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Stuart England resources in Special Collections

Welcome to the Special Collections Research Center

This  guide provides an overview of Special Collections resources that have been used for class visits of HIST 388 Stuart England.  The featured primary printed and manuscript resources from our collections can be requested outside the class visits as well. Just bring your student ID to register. You can also use your laptop and a digital camera. For more information about your research visit, click here.

 You may also want to take a look at the Primary Resources research guide to help you with your assignment. 

Primary Sources from the Rare Book Collection

Primary Sources from the Manuscript Collections

Archibald Stewart Notebook, 1705

ID: Mss. MsV Nfo1

Extent: 1.0 Items (43 p. : bound volume ; 20 cm.)

Scope and Contents: Notes, 1705, taken by Archibald Stewart, from a book by Charles Davenant, Discourses on the Public Revenues; and on the trade of England which more immediately treat of the foreign traffic of that kingdom. (1678)

 

John Mason Diary, 1694-1702

ID: Mss. Acc. 2011.272       Extent: 0.05 Cubic Feet

Scope and Contents: Diary, 1694-1702, of John Mason of Yorkshire, England. Entries include information about Mason's estate, the property that he owns, legal proceedings, his community life, people who worked for him, and candle making, among others. There is also information giving genealogical information about Mason and his family.

 

Statutes of the Order of the Garter, William, Duke of Gloucester’s copy, 1696, Volume 38

in: University Archives Bound Volumes Collection   , 1739-[ongoing]

ID: UA 15 Vol 38    Extent: 8.0 Cubic Feet

Scope and Contents: This collection contains information about the College of William and Mary from the Eighteenth Century to the present. Included in the collection are faculty lecture notes from a variety of classes, scrapbooks, research notes, correspondence, textbooks used at the College of William and Mary, minute and account books, poetry books, student notebooks, a literary manual, and various other miscellaneous bound volumes. All items added to the collection in 2007 and forward are inventoried in this finding aid only and will not be found in the search interface at http://swem.wm.edu/beta/cards/.

 

Locket of Queen Mary II’s Hair,


in: Manuscript Artifact Collection, 1800-[ongoing]

ID: Mss 1.03

One Framed Locket of hair from Queen Mary II (1662-1694).  Locket is an oval with a small crown on the locket of hair.  Locket is attached to a hand written letter from Anne Rigby and a note of authenticity.  Hand written letter contains the heading, "A locket of Queen Mary's hair given by herself [Queen Mary II] to my Father's Brother."  The letter says, "This locket was given to me in 17[0]6, by my Worthy Cousin Miss Mary Rigby- then living at Bath and I make this memorandum to say I give and bequeath this locket as a curiosity to My Great Niece Miss Frances Rigby- to remember La [Chise] Tante By- Frances Rigby wife of William Horace 3rd Lord Rivers," all written by Anne Rigby.  Locket also has a small note that says, "This interesting exhibit was examined at the British Museum on May 9th 1953 and declared AUTHENTIC."  Locket is 1in and letter is 7.25inx5.75in.  Locket is in good condition and letter is in fair condition with fading and creases. Image available athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/scrc/4679073901/. Transferred from Box 6, Folder 3 of  the Thomas G and Louise Rowe Pullen Collection.   Located in Textiles S1, SS3, Box 13. Mss 65P96.A01

 

Letters from William III relating to financing the College of William and Mary to Edmund Andros and Francis Nicholson, 1693, 1694, and 1700

In: King William III and Queen Mary II Papers, 1689-1710

Series 2: Papers Relating to the College of William and Mary

Item 1983.116: Letter from William III to Sir Edmund Andros, 1 March 1693

This is a two-page folio letter concerning funds for the establishment of a "College or Place of Generall study...."

Item 1984.009: Letter from William III to Sir Edmund Andros, 14 April 1694

This is a one-page folio letter requiring Andros and others to give support to the College of William and Mary.

Item 1985.081: Letter from William III to Francis Nicholson, 30 December 1700

Letter calling upon Francis Nicholson to support the College of William and Mary.

