East Indies: April 1614

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: April 1614', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616, (London, 1864) pp. 289-293. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/pp289-293 [accessed 10 May 2024]

April 1614

April 1.
Firando,
Japan.
707. Rich. Cocks to Rich. Wickham. Letters received from Mr. Eaton with account of goods sold; wishes all the rest were gone at the same rates; some of the commodities they will not look at. To do what he can to sell, although something under cent, per cent. Many reports of troubles like to ensue in Japan, “but keep that to yourself.” To warn Capt. Addames of one Pedro Guzano, a papist Christian, his host at Miako; “these villainous papistical rabble at Langasaque [Nangasaki] do give it out behind his back that he is a Lutrano, and one that they make account hath incensed the emperor against them.” Departure of Peacocke from Langasaque towards Cochin China 18th ult. Professions of regard and esteem; has quite put out of memory any words which have passed between them. Wishes he could dispatch his business so as to be at Firando against the Siam voyage. [One page. O. C., Vol. II, No. 138.]
April 3. 708. Richard Gosson to Earl of Somerset. The Company of East India Merchants, of whom thé writer is one, having agreed to gratify his lordship with a small remembrance of his love towards them, he was appointed to make a cup of gold of the value of 600l. Has bought the gold, but is stayed in the working of it, whereby he has lost 10l. Being informed that his lordship wishes to have fruit dishes, requests that he may make them from a pattern of his own, which will be far better than all the patterns in the ambassadors and lords' houses about London. [Domestic, Jac. I., Vol. LXXVII., No.4. Cal., p. 229.]
April 4–9. 709. Court Minutes of the East India Company. For the purchase of canvas for the use of their own shipping and for merchandise “for the country people.” Mr. Hamersley's “brokes” to be remitted. Per centage allowed on payment of adventures. Opinion of Sir Jas. Lancaster in favour of sending a ship for discovery to the Straits of Magellan, the hopes being great of a good trade and a fit way to make trial of the Moluccas. Letter from Nicholas Isaackson, showing his willingness to go the voyage as vice–admiral, with 200l. per annum: it was conceived too dangerous a precedent to allow a man who never was in the East Indies 16l. per month as a vice–admiral. Capt. Harris to be vice– admiral, he having been employod in Guinea and Binney. Christ. Buggyns unfit for employment. Request of Thos., son of Raphe Hamor, to be employed. Adventure of Raphe Preston accepted. Wages of John Hunt. Award concerning the difference between Martin Freeman and John Holloway, to whose account Freeman's several adventures are to be passed over. Additional pay to Richard Clifford and others from the Solomon, left at Dover through sickness.
April 9.—Admission of Stephen Burton, servant to Sir Thos. Hayes, who desired that 240l. of his adventure might be passed over to Burton. Request of Mr. Bostocke to have a boy placed with Mr. Evans, the preacher. Being informed that Mrs. Hudson, the wife or widow of Mr. Hudson who was left in the North–west discovery, desired their favour for employing a youth, a son of his, she being left very poor, and conceiving that they were partly obliged in charity to give assistance in regard that his father perished in the service of the commonwealth, resolved to recommend him to the care of some one who is to go the voyage. Necessity of the governor's daily presence in parliament to answer any imputations that may be cast upon the Company; he promises to attend courts when required. Dispatch of the commissions. Money to be taken up at 8 per cent. Cordage and canvas. Proposition to remove the storehouse from Deptford to Blackwall. Re–admission of Geo. Langham, his previous fine of 10l. being remitted. Stores for the ships. [Five pages. Court Bk., III., 86–90.]
April 11.
Succadana.
710. Instructions signed by Robert Larkin, Nathaniel Courthope, Sophony Cozucke and Hugh Greete, the captain and mer– chants of the Darling, to Sophony Cozucke; to proceed to Landak and confer with the governors of those parts upon what security the English may settle a factory there, or leave goods with them; to learn privately whether they stand in fear of the Succadanians or not, “for if so, I see not how our people can be in safety with them,” and above all not to be flattered with fruitless hopes, but if possible to bring firmans for what they say or promise. [One page. O. C, Vol.II., No. 139.]
