MRP: 31st October 1662, Letter from William Blake to Sir GO, Merschlepatam
31st October 1662, Letter from William Blake to Sir GO, Merschlepatam
BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX, f. 9
Editorial history
23/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription
18/12/11, CSG: Page created & posted transcription to wiki
Abstract & context
William Blake was an experienced East India factor, having been appointed an assistant at the Ballasore and Hughi factories, which had been united, on December 14th 1650.[1] William Blake was the son of a woollen draper of the same name.
On January 31st, 1661-62 William Blake received a commission from the English East India Company "to bee Chiefe in the management of our affaires in our ffactories in the Bay of Bengala, all which ffactories we have subordinated to the Agencie at Ffort St. George, &c."[2]
William Blake wrote to Sir George Oxenden on October 31st 1662 from Merschlepatam, and makes reference to having left a letter for Sir George Oxenden at St. Johanna. It appears, though it is not certain, that William Blake had been back in England, and was himself travelling back out to the East Indies, as was Sir George Oxenden.
Blake had waited till the end of August 1662 at Fort St. George for the arrival of Sir Edward Winter, who was taking over the agency there. He had then set off for the Bay of Bengal, where he was to take up his commission as chief of the factories in the Bay (the factories of Hughly, Ballasore, Cassambazar and Pattana). However, attrocious weather conditions meant that he had got no further than Merschepatam.
Blake ends his letter to Sir George Oxenden by telling him that he now plans to set off for Ballasore in March of the coming year.
Suggested links
See 21st October 1665, Letter from William Blake to Sir GO, Hugly
See 11th January 1665/66, Letter from William Blake to Sir GO, Ballasore
See Ballasore
See Hughly
See Mechlepatam
To do
(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but requires checking
[BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX, f. 9]
Right Worp:ll
And much hono:d ffreind, y:e newes of yo:r Worp:s safe arriveall at Surratt, to mee welcome, soo Could not omitt in pticul:r haveing noo other Busyness to ?Incort our Generall lre incorting w:t need full.
My lre w:ch I left at S:t Johanna[3] hope came to yo:r Worp:s recp:t w:ch gave a Breife relation of our passage to y:t place. I stayed untill y:e last of August at ffort S:t Geo: dayly expecting S:r Edw:d Winter[4] his arriveall not ?feareing but y:t I should obtayne my voyadge into y:e Bay,[5] w:ch had beene affected if y:e weather had pmitted as former yeares, 26: dayes was spent & could not gett 24 howers sayle from this place, in y:e said short voyadge wee lost Two Anchors. March next God willing I intend to proceed on some vessell to Ballisore,[6] soo there desire to receave some Commands from yo:r Worp:e w:ch shall be observed by him who remaines.
Yo:r Worp:s ffreind & servant
William Blake
Merchlepatam 31st Octob: r 1662
Notes
- ↑ Frederick Charles Danvers, Bengal, its chiefs, agents, and governors (?London, 1888), p. 7
- ↑ Frederick Charles Danvers, Bengal, its chiefs, agents, and governors (?London, 1888), p. 8
- ↑ St. Johanna was XXXX
- ↑ Sir Edward Winter was XXXXX
- ↑ The Bay of Bengal
- ↑ William Blake was appointed by a Commission dated January 31st, 1661-62, "to bee Chiefe in the management of our affaires in our ffactories in the Bay of Bengala, all which ffactories we have subordinated to the Agencie at Ffort St. George, &c."
