Difference between revisions of "MRP: PROB 5/2521"

From MarineLives
Jump to: navigation, search
(Renamed to "PROB 5/2521 Inventory of Paul Docminique sen., 1680/81, ff. 1-8")
 
Line 1: Line 1:
==Paul Docminique senior inventory, PROB 5/2521==
+
#redirect PROB 5/2521 Inventory of Paul Docminique sen., 1680/81, ff. 1-8
 
+
'''Editorial history'''
+
 
+
XX/XX/XX, CSG: Imaged manuscript
+
22/11/11, CSG:  Placed transcription on wiki
+
----
+
===Abstract & context===
+
 
+
 
+
----
+
===Suggested links===
+
 
+
 
+
 
+
----
+
===To do===
+
 
+
 
+
 
+
----
+
===Transcription===
+
 
+
['''f. 1''']
+
 
+
[Text in side bar top LH side, at right angles to main text of inventory]
+
 
+
Int: 9  This Inventory was showed to Thomas ?XXXXX Nathan?iell
+
?Camfeilld & John ray?way at the tyme of their ?Exactions taken in
+
Charity on the parts of Mary Docminique widdow & others XXXX at
+
the Suite of Toby Humfreys the eldr x and others xlto
+
 
+
AN INVENTARY of the Goods Challs
+
and Creditts (except the house holdgoods
+
and plate) of Paul Docminique late
+
of Tottenham high Crosse in the County
+
of Midd Merchant deced taken valued
+
and apprized by Nathaniel Camfeild,
+
John Rayley and Thomas Gray Commission:rs
+
(amongst others) appointed by vertue of a
+
Commission for apprizing, inspecting, and
+
Inventarying of the Goods Challs Creditts
+
and writings belonging to the estate of the
+
said deceased, the tenth, eleaventh, twelfth,
+
fourteenth, eighteenth, and twentieth dayes of
+
January Anno Dmi 1680 English style) as
+
followeth
+
 
+
'''In the warehouse belonging to the
+
said deceds house at Wheeler streete'''
+
 
+
IMPRIMIS 8li and ½ of Bollognia
+
silke at 24s p ll
+
Item 33li of Moyhaire yarne
+
at 2s – 6d p ll
+
Item 35li of Bassan silke at 20s p ll
+
Item 29li of Slackthrown ?Lagee silke
+
at 17s p ll
+
Item 11li of course Ossoy silke at
+
18s p ll
+
Item 121li small, of ?Burmalagee silke
+
at 11:s the small ll
+
Item 22li of fine Lagee silke
+
at 18;s p ll
+
Item 15li  of double ?tram silke at
+
13:s p ll
+
Item a bale of Naples 220li ?neat at
+
20s p ll
+
Item one bale of Orsoy wt. 220li neat,
+
at 20:s p ll
+
Item a Bale of Morea silke wt.
+
160:li neat, at 7:s the small ll
+
Item 97li neat, small ll of Bengala
+
at 12:s p ll
+
Item 164 small ll of slaq?ckxbasse Lagee
+
at 12s the small ll
+
 
+
['''f. 2''']
+
 
+
Item 4 bales of Ardas w:t 850
+
2/3 at 8s p ll
+
 
+
'''At Mr Paul Docminiques house
+
in Colman streete London, son of the
+
said decd were the  severall goods
+
following which were received from
+
the deceds house at Tottenham heigh Crosse thither'''
+
 
+
Imprs one bagg of Basan silke 58li
+
neat at 20s p ll
+
Item 3 baggs of Bollangna silke
+
119li neat at 24s p ll
+
No. 4 Item one bale of Orsoy silke w:t
+
236li neat, at 20s per ll
+
No.16 Item one other Bale of Orsoy
+
w:t 220li neat at 20s p ll
+
No. 6 Item one Bale of ordinary Naples
+
w:t 219li neat, at 19s p ll
+
No. 3 Item one other bale of Naples
+
Orgazine w:t 223li neat, at 21s p ll
+
No. 5 Item one bale of Orsoy, weight
+
240li neat, at 20s p. ll
+
 
+
'''At Mr. Balsh’s house in Spittle
+
ffeilds'''
+
 
+
Item two bales of ?Ardas silke one
+
No. 2 xxxt 3C – 1M – 3li, the other No. 8
+
xxxt 3C – 1M – 7li, in all 6C – 2M – 10li, tare
+
22li, is neat 716 small, great 477-1/3 at
+
?9s p ll
+
 
+
'''In an Iron Chest in the
+
deceds Warehouse before named'''
+
 
+
Item one hundred Guineys in a bagg
+
Item 9 dollars and one 4s 6d peece
+
Item two baggs in silver
+
Item a small Gold watch
+
Item 14 plaine gold rings w:t one ounce
+
4d weight
+
Îtem one Diamond  Ring
+
Item one ?turby [Or, ruby]stone ring
+
Item one saphir ring with six small
+
Diamonds
+
Item one onix stone sealed ring
+
Item one gold seale with a Cornelion
+
Stone
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
Item one ten shillings peece of gld
+
Utem a gold Lockett
+
Item Cash as appeares by  the Cash booke fol: 70
+
 
