East Indies: March 1608

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1864.

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'East Indies: March 1608', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616, (London, 1864) pp. 168-171. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/pp168-171 [accessed 25 April 2024]

March 1608

March 1. 398. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Advance of wages to Edmond Whittie [?White, see No. 383], master's mate, and to John Elinor. Rich. Clarke, master's mate, “being no way able to set himself to sea,” with certain others, dismissed. Geof. Carlille's request for 10l. Thos. Joanes and Gilbert Lee, boatswains, to have each a present of 30s. for faithful service. [One page and a quarter. Court Bk., II., p. 83.]
March 3.
Baynard's Castle
399. Rowland Whyte to Sir Thos. Lake. A great jar between the Commissioners at the Hague; they could not agree in the point of traffic to the East Indies, but they now assemble again and fall to treat of other articles, leaving the point of traffic undecided till they hear out of Spain. The States stand stifly to be sovereigns of that part in India which now they possess. [Extract from Domestic Corresp., Jac. I., Vol. XXXI., No. 65. Cal., p 411.]
March 4–5. 400. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Gratuity to Robt. Moore, master gunner of the Union, for his extraordinary pains about trial of the ordnance. Thos. Soule allowed 10l. for private trade, because of his charges for sea instruments. Advance of wages to the coopers to purchase tools. To clear and pay the custom house officers and make ready the invoices. Committee to go to the Downs with the ships and see the men paid half wages. About finishing the Company's commissions. Wardford and Give to be again hired. Wm. Jennyngs an adventurer of 100l. under Wm. Bonham.
March 5.—The Company's commissions to Alex. Sharpey and Rich. Rowles, dated last day of February [sic? January see No. 394.] read and allowed; the blanks for the factors' names left to be filled in at the general's discretion. The general and lieut.–general to make especial use of Joseph Salbancke in their council. Spanish money for the Ascension and Union. Lime, patterns of raw silk, and “carractors” for writing overland, to be prepared and sent with the ships. Mr. Brownsmith, the preacher, to be hired in place of the young man formerly agreed with. [Two pages and a half. Court Bk., II., 83–84.]
March 5/15.
Bayonne.
401. Richard Cocks to Thos. Wilson. News from Lisbon that for certain 12 great ships were ready prepared full of men, and were reported to go for the Moluccas to rout out the Flemings. Thinks it very unlikely, and, in his simple judgment rather doubts, they may be pretended for Ireland. [Extract from Corresp., Spain.]
March 6/16.
Bayonne.
402. Richard Cocks to Thos. Wilson. Report amongst the Flemings that the States men–of–war in the East Indies have taken a place called Malacca, wherein the Viceroy was taken prisoner. In the margin “it was written Molaca, but I think it be an idle report.” Extract from Corresp., Spain.]
March 8–18 403. Court Minutes of the East India Company. The money to be taken on board to–morrow. Advances to Sam. Broadshawe, Rich. Mellis, and Mathias Baker.
March 11.—The King's letters, commissions, and safe conduct, and copies in English, delivered to Mr. Sharpie, with an express admonition not to deal in any other way than by honest merchandise. Sir Wm. Romney to be dealt with to have the characters for the Company's men to write overland from the Indies, and to provide patterns of raw silk. Gratification to Joseph Salbancke. John Waldow's accounts to be audited.
March 12.—Letter from the adventurers in the third voyage to their factors at Bantam or elsewhere, agreed to; also as to factors of the fourth voyage left in the Indies, where those of the third voyage are resident. For a book to set down adventurers for the voyage next year.
March 15.—John Poole, victualler in Southwark, desirous to go to the East Indies to defeat his creditors; neither he nor any such to be employed. Admission of Mr. Harrison and Mr. Hamersley referred. Adventurers of the fourth voyage to be summoned on Friday.
