Luke Luce

Luke Luce

Luke Luce
Person	Luke Luce
Title
First name	Luke
Middle name(s)
Last name	Luce
Suffix
Spouse of
Widow of
Occupation	Merchant
Secondary shorebased occupation
Mariner occupation
Associated with ship(s)
Training	Not apprentice
Is apprentice of
Was apprentice of
Had apprentice(s)
Citizen	Unknown
Literacy	Signature
Has opening text	Luke Luce
Has signoff text	Luke Luce
Signoff image	(Invalid transcription image)
Language skills	English language
Has interpreter
Birth street
Birth parish
Birth town
Birth county
Birth province
Birth country
Res street
Res parish	Saint Catherine Coleman
Res town	London
Res county
Res province
Res country	England
Birth year	1612
Marriage year
Death year	1663
Probate date	October 24, 1663
First deposition age
Primary sources
Act book start page(s)
Personal answer start page(s)
Allegation start page(s)
Interrogatories page(s)
Deposition start page(s)
Chancery start page(s)
Letter start page(s)
Miscellaneous start page(s)
Act book date(s)
Personal answer date(s)
Allegation date(s)
Interrogatories date(s)
Deposition date(s)	May 5 1651
How complete is this biography?
Has infobox completed	Yes
Has synthesis completed	No
Has HCA evidence completed	No
Has source comment completed	No
Ship classification
Type of ship	N/A
Silver Ship litigation in 1650s
Role in Silver Ship litigation	None

Biographical synthesis

Luke Luce (alt. Lucie; Lucy; Lucas Lucius) (b. Aug. 1612; d. Oct. 1663). Merchant.

Of Flemish origins, with links to the Dutch Church of London. Luke Luce was the son of John Luce (alt. Joannes Luce) and of Anna Corselis. The wedding of "Joannes Luce v. Andwerpen met Anna Corselis v. Londen" is recorded at the Dutch Church of Austin Friars, London, on November 14th 1609. John Luce appears in the Camden Society's List of Strangers in Broad Street in 1618, identified as a merchaunt straunger, born in Antwerp.

An elder brother, Joannes Luce, was baptised in the Dutch Church in Austin Friars, London, on December 30th 1610. Lucas Luce himself was baptised on August 2nd 1612 in the Dutch Church in Austin Friars. Further siblings baptised in the same church (in calendar order) were Anna Luce (Sep. 18 1614), Jacobus Luce (Jan. 19 1617), Joannes Luce (Aug. 11 1618), Samuel Luce (Mar. 8 1621), Elisabeth Luce (Jun. 18 1624) and Jacob Luce (Dec. 9, 1627).

The Corsellis family of London merchants appears to have been close to both that of Luke Luce and of William Boeve (who married Luke Luce's sister Ann). William Boeve left the guardianship of his children to Nicholas Corsellis, Luke Lucie Jacob Lucie and James Williamson, who were also appointed overseers of his will (proved in 1661).

Luke Lucy's cashier in 1654 and 1655 was thirty-four year old Abraham Gaultier.

Luke Lucy's bookkeeper in 1654 and 1655 was thirty-four year old Cornelius van Bommel, who was resident in the parish of Saint Catherine Coleman. Cornelius van Bommell deposed twice in the High Court of Admiralty - once on February 22nd 1654 in support of Luke lucy in the cause "The claime of the duke of Courland for the Temperance of Libaun in Curland John Jacobson Bleau master, and of the said duke and Luke Lucie for the goods" and the second time on March 16th 1655 in support of Luke Lucy in "The Clayme of Lucas Lucy for goods taken out of the John Baptist by Edward Payne commander of the vessell called the Saint Ives Scout".

He had a brother, Jacob Luce (alt. Lucie).

Resident in parish of Saint Catherine Coleman in 1651. Luke Lucie's cashier identifies the exact street, as of February 1654, as ffanchurchstreete in London. In a deposition by Luke Luce in 1651, Luke Luce mentions that he had earlier lived in France.

"Mr Lucas Lucy was buried October 23 (1663) under the Great Stone near the Communion Table" in the parish church of Saint Catherine Coleman.

