GENUKI: Barnstaple Port Book - 1590-1591, Devon

Hide

Customs Port Books 1590-1591

Port of: Barnstaple (and Ilfracombe included)

Books for: Overseas and Coastal trade

Type of book: Customer and Controller, Collector of Customs

Language: Latin

Taken from Port Books in National Archives ref: E 190/935/14 and 15

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

Transcribed by David Carter 2023

= = = = = = = =

Surname index:

Aldworthe
Allyen?
Amye
Anthony
Aspleye
Averie
Babacombe
Baker
Barton
Batten
Beaple
Berrie
Beverage
Bruester
Cade
Colliber
Colman
Delbridge
Densley
Dodecott
Dodridge
Downe
Droman
Eliot
Frenche
Garris
Gaye
Genkins
Harper
Harris
Higgans
Holcum
Hunte
Hyckman
Lee
Legg
Ley
Lockier
Lymerye
Marten
Mechere, Messhere
Molton
Morcomb
Mydleton
Norwood, Norwoode
Parrat
Powell
Predye
Prowse
Puddie
Richardson
Rowe
Sherif
Shurte
Smithe, Smythe
Sowthcott
Sparrowe
Sterrie
Strangwidge
Streyte
Toppe
Wadlande
Watkins
Wescombe
Wilson

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

E 190/936/15
Export	15 Jan 1590/1	Bristoll	Mathewe	15	Fremington	William Legg	John Higgans of Bristol	39 cwt elephants teeth, 75 cwt graynes [cochineal]
Export	16 Jan 1590/1	Bristoll	Marie	12	Northam	Walter Colman	James Wescombe of Barnstaple	30 bags Spanish wool, 150 cwt[?] hatwoolle, 80 double serges
Import	16 Jan 1590/1	Caernarvon	Mighell	12	Bideford	Christopher Rowe	John Shurte of Bideford	80 cwt cheese, 4 cwt & 20 gallons butter, 1 cwt wax, 220 virgas huswives cloth, 100 balletts wool, 1 butt sack wine
Export	16 Jan 1590/1	Bristoll	Prudence	12	Bideford	John Toppe	William Hunte hatmaker of Bristol	22 bags Spanish wool
Export	16 Jan 1590/1	Bristoll	Prudence	12	Bideford	John Toppe	Richard Powell of Bristol	2,000 new world fish
Export	16 Jan 1590/1	Bristoll	Prudence	12	Bideford	John Toppe	John Barton merchant of Bristol	1 'pane lat [linen cloth?] de bin'
Import	01 Dec 1580	Gloucester	Marie	14	Bideford	John Smithe	John Bruester of Gloucester	8 weys malted barley, 30 barrels beare, 200 bushels apples
Export	14 Feb 1590/1	Bristoll	Marie	14	Gloucester	John Smythe	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	5 tons green woad, 5 tons salt, 200 lbs graynes, 400 garres [jars] oil
Import	27 Feb 1590/1	Caernarvon	Mighell	12	Bideford	Christopher Rowe	John Shurte of Bideford	100 stones wool, 12 barrels butter, 100 virgas huswives cloth
Export	22 Nov 1590	Bristoll	Jesus	20	St Ives	Richard Aspleye	John Aldworthe of Bristol	29 bags ginger containing 66 kintalls, 229 hides, 9 chests sugar containing 90 kintalls, 3 pieces tanned leather
Export	22 Nov 1590	Bristoll	Jesus	20	St Ives	Richard Aspleye	Thomas Holcum of Bristol	1 pipe & 5 hogsheads vinegar
Export	24 Nov 1590	Bristoll	John	7	Northam	John Berrie	Robert Puddie merchant of Bristol	29 bags ginger, 57 hides
Export	31 Dec 1580	Tenbighe	Gyfte	14	Ilfracombe	John Rowe	Daniell Mechere of Coignac in France	7 tons Gascony wine
Import	20 Jan 1590/1	Exwater	Trinyte	8	Ilfracombe	Peter Genkins	Thomas Baker of Bridgwater	2 hogsheads sack wine, 2 pieces brass ordynance
Export	03 Feb 1590/1	Bristoll	Trinitie	8	Ilfracombe	Richard Sterrie	Thomas Richardson of Exeter	11 cwt jars quartiles containing 275 roves olei de Civell [Seville oil]
Import	08 Feb 1590/1	Bridgwater	Trinyte	8	Ilfracombe	Richard Sterrie	Thomas Baker of Bridgwater	2 hogsheads sack wine, 1 hogshead honey, 2 pieces brass ordinance 9 cwt
Import	09 Feb 1590/1	Mylforde	Marie	8	Barnstaple	John Lockier	Richard Harper of Barry[?]	6 bushels wheat[?] [faded]
Export	09 Feb 1590/1	Bristoll	Dorothie	40	Lyme	Thomas Sherif	Nicholas Strangwidge of Bristol	4 cwt quartiles containing 100 roves olei de Civelle [Seville oil]
Export	09 Mar 1590/1	Bristoll	Marie	12	Fremington	John Downe	James Wescombe of Barnstaple	14 jars quartiles cont IIIC LXI [361?] roves olei de Civellia [Seville oil]
Export	09 Mar 1590/1	Bristoll	James	8	Northam	Walter Colman	James Wescombe of Barnstaple	17 cwt quartiles olei de Civell [Seville oil], 1 chest white sugar containing 3 cwt, 3 chests unrefined brown sugar containing 9 cwt


