Difference between revisions of "MRP: 2nd October 1667, Letter from John Portman to Sir GO, London"
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
==Abstract & context== | ==Abstract & context== | ||
| + | John Portman (b. ?, d. 1683) wrote to Sir George Oxenden from London in a letter dated October 2nd, 1667. | ||
| + | |||
| + | He was on friendly terms with Sir George Oxenden. They were both from Kent: John Portman being born at Tunstall, near Sittingbourne, in Kent, and Sir George Oxenden at Wingham, in Kent. Hence Portman's signature: | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & Cuntryman, | ||
| + | to serve yo:w | ||
| + | Jo:n Portman'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Portman had intended a cask of wine for Oxenden, but: | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''By reason of y:e troubles & her voyage not proceeding, I was fforced to take home & spend in my owne house in Comp:a of sume ffreinds off yo:e & mine whose Names att presant I thinke fitt to conceale'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Why Portman chose to concel his drinking partners, friends of both Portman and Oxenden, is unclear. Perhaps one was Sir William Ryder, who had commercial links to Portman and who had written earlier to encourage Sir George Oxenden to help Portman's son.<ref>[[MRP: 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London|16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London]]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In his letter John Portman thanked Sir George Oxenden for Oxenden's letter to him dated September 10th, 1666, which dealt with a possible passage of his son John Portman Junior to the East Indies. By October 1667, John Portman Junior may already have been in Surat, since an earlier letter from Sir William Ryder to Sir George Oxenden mentioned John Portman's son, and the help that Oxenden was providing: | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Pray yo:w to shew kindness to M:r Jn:o Portmans son who went on y:e Affrican as I am Informed''<ref>[[MRP: 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London|16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London]]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | It appears from Portman's letter of October 2nd, 1667, that Oxenden had agreed to accept John Portman's son, John Portman junior, as a personal servant in Surat, since Portman wrote in a postscriptum: | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''I am informed y:t if yo:w finde my sonn fitt for y:e Comp:a service y:t yo:w have power to imploy him but if yo:w thinke it Convenient for me to addres y:e Comp:a I am informed yo:r lreoff recommendation is y:e reddiest meanes to offert itt'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | John Portman junior remained in the East Indies until his death, circa 1674-1676, when his father received his son's due wages of £40.<ref>XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | John Portman senior engaged in a broad range of commercial activities, more so perhaps than some other London goldsmiths. For example, his name appears on the Charter of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1670, alongside John Fenn, a London merchant who had married Sir George Smith's only daughter, Katherine Smith.<ref>'Charter of Hudson's Bay, 1670', at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Charter_of_Hudson%27s_Bay, viewed 24/01/12 </ref> He also XXXXX. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
==Suggested links== | ==Suggested links== | ||
| Line 27: | Line 52: | ||
London ye 2d of October 1667 | London ye 2d of October 1667 | ||