+
Item one iron Chest
+
Item 3 Beams, wts, and scales
+
Item 4 Compters
+
 
+
Summa totall of ye Goods
+
 
+
'''Leases Assignments and mortgages'''
+
 
+
IMPRIMIS and Assignment of a
+
Lease of one house in Spittle ffeilds from Thomas Windsor for 70
+
yeares to come in October 1680 lett for 40li p anm, the ground rent
+
paid 4li – 10s p anm
+
Item  a Lease from Thomas ffryer
+
of the decds house in Wheeler
+
Streete  for 61 yeares from the last day
+
of ffebruary 1663 at 12li p anm
+
Item an assignment of a Lease from
+
John ?Slott and others whereon are
+
ten houses built in Wheeler streete for 60
+
yeares from the feast of  the Annunciacon
+
1657, the ground rent 11li – 4s p anm
+
the ?improved rent is 78li – 16s p anm
+
Item an Lease  Assignment of a Lease
+
from Abraham ?Dupre  and Phillip ?Lepiers
+
and David ??Comerell of a brick house in pearle streete  for 74
+
yeares from Christmas 1670 the rent for the same 10li p anm and
+
noe ground rent paid
+
Item a  Lease of 9 houses in Spittle
+
ffeilds whereof there was threescore and
+
twelve yeares to come at Michael
+
Christmas 1680 let out for 123li p
+
and the ground rent pd for the
+
same is 20li p anm
+
Item pte of a Brewhouse in White
+
Lyon Yard  and another Brewhouse
+
[end of folio, and it is unclearwhether
+
?in Lolesworth streete at the top of the
+
next folio is the continuance]
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
[There appears to be a missing line or lines at the top of this folio]
+
in ?Lolesworth streete in the Psh
+
of Stepney als ?Stevenheath and
+
sevall houses at Crowne Court in ?Crypplegate streete
+
Item a Lease of three houses in
+
St Nicholas Lane the yearly rent reced
+
102 p anm ye ground rent paid
+
35??d  p anm
+
Item an assignmt from Gilbert
+
Whitehall  dated the  9th of December
+
1678 of 436li – 15s in the  Exchequer
+
for paymt of 26li – 1s – 4d yearly
+
Item a tally upon the same for 6li – 11s
+
interest due the 29th of Septembr 1680
+
Item an Assignmt of one sixth pte
+
of the Tolls and Ballage of the ?Xoys
+
and Wharfes on the East side of
+
London Bridge on the River of
+
Thames Eastward up the  said River
+
soe farr as ?the Liberty of the
+
City of London extend from Toby
+
Humphreys  and Benjamin Le Nud
+
dated the 17th
+
Item the deceds xxxxxxx or adventure in the making of hard Soape
+
Item a mortgage from Robert ?Holden
+
and William Bonner dated the
+
25th of ffebruary 1679 of a messuage
+
?at Bxxxx with the appurtenances
+
comonly knowne by the name of the
+
white house in the Mint in Southwark
+
to the  deced for the payment of
+
200li at a day past
+
 
+
Summa totall of the Leases
+
Assignments and mortgages
+
 
+
'''Bonds, bills, and notes sperate'''
+
 
+
IMPRIMIS a bond from Stephen
+
?Lauze dated the 20th of Decembr
+
1676 for payment of
+
Item a bond from Paul Docminique
+
jun dated the 3d of ffebruary 1679
+
juxta xr for payment of
+
Item a bond from Thomas ?Porey
+
dated the 6th of March 1678
+
for payment of
+
Item another bond from Thomas ?Porey
+
aforesaid for paymt of 500l dated
+
the 26th  of April 1678
+
Item another bond from the said
+
Thomas ?Porey  dated the 27th
+
of June 1678 for payment of
+
Md [i.e. memorandum]  that there are 13 bales of Ardes
+
Silke as wee are informed at ye
+
deceds house at Tottenham heigh Crosse
+
left as a Cautionary security for
+
ye said three bonds of five hundred
+
pounds a peece from the said Thomas Porey
+
Item another bond from the said
+
Stephen Lauze dated the twelfth
+
of Aprill 1678 for payment of
+
Item a bond from John Balsh Edward
+
Medcalfe and Paul Priaulx dated
+
the 12th day of March 1679 for
+
payment of
+
Item a bill from Thomas ?Baron dated
+
the 13th of  March 1678 for paymt
+
of
+
Item a bond from Mathew Chitty
+
and Isaac De ?Mons  dated the
+
26th of March 1679 for paymt of
+
Item a bond from John Balsh
+
and Edward Medcalfe dated the
+
24th of June 1678 for paymt of
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
Item a note under the hand and
+
seale of Thomas Young dated the
+
18th of March 1679 for payment
+
of 11li whereof xx pd 3li 19s remainds
+
Item a receipt from Mr Toby
+
Humfrey dated the 5th of June
+
1675 of 436li – 19s – 2d of the deced
+
and the ballance resting upon the
+
same by the said Mr Humphrey
+
as debitor  to the deced
+
Item a bond from John Dowling
+
to Mr Thomas Grey in trust for
+
the deced dated the 11th of Janry 1676 remaining thereon
+
 
