GENUKI: Barnstaple Port Book

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Customs Port Books 1580

Port of: Barnstaple

Book for: Overseas and Coastal trade

Type of book: Customer and Controller

Language: Latin

Taken from Port Books in National Archives ref: E 190/932/15 and 16

Transcribed by David Carter 2023

Spelling transcribed verbatim. Anything in square brackets added by transcriber.

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Surname index:

Andrews, Androwe
Anthonye
ap Evan
ap John
Apley
Averie
Baker
Beare
Beryman
Brasier
Busshe
Busten, Bustin
Butler
Cade
Collemore
Colliber, Collyber
Dart
Davie, Davye
Dellemore
Dennys
Dodridge
Downe
Edwards
Eliott
Ferris
French
Gough
Goulde
Gyste
Hardewicke
Harrys
Heale
Heard
Hearnaman, Hernaman
Hill
Howe
Humfrey
Jenkynge
Lake
Le Baiyer
Leigh
Ley
Loveringe
Lugge
Lynenge, Lyning
Mattecot
Moore, More
Norris, Norrys
Rocse?
Sarisberie
Sherman
Shurte
Snell
Sowthcott, Suthcott
Sweet, Swete
Thomas
Upcot, Upcott
Webber
Westcomb, Westcombe
Witchalse
Witheridge
Yeo
Zealy

Import or Export	Date	From / To	Vessel	Tons	Belonging	Master	Merchant	Goods

E 190/932/16
Export	13 Apr 1580	Hibina	Marie George	40	Northam	Peter Collemore	Richard Hill of Barnstaple	40 bushels wheat
Export	23 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	George Dennys of Litleham	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	23 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	23 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	Sibelia Androwe of Bideford	1 ballot containing 6 Devon kersies in 1 pack not weighed
Export	23 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	James Downe of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	23 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	John Colliber of Barnstaple	6 pieces frieze
Export	29 Apr 1580	Rochell	Marie Edwardes	40	Northam	John Edwards	Walter Beryman of Northam	1 ballot containing 6 Devon kersies in 1 pack not weighed
Export	29 Apr 1580	Rochell	Ladie	20	Northam	James Cade	William French of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 6 Devon kersies in 1 pack not weighed
Export	10 May 1580	Rochell	Phenix	26	Northam	Hugh Sowthcott	William Leigh of Northam	6 chalders coal
Export	10 May 1580	Rochell	Egle	20	Bideford	Richard French	Richard French	4 Devon kersies in 1 pack not weighed
Export	15 May 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	James Westcomb of Barnstaple	2 packets containing 18 Devon kersies in 4 packs not weighed
Export	15 May 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	John Brasier of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	15 May 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	Richard Brasier of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	15 May 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	9 July 1580	Rocse[?]	Marie Rose	8	[blank]	John Rocse[?]	Richard Hill of Barnstaple	10 quarters wheat
Export	9 July 1580	Bilbowe	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	2 packets containing 18 Devon kersies in 4 packs not weighed, 8 pieces baise
Export	9 July 1580	Bilbowe	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcot	John Andrews of Bideford	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	12 Jun 1580	Bilbowe	Markes	30	Barnstaple	George Hearnaman	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed, 10 pieces baise
Export	12 Jun 1580	Bilbowe	Markes	30	Barnstaple	George Hearnaman	Stephen Swete of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	31 July 1580	Cades	Henrie	30	Torrington	Thomas Upcott	Roger Ley of Torrington	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed
Export	31 July 1580	Cades	Henrie	30	Torrington	Thomas Upcott	William Collyber of Barnstaple	5 pieces baise
Export	30 Sep 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	30	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	2 ballots containing 18 Devon kersies in 4 packs not weighed, 8 pieces baise
Export	30 Sep 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	30	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	William Collyber of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed, 10 pieces baise
Export	30 Sep 1580	Bilbowe	Sparowhawke	30	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	Richard Brasier of Barnstaple	10 pieces baise
Export	20 Sep 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	James Westcombe of Barnstaple	3 tons lead
Export	20 Sep 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	1 ballot containing 12 Devon kersies in 3 packs not weighed

Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	Robert Apley of Barnstaple	1 ton iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	William Collyber of Barnstaple	3 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	John Androwe of Bideford	4 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	George Dennys of Littleham	4 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	~~	Barnstaple	George Hernaman	Richard Downe of Barnstaple	2 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	~~	Barnstaple	George Hernaman	Stephen Sweet of Barnstaple	3 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	~~	Barnstaple	George Hernaman	John Lynenge of Barnstaple	4 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	~~	Barnstaple	George Hernaman	John Dart	3 tons iron
Import	25 Apr 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	~~	Barnstaple	George Hernaman	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	3 tons iron
Import	25 May 1580	Berylet	John	25	Berylet	Haman le Baiyer	Haman le Baiyer	10 weys bay salt
Import	25 May 1580	Cades	Henrie	30	Torrington	Thomas Upcott	George Dennys of Littleham	6 weys white salt, 7 tuns pipe oil
Import	16 Jun 1580	Hibinam	Marie George	40	Northam	Peter Dellemore	Richard Hill of Barnstaple	100 stones wool, 9 cwt flox
Import	20 Jun 1580	Rochell	Grace of God	20	Bideford	Raymond Anthonye	Thomas Gyste of Bideford	7 weys bay salt
Import	20 Jun 1580	Rochell	Ladye	20	Northam	James Cade	William French of Northam	8 weys bay salt
Import	20 Jun 1580	Rochell	Marie & John	40	Northam	John Edwards	John Edwards	12 weys bay salt
Import	20 Jun 1580	Rochell	Phenix	25	Northam	Hugh Suthcott	Hugh Suthcott	10 weys bay salt
Import	20 Jun 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	John Norris of Barnstaple	7 tuns fish
Import	20 Jun 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	George Dennys of Littleham	2 tons iron and 3 cwt wool
Import	20 Jun 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	3 tons iron
Import	28 July 1580	St Sebastian	Sparohawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	Richard Brasier of Barnstaple	4 tons iron, 6 cwt Spanish wool
Import	28 July 1580	St Sebastian	Sparohawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	John Brasier of Barnstaple	1 ton iron, 3 cwt Spanish wool
Import	28 July 1580	St Sebastian	Sparohawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	3 tons iron
Import	28 July 1580	St Sebastian	Sparohawke	20	Barnstaple	William Snell	James Westcombe of Barnstaple	4 tons iron, 3 cwt Spanish wool
Import	10 Aug 1580	Rochell	Egle	20	Northam	Richard French	Richard French	9 weys bay salt
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	8 tons iron
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	John Androwe of Bideford	4 tons iron
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	John	20	Barnstaple	John Upcott	John Norrys of Barnstaple	3 lasts of pitch
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	30	Barnstaple	George Hearnaman	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	8 tons iron
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	30	Barnstaple	George Hearnaman	Stephen Sweet of Barnstaple	4 tons iron
Import	31 Aug 1580	St Sebastian	Markes	30	Barnstaple	George Hearnaman	Christopher Lake of Northam	10,000 oranges and lemons
Import	26 May 1580	Cades	Henrie	30	Torrington	Thomas Upcott	George Dennys of Littleham	Tax-free wine - 9 tons sack


