RARE AND EXTRAORDINARY ELIZABETHAN MANUSCRIPT LETTERS PATENT, DATED 1600, NAMING THE NEW SHERIFF OF COUNTY PALATINE OF CHESTER, WITH ELIZABETH I'S ORIGINAL HANGING ROYAL WAX SEAL IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION

ELIZABETH I. Manuscript document, with original hanging wax seal. England, 1600. Single page of vellum with usual folds and attachments, measuring approximately 14 by 5-1/2 inches, with double-sided wax seal measuring 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Housed in custom morocco case. $16,500.

Rare original Elizabethan document, written entirely in a secretarial hand and dated 1600, granting the office of sheriff of the County Palatine of Chester to Thomas Aston, Esq., with Elizabeth I's hanging royal wax seal still attached.

This manuscript secretarial document is a letters patent, dated December 9, 43 Elizabeth [i.e. 1600] granting the office of sheriff of the County Palatine of Chester to Thomas Aston, esq. Neatly attached is the warrant addressed to Thomas Aston, late sheriff, ordering him to hand over to his successor Richard Grosvenor, esq., all the writs, rolls, etc. pertaining to the office of sheriff dated the next year, December 15, 44 Elizabeth [1601]. The obverse of the wax seal represents a variation of Elizabeth's royal arms: on the right, the quartered arms of France (fleur-de-lis) and England (lions passant guardant); on the left, three sheaves of wheat (the emblem of the County of Chester), supported by feathers and crowned. The reverse represents Elizabeth astride her palfrey, seated upon the chair-like side-saddle. The hanging seal is attached to the document by a vellum ribbon and is preserved in a custom morocco case with gilt-lettered spine.

Unusually fine condition.