+
Item  a bond from Paulx Priaulx
+
and Thomas Priaulx dated the
+
eleaventh day of October 1680
+
for payment of five hundred and
+
fifteene pounds the twelfth
+
of Aprill next
+
Item a bond from Susan
+
Nisbitt dated the 17th of June
+
1680 for payment of
+
 
+
Summa total of the bonds bills and
+
Notes xxxxx
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
'''Debts due and owing to ye said
+
deced as appeares by his booke
+
as followeth supposed sperate'''
+
 
+
IMPRIMIS from Henry Lee fol: 6
+
From John Ireton fol: 6
+
From Gabriel ?Wolby fol: 9
+
John ?Gariott fol: 12
+
Widw  ?Couyard fol: 13
+
Ben: Le Nud fol: 16
+
Peter Vander hagen fol: 36
+
John ?Largilee fol: 39
+
Stephen ? Dolsors fol: 48
+
Philipp Dela ?pluke fol: 53
+
Peter Carpenter fol: 58
+
Hester ?Pewter fol: 60
+
James Noyale fol: 67
+
Isaac ?Sure fol: 71
+
James ??Shambo fol: 76
+
Charles lason fol: 81
+
Samuel Blackheath fol:82
+
Samuel ?Lesare  fol: 89
+
Nathaniel Campfeild fol: 92
+
George Barr  fol: 95
+
Peter Annaut fol: 96
+
Philipp Laboux fol: 98
+
John Johnson fol: 103
+
Edward Groome fol: 107
+
Aaron ffauron fol: 120
+
Anthony Dusart fol: 124
+
Stephen Lauze fol: 141
+
Benjamin Knight fol: 148
+
Nathaniel ?Crabb fol: 151
+
John Rayley fol: 157
+
Elizabeth Clarke now the
+
wife of Paul Maria fol: 158
+
Samuel ?Vere fol: 162
+
Peter ?Borquart fol: 163
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
From John Clarke fol: 173
+
John Bount fol: 176
+
Mathew Chitty fol: 83
+
Nine bales of Ardas and one ffagott of Burma Lagee in the hands of Maximiliam Mosson and Compa: 82 [There is  a marginal note in the original handwriting of the appraisers stating “ye Accts not returned fro beyond sea”
+
John Bull  fol: 185
+
Elias Mosman jun fol: 188
+
James Bowles fol: 191
+
Abraham ?Bova fol: 192
+
James ?Disorbus fol: 193
+
Voyage to Spain consigned to
+
John ffishleigh and Edward
+
fflowerdiew  to Port St Mary
+
Ditto  voyage for goods consigned
+
to Edward Putt
+
A Bill of Exchange of 150li  due
+
the fifth of ffebruary in the hands
+
of Mr Gray
+
Item the deceds share being one halfe of 92 baggs of ?hoppes
+
Item the remaines of the ?efforts of a voyage in the hands of Henry ?Whirley to the Barbadoes about
+
 
+
'''Arrears of rent due to ye deced'''
+
 
+
From Charles Lason for ½ a yeare due 25th December 1680
+
Ben: Golding for ½ a yeare due ye same time
+
John Izard for ½ a yeare
+
Richard Scott a qr due ye 25th Decembr
+
??Shawler for a qr
+
Jacob ??Loployse a qr
+
Charles Cassaile for ½ a year
+
Tho: Chappell for a quarter
+
Richard Cooke for ½ a year
+
Alexandr Rood  for a quarter
+
William ?Mosely for a quarter
+
Knight for ½ a yeare fee simple
+
Tho: ?Beacon for a quarter
+
Thomas Gray for a quarter
+
 
+
Summa totall of the  sperate Debts
+
Summa totall of the goods
+
Summa totall of ye Leases
+
Summa totall of ye bonds
+
Summa totalis ?being Inveny ?Docminq
+
 
+
Nath Camfield
+
John Rayley  Tho: Gray
+
 
+
'''Debts due and owing to ye said deced
+
By bonds, billé, and notes supposed despate'''
+
 
+
(probably missing a cpouple of lines at the top of the folio page in the digital image)
+
1669, for XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
+
Item a note under the hand and
+
seale of William Xar?kin for paymt of
+
sevall goods according to the sevall
+
prices therein menconed at the return
+
of his voyage or to returne ye same
+
dated ye 20th of October 1670
+
Item a note from Gabriel ?Walbeck
+
dated ?Janry 12th 1677 to pay his
+
debt to ye deced when God shall
+
enable him, but noe sume named
+
Item a note under the hand and seale
+
of Peter ?Mxxxxxx dated the 16th
+
of October 1678 to pay 183li – 6s – 8d to
+
ye deced assoone as hee is in a capacity
+
to doe the same
+
Item a bill from Nicholas Blewitt
+
dated the 27th of January 1679 for
+
payment of
+
Item a bond from John Le ?Malxxxx
+
Item a bond from Richard Scott
+
dated the 11th day of June 1680
+
for paymt of
+
Item a bond from Phillip De La Xxank dated
+
the 22th of Aprill 1657 for
+
paymt of
+
Item a bond from Isaac ?Demoushan
+
dated the 28th of Aprill 1664 for
+
payment of
+
 
