________________
SOME ANGLO-INDIAN WORTHIES.
287
DECEMBER, 1905.]
44
latter was chosen as a Factor for Fort St. George, his securities being Roger Clavell, of Lincolns Inn, Esqr. (probably his elder brother) and Matthew Hollworthy of London, Knight. Walter Clavell was then twenty-nine years old. The Directors wrote to Fort St. George, We have enterteyned Mr. Walter Clavel!, whoe bath the character of an able, and well deserving person, at the sallary of £70 per annum for the terme of 5 years, whome wee doe apoint to bee one of the Counsell." Clavell was instructed to re-instate Foxcroft, the deposed Agent, "if alive," and then to deal with the rebellious Sir Edward Winter. But before these orders were confirmed, Mr. Thomas Winter induced the Directors to partially overlook his brother's "unparalleled conduct," and a full pardon from his Majesty was sent out to the delinquent and his supporters, if they returned to their allegiance. Winter was further to be allowed to remain "in his former condition on the Coast." However, later reports of the ex-governor's doings so incensed the Directors that they obtained a second Royal Commission empowering a Council, consisting of William Jearsey, Captain Richard Goodlad of the Rainbow, Walter Clavell and others to require Sir Edward to deliver up Fort St. George, and to re-instate George Foxcroft under pain of being treated as a rebel and a traitor. "For his encouragement" Walter Clavell was allowed to trade in such "commodities as are allowed to Mr. Foxcroft." In case of the deposed Agent's death, Clavell was to assist in the direction of affairs at Fort St. George, and if he found Winter still in possession of the Fort, he was to proceed to Masulipatam and consult with William Jearsey. All these elaborate instructions were useless as far as Clavell was concerned. The departure of Captain Samuel Smith with the Charles was delayed until April 1667, and then it was too late in the year to proceed to "the Coast." The ship accordingly was sent to Surat, and Clavell was ordered to make his way overland to Fort St. George. The voyage was unusually long, even for those days, and it was not until May of 1668 that he reached Goa. In October of that year, Foxcroft and the Council at Fort St. George wrote to the Directors giving an account of their deliverance from the machinations of Sir Edward Winter. They remarked that they understood that Clavell had been entrusted with the original of His Majesty's Commission before the commanders of the Loyal Subject and Rainbow had sailed, that these ships had arrived, but that nothing had been heard of Clavell except that he "long since arrived at Goa, and had he been in health and made any ornary hast as such a business required, he might have prevented these worthy Gentlemen in the worst they effected." Clavell, however, was not "in health." He was delayed at Goa by "long and dangerous sickness." On his recovery, he journeyed to Golconda and thence to Masulipatam, where he arrived at the end of the year 1668. Finally, he reached Fort St. George, on the Loyall Merchant, in January 1669. He appears to have had one official anterview with Winter, for, in April 1669, the late Agent wrote from Madapollam to his brother, stating that Walter Clavell and Robert Fleetwood were sent to him by Foxcroft to say that there no further demands on his (Winter's) estate.
Finding his mission already performed, Clavell petitioned for, and received the consent of Foxcroft to go to "the Bay" in April 1669. On the 7th December of that year, the Directors wrote to Fort St. George that they noted many of their Factors "designed for the Coast" had gone to "the Bay," and among the names mentioned is that of "Mr. Walter Clavell." In the same letter he was appointed to be "Second in the Bay." On the departure of Shem Bridges for England, Clavell became acting Chief, and was confirmed in that post by the Directors, at a salary of £100 per annum, under date 18th December 1672. In December 1669, "a kinswoman of Sir Matthew Holworthy who is intended to be a wife to Mr. Walter Clavell" and her maid-servant were permitted to go to "the Bay" free of charge. Clavell's attachment to Mistress Holworthy was probably of some years standing and would account for Sir Matthew's acting as security for Clavell on his election to the Company's service, as previously stated. The lady, whose name was Prudence, died in 1673, for, in September of that year, we find the note, in a letter from Richard Edwards at Balasor, "Mrs. Clavell departed this life the 20th Currt. or thereabout." Clavell's second wife, Martha, who survived him only one day, was the daughter of Thomas Woodruff, a London Merchant.
In June 1672, Walter Clavell procured a "Phirwanna" 12 from "Shaster Caun," 13 a copy of which is preserved at the India Office, together with the "Nabobs Letter."14 There are, in fact, two 12 Parwana. 15 Shayistä Khan. 14 Factory Records, Miscellaneous, No. 3.
