MRP: 26th December 1666, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London

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26th December 1666, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London

BL, Add. MS. 40,708 - 40,713, vol. 235, year 1666/1667, ff. 1-4

Editorial history

01/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription
15/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki






Abstract & context




Suggested links


See 12th January 1662/63, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London
See 13th January 1662/63, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London
See 31st March 1663, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London
See Late March 1662/63, Letter of attorney from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO
See 4th April 1663, Letter from Edmund Buckeridge to Sir GO
See 4th April 1663, Power of Attorney from Edmund Buckeridge to Sir GO
See March 1665/66, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO
See March 1665/66, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO_Letter2
See March 1665/66, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO_Letter3
See 16th April 1667, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London
See 7th August 1667, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London
See 10th October 1667, Letter from Nicholas Buckeridge to Sir GO, London



To do


(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL & add foliation to transcription



Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but required checking

BL, Add. MS. 40,708 - 40,713, vol. 235, year 1666/1667, ff. 1-4

[f.1]

Right Worp:ll

It hath been our unhappiness all the passed Summer to hear nothing from India, neither by land nor Sea, but what came from o:r Enemeies y:e Dutch, who are not used to repent [CHECK THIS IS NOT “repeat the best”] the best & yett God be thanked they have reported noo very bad new’s from your parts, your health & welfare is much desired both by youre private and publique friends; & your prudences [IS THIS REALLY PLURAL?] and Experience is looked under God as an Instrumentall cause of better successe of Affairs in your parts

Not having any Letter of youres to answer I shall apply my Selfe to give you a breife acco:tt of our Grall affaires; since Ship Returne went home, by whome I wrot to you, y:e Copies of w:ch Lres goos here Inclosed, to w:ch Intreat you to be returned [could be "reformed"]; I dare not promise you a full and Exact narrative of what hath passed; for I dare not undertake A pfect description of soo great variety of Dreadfull event:ts; that first Memorable Misfortune that befell us was the decision [TBC] of our ffleeet through bad Advice; Prein:s Robert[1] being sent with 1/3 pt thereof to Interrupt the ffrench wherein there was a great over sight; [XXXX: word obscured through worm hole] ffrench did not attempt the Joyneing with the Dutch in many months after in the meane time the Duke of Albermarle[2] w:th 2/3 of our ffleet was left in Graple with the whole force of Holland were double his number who haveing intelligence of their division were incouraged to adventure on him, and in 3 dayes ffiting [i.e. "fighting"] being soe over numeorus in Shipping, and those Ships of better fource than usuall they had the opportunity to destroy 6 or 7 of our Ships, whereof were considerarable ones & it is beleived we had come of with bigger losse had not divine providence soo ordered it; prin:s Robert returned w:th the residue of our fleett; when our whole ffleet and theirs engaged a bout a whole day but in the night y:e Dutch found reason to consult their owne safety by slinking home, and yet boast of a very great victory though

[f. 2]

Doubtlesse there losse was equall to o:rs and they went from us by night in the open Sea; however they were incouraged by y:t [looks like y:e, but that doesn’t make sense] to be out a gaine at Sea before us; and of that they boasted not a little though it was but for A little tyme, dureing w:ch time they did brave us but when wee came out to dispute it with them they found them selves unable to deale with us, though they did dispute it ??farolie for a day or two and in conclusion ffairly runn Away; and devided yet in conffused manner home into their severall ports; but not with out the losse of 5 or 6 Shipps burned sunck and Stranded; yet will not allow this to be a victory, however o:r Generalls being both of too Generous and active Spiritts to be ?Solo in keepeing them in their ports or a waiting there comeing out; proceeded to range a long their Coast, & in their passage took prizes at last adventured on a noble but hazardous designe; w:ch S:r Rob:t Holmes[3] had the management Viz:t the burning & destroying of a very great number of Rich laden Merch:t Shipps in their Harbo:e at y:e [X]ly. & after landed and plundered and destroyed A towne of a bout 1000 howses, and then came homewards with our ffleet to give them opportunity of uniting and recruting [TBC]; w:ch they were incouraged to doo in hopes & expectation of Joyning with y:e ffrench, wherein they were disapoynted by the providence of Almighty God, and after they had shifted & a voyded our ffleet what they could returned home Scattered and dispersed; w:th some losse & the ffrench did escape us more narrowly; for they did adventure in to o:r Channell but were Scattered by storme, & onely one good Shipp fell into our hands of about 56 p:s of Ordinance most Brasse, and 2 orr 3 Cast a way upon their owne Coast & the rest dispersed and got into severall Ports, and here I have given you an acco:tt of our late Navall proceedings but the most lamentable relation is yet to come; for on y:e 2:d 7:ber hapned in London neare the bridge in An Ally by Thams Street A most rageing fire