The will of Luke Luce, merchant, of Saint Katharine Coleman, London, was proved on October 24th 1663.

In his will Luke Luce names his mother as Anne Lucie, and desires to be interred near her grave in the parish church of Saint Catherine Coleman. He names a sister, Ann Boeve, who was married to William Boeve, a London merchant, then deceased. He names another sister, Elizabeth Blackman, first married to a doctor of physic, Ahasuerus (alt. Assuerus) Regimorter, and subsequently to Jeremy Blackman Esquire (Captain Jeremy Blackman), both husbands being deceased. He makes bequests to the Dutch Church in London.

Lille born London merchant Charles Marescoe mentions a Mr. Boeve in one of his High Court of Admiralty depositions. Secondary sources identify this as Jacques Boeve, who is described as a Middelburg merchant. It remains to be seen whether Jacques Boeve is related to William Boeve, the London merchant and brother-in-law of Luke Luce.

Luke Luce's network of factors and correspondents

Bayon - names not identified

Dantzicke - names not identified

Deal(e) - Andrew King

Dover - Vincent de la Barr (possibly partner rather than factor or correspondent; part-owner of one quarter of the Mary Pink in which Luke Luce had three quarters)

Hamburg - Walter Sepps

Ireland - Colonel Mayo

Libaun (Duchy of Curland) - Peter Batten

Penryn (Cornwall) - Andrew Jennings

Portsmouth - Hugh Salisbury .

Roscow (France) - Mr Delaport (alt. Peter Dela Port)

San Sebastians - Walter Adams

Saint Valerie en Somme (Picardy) - Peter Fouquet the younger

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty

1649

A one page set of undated interrogatories was to be administred to witnesses on behalf of Mr Luke Luce of London merchant "concerning a losse in the shippe Samuel of London (Master: Henry Eyson)". The Samuel was bound from Barbados to London in September 1649. Luke Luce was a part-owner of the Samuel. The questions were designed to clarify his share of ownership and the lading on the ship.

April 1651

Luke Lucy (sic) gave personal answers in the High Court of Admiralty dated April 24th 1651. ("The personall answers of Luke Lucy David Davidson and Phillip Allen and Abraham Child made to the pretensed positions and articles of a certaine allegation given and admitted against them on the behalfe of William Stephenson"). The case was a suit for wages by the master of the shipthe Eagle. William Stephenson her master was also a part-owner. The ship departed the River Orwell on March 27th 1649, but promptly returned, and did not set out again until April 19th, when she sailed from the River Orwell to Nants in France and on to several other places. Stephenson remained master until November 28th 1649, when the voyage was completed. The personal answers state that William Stephenson did not deserve one penny of his master's wages. Although named as one of the three respondents by the Court notary public, Luke Luce did not actually sign his personal answers.

May 1651

Luke Luce deposed on May 5th 1651 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on an allegation in the case of XXXX.

In his evidence, Luke Luce made clear that he had extensive knowledge of French trade, stating that he had "received very many letters of advise from ffrance by land and the bills of lading in blanck covers by the shipp wherein the goods came from ffrance to London" and that "hee hath formerly lived in ffrance and written hence many letters of advice numerous goods there laden for Holland and Hamburgue and filled up many bills of lading.

December 1653

Thirty-seven year old Brother Baxon, a nariner of Stockholm and master of the ship the Saint John Naptist, deposed on SD=December 23rd 1653 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on interrogatories on behalf of the English Commonwealth in the cause of "The keeper of the Libertie of England et cetera against the shipp the Saint John Baptist (Brother Baxon master) seized by certaine shipps in the service of this Commonwaelth".

Referring to the ship the Saint John Baptist, Brother Baxon stated that "Mr Lucas Lucie bought the said shipp of the Officers of the prize Office London about 5. moneths since and this deponent helped to carry the monies from Mr Lucies house to pay for the said shipp and that the same was so paid by one Mr Abraham servant to the said Mr Lucas Lucie in this deponents presence".

