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49
The Library of Elizabeth's Embezzling
Teller
by
Leslie Hotson
SELDOM DOES ONE COME UPON A VIRTUALLY complete valuer's list of the books owned by an Elizabethan squire. An added spice in the present case is the reason for the appraisal: their owner is being "sold up" to make good what he embezzled out of Queen Elizabeth's till.
The culprit is no petty unknown, but one of the four worshipful Tellers of her Exchequer of Receipt, Richard Stonley, esquire, who by patent has enjoyed his life-appointment since February 19, 1554 (1 Mary). The commission out of the Exchequer to find out and seize his property is dated February 9, 1597. It states that he had wrongfully convertted to his own use £12,608 of the Queen's money. Another statement makes the sum £12,779 13s. 3¾d. Either way the amount is enormous; but since we may assume that a quarter of all the Queen's monies, incoming and issuing, for some forty years had passed through his hands, Stonley was used to large sums. Why he embezzled, over how long a period, and how he was detected, we have still to learn.
But the Queen did not lose by Richard Stonley's peculations. Hers was the prudent habit of choosing as her financial officers men of substance. What sometimes happened to less substantial defaulters we read in Stow's Annales under date of January 1589/90: "Nicols one of her Maiesties purueiours was hanged,
50
Richard Stonley was however an old servant of the Queen's, and owned lands in six different counties, as well as house property in London. Some properties of his in Kent, Essex, Bucks, and Oxford were sold for the Queen, together with the "Castle" in Holborn. The last was bought by Lord Burghley and his son for £1000.[1] Others in Essex were seized into the Queen's hand to make up the remainder out of income. But at his death on February 19, 1600, Stonley's widow and his two daughters (aged 40 and 36) were no doubt able to look forward to getting this part of the estate back again when the debt was cleared.[2] Obviously Elizabeth was not vindictive, and had no intention of ruining her teller's family.
The list of books following is drawn from the complete appraisal early in 1597 of Stonley's goods at his dwelling house in Aldersgate Street, St. Botolph's extra Aldersgate, London.[3] His books exhibit him as a man of cultivation, well seen in the languages. The list is full, varied, and interesting.
Much could be done with it in the way of identification classification, analysis—which I do not propose to do. I am content to lay out the titles as I find them in the parchments, and invite anyone interested to make the most of the material. I have made no consistent attempt to expand abbreviations, and any additions of my own are in italic or enclosed in square brackets. Since several of the titles are unknown to me, I cannot hope to have avoided blunders, and shall be happy to be corrected.
51
An Inventory of the goodes of Richard Stonley Esquier remayninge in his howse in the parishe of St Botolphe without Aldersgate in the Subvrbs of the Cittie of London. viz in
| Hollingeshedes Chronicles, the 2. and 3 volumes in twoe books | xxs | |
| Flavij Josephi antiquitat' Judaic' cum alijs addicion' | iijs | iiijd |
| Explicatio Evangel' & epistolar' | xijd | |
| A Concordance of the bible | xviijd | |
| Calvynes Institutions in English | iijs | iiijd |
