East Indies: December 1581

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: December 1581', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616, (London, 1864) pp. 71-74. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/pp71-74 [accessed 19 April 2024]

December 1581

1581? 174. Note of ordnance, ammunition, &c., for shipping, for which “he demandeth 2,250l, whereof he will adventure 1900l.” [Three quarters of a page. Mutilated by fire. Otho, VIII., fol. 83.]
1581? 175. “A proportion” of victuals [for the galleon Ughtrede], with the prices, total 1,679l. 10s. 4d.; also “for other furniture” 1,568l. 14s., together 3,248l. 4s. 4d. [Three pages, in the handwriting of Thos. Atye, sec. to Leicester. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fols. 117, 118.]
1581? 176. Estimate of the cost of sheathing the three pinnaces, of a new cabin, and canvas, ropes, pitch and tar, &c. for the ship and pinnaces. [One page. Mutilated by fire. Brit Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 122.]
1581? 177. Another estimate containing many more articles than the preceding, with the prices. [One page and a half. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 123.]
1581? 178. Estimate of the victuals necessary for the voyage; with a total of 9,802l 10s. [Imperfect. Two pages. Mutilated by fire. Brit Mus., Otho, VIII., fols. 124, 125.]
1581? 179. “Note of merchandize to be taken in the voyage” [of Edward Fenton,] with amount of the cost, including metals, horsetails, copper kettles, and basins, bracelets of brass, knives, daggers, and hatchets, shirts of mail, paper, cards, dice, pens and inkhorns, looking glasses, coloured ribbons, pins, needles, saddles, bridles, bits, pistols, scissors, &c. The victualling for 13 months. The number of mariners 60. [One page and a half. Mutilated by fire. Brit Mus, Otho, VIII., fols. 93, 94.]
1581? 180. Agreement between the Earl of Leicester and Henry Ughtrede, concerning the galleon Ughtrede. The ship having been valued by Ughtrede and Frobisher at 2,800l, the former agrees to sell to Leicester so much of the ship in participation as will amount to 2,000l, Ughtrede reserving to himself to participate in 800l. Time of Leicester's payments; repairs to the ship; ordnance, ammunition, and furniture; proportion each is to bear of the charges. As an earnest of the bargain the Earl agrees to give “so much velvet good and new as will be sufficient to make a gown for Dame Elizabeth, wife of the said Henry Ughtrede.” Leicester to procure, “if he may possibly,” the King of Portugal's commission, authorizing Ughtrede to send two other ships to these _ in warlike manner to take and spoil the Spaniards or Portugals, enemies to the said King Don Antonio, Ughtrede giving to the King the first part of all that shall be taken. Signed by Henry Ughtrede and Martin Frobisher. [Two pages. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 119.]
1581? 181. Proposals concerning [Fenton's] intended voyage to the East Indies. Making ready the galleon. Ughtrede and the Edward of Hampton, and taking in their provisions. No other gentlemen to be appointed to go the voyage but the three captains specified, the rest to be factors and mere seamen. Privilege to be procured for such as adventure in the voyage. Authority to the captains and merchants appointed to set forth the voyage. Division of the gain; the charges to be first deducted; the rest to be divided into three parts, whereof two to be allowed the adventurers, and the other third for the wages and allowances of the captains, factors, masters, and manners, “by which means the adventurers shall be at no further charges than the first setting forth of the voyage whatsoever shall hap thereof.” [One page. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 228.]
1581? 182. Inventory of the ships under the charge of Edward Fenton and Luke Warde. The Ughtrede of 400 tons, with estimate of the charges for 108 men for 13 months, and an overplus of certain things for six months more; total, 6,035l. 10s. 10d.: the Edward Bonaventure of 250 tons, with estimate for 72 men; total, 3,457l. 5s. 8d.: the Francis [of 40 tons], two pinnaces, two Spanish shallops, and a bark [? the Elizabeth of 50 tons] of Sir Fras. Drake. Names of the adventurers and how much they adventure; total, 7,016l. 13s. 4d.: of which the Earl of Leicester subscribes 2,200l.,; Mr. Ughtrede, 800l.; Sir Fras. Drake, 666l 13s. 4d.; Carlile, Frobisher, and Fenton, 300l. each; Sir Christ. Hatton, 250l.; the Earls of Warwick, Shrewsbury, and Pembroke, Lords Burghley, Hunsdon, and Howard, Sir Fras. Walsyngham, Sir Thos. Heneage, and Luke Warde, 200l. each; and the Earl of Lincoln, Sir Edw. Horsey, [Wm.] Burde, and [Rich.] Boyland, 100l. each; “the Muscovy Company among them.” [Eleven pages. DOMESTIC, Eliz., Vol. CL., No. 90. The Ughtrede is named “the Beare galleon” in Fenton's Instructions, and “the galleon Leicester” in Luke Warde's account of the voyage in Hakluyt, IV., pp. 259, 263.]
