cuxton and Ralling hills from Cobham, and when I killed a viper; and I have been much amused at the apparent incredulity of a brother B.O.U. at the Dumpton Park rarities!

The letter is of 23 lines, written on the front and back of an opened envelope with the cancelled address of 'John Wickham Flower Esq, Park Hill, Croydon'. In good condition, on aged paper. The rear of the envelope carries a good impression of a red wax seal, and the letter begins: 'My dear Sir, I had written this letter having obtained my object through my friend the York Herald and I still send it on account of the Seal which was the counter seal of Richd Neville Earl of Warwick killed at the battle of Barnet'.