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1581 Mary, Queen of Scots. Signed Manuscript.

Mary Stuart (1542-1587) Daughter of James V, King of Scotland, whose death six days after Mary's birth made her Queen.

Raised in France, in 1558 she was married to the Dauphin, who succeeded to the French throne as Francis II in 1559 but died the next year. Mary returned to Scotland in 1561. Although Roman Catholic, at first she accepted the Protestant-led government then in place. In 1565 Mary married the Catholic Scottish nobleman Henry Stewart, which outraged the Protestants. Insurrection followed, and the queen, taking the field in person, at once quelled the revolt. Her triumph was scarcely over when her husband demanded to be named king, and sided with the Protestant opposition. His murder led to Mary's marriage to a Protestant, which provoked war with the Scottish nobles. Her loss at Carberry Hill forced her abdication and resulted in her jailing. She escaped in 1568 and was able within a few days to assemble an army of 6000 men which also met defeat. Mary sought refuge at the court of Elizabeth I, queen of England, only to find herself a prisoner and eventually beheaded for treason.

Extremely rare and important ALS. "Marie", 1p 12" x 8", written from captivity in Sheffield Castle, Dec. 2 (1581), to her brother-in-law, Henri III, King of France.

In full:

"Monsieur, I write only this word to thank you for the good wishes sent me by my ambassador, and I shall write tomorrow at greater length, and, holding you in great devotion, most humbly kiss your hands, praying to God that He may keep you, Monsieur, in the best of health through a long life.

Your most affectionate,

Marie."

Mary's reference in her letter of a more lengthy reply on the following days points to Henri III as recipient, as he did indeed receive a lengthy letter from Mary on December 3. Much more corroborative evidence is included with the letter. In the letter of December 3, Mary begs Henri III to remember her rights and titles in France, which had been confirmed by his predecessor, Charles IX. At the time of the writing of this letter, with Catholic priests were being executed on suspicion of having plotted against Elizabeth, one can easily imagine the imprisoned queen foreseeing a similar end for herself. Indeed, Mary's last letter was sent to Henri III, written just six hours before her beheading. Boldly and neatly penned.

They still want £5.96 shipping mind you.

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Sheffield Monkey Man - Harvey Teasdale.

C.Crookes.Printer by Steam Power, 1868. A Good Copy of this very scarce item.

The reminiscences of a Sheffield lad,clown criminal and penitent. Rebound in full blind stamped mottled roan with original paper covers laid down & restored. 8vo.108pps Third edition (?)1868.Together with . a rare original broadside/handbill, printed one side on orange paper for an appearance of Teasdale the converted clown etc.

Wikipedias entry is as follows.

Harvey Teasdale was a circus clown. He was born in 1817 and died at the age of 87 in 1904 in Sheffield, England. He was known as "the monkey man" The Theatre historian Kathleen Barker is more inform- ative, her MS. file on Teasdale claims he was a minor theatrical manager clown and "skin performer" on the Northern circuits an unscrupulous rogue who ran several pubs in Sheffield and attempted to murder his wife.Pursueing her and his two daughters through England & Ireland assuming them to be "on the game" The climax came in the summer of 1862 when he forced his way into a house in Sheffield where she was staying and made a typically botched attempt to kill her and then himself.

Number 449, £250.

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Harvey Teasdale born in Park in 1817 son of a spring-knife cutler. As a boy he was athletic and used to amuse schoolmates by leaping and climbing like a monkey.

March 29, 1845 – the ex table-knife cutler who had lately taken up the occupation of clown to Mr Ryan’s equestrian company, was in court charged with neglect of family. He was apprehended at Nottingham. His defence was that they had left him. He was ordered to pay the parish officers 40s or be committed for two months.

November 13, 1847 – in court again for neglect of family. On a recent visit to Sheffield he had attracted attention by sailing down the River Don in a tub pulled by two ducks. This was witnessed by seventy thousand people and many fell in the Don when a wall collapsed. He had agreed to pay someone to look after one of his children but had omitted to make the payments and the child ended up in the workhouse.

