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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
( SEPTEMBER, 1921
Three years later, on the 25th January 1646-7, the Surat Council reported to the Company that "Acheen factorie” was "cleared," and that all the Company's servants had been dispersed, "Francis Scattergood and a Seaman excepted, left there to keep your Warehouse."15 This statement does not appear to be correct, as in a "List of Factors Etca. [and other] names in India, Persia, Etca," for 1647,14 we find, "In Acheen, Phillip Wylde, Thomas Reynardson, Francis Scattergood, John Rose," and in a later list, 15 the salaries of the four abovenamed are entered as £ 70, £60, £15, and £ 12 per annum respectively.
Moreover, copies of two letters written from Achin in January and February 1646-7 and signed by Philip Wylde and Francis Scattergood are in existence, 16 but the originals from which they were taken 17 were so badly damaged that very little can be gathered from the broken sentences remaining. In the letter of the 28th January, Wylde and Scattergood refer to a communication of the 30th October 1646, despatched by the Seahorse, and intimate that the January missive will be conveyed by a ship belonging to Courteen's Association.18 They remark that trade has been very dull, that “Great quantitye of Pepper and Tinne is Expected this ycare... the former worth 5 tole (tael] the Bahar, 19 the Lattertole 13 : 10 mass20 a Bahar. Of theso.. shall endeavour to buy so soone as the Cloth findes sale."
In their letter of the 3rd February 1646-7, Wylde and Scattergood beg to be supplied with three "housservants (honest if possible) by the next," because "we are soo greate a house hold and seldome above 2 of our Company in health." They remark that "Camphore is this year cheaper," that their last letter owed its conveyance to "the Esquire Coursteen's]a: Friendshipp," and that Captain John Smart was "very sick." The fragmentary phrases, "your Licence from Sufrat]," "of sallary," "per annum" possibly form part of a request for higher pay. A postcript adds that "Captain John Smart at writing herof Departed this Life and William Cork (a young youth) succeeds him in place."
Less than three months later, on the 20th April 1647, Francis Scattergood signed his will and most likely died shortly after. The will, preserved at Somerset House, 2 runs as follows:
"In the name of God Amen, I Francis Scattergood being very sicke and weake yet in perfect memory thankes be to God make this my last will and testament in manner and form followeing 13 0. C. 2023. 60. C. 2024.
16 0. 0. 2070. 10 Factory Records, Surat, vol. 102a (India Office Rocords).
17 The originals, which were contained in a volume of Bombay Records, were unfortunately lost at sea.
18 For an account of the inception of the Courteen venture in India, under Sir William Courteen, seo Mr. W. Foster's Introduction to E. B. Sainsbury's Court Minutes, 1635-1639, pp. xiv-xix.
10 Bahar, a weight varying in different districts. Thomas Bowrey gives the weight of the Achin bahar. c. 1676, as "396 1. 11 oz. 14 gr. Averdupoize" (Countries round the Bay of Bengal, ed. Temple, p. 241, n. 4).
30 13 tael, 10 mace. Taking the mace as a quarter dollar and 16 mace to the tael, the tael=4 dollars, and the price of tin=64 dollars or approximately Rs. 109 for approximately 3 cwt.; or say Rs. 33 per cwt. =at 2-8 per R., £ 82. 108. per ton. The pepper bahar was quite differently estimated as to weight.'
11 William Courteen junior.
22 P. C. C., 117 Easer (Wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, preserved at Somerset House, London).
