Difference between revisions of "MRP: 27th March 1663, Letter from Robert Cranmer, London"
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Robert Cranmer (b. ?, d. ?1666) was a London merchant and a subscriber to the ''Smirna Venture Joint Stock.'' Earlier he had been factor of the English East India Company in Surat, probably returning to London in 1647 or 1648.<ref>Robert Waters (1877) reports a letter dated January 21st 1646/47 from Robert Cranmer in Surat to 'Mrs. Anne Cranmer, at the Blew Bell, at the Upper End of Cheapside, near St. Paul's Gate' in which he announces his intended return from Surat next year. See [http://www.archive.org/stream/genealogicalmem00inwate#page/56/mode/2up Robert Edmond Chester Waters, ''Genealogical memoirs of the kindred families of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Wood, Bishop of Lichfield'' (London, 1877), p. 57]</ref> | Robert Cranmer (b. ?, d. ?1666) was a London merchant and a subscriber to the ''Smirna Venture Joint Stock.'' Earlier he had been factor of the English East India Company in Surat, probably returning to London in 1647 or 1648.<ref>Robert Waters (1877) reports a letter dated January 21st 1646/47 from Robert Cranmer in Surat to 'Mrs. Anne Cranmer, at the Blew Bell, at the Upper End of Cheapside, near St. Paul's Gate' in which he announces his intended return from Surat next year. See [http://www.archive.org/stream/genealogicalmem00inwate#page/56/mode/2up Robert Edmond Chester Waters, ''Genealogical memoirs of the kindred families of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Wood, Bishop of Lichfield'' (London, 1877), p. 57]</ref> | ||
| − | In this letter to Sir George Oxenden, Robert Cranmer | + | In this letter to Sir George Oxenden, Robert Cranmer asked Sir George to look out for Benjamin England, the eldest son of his sister. Another relative, Thomas Carver, who had been in Surat, was dead. He also warned Sir George about the planned travel of another London merchant, John Swift, out to Surat, where he seeks to recover his fortunes. Robert Cranmer was probably involved in commercial trade with John Swift, though not definitely as a partner. |
| − | Cranmer | + | Cranmer had paid Swift's debts after reluctantly concluding that "y:e law vexations & costs being worse then payeing." Cranmer had been burned by his experience of Swift, and doubted not "but his Tourky Tongue will Complem:t some kinde heart or other, out of w:t they have beene reapeing this severall yeares." |
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==Suggested links== | ==Suggested links== | ||
Revision as of 09:06, January 18, 2012
27th March 1663, Letter from Robert Cranmer, London
BL, Add. MS. XX, XXX, f. 59
Editorial history
02/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription
14/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki
Contents
Abstract & context
Robert Cranmer (b. ?, d. ?1666) was a London merchant and a subscriber to the Smirna Venture Joint Stock. Earlier he had been factor of the English East India Company in Surat, probably returning to London in 1647 or 1648.[1]
In this letter to Sir George Oxenden, Robert Cranmer asked Sir George to look out for Benjamin England, the eldest son of his sister. Another relative, Thomas Carver, who had been in Surat, was dead. He also warned Sir George about the planned travel of another London merchant, John Swift, out to Surat, where he seeks to recover his fortunes. Robert Cranmer was probably involved in commercial trade with John Swift, though not definitely as a partner.
Cranmer had paid Swift's debts after reluctantly concluding that "y:e law vexations & costs being worse then payeing." Cranmer had been burned by his experience of Swift, and doubted not "but his Tourky Tongue will Complem:t some kinde heart or other, out of w:t they have beene reapeing this severall yeares."
