MRP: 11th October 1667, Letter from Francis Clarke to Sir GO, London

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11th October 1667, Letter from Francis Clarke to Sir GO, London

BL, Add. MS. XX,XXXX, f. 45

Editorial history

13/12/11, CSG: Created page




Abstract & context

Sir Francis Clarke (b. 1622 or 1623, d. ?1690) wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated October 11th, 1667, sent from London.

The two men were of similar age; both in their mid-forties at the time of the letter. Sir Francis had been knighted two years previously, but had lost his first wife. Hence his reference in the letter to being "still in my widowers estate."

The letter was a friendly one, with Clarke promising that:

f I make any alteration, yo:w shall know it by ye generall shipps in ye spring, in ye meanetime I kisse yo:e hand most affectionatly, & am You:e trew hearted freind

He probably had a candidate in mind when he wrote these words, since three months later he remarried. His second wife was a thirty year old spinster, Elizabeth Proby of Mortlake, Surrey.[1]

Clarke's London house was on the south side of Fenchurch Street in the parish of St Gabriel, Fanchurch. It was a relatively modest ten hearth residence.[2]

Like a number of London merchants, Sir Francis Clarke was from Devon and Dorset born parents. His father was Christopher Clarke, a justice of the peace in Exeter, and his mother, Francis Pitt, was from Weymouth, Dorset.[3]




Suggested links


See 7th April 1663, Letter from Francis Clarke to Sir GO, London
See March 1665/66, Letter from Francis Clarke to Sir GO


To do



Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but requires checking

[BL, Add. MS. XX,XXXX, f. 45]

London ye 11th Octob: 1667

Worthy Sir George Oxinden

Much respected friend, I was not in towne w:n ye generall lre were signed, nor was I willing to lett y:s small shipps pass for Suratt wthout giving yo:w a few lines a acco:t of my healthe & ffamillies w:th a greate mercy a midst these many & great afflictions, it hath pleased god to send amongst us these 2 or 3 latter yeares; now it hath pleased him to give us peace w:th our enimies Ye ffrench & Dutch, & I hope ye parlim:t nowe mett will in love & kindness to o:r King & Kingdome settle ye great affaires, too great comfort & prospirity by w:t I gather ye Comp:a intends considerable stock & shiping this season for India, of w:ch yow will have a good proportion, & I pray god give us yo:w good success in our undertakings, ??p:w freind S:r George Smith[4] departed y:e wourld some few months since, his daughter[5] presently after mared to M:r ffenn,[6]

The last week walking w:th S:r Henry Oxinden,[7] hee discourse was thoug yo:w ware desirous to com for England, I told him getting of mony was a very desirous thing, But he answered me better y:t when twas well, tis enough

I am still in my widowers estate,[8] if I make any alteration, yo:w shall know it by ye generall shipps in ye spring, in ye meanetime I kisse yo:e hand most affectionatly, & am

You:e trew hearted freind
Frances Clarke


Notes

J.R. Woodhead (1966), Francis Clarke (A)


"CLARKE, Francis (A)

Ald Broad Street, 24 Jul-17 Aug 1666, disch, F £420 (1) Little St Helens, 1677, St Helen, 1668, Putney, Surr (2) DR, fr, 1648, by R, M, 1667 and 1687 (3) b 1622, bur 13 Apr 1690, at St Helen (4) PCC Admon, 4 Jun 1690 and 4 Dec 1708 f Christopher Clarke of Exeter, Devon, JP, m Frances Pitt of Weymouth, Dors, mar (A) 1648, Anne, da of William Essington, DR, of London, (B) Elizabeth, da of Henry Proby, Common Serjeant of the City, of Mortlake, Surr (5) Merchant Comm EIC, 1660-73, 1674-5 Co Assis LC, 1664-5 (6) Kt, 31 May 1665 (7) ? Tory, not Whig (8) Cf Francis CLARKE (B)

(1) Beaven, I, p 76 (2) Directory, 1677, Boyd 5671 (3) Beaven, II, p 98, LVP, 1664, p 41 (4) LVP, 1664, p 41, Boyd 5671 (5) LVP, 1664, pp 41-1, Boyd 5671, 9378, 32089 Re m, cf m of Jonathan ASH (6) LVP, 1664, p 41, Directory, 1677, Beaven, II, p 98 (7) Beaven, II, p 98 (8) H of L, MS 154 (f)"[9]


EEIC, 1655-1659


"[July 10, 1657] The following securities are accepted for various goods : William Cockayne, Senior, Thomas Blackerby, Thomas Andrew, Richard Clutterbucke, William Vincent, George Smyth, Francis Clarke, John Tutchin, Jacob Strange, and Robert Ostler"[10]


EEIC, 1660-1663


"[XXXX] Francis Clarke is contracted with to deliver quicksilver aboard the Constantinople Merchant"[11]

I think Francis Clarke was an EIC Committee [WHICH YEARS?] SEE: p. 200, CCM 60-63)


London marriage licences


"Clarke, Sir Francis, of London, kn'ght, widower, about 45, and Elizabeth Proby, of Mortlack, Surrey, spinster, about 30, and at own disposal - at Putney, Surrey. 18 Jan. 1667/8. V"[12]




Possible primary sources

  1. ↑ "Clarke, Sir Francis, of London, kn'ght, widower, about 45, and Elizabeth Proby, of Mortlack, Surrey, spinster, about 30, and at own disposal - at Putney, Surrey. 18 Jan. 1667/8. V" (Joseph Foster (ed.), London marriage licences, 1521-1869 (London, 1887), p. 283)
  2. ↑ 'Hearth Tax: City of London 1666: Saintt Gabrill Fanchurch ', London Hearth Tax: City of London and Middlesex, 1666 (2011). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=118504 Date accessed: 07 February 2012
  3. ↑ 'Clarke, Francis (A)', in J.R. Woodhead, 'Cade - Cutler', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966)
  4. ↑ Sir George Smith, London Merchant. He died in XXXX. See XXXXX for a report of his death
  5. ↑ Katherine Smith, Sir George Smith's only daughter
  6. ↑ Alderman John Fenn, London merchant, an associate of Captain George Cocke, married Katherine Smith
  7. ↑ Sir Henry Oxenden, elder brother of Sir George Oxenden. Sir henry oxenden had taken over as Sir George Oxenden's London agent, following the death of their sister Elizabeth Dallison in XXXX 1666
  8. ↑ Sir Francis Clarke's deceased wife was XXX. See Missing faces
  9. ↑ 'Clarke, Francis (A)', in J.R. Woodhead, 'Cade - Cutler', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966)
  10. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, July 10, 1657' (XXXX, p. 579) in CCM 55-59, p. ?
  11. ↑ XXXX, probably Feb 1661, CCM 60-63, p. 90
  12. ↑ Joseph Foster (ed.), London marriage licences, 1521-1869 (London, 1887), p. 283

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