MRP: 2nd February 1662/63, Letter from Richard Craddocke to Sir GO, Gombroone

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2nd February 1662/63, Letter from Richard Craddocke to Sir GO, Gombroone

BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX ff. 33-38

Editorial history

09/06/09, CSG: Completed bulk of transcription
14/12/11, CSG. Created page & posted bulk of transcription to wiki






Abstract & context


Richard Craddocke wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated February 2nd, 1662/63. The letter was sent from Gombroone

In this letter, Craddocke XXXX

Richard Craddocke was XXXX



Suggested links


See 27th August 1663, Letter from Richard Cradocke to Sir GO, Spahaune
See June 1663 Letter from Richard Craddock to Sir GO
See October 1663, Letter from Richard Cradocke to Sir GO, Spahaune
See 26th March 1664, Letter from Richard Cradocke to Sir GO, Spahaune
See March 1665/66, Letter from Richard Craddocke to Sir GO
See March 1665/66, Letter from Richard Craddocke to Sir GO Letter2
See March 1665/66, Letter from Richard Craddocke to Sir GO Letter3

See Gombroone



To do


(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL



Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but requires checking

[BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX ff. 33-38]

[f. 33]

Y:e Hono:ble S:r Geo: Oxinden
may please to Knowe

That on y:e first January came to My Reception yo:rs bearieing Date y:e ultimo Novemb:r & I cann assure you a more acceptable new yeares Gift could not have beene present:d, I being thereby assortained of y:e good health besides in psueall [CSG: = persusal] of yo:r s:d lett:r I finde my selfe divers wayes oblidg:d, in y:e first place your paynes & Care in Bringing from Eng:d y:e Gold delivered you p. S:r Geo: Smith,[1] & afterwards yo:r secureing it from not being seazed on by M:r Jn:o Lambtons[2] Criditors nothing can more Demonstrate or give sure evidences, of yo:r Noble Disposition, than such a Continuance of yo:r goodnesse, soo y:t happy aare wee all in y:e Enjoym:t of soo worthy a Presid:t & God in his Mercy Continue & Increase w:t ever felicetuous yo:r owne heart cann desire if I must needs say I doo very much Lament y:e Death of M:r Jn:e Lambton, hee being a pson whome I allwayes respected, & Loved, & I am Confid:t y:e sad newes when it once arrives y:e knowledge of y:e Lady his Deare Mother,[3] it will doubtlesse shorten her Dayes, for shee affected him intirely, But Oh y:e vanity of this prof:t world, w:t is there in it y:t wee cann justly call our wone yett how apt are wee Immediately to greive

[f.34]

when God is pleased to call Back what hee hath onely lent us, if death were designed onely to o:r friends & acquaintances how unhapy should wee appeare to o:r neighbours, but since tis Common to all ‘twould bee worthy of wond:r if á man could not Dye, nothing, y:t hee is dead, these thoughts did much moderate my greife in y:e losse of S:r W:m Vincent[4] & I humbly beseech y:e allmighty since o:r Dissolucon is certaine y:t w:n y:e houre Comes wee may bee found prepared,

It seemes strange to mee y:t M:r Jn:o Lambton should appeare soo much Indebted, for in y:e Tyme of open trade hee had divers faire opportuntyes, & to my knowledge did thereby reape Noo small Benefitt, But w:t his Losses have bin sence I am Ignorant off, yett they must needs bee exceeding great to bring him soo farr behind hand; I could willingly act y:e Part of ffreind & pleass in y:e behalfe of y:e surviveing Brothers, were I not fearefull It might bee displeaseing, but for certaine if you cast not á favourable Eye upon them, in this tyme of necessity they will bee utterly undone; The Japan Wood I confesse came consigned to mee & should have been Disposed of according to M:r, Ralph,[5] & Richards[6] desires had not y:e Express ord:r (w:ch at all tymes shall bee by mee obserrved & to my utmost power punctually Complyed w:th) contradicted it soo y:t the wood is now Brought into y:e Comp:as ware house, & must there remaine till y:e merch:tt Come Downe from Spahaune & then hope to obtaine a good price for it.

y:e 4:th Instant came to hand a paquet from y:e Hono:ble Comp:a w:ch I opened & tooke a Coppy of theire lre my selfe, because noo other might bee acquainted w:th a sillable of its Contents, & y:e same Course I intend to take for y:e future, being sencible how much secressy is to bee endeavoured on such occasions, & you may bee Confid:t I shall bee as faithfull & Carefull therein as any man liveing y:e Coppie of said lre shall have mission towards you p another Conveyance;