 

Cambridge University Charters, 1575-1669

ID: Mss. MsV Lee2   Extent: 1.0 Items  (250 p. : bound volume ; 15 cm).

Scope and Contents: Charters, statutes, privileges, etc. of the University of Cambridge [Eng.] with various orders, degrees, examinations etc. agreed upon by the principals of the College.   

 

Naval Account Book, 1660-1661, 1771

ID: Mss. Acc. 2007.67   Extent: 0.1 Cubic Feet (1 volume, 14.5cm x 7.5cm)

Scope and Contents: Account book of a navy officer for vessels in Great Britain. Headings on some pages include "Debts" (on land and loans), "Creditors," "An Estimate of what ye Excise will yield in farm-- provided they may house it for two years and a quarter rent will be advanced," "Navy Debts," "Money have been taxed...Kingdom of Parliament...1643...," "Garrisons" which include reports on the Tower of London, cities in Ireland, Portsmouth, Plymouth, various 'Castles' and other places and "List of all ye Shipps, Frigates and Other Vessels belonging to his Mjtys and Navy Royall wth their overall dimensions, number of men & guns & (?) & place where and when built" which includes 10 open pages with 11 columns for each entry. The author also lists mistakes made in the accounting,at times writing prose to explain them. He lists manifests for goods ranging from tobacco to dice. Another list include expenses with entries such as Jamaica, tour of London, Dunkirk and guards. The flyleaf of the book has a notation "Margaret Francis, her Book 13, 1711" with a description that she calls "description of a Gen: heart." Book is a bound journal with a leather cover.

 

Thomas G. and Louise Rowe Pullen Collection, 1655-1791

ID: Mss. 65 P96  Extent: 3.5 Cubic Feet

Scope and Contents: Collection of documents, 1655-1791, most of which relate to King William III and Queen Mary II of England. Includes correspondence of and warrants signed by William III; letter of Mary II; documents signed by Sir Christopher Wren; documents written by Samuel Pepys; order signed by James II; letter of Leopold, Emperor of Germany; engravings of William III; and a printed announcement of the ascension of William and Mary to the throne of England. Some documents are in French and Latin but some include transcriptions and translations. The Pepys documents which are in shorthand include transcriptions. Some documents available in transcript. The collection was a gift of Thomas G. Pullen and Louise Rowe Pullen, but was purchased from various sources.

 

Summary of Offences Notebook, 1630

ID: Mss. MsV Nla1   Extent: 1.0 Items (271 p. : bound volume ; 16 cm).

Scope and Contents: Notebook, ca. 1630, entitled, "Summary of offences against the law, punishments, etc. . . . of Norfolk, [Eng.]"

 

Physica Ioanni Hourvard, 1703

ID: Mss. MsV Nph1  Extent: 0.1 Cubic Feet (639 p. : bound volume ; 23 cm)

Scope and Contents: Treatise, 1703, on physics (copied in Latin). The volume includes pen and ink diagrams and one red crayon portrait of an unidentified man. From the libraries of Robert Bolling, Jr. and Councillor Robert Carter. William & Mary Physics professor John McKnight shared the following notes: Aristoleian physics; pre-Newton physics; organization of general physics (properties of matter, motion, etc.); standard text of general physics.

 

John Smith Mezzotint Collection, circa 1683-1729

 ID: Mss. Acc. 2009.528   Extent: 0.7 Cubic Feet

 Scope and Contents: Collection of mezzotints by the English print maker and publisher John Smith (1652-1743).

 

Access Tools

The Special Collections Research Center access tools are available to guide you in finding materials in the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC). Don't forget that you also may come into the SCRC in person and consult with the staff member on duty for guidance or contact us via email or phone.

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Special Collections Research Center

Email: spcoll@wm.edu

Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440

Mailing Address:
Special Collections Research Center
College of William and Mary
Earl Gregg Swem Library
P.O. Box 8794
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8794



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