[f. 3]

To begin in a Bakers house a bout 2 A Clock in the Morning whether by designe or accid:t yet doubtfull though one be Executed for it, but it soo pleased God in Justice to punish us for our Sinns, that by reason of the Closenesse of the houses & violence of the wind it rann & spread it selfe soo farr, that it was not to be mastered, untill it had burned downe 94 Parishes & Churches both to windward & to Leeward, and hath consumed all by the River side from the Tower to the Temple, and there is left onely w:thin the walles pt of Fanchurch Street, all Leaden Hall Street Bishopsgate Street, and what betweene Algate and Bishopsgate, with a little by the Walls to Moorgate, the fier lasted 3 dayes & Nights and was Not then quenched with out much labor & Industrie, wherein the King and Duke of Yorkes presence and Assistance was Exceeding Usefull and pleaseing to the people, I leave you to Imagine in what A deplorable condition the devouring fire have left us; for our losse is not to be accounted, nor our distractions Expressed, and yett here ends not the Description of our Sufferings, for it hath pleased God to Stretch forth his Afflicting hand upon y:e remote members of our Nation; for at S:t Christophers Island[4] in the West Indes the ffrench have prevailed against us through our owne faults in the ill managm:t of our bussinesse, & are possest of all that Islands to whome there belongs but one halfe of it, Nay & since that hapned My Lord Willoughby[5] did at Y:e Barbadoes Equip & sett forth A ffleet w:th himselfe Commander, Sufficient in all probabilitie to reduce that Island, but it pleased God by A Huricane to disperse them before he could Effect anni thing, and divers of the Shipps are not yet heard of, whereof that wherein he is: is one, and thus you have in breife y:e issue and events of what hath hapned to us yo:r predicted fattall year of 1666 And these Generall Calamities have alsoe A very great Influence upon particular mens Affaires; wherein I am sorry that you bear soo great a sheare, for since y:e Death of that worthy Lady yo:r Sister Dallison[6] yo:r Adversary at law prevailes

[f.4]

Against you; I am not soo well acquainted with the busyness as to give you A pticular acco:tt of it, but Judgem:t went a gainst you for M:r pearce[7] for 2,200 lo: for one Bill of Exch:a importing 1500:ll due in 1659, and other Bills of the like nature they intend to put in Suite if the Busynesse be not taken up, but I doo very well know that this is not wholie yo:r losse though much their Advantage

There hath been very little Alteration In y:e East India Comp:as affaires, they haveing had very little to doo since y:e last Shipps wemt out, and if any thing worth yo:r notice prsent it selfe to my memorye betweene y:s and the next opportunity I shall aacquaint you with it, in the meane time lett me intreat you to deliver the Inclosed to my brother Goodoiar[8], & Excuse my silence to M:r Math: Gray[9] M:r Strancham Master[10] &ca. praying your kind acceptance my most Serviceable respects I humbily rest

Yo:r obliged ffriend and Servant
Nicho:o Buckerige

London Decemb:r 26:th ano 1666




Notes

  1. Prince Rupert
  2. The Duke of Albermarle was XXXX
  3. Robert Holmes (b. 1622, d. 1692) was an admiral in the English Navy. Knighted in March 1666, he was responsible on August 9th of the same year for destroying an estimated one hundred and fifty ships in Vlie Road, off Vlieland, through the use of fireships and sacking the town of Westerschelling
  4. St. Christophers island XXXX
  5. Lord Willoughby was XXX
  6. Elizabeth Dallison
  7. Edward Pearce, London merchant
  8. John Goodyer
  9. Mathew Gray
  10. Streynsham Master, Sir George Oxenden's nephew