MRP: March 1662/63, Letter from Charles Porter to Sir GO
March 1662/63, Letter from Charles Porter to Sir GO
BL, Add. MS. XX, XXX, f. 115
Editorial history
29/05/09, CSG: Completed transcription
18/12/11, CSG: Page created & posted transcription to wiki
Contents
Abstract & context
Charles Porter wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated March 1662/63, sent from London.
The letter recommended "my very good friend M:r L'Scallet," who was travelling out to Surat on the XXXX to take up the post of Surat chaplin.
Sir George Smith and Sir William Ryder also wrote to Sir George Oxenden recommending the chaplin, mentioning that they were writing "upon y:e Request of my Lord Richardson Charles Porter & many freinds."[1]
Charles Porter has not been satisfactorily identified.
In his will, Captain George Cock, a commercial colleague of Sir William Ryder, referred a number of times to Mr. Charles Porter, who he described as "my friend Mr. Charles Porter", and mentioned his goddaughter Letitia Porter. Moneys had been secured to Captain Cock's wife "by a judgment acknowledged to Mr. Charles Porter in trust for her use," which raises the possibility that Chares Porter may have been a lawyer.[2] The will of Robert Dawes, London merchant, also mentions a Mr. Charles Porter.[3] Biographical sources state that Letitia Porter was the second daughter of Charles Porter, the Middle Temple lawyer. Letitia subsequently married George Macartney. His elder daughter was Elizabeth, who married firstly Richard Devenish, and secondly John Moore, son of the Earl of Drogheda. Charles Porter's son was Frederick, who married his cousin, Mary Porter. George Cock's bequest to his goddaughter, Letitia Porter, was to default to Frederick Porter, should Leitita die before the age of seaven years old.[4]
Another correspondent of Sir George Oxenden, Benjamin Glanville, London merchant and brother-in-law of Sir George Smith, claimed friendship with Charles Porter, and the London merchants, Captain George Cocke and John Fenn.[5] George Cocke and John (Jack) Fenn were often guests of Sir George Smith, as observed by Samuel Pepys, a fellow diner.[6] John Fenn was to marry Katherine Smith, Sir George Smith's only daughter, shortly after Sir George Smith's death.[7]
Interestingly, given the association of George Cock and John Fenn, the name of Charles Porter appears as the legal signature to a Bill of Complaint exhibited in Chancery in 1670s by Cock and Fenn against the London merchant John Letten and Thomas Hobart, master of the William.[8]
Elizabeth Dallison was also familiar with the same Charles Porter, commenting in her letter to her brother dated April 1st, 1663:
I must not pass my telling you y:t S:r Geo: Smith is w:t hee professed your very hearty serv:t & true ffreind, hee now & then dooth mee y:e favour to give mee visett & comes & bringes S:r Will:m Rider w:th him, & Penington & Porter, & eate w:th mee but is soo Rightious as to send word over Night, I have bine many tymes invited to eate w:th him, but have beene theare but seldome[9]
Suggested links
See Charles Porter will
- The match with Sir George Oxenden's correspondent is unconvincing
To do
(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL
(2) Investigate whether Charles Porter could be Charles Porter (1631-96), of Essex Buildings, the Middle Temple'[10]
- Charles Porter wrote from Middle Temple
- This Charles Porter was the 2nd son of Edmund Porter (d.1670), rector of Hevingham, Norf. and preb. of Norwich. The Norwich connection could explain Charles Porter's friendship with John l'Escaliot who was linked to Norwich and Norfolk
- Father or this Charles Porter was PROB 11/334 Penn 129-184 Will of Edmund Porter, Doctor of Divinity and Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Norwich 14 November 1670
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but requires checking
[BL, Add. MS. XX, XXX, f. 115]
Deare S:r George.
This opportunity by my very good freind M:r L’Scallett[11] (who is appointed yo:r Chaplin) offering it selfe I could not forbeare giveing you this Trouble, as well to lett you know I have a very great sense & acknowledgm:t of yo:r kindenesse & respects to mee whilst I had y:e Hono:r to Waite on you here as alsoe to assure you y:t nothing Cann more oblidge mee than yo:r Commands w:ch I shall accomplish (to y:e Best of my skill & power) with all willingnesse & allacrity; I am to tell you (as a very great trueth, for soo indeed it is) This Bearer is soo well worthy yo:r pticuler regard & kindenesse y:t I am Confident I have onely anticipated yo:r Judgem:t by yo:r kindenesse to my Commendations, yo:r owne expressione [or "s"?] In a short tyme I dare say will Speake better for him than I can doo; Newes wee have none all is well, or at Least quiet, y:e greatest trouble is y:e non Conformist whoos Strength to is nothing but w:t they gaine by y:e ill opinion wee have of o:r owne; a short tyme wll sett all right if wee doo not undervallue our selves more than I doo in sayeing I am, as In troth I:
S:r
Yo:r most humble & affectionat serv:t
Charles Porter
Notes
Possible primary sources
TNA
PROB 11/393 Exton 131-172 Will of Charles Porter, Gentleman of London 31 December 1688
- ↑ 26th March 1663, Letter from George Smith & William Rider, London
- ↑ George Cock will
- ↑ Robert Dawes will
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Porter_%28Lord_Chancellor_of_Ireland%29, viewed 28/01/12
- ↑ 'April 21. [1670] London. Ben. Glanville to [Joseph] Williamson,' in Mary Anne Everett Greene (ed.), 'Charles II: April 1670', Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1670: With addenda 1660-70 (1895), pp. 144-193. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=55029 Date accessed: 18 January 2012
- ↑ This is the footnote text
- ↑ November 1667, Letter from Henry Oxinden to Sir GO
- ↑ C6/36/21 f. 1
- ↑ 1st April 1663, Letter from Elizabeth Dalyson to Sir GO
- ↑ Paula Watson, 'PORTER, Charles (1631-96), of Essex Buildings, the Middle Temple'http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/porter-charles-1631-96
- ↑ John L'Escalliot. See 5th April 1663, Letter from Thomas Rychardson to Sir GO, London