+
[?]
+
 
+
Item a bond from Leonard Joyner
+
Dated 7th July 1674 for paymt of
+
Item a bond from John Reyner
+
Item a bond from Charles ?Moys
+
and Hugh Mayo dated 18th Ap:
+
1672 for paymt of 5li at certaine times
+
Item a bond from John ?Lawe dated
+
the 27th day of March 1669 for
+
paymt of 60li  4s at certain hands
+
Item another bond from the same
+
pson dated 27th Marty 1669 for
+
paymt of
+
Item a note under the hand and
+
seale of Ralph ?Coping dated ye
+
22nd of July 1665 for paymt of
+
Item a bond from Henry Jones and
+
Edward Draper dated 22nd ffeby
+
23rd Caroli ?bound for paymt of
+
Item a note under the hand and
+
Seale of John ?Lotte dated June
+
the 29th 1677 for paymt of
+
Item a bond from Nicholas ?fforre
+
dated the 9th of ffebruary 1677
+
to pay 100li when he is worth it
+
 
+
'''Debts due to ye deced by booke
+
supposed despate'''
+
 
+
Ffrom ffrancis ?Xalor fol: 63
+
Philipp Cannon fol: 74
+
Peter ?Lewes fol: 85
+
Michael Terry fol: 169
+
 
+
Summa of the despate debts
+
 
+
Md that the householdgoods of the said deced and his plate and Coach and horses were not valued and apprized by consent of Mr Paul Docminique son of the deced Mr Toby Humphreys,  Mr Benjamin Le Nud  and Mr Stephen Lauze who married the daughters of ye said deced
+
 
+
Nath Camfield
+
John Rayley
+
Tho: Gray
+
 
+
----
+
===Commentary===
+
 
+
There appear to have been two Paul Docminiques, father and son, who were known in their time as Paul Docminique (henceforth ‘senior’) and Paul Docminique junior.  In the ''Little London Directory'' of 1677 one Paul Docminique was at Vine Court Spittlefields and the other, described as Paul Docminique  junior, was at Colemanstreet, London.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (1677), no pagination</ref>  This broadly matches with the inventory for Paul Docminique senior three years later in 1680, in which he is described as “of Tottenham Heigh Crosse, county Middlesex,” with a house in Wheeler Street (probably in Hackney or Spittalfields), and with his son described as “of Colemanstreet.”
+
 
+
Vine Court in Spitalfields, Docminique senior’s 1677 address, was an address listed by four other merchants in the same list.<ref>Richard Baxter, Vine-Court Spittlefields; Mr. Burden, Vine-Court Spittlefields; Per.[ient] Trott, Vine Court Bishopsgate without; Samuell Wastall, Vine Court Spittlefields</ref>  Vine Court lay a few yards to the north-west of Devonshire Square, which was at some point in time the address of Francis Dashwood’s son, Samuel (later Sir Samuel) Dashwood.  Strype states that Sir Samuel Dashwood had a house on Devonshire Square, though he does not make clear at what date.<ref>Strype confirms Sir Samuel Dashwood had a house in Devonshire Square (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 109)</ref>  Francis, Samuel’s father, one of the largest ''SVJS'' subscribers, was the son of the Stoqumber, Somerset clothier Samuel Dashwood, and was known for his commercial activities in both the Levant and the East Indies.<ref>Will of Samuell Dashwood of Stogumber, Somerset 31 December 1638 PROB 11/178 Lee 115 - 183; subscribed £2,000 in ''SVJS'', C10/109/102 (1663); Described as a ‘Turkey merchant’ in John Bernard Burke, ''A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire'', 14th ed. (London, 1852), p. 569</ref>  In the ''Little London Directory'' he and his son were listed simply as“Fran. & Sam. Dashwood: without Bishopsgate.”
+
 
+
Devonshire Square was an address at which a number of merchants dealing in silk established themselves in the later seventeenth century.<ref>Ralph Davis, ''Aleppo and Devonshire Square: English Traders in the Levant in the Eighteenth Century'' (London, 1967)</ref>  Ralph Davis mentions XXXXX, XXXX, and XXXX.<ref>Ralph Davis, ''Aleppo and Devonshire Square: English Traders in the Levant in the Eighteenth Century'' (London, 1967), pp. XX, XX</ref>  Harben, following Strype, states that Francis Dashwood himself had a house near St. Botolph’s churchyard, which was accessed by an open passage called ‘Dashwood’s walk’ in Strype’s maps.<ref>'Dashwood's Walk', Harben (1918), citing Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 109</ref>  This, appears to have been west out of Bishopsgate and on the north side of St. Botolph’s church.  Harben describes it as "a large house and garden."  This house, if jointly occupied by Francis and his son Samuel, may be the location in the ''Little London Directory''.  Alternatively Strype may be referring to Francis’ other son, also named Francis Dashwood.
+
 
