Tools: HCA 1/50
HCA 1/50
Created page, 04/03/2015 by CSG
ff.155r-155v
HCA 1/50 is a volume of records from criminal cases which came before the English High Court of Admiralty between 1634 and 1653.
The record below is from the trial of John Lockier, master of the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant. For background on John Lockier and his ship see: Cannibal tales. Lockier was accused of inadequately victualling his ship before departing London for Virginia. Of the thirty-five seamen and over one hundred and thirty passengers who embarked upon the voyage, some sixty-two passengers and four seamen were alleged to have starved to death before the ship came to Virginia.
In addition to this criminal case, John Lockier was a party to two additional civil cases. The first, brought in August 1650, was for the unpaid wages of six of his crew members. The second, brought in January 1652 (1651 old stile), was for unpaid freight by the freighters Richard Batson, Thomas Jancey, Valentine Austin and John Lockier, to the owners of the ship (Captain Elias Jourdaine and company).
The record from the criminal case is in C17th legal latin. You will find an extremely rough transcription of the record by a non-latinist below. We would appreciate help in perfecting the Latin transcription, and in making an accurate English translation.
For further background on individuals mentioned in the record:
Dr William Clerke; Dr John Exton; Dr William Stephens
Three judges of the High Court of Admiralty active in 1649, 1650 and 1651.
John Lockier
Thirty year old master of the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant. One of the freighters of the ship. Resident in Limehouse in the parish of Stepney in August 1650, after returning from Virginia, where he abandoned his wrecked ship. Deponent in a civil case concerning the unpaid wages of six of his crew, brought before the High Court of Admiralty in August 1650 in the names of Hugh Lockier, George Spurgeon/Spurgin, Richard Paile, Nicholas Paddocke and Thomas Reason.
Richard Batson
Highly litigious London merchant, with a record of defaulting on terms of charter parties and failimng to pay mariners' wages. Born ca. 1601. d. 1667. Citizen and cutler of London. Active in the 1640s and 1650s in trade with West Africa (slaves), Barbados (sugar), Virginia, and Spitzbergen (whales). Batson was one of the principal freighters of the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant, together with Thomas Jancey, another London merchant.
For more on Richard Batson see: Richard Batson
Thomas Jancey
London merchant active in the Virginia trade. One of the principal freighters of the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant, together with Richard Batson.
See: Deposition of James Jauncy of the parish of Saint Lawrence Jury London citizen and grocer of London aged 34 yeares. HCA 13/72 f.463v
See: PROB 11/347/420 Will of James Jancy, Grocer of Saint Lawrence Jewry, City of London 17 April 1675
The family of the grocer James Jauncey was from Dtretton Grandison in Herefordshire. Father was John Jauncey (b.1580, d.1644). James Jauncey was christened in 1624, and died before 1675. He had several elder brothers, including elder brothes John Jauncey (chr. before 1610) and Thomas Jauncey (chr.1615).[1]
Prescilla Lockier
Wife of Hugh Lockier, one of the unpaid mariners on the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant. One of two petitioners to the Judges of the High Court of Admiralty.
See 'The humple petition of Priscilla Lockier and Sara Spurgeon wifes of Hugh Lockier and George Spurgeon two of the Marriners of the Shipp the Virginia Merchant (whereof John Lockier was Captaine or Commander)'. The document can be found at the National Archives, in Kew, England (HCA 15/5 f.99). See: Petitio Prescilla Lockyer, September 28th 1650
Sara Spurgeon
Wife of George Spurgeon, one of the unpaid mariners on the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant. One of two petitioners to the Judges of the High Court of Admiralty.
See 'The humple petition of Priscilla Lockier and Sara Spurgeon wifes of Hugh Lockier and George Spurgeon two of the Marriners of the Shipp the Virginia Merchant (whereof John Lockier was Captaine or Commander)'. The document can be found at the National Archives, in Kew, England (HCA 15/5 f.99). See: Petitio Prescilla Lockyer, September 28th 1650
Hugh Lockier/Hugonis Lockier
One of the unpaid mariners on the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant. It is unclear whether Hugh Lockier was related to the ship's master, John Lockier.
Phillip Stephens/Phillippus Stephens
London merchant. Deponent in both civil trials involving Captain John Lockier. Described in September 1650 as a 28 year old merchant of the parish of Saint Jacobs Dukes Place, London. Stephens had been a passenger on the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant, and had returned to London after the wreck of the ship in the James River in early 1650. In his second deposition in the Admiralty Court in January 1652 (1651 old stile), Stephens stated that "hee this examinate was sworne and examined as a witnes against the interrogated John Lockier at the sessions of Oyer and Terminer [criminal sessions] helfd before the judges of this court at which tyme the sayd Lockier was indited for starveing his passengers and people abord the sayd ship during the voyage in question".
