MRP: 26th March 1665/66, Letter from Sir Henry Oxinden to Sir GO

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26th March 1665/66, Letter from Sir Henry Oxinden to Sir GO

BL, Add. MS. 40, 708-40, 713, vol, 235, year 1665, ff. 6-7

Editorial history

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






Abstract & context


It is Monday morning, probably in London. In this letter to Sir George Oxenden, his brother, Sir Henry Oxenden, is turning his mind to legal and commercial matters. He has the challenge of his sister estate, of which he is an executor. He also urgently needs to come to grips with his brother's London commercial affairs.

The executorship of Elizabeth Dallison's will is already proving problematic. Once her son, Maximilian Dallison, got over the initial shock of being cut out of the will, he took advice, and had decided to contest his mother's actions legally.

Sir Henry is no natural merchant, but he is trying. He reports that he had sold the ambergris, which his brother had sent over to England, for a fair price. He has secured £10,000 of credit from Sir William Ryder, Sir Andrew Riccard, and others, even in the absence of a signed letter of attorney authorising him to act on behalf of his brother. He is pleased that members of the English East India Company think well of his brother, but cautious about accepting their help. Sensibly, he has decided to seek counsel "both as to law and merchting."

He concludes somewhat under pressure. Nicholas Buckeridge, a London merchant and former agent at Isfahan in Persia, is pressing him on commercial matters. His niece, Mary Escott, is also departing that day for Exeter, with her new husband, Dr. Daniel Escott. He has "a Crowd of Attendants & business this morning." And bids adieu.



Suggested links


See biographical profile of Sir Henry Oxenden



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 1665, ff. 6-7]

My deare Brother

Mr: Buckeridge[1] being here wth: me last night, and telling me y:t: Sr ?Gervas Lucas[2] went not till this morning, & that he would XXXX this in his, I was unwilling to lett slipp any opportunity to informe you wt: occurrs, I tould you by my last, yt: Ambergrease was sould for 5ll: ?5g:- but since I heare yt: some have sould for 5ll:15?gw which is a good markett, concerning my Sisters[3] executorship , there is great Intricacy, & ?great: trouble, ?Mack[4] at first was in greater disorder than [?then] upon more mature deliberation, and advise wth: friends he findes he has cause for, yo [?ye]: debt and 7 or ?800ll: fine to the Bishop for ?2 XXX [hopurs???] (for young Mack[5] is dead) & 80ll: p XXXX charge to ?Neece Smith[6] and Sarah[7] & 25ll: pxxx annuall went to ye Bishop will hardly xxx xxxx out of that Lease, and had he not gon away your Mortgage XX upon ?Chasham [?Chatham] Farme, and cancelled it, my Deare Sister had xxxx layd yo: debt upon that Lease, but left it to him, I will Say no more he being the Child of our deare excellent Sister, and pray take no notice from mee, the more I consider your affaires, y more I wonder, for I find as I tould you no Accott: now no moneys, but in the hands if those I writt you now of unless wt: you advise in yr: last, & ye: ??showe in ??Shipps, our Deare Sister I am confident did her best to Serve you ad discharged her Conscience fully: I am well as yxxx [paper hole] lost a most excellent friend, the Lord make it up to us in heaven, that God may be in all to us, I hand [have?] a thousand thanks, & as many Obligations to you for all yo: kindness to mee & Harry[8] the Lord requite [protect??] you, for I cannot, but I will XXXXXX [paper hole]: to ?serve you in y: way I am in wth: all faithfullness, some ????service to deliver goodes & transact business wth: mee, till I am empowered by you, but they are only such as would make advantage to themselves, by it, Sr: Willm: Rider[9] & Sr: Richault[10] and many others say they will deale wth: me & trust me for 10000ll: upon your Accott: and as I am your Brother, but I shall XXXXXX their profonde legall Scruples, but it is better I had a letter of Attorney[11] least I meet wth: knaves [CSG, 09/09/08 – I think this is what the text says], I find all men of honour, fortune, & sobriety in the Comte: value and prize you highly, Some ???godly people there would have had me left yo: goodes which are yet in y: Warehouse in their hands & they would sell ???yx: and bee accountable to whom you shall appoint, but I like not that, though wee have all the ???CheifXXXless some Carpetts and your Cloath & small things, but I will mXXX by the best Counsell both as to law and merchting: my Neece escott is Moll Master[12] who is married to ye: Archdeacon of Exeter, a Sober, and learned, and XXXing mann is now going out of towne, and I have a Crowd of Attendants & business this morning, & Mr: Buckeridge bid me send business therefore A Dieu the Lord preserve & bring you safe to.

Your most affectionte: Brother
Hen: Oxinden
March Munday Morne 26: 1666 [CSG, 09/09/09 - check it is Munday not Sunday]



Notes

  1. Probably Nicholas Buckeridge, a London merchant, although he had a brother, Edmund Buckeridge, who was also in London. Nicholas Buckeridge had been employed as agent at Isfahan in Persia by the English East India Company (XXXX-1661). He was a frequent correspondent with Sir George Oxenden. ('Letter from Consul Lannoy, Aleppo, to the Earl of Winchelsea', June 5th, 1661, in H.M.C., Report on the manuscripts of Allan George Finch, Esq., of Burley-on-the-hill, Rutland (London, 1913), p. 124)
  2. Sir Gervase Lucas had been appointed Governor of Bombay on November 5th 1666, but died in office on May 21st 1667. He travelled out to Bombay on the Returne
  3. Elizabeth Dallison had appointed her brothers, Sir Henry Oxenden and Sir George Oxenden, as her executors
  4. Maximillian Dallison, Elizabeth Dallison's eldest child and only son. He had been cut out of his mother's will. See biographical profile of Maximilian Dallison and Elizabeth Dalyson will
  5. Maximillian Dallison's son, also named Maximillian, had been named as the third life on a three life lease with the Bishop of Rochester for the Bishop's Palace at Halling
  6. Mary Smith, Elizabeth Dallison's surviving daughter. She was married to Henry Smith, who had been imprisoned for treason. Unlike her brother, Mary Smith was a beneficiary of her mother's will. See Elizabeth Dalyson will
  7. Sarah Wainman was a beneficiary of her mistress' will. See Elizabeth Dalyson will
  8. Henry (Harry) Oxenden was a younger son of Sir Henry Oxenden. He was in the East Indies with his uncle, Sir George Oxenden
  9. Sir William Ryder, London merchant
  10. CHECK TRANSCRIPTION. Is this Sir Andrew Riccard?
  11. James Master, Sir George Oxenden's nephew and legal advisor, had written the previous day to suggest that Sir George Oxenden execute a new letter of attorney in favour of Sir Henry Oxenden. See 25th March 1665/66, Letter from James Master to Sir GO, Langden Abbey
  12. Mary Escott (née Master), had married Dr Daniel Escott, the Archdeacon of Exeter. For Mary Escott's description of her husband's character and merits, and her considerations in entering into marriage, see 9th March 1666/67, Letter from Mary Escott to Sir GO, Exeter