MRP: October 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO

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October 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO

BL, Add. MS. XX, XXXX, f. 22

Editorial history

13/12/11, CSG: Created page




Abstract & context


Captain Robert Bowen wrote to Sir George Oxenden in a letter dated October 1667.

He had written twice before, in letters dated April 14th 1667 and October 3rd, 1667. The first of these previous letters had been sent from Padstow [Plaistow], and the second was from London.[1]

The purpose of this short letter was to chase up a parcel of seventy-four diamonds which Robert Bowen had left in Surat with Sir George. In the meantime Bowen had sold the diamonds to the London merchant Christopher Willoughby. Bowen ruefully acknowledged that he had sold them at a loss.

Christopher Willoughby had himself written to Sir George Oxenden in April 1667 to enquire about the diamonds.[2]

The letter of October 1667 was similar to his letter of April 14th, 1667. It may have been sent as an insurance against the loss of the first letter, given the war with the Dutch, which made sea travel most uncertain.

Robert Bowen was on familiar terms with Sir George Oxenden, as were a number of mariners whose letters also survive. He signed off "your loving friend," and included news of Sir George's nephew, Charles Masters, who had returned from Surat in December 1665.

He was a highly experienced mariner. As the commander of the London, he was frequently employed by the English East India Company. Three voyages were made by the London under his command for the Company in the late 1650s and early 1660s. These were to XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX.[3]

At the time of writing to Sir George Oxenden in 1667 he was probably over sixty years in age, and may have made his last voyage. He had recently remarried. His wife, Thomasine Dare, also a widow, was of Stepney Middlesex, whereas he was of Plaistowe, Essex. In the marriage allegations he had declared his age as "about sixty" and she as "about forty-three."[4]

Captain Robert Bowen was mentioned by several other correspondents:

Sir William Ryder commented on the arrival of Captain Bowen's and other commanders' ships in a letter to Sir George Oxenden dated January 3rd 1665/66:

Shipes London & Royall Charles together with the American arrived in safty at the Isle of Weight about 3 weekes past and are now thankes be to God all well in our River of Thames but none of their Comanders as yet com up, soo my thoughts are to send downe unto Cap:t Bowen for the small things comited to his charge by your good sellfe on me & ffrinds[5]

Elizabeth Dallison, Sir George Oxenden's sister and London agent, reported in March 1665/66 that Captain Bowen had delivered a small packet of diamonds to the Customs House on Oxenden's behalf:

The little Box of Dymonds w:ch you sent marked TW:AM: Cap:t Bowen delivered to the East India comp:a who have been very xxxxx upon your Acco:tt & freely gave mee an order for Y:m Nothing wanting now only y:e Clearing the Custom[6]

John Mascall, a respected and trusted friend of the Oxendens, thanked Sir George for a token he had received via Bowen:

S:r I am herewith to render yo:w mine & my Wifes thankes for you token sent by Cap:t Bowen which was punctually deivered accoring to your Direction[7]

Sir George Smith mentioned Captain Bowen in a letter dated March 1665/66. This was in the context of the return of an adventure he and Sir William Ryder had sent out earlier to Surat:

that Small adventure K:S: what was sent out by S:r Will:m Rider and my selfe yo:w now Returne by Cap:t Bowen which is very well[8]

Sir Henry Oxenden, Sir George's elder brother, wrote to Sir George in April 1665/66, having spoken with Bowen about prospects for the outward sea voyage to Surat:

the Danes have seased o:r English shipps in Copenhagen, your shipp is given by many for lost, there is 30 given to Insure her Cap:t Bowen told me tis allmost Impossible she cann come to you[9]



Suggested links


See 14th April 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO, Pladsto
See 3rd October 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO, London


To do


(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL


Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but required checking

[BL, Add. MS. XX, XXXX, f. 22]

[f.22]

S:r George Oxinden & Hon: ffreind

Sr

I was in good hopes by ye last suratt shipps to have recvd my small box of Dymonds left in yo:r worps hands contayning seventy 4 dimonds but I soppose it was yo:e love & Care to me y:t yo:w sent y:m not being the times were dangerous but now peece being concluded I doe desire they may be sent unto M:r Christopher Willoughby[10] unto whom I have sould y:m although to losse: therefore for ye future disposure of y:m pray observe his order not already present but remaine

Yo:r loving ffreind
Rob:t Bowen

Charles Masters[11] rememb his duty to yo Wors: & ye rest
of his relations

JO RB


Notes

EEIC 1655-1659


"[January 5, 1659] Order is given for 6,000/. in coin and bullion to be carried in the London to Surat. Allowance to Captains Bowen and Mason for fresh provisions and for primage and average. Captain Prowd to provide a hoy and send the lime and other provisions for Guinea into the Downs to the Coast Frigate. Resolved that the London touch at Cape Verd Islands, or some place near, to procure necessaries for planting, but not stay more than three days. Sir James Drax and Captain Broakhoven to give directions for drawing up a commission and instructions for Captain Dutton to plant and fortify St. Helena."[12]