E 190/935/14
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	William Gaye of Barnstaple	1 ton iron, he paid 4s inwardes late before this
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	Robert Prowse of Barnstaple	1 ballott containing 200 and half of canvas, 1 ballott containing 5 half clothes which make two clothes & half, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which make three clothes, 1 ballott containing 7 half clothes which make 3 clothes and half, 1 ballott containing 12 Devon kersies which make 3 clothes
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple	3 ballotts containing 30 pieces baise
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	James Beaple of Barnstaple	1 ton iron, 1 pipe of pitch, 3 bales of cappe [copy] paper
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	John Colliber of Barnstaple	2 packets containing 13 pieces of baise
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	Robert Marten of Barnstaple	3 chests and 2 ballotts containing 80 pieces Devon kersies which make 20 clothes, 2 ballotts containing 20 pieces of baise, 4 firkins containing 500 of pewter, 1 pack containing 200 of tawed leather
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Pellican	36	Barnstaple	Stephen Lymerye	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	3 ballots containing 30 pieces of baise, 1 ballott containing 14 pieces of cottons, 1 packet containing 6 Devon kersies which make 1 clothe and half, 30 remlets containing 300 of flannynges
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	George	50	Preston	John Beverage (foreign)	Robert Prowse of Barnstaple	1 ballott containing 20 moltons which make two clothes, 1 ballott containing 5 half clothes which make 2 clothes and half, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which make 3 clothes, 1 ballott containing 4 half clothes which make 2 clothes, 1 ballott containing 4 half clothes, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which yeldeth 3 clothes
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	George	50	Preston	John Beverage (foreign)	Roger Cade of Barnstaple	1 ton iron
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	George	50	Preston	John Beverage (foreign)	John Delbridge of Barnstaple	30 pieces Buffynes at 8d per piece, 30 pieces Hasborough cloth brown containing 200 ells, 5 pieces of sayes
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	George	50	Preston	John Beverage (foreign)	James Sparrowe of Barnstaple	1 ballott containing 2 remlets of Broadcloth containing 30 yards which makes 1 cloth and a quarter of a cloth, 4 pieces of baise, 30 lbs flax
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	George	50	Preston	John Beverage (foreign)	John Harris of Barnstaple	4 pieces friezes
Export	08 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Jesus	16	London	John Hyckman from Corke	Richard Droman of Torrington	6 dicar salt hides, 16 cados at 3d per piece, 16 stones of wool
Import	08 Jan 1590/1	From the sea	El Spiritu Sancto	70	Late of Lusbone	William Streyte	Richard Dodridge, James Downe and Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple	By reprisal. Brought into Barnstaple by the Prudence of Barnstaple burden of 100 tons whereof William Batten was captain. 220 lbs weight in gold taken up for her majesty the 20th parte which is £11 delivered unto the generall receiver Mr Thomas Mydleton at SSP[?]
Import	08 Jan 1590/1	From the sea	El Spiritu Sancto	70	Late of Lusbone	William Streyte	Richard Dodridge, James Downe and Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple	59 cwt elephants teeth at 3s.4d per kintall, 104 kintalls grains [cochineal] at 3s.4d, 300 ounces cyvet
Import	08 Jan 1590/1	From the sea	El Spiritu Sancto	70	Late of Lusbone	William Streyte	John Higgans gent of Bristol	39 kintalls elephants teeth at 3s.4d per kintal, 79 kintals of grains [cochineal] at 3s.4d per kintal
Import	08 Jan 1590/1	From the sea	El Spiritu Sancto	70	Late of Lusbone	William Streyte	My Lord Admirals tenth	Elephants teeth 11 kintalls, grains [cochineal] 22 kintalls
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Cane[?]	Jonas	26	Bideford	Raymond Anthony	Edward Amye of Tyverton	9,000 newland fish
