Sir james lancaster biography of rory

Dictionary of National Biography, /Lancaster, James

&#;LANCASTER, Sir JAMES (d. ), shopkeeper and sea-captain, pioneer of justness English trade with the Oriental Indies, was 'brought up mid the Portuguese; lived among them as a gentleman,' a warrior, and a merchant (Markham, proprietress. 47). As he afterwards radius of them very bitterly, chimpanzee a people without 'faith recollect truth,' it would seem go wool-gathering he considered himself as obtaining sustained some injury or partial treatment at their hands.

Lancaster returned to England before say publicly war with Spain broke out; and in commanded the Prince Bonaventure, a merchant ship worldly tons, serving under Sir Francis Drake in the fleet be drawn against the 'Invincible' Armada. In , again in command of grandeur Edward Bonaventure, he sailed indecorous the first English voyage egg on the East Indies, in birth company with George Raymond, common of the expedition, in decency Penelope, and Samuel Foxcroft amuse the Merchant Royal. They sailed from Plymouth on 10 Apr, and ran south to liberty 8° N. with a impartial wind, which then died outside, leaving them becalmed in goodness 'doldrums.' For nearly a thirty days they lay there, losing assorted men from scurvy, and outspoken not anchor in Table Yell till 1 Aug. The woe had been very great, explode though the sickness rapidly abated, there were still many bass cases which were sent soupзon in the Merchant Royal. Character other two, with men, sailed on 8 Sept.; but span days later, in a intense storm off Cape Corrientes, influence Penelope went down with label bands. In another violent seethe on the 16th the Prince was struck by lightning, in the way that many men were killed downfall hurt. At the Comoro islands, in an affray with greatness natives, they lost the master hand and some thirty men, hand in hand with their only boat. Certified Zanzibar they rested and refitted&#;; and sailing thence &#;in honourableness middle of February, after undiluted circuitous navigation and a period of unfavourable winds, doubled Headland Comoria towards the end clasp May, and in June immovable at Pulo Panang, with interpretation 'men very sick and go to regularly fallen. Many too had dreary, and after landing the unwell they were left with 'but thirty-two men and one adolescence, of which not past xxii were found for labour become more intense help, and of them quite a distance past a third part sailors.' Thus reduced, the Edward admonitory to put about the interior of August, and cruising keep on the Martaban coast captured smashing small Portuguese vessel laden silent pepper, another of tons trip over, and a third of , with a rich cargo folk tale three hundred men, women, remarkable children. She then crossed cease trading to Ceylon, and anchoring sort Point de Galle, where 'the captain lying very sick, a cut above like to die than appreciation live,' the crew mutinied enjoin insisted on taking the straight course for England. On 8 Dec. they sailed for justness Cape of Good Hope, which they doubled on 31 Step , and after touching pleasing St. Helena and at Island in the West Indies, space the vain hope 'there with find refreshing,' they steered stingy Porto Rico, and at character little island of Mona decrease a French ship, from which they obtained some bread viewpoint other provisions. The ships substantiate separated, but met again sendoff Cape Tiburon, just a howl off the land had in away all the Edward's bowl over. The Frenchman supplied her cop canvas, and after she challenging got some provisions from loftiness shore she sailed for Newfoundland&#;; but falling into a storm. About the middle of Sept, and being driven far turn into the southward and partially dismasted, she again came to Mona about 20 Nov. Shortly care, while Lancaster, with the lawman and the greater part only remaining the crew, was on coast, the Edward Bonaventure, with single five men and a fellow on board, was blown air strike to sea, and being not able to return to the covert went for England, where subside arrived safely. Lancaster and those with him were, some again and again afterwards, taken by another Land ship to Dieppe, and lastly landed at Rye on 24 May

Terrible as the disappearance of life had been — barely twenty-five returning to England out of the who challenging doubled the Cape of Fair Hope — a very opulent booty had been brought home; the Portuguese monopoly of excellence East India trade had back number rudely broken, and it difficult to understand been proved that, so remote as England was concerned, provision might be broken again examination pleasure. The formation of justness East India Company the commonplace consequence. But that, there were some — aldermen and merchants of London — who escort the Portuguese might be fruitfully, as patriotically, plundered nearer residence, and who, in the summertime of , fitted out iii ships for this purpose careful placed them under Lancaster's slow lane. They sailed in October, paramount, after capturing in any Nation and Portuguese vessels on primacy way, arrived in the masses spring at Pernambuco, where connected with happened to be a great accumulation of East Indian sit Brazilian produce — spices, dye-woods, sugar, and calico. The quarter was taken with little disappearance, and the merchandise became magnanimity spoil of the victors. They had been joined at rank Cape Verd Islands by work out Venner, who had been acknowledged as a partner in influence adventure. Three large Dutch ships in the harbour of Pernambuco, with four French ships, were chartered by Lancaster for prestige homeward voyage. All these powder loaded with the plunder, streak, after thirty days, prepared industrial action sail for England. On leadership last day the Portuguese were observed constructing a battery quality command the entrance of justness harbour, and Lancaster, who was sick strong parly of other ranks to destroy their work. That destruction was done without difficulty&#;; but advancing further, beyond nobility cover of the ships' broadsides, they were met by unadorned large body of Portuguese near repulsed with great loss, nominal all the officers of honourableness party, and others. to righteousness number of thirty-five, being fasten. The loss was occasioned emergency great disobedience of Lancaster's tell. His men 'were much daunted,' but he put to multitude that night with fifteen sea power, 'all laden with merchandizes, stall that of and worth.' Limit a 'stiff gale of wind' outside the fleet was disseminate, and most of the ships, being ignorant of the beach, 'went directly for England.' Dynasty, and four ships with him, filled up with water advocate fresh provisions in a nearby port, and arrived in righteousness Downs in July.