| − | In my last unto yo:w wth was by ye shipp ''Charles'' Capt Samuell Smithe Commander) I gave yo:w Acc:tt of ye receipt of yo of ye 10th off Sept) w:ch did Assure me of so greate kindness shewed by yo: self unto my son, if y:t did afford greate measure of satisfaction to myselfe & my over much afflicted wife, our hopes being y:t God will overt his heart soe to behave himselfe by his dutyfull Carriage & deportment towards yo:w as may ever demonstrate his thankfullnes ffor ye greate ffavours he hath received from yo:w for ye w:ch both myself & my wife | + | In my last unto yo:w wth was by ye shipp ''Charles'' Capt Samuell Smithe<ref>Captain Samuell Smith, commander of the ''Charles'', was XXXX. See [[MRP: Missing faces|Missing faces]]</ref> Commander) I gave yo:w Acc:tt of ye receipt of yo of ye 10th off Sept) w:ch did Assure me of so greate kindness shewed by yo: self unto my son,<ref>John Portman junior</ref> if y:t did afford greate measure of satisfaction to myselfe & my over much afflicted wife, our hopes being y:t God will overt his heart soe to behave himselfe by his dutyfull Carriage & deportment towards yo:w as may ever demonstrate his thankfullnes ffor ye greate ffavours he hath received from yo:w for ye w:ch both myself & my wife<ref>John Portman was married to XXXX. See [[MRP: Missing faces|Missing faces]]</ref> |
[f.21] | [f.21] | ||
| Line 33: | Line 58: | ||
doe send yo:w reall Cordiall thankes & doe Humbly begg ye Continuance of kindness towards him & Care of him, ffor y:e Cause of his removall from hence still remanes, so y:t if hee should returne hether wee Could looke upon him but as a Child lost & utterly ruined for ever; I shall ad noe more for I doe not doubt but yo:w have been pleased to Consider our Condition as parents to a sonn for whom wee once had feare to Great a Measure of Affaction | doe send yo:w reall Cordiall thankes & doe Humbly begg ye Continuance of kindness towards him & Care of him, ffor y:e Cause of his removall from hence still remanes, so y:t if hee should returne hether wee Could looke upon him but as a Child lost & utterly ruined for ever; I shall ad noe more for I doe not doubt but yo:w have been pleased to Consider our Condition as parents to a sonn for whom wee once had feare to Great a Measure of Affaction | ||
| − | Y:e Caske of wine w:ch I intended to have sent by y:e London by reason of y:e troubles & her voyage not proceeding, I was fforced to take home & spend in my owne house in Comp:a of sume ffreinds off yo:e & mine whose Names att presant I thinke fitt to conceale, I had to short warning ??recruited y:m by this Vessell, but have sent yo:w as a token of mine and my wifes thankfullness A Meddall of our king whome God grant long to reign of fine Gold refined to y:e weight, weying About 4:oz they are very rare here in England, being Judged, to be good peeces of arte for Workemanshipp, off which I humbly pray yo:r Acceptance ffrom him who shall ever endeavor to approve himselfe to be , deare | + | Y:e Caske of wine w:ch I intended to have sent by y:e ''London'' by reason of y:e troubles & her voyage not proceeding, I was fforced to take home & spend in my owne house in Comp:a of sume ffreinds off yo:e & mine whose Names att presant I thinke fitt to conceale,<ref>It is unclear why John Portman felt the need to conceal the friends of his and Sir George Oxenden who drank Sir George Oxenden's intended cask of wine at John Portman's house</ref> I had to short warning ??recruited y:m by this Vessell, but have sent yo:w as a token of mine and my wifes thankfullness A Meddall of our king<ref>Gold medals of Charles II were struck in quantity and have survived. See XXXX</ref> whome God grant long to reign of fine Gold refined to y:e weight, weying About 4:oz they are very rare here in England, being Judged, to be good peeces of arte for Workemanshipp, off which I humbly pray yo:r Acceptance ffrom him who shall ever endeavor to approve himselfe to be , deare |
S:r | S:r | ||
Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & | Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & | ||
| − | Cuntryman to serve yo:w | + | Cuntryman<ref>Check whether John Portman was from Kent, and hence the phrase "Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & Cuntryman"</ref> to serve yo:w |
Jo:n Portman | Jo:n Portman | ||
| Line 45: | Line 70: | ||
The box on y:e one side is dyrected to yo:rselfe & marked one y:e other side GIO | The box on y:e one side is dyrected to yo:rselfe & marked one y:e other side GIO | ||
| − | w:ch yow may please to demand of Capt Barker | + | w:ch yow may please to demand of Capt Barker<ref>Captain Barker was XXXX</ref> |
The other gold I intreat yo:w | The other gold I intreat yo:w | ||
| Line 53: | Line 78: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| + | ===J.R. Woodhead (1966), John Portman=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | "PORTMAN, John | ||
