Charles I | Letters signed, to Prince Rupert, ordering him to join the defence of Reading, 16 April 1643

King Charles I

Letter signed ("Charles R"), to Prince Rupert

giving an urgent order for the Prince to join the defence of the city of Reading, "Leaving in Our County of Stafford such competent forces, as may secure the same", body text in the hand of Sir Edward Nicholas, the King's Secretary of State, 1 page, folio, integral address leaf ("To our most deere & moste entirely beloved Nephew Prince Rupert Palatine G[ene]rall of Our Cavallery"), Oxford, 16 April 1643, locking slits, remains of red wax seal, dust-staining to address leaf

"...it imports us to use our utmost endeavour to repell the great forces of the Rebells now before Reading..."

THE KING CALLS FOR THE URGENT DEFENCE OF A KEY ROYALIST STRONGHOLD. A Parliamentary army under the Earl of Essex had reached Reading on 14 April 1643. This strongly garrisoned town was a major strategic objective for the Parliamentarians, it was only 25 miles from the seat of the royal court on the main road between London and Oxford at a crossing of the Thames. On 16 April, the day of this letter, the Parliamentry army began to bombard the town. This letter gives a strong sense of the perilous situation: the king notes to Prince Rupert that this is a duplicate order written lest a letter sent earlier that day should miscarry. Prince Rupert was laying siege to the city of Lichfield when he was called to Reading. Lichfield fell to the Royalists on 21 April and Rupert immediately marched south. He reached Oxford on 24 April but the royalist garrison in Reading surrendered the following day. The Parliamentary army was, however, unable to press its advantage with a co-ordinated move towards Oxford. Reading was recaptured by the Royalists in October 1643 but was then taken once more by Parliament in May 1644.

PROVENANCE:

Sotheby's, London, 10 July 2003, lot 36