MRP: 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London

16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London

Editorial history

06/02/09, CSG: Completed transcription
18/12/11, CSG: Page created
22/12/11, CSG: Posted transcription to wiki

Abstract & context

To do

(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL

(2) Check the date of this letter and also of the letter from Sir William Ryder supposedly dated August 22nd 1667. If anything, the apparently later letter seems to have been written before the earlier, since the earlier letter refers to Valentine Nurse's son as "Athick sculled peece." Nevertheless, the later letter starts with a reference to his former letter of April 16th, so presumably the "good character" of Nurse given by Sir George Oxenden to the EEIC was simply a favour to Sir William Ryder, and disguised Nurse's poor performance

Transcription

This transcription has been completed, but requires checking

[f. 114]

Right Worp:ll & my Hono:ed ffriend

I am now Constrained to pay yo:w my respects in short & undigested lines having at present A fitt of grauell [gravell?] one (sic) me so y:t I cannot replie unto yo:e severall lres w:ch I have rec:d from yo:w overland & by y:e Affrican, & to depend on my friend S:r George Smith,^[1] to advise yo:w I cannot who not muny dayes past was nie his end he being grone very weake & melancholly but meeting w:th a phesetion y:t lett him blood prevented his bleeding mire at nose & mouth stopped y:e refluxion, & he is now pretty Cherry intending, if possible to write yo:w heare w:ch I hope he will be able to complie w:th his good thoughts, y:t way, but now y:t this shippe Charles is to allter her designe & have her dispatch as to yo:w this eavening she having been long at Plimouth for y:m as yo:w maie pseive by o:e

[f. 115]

Generall lres y:t she was intended for y:e Coast & especially to fforte S:t George to rectifie abuses there w:ch could not be effected in time now I doubt will heardly be done w:th out a better head y:n wee can all at prsesent thinke on unless yo:w can spare yo:e 2:d there to goe thether (sic) of w:ch more by my next,

I hope o:e ship Returne Cap:t Stanton arrived w:th cago:w in safety & y:t w:t sent yo:w one her came safe to yo:e hands w:ch would be wellcome tiding to me, to heare,

The Affrican came safe but y:e Dorcas xx frazied [?] as yo:w will see in o:e generall lres to w:ch I must referr for alle Publique affaires & now tell yo:w y:t wee are one a tertie betweene us & Dutch w:ch I much feare will redownd little to y:e hono:e of o:e Nation but Gods will must be submited unto, & it is pasable y:t next post to plimouth I may be able to enlarge, on that & other pticulars ere this ship departure sends yo:w comfortable lines or Ligners [Liquers????] wee have chosen Comesioners of Committee, to attend his Maja:es Commisioners to Breda, y:e place apointed to treat in, & to conclude a peace w:ch God send may be hnourable, now o:e Comisioners are M:r Deputy Jolife & Hen. Coventry Esq:e , who are said to goe hereone this daie senitt (sic), wee are now upon Electing o:e Governer & deputy for y;e enseuing yeare & allsoe y:e 24 Comitys A list of w:ch yo:w may hand if ye shipp make any stay before she dept Plimouth wLch is like she may for Convoie, it not beeing safe to adventure her of y:e Coast w:th out Conduct of a man of warr or tow (sic)

M:r Cha:s Conyers died about 10 dies past God fitt us all for o:e end, I must againe begg yo:w to dispose of Y:e gunns y:t he bought of y:e Eagles owners,^[2] & if yo:w can to end w:th Benddas Giving him Gunns for y:e debt w:ch M:r Reminton o:e XXXXX deseted [?] friend J: B: whose sonne Jerimie is all most xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[f. 116]

drie [?] soe y:t I have small hopes to gett ought from him yett will runn A hazard rather Y:n poor Benidas shall lose all,

I have alredy advised yo:w of y:e sad fire w:ch hapned in y:e Cittie began y:e 2nd 7ber last where most of yo:e friends have been sufferers w:th M:rs Terells goods w:ch yo:w sent being detained y:e Comp:a warhouse were Consumed so y:t she & others must have patience

I must beg yo:e Pardon for my brevity but xx [worm hole obscures small word] I conclude must thanke yo:e kindness to my friends son ?va: Nurse^[3] who I see is but Athick sculled peece [could be peere] & to xx pray yo:w to shew kindness to M:r Jn:o Portmans^[4] son who went on y:e Affrican as I am Informed

I presume upon conclusion of ye peace yo:w will want helpe & if y:n thinke fitt to recommend him w:th Erasmus Smiths^[5] kindsman & who else yo:w deeme fitt for service to Comp:a they mare fare y:e better for I can assure yo:w y:t y: whole Comitee have a great kindness & respect for yo:w so hath my selfe wife & son & daughter Middleton,^[6] & y:e rest of mine, for I desire to live not longer than to aprove my slefe

[RH SIDE]
yo:e Cordiall ffreind & servant
Will:m Rider

Pray give my respects to honest M:r Goodier^[7], M:r Gray^[8], M:r Tayler, & y:e rest of my ffreinds w:th yo:w; M:r Anger^[9] I deeme a fitt pson to send to fforte S:t George if yo:w cannot spare M:r Goodyer

Notes

EEIC, 1668-1670

"...concerning Hodges, who is also recommended for Surat, and Mr. Portman's son, who is now..." (GET FULL QUOTE AND REFERENCE FROM PHYSICAL COPY OF CALENDAR)

