MRP: 7th October 1667, Letter from Christopher Boone to Sir GO
7th October 1667, Letter from Christopher Boone to Sir GO
BL, MS. XX,XXXX, ff.37-40
Editorial history
11/02/09, CSG: Completed transcription
13/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki
Abstract & context
Christopher Boone wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated October 7th, 1667. It was sent frpm London.
In this letter, Boone XXX
Christopher Boone was XXXX
Suggested links
See March 1665/66, Letter from Christopher Boone
See March 1665/66, letter from Christopher Boone, XXX Saige, Thomas Papillon, and Jos. Child to Sir GO
See 13th April 1667, Letter from Christopher Boone to Sir GO, London
To do
(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL
(2) Explore Boone's staement about his friends in Antwerpen
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but requires careful checking
[BL, MS. XX,XXXX, ff.37-40]
[f. 37]
Right Worp:ll
My last to yo:w were via Aleppo, to w:ch I referr, since y:n it hath pleased God safe to arrive y:e African from Surratt, but I had not y:e happyness of any line from yo: per her; though I had ye pweusuall of yo:w severall to y:e Comp:a & some to pticuler freinds & all much Content, for yo:e injoym:t of health, & noble proceedings I had before ye said Affricans arrivall, ye honour of yo: both originall & Coppie of y:e 30:th X:ber 1665 & both ?pticura, returning yo:w most hearty thanks for y:e [OR y:ad Expressions of yo:e love therein, & being I have already given yo:w notice of y:e recepte kind acceptance of yo:e lre my Acc:tt & Diamonds returned p. y:e London, I shall not farther trouble yo:w on y:t subiect, y:n by answer to w:t yo:w now instance pway of excuse, in having invested mine & my wives
[f. 38]
adventures jointly in y:t one returne; I say there needs no excuse where there hath been no mistake, much less ?offenre [OR “offence”?] our interests cannot be severed though to tell yo:w y:e truth, it hath turned more to her pticular content y:n otherwise for shee pleads & stronly believes yo:u did it designedly, & according ly desires me to returne yo:w her thankes, w:ch yo:w have y:e mor cause to owne, in y:t she now weares a Jewell, much larger & of more vallue, y:n probably it had otherwise bin, I am still yo:e debter for y:e provition of y:t imploym:t; & should before this time have farther importuned yo:w, both for myselfe & friends, but for y:e great perrills of of ("of" is repeated twice by the writer in the manuscript) times, w:ch it seemes are yet greater there y:n were imagined, & otherwise y:n by yo:e forbiding it, in yo:e lres p. y:e Affrican, y:e Comp:a had sent yo:w y:e London, w:ch being she lyes ready fitted, may possibly goe for Bantam, in case ?y:ed new treating peace succeeds, meanetime they are necessitated, to adventure y:e small Charles to yo:w as opposeing it to late, for her first intended designe, for Masulapatnam, as yo:w will more largely understand p. y:e Comp:a lres, she hath bin at plm:o these 3 months , & y:e Comp:a have but newly taken this resolution, or else I might have sent yo:w some Tobacco I have given S:r Hen:r Oxinden noticce thereof in Kent I meane of y:e expeditions, y:t he may as I suppose he doth now & write yo:w by her S:r Edward Winter & his adherers, both here & there have given us much care & trouble, but certainly God will in good time make ?manifes sure abominable wickednesses, it was a great providence of his y:t a Copie of yo:e lre to Consull Delanoy[1], came heither before there perjuries, but of this & other ocurrancesy so:w will have better information, from y:e Comp:a lres, & soe many others yo:e friends as I must begg yo:e pdon for y:e intrution, I see soe many letters & packetts directed to yo:w; as out of petty I might forbeare but y:t I cannot neglect y:e acknowledgm:t of my esteeme of yo:e expressed love & freindship, nor w:th all to lett yo:w know, & y:t most assuredly, yo:e name & fame doth yett stand sound & sweet, & I hope ever will doe, as long as yo:w act like yo:e selfe.