I have writt to y:e Consull of Alleppo[7] concerning y:e severall patterns of Chints & of Guynea stuffs w:ch the Hono:ble Comp:a mentioned should accompany theire lre for noo such things are as yett Come to my hands, therfore Conceive they are either Miscarryed, or through neglect not sent, & I feare in case they bee now found; theire Late arrivall will make them useless for this yeare, I like wise desired y:e Consull if y:t hee heard of a certaine Broach betweene y:e Two Nations never to trust by lres of advice to any Portugall Padrees at Bussora or else wheare but rather bee at y:e Charges to send them Directly hither for I beleeve noo people und:r heaven cann bee more treacherous than the Dutch

[f.35]

Whoos Choisest studdy is either By Bribes or other pollicy to undermine our Designes & I am Informed 'twas Padree Barnibess[8] Roguery, by retard:g o:r lres & sending y:e Dutches á Month before, occasioned y:t in y:e Last warrs y:e Hono:ble Comp:a Lost soo many shipps in these parts, & such Storyes whither true or false ought to make us more Circumspect for after tymes, and y:t is y:e reason of my putting y:e Consull in minde to Continew the surest & quickest way Imaginable; for y:e forwarding any lres, of Espetiall Consiquence, for at such tymes not á small Charge, buy y:e Grall safety aught to bee regarded.

I returne yo:u most humble & hearty thankes, for sening soo Carefully my this yeares Europe lres, I know they were opened p M:r Lambton, whome I licenced thereto y:e better to demand such things as weare Consigned to mee p my ffreinds in Eng:d I want A case of sacke, & 6: p:a Thread stockins w:ch weare recomend:d to y:e Care of M:r Springould purser of y:e Rich:d & Martha, but I shall not trouble you Concerning them, I haveing appointed M:r Math:w Gray my Atturney who will enquire of M:r Ralph & Rich:d whither any ?sch weare delivered a shoare for mee if not M:r Springould[9] is to bee blamed for beeing worse than his promise; I thinke it Cann bee noo Prejudice to y:e Hono:ble Comp:a (they haveing resolved no Goods shall bee sent to any port on theire acco:t) in case you please to invest y:t money you have of mine in such Comodities as is propp for this place Chints, & ?Jaffercomees, shuger, shuger candy, any any [CSG: repetition in original manuscript] browne Corse Cloath Bibbee peett, sallowesm Hummumees, Dungarees, Etc:a & if you shall make an Addition of any of these sorts on yo:r owne acco:t I promiss you shall bee noo looser provid:d y:e goods bee well bought, & if yo:r occasions want any thing procurable in these parts, bee Confid:t none shall bee more faithfull & punctuall in y:e provision of them, y:n my selfe, S:r youmay still proive my importunity Continowes in y:e Grall lre for 2: or Three Shipps to Block up this porte w:ch I should never doo were I not in a mann: assertained y:t y:e successe would bee both proffitable & Hono:ble for most of y:e officers w:ch are to Come Downe y:s yeare a bout y:e Customs busyenesse are elected now, & every one hath ??pycashed highly for theire places, In hopes to squease more out of theire Imploym:ts But w:n they shall ?goo wee have stopped y:e Curr:t of theire profitt, & w:th out a faure treatem:t & Contenting us, they must bee forced like fooles to Returne Back to Spahaun w:th an unavoydable Losse both of theire money & tyme, it may bee easiely thought how

[f.36]

playble they will bee, & w:th out this way of forecing them to theire Duty for aught I see they will never learne it, for they proiveig y:t either wee are not able or willing to mainetaine o:r priviledges makes them Continue w:t possible to thrust us out of all, But had I onely yo:r Order to begin, I would soone thrust them into a better behaviour, but then I hope you will allow mee full liberty to Act; for sreightnesse of Commission on such occasions many tymes, overthrowes y:e whole Dessigne Besides if you please to consider by y:e Hono:ble Comp:a lre w:t probability there is of a warr w:th y:e Dutch, therefore as soone as I should receave any Certaine Notice of such a Broach, & y:t wee had shipps lay ready heare two Birds may bee killed w:th one stone, for Commonly theire shipps Come Dropping in one , by one, I can but as a single pson pleade in my Masters Behalfe, but feare I have beene now to tedious, & Consequently troublesome therefore shall at pres:t ?wane further prolixity, referring all to yo:r more mature Judgm:t hopeing you will affoard a favour:ble ?XXXsure to my good meaneing nothing but as an earnest desire of o:r Nations Hon:r & y:e Comp:as Benefitt Induceing mee there too M;r Buckeridge at his gooing a way did leavee severall Horses w:ch are worth but little, though in o:r Bookes I finde them to bee high priced, & ever since my comeing I have endeavoured to Cleare this ffactory off soo unnecessary an Expence, yett Cannot to this houre meete w:th á Chapman soo at first I intended to send y:m all to Surratt; had not ?Gosse tould mee it would bee as Difficulte a bussinesse to putt them off theire, as it was heere, soo wee must bee forced to have patience till some Armenyan Merch:ts arrive from ?Hendenstand & then happily they may buy them to travell upp to Spahaune, for I am resolved on all occasions to endeavour as much ffrugallity as possible, w:ch trueth you may please Confid:tly to beleeive;

