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Customs Port Books 1590-1591
Port of: Barnstaple (and Ilfracombe included)
Books for: Overseas and Coastal trade
Type of book: Customer and Controller, Collector of Customs
Language: Latin
Taken from Port Books in National Archives ref: E 190/935/14 and 15
Spelling transcribed verbatim. Anything in square brackets added by transcriber.
Transcribed by David Carter 2023
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Surname index:
Aldworthe
Allyen?
Amye
Anthony
Aspleye
Averie
Babacombe
Baker
Barton
Batten
Beaple
Berrie
Beverage
Bruester
Cade
Colliber
Colman
Delbridge
Densley
Dodecott
Dodridge
Downe
Droman
Eliot
Frenche
Garris
Gaye
Genkins
Harper
Harris
Higgans
Holcum
Hunte
Hyckman
Lee
Legg
Ley
Lockier
Lymerye
Marten
Mechere, Messhere
Molton
Morcomb
Mydleton
Norwood, Norwoode
Parrat
Powell
Predye
Prowse
Puddie
Richardson
Rowe
Sherif
Shurte
Smithe, Smythe
Sowthcott
Sparrowe
Sterrie
Strangwidge
Streyte
Toppe
Wadlande
Watkins
Wescombe
Wilson
| Import or Export | Date | From / To | Vessel | Tons | Belonging | Master | Merchant | Goods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E 190/936/15 | ||||||||
| Export | 15 Jan 1590/1 | Bristoll | Mathewe | 15 | Fremington | William Legg | John Higgans of Bristol | 39 cwt elephants teeth, 75 cwt graynes [cochineal] |
| Export | 16 Jan 1590/1 | Bristoll | Marie | 12 | Northam | Walter Colman | James Wescombe of Barnstaple | 30 bags Spanish wool, 150 cwt[?] hatwoolle, 80 double serges |
| Import | 16 Jan 1590/1 | Caernarvon | Mighell | 12 | Bideford | Christopher Rowe | John Shurte of Bideford | 80 cwt cheese, 4 cwt & 20 gallons butter, 1 cwt wax, 220 virgas huswives cloth, 100 balletts wool, 1 butt sack wine |
| Export | 16 Jan 1590/1 | Bristoll | Prudence | 12 | Bideford | John Toppe | William Hunte hatmaker of Bristol | 22 bags Spanish wool |
| Export | 16 Jan 1590/1 | Bristoll | Prudence | 12 | Bideford | John Toppe | Richard Powell of Bristol | 2,000 new world fish |
| Export | 16 Jan 1590/1 | Bristoll | Prudence | 12 | Bideford | John Toppe | John Barton merchant of Bristol | 1 'pane lat [linen cloth?] de bin' |
| Import | 01 Dec 1580 | Gloucester | Marie | 14 | Bideford | John Smithe | John Bruester of Gloucester | 8 weys malted barley, 30 barrels beare, 200 bushels apples |
| Export | 14 Feb 1590/1 | Bristoll | Marie | 14 | Gloucester | John Smythe | Roger Cade of Barnstaple | 5 tons green woad, 5 tons salt, 200 lbs graynes, 400 garres [jars] oil |
| Import | 27 Feb 1590/1 | Caernarvon | Mighell | 12 | Bideford | Christopher Rowe | John Shurte of Bideford | 100 stones wool, 12 barrels butter, 100 virgas huswives cloth |
| Export | 22 Nov 1590 | Bristoll | Jesus | 20 | St Ives | Richard Aspleye | John Aldworthe of Bristol | 29 bags ginger containing 66 kintalls, 229 hides, 9 chests sugar containing 90 kintalls, 3 pieces tanned leather |
| Export | 22 Nov 1590 | Bristoll | Jesus | 20 | St Ives | Richard Aspleye | Thomas Holcum of Bristol | 1 pipe & 5 hogsheads vinegar |
| Export | 24 Nov 1590 | Bristoll | John | 7 | Northam | John Berrie | Robert Puddie merchant of Bristol | 29 bags ginger, 57 hides |
| Export | 31 Dec 1580 | Tenbighe | Gyfte | 14 | Ilfracombe | John Rowe | Daniell Mechere of Coignac in France | 7 tons Gascony wine |
| Import | 20 Jan 1590/1 | Exwater | Trinyte | 8 | Ilfracombe | Peter Genkins | Thomas Baker of Bridgwater | 2 hogsheads sack wine, 2 pieces brass ordynance |
| Export | 03 Feb 1590/1 | Bristoll | Trinitie | 8 | Ilfracombe | Richard Sterrie | Thomas Richardson of Exeter | 11 cwt jars quartiles containing 275 roves olei de Civell [Seville oil] |
