JAMES I (King of England, 1603-1625). MAGNIFICENT COLOURED INITIAL-LETTER PORTRAIT OF THE KING ON ILLUMINATED ROYAL LETTERS PATENT, a grant to Meriell Littleton, widow of John Littleton, and her family, for the reversal of the attainder of her late husband, and the restoration of all his estates in Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Radnorshire, Westminster, 17 June 1603.

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JAMES I (King of England, 1603-1625). MAGNIFICENT COLOURED INITIAL-LETTER PORTRAIT OF THE KING ON ILLUMINATED ROYAL LETTERS PATENT, a grant to Meriell Littleton, widow of John Littleton, and her family, for the reversal of the attainder of her late husband, and the restoration of all his estates in Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Radnorshire, Westminster, 17 June 1603.

MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on four membranes, sizes approximately 725 x 820mm. - 560 x 820mm., written in ink in a fine Chancery hand, the portrait (approximately 190 x 150mm.), depicting the King full-length, in ermine-lined crimson robes of state seated under a lobed dome, within the initial letter 'J' composed of foliate scrolls, flowers and strapwork, the first line of engrossed historiated and illuminated majuscules in gold, with coloured flowers and sprays in green and blue at intervals, the upper margin decorated with heraldic beasts, a lion and dragon bearing banners, varicoloured flowers, emblems and devices in red, blue, pink, green, yellow and gold, signatures and paraphs of various royal officers in the lower margin, with large fragment of a fine impression of the second Great Seal of Queen Elizabeth (by Hilliard) in green wax, attached by original red and gold thread plaited laces, contemporary and later endorsements on verso.

Provenance: The Viscount Cobham, sold by Sotheby, 12 December 1978, (Catalogue of the Lyttelton Papers), lot 36.


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