April 12–19. 711. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Mathew Fletcher to be entertained. Intelligence by Capt. Castleton of dangers pretended against the Company's shipping at Bantam by the Spaniards and Portugals; also their intention utterly to subvert the Company's trade at Cambaya and Bengala; his offer to enter the Company's service, put his ship and goods under their protection, and furnish useful information of the chief parts of the Indies, and proposal for a voyage amongst pagans where no Christian had ever traded, and millions of wealth may be gained; remarks on the men at Bantam ranging on shore as they did, the cause of more dying than would upon the sea; excused “the fact of Sir Edward Michelborne,” and instanced the Hollanders who have made prize of sundry Chinese, and yet were never questioned; the Company's answer; all particulars referred for consideration. Present of spices from the Company to Lord Chichester, lord deputy of Ireland, for many kindnesses. Walter Pond entertained. Mr. Offley challenged for certain words spoken respecting the fitness of Richard Barnes for the Company's service; resolved that the result of future similar inquiries should be communicated privately either to the governor or the deputy governor. Stores for the ships. Disposal in the three ships of the 3,300l. in ryals. Committee to be appointed concerning the timber yard and storehouse at Deptford. About the voyage to the Straits of Magellan; proposal to employ Capt. Castleton, distasteful; Sir Rich. Hawkins and Capt. Gifford generally held to be of courage, art, and knowledge to attempt such an enterprise. Committee to hasten the dispatch of the commissions. Agreement of Capt. David Middleton with the Company to go the next voyage as commander with an allowance of 26l. 13s. 4d. a month, and 1001. towards furnishing him to sea.
April 15.—Part of Andrew Overton's adventure to be set over to Robt. Delean. Thos. Southwicke's account. Amounts due to Mr. Stonehouse and Sir Wm. Craven. Offer of the contractors for damaged indigo. Request of Capt. Baker to take his son this voyage, but finding the ships already pestered with idle hands the Company desired to be excused. Petition of Mr. Backhouse concerning one of his sons at St. Helena. Resolution that Capt. Castleton is unfit to be employed in the Company's service, but deserves a gratification. Capt. Gifford's request for employment. Salary of Mr. Evans, the preacher, to be increased to 60l. per annum. Request of Mrs. Best to have part of her husband's salary for relief of her present necessities, agreed to. Petition of Lucia Mendez for her husband's salary. Offer of Mr. Crispe for wet pepper. Fras. Bullock's security for aloes. Geo, Piborne appointed steward of the Thomas.
April 19.—A writing having been set up in the city touching the ownership of the goods of the Pearl, and why they should not be delivered to Mr. Morris and Capt. Castleton, Mr. Bateman, the Company's solicitor, is directed to get a copy and instruct a proctor to lay claim to them, on behalf of the Company by virtue of their patent. As to the sale of the damaged indigo. Desire of Mr. Waldow, being sick, to pass over all his adventures to his son John Waldow. Mrs. Hudson's son recommended to the care of Hunt, master's mate in the Samaritan; 51. to be laid out upon him in apparel and necessaries. Mr. Waldoe's duties assigned to Mr. Washborne. Further payment to Mrs. Best on account of her husband's wages. Freight to be paid by Mrs. Ward for goods sent home by her late husband. Gratification to Mr. Rowe for good service as master of the Thomas. 3l. paid to Mathew Fletcher for a letter brought from Grand Cairo. Mr. Bullock's matter. [Nine pages. Court Bk., III., 90–99.]
April 20. Osaks. 712. Wm. Eaton to Rich, Wickham, at Yedo. Has been to Miako with goods, but could only sell very few at poor rates; received there a letter from Mr. Addames on 3rd present, dated in Yedo 17th ult., whereby he hears of the purchases made by the emperor, who had not then given any direct answer for having the ordnance and gunpowder. Wonders he has never received a letter fromhim. [One page. O.G., Vol. II., No. 140.]
April 21. Osaka. 713. Eaton to Wickham. Has received a letter from Mr. Cocks from Firando, as also one from himself, so need not write of what has passed in Firando. [Half a page. O.C., Vol. II, No. 141.]
April 21. 714. Commission to Capt. David Middleton, general of the merchants trading to the East Indies to use martial law during the voyage. [Minute. Grant Bk., p. 137. Domestic, Jac. I., Cal., p.232.]