Suggested links
See Robert Cranmer will
See Ann Cranmer will (mother-in-law)
See PROB 5/2160 Inventory of Robert Cranmere, 1665, ff. 1-5+
See 3rd April 1663, Letter from Elizabeth Dalyson to Sir GO, London Frogmorton Street
(asks Sir George Oxenden to help John Swift, the brother of Sir George Smith's wife)
See 20th August 1663, Letter from Gamaliel Nightingale to Sir GO, Aleppo (Nightingale mentions John Swift, who had decided to travel to India overland through Aleppo, rather than by sea)
See 5th March 1662/63, Letter from Charles Porter to Sir GO (Porter asks Sir George Oxenden to assist John Swift)
See March 1665/66, Letter from George Smith to Sir GO (George Smith writes to Sir GO expressing deep diappointment with his brother-in-law's behaviour in Surat)
To do
(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript in BL
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but needs to be checked
[BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX, f. 59]
Right Worp:ll S:r Geo: Oxinden
S:r I hope these will finde you in good health at Surratt prayeing it may soo Continew till you retourne safe to yo:r freinds againe
S:r at yo:r parting from y:e Downes, I left 2: or 3: lines w:th M:r Jn:o Goodyeare[2] for you to prse at sea in y:e Behalfe of my Bro: Carver,[3] & Benj: England.[4] as for y:e first I findd hee is deceased & soo cared for. But for Benj:m who is my Sisters[5] eldest sonne I must Earnestly Begg yo:r care of him for w:th you will much & Ever Ingage mee
S:r I am very loath to hinder yo:r More serious affaires, by my tedious lines for indeed my trouble of late for my freind Swift[6] have beene such y:t it hath taken mee off much busienesse my owne to follow. his, & pay his debts, y:e law vexations & costs being worse then payeing , w:ch is Badd enough, I heare y:t hee is comeing towards you - & I doubt not but his Tourky Tongue will Complem:t some kinde heart or other, out of w:t they have beene reapeing this severall yeares. I shall not further trouble you w:th this subject, but concluded w:th my hearty prayers for yo:r health & prosperity I rest. S:r
Yo:r ?reall serv:t to Command
Rob:t Cranmer
Lond:o 27:th March 1663:
Notes
Robert Cranmer & John Swift
"William Williams, one of the Committee of the Treasury, desiring to be excused from that service on account of private business, Sir William Ryder is entreated to take his place. John Swift and Robert Cranmer are accepted as security for 379/."[7]
Sir Thomas Bludworth & Robert Cranmer
"Certain Committees are desired to settle with Sir Thomas Bludworth and Mr. Cranmer, owners of the Merchant Adventure"[8]
- Robert Cranmer mentions his part-ownership of the "East India Merchant"" in his will, written:
"my shares and interests in the Shippes hereafter mentioned vizt in tthat all my the Coast frigatt the Lady frigatt the Resignation the Eagle the East India merchant and the William and John"[9]
The ship the Merchant Adventure
"On the petition of Nathaniel Temes, Martin Noell, Thomas Winter, Robert Cranmor and other merchants of London, it is ordered that letters of marque against the enemies of this Commonwealth be issued under the seal of the Admiralty Court to the ships King Ferdinand, Christopher Oxenden commander. East India Merchant, Anthony Newport commander, and Merchant Adventure, Captain Robert Tindal commander, each of about 300 tons burden, freighted by the petitioners and ready to sail to the Indies, security being first given as is usual ; and that a warrant be issued to the Judges of the Admiralty on that behalf."[10]
Benjamin England
"Examination and report to be made of the petition of Benjamin England"[11]
Possible primary sources
TNA
- ↑ Robert Waters (1877) reports a letter dated January 21st 1646/47 from Robert Cranmer in Surat to 'Mrs. Anne Cranmer, at the Blew Bell, at the Upper End of Cheapside, near St. Paul's Gate' in which he announces his intended return from Surat next year. See Robert Edmond Chester Waters, Genealogical memoirs of the kindred families of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Wood, Bishop of Lichfield (London, 1877), p. 57
- ↑ John Goodyer
- ↑ Brother Carver was Robert Cranmer's brother-in-law, Thomas Carver, who was married to Robert's sister, Anne. In May 1658 Thomas Carver was living at Surat, when he petitioned the English East India Company for employment, supported by the nominations of Nathaniel Temms, Martin Noell and Robert Cranmer (alias Cranmore). He was already deceased by March 1663 as Robert Cranmer writes in his letter of March 27th 1663. See 'A Court of Committees for the New General Stock, February 1, 1658 (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 68) Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), pp. 223-224. A court minute from October 23rd 1663 authorised the payment of the deceased Thomas Carver's salary to his wife (identified as Anne in an earlier court minute), and confirms that he was a factor in Surat. See 'A Court of Committees, October 23, 1663 (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 691, in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 348. Anne Carver received a legacy in her brother's will written three years later, as did her son, the eponymous Robert Cranmer. See Robert Cranmer will
- ↑ Benjamin England was the eldest son of Robert Cranmer's sister, and presumably in the East Indies. See Missing faces
- ↑ Robert Cranmer's sister was XXXX. See Missing faces
- ↑ John Swift, a London merchant; brother-in-law of Sir George Smith
- ↑ 'A Court of Committees, May 31, 1661' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 374), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), pp. 114-115)
- ↑ 'A Court of Committees, January 3, 1662 (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 444), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), pp. 170-171)
- ↑ Robert Cranmer will
- ↑ 'Proceedings of the Council of State, November 18, 1656' in Public Record Office, S.P. Dom.: Interregnum, I. 77, p. 505), quoted in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 134
- ↑ 'A Court of Committees, December 31, 1663 (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 718), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 369)
