You bidding on a Elizabethan manuscript fragment from a Commonplace book by a member of the Hesketh family.

A commonplace book was a personal compendium where an educated individual would copy down useful information, legal formulas, historical facts, and statistics for easy reference. This fragment is a brilliant window into the mind of an educated Elizabethan (likely associated with the Hesketh family of Lancashire.

The "Unlawful Hunting" Case: The deed fragment reveals a fascinating piece of social history: a warrant issued to arrest someone caught "night hunting" (poaching) on a nobleman's estate.

The Isle of Man Story: The top of side 2 notes how King John confiscated the Isle of Man in the early 13th century, which sets up how the Stanley family eventually came to rule it as Lords of Man from 1405 onward.

The Variations in Bushels: Before weights and measures were entirely standardized, a "bushel" of grain changed volume depending on where you sold it (London vs. Chester vs. Winchester). The writer was keeping track of these regional differences to avoid getting cheated in trade.

Side 1: The 1577 Legal Deed & Shires of Britain
Top Section: The Deed Extract

    [Top section is torn away with major text loss]
    [...] of [the] Countess of [...]
    [...] I found running [...] to all manner of [...]
    [...] & all other officers of the queen's [...]
    [...] running [...] to any of them [...]
    [...] which I be guilty of, our Sovereign lady the queen [...]
    [...] command & charge you & any of you, to take [...]
    [...] safely, to instruct him [...] to have him immediately [...]
    [...] & give advertisement thereof unto me to answer to [...]
    [...] examined upon such unlawful hunting [...]
    [...] night hunt, & other misdemeanors as shall be idet[ified] [...]
    [...] unto him, upon the queen's majesty's behalf, [...]
    failing grant of; as you will answer for the contrary; Given under my hand & seal, at [...]
    Holmes the xxvij [27th] day of June, in the nineteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign lady Elizabeth by the grace of God queen of England France & Ireland, defender of the faith &c.

Bottom Section: The Shires List The names of all the shires in England: 1. Kent, 2. Sussex, 3. Surrey, 4. Southampton (Hampshire), 5. Berkshire, 6. Buckingham, 7. Warwick, 8. Worcester, 9. Wiltshire, 10. Westmorland, 11. Hertfordshire, 12. Dorsetshire, 13. Somersetshire, 14. Devonshire, 15. Cornwall, 16. Oxfordshire, 17. Lincoln, 18. Salop (Shropshire),19. Yorkshire, 20. Bishopric of Durham, 21. Essex, 22. Middlesex, 23. Bedfordshire, 24. Suffolk, 25. Norfolk, 26. Northampton, 27. Leicester, 28. Stafford, 29. Lancaster, 30. Cambridgeshire, 31. Bedford (Repeated or error for Hereford), 32. Huntingdon, 33. Rutland, 34. Leicester (Repeated), 35. Nottingham, 36. Derby, 37. Chester, 38. Cumberland, 39. Northumberland, Wales 40. Merioneth, 41. Caernarvon, 42. Anglesey, 43. Montgomery, 44. Denbigh, 45. Flint, 46. Pembroke4, 7. Cardigan, 48. Carmarthen, 49. Brecknock, 50. Glamorgan, 51. Radnor 

[Bottom Margin Note:] Sum total: England 39, [Wales 12. Total 51]. Finis.

   Side 2: Isle of Man Notes, Bishoprics, and Church Statistics 

Top Section: The Stanley Family & Isle of Man Lore

 Top section heavily torn away

][...] entered him, upon the third day [...]

[...] & by the death of total standard [...]

[...] [the] land of Man fell into the [hands] of [...]

the king of England, then King John [...]

took the taking of his land; & the king [...]

to him & to his heirs for ever [...]

witnesseth, & Thomas Stanley, & after him E[dward] [...]

6 pounds, & after him Sir Thomas, & Edward Stanley [...]

Middle Section: The 26 Bishoprics

There also in England & Wales xxvi [26] bishoprics: