East Indies, China and Japan: October 1620

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 3, 1617-1621. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1870.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'East Indies, China and Japan: October 1620', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 3, 1617-1621, (London, 1870) pp. 390-393. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol3/pp390-393 [accessed 25 March 2024]

October 1620

Oct. 2. The Hague. 904. Carleton to Sec. Naunton. The objections against this State for what has happened in the East Indies received this answer, that they are fruits of the seeds sown in the corrupt and confused time of this State, for which the distance of place hath been an impediment to all other remedy than that which is expected and promised of restitution. Can say that whereas heretofore here came daily complaints of wrongs done by sea, now there hath not been one for a good time. [Extract from Holland Corresp.]
Oct. 2. Firando. 905. Rich. Cocks to Ed. Sayer.at Nangasaki. Concerning "two more of our runaways." If Mr, Harod and the surgeon come, they may bring them well fettered, "for I long to see those villains well punished." Directions for the. purchase of wine. Maddalina, John Portis' woman, was brought to bed yesterday of a man child, but it died before it was born ; it was so big that it could not be got out without crushing of it ; the mother is now very ill and sick. Is sorry Harod is so ill. [Two pages and three quarters. Indorsed : "Came to my hands 6th of October. 1620." O.C., Vol. VII., No. 894]
Oct. 13. Aboard the White Bear. 906. Edward Perry to the East India Company. Arrived safely at Jacatra 10 October. Lost four men between Saldanha and Bantam: Francis Clarke, Humphrey Hall, Geo. Johnson, and Wm. Dempshire. [One page. Indorsed, "Rec. 20 June 1621." O.C., Vol. VII., No. 895.]
Oct. 13. 907. Edward Perry to Robt. Offley ; "at his house in Gratious Street, London." Left Saldanha 26 July 1620, and arrived at Jacatra 10 October. Loss of four men. [One page. O.C., Vol. VII. No. 896.]
Oct. 13. Jacatra road (ship Unity ?) 908. Eustace Man to the East India Company. Left the coast of England 27 of March. The Bear wilfully lost their company. Mutiny by some "of the baser sort" on board the Unity, on removal of Mourton to the Exchange. On 24 June their two Bhips met the Surat fleet, in the road of Saldanba, where they, found nine Dutch ships bound for Bantam, and the Lion bound for London. On notice that some did purpose to erect a plantation in Saldanha Bay, and that (the English) should be frustrated of watering but by license, it was concluded, on consultation, to entitle his Majesty King, Supreme Head, and Governor of that continent, not as yet inhabited by any Christian Prince. The same was performed 3rd July, with all solemnity, by the English and Dutch, and a mount of stones raised, and called King James' mount, and a small flag deliverd to the natives, which they carefully kept. Arrival of the Bear, 10 July. Capt. Shilling with the Surat fleet sailed 25 July, the Bantam fleet the next day. Anchored in Bantam 30 Sept., "where we found small friendship"; in Jacatra road 2 Oct., where we found the Gift, Globe, Star, and Peppercorn, "who make many exclamations against the Dutch." Capt. Jourdain slain in the Sampson in Patani road by the Dutch. Found Brockedon President, but expects Fursland's coming every day with the Charles, the Ruby, and the Diamond from Acheen. Mourton's factious contention. Five English and five Dutch ships gone to the Manillas ; two to Japan ; their names. The Dutch overtax them exceedingly in India ; they have laid the foundation of a stately, commodious, and, being finished, will be an extraordinary strong castle in Jacatra ; the convenience and delightfulness of it is fitting for a Prince. "The dissension and crossings between Sir Thos. Dale and Capt. Jourdain hath caused this calamity with the English in India, through their striving for superiority." No store of French cloth sent in the Unity. Their sails splitting in foul weather, were obliged to mend them with your Ipswich canvas, which is very trash. [One and a half pages. Endorsed, "Received by a Holland ship out of the Low Countries, 20 June 1621." O.C. Vol. VII., No. 897.]
Oct. 14. Jacatra. 909. Henry Short and John Cartwright to Sir Thos. Smythe. Left the Cape 26 July, and arrived at Bantam 30 Sept., where they expected to have seen the President, with the rest of the English, but they had left for Jacatra ; arrived there 3 Oct. The President has appointed Short for Macassar and Cartwright for Banjermassin ; they are to depart within three days. [Half a page. O.C. Vol. VII., No. 898.]
Oct. 15. Jacatra. 