| + | |||
| + | Co Co Langborn, 1670-7, Dep, 1673-7 'The Unicorn', Lombard Street, 1644-63 (cf Charles EVERARD), St Mary Woolnoth, 1641, 1674, St Bride, 1670-83 (1) GOLD, appr, 1628, to William Tomson, fr, 1636 (2) d 2 Dec 1683, in the Fleet prison, bur St Mary Woolnoth (3) f Christopher Portman of Tunstall, Kent, yeo, m Joanne, da of John Munns of Mundeboys, Kent, mar (A) Elizabeth, (B) Mary, da of Philip Wergan of Dean, Glouc (4) Goldsmith and banker £76,760 involved in the Stop of the Exchequer 1672 (5) RAG stock £1,500 of original stock, 1671 (6) Son George Portman mar Margaret, da of Thomas WEARGE (7) | ||
| + | |||
| + | (1) Heal, London Goldsmiths, p 226, SBk, Jul-Oct 1674, LVP, 1664, p 112 (2) Boyd 26837, GOLD, Appr Reg, I, f 288, Index of Appr (3) Boyd 26837, Hilton Price, Hand- book, p 131 (4) GOLD, Appr Reg, I, f 288, LVP, 1664, p 112 (5) Heal, London Goldsmiths, p 226, Hilton Price, Handbook, p 131 (6) PRO, T 70/100 (7) Boyd 26837, 26838, 43348<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=31892#s67 'Portman, John' in 'Pack - Pyers', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966), pp. 124-134]</ref> | ||
| + | ---- | ||
| + | ===John Portman, goldsmith, Hudson's Bay company=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | "THE CHARTER FOR INCORPORATING THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Granted by His Majesty King Charles the Second, in the 22nd Year of his Reign, A.D. 1670 | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Charles the Second By the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith &c | ||
| + | |||
| + | To All to whome these presentes shall come greeting | ||
| + | |||
| + | Whereas Our Deare and entirely Beloved cousin Prince Rupert Count Palatyne of the Rhyne Duke of Bavaria and Cumberland &c Christopher Duke of Albemarle William Earle of Craven Henry Lord Arlington Anthony Lord Ashley Sir John Robinson and Sir Robert Vyner Knightes and Baronettes Sir Peter Colliton Baronett Sir Edward Hungerford Knight of the Bath Sir Paul Neele Knight Sir John Griffith and Sir Phillipp Carteret Knightes James Hayes John Kirke Francis Millington William Prettyman John Fenn Esquires and John Portman Cittizen and Goldsmith of London have at theire owne great cost and charge undertaken an | ||
| + | Expedicion for Hudsons Bay in the North west part of America for the discovery of a new Passage into the South Sea and for the finding some Trade for Furrs Mineralls and other considerable Commodityes and by such theire undertaking have already made such discoveryes as doe encourage them to proceed further in pursuance of theire said designe by meanes whereof there may probably arise very great advantage to us and our Kingdome | ||
| + | ...Doe give grant ratifie and confirme unto our said Cousin Prince Rupert Christopher Duke of Albemarle William Earle of Craven Henry Lord Arlington Anthony Lord Ashley Sir John Robinson Sir Robert Vyner Sir Peter Colleton Sir Edward Hungerford Sir Paul Neile Sir John Griffith and Sir Phillipp Carterett James Hayes John Kirke Francis Millington William Prettyman John Fenn and John Portman That they and such others as shall bee admitted into the said Society as is hereafter expressed shall bee one Body Corporate and Politique in deed and in name by the name of the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England tradeing into Hudsons Bay and them by the name of the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England tradeing into Hudsons Bay one Body Corporate and Politique in deede and in name really and fully for ever for us our heirs and successors"<ref>'Charter of Hudson's Bay, 1670', at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Charter_of_Hudson%27s_Bay, viewed 24/01/12 </ref> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
==Possible primary sources== | ==Possible primary sources== | ||
Revision as of 11:02, January 24, 2012
2nd October 1667, Letter from John Portman to Sir GO, London
BL, Add. MS. XX, XXXX, ff. 20-21
Editorial history
13/12/11, CSG: Created page
Contents
Abstract & context
John Portman (b. ?, d. 1683) wrote to Sir George Oxenden from London in a letter dated October 2nd, 1667.