E 190/932/15
Import	~~ Apr 1580	[torn]	[torn]	9	[torn}~gton	Thomas Zealy	Griffith [illeg]~rowe of [illeg]]beistowe, Cardygan	20 dicar salted hides not tanned
Import	~~ Apr 1580	[torn]	[torn]	9	[torn}~gton	Thomas Zealy	Thomas Gough of Macheleigh, Montgomery	12 dicar salted hides not tanned
Import	13 May 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	Robert Apley of Barnstaple	1 bag pepper containing 2 cwt, 1 bag Spanish wool containing 2 cwt, 5 barrels black soap, 1 dryfate hornes, 12 stones wire, 2 barrels S'vic[?], 3 cwt lead, 20 pieces widmoles, 1 kersey
Import	30 May 1580	Abristowe	Anne	9	Fremington	Thomas Zealy	Philip Ferris of Barnstaple	12 dicar hides, 30 stones wool
Import	16 Jun 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	William Moore	Richard Brasier of Barnstaple	3 faggots tin, 3 skins white leather, 1 barrel nails, 4 backs iron, 5 tuns black soap, 2 bags madder containing 15 cwt, 2 bags flox, 4 tons lead containing 8 pieces
Import	18 Jun 1580	Mylforde	Gra[tia] Dei	12	Braunton	Mathew Bustin	Henry Downe & George Baker of Barnstaple	350 stones wool, 12 pieces calico cloth
Import	22 Jun 1580	Gloucester	George	14	Tewkesbury	William Goulde	John Butler of Tewkesbury	14 weys malted barley, 10 wey barley and beans
Import	9 July 1580	Mylforde	Anne	8	Barnstaple	Thomas Sherman	Roger Witheridge of Barnstaple	12 dicar tanned hides, 20 stones wool
Import	11 July 1580	Abristwith	Fawcon	8	Northam	Franncses Yeo	Franncses Yeo	120 lbs wool
Import	11 July 1580	London	Nich[ol]us	60	Barnstaple	James Eliott	Thomas Shurte of Barnstaple	23 barrels & 1 drifate green woad, 2 lasts pitch and tar, 2 sacks hops, 5 cwt steel, 4 dozen frying pans, 1 bag nails, 4 maundes cups, 2 cases glass
Import	11 July 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	William Moore	John Busshe of Bristol tanner	5 dozen kips & calf skins, 5 dicar tanned hides, 1 ton ledore, 1 barrel black soap
Import	14 July 1580	Carnarven	Marie George	~~	[torn]	John Heale	John Sarisberie of Barnstaple	2 stones wool, 100 yards hussewyff cloth
Import	22 July 1580	Gloucester	George	8	Elmore	Thomas Humfrey	Thomas Davye of Dureslie, Glos	8 weys malted barley
Import	22 July 1580	Swansye	Markes	10	Barnstaple	John Webber	John Harrys of Barnstaple	2 cwt stones wool, 2 dicar hides
Import	3 Aug 1580	Bristol	Fortune	10	Barnstaple	William Davie	William Collyber of Barnstaple	3 bags hops, 3 barrels black soap, 1 kintal of black soap, 1 kintel dry wares, 2 grenderybones, 2 cwt prunes, 8 lbs mace, 14 lbs nutmeg, 12 lbs cloes [cloves?], 4 bags wool containing 28 roves, 4 barrels black soap, 2 rolls parchment, 8 barrels various merchandise, 1 hoshead copas[?], 1 bag alum, 3 cwt iron, 1 cwt black soap, 15 cwt ropes, 3 kintals black soap, 1 piece andrelyus[?], 1 cwt alum, 1 cwt madder, 1 chest various merchandise
Import	5 Aug 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	Anthony Loveringe	John Hardewicke of City of Bristol tanner	60 dozen calf skins
Import	5 Aug 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	Anthony Loveringe	Richard Averie of Barnstaple	80 ulnas widmolles, 30 pieces calico cloth, 98 lbs ginger, 2 tons lead containing 40 pieces, 1 ton cast lead, 1 bag copas[?], 1 bag argatts[?], 3 hogsheads wine egre, 3 hogsheads 1 barrel 6 firkins 6 kinterkyns black soap, 1 barrel 1 chest sugar, 10 boxes marmelade, 50 lbs ginger, 3 chests 2 barrels & 1 hogshead various merchandise, 4 cwt hops, 1 cwt woad, 2 faggots tin, 1 barrel glue, 2 firkins of butter, 2 cwt argalls
Import	4 Aug 1580	Dovey	Anne	12	Bideford	Danyell Beare	Lewes ap John ap Evan tanner of Machynleigh Montgomery	6 dicar kyps and cowhides, 8 dicar dry moreyn hides, 1 cwt wool, 1 cwt feathers
Import	13 Aug 1580	Bristol	Hope	12	Bideford	Augustin Howe	Thomas Lugge of Barnstaple	39 dozen calf skins
Import	26 Sep 1580	Mylforde	Anne	8	Fremington	Thomas Mattecot	Thomas Thomas of Harfordwest	1000 old brass, 2 dicar tanned hides

