Description:

Rare displayable full page ALS of William Penn requesting a royal fiat from Queen Anne - with association to Princess Diana and Sir Winston Churchill

Displayable Autograph Letter Signed "Wm Penn," 1p, 6" x 7.75". [England], 1708-1710. Addressed on integral leaf by Penn "For the Honble / Henry Boyle Esqr / Principall Secretary / of State at Windsor." Docketed, probably by Boyle, next to address panel: "Wm Penn / abt Mr Clement / to be sent to Ld Prv / for D Sunderland." Remnants of original red wax seal on address leaf with mending of seal tears on verso. Very good condition.

In part, "Honorable Friend. 28 curr [28th current month] The enclosed is an honorble request of a long dependant upon the Court, for leave & ability to serve it. He has travild through all of ye BrancheÍs & offices of ye Govermte that could have any relation to the affaire, & seems only to want being Layd before the Queen for her fiat. I to with all respect beseech the favour of Laying it before herƒ" Queen Anne reigned from 1702-1714. Accompanied by an oval 2.75" x 3.5" engraving of William Penn by "W. Grainger Sculpt." on a 4.5" x 7" foxed sheet.

Henry Boyle (1669-1725) served as Principal Secretary of State for the Northern Department from February 13, 1708, to September 21, 1710. Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was Secretary of State for the Southern Department from 1706-1710, later serving as Lord Privy Seal; his gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr granddaughter was Diana, Princess of Wales. His wife was the daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Their son Charles Spencer inherited the title 3rd Duke of Marlborough; the 7th Duke of Marlborough was the grandfather of British Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill.

William Penn first arrived in America in 1682. The colonists pledged allegiance to Penn as their new Proprietor and the first general assembly was held in the Colony. Afterwards, Penn journeyed up river and founded Philadelphia. In 1684, Penn sailed back to England, returning to Philadelphia in 1699. When threats by France put PennÍs charter in jeopardy, Penn decided to return to England in 1701, never returning to America.

In the past 20 years, only four other ALsS of William Penn have appeared at major public auctions.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. Shipping and handling costs are competitive, we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx and USPS to P.O. Boxes only. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT and may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see Terms and Conditions of Sale.

December 15, 2015 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 15% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000