February 1654

Thirty-three year old Abraham Gaultier deposed for the first time in the High Court of Admiralty on February 21st 1654. He gave his age as thirty-three and described himself as a merchant of London. He was examined in the case of "The claime of the Duke of Courland for the Temperance of Libanno in Curland John Jacobson Bleau master, and of the said duke and Luke Lucie for the goods".

Abraham Gaultier stated that "hee is a native of Augou lesmer in ffrance and hath for 10 years last lived in London and 4 yeares or thereabouts before in Ireland".

Cornelius van Bommell deposed on February 22nd 1654 in the High Court of Admiralty. He gave his age as thirty-four and stated that he was "a native of Salt Bommell in Gelderland". Van Bommell had served Luke Lucie for eleven years (so from ca. 1644).

As Luke Lucie's bookkeeper, Cornelius van Bommell was "seeing and entring or writing the most of his dispatches in traffique". Van Bommell had reviewed the relevant letters from Batten, Lucie's factor in Libaun in the Ducy of Curland, and from Lucie's factors in Dantzicke. Batten had been Lucie's Libaun factor for several years and had laden several ships at Libaun with linseed and other goods with Roscow in France as their destination. Van Bommell believed Batten to be resident in Libaun and a subject of the Duke of Courland, and had lived there and elsewhere in the East Country for the last 17 or 18 years. On account of the wars with Holland, Mr Lucie had instructed Batten to fill out the bills of lading in Batten's not Lucie's name.Luke Lucie's brother Jacob Lucie was to come in for a twelfth part of the goods. Van Bommell too came in for a twelfth part of the goods, and a Mr John Cole, and English merchant "now in the west country") for a quarter part. The entire lading was to be sold at Roscow by Mr Delaport, who was Luke Lucie's factor there.

May 1654

John Wilkinson, an Ipswich mariner and late master of the ship the Johanah, deposed on May 7th 1654 in the High Court of Admiralty.

John Wilkinson stated that Colonel Mayo in Ireland was employed by Mr Owens and Mr Lucas Lucie to ship soldiers from Ireland to Saint Sebastians in Spain on his ship. John Wilkinson went from London to Passage in Ireland with his ship and was told by Mr Lucie to apply himself to Colonel Mayo and to receive the soldiers aboard on the order of Colonel Mayo. From Saint Sebastians Wilkinson was to go to Bilbao. At Saint Sebastians Wilkinson was told by officers of the King of Spain that the ship had been put into the service of the King of Spain to carry the soldiers into the river of Bordeaux in France. When Wilkinson refused to do so, he was imprisoned. The ship arrived in Saint Sebastians on Christmas day (new stile) in 1652. Whilst under the control of the Spanish at Saint Sebastians the ship was driven into unsafe water and "beaten to peeces by the stresse of weather".

February 1655

Abraham Gaultier, describing himself as cashier of Luke Lucy (sic), deposed again on February 19th 1655 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on an allegation in the case of "The clayme of Luke Lucy merchant of London for goods taken out of the ship the Peter of which Peter de la Solle was master by Edward Payne commander of the vessell the Saint Ives Scout. Gaultier stated that in early 1653 Luke Lucy had been the owner of three bales of perpetuanas and two bales of minnekin bayes. Customs duties were paid in London by Luke Lucy and the goods were entered in the Customs House to be transported overseas in the ship the Charitie of Hamburg. Allegedly the Charitie having already departed from Portsmouth, the goods were actually laden on the Saint Peter by Lucy's Portsmouth correspondent Hugh Salisbury, for transportation to San Sebastian in Spain.

May 1655

Patrick Bett, late master of the Mary Pinke, deposed on May 28th 1655. He was examined on interrogatories on behalf of Luke Luce in "A businesse of ensurance on the behalfe of Luke Lucy merchant concerning a losse in the shipp the Mary Pinke".

July 1656

Abraham Gaultier deposed for a third time in the High Court of Admiralty on July 11th 1656. Giving his age as thirty-five, and describing himself as a merchant of London, he was examined in the case of "The claime of Luke Luce of London merchant for the Saint John Baptist of which Broeder Backson is master and goods".

