Tobacco market in 1H C17th London, Middleburg and Rotterdam

John White, thirty-four year old grocer, of Saint Sepulchre, London, deposed in 1638 in a cause concerning tobacco shipped in the Truelove of London (master: Isaacke Watlington). The ship had sailed from London to Virginia, where it took on a lading of tobacco. Originally intended to return to London, Watlington chose to discharge his ship's lading at Rotterdam. Jospeh White offered to buy tobacco on the ship owned by Stephen Gorton, paying ready money in London with delivery in Rotterdam to his local factor. A bargain was agreed and White received two bills of lading, which he sent to Rotterdam, and which his local factor presented to the master of the Truelove, but delivery was redused.

"In or about the moneth of Aprill last past the arlate Stephen Gorton the producent came to this deponent and tould him that he had laden aboard the arlate shipp called the Truelove of London (wherof the arlate Isaacke Watlington was master) twentye hogsheads of Virginia tobaccoe to be brought in her to the porte of London for his owne accompte and that hee beleived that the sayd shipp was gonne for Holland, wheruppon this deponent did offer to give the ayd Gorton ten pence per pound for all the said tobaccoes to be delivered in Holland, besides all charges (excepte the fraighte which the said Gorton was to pay) and about ten dayes after the premisses the sayd Gorton came to him agayne and tould him that he then understood that the sayd shipp was arrived at Rotterdam in Holland, and offred to sell all the sayd tobaccoes to him at the rate which this deponent had formerly proffered for them, bit then this deponent tould him that he had had advise of the arrivall of two other shipps in Holland with Virginia tobaccoe and therfore he would not give soe much as he had formerly offered, but offered to give him seaven pense per pound in ready money to be payd heere in London and to paye all the charges of the said tobaccoes, the sayd Gordton alloweinge ten per centum for shrinkidge, and theruppon the sayd Gorton did reallye sell all the said twentye hogsheads of tobaccoe at the rate and prise last mentioned and this deponent payd the sayd Gorton fourtye pounds sterling in part for the sayd tobaccoes and wrote to his factor at Rotterdam to demannd and receive the sayd tobaccoe and sent him the bill of ladeing for the same. And this deponent hath bene since advised bys everall letters fro his sayd factor that he hath demannded the said tobaccoes in Holland and shewed the sayd bills of ladinge unto the sayd Isaacke Wattlington and Mr Joseph Sannders the freighter of the said shipp and offred to pay the fraight, custome and other charges due for the sayd tobaccoes, but they refused to deliver the same to him and theruppon he had made a protest against them which he sentto him this examinate" (HCA 13/54 ff.179r-179v)