| Import | 08 Feb 1590/1 | Bridgwater | Trinyte | 8 | Ilfracombe | Richard Sterrie | Thomas Baker of Bridgwater | 2 hogsheads sack wine, 1 hogshead honey, 2 pieces brass ordinance 9 cwt |
| Import | 09 Feb 1590/1 | Mylforde | Marie | 8 | Barnstaple | John Lockier | Richard Harper of Barry[?] | 6 bushels wheat[?] [faded] |
| Export | 09 Feb 1590/1 | Bristoll | Dorothie | 40 | Lyme | Thomas Sherif | Nicholas Strangwidge of Bristol | 4 cwt quartiles containing 100 roves olei de Civelle [Seville oil] |
| Export | 09 Mar 1590/1 | Bristoll | Marie | 12 | Fremington | John Downe | James Wescombe of Barnstaple | 14 jars quartiles cont IIIC LXI [361?] roves olei de Civellia [Seville oil] |
| Export | 09 Mar 1590/1 | Bristoll | James | 8 | Northam | Walter Colman | James Wescombe of Barnstaple | 17 cwt quartiles olei de Civell [Seville oil], 1 chest white sugar containing 3 cwt, 3 chests unrefined brown sugar containing 9 cwt |
| E 190/935/14 | ||||||||
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | William Gaye of Barnstaple | 1 ton iron, he paid 4s inwardes late before this |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | Robert Prowse of Barnstaple | 1 ballott containing 200 and half of canvas, 1 ballott containing 5 half clothes which make two clothes & half, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which make three clothes, 1 ballott containing 7 half clothes which make 3 clothes and half, 1 ballott containing 12 Devon kersies which make 3 clothes |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple | 3 ballotts containing 30 pieces baise |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | James Beaple of Barnstaple | 1 ton iron, 1 pipe of pitch, 3 bales of cappe [copy] paper |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | John Colliber of Barnstaple | 2 packets containing 13 pieces of baise |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | Robert Marten of Barnstaple | 3 chests and 2 ballotts containing 80 pieces Devon kersies which make 20 clothes, 2 ballotts containing 20 pieces of baise, 4 firkins containing 500 of pewter, 1 pack containing 200 of tawed leather |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Pellican | 36 | Barnstaple | Stephen Lymerye | Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple | 3 ballots containing 30 pieces of baise, 1 ballott containing 14 pieces of cottons, 1 packet containing 6 Devon kersies which make 1 clothe and half, 30 remlets containing 300 of flannynges |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | George | 50 | Preston | John Beverage (foreign) | Robert Prowse of Barnstaple | 1 ballott containing 20 moltons which make two clothes, 1 ballott containing 5 half clothes which make 2 clothes and half, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which make 3 clothes, 1 ballott containing 4 half clothes which make 2 clothes, 1 ballott containing 4 half clothes, 1 ballott containing 6 half clothes which yeldeth 3 clothes |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | George | 50 | Preston | John Beverage (foreign) | Roger Cade of Barnstaple | 1 ton iron |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | George | 50 | Preston | John Beverage (foreign) | John Delbridge of Barnstaple | 30 pieces Buffynes at 8d per piece, 30 pieces Hasborough cloth brown containing 200 ells, 5 pieces of sayes |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | George | 50 | Preston | John Beverage (foreign) | James Sparrowe of Barnstaple | 1 ballott containing 2 remlets of Broadcloth containing 30 yards which makes 1 cloth and a quarter of a cloth, 4 pieces of baise, 30 lbs flax |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | George | 50 | Preston | John Beverage (foreign) | John Harris of Barnstaple | 4 pieces friezes |