April 21, 715. Court Minutes of the East India Company. [Robt.] Middleton's request for an abatement in the price of diamonds. Backwardness of the ships, through the absence of Mr. Burrell. Allowance to Master Handforde for gumlack bought of the Company. Aloes sold to Mr. Bullock. Concerning the Pearl's goods; the governor had privately conferred with the Lord Chamberlain “who distasted that the Company should plead their patent, or meddle any further therein, but to leave them solely to His Majesty to determine of them at his pleasure.” Payment of Mr. Beadle's adventure. Calicoes bought by Mr. Russell. Desire of Robt. Waldoe to pass over his 400l. in the joint stock to Wm. Cater; all his adventures in the several voyages set over to his son John Waldoe, who is admitted free by patrimony. Salary of Wm. Canninge and of his servant John Cransbye, to be paid to Paul Canninge. Petition of George Saris for leave to underwrite 400l. in the joint stock for his brother Capt. Saris, employed in the. Company's service abroad. Rich. Waplett's adventure of 100l. in the sixth voyage to be set over to Jas. Cambell. Concerning the salary of Pemberton, Hunt, and Rowe. Proposal to dig a dock and erect houses for building ships at Blackwall. Imprest to John Anthony. [Three pages and a quarter. Court Bk., III., 100–103.]
April 24 to May 24. Macassar. 716. George Cokayne to Capt. Jourdain. From August to January a dead time of year to sell cloth, only the country people bought a small matter for rice. The arrival of Portugal merchants from Malacca caused a glut of all sorts of goods both from Guzerat and Coromandel besides the junks from Patani, Jhor, and Siam. The Portugals sold as cheap as they bought in Malacca. Durst not make any such cheap price. Dec. 7, a junk of the King of Macassar's arrived from Patani, with a capital of the seventh voyage from the English factory there. The best cloths for Macassar. Arrival of the God's Gift on 9th Dec., with Fras. Kelly, John Darby, and six other Englishmen. John Williams dead. Goods received. A junk from China, the first that ever came to this place, with great store of Chinese commodities, “so that this year falls out very bad for our proceedings.” The people of Banda much desire the English and plainly dislike the Hollanders. Received his letter by a Holland ship. Cannot receive letters as the Dutch do. It would be more to the Company's profit if better correspondence were kept. The God's Gift returned with 34 junks to the great hindrance of a number of poor people. Great lamenting in Macassar because only two of the junks could get this monsoon to the Moluccas; there will be no spices this year, and the country is full of clothing. Benj. Farie sent to Succadana. About building a house in Macassar; the timber given by the King of Macassar. Against enclosing it with bamboos; 1,260 houses lately burnt at one time. Provision of rice. Death of Sam. Dennys on 13th April. Philip Badmedg arrived from Succadana; also Thos. Brett with his junk. “Kept till the 7th of May 1614.” Abuses of Francisco Campayo, the Spaniard, left by Capt. Jourdain, to the writer's grief and vexation, he being instigated by the Hollanders to exclaim against the English nation and Company. “Kept till the 24th of .May.” A Dutch ship arrived with great store of sandal wood, which has been sold to the Chinese. Mr. Weldynge arrived from Booton; he reports the Bandanese have open wars with the Hollanders, and are much grieved that the English have forgotten them, who may be received there as in their own country. Intention of Weldynge and himself to go for Banda on the first change of wind. “Mr. Cokayne was so sick at the sealing hereof that he was not able to come from his bed.” [Three pages and a quarter. O. G, Vol. II., No. 142.]
April 29. 717. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Order to borrow 1,000l. at 10 per cent. The governor having to attend Parliament on Monday, wishes the ships to be dispatched with the first wind. Supply of the surgeons' chests. Mr. Russell's payment for calicoes. Purchase of rosin. About a debt from Mr. Evans, the preacher, to Mr. Grimes, justice of the peace at Greenwich. Request of Raphe Wilson, master of the Thomasine, to take a boy with him, disallowed. The oabin of Arthur Preddys, purser of the Samaritan, to be enlarged. Mathew Fletcher, refusing the conditions of his employment, is struck out of the Company's books. Quicksilver bought of Mr. Freeman. Accounts of the contractors for nutmegs and mace. Disposal of the fines received for freedoms. Opinion of the Governor that it is not safe to purchase lands in the name of the Company, because if the patent be voided by Parliament, or by the King's prerogative, those lands will escheat to the King; he advises to have feoffees of trust, in whose names lands may be taken. [Two pages and a half. Court Bk., III., ] 103– 105.]