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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1908. =
The first mention discoverable of Ambrose Salisbury is in a "Generall Letter" from Court of Committoes to Fort St. George on the 27th February, 1658,6" At Pettipooley wee doe appoint Mr. Jonathan Trevisa Cheife at 30ls. per annum, Mr Ambrose Sallisbury Second at 2011. per annum. The Charge of this Factorie not to exceede 50 ii. per Annum for two persons ... to be subordinate and accomptable onto Our Agent and Factors at Fort St. George." . Peddapallo, or Nizampatam, had been known to the English as a trading port since 1612, and in 1621 a factory was established there. This factory was dissolved in 1653, and since that date there had been no regular resident factors at that place.
Unfortunately, the Court Minutes of the Company for the year 1658 are defective and there is consequently no means of ascertainiug how Salisbury obtained his appointment. On the 15th March, 1658, another " Generall " states “ Persian Merchant now ready to saile for Fort St. George . .. Upon this ship take their passage the persons following, vizt. Mr. Jonathan Trevisa, Mr. Ambrose Salisbury, Mr. Wm. Vassall and Mr. Stephen Charleton." On the 27th March the appointment of Jonathan Trevisa was annulled. He was sent to Bengal and it was ordered that William Daniell, who was already in India, should be " Cheife" at Peddspalle.
The Persia Merchant, in which Salisbury sailed, never reached her destination, but was "cast away" off the Maldives on the 9th August 1658. The account of the wreck has already been given in this Journal. 10 After various vicissitades, Salisbury, in company with those of the passengers and crew who escaped imprisonnent by the “Mallabars," reached Fort St. George on the 6th October, 1658. Three months later, on the 18th January, 1659, the Council at Surat informed the authorities at home of the disaster :-"By Letters from our Friends at Coast Coromandell Wec are given to understand the sad newes of the Persia Merchant being Cast away upon one of the Maldive Islands, the Ship and Goods all Lost. God be praised all the men saved except six. Our Agent Mr. Trevisa, Capt. Johnson, Capt. Middleton, Mr. Salisbury and Mr. Charleton with divers others were arrived at Fort St. George, from whence you will heare further concerning the whole passage of the sad losse to which we referr you."11 In reply, the Court of Committees wrote to Surat on the 22nd August, 1659, “The sadd disaster which happened to our ship Persian Merchant we bave had the full relation thereof from the Coast, and willingly submitt to the good band of God who disposeth of all things according to his pleasure,"13
It is to be presumed that Ambrose Salisbury proceeded to bis post at Peddapale at the end of the year 1658 and that, for some months, he served under Mr. Daniell. On the 25th Mny, 1659, the Conncil at Surat wrote to Fort St. George, “Having in ours dated the 25th April past ordered Mr. Johnson to be our second and Mr. A Court Cheife of Metchlepatam, Mr Daniell of Verasheroon, 18 We hope that you will furnish Pettipolee with one that may agree with the rest, that in our masters business every man may act in his sphoere without clashing, which behooves you to take notice of."14 The appointment at Peddapalle seems to have been given to Mr. Thomas Shingler, subject to the supervision of Mr. Daniell. On the 29d April, 1660, in the "Forts Generall to Verasheroon, ''13 Mr. Daniell was desired to order Mr. Shingler to make up the Peddapalle accounts.16
• Letter Book, Vol. 2
For further account of the factory, see A Geographical Account of the CountrieRound the Bay of Bengal (Hakluyt Society's Publioations), p. 53 f. & Letter Book, Vol. 2.
Letter Book, Vol. 2.
10 See anto, Vol. XXXI., PP. 182-136. 11 Factory Records, Surat, Vol. 84.
19 Letter Book, Vol. 2. 18 Verusheroon (Vira-Vasuram) was the seat of an English factory which was settled in 1684. 14 Factory Records, Surat, Vol. 64.
15 Factory Records, Fort St. George, Vol. 14.
