Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 5.djvu/40

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34


NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. v. FEB., 1919.


of its arrivall ; it went with the Factory bookes. Pray in your next let mee know if it came to your hand. I had [illegible] Chest [sen]t mee from my Brother in England, which has laine [at] Hugly this 5 months. Twas sent to Mr Bagnold to [send] forward (who dying) suppose tis forgotten [and] they know not whose tis. If it bee not already sent, if it shall come to your Factory, please dispeed it to mee by the primo boates. Tis a sad thing to live thus out of the world as wee doe here that in 10 Months time wee cannot receive any thing sent us from our Freinds. I am afraid the Contents of it (which I yet know not) are spoiled with so long lying in the Godownes.*

I would desire you to send mee a good strong silke bridle, such a one as Mr Read had once from your Factory, also 2 set of strings for horse maine[s], handsome colours (of about 2 rups. ps. each). I have seen them in Ballasore good ones of the [? finer sort]. Pray send them by the Primo Cossid that [illegible] they are ready, they being for a Freind that [? sent a] peon for them and place their costs to my account. I have great need of a ps. Mulmull'f and Cossaes which formerly wrote to you for. I hope you remember to purchase them for mee.

Pray present my humble service to Mr Vincent and desire him to send mee 6 or 8 seer of shott of 2 or 3 sorts (if hee has not disposed of that hee had when I was there), and what hee shall demand for it please to satisfie him. Also if you have any store of English powder by you, please to send mee 4 or 6 Ounces, it being for priming, and you will much oblige mee. If the money you have of mine in your hand bee not sufficient to pay for all these things I write for, let mee know and I shall order you the Overplus, or if you shall have occation for any thing here, shall send it you.

Excuse my being so toedious, it being seldome I have opportunity of sending to you, unless will send a [cossid] on purpose, which you know would cause Crutch. J Have not more at present save presentation of my kind respects to your selfe, Mr Marshal, etca. freinds with you, and subscribe Your reall freind and servant

SAML: BULLYVASTT


  • Godown, a warehouse, probably derived

from Malay gadong, a storeroom, through Tel. gidangi, Tarn, kidangu, a place where goods lie.

t Malmal, muslin.

{ A dilemma. The more usual spelling of this obsolete expression is " crotch."


My service to Mr Naylor and Wife,* who I heare of have a boy. Tell them I wish them much joy of it.

Pray send mee what newes currantt from Ballasore or Hugly and let mee know where Mr Smith is to reside. I heare hee is" for this place desigened.f If so, pray lett mee know in your next. You may inquire it as from your selfe nott mentioning my name.

Mr Carpenter not yet arrived. Idem

S. B.

[Endorsed] For Mr Richard Edwards

Merchant In Cassimbuzar

[Beneath this is written] Sir, pray send a silke reine, or 2 extraordnary if one should! breake. S. B.


LETTER XCV.

John Billingsley to Richard Edwards. (O.C. 3771.)

[John Billingsley, son of John Billingsley, " citizen and goldsmith, London," was elected writer on Nov. 13, 1667, and was thus a contemporary of Edwards in the Company's service. He sailed in the Unicorn, and arrived in India on Sept. 10, 1668. From "the Coast" he proceeded to Bengal, and was employed at the factories of Hugll and Balasor. On Feb. 9, 1671, he was married at Hugll, but the name of the bride is not given. In their General Letter of Dec. 31, 1672, the Bengal Council: recommended Billingsley for " encourage- ment " and advancement, he " having now served your Worships five years in one station and in this time having taken much paines in keeping your Registers and other bookes of accounts." In December, 1676, Billingsley,. having attained to the rank of " merchant ' r by nine years' service, signed a bond for 2,0007., giving as one security his father John Billingsley of " Whitechappell." He was now Second at Balasor, where he had built a house, and no longer " keept under every favoured of the great ones," as he complained to Edwards in 1674. But further promotion was denied him,, for he was one of the earliest victims of the epidemic of 1677. Administration of his goods was granted to his father on Sept. 3, 1678. See ' Court Minutes,' vol. xxva, p. 45, vol. xxvi- pp. 62, 67, 87, vol. xxxii. p. 73 ; ' Factory Records,' Hugli, vol. iv., Kasimbazar, vol. i. ;

  • Letter Book,' vol. vi. p. 275 ; Harl. MS.

4254, fol. 13 ; ' Diaries of Streynsham Master,' ed. Temple, vol. ii. pp. 18, 72 ; P.C.C- Admons.]


  • John Naylor, the Company's silk dyer at

Kasimbazar.

t There was no truth in this report, as on Smith's dismissal from Dacca in Jan., 1673, he- had been ordered to come to Hugll.