Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 77

APRIL, 1912.]
BIR ABRAHAM SHIPMAN
BIR ABRAHAM SHIPMAN, The First Governor of Bombay.
BY COL. J. BIDDULPH. A MONG the shadowy figures that fit across the early pages of our Indian history, few are A more shadowy and less substantial than that of Sir Abraham Shipman. The Dictionary of National Biography knows him not. His name is forgotten. Yet he was a brave soldier of some merit, whose unmarked grave is in Indian soil; of sufficient distinction to be selected as the first Commander-in-Chief of royal troops in India, and the first Governor of Bombay, though he did not live to take charge of his Governorship.
Abraham Shipman was a younger son of the family of that name, seated at Scarrington in Nottinghamshire through the whole of the 16th and 17th centuries. He was the younger brother of William Shipman who held Scarrington in the reign of Charles I, and who was one of the knights and genilemen of the county who signed an address to the county representatives in Parliament (1st July 1642) concerning the differences that had arisen between the Parliament and the King. We may be pretty certain that the two brothers were present at the raising of the Royal Standard at Nottingham (22nd August 1642), as the family adhered to the royal cause throughout the Civil Wars. One of the family, John Shipman, was Mayor of Nottingham in 1705, and again in 1714.
We first hear of Abraham Shipman in 1636, when he was concerned, as his brothede agent, in a scheme to grow madder in Malvern Chase; for which William Shipman held a royal license. The undertaking was probably ansaccessful, as three years later, we fiad Abrahad Shipman adopting the profession of arms.
In 1638 Charles I became involved in his quarrel with the Scotch General Assembly about the Prayer Book. In March 1639, the Covenanters under Leslie seized EdinburghSterling and other royal castles by surprise. Charles marched to the Border with an English force. A negotiation took place on the banks of the Tweed, in June, when it was agreed that the castles should be restored to the King,
In the following January, Captain A brabam Shipman, with one hundred men, was der patched from London, in Captain Slingsby's ship, to reinforce the garrison of Edinburgh Castle, then held by Patrick Rathren, Lord Ettrick, for the King. A few weeks later we find the King writing to Lord Ettrick goggesting that Shipman should leave his men at Lord Ettrick's disposal and come away, as affairs appeared to be settling down. To which Lord Ettrick replied, befeeching the King to leave Shipman with him," for if there should be OCCH “sion of service I might find the want of such as he is: for I find his judgement and behaviour “so far exceeding ordinary worth that I shall account it a great unhappiness to part with him in these times of danger." To which the King replied that Captain Shipman might remain in Edinburgh, and receive the same pay as other Captains there.
In Stptember, the townsmen rose and blockaded the castle, forcing the garrison to surrender for want of water. Sir Patrick Drummond in a letter to Sir John Hay relates that the General, David Scrimgeoar and Captain Shipman, had gone by coach to Berwick. The rest of the garrison were allowed to march out" with drams beating and colours flying, and so to Leith "(to embark) guarded by 600 Scotsmen, otherwise those of the good town would have torn thero " to pieces. They all showed much resolution but marched with feeble bodies, all the garrison **spoiled for want of drink that most of them can never be men again : Lord Eltryck is "extremely extenuated, but Shipman in very good case."