Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/269

 12 s. in. APR IL u, i9i7.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

263

.LETTER XXXII.

Richard Edwards to John Marshall (rough draft).

(O.C. 3435.)

[John Marshall was elected factor " for the Coast or Bay," at 301. per annum, on Jan. 13, 1668, his securities being Ralph Marshall and Robert Lawes. He sailed from the Downs in the Unicorn on March 18, 1668, and reached Masuli- patam exactly six months later. In June, 1669, his request to go "to the Bay whither he was designed " was granted, and the Agent and Council at Fort St. George recommended him for employment at Dacca.. Shem Bridges and the Bengal Council, however, replied : '" Wee take notice of your recommending Mr Marshall to the employment of Decca, but wee must needs say that his naturall modesty calme disposition and Soft though quick utter- ance of speech, render him not so proper for Durbars (such as that is, which requires audacity to encounter the insolence of the Chubdars [Hind, chobddr, macebearer, attendant of the Viceroy], as well as Villany of the other officers) as others who may in the interiour endowments of judgement and discretion come short of him : therefore, after the departure of the Shipps, wee shall, according as the state of our business stands, consider whether Decca or some other place where wee shall have occasion to make investments at the best hand may most require his residence, and accord- ingly dispose him to an employment."

In the end, Marshall was sent to the Com- pany's factory near Patna, where Job Charnock was Chief. Already, during his short stay at Masulipatam, the young factor had made notes of places in the neighbourhood, and while in Bengal he studied the language and manners and customs of the province where he was employed. He was especially interested in the religious beliefs of the Hindus and the science of medicine as practised by them. Legends and folk-lore were also eagerly sought after and committed to writing by him. On the other hand, he kept a record of commercial matters, weights and measures in various dis- tricts, money values, &c., as well as inter- mittent jottings of current events. Further, he wrote a graphic account of a severe famine which occurred in the neighbourhood of Patna on 1671.

In 1672 Marshall was transferred to Kasim- bazar, where he served as Second until Novem- ber, 1676, when he was made Chief at Balasor, with the probability of succeeding as Agent in Bengal. However, on Aug. 30, 1677, he died of an epidemic which proved fatal to his Chief, Walter Clavell, and numerous others in 'the Company's service.

John Marshall's will (proved Sept. 15, 1679) is dated at " Johnabad," i.e., Jahanabad, a temporary name for Singhiya, where the Company's factory was situated, " near Pattana," on March 7, 1672, and was witnessed in June, 1673, at Kasimbazar by Matthias Vincent, John Naylor, and Richard Edwards, .his brother Ralph being appointed executor.

There are some interesting bequests. To " Goodwife Willowes of Maplethorp, co. Lin- coln, " he left 20s. " in token of gratitude for her setting nay thigh when 8 years old," arid " To Matthias Vincent, merchant and chief for the Hon: English East India Company in Cassumbuzar in Bengala East Indies, all my Arabian and Persian printed Books and history of China in folio." The testator directed that his MS. "'concerning India ' should be sent to Dr. Henry Moore and Mr. John Covell, fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge, for their perusal," and then to be returned to his brother Ralph. He further directed that a tomb should be erected to his memory at the " mouth of Balla- sore River for a landmark for vessels coming into the Road."

John Marshall's MSS. (for there are three), as well as the log of the Unicorn in which he made his voyage to India, eventually found their way to our national library, and are now in the MS. Department of the British Museum, catalogued MS. Harleian 4253(1), 4253(2), and 4254. They are entitled ' A Dialogue between J. Marshall and a Bramin (Muddoosoodun Raure) [Madusudan Rarh, i.e., a Rarhi Brah- man] at Cass r. began the 18 March, 1675,' ' Acct. of Muddoosoodum Raure Bramine,' and ' Notes and Observations of East India Liber A. Memorandums concerning India from Sept r llth, 1667, to January 1, 1671/2, per J. M.' Marshall was also the author of ' An ' Accompt of Pattana,' a description of the method of trade in saltpetre in that district, drawn up at the request of Streynsham Master in 1676.

The directions regarding the tomb were not complied with, for when Streynsham Master, then Governor of Fort St. George, visited Balasor in 1679, he remarked that " there was little or noe marke for the Barr at Ballasore river mouth, now the Tomb that was built by the Dutch was fallen downe the last foule weather, and the monys given some years since by Mr. March and Mr. Marshall to build Tombs over their bodys there buryed, that they might be markes for the Barr, were not like to be soe expended." See ' Court Minutes,' vol. xxva. p. 45, and vol. xxvi. pp. 88, 91, and 95 ; ' Factory Records,' Fort St. George, vols. xvi. and xviii., Hugll, vols. i. and iv., Kasimbazar, vol. i. ; ' Miscellaneous,' vol. iii. ; ' Letter Books,' vols. iv. and v. ; O.C. 3344, 3765 ; ' Diaries of Streynsham Master,' ed. Temple, passim ; P.C.O. Will (119 King); Admon., 1678.]

Cassumbuzar June the 20th 1670 To Mr Marshall

Last night received the enclosed from Hugly, togither with a bill to exchange for one payable in pattana, which have Pro- cured heerwith and enclosed send you, charg'd on Gocaldas, merchant, for 600 raps, payable 4 days after Sight in Shaw Jehaun Rupees.

Mr Vickers intimating in h[i]s, Some necessity of the bills Speedy arrivall with you, caused me (neither having nor expect- ing any quick conveighance) to forward it