March 18.—A fifth voyage to the East Indies to be prepared with convenient expedition by the adventurers of the fourth voyage, and a book to be offered to every one of them to set down 500l. each at least for that purpose. Committee appointed to inquire for men and ships fit for the fifth voyage. Wm. Harrison's admission as an adventurer in the fourth voyage to be left to the discretion of the governor. [Four pages and a half. Court Bk., II., 84–86.]
March 21/31
Madrid.
404. John Jude to Thos. Wilson. The fleet at Lisbon for the East Indies, consisting of six caracks, eleven galleons, and 5,500 landsmen, put to sea 9/19th of this month, in which the Persian Ambassador embarked for his own country, having been rewarded by the King of Spain with 20,000 ducats. [Extract from Corresp., Spain.]
March 22. 405. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Letter received from Mr. Rowles from the Downs, about the Union. Covett, steward in the Union, and others reported to have taken pewter and other things of good value for private trade. To write about Ellis and Cornish, and inquire for fit men for masters and mates for the fifth voyage. About buying the Merchant Royal of Hull [One page. Court Bk., II., 86.]
1608, March,
to
1617, June.
406. “Journal kept by John Jourdain in a [fourth] voyage for the East Indies, set forth by the Hon. Company of Merchants trading the same in anno 1607 in two good ships, namely, the Ascension and Union, wherein goeth general Alexander Sharpey and vice–admiral Capt. Rich. Rowles; master, Phillip Grove. The which voyage, God bless and prosper, began at the Downs near Sandwich, the 23rd March 1607–8 ; with an addition of all my travels after the casting away of the Ascension until 1617 of any worthy the writing;” including their travels from the Desert Islands to Socotra; what passed after landing at Aden, as also in Senan [Sana] and Mocha; description of the strength of the city of Aden; arrival of the pinnace after the murder of John Luffkin, her master; journey from Aden to Sana, with names of the chief towns passed through; description of Sana, where the Bashaw keeps his court; of their travel from Sana to Mocha; what passed at Mocha after their arrival; description of the city of Mocha, with the trade and qualities; course from Mocha to Socotra; what passed in Socotra with the King, and after being anchored in Mua [Moha], near the Castelett; setting sail from Moha and being cast away upon the shoals; departure from “Gandivee” towards Surat; what passed in Surat after the departure of their men from Agra; travel from Surat to Agra, with names of the places passed through, and what the towns afford; what passed in Agra in the time of Jourdain's being there; of the city of Agra, with the territory of the Great Mogul, his forces and charge; travels from Agra to Cambaya by way of Amadavar [Ahmedabad], with names of the cities rested at; from Swally to Dabul; description of the town and port of Dabul; from Dabul to the Red Sea; what passed at Mocha after arriving the second time; copy of a letter written by Sir Henry Middleton to the Great Mogul from the Straits of Mocha in the Red Sea, in the Portugal tongue, 18th May, 1612 ; what passed in the voyage from Bantam to Amboyna; of the country of Amboyna, Cambello, Lugho, and Lasede; of Boutoune [Booton]; tedious passage from Abmoyna to Macassar; of Macassar; voyage from Bantam to Massapotan [Masulipatam]; and reestablishment in Bantam by a general court. Also, “a true relation of the Hollanders' abuses offered to our nation in the East Indies since the year 1612 in the time of my being in Bantam and the Moluccas, which tend wholly to the cutting us off our trade in the East Indies.” Course from Saldanha to St. Helena, 15th March, 1617, and from St. Helena to England, 5th April, 1617. [Two hundred and thirty–five pages. Brit. Mus., Sloane, 858. Narratives of the fourth voyage to the East Indies, written by Thos. Jones and Henry Morris, are printed in Purchas, I, 228, et seq. “A true and almost incredible report of an Englishman that (being cast away in the good ship called the Ascension in Cambaya, the farthest part of the East Indies) travelled by land through many unknown kingdoms and great cities, with a particular description of those kingdoms, cities, and people,” &c, by Capt. Robert Coverte, is printed in the “Harleian Collection of Voyages,” II, 237–266.]