Thomas Elyot

c.1490–1546

Introduction

Apart from a Latin translation of part of Elyot's Image of Governance (ElT 2), none of Sir Thomas Elyot's known works is known to be preserved in manuscript. However, ten original letters, addressed chiefly to Thomas Cromwell, and written between 1528 and 1536, are recorded (*ElT 3-14), all of them published in Wilson. Two of these letters (*ElT 9, *ElT 14) originally accompanied exempla of printed works by Elyot presented to Thomas Cromwell, one of which (*ElT 14) is still preserved.

These and other documents relating to Elyot are cited in Lehmberg.

Abbreviations

Lehmberg: Stanford E. Lehmberg, Sir Thomas Elyot: Tudor Humanist (Austin, Texas, 1960).
Wilson: K. J. Wilson, The Letters of Sir Thomas Elyot, SP, 73, No. 5 (December 1976).

Prose

The Boke named The Governour

First published in 1531.

ElT 1

Verse extracts.

A tall folio miscellany of verse and prose, including a series of Pithie sentences and wise sayinges, largely in a secretary hand, iv + 120 leaves (including blanks), in contemporary dark brown calf on wooden boards (rebacked), with remains of brass clasps.

Compiled principally by William Briton (1564-1637), of Kelston, Somerset.

c.1586-1605

Once owned by members of the Harington family, including John Harington, MP (d.1654). Acquired by Quaritch in 1932 and in their centenary sale catalogue (1947), item 198. Booklabel of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr (1906-90), American businessman and collector. Christie's, 12 June 1980 (Houghton sale), lot 427.

The British Library: Additional MSS, numbers 60000 through end (Add. MS 61822 f. 84r)

Image of Governance

First published in London, 1541.

ElT 2

Series of extracts in Latin, headed Sententiæ atque preclara facta Alexandri Seueri, with a dedication subscribed Filia tua...Maria Arundell, the Responsum Alexandri &c written and signed by Filius tuus...Iohanies Radcliffus, on 26 octavo pages, bound with three other manuscripts, all Latin translations written as New Year's gifts to her father by Lady Mary Fitzalan, daughter of Henry Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, the present manuscript partly by Arundel's stepson by marriage, John Radcliffe, son of Robert Radcliffe, first Earl of Sussex.

c.1553-6

Later in the library of John, first Baron Lumley (c.1533-1609), collector.

The British Library: Royal MSS (Royal MS 12 A IV)

Of the Knowledeg whiche Maketh a Wise Man

First published in London, 1533.

See ElT 9.

Letters

Letter(s)

*ElT 3

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, 25 March [1528].

1528

Wilson, p. 1.

National Archives, Kew (SP 1/235 Part 3/242)

*ElT 4

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, 18 November 1532.

1532

Wilson, pp. 7-10.

National Archives, Kew (SP 1/72/36-7)

*ElT 5 1532

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, 8 December 1532.

Wilson, pp. 11-15. Facsimile page in Lehmberg, facing p. 32.

A folio composite volume of state letters, in various hands, c.560 leaves.

The British Library: Cotton MSS (Cotton MS Titus B. I ff. 376r-7)

*ElT 6 1532

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to the Duke of Norfolk, 14 March 1532.

Wilson, pp. 2-5.

A folio composite volume of state letters, in various hands, c.212 leaves.

The British Library: Cotton MSS (Cotton MS Vitellius B. XXI ff. 58r-9)

*ElT 7

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Sir John Hackett, 6 April 1533.

1533

Wilson, pp. 16-17.

National Archives, Kew (SP 1/75/81)

*ElT 8

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, [April or May 1533].

1533

Wilson, pp. 18-19.

National Archives, Kew (SP 1/76/149)

*ElT 9 1533?

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, [1533?], originally accompanying (no longer present) a presentation exemplum of Elyot's Of the Knowledeg whiche Maketh a Wise Man (London, 1533).

Wilson, pp. 22-3.

A folio composite volume of original letters, in various hands.

The British Library: Harley Collection, numbers 6000 through 6999 (Harley MS 6989 f. 33r)

*ElT 10

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to the Viscountess Lisle, 3 December [1533].

1533

Wilson, pp. 20-1.

National Archives, Kew (SP 3/10/96)

*ElT 11

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, [Autumn 1534-Spring 1535].

1534-35

Wilson, pp. 24-5.

National Archives, Kew (SP 1/104/248)

*ElT 12 1536

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, [6 March 1535/6].

Wilson, pp. 26-8.

A folio composite volume of state letters and papers, largely relating to the dissolution of the monasteries, in various hands, c.395 leaves.

The British Library: Cotton MSS (Cotton MS Cleopatra E. VI f. 254r)

*ElT 13 1536

Autograph

Autograph letter signed, to Thomas Cromwell, [Autumn, 1536].

Wilson, pp. 30-2, with a facsimile on p. x. Facsimile also in Henry VIII Man and Monarch, ed. Susan Doran (British Library, 2009), p. 254.

A folio composite volume of state letters, in various hands, c.410 leaves.

The British Library: Cotton MSS (Cotton MS Cleopatra E. IV f. 260r)

*ElT 14

Autograph

Autograph epistle signed, in Latin, written by Elyot in his italic hand on the flyleaf of a printed exemplum of The Dictionary of Syr T. E. Knyght (London, 1538) presented by him to Thomas Cromwell.

1538

Wilson, pp. 33-5, with an English translation on pp. 35-7.

The British Library: Rare Books Room (C.28.m.2)

Documents

Will

ElT 15

Probate copy of Elyot's last will and testament, 1546.

1546

National Archives, Kew (PROB 11/31, f. 110)

Thomas Elyot

Introduction

Abbreviations

Prose

Letters

Documents

Contents