I have not heard any sure charge or Complaint against yo:w as yo:w intimate about private trade, nor did I ever heare at all either in y:e Court or out of it a word of 2000 rup:s given p. yo:e Governour 3:C$ [may be a dollar sign] p. a Merch:t of y:t Citty, to bee distributed amongst y:e seamen & others y:t assisted yo:w at y:e time y:e rebell savages assaulting y:t place, it must be more y:n ordenary evidence, y:t can fasten sure or any slander at all upon yo:w; I made bold p. y:e return to intreat yo:e acceptance of a barrell of mum, w:ch I hope came safe to yo:e hands though as yett wee have not heard of y:t ship since her departure, God grant shee be well, & to yo:w increase of honour healthe & prosperity
[f. 39]
S:r As I was closeing this I received y:e inclosed for yo:w from S:r Henrey Oxinden wherein I wish yo:w good newes though ours was this dayes Epch:a very bad namely y:e lose of our Dorcas comeing from y:e Baye God send us better tideings of y:e rest –
S:r we are now God be praysed at y:e 15:th August 1667 & originall of y:e foregoing Copy was seny p. M:r Nath Clavell [OR “Chanell] upon y:e Charles least y:t might not come to yo:e hands, I have thought good to trouble yo:w w:th its Coppy having little else to say at least not worthy yo:e devertion, from yo:e more important imploym:t nor have I ben soe happy as to receive any lines of yo:s though it hath pleased God, since y:e time to arrive us 2 ships in safety from yo:e port namely y:e returne to Portsmouth, & y:e S:t George to ?kingsalem Ireland, nither hath M:r Paige[2] or M:r Papillion[3] as they tell me heard anything of y:e proofe of our mum how beit y:e ??hlatter had lres from yo:w p. one or both y:e said shipps; I did w:th my former send yo:w a small packett from yo:e good Brother S:r Henry: Oxinden & here w:th send yo:u another single lre: from him wherein I suppose he advises yo:w y:e good health of all yo:e ffreinds & relations, who have most of y:m bin all y:e summer in y:e Citty, especially my good old Lady yo:e Mother[4], & yo:e Sister my Lady Oxinden[5]: yo:w have an acco:tt of public affaires from y:e Comp:a
Soe I shall only add my desire, y:t yo:w would notice y:t I am a constant dealer in muske & Ambergreece, & have still out bid & bought as much, as ever I had knowledge off, y:t came to y:e hands of my deare Cozen ?Dollisen, or to S:r Henry Oxinden since her death from yo:w, & y:t w:thout any scruple or great skill, in either sort, but purely out of y:e good confidence I have both of yo:e sincerity & knowledge in these Comoditys, & therefore if yo:w please to recommend me a Chapman, for w:t yo:w shall send home hereadter (still provided (give as much or more y:n any other man) I shall esteeme one amongst many favours received from yo:w) and not w:thstanding continually pray for yo:e good health & prosperity & remaine
S:r ny last to yo:w was p. y:e Charles where of y:e foregoeing is Coppy, & being latly returned from y:e Country, I find y:e Comp:a have waved their intended voyage for their pinck bantam & have now dispatched him for yo:e port of Suratt not w:thstanding she hath long sence layne ridie to goe to Bantam, & it is y:e opinion of many y:t shee will now
[f. 40]
run more y:n ordinary danger; in y:t it is soe unseasonable time of y:e yeare & how soever I am soe much prised phur suden departure as I have not time to gett any thing redy to send yo:w now any lres from my friends of Antwerp & therefore shall now forbare to trouble yo:w any farther y:n to advise yo:w y:t I have at S:r Hen:r Oxinden desire cleared yo:e 5 potts of muske & amb:r y:t came on y:e returne in y:e Customehowse & gotten y:e Comp:a remission for y:e fraight & ???mult but yeat, I could not a gree w:th him in y:e prices though M:r ?ffirth[6] & myselfe p:fred him 51:8 for y:e muske & 45:8 for y:e blacke & 4;10:6 for y:e gray amb:r notwithstanding y:e newes of y:e 10 Dutch ships arrivall in holland from ?Cat:a was Just y:n Comes & if he ben of, absolutly ingaiged to some other Chapman, tis possible wee may yet have it, beeing I have tould him after all his Tryalles, I will still give him more y:n any man XXX w:tsoever whether I gaine anything by it or not, however I find it will turne yo:w well to acco:t of w:ch I am glad, as one obliged ever to rejoyce in yo:e well fare whome I comitt to Gods [no word inserted by writer in manuscript but a blank left] & remaine
[RH SIDE]
Yo:e affectionate freind & servant
Christ:o Boone
[LH SIDE, UNDER SIGNATURE]
The purser of y:e Bantam is a poore kindsman
of mine London y:e 7:th October 1667
This was written before I went to y:e Exchange where I mett S:r Henry Oxinden & there agreed y:e muske at 52:8 y:e black at 46:8 ye gray and at 4:10:8 p. ou:te a great price but I am Content in this to ?waue any pfitt to my selfe soe it maybe yo:e advantage, S:r He:n is a notable agitator
Notes
- ↑ Consul Benjamin Delanoy, Aleppo. Benjamin Delanoy was later appointed Agent at Bantam by the English East India Company, but did not take up the post, having died (Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of the court minutes, etc., of the East India company, 1674-1676 (Oxford, 1935), p. xx
- ↑ The identity of Mr. Paige is unclear. It is possible that it was Edward Paige, London merchant, whose letters have been published (XXXX). See Missing faces
- ↑ Thomas Papillon, London merchant
- ↑ Lady Margaret Oxenden, the widow of Sir James Oxenden
- ↑ Sir Henry Oxenden's newly married third wife
- ↑ The identity of Mr. ?ffirth is unclear. See Missing faces
