MRP: 29th January 1662/63, Letter from Roger Myddleton to Sir GO, Goa
29th January 1662/63, Letter from Roger Myddleton to Sir GO, Goa
BL, Add. MS. XX, XXXX ff. 29-31
Editorial history
14/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki
Abstract & context
Captain Roger Myddleton (alias Middleton) wrote to Sir George Oxenden in late January 1662/63 from Goa, with news of the recent fall of the southern town of Cochin to the Dutch. He had written to Sir George Oxenden the previous year from the Carwar Road.[1]
Records of the Surat factory from the early 1660s show that Roger Middleton spent some time in Surat. For example, he attested to the oath of an English survivor of a brawl of English and Dutch factory members at XXX's punch house.[2]
Secondary literature states that Captain Middleton was shipwrecked in the Persia Merchant in 1658, and that a graphic letter to his family recounting his experience of the wreck and his survival has survived.
Suggested links
See 10th XXX 1662, Letter from Roger Myddleton to Sir GO, Carwar Road
To do
(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but requires checking
[BL, Add. MS. XX, XXXX ff. 29-31]
[p.29]
Hono:ble
And my Ever Hono:d least I bee takes w:th a Just Ingratitude in not payeing a Due tribute of thankfullnesse to soo worthy a benefactor, this acknowledgm:t embouldens mee to signifie unto you, y:t whilst I live my Endeavours to serve you shall never dye as á sad exordium to an unpolished theame I must w:th sorrow lett you understand y:t y:e Dutch have taken Cothcheene[3] y:e Bad Consequences y:t must of necessity Attend my Late Hono:ble Masters Affaires were not beseeming my relation nor a fitt subj:t for Discourse, I am at pres:t in Goa at y:e Barr mouth of w:ch place now remaine seaven great Dutch Shipps none dareing soo much as to looke upon them onely yo:r poore sloope w:ch this night is bound to accost them, I have store of Arrack á board & y:t is y:e onely stratagem I can devise, to knock them downe; y:e Termes on w:th the said place became thears I am ignorant of, onely this I have heard that it was mainetained to y:e Swords point w:th much resolution; I was w:th y:e vice Kinge, soo called who was pleas:d to Dropp some expressions w:ch weare, if guilty of creditt might render his Majesty of great Brittayn Hono:ble Ministers of State as highly culpable as wee in verity know him & his blacke friends too bee really Criminall, leting him to stand or fall to his prop Judg:s As to his Maj:ts small concerns w:th us wee Landed upon y:e Islands of Angedeiva[4] Christmas Day, various theare weare theire censures untill the Cannalia who carryed it downe w:th á full Crgo, y:t it was fitt for none to be in habitt upon But such (as I dare say to any one of them in an other place) as many of them are, Even pure Rogues & vagabonds, making me [blanks pace in original] sayeing I brought them to this wildernesse , & y:t I had a hundred pound given mee at Surratt to bee y:e ??Coyduck; I hope such Hono:ble psons as your selfe will deeme soo of mee as not to esteeme of such a parcell of rascallity either in word or action, and as á Great ffreedome from y:e state of being Continually Baited by those bandoggs y:e Lord of Marlebrough[5] in Mercy was pleased to take a way y:e body of our Drunken Brother Coll: Hungerford[6] & I beleeve hee must pass over thurstyford before he arrives at Dedtdorf neare Aleford pardon Deare S:r my cumming Loose since soo lately I broke my Chaines, yett beleeve mee S:r o:r Governor (as I hope you when I better deserve it from you will returne him thankes) treate mee w:th all possible respect, & not to deceive you now
to flatter
[p.30]
