- A 361-year-old vellum document featuring the incredibly rare signature of Oliver Cromwell
The man who changed British history. Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) was Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1653 to 1658 – the first time in 800 years that England had not been ruled by a king.
Cromwell was one of the most vociferous opponents of Charles I’s rule and was second in command of the parliamentary troops against the royalists in the English civil war. Charles’ defeat, followed by his execution in 1649 (Cromwell signed his death warrant) saw Britain become a republic for 11 years.
Cromwell was succeeded by his son, Richard, as Lord Protector, following his death in 1658.
In 2002, Cromwell was voted among the 10 greatest Britons of all time in a 2002 BBC poll.
Oliver Cromwell has signed superbly and boldly “Oliver P”, for “Oliver Protector” in black ink on this 1657 vellum document. Cromwell signs this during the penultimate year of his pretectorship and just a year before his death.
Cromwell signed documents are incredibly rare on the private market and highly prized. Ones featuring a signature of this quality are almost unheard of.
The 9 x 5.75 inch document is the left portion of a manuscript instructing commissioners to make a payment from money received from a new tax on house building in London’s suburbs. The tax relates specifically to properties of less than four acres built since 1620. The letter dates to the last half of 1657 as the commission only began collecting the tax on 29 September 1657.
The recipients of the money mentioned include “Generalls at Sea”, a “William Smithyer” and Sir John Wollaston (d. 1658), who was an English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1643. He was elected Alderman for the London ward of Bridge Without, to the south of London Bridge, in 1657.
The vellum document is in superb condition considering it is more than 360 years old.
Historic provenance from the esteemed manuscript collection of British collector John Walker (1674-1747), as detailed by a previous collector on a separate page that accompanies the document.
Comes with a full letter of authenticity from the most recent owner.
Free global shipping. 28-day returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included.
