80. Chicheley (Sir Thomas, politician and administrator, Master-General of the Ordnance to Charles II, 1614-99) 18 Warrants signed by Chicheley relating to expenditure on ordnance and other military expenditure, some on behalf of Charles II and James Duke of York as Lord High Admiral , Ds.s. "Thomas Chicheley" and others, manuscripts, 18pp. with conjugate blanks and docket titles, folds, some creased and browned, bookplate of Richard Taylor Pritchett, tipped into a 19th century morocco-backed album, rubbed, folio but different sizes, most directed "From my house in Great Queens Street" [London], 1665-78, all but three dated 1672.
Warrants include, for a stable yard at Eton used by Prince Rupert; supply of two 24 pounders; increase in the number of hand grenades; Charles II issuing instructions for erecting a fortress near Kinsale in County Cork, Ireland; ordering culverins and small guns; for labourers at the Tower of London etc.
Charles Fort at Kinsale, a star-shaped fort with five bastions, is one of two forts dominating Kinsale harbour (the other, appropriately enough, is James Fort). It is said to have been designed by the engineer Sir William Robinson (d. 1712), but this warrant makes it clear that the prime responsibility must have lain with his deputy, de Storff. The above warrant commissions de Storff to "goe to Kinsale… to designe ye said Fort…". The fort became one of the largest military installations in the country, and has been associated with some of the most momentous events in Irish history including the Williamite War of 1689-91 and the Irish Civil War 1922-23.
est. £2000 – £2500
Guns, cannons and gunpowder for the army and navy for the Third Dutch War.