George Putt/Georgius Putt
Mariner, resident in Shadwell. Mentioned in criminal case, but otherwise unknown. Possibly a mariner from the William and Ralph alias the Virginia Merchant testifying against Captain John Lockier.
Current Transcription
<header>
<series>HCA 1/50</series>
<folio>ff.154v-155r</folio>
<folder>114_03</folder>
<picture>IMG_6851</picture>
<summary></summary>
<document-date></document-date>
<status>First cut transcription started and completed on 04/03/2015 by Colin Greenstreet</status>
<first-transcriber>Colin Greenstreet</first-transcriber>
</header>
[TEXT OMITTED FOR LH FOLIO AND FOR UPPER PART OF RH FOLIO]
***********************
Offay duorum con Capitany}
John Lockier}
Die Jovis decimus
die mensis Octobris
Anno domini 1650 Coram
doctoribus Clerke et Exton et Willimus
Stephens [?Ar] Judicbus [?a] [?XX] [?Camera]
doctoris Exton [?puXX] John Martyn notorio
publica [?XX] comparuit dictus Capitaneus John
Lockier et produ[?xit] in fide[XX] [?XXores] Richard
Batson parochia sancti Botulphi Billingsgate mercator
et Thomam Jancey parochia Sancti Laurentij in [?XXeri]
[?Judeasimo] mecratorum qui submitten se [?Xe]
obligarunt [?se] [?qe] Custodibus sivertats Anglei
[?qe] pro dicto John Lockier in summa quinqentaru[?m]
[?XXbrazu] legalis [?qe] quod [?XXXs] Lockier [?per] [?XXXX]
[?conspebit] cora Judicibus pred etalijs [?JusitXXXs]
supreme Curia Admirallitats Anglia
proxima sessione [?XXXla] deliberaconus Apud
Pretoriu in Burgo de Southwarke [?XXXX]
[?XXXXX] [?hys] quXXei] [?sume] et ibij obijrient[?s] et
[?XXXX]
Current Transcription
<header>
<series>HCA 1/50</series>
<folio>ff.155v-156r</folio>
<folder>114_03</folder>
<picture>IMG_6852</picture>
<summary></summary>
<document-date></document-date>
<status>First cut transcription started and completed on 04/03/2015 by Colin Greenstreet</status>
<first-transcriber>Colin Greenstreet</first-transcriber>
</header>
[?tunc] non recedit absqr venia [?qe] et dictus
Lockier [?XXXX] submittens se [?qe] obligavit
se [?gie] in [?sXXXia] atqr ad o[XXXX] pred et da
[?conservande] [?dros] fidem [?XXXres] [?Xuos] indem pues et
ne[?susu] Et tunc comparueru?it Proscitta
Lockier [?XXX] [?XXX um] per [?XXXX] hugonis
Lockier de Gunn Ally in Wappinge et
Sara Spourgeon nunc [?ves] [?nu] per [?XXX] Georgij
Spurgeon habitans prope [?ha] Greene bancke
in Wappinge et submitten se [?qe] obligart
se [?qe] Custodinus libertats [?Augsue] [?e] da
prosequo?nd proxima sessione goale deliberationis
pro [?hac] Curia Apud Pretorim in Burgo
de Southwarke [?XXXX], con prefatum Capitaneus
John Lockier Et [?in ?se ?qe]. Et ipso et eodem
tempore quidam Phillippus Stephens
parochia Sancti Jacobi [?XXXX] [?XXXX] [?XX] et georgius
Putt de Shadwell in Comitatu Middlesex nauta
presentes in [?indico] obligarunt se [?qe] [?XXX et ?XXXXX ?cora per se ?XXXij] Custodibus
[?XX] in summa Centum libraru segulis [?XX] de
[?com XXXX] et per [?XXXX] annem quam [?neveruit] [?veritatem]
[?his] que prefato Capitaneo Johanni Lockier
proxima Sessedue goale deliberatonis coram
Judicibus et Justitiarijs pro Admirallitata
Apud Protorud in Burgo de Southwarke
[?seXXX] [?obijcients et [?nesesa]./
- ↑ The Jauncey Family of Whitwick, Stretton Grandison, Fourth Generation, viewed 04/03/2015
