Beschreibung:

CHARLES I: (1600-1649) King of England, Scotland and Ireland 1625-49. A fine L.S., Charles R, as King, at the head, one page, folio, Court at Ragland, (Raglan, Monmouthshire), 9th July 1645, to Prince Rupert of the Rhine ('Right deare and entirely beloved nephew'). The King forwards an enclosure (no longer present) from the Governor of Cardiff, explaining 'you will understand the reason why the foote under the command of Sir Bernard Asteley have not beene transported over to Bridgewater according to our former orders and withall the governor's advice and opinion what is now fit to bee done, which we cannot but approve of, yett that all difficulties may bee removed, and that the manner of transporting the men and likewise our own passage may bee fully stated and secured, wee pray you speedily to consider thereof and if you shall bee of this opinion, and that you shall find the course propounded may be safely taken, then wee desire you to give instant order for the sending all the boates you can from Bristoll unto Goldcliffe, there to receive and transport them over to Porshutt Poynt [Portishead] where you may give order for their landing and disposeing as you shall find best' and further stating 'And in order to this we have sent Our Commands to the governor of Chepstow to have in all readynesse all the boates about that place to bee sent likewise to Goldcliffe for this purpose. But wee shall not give any farther directions herein until we shall receive your answere and (if you shall approve hereof) the manner how you have disposed each perticular that so our resolutions may bee put in speedy and active execution'. In a holograph postscript signed ('CR') with his initials the King urges Prince Rupert 'I desire you to hasten the answer to this letter'. Countersigned at the foot by George Digby (1612-1677) 2nd Earl of Bristol, English politician who served as Secretary of State 1643-45. Docketed to the verso. Some light overall age wear and minor staining, the body of text a little light and rubbed in places, although remaining legible. A couple of minor, small neat splits and holes, most neatly repaired to the verso. G Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-1682) German-English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor who rose to prominence as a Royalist cavalry commander during the English Civil War. In April 1645 King Charles I conferred on his nephew, Prince Rupert the honorific title of Master of the Horse, and at last (after a six-month delay) gave him command of the guards, increasing already marked tensions between him and a number of the King's councillors, including George Digby. Indeed, an agent at Oxford reported 'All is governed by P. Rupert, who grows a great courtier…..Certainly the Lord Digby loves him not'. Bernard Astley (d.1645), son of the career soldier Jacob Astley (1579-1652) 1st Baron Astley of Reading, who had given military instruction to the young Prince Rupert while at his parents' court in The Hague in 1621 and made Governor of Oxford by King Charles I in 1642. Bernard Astley was killed in the defence of Bristol in September 1645. The King's letter is written less than a month after Sir Thomas Fairfax scored a Parliamentarian victory at the Battle of Naseby, on 14th June 1645, destroying the main Royalist army under King Charles I and Prince Rupert a defeat which realistically ended any genuine hope of Royalist victory. Prince Rupert and his men subsequently fled to Bristol and the King and his court to Raglan Castle in Monmouthshire. Fairfax occupied Yeovil on 7th July and engaged George Goring's Royalist army, which fell back on Bridgwater, which capitulated on 23rd July giving Fairfax control of Somerset and Dorset. Prince Rupert surrendered Bristol on 10th September and was instantly dismissed by King Charles and ordered to leave England.