June 2, 1849 – applying to the Magistrates for a licence to put up a temporary theatre in the Cattle Market, the proposed building to be a substantial wooden one costing £200. Comment was made “ If it is to be conducted anything like the Circus, it will be a most intolerable nuisance”. The licence was granted for a month subject to police supervision.

August 23, 1851 – a wine and spirits licence refused at the Brewster sessions for Teasdale’s East Parade Hotel in Campo Lane. On account of the close proximity of the Charity School, and as a beer-house it was a great nuisance, frequented by disorderly and indecent people.

July 15, 1854 – gave notice of his intention to apply for a licence for the Three Tuns, Silver Street Head.

April 6, 1861 – in court charged with ill-using his wife. Mrs Teasdale asked the court for a divorce but they did not have the power. The defendant was bound over to keep the peace and Mrs Teasdale was told “to mind and always do right to her husband” – when she said that she always did the magistrate told her that it was the “first time that he ever met with a woman that did (Laughter)”

August 13, 1862 - in court with attempting to murder his estranged wife and commit suicide.

He was given 2 years hard labour.

January 24, 1865 – Teasdale was appearing in front of a huge crowd at the Temperance Hall, where he destroyed all his costumes, including his padded “Monkey Man” outfit.

January 17, 1867 – “Lecture by an Ex-Gorilla” Teasdale had joined the Hallelujah Band and was lecturing to large crowds in the Temperance Hall, appealing to them to abandon sin.

He continued to tour the area, lecturing on his life and failings. He was closely connected with the Ebenezer Chapel, Shalesmoor.

January 15, 1878 – Teasdale runs a soup kitchen at Upperthorpe on Thursdays.

August 29, 1885 – Harvey Teasdale “the Converted Clown” was lecturing in the Cemetery Road Band of Hope schoolroom on “My Life’s Story, or the Dark and Light Side”

Teasdale died in June 1904 aged 86 at 263 Moorfields where he had kept a small fishing tackle shop

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Was £21000+, now reduced, currently £19,957.11 - bargain !

1581 Mary, Queen of Scots. Signed Manuscript.

Mary Stuart (1542-1587) Daughter of James V, King of Scotland, whose death six days after Mary's birth made her Queen.

Raised in France, in 1558 she was married to the Dauphin, who succeeded to the French throne as Francis II in 1559 but died the next year. Mary returned to Scotland in 1561. Although Roman Catholic, at first she accepted the Protestant-led government then in place. In 1565 Mary married the Catholic Scottish nobleman Henry Stewart, which outraged the Protestants. Insurrection followed, and the queen, taking the field in person, at once quelled the revolt. Her triumph was scarcely over when her husband demanded to be named king, and sided with the Protestant opposition. His murder led to Mary's marriage to a Protestant, which provoked war with the Scottish nobles. Her loss at Carberry Hill forced her abdication and resulted in her jailing. She escaped in 1568 and was able within a few days to assemble an army of 6000 men which also met defeat. Mary sought refuge at the court of Elizabeth I, queen of England, only to find herself a prisoner and eventually beheaded for treason.

Extremely rare and important ALS. "Marie", 1p 12" x 8", written from captivity in Sheffield Castle, Dec. 2 (1581), to her brother-in-law, Henri III, King of France.

In full:

"Monsieur, I write only this word to thank you for the good wishes sent me by my ambassador, and I shall write tomorrow at greater length, and, holding you in great devotion, most humbly kiss your hands, praying to God that He may keep you, Monsieur, in the best of health through a long life.

Your most affectionate,

Marie."

Mary's reference in her letter of a more lengthy reply on the following days points to Henri III as recipient, as he did indeed receive a lengthy letter from Mary on December 3. Much more corroborative evidence is included with the letter. In the letter of December 3, Mary begs Henri III to remember her rights and titles in France, which had been confirmed by his predecessor, Charles IX. At the time of the writing of this letter, with Catholic priests were being executed on suspicion of having plotted against Elizabeth, one can easily imagine the imprisoned queen foreseeing a similar end for herself. Indeed, Mary's last letter was sent to Henri III, written just six hours before her beheading. Boldly and neatly penned.

They still want £5.96 shipping mind you.

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Was £21000+, now reduced, currently £19,957.11 - bargain !

So I take it that we are not buying this for inclusion within the SH collection then? :(

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