MRP: 6th March 1665/66, Letter from William Finch to Sir GO, London

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6th March 1665/66, Letter from William Finch to Sir GO, London

BL, Add. MS. XX, XXX, ff. ?

Editorial history

18/12/11, CSG: Page created




Abstract & context


William Finch (b. ?1630, d. 1672) wrote to Sir George Oxenden on March 6th, 1665/66, from London.

Finch was a former apprentice of Sir Thomas Chambrelan, who, in his will written in June 1670, gave him a mourning ring.[1] William Finch was a relatively young merchant at the time of writing, having finished his apprenticeship about the mid-1650s.[2]

According to J.R. Woodhead, William Finch was the son of Henry Finch of Londonderry and of Mary Sadler. He married Hesther (alias Esther) Flesher, daughter of the London merchant, John Flesher.[3]

William Finch first appears in EEIC Court Minutes in October 1656, proposed by Samuel Putt as co-security for £900 of calicoes Putt had bought, on which Putt now sought a payment extension.[4] He may have been associated commercially with Rowland Ingram and Sir William Ryder, as well as with Samuel Putt.

He lived on the East side of Bishopsgate Street in the parish of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, from at least 1659 till his death in 1672. His residence appears in the 1666 London hearth tax returns with ten hearths.[5] In his will he described himself as a merchant of London.[6] He was buried in St. Helen's Bishopsgate, the parish in which his wife had given birth to XX children. A marble wall monument was erected in the church memorialising him and his wife Esther, who died two years later[7]


Suggested links


To do


(1) Transcribe this letter

(2) Check London visitation pedigrees, 1664 for William Finch/Hester Flesher references


Transcription


This letter has not yet been transcribed



Notes


Finch, William, J.R. Woodhead (1966)


"FINCH, William

Co Co Bishopsgate Within, 1670-2 Little St Helens, 1672 (1) MER, fr, 1660, by R (£50) (2) b 1630, d 27 Jun, bur 4 Jul 1672 at St Helen (3) Will PCC 87 Eure pr, 8 Jul 1672 f Henry Finch of Londonderry, Ireland, m Mary Sadler of London, mar Hester, da and co-heir of John Flesher of London, merchant (4) Merchant (5) Personalty, 1677/8, "as found charged in his book", £64,946, incl EIC stock £1,400 (6) City property, land Ireland (7) Da Anna Maria mar Samuel, s and heir of Thomas WESTERN (8)

(1) Will (2) CSB, II, 423b, MER, Fr List, p 183 (3) LCC Survey of London, No 9 St Helen Bishopsgate (1924), p 54 (4) LVP, 1664, p 62 (5) Will, CSB, II, 243b/Inv (6) CSB, II, 243b (7) CSB, II, 243b/Inv (8) LVP, 1664, pp 63, 149"[8]


EEIC, 1655-1659


"Samuel Putt desires extension of time for payment of 900/. worth of calicoes he bought, and proposes himself and William Finch, formerly servant to Major Chamberlaine, as securities ; the Court agrees but wishes first to ascertain who Finch
is, as they know nothing about him."[9]

See also "I give to my loveing ffreinds M:r John ?Pliye M:r William ffinch and M:r Thomas Papillon Merchants To each of them Tenn pounds to buy mourning"[10]

"[March 11, 1657] Samuel Putt, Rowland Ingram, and William Finch are accepted as security for 430/. for six months, on condition that Finch pays in 100/. and gives a penal bond for the said 430/. by this day week."[11]
- Note that Rowland Ingram was presumably related to Sir Arthur Ingram, who was son-in-law of Sir Thomas Chambrelan, William Finch's former master

"[July 15, 1657] William Finch is granted extension of time for payment for calicoes, and he and Robert Ostler are accepted as security, they to give a penal bond ; but first Finch is to clear his debt of 309/. The Court, being satisfied how it happened that more benzoin was delivered than was imported, orders Finch to be allowed the custom and impost on his parcel of benzoin, which could not be exported by certificate according to his bargain."[12]


EEIC, 1660-1663


"[July 4, 1660] Francis Clarke, Nicholas Warren, and Philip Jegon, accepted as securities for pepper, and William Finch, Samuel Harris, Jacob Strange, Roger Scattergood, and George Smith as securities for calicoes."[13]

"[February 18, 1662] Certain Committees are desired to examine and make suitable allowance on cardamoms bought by Sir William Ryder and William Finch, on indigo bought by Mr. Thomson, and on tincall bought by Mr. Thetcher."[14]


Mr. Finch in Sir George Oxenden correspondence


In late March or early April 1666, Sir Henry Oxenden sold musk to Christopher Boone and M.r Finch:

upon the importunity of XXX [worm hole] our Cozn. Boone, I have sould your 2 great potts of muske to him & Mr. Finch at ye: same rates, but have bogt [??] back, ye: 3 long Potts, xxxxx beleeving wee shall have a better markt:[15]


William Finch, merchant, St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, London


"[BAPTISMS] [1660] Aug. 10 William s. of William Finch, Marchant, and Ester his wife"[16]

Aug. 14 John s. of William Finch, Marchant, and Ester his wife

born 6 Dec. Thomas s. of William Finch, Marchant

1666 April 8 William s. of William Finch, merchant, and Hester his wife;

1667 Sep. 7 Anna Marrea d. of William Finch, marchant, and Hester his

1668 Beniamen s. of William Finch, marchant, and Hester his wife

1670 Mar. 1 John s. of William Finch, marchant, and Hester his wife

1671 Samuell s. of William Finch, marchant, and Hester his wife

"VII.—MONUMENTS WITHIN THE CHURCH

Starting from the east end of the nuns' quire with the two altar tombs upon a slightly raised platform....

