|
July 1.
St. Martin's Lane. |
108. Sec. Calvert to (Carleton). We have not met upon that
commission for the Indies this great while, but there have been
divers parleys between the merchants, and divers points accommodated. The Ambassadors will meet the Lords next Wednesday,
about some remaining difficulties. Must confess that at former meetings there was much distraction, insomuch as the whole company
was tired, and he cannot deny but that for matter of form and
ceremony in being sent back many times, and waiting for the
English Commissioners longer than was fit, they had cause to complain of some disrespect, though their wayward proceedings made
most of the Lords careless to meet. [Extract from Holland
Corresp.] |
| July 2. |
109. Court Minutes of the East India Company. Request of
Sir Christopher Perkins that Adam Denton's silk and wages may
be delivered to him on security. The King to be informed of
Denton's "ill carriage"; a committee to consider how he "may be
proceeded against in some legal course," and to inform Sir Christopher that after submitting himself to the Court "he flew off from
this course," though the arbitration was to be finished in a week.
Letter read from the King, taking notice of the silk returned in these
ships [the Hart and Roebuck], and encouraging the prosecution of
that trade "as a matter of great consequence," to be read at the
General Court, though "the forbearing of that trade for one year,
unless upon better terms" has been determined upon. Letter read
from Sir Clement Edmondes; he may sell his adventures to one not
free of the Company, and a freedom will be bestowed on the purchaser. The draft of the conference before the Prince and Lords
at the Council table concerning the Prince's project, approved
by Sec. Calvert, to be read at the General Court. Drafts of
letters to be sent in the Abigail, to be prepared. Pepper not to be
sold to grocers in town, but to be shipped away. Proposal of
Garroway to raise the price of indigo to 7s. per lb. The Secretary
directed to attend Levinus Muncke, with the Company's patent, the
seamen's commissions, and a copy of the last commission sent by the
Trial to the President and factors at Jacatra, and entreat him out of
all those to conceive a commission for the President and his "successors," to be sent by this ship if ready in due time. [Three pages.
Court Bk. V., 471–473.] |
July 10.
Batavia. |
110. Richard Fursland, Thomas Brockedon, and Augustin Spaldinge to [Thos.] Mills, at Pulicat. Have sent 20,000 ryals of eight
by the Unity, more than they could well spare; he must not outrun
his means as he did last year; they can send him no more. The
"long hoped for" Trial, laden with provisions, was lost upon a ledge
of rocks 300 leagues from hence, in 22° latitude, on the 25th May;
the master and 43 men were saved in the skiff and long boat, all
the rest, nearly 100 men, with the letters, perished. She had but
500 ryals in her, but is a great loss, and "wee shall be plunged
in our business if speedy supply come not from England, for both
our meat and money is all spent." The Dutch have lost their ship,
the Endracht, of 800 tons, bound for Amboyna with provisions;
40 men perished with her. From these disasters he may guess
how unlikely it is that they will send him any further supply this
year. [Endorsed, "Sent to Pulicat and from thence to London."
One page. O.C., Vol. IX., No. 1058.] |
July 10.
Batavia. |
111. Richard Fursland, Thomas Brockedon, and Augustin Spaldinge to [the factors at Masulipatam]. The Matram sent an army
and surprised and ransacked Succadana some three months past.
Edward Pike, the factor, was killed by an explosion of gunpowder;
and they fear they have lost upwards of 3,000 ryals, and the Dutch
20,000 ryals. "These crosses coming on upon the neck of another
are sufficient to dismay us." Six ships have arrived from Holland
and seven more are expected; they report that the James reached
England in safety in September last, and that three ships were
ready to set sail for this place. Pray they may safely arrive, "to
relieve our great wants which now will grow so great as we shall
not be able to support them." The Charles arrived at Saldanha
Bay the 11th of March, and would continue her voyage at the end
of that month. To keep within compass of their means and "not
run upon interest;" and to advise the same to Pulicat. Hope to
receive this year from their eastern factories a reasonable quantity
of spice, viz., 200 tons from Amboyna, 120 tons of mace and nutmegs from Banda, "yet the charges are so excessive in those places
that it can give no content to our masters." Have sent upwards
of 200,000 ryals to the eastern factories; "if we had to deal with
honest men the business would be worth the following," and profitable, but as it is now carried on, "it were much better for our
masters that they had never entered into it;" and they see no hope
of reformation. Fear the same in Pulicat. Endorsed, "Copy of
an addition unto a former letter sent from the President and Council
at Jacatra to the factors of Masulipatam; but what the letter was
I find not; this addition is dated 10 July 1622, sent by Thomas
Mills from Pulicat by the ship Dordrecht; received by Tho. Grove
the 6 May, by the Lesser James." [One page and a half. O.C.,
Vol. IX., No. 1059.] |
| July 13. |
112. Locke to Carleton. The Commissioners from the States
and the Lords [of the Privy Council] met again on the 10th present.