+
Five further merchants listed Spitalfields and ten further merchants listed Bishopsgate without as their address in the ''Little London Directory''.<ref>'''Spitalfields''': Mr. Burin, Spittle-fields; Charles Lequein, Crown Court in Spittlefields; Mr. Waldo, Spittle-fields; Mr. Allen, Spittle-fields; Mr. Balts [almost certainly John Balch, silk thrower and merchant], Crown-court Spittle-Fields; '''Bishopsgate without''': Mr. Gooding, Bishopsgate without; John Grace, Half-Moon Alley Bishopsgate without; Anth. Green, Bishopsgate without; Roger Capple, Bishopsgate without; Mr. Chapman, Bishopsgate without; Fran. & Sam. Dashwood, without Bishopsgate; John Degrave, Bishopsgate without Half-moon Alley or Angel Alley; John Degrue, Angel Court without Bishopsgate; Mr. Elkins, Bishopsgate without</ref>
+
 
+
Bishopsgate without lay outside the City of London, immediately to the north of the Bishopsgate, and it appears including at least part of Spitalfields. Spitalfields, as will be discussed later, was the area in which a substantial silk manufacturing industry developed from XXXX onwards.<ref>''Victoria County History'', vol. X (XXXX, XXXX), pp. XX-XX</ref>
+
 
+
Many of Docminique senior’s property investments were in Spitalfields, and several men receiving substantial bond funding from him, John Balch and Edward Metcalfe, were instrumental in establishing the new market of Spitalfields and developing property associated with the market.
+
 
+
'''Add details of Docminique properties in Spitalfields'''
+
 
+
No will survives for Docminique senior, though presumably he died in late 1680 or very early 1681, shortly before the taking of his inventory from 10th to the 20th January 1680/81.<ref>TNA PROB 5/2521, f.1</ref>  A will (or related document) which is listed in TNA online index is missing from its wrapper.<ref>TNA, PROB 20/769</ref>  Paul Docminique junior, for whom a PRC will survives, appears to have died in 1735, of London and of Merstham, Surrey.<ref>Will of Paul Docminique, Merchant of London  16 May 1735 PROB 11/671 Ducie Quire Numbers: 90 - 140; H.E. Malden (editor), 'Parishes: Chaldon', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 188-194. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43050 Date accessed: 29 November 2009. ></ref>
+
 
+
David Hayton ''et al.'' suggest that the Docminique family was of Huguenot extraction, and indeed Docminique senior may have been a first generation immigrant, since a naturalization bill of 1656 proposed the naturalisation of a Paul Docminique, who was clearly an adult at the time.<ref>David Hayton, Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley, ''The House of Commons, 1690-1715: Constituencies'', vol. 2 (Cambridge, 2002), p. 578; Saturday, the 7th of February, 1656.  Steinmer's, &c. Nat. '...Paul Donekmenique...'('House of Commons Journal Volume 7: 7 February 1657', ''Journal of the House of Commons'',vol. 7: 1651-1660 (London, 1802), pp. 487-488. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=24562 Date accessed: 08 December 2009. >)</ref>  Two of Paul Docminique senior’s daughters married Huguenots - Elizabeth Docminique, spinster, of the parish of Stepney, married a man described as a “French merchant” (Benjamen (sic) le Nud), in 1672.<ref>W. Bruce Bannerman, ''The Registers of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate'' (London, 1904), p. 160. See also TNA, C 9/283/34, Motteux v. Le Nud and Docminique (1692)</ref>  Another daughter, XXXX, married Stephen Lauze, a Huegenot merchant, naturalised ca. 1675.<ref>This is the footnote text</ref>  Furthermore, Docminique senior’s inventory shows extensive lending and customer relationships with confirmed or apparent French Huguenots.<ref>TNA, PROB 5/2521</ref>
+
 
+
'''Paul Docminique senior'''
+
 
+
Paul Docminique senior died in 1680, “of Tottenham High Cross”, in Middlesex, to the north of London, possibly partially retired from commercial life.  Nevertheless, he had a substantial physical warehouse inventory at his death, as well as an inventory of bills, bonds, and notes.  In his inventory it is recorded that Docminique senior had a substantial property portfolio, including houses in Wheeler street, London, and XXXX, Hackney.<ref>TNA, PROB 5/2521</ref>
+
 
+
His inventory valuation at over £24,000, excluding his househould stuff,  shows that he was a major merchant, concentrating largely on silk.  An analysis of his substantial bond and bill portfolio shows that he lent substantial sums to relatives, perhaps as trade financing, and that a number of them were French Huguenot relatives (Le Nud, Lauze), and associates (Pryaux).
+
 
+
Docminique also had clear commercial links with Huguenot silk throwster, John Balch, who may have been in partnership with (Captain) Edward Metcalfe.  Balch’s own will and documentation at the Corporation of London shows that Balch amassed property in Spital Square and secured the granting of a new market.  The will also refers to a fourteen year patent on a silk engine which had been assigned to him, and refers also to a cousin in Lyons, and a cousin who was a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford.
+
 
