Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 3.djvu/89

 12 S. III. FEB. 3, 1917.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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the Commendation of all men. . . .and had been worthy to have bin incouraged with others .... had he had a Friend at Court to put you in remembrance of him." In consequence of their opinion of his abilities, the Council appointed March in September, 1669, to succeed Henry Powell as Chief at Kasimbazar Factory. On receipt of orders from Madras, the Council at Balasor wrote to the Governor and Council at Fort St. George as follows : " Wee have noe small hopes and opinion of Mr. John March, whom you have ordered to succeed [at Kasim- bazar], "therefore is by us recalled from Decca, that his experience and abillities (which his maligners cannot, though they envy, deny he exceeds them in, more then their security in bonds surpass his) will manage and improve the manufacture of Cassumbazar, if the want of stock does not defeate his industry, to answer our Masters expectations both for quantitys and quallities in the returnes of such goods they may desire and are procurable thereabouts." John March died at Kasimbazar in 1671 and was buried at Balasor. He left money to build a tomb over bis body as a landmark for " the Barr," but his wishes were not carried out. Administration of his effects was granted to his mother Elizabeth Warren on July 3, 1672. I have failed to find any trace of John March's father, who appears to have died before 1661, when Richard Warren (possibly his stepfather) was one of the young factor's securities. In 1669, when further security was required for John March as Chief at Kasimbazar, John Polixfen, Martin Cowell, and William Warren became sureties in 1,OOOZ. See ' Court Minutes," vol. xxiv. pp. 211, 215, and vol. xxvi. pp. 286, 292 ; O.C., 3060, 3069, 3247, 3344 ; ' Diaries of Streynsham Master,' ed. Temple, ii. 237 ; P.C.C. Administrations.]

Decca Le 12th July 1669

Mr Richard Edwards

And much Respected Friend,

Your Courteous Lines of the 14th past month came to my receipt the 3d Present, and heartily wish I were upon my returne to Cassumbuzar as you thought me, but business goes on soe slowly in this cursed Durbar,* that I fear twill be the latter end of this month (if not the begining of the next) before I shall be able to leave this place.

The Cossaesf you desired I shall indevour to procure tho' they are very deare here at Present, and for slave boyes feer none [to b]e gotten for mony, I have not one in [th torn away ] but have sent

about the Country to look for slaves [ torn away ] Severall other

friends, but rice being pretty reasonable [ torn away ] poore people will

not sell their children till necessity forceth

them to it. I'm sorry I cannot give] you 1 no better accompt of your sword Blades, having sold but 3: of them since my arrivall ; if they had bin engraven they would have all gon of, but as they are, none cares to look on them ; be assured Sir I shall use- my utmost indevour for there disposall, but if I cannot sell them before I leave this place, then I shall leave them with Mr Smith. I thank you for the care of my moveables ; if there be any thing wherein I can bee serviceable to you pray freelv Commaund

Sir Your Reall and Faithfull

friend to serve you

JNO. MAKCH

Mr Smith presents his kind Respects to you and Mr Jones. Idem J. M. Pray when you write to Mr Vickers present my respects to him [Endorsed] To Mr Richard Edwards Merchant

"Present" in Cassumbuzar

mission to Dacca.
 * See above for the object of John March's

t Cossaes, Indian pronunciation of AT. khd-ssa, fine muslin, for which Dacca was noted.

LETTER VTI. John Smith to Richard Edwards.

(O.C. 3307.)

Decca the 13th July 1669 Mr Richard Edwards Kind Sir

Yesterday writ you a Letter though? of Small Concernment Onely to Lett you know that I scorne to Lett a Cossett* passe from hence without acquainting you that I am a Live and glad when [I] Receive a- Line from you, but at night received an other from you, for which (if you are real! in what you write) give you many thanks and wish I may bee able to grattify t[ha]t

torn away

] to have for mee

and to answer Mr B[r]y[d]g[es] hi[s expec-] tation which shall allwaise bee my desire and End[eavour].

I am sorry to here that Mr Brodnaxf hat[h put] himselfe under a suspition of


 * See Letter V.

t Roger Brodnax (or Broadnax), who was sent to India in 1665 as " Cheife of 30 Soldiers," was made a factor in 1667. He went from Madras to Bengal, with his wife, in 1669, and was con- stantly at variance with the authorities there for- many months. He sided with William Blake,, the Company's Agent in Bengal, against Shenx Bridges, the second in office, and he indulged in violent invective against other members of the Bengal Council. His wife Ann was equally" quarrelsome. In February, 1670, she burst into- the " lodgings " of Shem Bridges, " cursed " him before the native merchants, and ended by break- ing, a " Brachman's [Brahman's] head" ! Roger Broadnax died in India in or about the year 1674.