Manuscript Interrogatories in a law suit over Colonel Nicholas Shuttleworth's alleged abuse of Richard Greene, with claims that he has beaten him, cheated his estate and taken his wife as mistress. With transcript and letter by William Beamont.

1p., 4to. On a piece of watermarked laid paper. Aged, and with chipping and loss along the fold lines, which have been repaired on the reverse with (nineteenth-century?) tape. The words 'Cromwells Protector' in a later hand at the head of the reverse, which is otherwise blank. Accompanied by a autograph transcript (3pp., foolscap 8vo) by Beamont, 'Copied from the original Mar. 15, 1878', and an Autograph Letter (2pp., 12mo) from him to 'Miss Blackburne', on letterhead of Orford Hall, Warrington, also dated 15 March 1878. Beamont begins his letter: 'I return your paper with a transcript. The original appears to be a portion of a string of interrogatories in some suit at law in 1653 & if a tithe of the questions were proved Nicholas Shuttleworth who appears more than once in the War in Lancashire from 1642 to 1651, published by the Chesham Society "me editore" appears in no enviable colours. I suppose that Richard Grene the complainant is the same who appears in the list of sequestrations as "Richard Green of St. Martin's in the Fields Esq" & as having then paid £463. 10. 0'. Beamont's transcript supplies some lacunae in the original document. Every bit as scandalous as Beamont suggests, it begins: 'By what warrant could Colonel Nicholas Shuttleworth? | Take Richard Greene's wife the third weeke of October 1651 keepe her at an alehouse a Pypers house 7 miles from home continewinge from Monday till Saturday that whole weeke together to the great discontent of her husband and discredit of herselfe. | The fourth weeke of the same month lodge her in his owne chamber & her husband in another roome and the next weeke followinge ye third day of November beate her husband with bloodie blowe from his own house & cohabitt with his wyfe untill the 9 day of Marche following then sent her to London there kept her untill this present day of Marche 1653 but howelonge afterward unknowne. | The next weeke after Richard Grenes closset dore broken open all his evidences gone and alsoe the Lord Killamoreys evidence, the Lord Gerard's evidence. Docter Bond Master of the Savoy's evidence with manie more wrytings and muniments which he could pretend noe good tytle unto. | The xxth. day of June followinge arrest upon the Sabbathe day wrongfully imprisoned halfe a yeare together not one pennie of dett owinge & he confessed by John Taylor plaintiff in that suite'.