EEIC, 1674-1676

"...The accounts of the late Mr. Portman, John Ghest, and the late. Thomas Mason to..."(GET FULL QUOTE AND REFERENCE FROM PHYSICAL COPY OF CALENDAR)

"John Portman, goldsmith, to be given 40/. due to his late son, John Portman, Junior, on account of wages."^[10]

John Portman, East Indies

"The John Portman already mentioned was understood to be already employed at Surat, and his enrolment in the service (if found suitable) had been sanctioned at the request of his father ; but if he should prefer to return to England..."^[11]

Possible primary sources

TNA

C 6/151Pt2/28 Short title: Moudiford v Greaves. Plaintiffs: James Moudiford, Robert Dawes, Jonathan Dawes, William Rider, John Portman and Philip Scarth. Defendants: Abraham Greaves, Sarah Greaves his wife and Richard Hutchinson. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: answer only. 1659

PROB 11/323 Carr 1–58 Will of Charles Conyers, Merchant of City of London 24 April 1667

↑ Sir George Smith, London merchant
↑ Sir William Ryder was one of the part-owners of the Eagle
↑ Valentine Nurse, XXXXX
↑ John Portman's son was John Portman Junior. John Portman Junior was probably initially in Surat, where he was recorded in the 1668-1669 period (William Foster, The English Factories in India: 1668-1669 (Oxford, XXXX), p. 16). He died in the East Indies in the 1674-1676 period, when his due wages were paid to his father "John Portman, goldsmith" (XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76). John Portman senior (b. ?, d. ?) was a prominent London goldsmith, who was later bankrupted as a result of the stop of the Exchequer in 1672. He wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated October 2nd, 1667, thanking Sir George for "so greate kindness shewed by yo: self unto my son, if y:t did afford greate measure of satisfaction to myselfe & my over much afflicted wife, our hopes being y:t God will overt his heart soe to behave himselfe by his dutyfull Carriage & deportment towards yo:w as may ever demonstrate his thankfullnes ffor ye greate ffavours he hath received from yo:w" (2nd October 1667, Letter from John Portman to Sir GO, London). William Ryder, prior to his knighthood, had been a part-owner of the 444 tun Thomas and William of London, together with James Modyford, Robert and Jonathan Dawes, John Portman, Phillip Scarth, John Robinson, Isaac Taylor, and the executors of Abraham ?Moace and Thomas Hodges. William Ryder, John Portman, and the other part-owners of the Thomas and William were plaintiffs together in a Chancery suit (C 6/151Pt2/28 f. 1) John Portman, identified as the London goldsmith, was named alongside another London goldsmith, John Colville, in a Chancery suit regarding leased premises for a number of goldsmiths following the fire of London of 1666 (see C6/597/21 f. 1)
↑ See March 1665/66, Letter from Eras Smith to Sir GO
↑ Sir William Ryder's daughter, Priscilla, married Richard Myddleton, London merchant, who was the son of XXXX. Sir William Ryder had a commercial relationship with his son-in-law. See XXXX
↑ John Goodyer
↑ Mathew Gray
↑ Gerard Aungier
↑ XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76
↑ William Foster, The English Factories in India: 1668-1669 (Oxford, XXXX), p. 16

[1] Sir George Smith, London merchant

[2] Sir William Ryder was one of the part-owners of the Eagle

[3] Valentine Nurse, XXXXX

[4] John Portman's son was John Portman Junior. John Portman Junior was probably initially in Surat, where he was recorded in the 1668-1669 period (William Foster, The English Factories in India: 1668-1669 (Oxford, XXXX), p. 16). He died in the East Indies in the 1674-1676 period, when his due wages were paid to his father "John Portman, goldsmith" (XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76). John Portman senior (b. ?, d. ?) was a prominent London goldsmith, who was later bankrupted as a result of the stop of the Exchequer in 1672. He wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated October 2nd, 1667, thanking Sir George for "so greate kindness shewed by yo: self unto my son, if y:t did afford greate measure of satisfaction to myselfe & my over much afflicted wife, our hopes being y:t God will overt his heart soe to behave himselfe by his dutyfull Carriage & deportment towards yo:w as may ever demonstrate his thankfullnes ffor ye greate ffavours he hath received from yo:w" (2nd October 1667, Letter from John Portman to Sir GO, London). William Ryder, prior to his knighthood, had been a part-owner of the 444 tun Thomas and William of London, together with James Modyford, Robert and Jonathan Dawes, John Portman, Phillip Scarth, John Robinson, Isaac Taylor, and the executors of Abraham ?Moace and Thomas Hodges. William Ryder, John Portman, and the other part-owners of the Thomas and William were plaintiffs together in a Chancery suit (C 6/151Pt2/28 f. 1) John Portman, identified as the London goldsmith, was named alongside another London goldsmith, John Colville, in a Chancery suit regarding leased premises for a number of goldsmiths following the fire of London of 1666 (see C6/597/21 f. 1)

[5] See March 1665/66, Letter from Eras Smith to Sir GO

[6] Sir William Ryder's daughter, Priscilla, married Richard Myddleton, London merchant, who was the son of XXXX. Sir William Ryder had a commercial relationship with his son-in-law. See XXXX

[7] John Goodyer

[8] Mathew Gray

[9] Gerard Aungier

[10] XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76

[11] William Foster, The English Factories in India: 1668-1669 (Oxford, XXXX), p. 16

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MRP: 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London

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