1581? 183. Minutes [concerning Fenton's voyage to the East Indies and Cathay]. The adventures amount to about 11,600l. Sir Fras. Drake's bark not accounted in the former charges; to consider how she is to be victualled and manned. The merchandise, 2,000l.; it were wished it might be more, if there were more money. To consider of the number of men, idle men, and officers as captains, merchants, ministers, surgeons, masters, pursers, &c, and their entertainment. Order to be taken for Sir Fras. Drake's bark, for the general's commission, for the council to be appointed and for their instructions, for auditors, assurances for the adventurers, and above all for amity and good obedience amongst the general, captains, gentlemen, and the rest. Names of the ships to be set forth, the charges, and adventurers, with the sums subscribed by each. The ship Mary Edwards, the galleon Ughtrede, and the new bark; total cost [6,400l.] The adventurers, Earl of Leicester and Mr. Ughtrede, 3,000l.; Sir Fras. Drake, 700l.; Earl of Oxford, 500l; Capt. Frobisher; 300l.; Edward Fenton and his friends, 300l.: Lords Pembroke, Warwick, Howard, and Hunsdon, Sir Chris. Hatton, Sir Fras. Walsyngham, and Customer Smythe, 200l. each; and Earl of Lincoln and Customer Burde, 100l. each. “The special men Mr. Frobisher desireth; the appointing captains, lieutenants, and especially one that shall swear him if ought otherwise than well betide him.” Also rough draught of a list of adventurers, probably for other vessels for this voyage, in which the names above mentioned appear, as also Luke Warde, 200l.; [Rich.] Boyland, 100l.; Sir Thos. Heneage, 200l.; Earl of Shrewsbury, 200l.; Sir Edward Horsey, 100l.; the Lord Treasurer, 200l.; Mr. Carlile, 100l.; and others, without any amount, whose names are crossed through, including W.Hawkins. And a third rough draught of a list, very similar to the above, with additions. The Earl of Shrewsbury half of the bark Talbot, valued at 300l., and 500l. in money. 1,000l. further required to set forth the bark, “whereof these following will adventure.” Edw. Fenton and his friends, 300l.; Aldermen Hawarde and Calthorpe, Aldresea [sic], Yonge, Hawkyns, Sadler, Cordell, [Ald.] Martin. [Ald.] Polison, [Ald.] Starrkye, Sir Edward Horsey, Palavicino, Earl of Shrewsbury. Indorsed with notes of persons necessary for the voyage; a Portuguese who speaks also Spanish, Italian, and Latin, for interpreter; Evans, the Bristol man, who speaks French; a garbler of spices, an apothecary, a surgeon, and a jeweller in each ship. [Five pages and a half. In the handwriting of Thos. Atye, secretary to Leicester. Mutilated by fire. Brit Mus., Otho, VIII., fols. 104–106.]
1581? 184. Articles of agreement for the voyage [to the East Indies and Cathay]. To lay together their adventures amounting to .... To make the gain at return according to every man's adventure. To set out two good ships, the galleon Ughtrede and the Hastings, furnished for 13 months, 140 men in the galleon, and .. in the bark. Capt. Frobisher appointed general. Chief merchant of each ship A. B. E. F., &c. Council to consist of _ men. A. B., appointed registrar or public notary, to set down acts of council and all other things to be noted in the voyage; “this officer the Spaniards had always with them in every voyage” If young Hawkyns be captain of the bark, some other trusty [person] not altogether to be ruled by him, to be joined in ship with him. The course to be taken, to avoid the Spaniards who may and will lay for _ Sir F. Drake. Not to pass China to the north–eastward, “so will the traffick be better made, and the reason of this charge to be given him is, least perhaps he should have some desire to search out his formerly pretended passage that way, and so hinder this voyage, which is only for trade.” To deal like merchants with all courtesy. Not to take anything from Her Majesty's friends or [allies] without paying justly for it, nor use any [force] except in self defence. The chief purser to give up inventories of the ships' victuals, &c. to the Company before departure and on coming home. No wares to be landed without the Company's orders. [Fourpages. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho., VIII., fols. 84–85. This is probably the original draft, corrected, in the handwriting of Thos. Atye, secretary to Leicester, on which “the first draught” of Capt. Frobisher's instructions were founded [see No. 187.], which instructions were afterwards altered for Edward Fenton, April 9, 1582, who went general of this voyage. Frobisher did not go.]
1581? 185. Advice concerning the passage to Malacca and traffic there, also to the Moluccas for spices; the fittest places for watering and the best means to preserve health; it is sufficient if “they shall have in their company divers of my men which were in my late voyage” [One page. Mutilated by fire. Brit. Mus., Otho, VIII., fol. 60.]