Export	17 Apr 1580	[torn]	[torn]	10	[torn]	Oliver Heard	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	6 tons fernam book, 18 weys of wool, 2 cwt pipes, 2 dozen sithes
Export	4 May 1580	Mylford	Gra[tia] Dei	10	Braunton	Mathew Busten	Henry Downe of Barnstaple	1 ton iron, 3 cwt white soap, 30 pieces calico cloth, 3 pieces lockeram, 5 cwt brass, 1 piece dowlas, 1 cwt pan brasse, 3 virgas linen cloth, 20 lbs pepper, 20 lbs ginger
Export	7 May 1580	Pontesellye	Marie George	10	Bideford	John Heale	John Shurte of Bideford	2 tons iron, 1 tun French wine, 3 cwt white soap, 1 cwt black soap, 50 lbs pepper, 20 lbs ginger, 20 pieces calico cloth, 2 lbs nutmeg, 1 lb mace, 1 lb clowes, 20 lbs marmelade
Export	31 May 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	John Witchalse of Barnstaple	1 bag containing 8 roves Spanish wool, 2 kyches containing 3 cwt pitch, 40 lbs cinnamon, 20 pieces calico cloth
Export	17 Jun 1580	Bristol	John	10	Barnstaple	William More	James Westcombe of Barnstaple	40 pipes oil, 4 bags containing 7 cwt aniseed
Export	20 July 1580	Bristol	John	12	Barnstaple	Anthony Lyning	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	1 ton iron, 1 ton pitch, 6 bales licorice, 1 bag Spanish wool containing 12 roves, 1 chest from isulas surrys [Azores], 26 lbs [illeg], 4 bags wool containing 30 roves, 5 cwt sugar, 30 pieces calico cloth, 28 lbs clowes, 3 lbs cinnamon, 3 lbs mace, 6 lbs cinnamon, 140 lbs marmalade & conserves, 1 cwt pepper, 1 chest of cinnamon, 20 pieces Devon kersies, 14 dicar friezes, 1 pipe of oil, 1 bag aniseed containing 2 cwt, 4 bags containing 50 roves wool
Export	15 Aug 1580	Bristol	John	12	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	John Brasier of Barnstaple	12 bags containing 96 roves white Spanish wool
Export	15 Aug 1580	Bristol	John	12	Barnstaple	Oliver Heard	Richard Brasier of Barnstaple	10 bags containing 75 roves white Spanish wool, 8 bags wool containing 40 roves
Export	16 Sep 1580	Mombles	Gra[tia] Dei	12	Braunton	Nicholas[?] French	Thomas Jenkynge of Lanrydon[?], Glamorgan	4 tons iron, 1 pack calf skins containing 80 [illeg], 8 pieces calico cloth, 6 randes tanned hides, 2 dozen hats, 6 cwt black soap, 12 dicars of canvas, 12 virgas [illeg] fustian

Transcriber’s notes:

Port Books for the combined ports of Appledore, Bideford and Barnstaple are housed in the National Archives from 1565 to 1745. There are some gaps due to non-survival of records, and other gaps due to damaged documents.

Typically these books record:
•    Date of entry
•    Name of ship
•    Tonnage of vessel
•    Port where vessel is registered
•    Port where vessel is going to, or coming from
•    Name of the Captain or Master of the vessel
•    Name of the merchant responsible for the goods
•    Whether the merchant is English or foreign
•    Description of the cargo, including the method of storage (barrels, casks, bags), the weight (hundredweights, pounds) and the value for the purposes of assessing tax to be paid.

The following officials were responsible for checking the cargoes and recording the tax due:
•    Collector or ‘Customer’ – made a return of all goods exported or imported and all moneys received, for which he issued a cocket (receipt).
•    Controller – made a similar return but did not receive the payments.
•    Searcher – appointed to prevent fraud, who had to make examine the goods and return a warrant to show he had done so.
•    Surveyor – appointed to check the work of the Searcher.

The books for 1580 contain about 10 pages, mostly written in Latin.

Some commodities and measurements are unknown but have been transcribed as closely as possible. Others may not be so well-known to us today, so here are some definitions:
•    Bay salt - Salt derived by evaporating seawater in the sun.
•    Baise (Baize) - Coarse woollen cloth, often made in Barnstaple.
•    Chalder - A variant dry measure, usually for grain.
•    Dicker / Dicars - A quantity or package of 10 hides.
•    Fustian - Heavy woven cotton or flax cloth.
•    Kersey - Coarse narrow woollen cloth with a smooth back, made of long staple wool. Derived from the village of Kersey in Suffolk.
•    Kilderkin - 18 gallons (½ barrel) OR A cask for wine, fish, butter, etc, formerly 16 to 18 gallons.
•    Roves - A unit of weight in Spain usually for wine and oil, about 25 lbs.
•    Virga / Virgas - An obsolete unit of length, about 2.0m.
•    Wey - Unit of weight for dry goods. Size depends on commodity, but could be around 175 lbs. Can also be a unit of volume about 320 gallons.

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