+
'''Paul Docminique junior'''
+
 
+
Paul Docminique junior appears in the ''Little London Directory'' of 1677 at a Colemanstreet address.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (1677), no pagination</ref>  He would have been roughly twenty-seven years old.  By 1692, aged ca. thirty-nine, Docminique junior was a relatively wealthy merchant, with a rental value of £70 and a capital value of £500 in the 4s in the £ data.<ref>Despite the spelling of Paul Duckmaney” this is clearly Paul Docminique, given the Colemanstreet address, which is consistent with the ''Little London Directory'' (1677) entry.  'Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693-1694: City of London, Coleman Street Ward, Third Precinct', Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693/4: The City of London, the City of Westminster, and Metropolitan Middlesex (1992). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19756 Date accessed: 30 November 2009. ></ref>  He had married in 1674 at the age of about twenty-one, one Alice Edwards, a spinster, of Basinghall Street, also aged twenty-one.  In the marriage allegation he is described as "of Stepney, co. Middlesex."<ref>G.J. Armytage, ''Allegations for Marriage Licences issued by the Vicar-General of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1669 to 1679'', Harleian Society Vol. ? [CHECK] (London, 1892, p.132</ref>  Docminique junior may have been a business partner of William Edwards, who appears in the ''Litle London Directory'' (1677) in Colemanstreet, and whose listed in 1692 in the third precinct of Coleman Street immediately after Paul Docminique, possibly as Docminique’s lodger and with a reported high capital value of £600.<ref>''Little London Directory'' (London, 1677);  'Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693-1694: City of London, Coleman Street Ward, Third Precinct', Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693/4: The City of London, the City of Westminster, and Metropolitan Middlesex (1992). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=19756 Date accessed: 30 November 2009.></ref>  Edward plausibly could have been related to Docminique’s wife, born Edwards.  From his marriage allegation he appears to have been born ca. 1653.<ref>G.J. Armytage, ''Allegations for Marriage Licences issued by the Vicar-General of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1669 to 1679'', Harleian Society Vol. ? [CHECK] (London, 1892, p.132</ref>
+
 
+
He had wide ranging commercial interests.  For example, he was the Governor of the Company of  White Paper Makers of England in 1697, at the age of ca. forty-four.<ref>HL/PO/JO/10/1/492/1132  3 March 1697: ‘Petition of the Governor and Company of White Paper makers of England’</ref>  He appears also to have been elected a director of the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and the Indies two years earlier, in 1695.<ref>'House of Commons Journal Volume 11: 21 January 1696', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 11: 1693-1697 (1803), pp. 399-407. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39223&strquery=james foulis Date accessed: 28 July 2009. ></ref>
+
 
+
'''Archival records in TNA'''
+
 
+
There are several probates which may be of interest:
+
 
+
TNA, PROB 5/2521, DOCMINIQUE, Paul, of Tottenham High Cross, Middx, merchant (includes commission) [Sentence: PROB 11/368] (1681)
+
TNA, PROB 20/769, Docminique, Paul: Tottenham High Cross, Midd., merchant (1680)
+
 
+
There are a number of late C17th chancery cases in TNA under ‘Docminique’, and also some under ‘Dockminique’, which may be for the same man. E.g. C 104/269, BUNDLE No 48: Interrogatories in the cause Dockminique v. Turner, 1701.
+
 
+
'''Commercial and social connections of Paul Docminique'''
+
 
+
Possible link of Paul Docminique junior with with Charles Lequein, whose address is given in the ''Little London Directory''of 1677 as  Crown Court in Spittlefields.  The Docminique name appears in 1692 in a suit with the Humfrey and Lequein name as a fellow party against le Nud.
+
 
+
'''Silk trading and manufacture'''
+
 
+
Docminique senior’s inventory shows a concentration on trading in silk, from Italy (Bolognia, Naples, ?Venice), the Levant (Morea), Persia (Georgia), and India (Bengal).  The only references in the inventory to adventures are to voyages to Spain and to Barbados, so it is unclear how he was sourcing his silk.  Given the importance of Bolognian and Neapolitan silk in the inventory it seems likely that he was trading with Livorno and Naples directly.  It is not clear whether he traded with the Levant as a member of the Levant Company, or indeed as an interloper, nor whether he was involved with the East India company to source Bengal silk and possibly other.  Given the strength of his links to French Huguenot merchants it cannot be ruled out that silk was being brought from Italy overland through France and then across the channel from a port such as Rouen.
+
 
+
The following silks are mentioned suggesting place of origin:
+
 
+
Ardas  (Georgia, Persia)
+
Bassan  (poss. Venetian)
+
Bengala  (Moghul)
+
Bollongnia (Italian)
+
Lagee (alt. Legee)  (Persian)
+
Morea  (Levantine)
+
Naples (Italian)
+
Orsoy (Ossoy) (???)
+
 
+
The Italian silks predominate by value (£846), followed by Orsoy silks (£700), and Persian silks (Ardas)  (£576).  Bassan (which may be Bassano, Italy), XXXX, and Bengala  are each under £100.  Lagee silks of various sorts total £207.  Large quantities of Ardas silks were placed with Docminique senior by Stephen Lauze, his son-in-law, as security for  substantial loans Lauze had received from Docminique senior (thirteen bales at Docminique’s Tottenham High Cross house as security for loans of £1500 in three bonds).
+
 
