The Folger Shakespeare Library

X.d.623: Copy of an order from the Privy Council to Sir William Ellis, member of the King's Council at York, 1622 July 15: autograph manuscript signed

Catalog record:http://hamnet.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=243932
Preferred Citation:Copy of an order from the Privy Council to Sir William Ellis, member of the King's Council at York, 1622 July 15: autograph manuscript signed. Transcription by Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO). MS X.d.623, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC.
Terms of Use:Transcriptions are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This allows you to use our transcriptions without additional permission provided that you cite the Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO) Project at the Folger Shakespeare Library as the source and that you license anything you create using the transcriptions under the same or equivalent license. EMMO and the Folger waive permission fees for non-commercial publication by registered non-profits, including university presses, regardless of the license they use. For information about using the images that correspond to the transcriptions, see Image Permissions.
...more
READING: DIPLOMATIC | SEMI-DIPLOMATIC | REGULARIZED
DOWNLOAD: PDF | XML

leaf 1 recto

A letter to the Lord President and Council established in
the North Upon Information from diverse Ministers
of that Country as also upon Complaint made both to his
Majesty and to us of his Council by James Nelson Minister
and Parson of Crofton in that County of York: We
have taken notice of a strange and disgraceful usage offered
to this poor Minister who being before you his Majesty's
Council at York by occasion of a Suit depending there,
was questioned by Sir William Ellis in the hearing of
the whole Court for wearing the hair of his head somewhat
longer behind than ordinary, and when the Minister
replied that it was by reason of a great hurt not long
before received in his head from some that set upon him
on the highway to the hazard of his life, which appears to be
true and to have been alleged by the Minister for cause of
his so wearing it, and not that he had any will to give
ill example by it or took any pleasure therein, but only
was forced awhile to suffer it for his health sake, yet
Sir William Ellis not regarding either the Minister's person
his calling or the reason he alleged presently commanded
an Officer of the Court to take the Minister and carry
him forth to a Barber's Shop and to see his hair cut
short, and then to bring him back in to the Court again,
which had it been but for the party's health in such a time
might have been forborne but being done after such a
manner and at such a presence tended not only to the
exceeding reproach, and shame of the man being there made
a public scorn and laughing stock to all the Court
but as it was acted upon a Minister was a kind of despite
and scandal to Religion. For this ill carriage Sir William
Ellis being by his Majesty's special command called before
this Board, though he hath acknowledged the Fact, and
confessed the same to be unadvisedly and inconsiderately
done. Yet for as much as the disgrace resteth not only upon
the person of Nelson, but trencheth to the Scandal of the
Ministry, and so requireth a more public satisfaction
We have thought meet to address these our letters to your Lordships &
to signify unto you, that first we think it fit Sir
William Ellis do give the Minister Twenty pounds
for his charges in coming hither to London, and do also
hold it

leaf 1 verso || leaf 2 recto

hold it very requisite that at the next general Sessions to
be holden at York these our letters be there publicly read
and that Sir William Ellis do there at the same time
acknowledge this his injury to the party and offense to the
whole Ministry, which we should not have holden sufficient
satisfaction for so foul an abuse and disgrace, if we had
not had respect to the quality and place Sir William Ellis
holdeth in his Majesty's Service there, and also to his great age
and infirmities otherwise. And so praying you to see these
our directions duly performed. We bid &c/
Signed by the
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
Lord Keeper Lord Chamberlain
Lord Treasurer Lord Viscount Falkland
Lord President Lord Bishop Winchester
Lord Privy Seal Master Secretary Calvert
Lord Steward Master of the Rolls
Sir John Suckling./


leaf 2 verso

A Copy of Sir William
Ellis his order made by
the Lordships of his Majesty's Privy
Council, concerning the
the polling of Mr Nelson
15 July 1622