to flatter my slefe if my Judgem:t hath not quite deceaved nee, I have merited something better of him than either to slight mee or harken to such an endeavour to blast mee at my first, at Carwarr I was sent to y:t Governor about such matters as you know were expedient, & proposing unto him y:e Busynesse of y:e Island w:th much earnestnesse, hee w:thstood it sayeing his life could not answer it, y:t hee was caressed sundry tymes by y:e Dutch w:th great proffers in order thereunto, & y:t hee allways answered us, giving us his ffirman & Cowle for a:? safe resideing in any parte of his ?purgamy to w:ch was not commissioned to answer nor any proposalls sending y:t before mentioned upon my returne to S:r Abraham which with much difficulty of y:e passing over such unaccessible hills tenn tymes worse than y:t of the ?Dinely [line in original] on y:e peake, nay my Countrey mountaines are but molehills unto them, in soo much (I begg yo:r beleefe) being not well I was ready to Dye twice or thrice this M:r Ball ?carm well satyfid on my returne after y:e naration of my profed:t discourse it was Concluded for Angedeiva signeing an Instrum:t under o:r hands y:t it was not safe to suffer y:e shipp Leopard to proceed on her voyadge w;ch was detayned untill my Lords arrivall truely S:r as to my opinion of this Island I call heaven to wittnesse tis farr beyond w:t I ever gave out Concerning it; & I could heartily wish, when his Maj:tis fforces desert it, y:t my ??forces:d Honob:le Imployers would cast a review upon it, y:t is y.e benefitt y:t may accrew unto them for it, next being deprived not onely of Comerce but alsoe ?off Convoyes w:th our ffreinds at Carwarr,[7] I went upon a new Discovery and ??fastened upon an Island of y:e Jesuites names Sallsotte[8] near Goa wheare I was plentifully furnished w:th all manner of provision at a very Cheape Rate, though this was well, yett y:e Two Cowes p weeke at Swallow cost them noothing therefore they decryed this place & XXXXXked allowed for Swally[9] not as mentioneing (onely but with Callumny & aspersion, the fountaine from whence this bounty sprung, nor dare any y:t bears any respect to gratitude bee heard to discourse y:e thoughts, without being exposed to y:e points of swords & daggers, yett lett mee Cleare y.e Hono:ble Govern:r[10] w:th most of y:e sober minded from this frenzy yea my Lord of marleburgh at y:e enormous Conflagrations of theese fflashy ??tymes fatuis break out into this expression in my heareing if they
had
[p.31]
had knwone y:e kindnesse S:r Geo: Oxinden had for them & y:t hee carried a large expression thereof about him, they would not offer to deale soo Injuriously w:th á pson of them soo well deserving this I will dispose but signifie nothing to these thereof unless you dignifie mee w:th y:e Tite of yo:r Martir & beleeve did I not beleeve y:e Gallows will Corect theire Insolence as S:r Abrah:m Shipman[11] hath lustily promised, I would as soone dye by them as live w:th them as I have done, The foresaid Lord bee thanked hee hath removed one Block out of my way; If paper had not stinted I had not knowne how to end, I am goeing to Salsett to procure Masons & Carpenter; wth materiall in order to erect a small ffort & howses to keepe us Drye in y:e raines, I pray y:e next may fall on them, may bee y:t of sobriety and gratitude then you may challenge yo:r share of ther thankfullnesse & I appeare to bee as I am yo:r Maj:tis Loyall subject, & your hono:e faithfull servant
[RH SIDE]
Roger Myddleton
[LH SIDE]
Goa y:e 29:th of January 1662
Notes
- ↑ 10th XXX 1662, Letter from Roger Myddleton to Sir GO, Carwar Road
- ↑ This is the footnote text
- ↑ The Dutch capture of Cochin from the Portuguese was described in some detail by Henry Gary, writing, like Myddleton, from Goa, four days before Myddleton (25th January 1662/63, Letter from Henry Gary to Sir GO, Goa
- ↑ Angedeiva was XXXX
- ↑ Lord Marlborough was XXXX. His death in a naval action was reported later bz XXXX
- ↑ Colonel Hungerford was XXXX
- ↑ Carwar was XXXX
- ↑ Salsette was XXXX
- ↑ Swally was XXXX
- ↑ The honourable governor was XXXX
- ↑ Sir Abraham Shipman was XXXX