"[February 7, 1659] A letter is read from Captain Bowen, advising the Court that the London was detained in the Downs after her consorts (twenty-one sail of ships), on pretence that she had some coin and bullion on board for transportation without licence ; hereupon some Committees are entreated to petition his Highness and the Council for prevention of the like abuse in the future, and that those who acted in this matter may make satisfaction for any detriment the Company may sustain by it."[13]


EEIC 1660-1663


"[October 3, 1660] Calicoes, drugs, etc., to be priced in readiness for the sale. Captain Bowen is desired to see that the London is quickly fitted."[14]

"Captain John Hunter, Agent for the English East India Company, and Captain John Dutton, appointed Governor for the Island of Pulo Run, arrived at the said island the nth of March, 1662, with a commission from the English East India Company, and letters from the States-General of the United Provinces, all tending for the peaceable surrender of the said island unto the English Company, according to a contract lately passed in Europe between the two Companies with the approbation of the King of Great Britain and the States-General of the United Provinces. Yet notwithstanding all this, and the offer of the said Captains to produce their authority, with all other persuasions they could possibly use, the Dutch Governor persisted in an obstinate denial to surrender the island...

This protest, dated aboard the London in Pulo Run Road, was delivered unto Governor Joan Van Dam by Nathaniel Owen and John Dale, and is subscribed by John Hunter, John Dutton, Robert Bowen, John Gosnall, William Mainestone, and William Lymbre."[15]

"[May 23, 1663] They have ordered the sum of 50/., disbursed by Salesbury, according to the account signed by Robert Bowen, master of the London, to be paid to Daniel How."[16]


Marriage allegation, Robert Bowen, widower, aged abt. 60


"[1666] Nov. 19. Robert Bowen, of Plastowe, Essex, Mariner, Wid:r, ab:t 60, & Thomasine Dare, of Stepney, Midd., Wid., ab:t 43; at Stepney or Bowe, Middx."[17]


Possible primary sources

TNA


PROB 11/344 Bunce 1-53 Will of Peter Bowen, Commander of His Majesty's Ship Leopard 16 February 1674
PROB 11/350 Bence 1-54 Will of George Bowen, Mariner of Saint Olave Southwark, Surrey 10 April 1676
PROB 11/381 Cann 108-165 Will of Peter Dare, Mariner of Ratcliffe, Middlesex 17 October 1685
PROB 11/439 Pyne 133-177 Will of David Bowen, Mariner of Saint John Wapping, Middlesex 17 August 1697
PROB 11/457 Noel 124-162 Will of William Dare, Mariner of Lower Shadwell, Middlesex 20 September 1700


Possible secondary sources


Thomas Colyer-Fergusson, The marriage registers of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, in the county of Middlesex, vol. 2: 1640-1696 (Canterbury, 1899)
  1. ↑ 14th April 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO, Pladsto; 3rd October 1667, Letter from Robert Bowen to Sir GO, London
  2. ↑ April 1667, Letter from Christopher Willoughby to Sir GO
  3. ↑ This is the footnote text
  4. ↑ George John Armytage, Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1660 to 1668, vol. 3 (London, 1892), p. 194
  5. ↑ 3rd January 1665/66, Letter from William Ryder to Sir GO, Bethnall Green
  6. ↑ Pre-17th March 1665/66, Letter from Elizabeth Dalyson to Sir GO
  7. ↑ March 1665/66, Letter from John Mascall to Sir GO, London
  8. ↑ March 1665/66, Letter from George Smith to Sir GO
  9. ↑ 1st April 1666, Letter from Sir Henry Oxinden to Sir GO
  10. ↑ Christopher Willoughby, London Merchant. See letter from Christopher Willoughby to Sir George Oxenden in which Willoughby discusses at length the missing diamonds: April 1667, Letter from Christopher Willoughby to Sir GO
  11. ↑ Charles Masters returned from Surat in December 1665. His mother, Ann Masters wrote to her brother, Sir George Oxenden, on March 10th 1665/66, telling him of Charles' return. See 10th March 1665/66, Letter from Ann Master to Sir GO, London
  12. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the New General Stock, January 5, 1659' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 165), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 305
  13. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the New General Stock, February 7, 1659' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 176), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 310
  14. ↑ 'A Court of Committees, October 3, 1660' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 297), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 42
  15. ↑ 'Protest against the Governor and Council of Banda for non-Delivery of Pulo Run, March 20, 1662' (Public Record Office : CO. yy, vol, viii, no, 128), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), pp. 190-191
  16. ↑ 'The Company to Hugh Salesbury [at Portsmouth], May 23, 1663' (Letter Book, vol. iii, p. 261), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 315
  17. ↑ George John Armytage, Allegations for marriage licences issued by the vicar-general of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1660 to 1668, vol. 3 (London, 1892), p. 194

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