There are severall remaines at Ballance of last Bookes, w:ch when I came from Spahawne I enquired after but noo such goods could bee found in y:e warehouse, whereupon I demanded of M:r fflower,[10] & o:r Broker Tockersy, which of them would bee answerable for these remaines, one Cryed I know nothingm y:e other said y:e same but after á small Xarrjng betwixt them two, I tould them y:t though they weare not a shamdd soo openly to Confesse theire owne Ignorance of knowing noothing, yett I was resolved y:e Comp:a should not bee loosers by theire neglect & carelessnesse, soo at last they turned all upon M;r Buckeridge

[f.37]

That hee Cleared y:e Warehouses at his Gooing a way, & w:t hee Could not dispose of heere, was Carryed to surr:t & there y:e Dispute ended.

But a little after I called M:r fflower aside asking him whither hee thought such excuses would Content y:e higher pow:er in Surr:t for though Tockersy might pretend, (& probably tis true) y:t M:r Buckeridge cleared all before hee went to Surratt, y:e Broker might alsoe beleeve, (or at least Could not disprove it, hee not being able to reade or search into o:r acco:tts) y:t y:e Comp:a had Cred:tt for those goods as weare soo disposed off, But in my Opinion M:r fflower aught to have examined things Better & to had a Cleare Sight of y:e Hono:ble Comp:as affaires, w:ch hee at y:t tyme tooke chartge off, then w:n a question is asked Concerning y:m to say hee knowes nothing for my parte I write not this to prejudice any man, but have onely a Desire in my pticuler lre some w:t to explaine y:e Busienesse, because in y:e Grall I have entreated you would please to give prd:r how these acco:tts shall bee rexxxxx, for there is noo reason things y:t are not should at Ballance of y.e Bookes appeare as if they weare remaineing, besides I know no other way to cleare my selfe, for as I confess I am lyable to give acco:t of my owne actions, soo am unwilling y;e Defaukts of others should bee Corrected on my backe

By y:e Seaflower was sent Two paire of this factoryes Bookes of Acco:ts & hope you have recd y:m yett I must needs say o:r amiracon was not w:thout Reason y:t they were retarded soo Long, but Could you soo in w:t á posture things were, at my first comeing, Doubtlesse you would have Conclud:y y:e Comp:as ffactors spent most of theire tyme in sleepeing or dooing worse, in short y:e Generallity of Busienesse appeared like á Chaos or heape of Confusion, & after I had Gott out of this scorching, & malignant Clymate (being kept heere longer than Ordinary by severalll disputes I had w:th y:e Shawbund:r[11] to advance y:e Comp:as share of Customes) & Endured a tedious Journey to Arrive to Spahune instead of sucking in y:t good Aire, & recreating my spirits a little, I was forced to ??Meine my selfe up in á Chamber to Reduce those acco:tts w:ch M:r fflower had disioynted, for there was D:r for C:r & C:r for D:r some Acco:tts had two Cred:ts some had none, soo y:t you may Judge w:t a trouble I had to bring w:t Businesses had beene Acted by M:r Buckeridge[12] & M:r fforster into some hansome Method, & y:e Last yeares bookes I begun, & End:d my selfe though I caused M:r fflower to signe to them in reguard of the Comp:as Ord:rs y:t y.e second of Every ffactory should keepe y.e Bookes, But I
Know if

[f.38]

Know if businesses are not Done y:e Blame will Light upon mee whilst I am inplace, & I am Contented it should (God spareing mee life) if Every yeare y.e Acco:ts bee not duely & seasonably sent, lett y:e Comp:as trade heere bee more or lesse, for y:e Worke is inconsidearble if taken in tyme when Every Dayes busynesse is Entered as tis Acted, But deferring things too long, that makes y:mIrksome & Difficult

I leave to ??Gesses (??Gosses) owne relation whither yo:r recommendacon of him had any power of mee or noo, & beleeve mee noble S:r there is nothing you can at any tyme desire but to y:e utmost of my abilityes shall bee Complyed w:th for I am & Ever will remaine

Hon:d S:r
Yo:r most Humble Servant
Richard Cradock

Gombroone y:e 2:d February 1662/3



Notes

  1. Sir George Smith, London merchant
  2. John Lambton, the Surat warehouse man, had financial difficulties prior to his death
  3. John Lambton's mother was XXXX
  4. Sir William Vincent was active in the Levant trade and a close commercial colleague of Sir George Smith
  5. M:r Ralph was XXXX. See Missing faces
  6. Richards was XXXX. See Missing faces
  7. The English consul at Aleppo at this time was XXXX
  8. Padree Barnibess was XXXX. See Missing faces
  9. Mr. Springould was XXX. See Missing faces
  10. Stephen Fflower was XXXX
  11. The Shwbundr was XXXX
  12. Mr. Buckeridge was XXXX