Abraham Rutter

Biographical synthesis
Abraham Rutter (b. ca. 1625; d. ?). Merchant.

Bookkeeper of London merchant Antonio ffernandez Caravajall from 1640 to 1652.

Resident in London in 1655.

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty
Thirty year old Abraham Rutter depposed on November 17th 1655 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on a libel on behalf of Antonio ffernandez Caravajall in the cause "Antonio ffernandez Caravajall of London merchant against the shipp Saint Mary and} against Marcus de la Rambida".

The case concerned the shipment of goods from London to Spain by Antonio ffernandez Caravajall at the order of Marcus da la Rumbida in the mid-a640s.

Abraham Rutter confirmed that the goods shipped were for de la Rumbida and duely paid for, saying that " in or about the moneth of October in the yeare 1644 the said Marcus da la Rumbida had and received at Paris and other places in ffrance upon the credit and account of the said Antonio ffernandez Caravashall the number of 338 crownes, amounting in sterling money to 72 li 7 s 6 d, which hee knoweth being then in ffrance with him, and delivereing to him part of the moneys in behalfe of the said Mr Fernandez and seeing his letters of credit from fernandez for the rest, and being specially acquainted with his receipt of the said rest, and passing the same to accompt; and the said Marcus da la Rumbida promised to pay and satisfy the same back to the said Fernandez".

Rutter referred to his knowledge of Carvajall's account books, saying he had "seene an accompt made up in the yeare 1644 betwixt the said Fernandez and the said Rumbida who was then in this citie, wherein the said Rumbida chardged himself as debitor to Mr fernandez in the summe of 3000 li sterling as by rorder of the said Rumbida invested in ffrance by Antonio Dias ffrances in linnen cloth sent for Spaine and there received by his order in the yeares 1642 or 1643 or thereabouts. And this deponent beleeveth that the said Fernandez hath since paid the said summe to the said Antonio Dias ffrances, having since seene generall releases from the said ffrances to the said fernandez of and from all accompts".

Rumbida appears to have been involved in importing bullion to England in the 16540s, since Rutter stated that "from the yeare 1644 to the yeare 1647 the said Antonio ffernandez prosecuted a sute on the behalfe of the said Rumebida and by his order touching certaine silver brought from the West Indies to England, and was therein at greate charge and expence of money".

Carvajall had received a two percent provision on all goods bought and sent by Carvajall on behalf of Rumbida.