Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 527

JUNE, 1923)
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
17
IV.
Jony SCATTERGOOD, MERCHANT AND SERVANT OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY,
HIS CAREER IN MADRAS AND BENGAL, 1672-1681. John Scattergood was the eldest son of Roger Scattergood noticed above (No. III) and was probably born in London about 165473 or 1655. As previously stated (ante, p. 16) he, with several others, petitioned the Court of Committees for a writership in August 1672.13
On receipt of the applications, the Court directed that the candidates should be examined "in point of fair writing and accomptantship" and that the examiner should satisfy himself with regard to their "qualifications and good demeanour." John Scattergood apparently passed a successful examination, for on the 19th September 1672, when the Court" proceeded to the election of Youths to serve the Company as writers in India, 16" his name appears among those selected at the munificent salary of £10 per annum.
On this occasion twenty writers were elected, and ten, among whom was John Scattergood, were allotted to the "Coast and Bay," i.e.., Madras and Bengal, each being required to find securities for £500. The persons "approved " in the case of the young John were his father Roger Scattergood and Mr. Robert Master" (Masters or Maisters), the latter a man of substance and a freeman of the Company. On the 14th November 1672 an advance of half his year's salary was made to John Scattergood, 17 and on the 23rd his “ Indentures of Covenants to wrighters now goeing out in the Companys shippe for the East Indies" were sealed.18
Ten of the Company's ships sailed for India in December 1672. They were under the command of Captain William Basse in the London, and he and the other commanders were enjoined "to keep together" on account of "the present war,"79 that is, the Third Dutch War, which was the result of Charles II's secret treaty with the French at Dover on the 2nd May 1670. It has not been ascertained in which of the ten ships John Scattergood was & passenger, but it is probable that one of his travelling companions was William Ayloffe (or Ayliffe), a fellow writer with whom he seems to have formed a friendship.
The Log of the London is extant,80 and it shows that the voyage was not devoid of ex. citement. A constant look-out was kept for any sign of the enemy and there were several false alarms. After rounding the Cape, on the 16th April 1673, three vessels, at first thought to be Dutch ships, were sighted, but after several hours' anxiety were " at last discovered " to be English merchantmen hemeward bound from the Coromandel Coast. One of these, the Johanna, reported that twenty-five Dutch ships had left Ceylon and were supposed to be hovering about the Malabar Coast.
On the 16th May the London and all her consorte anchored at Johanna, one of the Comoro Islands, without encountering the enemy, for which "great maroy," wrote Captain Basse, "the Lord make us all truly thankfull.” The crews of the ten ships were suffering badly from
73 No entry of his birth or baptism has been found. It is not at Christ Church, Newgate Street, in which parish his parents were then residing (see ante, p. 6). In the Heralda College Pedigree he is described as “ John Seattergood Factor at Bengala in ye East Indies," without further details (Viration of Northamptonshire, 1611), Pross-mark K. 1, signed by (Dr.) Anthony Scattergood.
73 Court Minutes, XXVIII, 37a. (India Office Records.) 74 Ibid., XXVIII, 380.
75 Ibid., XXVIII, 44a. 76 Ibid., XXVIIT, 656, 13la and ante, p. 16. 77 Ibid., XXVIII, 720. 78 Home Series Miscellaneous, vol. XXVI (India Omce Records). " Court Minutes, XXVIII, 770.
80 Marine Records, vol. LXXI (India Omco Rocorda).