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| Nov. 2–15. |
465. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Wm. Meggs adventures 200l. in the sixth voyage. Petitions of John Fowler, Paul Triggs, Downton and Matthew Wentworth, to be employed as factors, referred. Adventure of Wm. Hynde, deceased, set over to Nicholas Crispe. For gratification of Mr. Bell, Mr. Hamersley, and Mr. Styles, for their great pains about the Dragon at Plymouth. Committee to procure the prohibition. |
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Nov. 10.—Robt. Middle ton to provide a silk ancient for the great ship, with the Company's arms in silk or metal, as shall be thought fit. Richard Middleton, purser of one of His Majesty's ships, to be employed in masting and rigging the great ship. Committee to agree with gunners, carpenters, and sailors. Difference between Elias Roberts and Hugh Hamersley about the purchase of some silk, settled by mediation of the Company. Letter read from the Lord Treasurer to officers of the customs not to suffer any mariner to land goods brought from the East Indies without the governor's knowledge. Wheat from France for the voyage. Committee to confer with certain factors; Mr. Femell about his demands for salary; Wm. Speed, who speaks Spanish; Rowland Webb, French and Spanish, and willing to adventure 50l., and John Williams. |
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Nov. 13.—Petitions of Dixie Cletherowe to be a factor, of Nath. Courthope, and of John Wright, in verse, for employment, referred for consideration. Agreement with Lawrence Femell to serve the Company as a factor in the East Indies for three years, at 200l. a year. Letter received from Plymouth from Gabriel Towerson, recommending the Dragon to be unladen there; resolution to have her brought into the Thames. Jeffrey Hamlet to be employed, at the request of Sir John Watts. Motion for allowing 10 per cent. interest upon money paid in before due, to be considered. |
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Nov. 15.—Arrival of the Dragon in the Downs. Some of the Company sent to board her, and discharge so many of the men as are thought “unneedful.” The Governor informs the Company what he has done in procuring the prohibition against bringing in pepper by any but the Company, and that the King had consented to it. Several petitions read for employment; Symon Smyth and and Edward Langley thought unfit. Inquiries to be made about Hugh Frayne, John Lancellot who speaks Italian, one Greene, John Griffin, John Williams who speaks “the Morusko tongue,” Philip Collins, and Edward Hawks. [Five pages and a half. Court Bk, II., 149–151.] |
Nov. 16/26
Lisbon. |
466. Hugh Lee to Thos. Wilson. Three great new caracks built to go next spring for the East Indies. Fras. Bucke and Anthony Marlowe, brought prisoners from thence, not yet released, though out of prison, on securities, because of sickness; it is hoped their liberty will come shortly. [Extract from Corresp., Portugal.] |
| Nov. 16–30. |
467. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Letter read from Francis Bucke from Lisbon, declaring his own and his fellow prisoners' wants; relief to be given. and the best course for their discharge decided upon. Wm. Beerblocke admitted by patrimony; also Anthony Ramm, Beerblocke's father's late apprentice; and Edward Falkner, having bought of Wm. Meggs the bill of adventure of John Talbois for 125l. Agreement with Hugh Frayne, who speaks Spanish, to be factor, for five years. About John Cushman's employment in the Company's service. The factors' wages to be paid in London or adventured in the general stock, and to be bound against private trade. |
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Nov. 17.—Elms to be provided for the Dragon. Offer to Fowler, Mr. Poyntell's man, who speaks Spanish, to serve the Company five years. Agreement with Benjamin Greene, who speaks Spanish, French, and Italian, to serve five years; with Nath. Courthope for seven years; and with Rowland Webb, who speaks French and Spanish, for five years. Requests of Wm. Kent and Reynold Williams, who speaks Spanish and Latin, for employment. Committee to confer with John Mildnall concerning his demands to be employed. |
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Nov. 18.—Committee appointed to confer with Florence Devyne, Netherlander, touching his offer to the Company to set forth a ship of 200 tons, with a stock of 6,000l., for Coromandel, &c., where he has been employed; he assures them three for one profit, and requires nothing else for his employment but the profits over and above that sum. Mr. Mildnall not thought fit to be engaged. Agreement with John Williams who speaks “the Moruskoe tongue,” and some Spanish and Italian, for seven years. Paul Triggs dismissed; Edward Langley and Mr. Trendell referred. Mr. James, master of the carvill, to be satisfied for his freight. Offer to William Speed. |
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Nov. 21.—Admission of Humphrey Fipps and Thos. Sneade, merchants. Agreements with William Speede and John Griffin. Michael Lucas, scrivener, and Humphrey Seaward, grocer, unfit for employment. Gratification to Justice Keys and to the clerk of Sir Robt. Mansfield. |
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Nov. 23.—Objections against Lawrence Femell and Rowland Webb, cleared. Admission of Nicholas Isaac, willing to adventure 200l. in the general stock. Agreement with John Fowler, who speaks Spanish. Dixie Cletherowe, Samuel Huddlestone, Robt. Wake, and another, dismissed. Agreement with John Lancellot, formerly employed in Turkey and other places. Ten shillings a week board wages to be allowed to factors employed here. Offer to Wm. Kent, a merchant, for his services for five years. Richard Atkinson's accounts to be audited. Inquiry for a preacher. Gilbert Warde's offer. |
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Nov. 25.—Those hired and found unfit to be dismissed. The governor, deputy, and committees only to have the direction of all voyages, and the sale of all merchandise, &c., by virtue of the charter. Letter to Florence Devyne, about his project for Coromandel, &c. Inquiries to be made about Francis Slany, Edward Langley, Phillip Collins, Edward Haile and Guy Tilsley. Mr. Downton to be conferred with to go as master. Mr. Cornish, esteemed a very sufficient navigator, fit for the Company's service, to be written to. Committee appointed to peruse the letters from Bantam, and to agree upon an increase of merchandise and victuals for the present intended voyage. About trying ordnance. Committees to go aboard the Dragon until her goods are discharged. An inventory to be sent of the ships' stores. |
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Nov. 29.—Admission of John Highlord, by patrimony, of Thos. Hickes, apprentice to Sir Thos. Smythe, and Robert Sammon. No one to export spices, custom free, unless he be an adventurer or free of the Society. Agreement with Edward Langley for seven years. Draught of articles read between the Lord Treasurer and Sir Julius Cæsar, chancellor of the exchequer, on behalf of the King, on the one part, and the Company on the other part, touching the sale and exportation of pepper, and the imposition of 6d. per lb. upon all sold in the land; divers points to be amended, and counsel employed. |
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Nov. 30.—Touching the goods brought home by the mariners in the Dragon. Hugh Frayne to go abroad. Robt. Hutchinson to take an account of the old stores. Keys of the Company's warehouses to be brought to the governor and remain in the counting house. Lancellot and Langley to go aboard the Dragon. Provision of the gunners' stores for this present voyage. John Griffin entertained on 21st inst., dismissed on information of his insufficiency. [Twelve pages and a quarter. Court Bk., II., 151–157.] |
Nov. 30.
Newmarket. |
468. Proclamation inhibiting the importation of pepper from foreign parts by any other persons than those of the East India Company, and limiting the price at which they shall sell it to two shillings and sixpence the pound. [Printed. Proclamations, DOMESTIC, Jac. I., Vol. CLXXXVII., No. 13. Cal, p. 565.] |