| Bateman vpon Bartholmew de proprietat' rerum | xxd | |
| A defense of the Ecclesiasticall Govermt in the Church of England | xxd | |
| A Survey of the pretended holy disceplyne | xd | |
| The ordinary of Christian men | viijd | |
| Liber precum publicarum | xijd | |
| Hitchcocks Newyearesgifte | ijd | |
| Navigacions into Turky | viijd | |
| The lyves of the holy Saints Phrofitts and Patriarks | vjd | |
| A history of the successors of Alexander the greate | vjd | |
| A Christall glasse of christian reformacion | iiijd | |
| The Forest of histories | vjd | |
| The Abridgment of Actes and Monuments | xijd | |
| A defence of things lately done in the Lowe Countries | jd | |
| Haddons Answere to Osorius | jd | |
| Lira sixe bookes | xiijs | iiijd |
| Tho: Aquine vpon Aristoles phisicks | viijd | |
| Augustines Works iiijor books | xxxs | |
| Augustini tertius tomus | ijs | |
| Foxi Loci Comunes | xviijd | |
| Tho: Morus in Lutherum | xd | |
| Plutarkes Lyves | vjs | viijd |
| Peter Marter vpon the Romans | ijs | |
| Barnardi opera | vjs | viijd |
| Foxes Ecclesiasticall Hystory twoe books | xxs | |
| Consiliorum Tomi 1 &2. | iijs | |
| Concordantie Bibliorum | iijs | |
| Sermonum decades quinque Authore Henrico Bullinger j tome | xxd | |
| Peter Marters Comon places | viijs | |
| Flores Historiarum | xviijd |
52
| Bartholomeus de proprietatibus rerum | xxd | |
| Annotomyes in Frenche | iiijs | |
| Plautus | xijd | |
| Plinij natural' historia | ijs | |
| The Shipp of Fooles | xijd | |
| Doctor Turners Herball | iiijs | |
| The pooremans library | vs | |
| Musculus Comon places | vs | |
| Jewells Reply to D: Hardinge | ijs | |
| Dyall of Princes | ijs | |
| Thesaurus Scripture | xviijd | |
| The Works of Tyndall, Frithe, and Barnes | ijs | |
| Calvyne in Epistol' Pauli | ijs | vjd |
| Debitor &Creditor [Peele] | ijs | |
| Scotus | xijd | |
| The defence of the Answere to the Admonytion against the Replye of T. C. | xviijd | |
| M: Fab: [Quintiliani] Institution' orator' | xijd | |
| The newe Testament Latyne and Englishe by Coverdale | xijd | |
| Northbrooks pooremans garden | xijd | |
| Partes iiijor authoritat' summe Christian' Canisij in 2. libris | iiijs | |
| Hardings Cronicle | vjd | |
| Dialectica Arestotilis | xijd | |
| Biblie Latine partes 1. &2. | iiijs | |
| Songe books of diuerse kyndes | xs | |
| Statute books | xijd | |
| Sheperds Calender | vjd | |
| Regestrum libri Cronicorum | iiijs | |
| A Collection of Lyttleton | vjd | |
| Arithmetica Gemmi frisij | iiijd | |
| Concordantie biblie | iiijd | |
| Fearefull fansies [cf. Gelló.] | iijd | |
| Platonis Gemme | iijd | |
| Epistole D. Volusiani ad Nichm Papam primum | iijd | |
| An Anottomye of a Whole man | iijd | |
| Mallius Malificarum | iiijd | |
| Accidence of Armory | vjd | |
| Biblia Latina | xijd | |
| Scriptu' Johannis Duns Scoti | vjd | |
| Canon Consilij provincialis Coloniens' | vjd | |
| Ciceronis oration' pars secunda | iijd |
53
| Velcurion in Aristotilis Phisica | vjd | |
| Ovid epistol' cum al' | iiijd | |
| Confessio catholice fidei | vjd | |
| Calvini Comentar' in psalmos | xijd | |
| Andreas Alceatus de verborum significacione | vjd | |
| Index vtriusque Testament' | iiijd | |
| Liturgie siue misse sanctorum patrum | iiijd | |
| Ciceronis officia | iijd | |
| Elucidarius poeticus | iiijd | |
| Colloquia Erasmi | ijd | |
| Valerius Maximus | ijd | |
| Erasmus super psalmos | vjd | |
| Plutarchi Moral' libri duo | iijs | |
