Indian Antiquary Vol 59

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 340

68
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ DECEMBER, 1930
There is no evidence, either in the Papers or in the Madras Records to show if the 8th Article were complied with, but as Cockroft is not mentioned again in the Madras Diary and as Scattergood reappears at Fort St. George in 1712, it seems probable that the condition was observed.
Witnesses. Francis Seaton. Captain Francis Seaton, who in February 1692/3 married Hannah Mackrith (Mrs. Penny, op. cit.) was at this time under sentence of deportation from India, being suspected of having "given information about the great diamond." On 4 September (para. 135) and 14 October 1711 (para. 107) the Council at Fort St. George wrote to the Company that, on giving adequate security, they had allowed him to go to Bengal to settle his affairs before sailing for England.
Francis Delton. No other mention of this individual has been found.
Rawson Hart. The Papers show that Scattergood had business relations with this man up to 1723.
Samuel Jones. This man's name appears only twice in the Papers, each time as a witness, He died at Fort St. George on 5 February 1712/13 (Madras Ecclesiastical Records, I, 35).
John Jones is perhaps identical with the Captain John Jones, who commanded the Ann (in which Scattergood was interested) in her voyages to China in 1714 and 1717, or with the John Jones, who married Margery, daughter of George Croke at Fort St. George in October 1710 (Mrs. Penny, op. cit.).
Abel Langelier, who arrived in India in 1707, was at this date a Junior Merchant "under the Paymaster" (Madras Diary and Consultations, 1711). He married Elizabeth Berners on 27 February 1713/14 (Mrs. Penny, op. cit.) and died at Fort St. George 26 June 1714 (Madras Eccles. Records, I, 41).
Among the Papers are various invoices of goods shipped aboard the Bussorah Merchant for China. Thus we find one dated 17 May 1711 for "three pair of fine large pearl " consigned to Scattergood and Jones by John Meverell, “Land Customer" at Fort St. David. They had been bought "by the judgment of Mr. Edward Fleetwood," and "being very grate rareties," were not vo be sold "under 25 or 30 per cent profitt." The pearls were valued at 700 pagodas and were "on the proper account and risque of John Meverell and Mary Fleetwood," widow of Edward Fleetwood, who died at Fort St. George 16 February 1711 (Madras Eccles. Records, I, 31).
Next there is an invoice, dated 21 May 1711, of 26 chests of "treasure" containing "pillar dollars," Spanish silver coins bearing a figure of the Pillars of Hercules, weighing 87,865 oz. 17 dwt. 13 gr., for "account and risq of the freighters" and a receipt for the same by Captain John Cockroft, dated the following day, the eve of the departure of the ship. This is followed by a receipt signed by Edward Jones to Scattergood for 750 pagodas " which sume he is ooncerned in my subscription of 5750 pagodas to the freight on ship Bussora Mer. chant, Captain John Cockroft Commander, bound to Canton in China."
Lastly, there is a memorandum, also dated 22 May, of 12 pagodas "After charges ” on account the freightere of the Bussorah Merchant. These included payment for “ Boathire for treasure, gunroom crew and conicopelys," i.e., fees to native clerks, kanakka pillai.
Apart from the business connected with the Bussorah Merchant in 1711, Scattergood had family matters which occupied his attention. He acted for his wife's young sister, Sarah Burniston, whose trustees were the minister and church wardens of St. Mary's, Fort St. George. In May 1711 Scattergood paid over to them 267 pagodas, Sarah's dividend of a palanquin and a house at Bombay, sold by her brother-in-law, William Aislabie. Of his own domestic affairs after his return to Persia, there is the baptism in June 1709, and the burial in October following, of his elder son and the birth in 1710 of his second daughter, Carolina. His second son, who also died in infanoy, was born in September 1711.
Now occurs a further puzzle. It appears certain that the Bussorah Merchant (or Elizabeth) under Cockroft, with Edward Jones on board, sailed for Canton on 23 May 1711 and it