Papers of Thomas Murray, 1593-1623, Lambeth Palace Library, London

Thomas Murray (1564-1623) was early attached to the Court of James VI of Scotland. Soon after James took the English throne, Murray was appointed tutor to Charles, then Duke of York. Murray remained tutor and secretary to Prince Charles Stuart (later Charles I) until his death. In 1622, he was also elected provost of Eton College.

The seven volumes of papers at Lambeth Palace Library provide a fascinating insight into European affairs leading up to the Thirty Years War. The manuscripts contain correspondence, treaties, and other documents that passed between the Stuart monarchy of Great Britain and many of the major protagonists of the Thirty Years War. These include Ferdinand of Bohemia; Christian of Denmark; the Princes, Electors, and noblemen of the Holy Roman Empire; the kings of France and Spain; the Pope; and the government of the Netherlands.

These papers reveal much about the European diplomacy of the Stuart monarchy during the first quarter of the seventeenth century and highlight its relationship with other rulers and noblemen.