+
The  appraised values per pound for the silks range from the lowest of 7s per small pound for Morea silk, 11s per small pound for ?Burma Lagee and for coarse Orsoy, 12s per small pound for Bengala and a type of Lagee (also per small pound), 15s per pound for ?double tram silk, 17s per pound for slackthrown Lagee, 18s per pound for fine Lagee and for coarse Lagee, 20s per pound for Orsoy (?Ossoy), for Naples, and for Bassan, up to the top end at 24s per pound for Bollongnia silk.  This is a price spread per pound, ignoring the difference in weight between a small and normal pound, of four times.
+
 
+
The language of the appraisers shows an awareness of silk quality, with references to coarse and fine silks, with Lagee and Orsoy (Ossoy) silks distinguished between coarse and fine.  The price spread per Orsoy is between 11s for coarse Ossoy/Orsoy (small pound) and 20s for unspecified, but presumably good, Orsoy at 20s (normal pound).  The Lagee prices per pound range from 11s for ?Burma Lagee  (small pound), to 17s for slackthrown Lagee (normal pound), and 18s for fine Lagee (normal pound).  These, very crudely, are price spreads of 81% (Ossoy/Orsoy) and 64% (Lagee).
+
 
+
It would be interesting to compare these silk prices with prices realised by silk at auctions by the candle held by the East India Company in London, as well as the appraised values of silk held in Phillip Strode’s warehouse in Aleppo.
+
 
+
Some price data is available for silks held by Henry Andrewes (1638) and Samuel Mico (1666).
+
 
+
A total of X bales of silk are listed in the inventory (exclusing bales held as security).  This compares with the 527 bales brought home in the Crispian  in 1641.
+
 
+
'''Sales of silk on different markets'''
+
 
+
Silk imported by the EIC seems occasionally to have been sold on the Amsterdam exchange.  An EIC Court book entry for December 30, 1642 records that “The five bales of Orsoy silk in the Mercury to be sent to Amsterdam for sale.”
+
 
+
'''Economics of silk trading'''
+
 
+
Merchants trading in silks were not immune to financial difficulty.  The ‘silkeman’ Edward Darling, who had adventured in an EIC stock “lately became bankrupt” and was pursued in 1643 by a creditor for divisions of his stock.
+
 
+
'''Silks in other merchant inventories'''
+
 
+
<u>''Henrie Andrewes silks (ca. 16 bales)''</u>
+
 
+
In the case of Andrewes the data are for receipts and for debts owing, and thus are presumably for agreed prices of goods and are ‘real’ not appraised values.  However the data are for bales, with no indication as to the size of the bales.
+
 
+
4 x bales of grogren  £309 – 00 – 0 (received from Timothy ?Cruss)
+
2 x bales of silk  ?£216 – 19 - 0 (received from John Williams & Company)
+
1 x bale of silk ??£93 – 07 – 0 (received from Randall Mainwaring)
+
1 x bale of silk £127 – 0 – 0 (received fromAllart Vanderwood, possibly a French Huguenot)
+
1 x ? of silk (poss. less than a bale) £70 – 11 – 0 (received from John Clarke)
+
4 x bales of grogren yarn  £197 – 21 - 0 (received from Edmund Trench, DOWNLOAD THIS WILL, 1658)
+
1 X bale of grogren in part £19 – 00 – 0 (received from John & Thomas Harvey)
+
1 x bale of grogren in part £19 – 00 – 0 (received from Edward Hudd)
+
1 x bale of grogren £71 – 08 – 0 (received from Jasper Clayton)
+
1 x bale of grogren £25 – 00 – 0 (received from Jasper Clayton)
+
1 x remainder of a bale £123 – 18 – 0 (received from Francis Dashwood)
+
1 x bale of silk ?£219 – 10 – 0 (owing from Francis Dashwood)
+
1 x bale of silk ?£219 – 09 – 0 (owing from Robert Winch)
+
1 x bale of grogrons £? - 0 – 0 (owing from Thomas Stanhope)
+
1 x bale of grogrons £? - 0 – 0 (owing from George Wroth)
+
 
+
<u>''Mico silks (ca. 9 bales)''</u>
+
 
+
In the case of Mico the data are for prices realised at a general sale of merchandise, and are thus ‘real’ market data as opposed to appraised value.  However, data are for bales, which we have seen can be of variable size, and no information is given of bale weight in terms of pounds.
+
 
+
1 x bale of calama silk £74 – 09 – 7 (sold to Peter Collyer)
+
1 x bale of ?vitte Yellow £XXXX (sold to Robert Gardiner)
+
1 x bale ?ffan gett orgay £XXXX (sold to Nathaniel Camfeild, one of Docminique’s inventory appraisers fourteen years later)
+
1 x bale ?ffan gett orgay £XXXX (sold to James Thorowgood)
+
1 x bale of Shound silk £XXXX (sold to Francis Dashwood, who had also been a customer of Henry Andrews)
+
1 x bale of Naples Tammins £XXXX (sold to Robert ?Winch, possibly a draper
+
1 x bale of Prolona silk, first sort £XXXX (sold to Francis Dashwood)
+
1 x bale of Prolona silk, second sort £XXXX (sold to Symon Baxter)
+
1 x bale of Prolona silk, third sort £XXXX (sold to Robert Woolley, possibly a vintner, DOWNLOAD THIS WILL, 1696)
+
 