| The supremacy of Christian princes in Ecclesiasticall causes | viijd | |
| A booke of Christian goverment | vjd | |
| The discovery of Wichcrofte | ijs | |
| Marbecks Comon places | xviijd | |
| The Arte of Warr | vjd | |
| Disputacio de sacra scriptura per Whitakerum | xijd | |
| Vulgaria Hormanni | vjd | |
| The Juell of Health | viijd | |
| The pallace of plesure twoe books | ijs | vjd |
| The pilgrimage of princes | xijd | |
| Nowells Confutacion of Dormans disprofe | xijd | |
| Heliodorus in Englishe | vjd | |
| An answere to the treatise of the Crosse | vjd | |
| Promptorium Clericorum | ijd | |
| Dictionariolum Latin', Anglic', Galic' | vjd | |
| Doctor Bilson of the difference betwene Christian subiection and vnchristian rebellion | ijs | |
| Testament in Frenche | xijd | |
| Reformacio Legum Eccliasticarum | vjd | |
| Iniunctions by her Maty 1559 | iijd | |
| Haven of Healthe | vjd | |
| The Kalender of Scripture | viijd | |
| Propositions and principles of dyvinytie disputed at Geneva | ijd | |
| The first parte of Senecas tragedy in Englishe | viijd | |
| Senecaes 10 Tragidies in Englishe | vjd | |
| The Comon welthe of England | iijd | |
| Fecknams Answere to the B. of Winchester | iiijd | |
| Ciceronis Epistole | iijd |
54
| Morall Philosophy | vjd | |
| Gramatica Hebrea | iiijd | |
| A briefe conceipte of Englishe pollicy | ijd | |
| Johannis Parkhursti Epigramata | iiijd | |
| The Kinges Prerogatyve | iijd | |
| Paradines devises in Frenche | iijd | |
| Emblemata Alciati | iiijd | |
| Alciatoes Emblemes in spanishe | xijd | |
| Adriani Junij Emblemata | iiijd | |
| Figure Biblie | iiijd | |
| Figur' Ovid Metamorphosis | iiijd | |
| The Edicte of the kynge of France | ijd | |
| Secrets of nature | viijd | |
| A hundred sundrie Flowers | viijd | |
| A diologue betwene experience and A Courtier | vjd | |
| Cornelius Agrippa of the vanytie of sciences | viijd | |
| Disputacions in Religion | iiijd | |
| The traviled pilgryme | iijd | |
| G: Haddoni opera | vjd | |
| A booke of Fawconry | xijd | |
| Crowley against Watson | vjd | |
| Geo: Gascons posies | vjd | |
| The history of travell in the West Indias | viijd | |
| Institution of Christian Princes | iiijd | |
| Orations of Demostynes | iijd | |
| A Tragedy of Freewill | iijd | |
| The Rock of Regard | iiijd | |
| Derings answere to Hardings Replie | vjd | |
| The popishe kingdome | iiijd | |
| An Appolegy of the Englyshe writers and preachers by Crowley | iiijd | |
| Nowells confutacion of Dormans disprofe | viijd | |
| Tertius Tomus oration' Demostenis | xviijd | |
| The Regimente of Helthe | iiijd | |
| Enterludes and Commedies | viijd | |
| Ethica Aristotelis | iiijd | |
| A tretise of the lords supper in frenche | iijd | |
| Osorius de nobilitate Civili | iijd | |
| History of the Mapp of the World | vjd | |
| An Examynacion of A declaracion in defence of certen Mynisters | ijd |
55
| Lamberd de Anglor' Legibus | xijd | |
| Juells defence of the Appology of the churche of England | ijs | |
| Marcus Aurelius | iiijd | |
| Mantuans Eglogues | ijd | |
| The grounde of Arts by Record | ijd | |
| Vita philosophor' | iiijd | |
| Ovids Metamorphosis the first iiij books | ijd | |
| Bundells of Pamphlets in quarto .5. | xxd | |
| Bundles in viijo xj | iiijs | |
| Doctor Gribalds Epistle | iiijd | |
| Panopleia | iijd | |
| Comfort against Calamyty | iijd | |
| Calvyne concerninge offences | ijd | |