| Export | 08 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Jesus | 16 | London | John Hyckman from Corke | Richard Droman of Torrington | 6 dicar salt hides, 16 cados at 3d per piece, 16 stones of wool |
| Import | 08 Jan 1590/1 | From the sea | El Spiritu Sancto | 70 | Late of Lusbone | William Streyte | Richard Dodridge, James Downe and Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple | By reprisal. Brought into Barnstaple by the Prudence of Barnstaple burden of 100 tons whereof William Batten was captain. 220 lbs weight in gold taken up for her majesty the 20th parte which is £11 delivered unto the generall receiver Mr Thomas Mydleton at SSP[?] |
| Import | 08 Jan 1590/1 | From the sea | El Spiritu Sancto | 70 | Late of Lusbone | William Streyte | Richard Dodridge, James Downe and Nicholas Downe of Barnstaple | 59 cwt elephants teeth at 3s.4d per kintall, 104 kintalls grains [cochineal] at 3s.4d, 300 ounces cyvet |
| Import | 08 Jan 1590/1 | From the sea | El Spiritu Sancto | 70 | Late of Lusbone | William Streyte | John Higgans gent of Bristol | 39 kintalls elephants teeth at 3s.4d per kintal, 79 kintals of grains [cochineal] at 3s.4d per kintal |
| Import | 08 Jan 1590/1 | From the sea | El Spiritu Sancto | 70 | Late of Lusbone | William Streyte | My Lord Admirals tenth | Elephants teeth 11 kintalls, grains [cochineal] 22 kintalls |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Cane[?] | Jonas | 26 | Bideford | Raymond Anthony | Edward Amye of Tyverton | 9,000 newland fish |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Cane[?] | Frances | 40 | Barnstaple | James Molton | George Predye of Tyverton | 10,000 newland fish of the mydle sort, 60 barbarie hides. |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Handmaide | 50 | Bideford | Hugh Sowthcott | Edward Amye of Tyverton | 5 balletts containing 72 kersies |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Handmaide | 50 | Bideford | Hugh Sowthcott | George Averie of Barnstaple | 1 packet containing 8 pieces of Devon kersies |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Handmaide | 50 | Bideford | Hugh Sowthcott | Richard Wadlande of Bideford | 1 packet containing 6 pieces of Devon kersies |
| Export | 13 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Phenix | 30 | Northam | [blank] Dodecott | Richard Dodridge of Barnstaple | 3 ballotts containing 30 pieces baise, 2 ballotts containing 40 Devon kersies which make 10 clothes |
| Import | 28 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Salomon | 26 | Northam | William Watkins | Richard Frenche merchant of Northam | 13 weys of bay salt, 1 last of pitch and tar, 10 cwt stone pitch at 2d per cwt |
| Import | 28 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Roger Bonaventure | 80 | Torrington | James Eliot | Roger Ley merchant of Torrington | 40 weys bay salt |
| Import | 28 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Roger Bonaventure | 80 | Torrington | James Eliot | Roger Babacombe of Barnstaple | 4 cwt packing canvas |
| Import | 28 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Roger Bonaventure | 80 | Torrington | James Eliot | William Colliber of Barnstaple | 1 ballott vitrye canvas containing one hundred and half, 2 poledavies |
| Import | 20 Jan 1590/1 | By Reprisal | Gifte of God | 42 | Vermewe | John Wilson | John Lee of London, esq, and William Morcomb of Barnstaple | 39 tons of iron at 4s per ton, 225 kintalls shumack at 8d per kintall, 3 chests sugar at 10s per chest, 21 harquebus of crocke, 33 dozen small hatchets, 2,000 hassell [hazel?] hoopes |
