MRP: 29th March 1663. Letter from John Servys to Sir GO, London, Letter 2

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29th March 1663. Letter from John Servys to Sir GO, London, Letter 2

BL, Add. MS. 40,708 - 40,713, XXX, f. 65

Editorial history

02/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription
15/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki




Abstract & context


John Servys wrote a letter to Sir George Oxenden dated March 29th, 1663, sent from London.

In this letter John Servys reveals that he was in investor in the stock of (and possibly the ship) the Loyal Merchant. The ship's last voyage, before its current one to Surat, had been from London to Bantam and back. It had produced poor returns, which John Servys detailed:

o:r small Stock was remitted back p Exch:a at 5:s 6d p Doll:r for want of goods to Invest it in. Wee have p:d for every 1/6 p:t of y:e owners Stock now 150:ll yo:rs at y:d Instance of yo:r Sister being to bee made Good at Surr:t

However, John Servys' name does not appear on the list of six part-owners of the Loyal Merchant as of 1662 in a Chancery suit against the EEIC. The names listed were:

S:r John Lewis of London Kn:t and Barronett, S:r James Maddifford Kn:t and Barronett, S:r George Smith of London kn:t S:r George Oxenden Knight Thomas Hussey of London Esq Henry Sparstow of London Esq Daniell ?Pennington Jonathan Dawes, Phillip Mirell [?Mirsell] and Richard Binly of London Merchants and part owners of the good shipp called the Loyall Merchant of London[1]

Serys also mentioned in his letter an "unlucky Busienesse" in which Henry Young, now returned to London, appears to have been involved. It is unclear what he is referring to, although a Court Minute dated February 22nd, 1659, reveals that Henry Young's commercial practices were suspect, with Young falsely claiming to have shipped goods upon a ship subsequently captured by the Dutch.[2]

Although John Servys was on familiar terms with Sir George Oxenden, and despatched a substantial packet of emeralds to him to be exchanged for diamonds, his name does not appear in the Court Minutes of the EEIC for the periods 1655-1659, and 1660-1663.


Suggested links


See 29th March 1663, Letter from John Servys to Sir GO, London, Letter 1


To do


(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL


Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but requires checking

[BL, Add. MS. 40,708 - 40,713, XXX, f. 65]


[f.65]

S:r This is Transcript of my last w:ch though you carried yo:r selfe I thought fitt to transcribe, least yo:r very many other important affaires should have putt it out of yo:r mind I have little more to add than Congratulate yo:r arrivall unto Sur:t Since I know itt needlesse to Comend Cap:t Millett[3] y:ew ?boare unto yo:r freindshipp & I hope hee will now make yo:r owne a better voyadge than y:e last from Bantam whence o:r small Stock was remitted back p Exch:a at 5:s 6d p Doll:r for want of goods to Invest it in. Wee have p:d for every 1/6 p:t of y:e owners Stock now 150:ll yo:rs at y:d Instance of yo:r Sister[4] being to bee made Good at Surr:t as y:e rest shall advance soo y:t you runn no hasard thither nor I trust wee much when you have showed yo:r respect, unto Nicho:s Millett & those concerned w:th him, pray bee soo kind as you can unto poore Rob:t ffisher[5] who w:th much adoo hath gott into a shipp againe to kiss yo:r hand.

Concerning my Emeralds I can say nomore than I have already leaving it who unto yo:r selfe to act as you please & to sell them at price Curr:t hopeing that if I loose by sale I may gett by retourne.

M:r Hen: Young[6] beeing arrived to London I feare it will not bee in yo:r power to doo mee any friendshipp in y:t unlucky Busienesse,[7] though if it bee Please to interpose for mee heere hee pretends indigency but skulkes & will not yett render any satisfaction although once I was Brought to him.

If you shall judge mee capable of dooing yo:u any service Comand me freely & you shall finde y:t I am

S:r
Yo:r affectionate ffreind & serv:t
John Servys

London, March y:e 29th 1663


Notes

EEIC, 1655-1659


"[February 22, 1659] John Lewis reports he has been advised from Persia by Matthew Andrews that Henry Young has deceived William Jesson and Thomas Andrews (both indebted to the Company) by pretending to have laden 100 tūmāns apiece for their account in the Roebuck, which ship was taken by the Dutch, but the letters in her having lately come to light show that nothing was laden for their account, and therefore the Company can demand 200 tūmāns from Young in satisfaction of their debt ; the Court thanks Lewis and resolves to write to India about the matter."[8]


Possible primary sources

TNA


PROB 11/353 Hale 1-43 Will of Henry Younge, Grocer of Saint Andrew Holborn, Middlesex 31 March 1677
  1. ↑ C10/488/141
  2. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, February 22, 1659' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 658), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 314
  3. ↑ Captain Nicholas Millett, commander of the Loyal Merchant
  4. ↑ Elizabeth Dallison, Sir George Oxenden's elder sister and his London agent
  5. ↑ Captain Robert Fisher had been commander of the XXXX. Captain Fisher wrote on October 19th, 1663, from Surat, where he had arrived as commander of the African, a ship in which Sir Thomas Bludworth and Christopher Willoughby were part-owners (19th October 1663, Letter from Robert ffisher to Sir GO, Surratt)
  6. ↑ Henry Young was XXXX
  7. ↑ The "unlucky Busienesse" John Servys refers to was XXXX
  8. ↑ 'A Court of Committees for the United Joint Stock, February 22, 1659' (Court Book, vol. xxiii, p. 658), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 314

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