| Tresor des Leures de Amidis de Gaule | ijd | |
| Gesta Romanor' | ijd | |
| The Exposicion of the xvth psalme | ijd | |
| Genesis, Exod', levit', devtr' | ijd | |
| Velcurion in phisica Aristotel' | ijd | |
| Institucion of princes frenche | iiijd | |
| Meditacions of holy Fathers frenche | iiijd | |
| Apthonius | iiijd | |
| Cradock vpon gods providence | iiijd | |
| Palengenius in Englishe | iiijd | |
| Doctor Watsons twoe Sermons | ijd | |
| Cesars Commentaries Englishe | ijd | |
| Esopi fabule | ijd | |
| Lodovicus Vives | jd | |
| Nicholls Recantacion | jd | |
| A Tretise of the followinge of Christe | ijd | |
| A discourse whether the scripture should be in Englishe | jd | |
| A spirituall purgation to them that labor in Luthers error | iiijd | |
| Johis Baptist' port' magia natural' [i.e. Porta] | iijd | |
| Historia Herodiani | ijd | |
| Ptritius de institucione Reipublic' [i.e. Patrizzi] | ijd | |
| The Works of Madame Helessenne in frenche | ijd | |
| Lodovici Vivis exercitacion' in deum | ijd | |
| Fabuli Esopici | ijd | |
| M: Antonius Flaminius in libr' psalmor' | iijd |
56
| Coopers dictionary Latine and Englishe | vjs | viijd |
| Virgill in Latine cum Servij Comentarijs | xijd | |
| Assertio septima sacramentor' adversus Lutherum | ijd | |
| Virgills Eneiados in Englishe | vjd | |
| The posy of flowred prayers | vjd | |
| A booke of prayers gathered out of St Augustines Meditations | vjd | |
| Osorius de vera sapientia | iiijd | |
| An appology of the englishe Semynaries | jd | |
| Lucubraciones Thome Mori | vjd | |
| Confessio Augustini | xijd | |
| Ethica Aristotelis | viijd | |
| The golden booke of prayers | iijd | |
| The ymage of governance | vjd | |
| Problemata Aristotel' | iijd | |
| A tretyse of the Churche by Phillipp Morney | vjd | |
| Ortus vocabulor' | ijd | |
| A panoply of Epistles | viijd | |
| Comon places of St Pawles Epistles | ijd | |
| Frenche testament | viijd | |
| Works of Armory | xijd | |
| The first parte of the Catologue of Englishe books | viijd | |
| Politike Morrall and Martiall discorses | xijd | |
| Cromptons bookes of her Mats Courtes in Frenche | xijd | |
| Justus Lipsius Constancy in Englishe | iiijd | |
| Solons folly [Beacon] | ijd | |
| Difference of these our dayes | jd | |
| The knowledge and conduct of Warr | ijd | |
| Philotomus Warr betwixt nature and fortune | iiijd | |
| The firste and forthe lampes of virginytie | ijs | |
| Euphues shadowe | jd | |
| Civell Conversacion | viijd | |
| John Calvynes Comentary vpon Danyell | vjd | |
| Horace Satires in Englishe | iiijd | |
| Gostes and Spirits walkinge by nighte | iiijd | |
| Truthe and falshood by Bunny | viijd | |
| Bilsons Goverment of Christs churche | xijd | |
| Frenche Academy | xviijd | |
| An answere to lybells by Sutcliff | iiijd |
57
| Haddon against Osorius | xviijd | |
| Howletts reasons answered by Wyborne | iiijd | |
| Appian in Englishe | xijd | |
| Dialogue of Creatures moralized | iiijd | |
| Gramaticus Petri Pontani | iiijd | |
| Cardanus Comforte | iijd | |
| The Wonderfull Workemanshipp of the World | ijd | |
| The Works of Pomponius Mela | iijd | |
| The Works of Julius Solinus Polyhistor | iijd | |
| Cesar Phrederiks voiage to India [written vioage] | ijd | |
| The Spanysh Masquerado Tritameron of Love, and Carde of Fancy | iiijd | |
| Babington vpon Genesis | xijd | |
| Conquest of the West India | vjd | |
| The Harmony of Kynge Davids Harpe | vjd | |
