MRP: 26th March 1663, Letter from Paul Ffrench to Sir GO

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26th March 1663, Letter from Paul Ffrench to Sir GO


BL, MS. XX,XXX, f. 54

Editorial history

02/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription
14/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki


Abstract & context


In this letter from Paul French to Sir George Oxenden, French refers to his friendship with Sir William Rider, and mentions contact with Sir George Oxenden before George's departure for Surat. He asks for Sir George Oxenden’s help in the administration of his dead son-in-law’s estate, that of Henry Revington. He mentions his good friend Captain Robert Fisher of the African.

Paul French had stood security for Henry Revington in the later 1650s. Revington had been chief of the Rajapur factory in 1659. He had been imprisoned by Shivajee in the early 1660s. Letters exist in the British Library from Henry Revington to L. Bushell, 1659.[1]


Suggested links

To do


(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript in BL


Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but needs to be checked

[BL, MS. XX,XXX, f. 54]

S:r Geo: Oxinden my much Hono:d ffreind,

Tho many rivill curtesies rcvd from you by mee & myne before yo:r departure out of England, have imboldened mee (by the advice of my Noble freind S:r W:m Rider) to request a farther favour from you yett feare it may bee to great a trouble, w:ch is to begg yo:r Assitance for y:e Recovery of any Estate of my sonn Hen Revingtons w:ch may bee á broad in y:e Country w:ch some of his relation are informed there is (& I hope the same) w:ch favour I begg for theire sakes, & to y:e purpose have heare inclosed lres of Administraion & á lre of átturney, wherein I was advised by S:r W:m Rider to joyne M:r Math Gray my good ffreind, who I hope will bee willing to take ofs some of y:e Trouble from yourselfe hee knowing best I presume in w:t condition hee was or his Estate at his Death, & w:t shall bee recoveredd, I intreate you may bee consigned to mee, w:th as little notice as may bee thereoff to others; as also retournes of w:t was consigned to you & M:r Gray either formdd or my daughter if not all ready done S:r my Wife & Daughter s present their service & respects to you in á Glass of good Canary & I desire yo:r Acceptance of a case of y:e same (w:ch I wish as good to you as now it is) by my Good ffreind Cap:t Rob:tt ffisher in y:e Affrican whome god preserve G:O: [in LH margin] it is Marked as p Marg:t cut in y:e Wood & black y:e key in his owne Custody, w:th w:ch my prayers to God for yo:r long health & greater happinesse Is all at present from him who much desires to show himselfe.

S:r
Yo:r most ffaithful & gratefull
Serv:t
Paul ffrench.

March y:e 26:th 1663:


S:r

There is á Case of Canary for M:r Gray (if liveing w:ch God Grant) if not pray please to except of it in Custody of Cap:t ffisher m’ked in y:e wood GM:F as y:e Other, Pray S:r please to retourne w:t doath concerne my Daughter Spire by itselfe if w:thout to great trouble

Yo:rs as before P: ff:


Henry Revington

(1) May have been involved in illegal arms trading with Mahrattis
- "It was solely due to the greed and crooked dealings of Mr. Henry Revington, the Chief of the Company’s Rajapur…."[2]

(2) "…William Buckeridge for Nicholas Buckeridge, and Paul French for Henry Revington,; each security is directed to seal a bond for 500l. penalty."[3]

(3) "In 1657 Henry Revington and his associates sold the Mughal general, Shahbaz Khan a number of iron guns. The general paid five thousand of the stipulated twenty four thousand rials of eight…."[4]

(4) Chief of EIC Rajapur factory 1659

(5) "It was now necessary to send out to Surat a new President, as Spiller had now returned to England, leaving Henry Revington in charge…"[5]

(6) "The English Resident, Revington, is still imprisoned with his colleagues by Shivaji in a certain inland fort called Soangur…"[6]

(7) Revington seems to have been in dispute with the EIC.[7]


Possible primary sources


BL

Add. 40696 ff. 16, 20: Revington (Henry). E. India Co's Chief in the Deccan. Letters to L. Bushell 1659. Copies.

- L Bushell may be the deceased Captain Leonard Bushell referred to in a letter from Thomas Thomlins to Sir George Oxenden, dated 26th March 1663
  1. ↑ BL, Add. 40696 ff. 16, 20)
  2. ↑ Jadunath Sarkar, Shivaji and His Times, 6th Ed., (XXXX, 1961), p. 333
  3. ↑ CCM 55-59, p. 98
  4. ↑ Ian Bruce Watson, Foundation for Empire: English Private Trade in India, 1659-1760 (XXXX, 1980), p. 325
  5. ↑ CCM 55-59, p. xxiv
  6. ↑ EFI 61-64, p. 5
  7. ↑ E/3/86 f 64 Mar 1662, Contents: Company's demands against Henry Revington

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