| Import | 21 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Lion | 60 | Rochell | Danyell Messhere | Danyell Messhere | 5 tons salt |
| Export | 21 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Lion | 60 | Rochell | Danyell Messhere | Danyell Messhere | 7 chalders coals, 3 pieces of baise, half a piece of broadcloth, 4 yards of cotton, 2 cwt sugar |
| Import | 30 Jan 1590/1 | By Reprisal | Grace | 20 | Late of Lusbone | John Garris | Thomas Norwood and his company, Nicholas Strangwidge, Thomas Densley & John Parrat | Taken by Captain Norwoode and his companie by l'res[?] of reprisal and brought into Ilfracombe by the Dorothy of Lyme. 6,800 jars quartiles containing 1,700 roves of Civell oyles [Seville oil] at 4 score 8 roves to the ton amounts to 19 tons 1 hogshead |
| Import | 30 Jan 1590/1 | By Reprisal | Gyfte of God | 40 | Late of Vermew in Biskay | John Wilson | Thomas Norwood and Nicholas Strangwidge | 453 bundles pipe staves containing 6,354 staves at 3 pound the thousand, 7 chests of poudred sugar, 2 chests of panelles sugar, 2 tierses of iron hooks mattocks and old iron, 39 bundles of hasell [hazel?] hoops |
| Import | 21 Jan 1590/1 | Rochell | Lyon | 40 | Rochell | Danyell Allyen[?] | Danyell Allyen[?] | 21 tuns Gascon wine |
Transcriber’s notes:
Port Books for the combined ports of Appledore, Bideford and Barnstaple are housed in the National Archives from 1565 to 1745. There are some gaps due to non-survival of records, and other gaps due to damaged documents.
Typically these books record:
• Date of entry
• Name of ship
• Tonnage of vessel
• Port where vessel is registered
• Port where vessel is going to, or coming from
• Name of the Captain or Master of the vessel
• Name of the merchant responsible for the goods
• Whether the merchant is English or foreign
• Description of the cargo, including the method of storage (barrels, casks, bags), the weight (hundredweights, pounds) and the value for the purposes of assessing tax to be paid.
The following officials were responsible for checking the cargoes and recording the tax due:
• Collector or ‘Customer’ – made a return of all goods exported or imported and all moneys received, for which he issued a cocket (receipt).
• Controller – made a similar return but did not receive the payments.
• Searcher – appointed to prevent fraud, who had to make examine the goods and return a warrant to show he had done so.
• Surveyor – appointed to check the work of the Searcher.
The books for 1590/91 contain about 10 pages, some Latin, some English.
For some reason 935/15 also includes entries for Ilfracombe.
Some commodities and measurements are unknown but have been transcribed as closely as possible. Others may not be so well-known to us today, so here are some definitions:
• Baise (Baize) - Coarse woollen cloth, often made in Barnstaple.
• Bay salt - Salt derived by evaporating seawater in the sun.
• Dicker / Dicars - A quantity or package of 10 hides.
• Harquebus (Arquebus) - 16th century firearm, a long gun used by an infantryman.
• Kersey Coarse narrow woollen cloth with a smooth back, made of long staple wool, derived from the village of Kersey in Suffolk.
• Kintall (Quintal) - Another term for hundredweight. 100 lbs, also 112 lbs.
• Poledavy - Course canvas sailcloth originally manufactured in the town of Pouldavid in Brittany.
• Roves - A unit of weight in Spain for wine and oil, about 25 lbs.
• Shumacke (Sumac) - The dried berries of the Sumac plant, used in dying and tanning.
• Virga / Virgas - An obsolete unit of length, about 2.0m.
• Vittery canvas - A light sail-cloth canvas, originally from Vitre in Brittany.
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