| Tresure for Englishe men | jd | |
| Education of children | jd | |
| Damitius de facetijs & exemplis [i.e. Domitius] | viijd | |
| youth witt | vjd | |
| Honor and armes | vjd | |
| Mappe of Middlesex | iijd | |
| Combat of Contrarieties | jd | |
| Housholders phylosophy | jd | |
| Highwaie to nobilities | jd | |
| The vse of Armory | iijd | |
| xlty Panphelets | ijs | vjd |
| The Gardeners Laborinth | vjd | |
| Tenne books of Statutes | vs | |
| xxiiijor songebooks | vs | |
| Mathematicall Jewell | xxd | |
| Hoker of the Lawes [of] Ecclesiasticall [Polity] | xijd | |
| Englishe Creede by Rogers | viijd | |
| Sheperds Calender | vjd | |
| Marlorot vpon the Revilacion of St John | xviijd | |
| Guivarra his Epistles | xviijd | |
| Natalis Comitis Methologie | xxd | |
| xxxv small Pamphlets | xijd | |
| Justus Lipsius Civell doctrine | vjd | |
| Abridgment of Calvines Institutions | iiijd | |
| Carmin' proverbial' loc' Comun' | ijd |
58
| A merry meetinge | iijd | |
| The world possessed with dyvells | ijd | |
| Goverment of all estates | ijd | |
| Anotomy of abuses | jd | |
| The Russy Comon welth | jd | |
| A tretise of Christian rightuousnes | jd | |
| Recordes of Arithmetike [i.e. R. Recorde] | viijd | |
| Babington on the comaundements | viijd | |
| De vsuris tractatus | viijd | |
| Christian Resolucion | viijd | |
| Principall points of Christian Religeon | vjd | |
| Exposicion of Ecclesiastes | iijd | |
| Sermons vpon Abdias and Jonas | ijd | |
| Ennemy of Idlenes | ijd | |
| An Exposition vpon the v, vi, and vij Chapters of Mathew | jd | |
| Cornelij Valerij Rethorica | ijd | |
| Bonners Articles | jd | |
| A progresse of pietie | iijd | |
| Market of vserers | jd | |
| The olde faith | iijd | |
| pollidor virgill | ijd | |
| Method to mortification | vjd | |
| Gallice lingue institutio | ijd | |
| Histories in frenche | iiijd | |
| Davids Slinge | iiijd | |
| Silva naracion' | jd | |
| An appollogy of the churche of England | iijd | |
| Annotacions vpon Ecclesiastes | iijd | |
| Concetti divinissimi di Giralamo Garimberto | iijd | |
| Circes of John Baptist Gello | iijd | |
| Le Image de vertue | viijd | |
| Robert Hutton of the somme of dyvynitie | jd | |
| Preces private | iijd | |
| Cebes table | jd | |
| Devout psalmes | jd | |
| Spirituall exercises | iiijd | |
| Precacion' psalmor' | jd | |
| History of man | xijd | |
| Avium ordo & al' animal' | vs | |
| Euclids Eliments | vjs | viijd |
| The Lyves of Adam and others | ijs |
59
| Gvalters Sermons vpon the Acts | iijs | iiijd |
| Marlorote vpon Mathewe | iiijs | |
| Newe Testament | iiijs | |
| A Byble gilded | vjs | |
| A psalter | xijd | |
| Hortus sanitatis | xijd | |
| Hemingius vpon the Ephesians | vjd | |
| The Marryners Mirror | ijs | |
| Galie tabule geographice | ijs | |
| Civitates orbis terrar' | xxs | |
| The Mappes of England | xxs | |
| Tableux de choses remarquables advenues en France en ce dernieres Annees | xijd | |
| Le grand Abridgment | xvjs | |
| Barrets dictionary | ijs | vjd |
| Hieroglyphica Pierij | iiijs | |
| dyvers Statute bookes bounde vp together | iijs | iiijd |
| Three Volumes of Statutes | vjs | |
| Bracton de legibus Anglie | iijs | iiijd |
| Ploydons Reports | iiijs | |
| Lexicon iuris Civilis | ijs | |
| Jeoachimi Mynsingeri corpus perfectum Scholior' ad quatuor libr' institution' Juris Civilis | iijs | |
| Abridgment of Statutes | xviijd | |
| Willes and testaments | ijs | |