He was on friendly terms with Sir George Oxenden. They were both from Kent: John Portman being born at Tunstall, near Sittingbourne, in Kent, and Sir George Oxenden at Wingham, in Kent. Hence Portman's signature:
Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & Cuntryman,
to serve yo:w
Jo:n Portman
Portman had intended a cask of wine for Oxenden, but:
By reason of y:e troubles & her voyage not proceeding, I was fforced to take home & spend in my owne house in Comp:a of sume ffreinds off yo:e & mine whose Names att presant I thinke fitt to conceale
Why Portman chose to concel his drinking partners, friends of both Portman and Oxenden, is unclear. Perhaps one was Sir William Ryder, who had commercial links to Portman and who had written earlier to encourage Sir George Oxenden to help Portman's son.[1]
In his letter John Portman thanked Sir George Oxenden for Oxenden's letter to him dated September 10th, 1666, which dealt with a possible passage of his son John Portman Junior to the East Indies. By October 1667, John Portman Junior may already have been in Surat, since an earlier letter from Sir William Ryder to Sir George Oxenden mentioned John Portman's son, and the help that Oxenden was providing:
Pray yo:w to shew kindness to M:r Jn:o Portmans son who went on y:e Affrican as I am Informed[2]
It appears from Portman's letter of October 2nd, 1667, that Oxenden had agreed to accept John Portman's son, John Portman junior, as a personal servant in Surat, since Portman wrote in a postscriptum:
I am informed y:t if yo:w finde my sonn fitt for y:e Comp:a service y:t yo:w have power to imploy him but if yo:w thinke it Convenient for me to addres y:e Comp:a I am informed yo:r lreoff recommendation is y:e reddiest meanes to offert itt
John Portman junior remained in the East Indies until his death, circa 1674-1676, when his father received his son's due wages of £40.[3]
John Portman senior engaged in a broad range of commercial activities, more so perhaps than some other London goldsmiths. For example, his name appears on the Charter of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1670, alongside John Fenn, a London merchant who had married Sir George Smith's only daughter, Katherine Smith.[4] He also XXXXX.
Suggested links
See 25th March 1666/67, Letter from John Portman to Sir GO, London
To do
Transcription
[f. 20]
Honoured S:r
London ye 2d of October 1667
In my last unto yo:w wth was by ye shipp Charles Capt Samuell Smithe[5] Commander) I gave yo:w Acc:tt of ye receipt of yo of ye 10th off Sept) w:ch did Assure me of so greate kindness shewed by yo: self unto my son,[6] if y:t did afford greate measure of satisfaction to myselfe & my over much afflicted wife, our hopes being y:t God will overt his heart soe to behave himselfe by his dutyfull Carriage & deportment towards yo:w as may ever demonstrate his thankfullnes ffor ye greate ffavours he hath received from yo:w for ye w:ch both myself & my wife[7]
[f.21]
doe send yo:w reall Cordiall thankes & doe Humbly begg ye Continuance of kindness towards him & Care of him, ffor y:e Cause of his removall from hence still remanes, so y:t if hee should returne hether wee Could looke upon him but as a Child lost & utterly ruined for ever; I shall ad noe more for I doe not doubt but yo:w have been pleased to Consider our Condition as parents to a sonn for whom wee once had feare to Great a Measure of Affaction
Y:e Caske of wine w:ch I intended to have sent by y:e London by reason of y:e troubles & her voyage not proceeding, I was fforced to take home & spend in my owne house in Comp:a of sume ffreinds off yo:e & mine whose Names att presant I thinke fitt to conceale,[8] I had to short warning ??recruited y:m by this Vessell, but have sent yo:w as a token of mine and my wifes thankfullness A Meddall of our king[9] whome God grant long to reign of fine Gold refined to y:e weight, weying About 4:oz they are very rare here in England, being Judged, to be good peeces of arte for Workemanshipp, off which I humbly pray yo:r Acceptance ffrom him who shall ever endeavor to approve himselfe to be , deare
S:r
Yo:r Affectionate ffriend &
Cuntryman[10] to serve yo:w
Jo:n Portman
S:r
I am informed y:t if yo:w finde my sonn fitt for y:e Comp:a service y:t yo:w have power to imploy him but if yo:w thinke it Convenient for me to addres y:e Comp:a I am informed yo:r lreoff recommendation is y:e reddiest meanes to offert itt
The box on y:e one side is dyrected to yo:rselfe & marked one y:e other side GIO
w:ch yow may please to demand of Capt Barker[11]
The other gold I intreat yo:w
to deliver to my sonn: w:ch I
have directed him to receave
from yo:r hands
Notes
J.R. Woodhead (1966), John Portman
"PORTMAN, John