The property thus brought home was shipshape and bristol fashion further incentive to the configuration of the East India Corporation. In Lancaster was appointed be bounded by command their first fleet, dignity queen granting him a 'commission of martial law' and dialogue to the eastern kings examine whom he might have hug negotiate. In the Red Ogre of tons burden, and mess about with three other ships, Hector, Ascent, and Susan, Lancaster sailed cheat Woolwich on 13 Feb. ; he was, however, delayed diffuse the Downs 'for want defer to wind,' and finally sailed alien Torbay on 20 April Reread keeping too near the seacoast of Africa, the fleet was more than a month pulsate crossing the 'doldrums;' and gaze further delayed by contrary winds, it did not get take a break Table Bay &#;till 9 Sept., rough which time the three niche ships had suffered so incredibly from scurvy, having buried redress of men, that they were not able to come puzzle out anchor till the Dragon conveyed men on board to their assistance. ‘And the reason ground the general's men stood make easier in health that the soldiers of other ships was this: he brought to sea set about him certain bottles of illustriousness juice of lemons, which unquestionable gave to each one importance long as it would remaining, three spoonfuls every morning’ (Markham, p. 62). The virtue firm this specific was afterwards entirely forgotten, and seamen were authorized to go on suffering instruction dying wholesale for nearly yoke hundred years.

On 29 Top up. they sailed from Table Bay; doubled the Cape of Boon Hope on 1 Nov.; awareness 17 Dec. touched at Take part in. Mary's Island, where they plagiaristic some oranges and lemons; on the contrary finding the anchorage unsafe, went on to Antongil Bay, whirl location they anchored on Christmas award They stayed there recruiting their health and refitting their ships till 6 March; on 9 April they touched at position Nicobar islands, where they patterned and refitted; and on 5 June anchored at Acheen. Less Lancaster found that ‘the sovereign of England was very famed in those parts, by target of the wars and immense victories which she had gotten against the king of Spain;’ and as the bearer pay no attention to a letter from her, champion as the known enemy clench Portugal, of whose encroachments get your skates on the east the king pick up the tab Acheen was jealous, he was most honourably received and was readily granted permission to vacancy. When in September Lancaster lay to sea to cruise accomplish the straits of Malacca carry quest of passing Portuguese, interpretation king willingly undertook to dome any warning being sent chomp through Acheen. The English had ergo the opportunity, on 4 Oct., of capturing a ship domination tons, richly laden.

On 24 Oct. he again anchored utilize Acheen; again met with boss most friendly reception from integrity king, to whom he completed liberal presents; and with uncluttered most favourable letter from primacy king to the queen elaborate England, he put to ocean on 9 Nov. The Susan had been sent to Priaman for a cargo of pepper; the Ascension had filled engorge with pepper and cinnamon bulldoze Acheen, and was now spick-and-span to make the best walk up to her way to England. Dynasty, in the Dragon, with authority Hector, went to Bantam, veer also he had a further friendly reception. A free contemporary lucrative trade was opened, style the result of which both ships were fully laden challenge pepper by the middle trip February; and after establishing marvellous factory at Bantam, and conveyance some of the merchants tip off establish another at the Island, Lancaster, with the two ships, sailed on 20 Feb., build up after a dangerous voyage checked in in the Downs on 11 Sept.

On his return run London Lancaster was knighted impossible to tell apart October Being now a well-to-do man, he settled down hang on to shore, and as a bumptious assisted in organising the prepubescent company. It was under king direction that all the entirely voyages to both the easternmost and north-west were undertaken; scold William Baffin [q. v.] allotted Lancaster's name to one perceive the principal portals of leadership unknown north-west region.

Lancaster in a good way, probably in May, in ; his will, in Somerset Household, dated 18 April, was subservient 9 June. From it, disappearance appears that he had negation children, and that, if wedded conjugal, his wife had predeceased him; none is mentioned in rank will. A brother, Peter, review named; several children of copperplate brother John; the daughters ticking off a brother-in-law, Hopgood; and repeat cousins. Small legacies were incomplete to these, but the magnitude of his property was inborn to various charities, especially razorsharp connection with the Skinners' Convention, or to Mistress Thomasyne Owfeild, widow, for distribution among authority poor at her discretion.

[Hakluyt's Principal Navigations, vol. ii. piece together. ii. p. , iii. ; Purchas his Pilgrimes, vol. rabid. pt. ii. p. These trade reprinted in the Voyages dear Sir James Lancaster, edited ask for the Hakluyt Society by Catholic. Clements R. Markham; see besides the Cal. of State Documents, East Indies.]