Sends abstract of what was then done. Incloses, |
|
112. I. The abstract above mentioned. Whether restitution is
to be made in specie or in value; in specie it is not
possible. Question of the value of the goods, where they
were bought or where taken; the same condition to be
applicable to Hollanders as well as English. [Domestic
Corresp., Jac. I.; Vol. CXXXII., Nos. 39, 39 1., Cal., p.
424.] |
July 14.
Constantinople. |
113. Sir Thos. Roe, the English Ambassador, to Sec. Calvert.
The King of Persia is employed to recover Candahar from the
Mogul, and in a war with the Portugal in the Gulf. With the
assistance of the English shipping he has taken the fort of Kishmee,
sacked the city of Ormuz, and besieged the Castle. The English
landed their ordnance and made the battery. Doubts they have
exceeded their sea commission. [Corresp. Turkey.] |
July 19.
London. |
114. Vaumage (the Spanish Ambassador in England) to Count
Gondomar at Madrid. The controversy between the English and
Dutch concerning their business in the Indies increases daily, and
were it not that the King favours the rebels to the prejudice of his
own subjects, the treaty would have been broken, for they have proclaimed there that they have no greater enemies than the Dutch.
The (Dutch) deputies had audience with the King last Tuesday,
and he commanded the Prince and Marquis of Buckingham to go
out and speak with them in secret, which they did for the space
of two hours. French. Endorsed, "Translat d'une lettre intercepté par les Rochellois," &c. [Extract from Holland Corresp.
There is a translation of this letter in the Correspondence with
Spain.] |
| 1622 ? |
115. The States Ambassadors' account of conferences with the
Lords Commissioners in reference to restitution of goods. Three
proposals of the Ambassadors rejected by the English Company,
who maintained that the estimation of the goods ought to be ruled
according to proofs. Answered by the Ambassadors, that the work
of proofs will breed very great confusion, and that they are charged
with more than 50,000l. above that which was first demanded. The
Lords Commissioners making difficulty to meddle at all with the
business of the Black Lion, which his Majesty retains to himself;
the Lords Ambassadors offer their final resolution as to the valuation of said goods to be restored. Arguments on both sides. The
Lords Commissioners affirm that this article hath nothing in common with that of pepper. Astonishment of the States Ambassadors at the "unheard-of alteration" in the project of the Lords
Commissioners. "All was in vain, and the Lord Treasurer, tearing
the project, cut off all further negociation, saying that he knew
how to spend his time better." [Four pages. Two copies, French
and English. East Indies, Vol. II., Nos. 18, 19.] |
July 29.
St. Martin's
Lane. |
116. Sec. Calvert to (Carleton). The treaty goes on so un
towardly through the Ambassadors' fault, that they are now at a
stand; and meantime fresh complaints out of the Indies of more
outrages by their men on the King's subjects. The difficulty now is
about restitution of the goods taken from the English in the Indies,
and not brought into Europe. After many days disputing and
wrangling (as he may better call it), they got them in a manner to
yield the point of the value, but then the difference was about the
time of the payment; for nothing will satisfy them but waiting
until they send for proofs into the Indies out of their own books;
"for howsoever M. Aerssens hath made many offers, and with much art
varied and gilded them over, yet all still falls upon that centre, and
because we will not swallow the gudgeon they grow angry." Assures
him the Lords are all of opinion that there is no intention in them
(the Dutch) to come to any accommodation upon reasonable terms;
"the merchants are disheartened, and we are all wearied, insomuch
as I see no man willing to give any more meetings and to spend
time so unprofitably, neither have the States of late desired it, that
I can learn of. What they mean to do I know not." [Extract from
Holland Corresp.] |
| July 31. |
117. Locke to Carleton. The States and the English Commissioners have quite broken off. The Council about to make an Act
setting forth that whereas Commissioners were sent from the
States to treat about the wrongs offered to the English East India
merchants, who now after so long time spent, refuse to give satisfaction, English merchants are therefore left to take their remedy
by course of law or commission in the Admiralty Court. [Extract
from Domestic Corresp., Jac. I., Vol. CXXXII., No. 73, Cal.,
p. 434.] |
| July ? |
118. Petition of the Scottish East India Company to the Privy
Council. The petitioners undertook with Sir Jas. Cunningham, their
governor, to set forth a voyage to Greenland, for killing whales, but
after being at great charges were by the old Muscovy Company
compelled to desist. Parliament has ordered the Muscovy Company
to pay certain poor artificers [employed by the Scottish East India
Company] who petitioned for redress. Parliament being now dissolved the Scottish East India Company pray that orders may be
given to the Muscovy Company to pay the balance of expenses
incurred by the petitioners to Lucas Corsellis, their treasurer.
Inclose, |
|
118. I. Order of the House of Lords on the petition of Sir Jas.
Cunningham for payment of 124l. by the Muscovy Company to certain poor artificers, 1621, Dec. 18. [Domestic
Corresp., Jac. I., Vol. CXXXII., Nos. 77, 77 I., Cal.,
p. 434.] |