910. Thos. Batten to Francis Sadler, Sec. to the East India Company. His services against the Dutch before "the supposed happy uniting of the two companies." The Dutch have beleaguered Bantam by sea these 16 months, during which time neither they nor the English have had one corn of pepper. The Pengran sticks to his old terms of rendering Jacatra to him, or he will have no trade with them but the sword. "He hath at least ten ships' load of pepper ready, and this opportunity have we lost by joining with the Dutch, with whom he will in no wise have to do." If we fall to blows with the Javas, we have scarce a soldier in India that knows on which shoulder to hang his bandaliers. "The Dutch have glory of all conquests, and keep our necks still under their girdles, who know better how to tyrannise over us than the Moors, which already our experience findeth, and many English, which during the quarrel did but a little envy their pride here, do since the peace hate them most deadly, and would fight with them, they care not on what odds." Capt. Pring gone to Japan ; expected here about Christmas. Concerning "that business of my poor untutored son." Wishes he could have written somewhat merrily, "to prevent the extremity of your fits of the gout." Begs him to send to Batten's friend Mr. Blomaley, who is sure to be heard of at his sister's, the wife of Chas. Gregory, next house to the Mermaid in Carter Lane ; to Thos. Tottnam and Thos. Howe at the Saracen's Head in Gracious St., from whom he has expected letters, but never received any ; also to give Sir Thos Roe thanks for his favours on the writer's behalf. Commendations to his bedfellow, Mr. Marshall, Atkinson, Capper, Whitehead and his wife, Geynsford, &c. [Two pages. O.C. Vol. VII., No. 899.]
Oct. 15. Jacatra. 911. Edward Meade, John Goninge, Wm. Moore, and Thos. Johnson to the East India Company. The letters left by Jefferies at the Cape could not be found, the stone having been defaced or removed ; but now Capts. FitzHerbert and Shilling together have made choice of some other place, without acquainting the factors therewith, for what reason they know not. Account of their voyage (in the Sampson) ; made the land of Java 17 Sept. The Unity appointed to speak with the Dutch, who declared they continued at war with the Pengran of Bantam. Removal of the English factory to Jacatra, where the Exchange and Unity arrived 2 Oct. present ; the Bear and Bee arrived 10 Oct. Henry Covert, servant to Mr. Sheres, the cause of much contention ; Fitzherbert loses the love of the men in giving way to Covert's insolencies. Complaints of provisions and ships' stores. The Company's Bantam ships ill provided with necessaries. The surgeons' mates in the fleet, and the master surgeon in the Bear, good for nothing ; neither understand anything belonging to surgery. Woodall wrongs the Company by entertaining insufficient men, never trained up in that faculty, who affirm they are bound to give him two thirds of their wages. [Two pages and a quarter. Endorsed, "Received by the Dutch ship the Walkeron, 12 June 1621. O.C., Vol. VII., No. 900.]
1620 ? 912. Directions to find letters secreted under certain stones at the Cape, signed by Humfry Fitzherbert and Andrew Shilling. [Half a page. O.C. Vol. VII., No. 941.]
1620 ? 913. Divers complaints in letters received from the Cape from Capts. Andrew Shilling and Humfry Fitzherbert, chiefly relating to the bad quality of ships stores and provisions. [One page. O.C., Vol. VII., No. 942.]
Oct. 15. Jacatra. 914. "Brief contents of the President and Council's letter from Jacatra [to the East India Company]. Murder of Geo. Cokayne coming from Succadana and of eleven men in Cheribon. Our people refuse to accept the Dragon, because the Dutch had lamed her by misusage ; the Bear burnt in satisfaction of their galley. The Attendance demanded, but it was answered she was employed in the joint service at Bantam, and could not be recalled. Account of the Hollanders' abuses and misusage of the English. Their boats and people searched by the Dutch officers, and fined and imprisoned for every trifle. All strangers in fear of trading with the English until the Dutch be served. Our own people disorderly, and will not be conformable, without absolute authority be given to the Company's President. Complaint of the want of factors, ships' provisions, &c. [One page. O.C., Vol. VII., No. 901.]
Oct. 17. Aboard the Charles. 915. John Bickell to Sir Thos. Smythe. Arrived at Acheen from Surat 24 April, left Acheen 23 July, and arrived at Bantam 14 Oct., leaving on the 16th for Jacatra. Sends this by a Holland ship which he met with half-way. Great mortality at Acheen ; death of Man, his vice-admiral ; Hugh Goulde, his chief mate ; and his chief merchant, Edward Howe ; and divers others. The Peppercorn and Star at Bantam ; the Royal James gone to Japan ; Capt. Adames with a fleet to the Manilla ; and Capt. Fitzherbert at Jacatra, where Bickell hopes to be very shortly. [One page. O.C. Vol. VII., No. 902.]
Oct. 23. Firando. 916. Rich. Cocks to Edm. Sayer in Nangasaki, by our friend John Hawley. Complains of the prices of goods sent to him. Capt. Adames sends empty cask in this bark with a cooper. Robt. Hawley goes with him, but is to return. The James, Moon, Bull, and all the fleet ready to take in their provisions. [One page. O.C., Vol. VII., No. 903.]
Oct. 25. Patani. 917. John Farye to Edward Longe at Judea in Siam. Commendations to John Doode, Wallis, and Edward Barrett. The Unicorn cast away on the coast of China ; the men saved, and, through the favour of the Chinese, allowed to buy some small junks in which they were shipped. It is reported a place where the Company may settle a factory to their great profit. One of the junks has arrived in Patani with 50 Englishmen, and the other is thought to have been taken by the Portugals. The Unicorn cast away in the most wild hurricane ever felt, and all the sailors blown away. God knows what has become of the Great James. The galley, with 20 Englishmen in her, and Thos. Addyson, all perished in the sea. The Clove has left. The Englishmen who arrived entertained by Jourdain in the house at Patani. Wolman sent for Jambi with 13 or 14 Englishmen in her ; his slanders of Longe, "according to his old accustomed use." [One page. Indorsed, "Received per the Fox of the Dutch, 11 January 1620(-1.)" O.C., Vol. VII., No. 904.]