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Cane[?]	Frances	40	Barnstaple	James Molton	George Predye of Tyverton	10,000 newland fish of the mydle sort, 60 barbarie hides.
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Handmaide	50	Bideford	Hugh Sowthcott	Edward Amye of Tyverton	5 balletts containing 72 kersies
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Handmaide	50	Bideford	Hugh Sowthcott	George Averie of Barnstaple	1 packet containing 8 pieces of Devon kersies
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Handmaide	50	Bideford	Hugh Sowthcott	Richard Wadlande of Bideford	1 packet containing 6 pieces of Devon kersies
Export	13 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Phenix	30	Northam	[blank] Dodecott	Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple	3 ballotts containing 30 pieces baise, 2 ballotts containing 40 Devon kersies which make 10 clothes
Import	28 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Salomon	26	Northam	William Watkins	Richard Frenche merchant of Northam	13 weys of bay salt, 1 last of pitch and tar, 10 cwt stone pitch at 2d per cwt
Import	28 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Roger Bonaventure	80	Torrington	James Eliot	Roger Ley merchant of Torrington	40 weys bay salt
Import	28 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Roger Bonaventure	80	Torrington	James Eliot	Roger Babacombe of Barnstaple	4 cwt packing canvas
Import	28 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Roger Bonaventure	80	Torrington	James Eliot	William Colliber of Barnstaple	1 ballott vitrye canvas containing one hundred and half, 2 poledavies
Import	20 Jan 1590/1	By Reprisal	Gifte of God	42	Vermewe	John Wilson	John Lee of London, esq, and William Morcomb of Barnstaple	39 tons of iron at 4s per ton, 225 kintalls shumack at 8d per kintall, 3 chests sugar at 10s per chest, 21 harquebus of crocke, 33 dozen small hatchets, 2,000 hassell [hazel?] hoopes
Import	21 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Lion	60	Rochell	Danyell Messhere	Danyell Messhere	5 tons salt
Export	21 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Lion	60	Rochell	Danyell Messhere	Danyell Messhere	7 chalders coals, 3 pieces of baise, half a piece of broadcloth, 4 yards of cotton, 2 cwt sugar
Import	30 Jan 1590/1	By Reprisal	Grace	20	Late of Lusbone	John Garris	Thomas Norwood and his company, Nicholas Strangwidge, Thomas Densley & John Parrat	Taken by Captain Norwoode and his companie by l'res[?] of reprisal and brought into Ilfracombe by the Dorothy of Lyme. 6,800 jars quartiles containing 1,700 roves of Civell oyles [Seville oil] at 4 score 8 roves to the ton amounts to 19 tons 1 hogshead
Import	30 Jan 1590/1	By Reprisal	Gyfte of God	40	Late of Vermew in Biskay	John Wilson	Thomas Norwood and Nicholas Strangwidge	453 bundles pipe staves containing 6,354 staves at 3 pound the thousand, 7 chests of poudred sugar, 2 chests of panelles sugar, 2 tierses of iron hooks mattocks and old iron, 39 bundles of hasell [hazel?] hoops
Import	21 Jan 1590/1	Rochell	Lyon	40	Rochell	Danyell Allyen[?]	Danyell Allyen[?]	21 tuns Gascon wine

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 1590/91 contain about 10 pages, some Latin, some English.
For some reason 935/15 also includes entries for Ilfracombe.

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:
•    Baise (Baize) - Coarse woollen cloth, often made in Barnstaple.
•    Bay salt - Salt derived by evaporating seawater in the sun.
•    Dicker / Dicars - A quantity or package of 10 hides.
•    Harquebus (Arquebus) - 16th century firearm, a long gun used by an infantryman.
•    Kersey    Coarse narrow woollen cloth with a smooth back, made of long staple wool, derived from the village of Kersey in Suffolk.
•    Kintall (Quintal) - Another term for hundredweight. 100 lbs, also 112 lbs.
•    Poledavy - Course canvas sailcloth originally manufactured in the town of Pouldavid in Brittany.
•    Roves - A unit of weight in Spain for wine and oil, about 25 lbs.
•    Shumacke (Sumac) - The dried berries of the Sumac plant, used in dying and tanning.
•    Virga / Virgas - An obsolete unit of length, about 2.0m.
•    Vittery canvas - A light sail-cloth canvas, originally from Vitre in Brittany.

= = = = = = = =