| Cromptons Justice of peace | xijd | |
| Phillippus detius de Regulis Juris | iiijd | |
| Lez ans de Roy Richard le seconde | vjd | |
| Elenchus annalium tam Regum Edw: 5. Ricardi 3. & Henr'7, quam Henrici 8. | iiijd | |
| Littletons tenures | vjd | |
| Dyui Muxellani Comentaria in regulas Juris pontificij | iiijd | |
| Le digest des breifes originals [Theloall] | xijd | |
| xj pamphlets | xijd | |
| Diers tables | vjd | |
| Brookes Cases | viijd | |
| An Abridgment of dyvers [Dyer's?] reports | vjd | |
| Xenophons tretise of husbandry | vjd | |
| Duties of Constables | ijd | |
| Frenche Littleton by Holliband | ijd | |
| A Caviat for suerties | ijd |
60
| Exposicion of termes of the lawe | vjd | |
| The foundacion of Rethorike | ijd | |
| Natura brevium | xijd | |
| Courte Leete and Courte Baron | vjd | |
| Littletons tenures | iiijd | |
| Doctor and Student | vjd | |
| Silva sermonum iucundissimorum | iijd | |
| Meslau' diolog' cum al' | iiijd | |
| Arnold and Lucinda | iijd | |
| Flowers for Latine speakinge out of Terrence | iijd | |
| Terrentie comedie | xijd | |
| Adagiorum Epittome | iiijd | |
| Tullies offices Latine and Englishe | iijd | |
| Tullies offices in Englishe | iijd | |
| Dictionarium Poeticum | ijs | |
| A Collection out of Munsters Cosmography | vjd | |
| The Historie of John Mendoza | jd | |
| Emblemata Alciati | ijd | |
| Historie of Leonard Aretine | iijd | |
| Whittington de octo partibus orationis | vjd | |
| Sermon' Convival' tomus primus | xijd | |
| A Schole of wise conceipts | ijd | |
| Traicte des deceptions de servitures envers leur Maisters | iijd | |
| Facetie & Motti di diuerse persone | jd | |
| xiij questions of Bocace | jd | |
| The Spaniards liefe | iijd | |
| Plaisants & facetieux deviz | ijd | |
| Joyeuses adventures | ijd | |
| Twoe paper books | vs | |
| The Historie of Cambria | xijd |
| An olde Frenche bible | vs |
| Three volumes of the bible | vjs | viijd |
| The goulden Epistles of Guyvarra | ijs | |
| Tragicall discources | xijd | |
| Pamphlets vij | vjd | |
| Chosen Sermons of Martyn Luther | xijd |
61
| The seconde tome of the volume of the paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the newe testament | xviijd | |
| Testamentum novum Beze | xvjd | |
| Liber de simplicitate christiane vite | ijd | |
| The trewe difference betwene the regall and ecclesiasticall power | iijd | |
| A regiment against the fever | ijd | |
| A dispraise of the life of A Courtier | jd | |
| An exposicion vpon the Creede | ijd | |
| A booke of nobility | iiijd | |
| A Confutacion of vnwritten verities | ijd | |
| Tully ad Herenium | iijd | |
| Christian prayers by Henry Bull | ijd | |
| Precation' Rof[f]ens' [?Fisher] | ijd | |
| Libellus precation' Johannis Feri | ijd | |
| semptem psalme penitential' cum al' [septem] | jd | |
| vij Sobbs of a sorrofull soule | iijd | |
| Augustini meditac' | xijd | |
| A goulden Chaine out of the psalmes | viijd | |
| Flores operum Barnardi . . | viijd | |
| The ymage of god | vjd | |
| The vocation of all nacions by St Ambrose | ijd | |
| The Apology of Sr Tho: More | vjd | |
| A godly exercise | jd | |
| A smale booke covered with a vellum pastbord conteyninge parte of the olde testament | viijd | |
| Immortalitie of the soule | ijd | |
| Booke of psalmes | iijd | |
| Godly prayers and meditacions | iiijd | |
| A tretize againste the feare of deathe | ijd |
Notes
62
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