George I, Royal Letters Patent for a grant of arms, manuscript charter on parchment [England, 1715]

George I, king of England, Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal for a grant of arms to George St. George, Conferring on him the barony of Hatley in Ireland, in Latin, decorated manuscript charter on parchment[England, dated 26 April 1715] Large single sheet charter on two rolls of parchment (one rolled inside the other), with 26 and 30 long lines in a fine and calligraphic script, ruled on thick red lines, the first line in large gold letters with ornamental cadels and opening with a large initial in same enclosing a skilfully painted portrait of King George I, full border of coloured coats-of-arms and golden acanthus leaves on first leaf, with the Great Seal of England in brown wax (diam. 150mm.) attached by plaited silver cords (these fraying but intact), each parchment leaf 600 by 750mm.; in contemporary wooden fitted case with large circular compartment for seal, lined with coloured paper and covered in tooled leather, by "Charles Tennant, at the sign of the Royal Trunk at the corner of Wine Tavern street and Merchants-Quay, Dublin": his printed label inside, leather here aged and dusty, with scuffs and losses of sections and wood and leather at extremities Provenance: Schøyen Collection, London and Oslo, their MS 1381, acquired Christie's, 26 June 1991, lot 342. Text and script:A notably large and proud example of Early Modern script and decoration used to display the original owner's power and influence.