+
<u>''Sir George Smith silks''</u>
+
 
+
A list of Sir George Smith’s assets prepared at his death in 1667 shows he had a substantial stock of silk in his warehouses.  The stock was valued at just under two thirds the value of Paul Docminique senior’s.  Unfortunately no detail is given of the breakdown and valuation of Sir George Smith’s silks by silk type.
+
 
+
<u>''EEC silks''</u>
+
 
+
Inspection of CCM 44-49 for “silk” shows a range of silks mentioned, both at General Courts of sale and in other contexts.  Silk types mentioned are Orsoy silk, Messina silk, Persia silk, Bengala silk, ‘Legee silk’ ( ‘A Court of Committees, September 22, 1648 (Court Book, vol. xxxx, p. xx), citied in CCM 44-49, p. 290)
+
 
+
Inspection of CCM 40-43 for “silk” additionally mentions “Mazaran silk,”  and Capiton silk.
+
 
+
Inspection of CCM 35-39 for “silk” additionally mentions Ardas silk, Ardasse silk, Canary silk, Mozandran silk, China silk
+
 
+
Mr. Pennoye (sic), presumably William Pennoyer, though alternatively Samuel Pennoyer, was a significant buyer of silk from the EIC already in 1637.  He requested allowance for defective and cut silk found in twenty bales he had bought from the Company, but his request was turned down “as in his contract the silk was described as wet and defective.”
+
 
+
EIC sales by the candle could sometimes set forward prices of three, six and even eighteen months.
+
 
+
There is quite frequent reference to wet silk (presumably wet from transport).  It commanded a relatively low price.
+
 
+
Reference is made at a Quarterly General Court in  June 1635 to the failure of the King of Persia to fulfil his contract “made three years since to deliver 1,500 bales of silk to the Company.”
+
 
+
Wars in Turkey were capable of disrupting the flow of silk.  A Court of Committees, Jan 27, 1636, noted : “the silk in Persia must come to Europe by sea or through Muscovy, for it cannot come through Turkey as formerly, because of the wars.”
+
 
+
The scale of some reported purchases of silk is staggering.  Sir William Acton is reported as requesting “that he and whis partners, who are engaged to the Company by their joint bill for payment of 58,170l. 18s. 8d. for 372 bales of silk bought by Mr. John Langham of the Company, have paid their share with the exception of Captain Milward, that the share of the latter, which is 787l. 16s. 6d., may be put upon his adventure in the Third Joint Stock, he being willing this shall be done...”
+
 
+
'''Notes for section positioning silk within other textiles'''
+
 
+
A merchant in 1622 distinguished new and old draperies as follows: “By the old are understood broad  Cloths, Bayes and Kersyes; by the new, Perpetuanoes, Serges, Sayes, and other Manufactures of Wool.”
+
 
+
'''Notes for section addressing silk manufacture in Spitalfields'''
+
 
+
Linda Levy Peck addresses attempts at creating a domestic English silk industry in the seventeenth century, but does not fully address the range of sources and qualities of silks and their uses.  She discusses the development of the silk industry in England from 1455 to the early C17th, noting the shift from it as a high status activity to more of a mass activity by the mid C17th.  She suggests that the migration of French Huguenot silk workers to London during the French Wars of Religion in the 1580s was of great importance.  The silk throwers were incorporated in England in 1629  (Peck, 2005:107-11).  Peck cites a 1674 pamphlet The True English Interest: or an Account of the Chief National Improvements, which states that “in Spitalfields and London suburbs the production of silk, satin, and velvets arrived at great perfection.”    Her bibliography contains some useful pointers to specialised works on silk.
+
 
+
The silk throwers had their own livery company in London, constituted as a fellowship in 1562 and incorporated in 1630 (or 1629).  A secondary source describes silk throwing in C18th as follows: “The operation, which requires some complex machinery, consists in spinning and twisting the silk into a coherent and continuous thread.”
+
 
+
An early eighteenth century English author distinguished three methods of processing raw silk: “raw silk, before it can be used in weaving, is made to take one of three forms, being converted into either singles, trams, or organizine.”
+
 
+
A search of PRC wills online (1650-1730) reveals 118 wills with the testators recording a range of occupations involving silk: silk dyer, silk thrower,  silk throwster, silk weaver, silk factor, silk man, silk twister, silk stocking work frame knitter; silk stocking weaver.  The vast majority of these wills are for testators in London and its suburbs.  The addresses are typically Saint Dunstan, Stepney; Saint Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex; Christchurch, Middlesex;  Christchurch, Surrey; Stuart Street, Tower of London, Middlesex; Saint Giles, Cripplegate; Saint Mary Matsellon, Whitechapel, Middlesex; Spitalfields, Middlesex; (Old) Artilley Ground, Middlesex; Hoxton, Middlesex; St. Olave, Southwark
+
 
+
 
+
----
+

Latest revision as of 10:01, December 25, 2011

  1. redirect PROB 5/2521 Inventory of Paul Docminique sen., 1680/81, ff. 1-8