MRP: 18th July, 1656, Letter from Spencer Bretton to Levant Company, Smirna
18th July, 1656, Letter from Spencer Bretton to Levant Company, Smirna
Vol. xl., p. 413, in Thomas Birch (ed.), A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe ...: 1655 [i.e. May 1656 to January 1657, vol. 5 (London, 1742)
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11/02/12, CSG: Created page
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Abstract & context
Spencer Bretton wrote to the governor and merchants of the Turkey Company in Lodndon in a letter dated July 18th. He sent the letter from Smyrna, where he was English consul.
In this letter he recounted a dispute between Dutch mariners and English merchants at Smyrna, a brawl, and further insults involving the flags of both the English and Dutch nations. The matter was resolved through the arbitration of the French consul at Aleppo.
Spencer Bretton was an English merchant in Smyrna. He was probably a factor for Samuel Barnardiston, a London merchant, who had ?earlier been in Smyrna. In his will, which he made in November 1658, just two years after this letter, he made Samuel Barnardiston his sole executor, and appointed Arthur Barnardiston in Smyrna one of his two assignes and overseers in Turkey.[1]
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Printed transcription
Mr. Spencer Bretton to the governor and company of Turley merchants
Right worshipfull Sirs
I am to informe your worshipps of a difference, which lately happened betwixt us and the Dutch in the port of Smyrna, the manner thus: A vessel of theirs, called the St. George, Meyndert Evertson commander, laden with marchandize from Amsterdam, arrived in this port upon the sabbath day, when our commanders and their people were at their devotion, and was the cause they did not salute him as accustomary. This begott a dispute, when he and some of our commanders mett on shore, in which the Dutch captaine (as I am informed) was exceeding rude; and not content so, but upon the 4:th current towards evening came to Mr. Robert Peckett's seale, when captain Browne, commander of the Bendish, was then newly landed. The Dutch had in his boate 16 or 17 men armed with swords and pistolls, falls upon some of Mr. Browne's men, being but five in number, and those unarmed, which defect was soone supplied from Mr. Peckett's and Mr. Barnardiston's,[2] the adjoining house, and then fell so roundly upon them, that the Dutch captain and most of his men were beaten into the sea, himself wounded, yet made shift to recover a Dutch seale, but his boat, with six of his men, seized and detained; and all this without having an English finger cutt in this broyle. Two of the Dutch mariners were soe wounded, as that since they are dead, besides a Greek, guardian of the custome house, shott through the head and slain; whereupon I caused the forenamed six men to be delivered into the hands of the cadee: to gett of these it cost them 300 dollars, and the blood of the Greek (which fell to their shares to pay for) cost them double that summe. This was the worke of fryday the 4:th current. Upon monday following, being the 7:th present, appeared a Dutch ship from Venice, called the Pomerland, Rodolph Pieterson commander; before she came nigh this towne, some of the Duch marchants and masters of their shipps gott on bord, and prevailed with her commander (as drunken a beast as he of the St. George) to putt out an English pendant fastned to the end of one of theirs, placed under their flagge, and soe come sayling into port. I sent on board to desire them to take it in, but they refused: this begott another quarrel; and had the Prosperous and those our other shipps (latelie come in) been sailfast, they had laid the Fleming on board, and forced down the said pendant, but this might have proved a work of dangerous consequence, and therefore gave no encouragement to it: howbeit, for preservation of our nation's honour, and the prevention of further blood-shed, I caused a pendant of theirs to be putt under our colours, and so rid untill night, when both parties tooke them in, and since have putt them forth no more. Notwithstanding, to cleare ourselvesfrom all demands and attaints which might follow, myself and nation went to the cadee's, made our complaint, and desired an hodgett, concerning these abuses, which I did intend to have sent unto his lordship; the cadee gave faire promises for which and his hodgett I was to have paid 100 dollars. But whilst this was in aggitation, the French consul (as we suppose, upon request of the Duch) did send his druggerman and two of his merchants, desiring me to forbeare further prosecution, professing himselfe to become moderator of this difference, with promise I should receive all reasonable satisfaction: both myselfe and the Dutch, with the approbation of sundry of our nation, did wholy referre the business to the determination of the said French consul, who composed the difference thus:
Three of our merchants, such as I should appoint, were desired to meete the like number of the Dutch at the French consull's, where the Dutch (according to the said consull's award) made this acknowledgment: First, that their captain landing at Mr. Peckett's scale, and assaulting his house, was a rash and unadvised act, not owned by their merchants, and that if it were to performe again, it should not be done; being sorry for what was past, and the like should be forborne hereafter. Secondly, that the pendant worne by the ship Pomerland, at her coming into port, was not done on purpose to affront our colours or nation (although we know the contrary) and that the same pendant might as well be termed the Genoa crosse or ours, and had beene worne in other ports by the same ship without exception; however, seeing it gave distaste, it should be worne here no more; conditionally we would not weare a pendant of theirs under our colours, as we did at the same tyme; and that upon this acknowledgement we might become friends as formerly; to which both parties agreed, and thereupon both merchants and commanders, English and Dutch, were invited by the French consul to dine with him the next day, which accordingly they did, where all were made friends, and it shall be their faults, if we doe not soe continue. And there your worshipps have the full and true relation of this business, which is chiefly given to prevent misinformations. I remayne
Your worshipps humble servant,
Spencer Bretton
Smirna, 18 July, 1656
Notes
Possible primary sources
- ↑ PROB 11/289 Pell 150-199 Will of Spencer Bretton of Smyrna 25 April 1659
- ↑ Mr. Barnardiston was probably Arthur Barnardiston, who Spencer Bretton appointed two years later, when he made his will, as one of his two assignes and overseers in Smyrna for his Turkey affairs ( PROB 11/289 Pell 150-199 Will of Spencer Bretton of Smyrna 25 April 1659)
