MRP: 5th April 1663, Letter from Thomas Rychardson to Sir GO, London

5th April 1663, Letter from Thomas Rychardson to Sir GO, London

BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX, f. 99

Editorial history

29/05/09, CSG: Transcription completed
18/12/11, CSG: Page created & posted transcription to wiki

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Abstract & context

Thomas Richardson wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated April 5th, 1663, sent from London.

Richardson was commonly known as "Lord Richardson," but, according to Ethel Bruce Sainsbury's calendar of court minutes of the English East India Company, he was correctly known as "Lord Cramond." His grandfather was the former Lord Chief Justice, Sir Thomas Richardson, whose second wife was created Baroness Cramond in 1629. Sir George Smith and Sir William Ryder referred to him as Lord Richardson in a slightly earlier letter of March 26th, 1663.

Richardson had presented his candidate for the position of Surat chaplin at a Court of Committees held on January 28, 1663, and the decision was taken for him to preach one Sunday at Stepney parish church. Elizabeth Dallison mentioned to her brother, in her own letter to Sir George Oxenden of April 1st, 1663, that she had heard the sermon at the Stepney church:

I heard M:r I doo not well remember his name preach at Stepny Church, I hope hee will bee very useful to you hee is much Comend:d for his abilityes & good Life S:r Geo: Smith & S:r W:m Rider have a great good opinion of him

The chaplin Richardson proposed, whose name slipped Elizabeth Dallison's mind, was John l'Escalliot. l'Escalliot had taken his M.A. degree from Cambridge in 1660 and was XXXX.

Several other letters mentioned the chaplin. Charles Porter sent a letter of his own with "my very good freind M:r L’Scallett (who is appointed yo:r Chaplin). A joint letter from Sir George Smith and Sir William Ryder lent their weight to Richardson and Porter's separate letters:

Upon y:e Request of my Lord Richardson Charles Porter & many freinds more I am desired to recommend to yo: favour y:e B[xxxx] yo:r Chapline M:r Jn:o LeScarlett, lett his worth & good parts praise him (& not my penn) hee was recommended to y:e Hono:ble Comp:a & freely elected by y:e Comittee as a person worth theire service & Imploym:t in y:e Ministree, hee soo appearing to you I beseech you S:r give him all due Incuradgm:t & Carrector him soo to y:e Comp:a that his salary may bee augment:d from 50:ll to 100:ll p ann:

Richardson's country estate was at XXXX, Norfolk.

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Suggested links

See Letter of Dr. Escaliot, Surat to Dr. Browne, Norfolk, January 26th 1663/64

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To do

(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL

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Transcription

This transcription has been completed, but needs to be checked

[f. 99]

Hono:d S:r

It must bee y:e ingenuity of yo:r disposition not y:e merritt of soo greate á stranger as I am to you can obtain pardon, for y:r troubles I herby give you, occasioned by y:e East Indian Comp:ys accepting, upon my recommendations this bearer for yo:r Chaplin; of whoos Piety, Loialty, Learning, & Civellity, I have had á bout five yeares experience in my house upon which, I humbly move you; y:t as you ?aapprove him you will please to certifie of him to y:e Governor of y:e Comp:a heere, for his incuradgement & y:e satisfaction of.

Yo:r most Humble
Though unknown serv:t
Tho:s Rychardson

London Aprill y:e 5:th 1663

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Notes

Alumni Cantabrigiensis

"LESCAILLET or LEESCAILLET, JOHN. Adm. sizar at Caius,
May 14, 1625. Readm. pens. Dec. 14, 1625, age 16. S. of
Rowland, weaver, of Norwich. School, Norwich (Mr Ston-
ham). Matric. 1625; Scholar, 1626-8; B.A. 1628-9.

LESCAILLET, JOHN. Matric. pens, from Corpus Christi,
Easter, 1653. Of Hertfordshire. B.A. 1656-7; M.A. 1660.
Chaplain to the East India Company, Bombay Establish-
ment, 1663. Died at Surat."John Venn, J.A. Venn, Alumni Cantabrigiensis (Cambridge, 1924), p. 75

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