4. WILLIAM FINCH, 1672.

Wall-monument of marble with Ionic columns at the sides supporting an entablature and curved broken pediment with a cartouche of arms. In the middle is an inscription on black marble within an oval wreath of bay leaves. Below a projecting moulded shelf is a second inscribed panel between a pair of moulded corbels each with a cherub's head upon it. Below this again on an apron is a shield of arms and swags.

Arms:

(i) (Argent) a cheveron (sable) between three griffins passant (sable).

(ii) (i) impaling (argent) a cross engrailed (sable) between four pellets each charged with a pheon (argent).

The inscription is as follows:

Siste Gradum
Peripatetice, & paulisper contemplare,
Ornatissimi Microcosmi heu! breves reliquias
Nunc in pulverem redacti olim
Guilielmi Finch, Armigeri antiquâ & data
in Agro Cantij Familia oriundi
Naturæ & Gratiœ dotibus egregie nobilitati Ad Oris Corporisq.
Venustatem accessit maior Animœ pulchritudo optimis virtutibus insignitæ Quas in Christianæ Religionis testimonium et decus luculenter
usque exernit
Eximia in Deum. O. M. Pietate erga Sacros Pastores. summā
Reverentia, Fidelitate in Principem, Justitia in Proximum Conjugali
Paternacq Indulgentia Singulari in Familiares affectu integerrima pro
pensa in Omnes Benevolentia; Linguâ castus et candidus manu supra
fidem Liberalis; Nemini turpiter obloqui, aut obtrectare solitus omnibus
benefacere, inprimis Egenis absqb, prœcinente buccina, Eleemosynis pariter ac
Thesauris plenus, quos probe accumulatos in Terra plurimos prudens Mercator
in Cœlo recondidit, Vitam tandem commutandis aliquandiu mercibus pros
pere transactam 42 Ætatis annum emensus Jun 27. 1672
Meliori quæstu cum Morte comutavit.
Relictis & bonœ spei Parvulis cum dilectissima et
Amantissima Uxore quæ in perpetuam tam chari Capuis Me
moriam Monumentum hoc, constantissimi Amoris Pignus, extruendum curavit, Ipsa interim mœrore cum Illo consepulta

Abi iam attonitus Viator, & mirare
tam probum in tam pravo seculo Virum,
aut vivere potuisse, aut debuisse
MORI.

Esther Finch Foemina castissima, Viro morigera, et curæ domesticæ dulce levamen Liberorvm (quos septem reliquit) Mater provida, Sincera pietate, alacri erga tenuiores benignitate, libera litate in omnes, morvm denique sanctitate conspicva. Viri (dvm in vivis esset) decus simul et solamen; defvncti, Vidua svpra qvamdici potest moestissima. Vixit Annos 41. Menses 5. demp tis Diebus 11. Obiit Maii Die 4. ANNO SALVTIS 1673."[17]


St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, hearth tax, 1666


Bishop gat Street the East side

Chamberlin 10 hearths

Sr John Langham 30 hearths

In Great St Hellens

Beniamine Skitt (sic) 12 hearths

John Fenn 5 hearths

Sr John Lawrence 26 hearths

William Finch 10 hearths

Little St Hellens

Barnidisston 11 hearths

Henry Spurstoe 10 hearths

Edward Bushell 11 hearths"[18]



Possible primary sources

TNA


PROB 11/164 Russell 58-117 Will of John Flesher, Merchant of London 05 December 1633
- Possible father-in-law of William Fihcn, the letter writer to Sir George Oxenden
PROB 11/339 Eure 55-107 Will of William Finch, Merchant of London 08 July 1672
PROB 11/340 Eure 108-157 Will of Samuell Putt of Totnes, Devon 18 November 1672

PROB 11/393 Exton 131-172 Will of Edmund Putt, Merchant of Port and City of Saint Maria 02 October 1688
  1. ↑ Sir Thomas Chambrelan will
  2. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, October 22, 1656' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 547), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), pp. 118-119
  3. ↑ 'Finch, William', in J.R. Woodhead, 'Fabian - Fyge', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966), pp. 67-74
  4. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, October 22, 1656' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 547), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), pp. 118-119
  5. ↑ 'Hearth Tax: City of London 1666: St Helen Bishopsgate ', London Hearth Tax: City of London and Middlesex, 1666 (2011). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=118780 Date accessed: 21 January 2012
  6. ↑ PROB 11/339 Eure 55-107 Will of William Finch, Merchant of London 08 July 1672
  7. ↑ W. Bruce Bannerman, The registers of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, London (London, 1904), p. 39
  8. ↑ 'Finch, William', in J.R. Woodhead, 'Fabian - Fyge', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966), pp. 67-74
  9. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, October 22, 1656' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 547), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), pp. 118-119
  10. ↑ Sir Thomas Chambrelan will
  11. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, March 11, 1657' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. ?), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 149
  12. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, July 15, 1657' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 580) in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 155
  13. ↑ 'A Court of Committees, July 4, 1660' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 273), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), pp. 22-23
  14. ↑ 'A Court of Committees, February 18, 1662' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 462), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 184
  15. ↑ 1st April 1666, Letter from Sir Henry Oxinden to Sir GO
  16. ↑ W. Bruce Bannerman, The registers of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, London (London, 1904), p. 39
  17. ↑ Minnie Reddan and Alfred W. Clapham, 'St. Helen's Bishopsgate: Monuments within the church', Survey of London: volume 9: The parish of St Helen, Bishopsgate, part I (1924), pp. 52-79. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=98362 Date accessed: 21 January 2012
  18. ↑ 'Hearth Tax: City of London 1666: St Helen Bishopsgate ', London Hearth Tax: City of London and Middlesex, 1666 (2011). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=118780 Date accessed: 21 January 2012

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