1657

Latin dispatch written by Milton:

"(CXII.) TO M. DE BORDEAUX, THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR, Oct. 1657:–This is not in the Protector’s name, but in that of the President of the Council. It is about the case of a Luke Lucy (Lucas Lucius) a London merchant. A ship of his, called The Mary, bound from Ireland to Bayonne, had been driven by tempest into the port of St. Jean de Luz, seized there at the suit of one Martin de Lazon, and only discharged on security given to abide a trial at law of this person’s claim. Now, his claim was preposterous. It was founded on an alleged loss of money as far back as 1642 by the seizure by the English Parliament of goods on board a ship called The Santa Clara. He was not the owner of the goods, but only agent, with a partner of his, called Antonio Fernandez, for the real owners; there had been a quarrel between he partners; and the Parliament had stopped the goods till it should be decided by law who ought to have them. Fernandez was willing to try the action in the English Courts; but De Lauzon had made no appearance there. And now De Lauzon had hit on the extraordinary expedient of seizing Lucy’s ship and dragging the totally innocent Lucy into an action in the French Courts. All which having been represented to the Protector by Lucy’s petition, it is begged that De Lauzon may be told he must go another way to work."

August 1657

John de Vos, a fifty-two year old mariner, of the parish of Saint Bottolph Aldgate, gave a statement in the High Court of Admiralty dated August 3rd 1657. It was "Touching the sale of the Golden ffox to Mr Peter Vandeput and Mr Luke Luce".

April 1659

Abraham Gualtier (sic) deposed in the High Court of Admiralty for a fourth time on April 30th 1659, together with Cornelius Van Bommel. They identified themselves as London merchants. They stated that the ship the ffortune of London (Master: Claes Vandevelden) belonged to Mr Luke Lucy of London merchant, and that he bought her in London in 1653 and has ever since employed her in his service. In November 1658 Luke Lucy had let the ship to freight to Mr Arnold Sartillon, a London merchant, for a voyage from London to Mallaga and back to London. To keep the ship safe from seizure by the Spanish, Luke Luce employed Vande Velde as master, since he was a citizen of Bergen in Norway. Both Gaultier and Van Bommel stated they were servants of Luke Luce when he bought the ship and continued to serve him in 1659.

Comment on sources

1613-1714

C 5/386/38 Short title: Cooper v Lucy. Plaintiffs: Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper bart. Defendants: Luke Lucy and others. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: answer, schedule. [1613-1714]

1640

C 6/154/106 Short title: Luce v Dickens. Plaintiffs: Lucas Luce. Defendants: John Dickens. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1640.

C 6/157/86 Short title: Luce v Dickens. Plaintiffs: Lucas Luce. Defendants: John Dickens. Subject: money matters. Document type: replication. 1630-1679

1645

Birmingham: Archives, Heritage and Photography Service. Reference: MS 917/1180. Grant. John Kinge of London, doctor of phisicke, Lucas Luce and Peter Van de Putt of London, merchants, and Dedier Foneannt of the parish of St. Martins in the Field, apothecary, by the direction of Sir Theodore Mayerne of London, knt., to William Smyth of Witlesey [Whittlesey, co. Cambridge]. A parcel of pasture or marish ground with appurtenances in Witlesey. (Please order number 539). 10 November 21 Chas I [1645]

1648

C 10/43/131 Luke Luce v Nicholas Searle and George Withers: money matters, Middlesex. Bill and answer. 1648

1651

C 5/427/47 Short title: Lucy v Vanhauten. Plaintiffs: Luke Lucy. Defendants: Adrian Vanhauten. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: two bills, answer. 1651.

1654

SP 84/160/12 Folio 48: Jacques Wildens to Lucas Luce. 1654 Oct 14/24. Description:

SP 46/97/fo117. (i) The Committee to the Mayor of Manchester: they have considered the petition from the people of the town and they order that the tithes of £400 must be paid; also that the amount for the maintenance of one of the ministers, Herricke, should remain at £120. (ii) Concerning a petition from Putney: details of money owed by Luke Lucy, merchant, and Charley Chamberlane, draper, of St. Paul's Churchyard, and a debt settled by Sir John Wolaston. Story by John Carpenter, bodice maker, of the Strand, of the visit by him and his neighbours to the house of Henry Ransor after his death, where they found the bonds for the money. Date: (i) 1654 July 27 (ii) n.d.