Co Co Langborn, 1670-7, Dep, 1673-7 'The Unicorn', Lombard Street, 1644-63 (cf Charles EVERARD), St Mary Woolnoth, 1641, 1674, St Bride, 1670-83 (1) GOLD, appr, 1628, to William Tomson, fr, 1636 (2) d 2 Dec 1683, in the Fleet prison, bur St Mary Woolnoth (3) f Christopher Portman of Tunstall, Kent, yeo, m Joanne, da of John Munns of Mundeboys, Kent, mar (A) Elizabeth, (B) Mary, da of Philip Wergan of Dean, Glouc (4) Goldsmith and banker £76,760 involved in the Stop of the Exchequer 1672 (5) RAG stock £1,500 of original stock, 1671 (6) Son George Portman mar Margaret, da of Thomas WEARGE (7)
(1) Heal, London Goldsmiths, p 226, SBk, Jul-Oct 1674, LVP, 1664, p 112 (2) Boyd 26837, GOLD, Appr Reg, I, f 288, Index of Appr (3) Boyd 26837, Hilton Price, Hand- book, p 131 (4) GOLD, Appr Reg, I, f 288, LVP, 1664, p 112 (5) Heal, London Goldsmiths, p 226, Hilton Price, Handbook, p 131 (6) PRO, T 70/100 (7) Boyd 26837, 26838, 43348[12]
John Portman, goldsmith, Hudson's Bay company
"THE CHARTER FOR INCORPORATING THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY
Granted by His Majesty King Charles the Second, in the 22nd Year of his Reign, A.D. 1670
Charles the Second By the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith &c
To All to whome these presentes shall come greeting
Whereas Our Deare and entirely Beloved cousin Prince Rupert Count Palatyne of the Rhyne Duke of Bavaria and Cumberland &c Christopher Duke of Albemarle William Earle of Craven Henry Lord Arlington Anthony Lord Ashley Sir John Robinson and Sir Robert Vyner Knightes and Baronettes Sir Peter Colliton Baronett Sir Edward Hungerford Knight of the Bath Sir Paul Neele Knight Sir John Griffith and Sir Phillipp Carteret Knightes James Hayes John Kirke Francis Millington William Prettyman John Fenn Esquires and John Portman Cittizen and Goldsmith of London have at theire owne great cost and charge undertaken an
Expedicion for Hudsons Bay in the North west part of America for the discovery of a new Passage into the South Sea and for the finding some Trade for Furrs Mineralls and other considerable Commodityes and by such theire undertaking have already made such discoveryes as doe encourage them to proceed further in pursuance of theire said designe by meanes whereof there may probably arise very great advantage to us and our Kingdome
...Doe give grant ratifie and confirme unto our said Cousin Prince Rupert Christopher Duke of Albemarle William Earle of Craven Henry Lord Arlington Anthony Lord Ashley Sir John Robinson Sir Robert Vyner Sir Peter Colleton Sir Edward Hungerford Sir Paul Neile Sir John Griffith and Sir Phillipp Carterett James Hayes John Kirke Francis Millington William Prettyman John Fenn and John Portman That they and such others as shall bee admitted into the said Society as is hereafter expressed shall bee one Body Corporate and Politique in deed and in name by the name of the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England tradeing into Hudsons Bay and them by the name of the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England tradeing into Hudsons Bay one Body Corporate and Politique in deede and in name really and fully for ever for us our heirs and successors"[13]
Possible primary sources
TNA
PROB 11/349 Dycer 106-147 Will of John Portman of Quedah, India 20 December 1675
- Probably the will of John Portman's son, to whom the letter writer refers above
PROB 11/377 Hare 98-140 Will of Samuel Smith, Mariner of Saint Paul Shadwell, Middlesex 04 September 1684
- Possible the commander of the ship referred to by the letter writer
- ↑ 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London
- ↑ 16th April 1667, Letter from William Rider to Sir GO, London
- ↑ XXXX, Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1674-76 (Oxford, 1935), p. 76
- ↑ 'Charter of Hudson's Bay, 1670', at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Charter_of_Hudson%27s_Bay, viewed 24/01/12
- ↑ Captain Samuell Smith, commander of the Charles, was XXXX. See Missing faces
- ↑ John Portman junior
- ↑ John Portman was married to XXXX. See Missing faces
- ↑ It is unclear why John Portman felt the need to conceal the friends of his and Sir George Oxenden who drank Sir George Oxenden's intended cask of wine at John Portman's house
- ↑ Gold medals of Charles II were struck in quantity and have survived. See XXXX
- ↑ Check whether John Portman was from Kent, and hence the phrase "Yo:r Affectionate ffriend & Cuntryman"
- ↑ Captain Barker was XXXX
- ↑ 'Portman, John' in 'Pack - Pyers', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London (1966), pp. 124-134
- ↑ 'Charter of Hudson's Bay, 1670', at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Charter_of_Hudson%27s_Bay, viewed 24/01/12