1656

PROB 11/259/491 Will of Jeremy Blackman of Saint Andrew Undershaft 25 November 1656

"April 3rd 1656. COUNCIL. Day's Proceedings

(Item) 6. The petition of John Dethick, Lord Mayor of London, Maj. Thos. Chamberlain, and Luke Lucy of London, merchants — for [stay of] the sale of the St. George, condemned in the Exchequer Court unknown to the petitioners, on prosecution of John Aldersea, as having traded in the English plantations, though they had a warrant in that behalf from the late Council of State, — referred to Desborow, Jones, Sydenham, Wolsley, Mulgrave, Lambert, and Lisle, to learn the fact and report."

1657

British Library. IOR/L/L/2/311. Title: Bargain and sale. Description: [1] Robert Marriott, John Marriott, James Cocks [2] Luke Lucy. Date: 27 Nov 1657

British Library. IOR/L/L/2/310. Title: Feoffmant. Description: [1] Robert Marriott the elder of Bredfield Suffolk, gentleman; John Marriott of London, Merchant Taylor; James Cocks of London, Merchant Taylor [2] Luke Lucy of London, merchant. Date: 27 Nov 1657.

1658

"Mr Downing, the resident in Holland, to secretary Thurloe

Vol. lix. p. 171.

[Paragraph contains cyphered content - see page image]
Honourable Sir,
Wednesday was a sennight I caused to be shipped on board a boyer of Rotterdam, bound for London, whereof John Waterson is master, four dozen of bottles of Spaw water in a hamper, which is ordered to Mr. Lucas Lucy. Onely one party was by me imployed in the thing, who is very trusty, and yet withall knowes nothing but that they are for the party, to whome they are directed; and for that end, for the better avoyding any the least suspicion, I caused him to write with them a letter to Mr. Lucy, letting him know, that I had sent him such a thing in such a vessel; so that you must looke after them, for that, upon the recept of the letter, he will thinke them to be for himself. I shall send you more, if you please. They are filled and sealed by a sworn officer, 279 239 12 141 160 416 390 408 302 25 286 as I am informed, and so sent hither, where they are made use of by all withoutt doubt.

1659

C 7/219/30 Short title: Latch v Luce. Plaintiffs: Samuel Latch. Defendants: Luke Luce and others. Place or subject: money, Middlesex. Document type: bill and two answer. 1659.

1660

C 7/215/30 Short title: Luce v Cardwardine. Plaintiffs: Luke Luce. Defendants: John Latch, [unknown] Cardwardine and others. Place or subject: property in Misson, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire. Document type: bill only. 1660

1661

C 7/54/25 Short title: Boswell v Luce. Plaintiffs: John Boswell. Defendants: Lucas Luce and another. Place or subject: money. Document type: answer only. 1661.

PROB 11/305/93 Will of William Boeve of Saint Dunstan in the East 10 July 1661

- See also:

PROB 11/146/452 Will of Andrew Boeve of London 13 September 1625

PROB 11/146/455 Will of Louis Boeve 13 September 1625

PROB 11/161/3 Will of Mary Boeve, Widow of Saint Martin Orgar, City of London 02 January 1632

1663

"BURIALS. SAINT KATHERINE COLEMAN

...Mr Lucas Lucy was buried October 23 under the Great Stone near the Communion Table"

PROB 11/312 Will of Luke Luce, Merchant of Saint Katherine Coleman, City of London 24 October 1663

1671

C 10/105/106 Jacob Luce, Katherine Santen widow, Anne Beake widow and Solomon Morris v John Norris, John Wood, George Myris and William Watts: money matters, Middlesex. Bill and answer. 1671

1686

PROB 11/390/418 Will of Jacob Lucie of Saint Katherine Coleman, City of London 12 December 1688