Seamens' wages

Seamens' wages

HCA 13/71 cases involving seamens' wages

---

Demands during voyage for payment of overdue wages

Alleged desertion by crew of George Bonadventure at Zant to pressure Master for payment of two months overdue wages

• "1. tooke speciall notice thereof that the sayd Christopher Nock

2. during the voyage in question did lye ashoare and absent him=
3. selfe for the space of about ˹eight or tenn˺ fifteene nights and the greatest
4. of the dayes of those nights And hee saith that divers of the
5. Company of the sayd shipp to the number of 14 vizt Abraham CoXX GUTTER
6. Theodor Nookes Richard Galhampton John Brookes Robert MorXXXXXX GUTTER
7. John Jackson Henry ffoot William Richbill Nicholas Miller Richard
8. Brooke aforesayd ffrancis William William Toft Robert Collins
9. Thomas Richards did at Zant in the moneth of June 1655 deserte the
10. sayd shipp the George Bonadventure and keepe on shoare which they
11. did to and XXXXXXX sayd they would not come on board till they
12. had two moneths pay paid them whereupon the Master of the sayd
13. shipp and Mr Dobson factor of the sayd Mr ffarington did cause them
14. to be seized upon Souldiers and át length the Consull with
15. much persuasion prevailed with them to goe on board againe the
16. Master causing them to bee paid one moneths pay and thereupon
17. this deponent did by order of the sayd Master and the sayd dobson pay
18. unto all the shipps company who desyred the same (many which
19. the parties to this suite plaintiff in this suite were comprehended) one
20. Moneths pay"

- HCA 13/71 f.270v: Case: Beniamin dimmock John Godden Christopher Knecke Richard Brooke and henry denbe against George ffarington; Deposition: 1. Robert Thompson the parish of Saint Martin in the Vintrey London Cittizen and Merchantaylor of London late Purser of the shipp the George Bonadventure of London aged forty sixe yeares; Date: 02/07/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Dispute about half and full pay

XXXX

• "13. To the Crosse=Interries. CENTRE HEADING

14. To the first Interrogatory he saith he was one of the Company of the sayd shipp the
15. voyage in question. And there is about eight pounds wages due to him
16. for his service in the sayd shipp. which he hopes to have, but hath ˹not˺ yet
17. Layd in his Clayme or action for the same. And otherwise hee cannot answer.
18. To the second Interrogatory hee saith hee was not att the hiring of any of the
19. persons interrte.
20. To the third the saith he saith he saith he was about 6 weekes in the sayd shipp att
21. halfe pay, before she departed from Gravesend, and then was in her and in
22. whole ˹pay˺ till she came to Millford haven and about ˹a˺ month longer. And
23. there he left the sayd shipp. and saith she did not make her designed port,
24. or voyage being insufficient. And saving as aforesayd cannot further
25. answer
26. To the 4th. hee saith he was payd his sayd halfe pay upon the eighth
27. day of december 1654. and some small tyme after videlicet day or
28. two or ˹three dayes after˺ the like the sayd shipp went upon her sayd voyage. And
29. further not remembring the tyme of the day she departed he ćannot
30. depose or answer
31. To the .5th. he saith that the sayd shipp when she so departed from Gravesend did
32. seeme to be an able and sufficient shipp as to outward view. but it soone
33. after appeared that she was not sufficient for such a voyage. And other
34. wise hee cannot answer.
35. To the .6th. he saith the sayd shipp became leaky first about the downes, and
36. afterwards sprang a leake about forty leagues from the Lizard, as
37. this Rendent did then judge the distance. And from thense {she} came
38. into Milford haven And otherwise hee ćannot answer."

- HCA 13/71 f.172v Case: XXXX; Deposition: XXXX; Date: XXXX. Transcribed by XXXX

---

Failure to pay wages of a ships chirugion

XXXX

• "1. To the second Interrogatorie hee saith hee cometh to bee a wittnes in this cause at

2. the request of Mr Batson one of the producents who well knew that this
3. deponent was Chirugion in the Owners Adventure the voyage in
4. question and therefore could not bee ignorant of divers passages during
5. the same and saith hee did since his comming home subscribe his name
6. to a noate which was ready prepared by the sayd Batson and which the
7. sayd Batson at his howse did tender to this deponent and desyre him to
8. sett his hand thereto but the contents of the sayd noate or where the sayd
9. noate is hee knoweth not and saith hee hath not receaved his wages
10. due for the voyage in question but hath receaved of the sayd Batson
11. fifty five shillings in money which hee paid this hee this respondent
12. received in part of satisfaction of his medicaments by him this rendent
13. provided at his owne charge to furnish his Chirugions chest for the
14. voyage in question, but the sayd Batson when hee paid the same, did
15. not declare that it was for that, or any other cause, but sayd hee did
16. not acknowledge that there was any wages due to this respondent for
17. the sayd voyage, but that the sayd Batson gave him that 55s only
18. out of his love or to that effect and saith hee is promised nothing
19. but expecteth to receive his wages of the sayd Batson his wages due
20. for the sayd voyage after the rate of fifty five shillings a month And
21. further cannot answere/"

- HCA 13/71 f.600v Case: Batson against Gosling; Deposition: 7. John Avery of Ratcliff in parish of Stepney and County of Middlesex Chirugeon aged twenty two yeares; Date: 01/04/1657. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Freighters responsibility to pay mariners wages specified in contract to let a ship for freight

Contract to let the ship the Alexander for freight of tobacco from Virginia to London specified freighter pay mariners wayges

XXXX

• "29. To the 4th 5th ˹and 6th˺ articles of the sayd libell hee saith that hee being Supracargo

30. as aforesayd hath ˹heard the sayd Watson acknowledge that hee receaved˺ XXXX severall letters sent from one Mr Marston the right GUTTER
31. sole owner of the sayd shipp the Alexander to Ireland before her departure
32. thence to Virginia defying him the sayd Watson to be carefull to performe
33. all things on his part to be performed touching the sayd voyage or to that
34. effect And saith that hee hath heard the sayd Captaine Watson alsoe
35. confesse and acknowledge that the sayd Warner was to victuall the sayd
36. shipp for the sayd voyage and pay Mariners wages, and over and about this GUTTER
37. charge to pay fowerscore and five pounds a moneth for soe longe tyme
38. as shee continued upon the sayd voyage in lie?u of three hundred
39. tunnes of Tobaccoe at fower hogsheads to the Tonne which hee the sayd
40. Watson was to lade aboard the sayd shipp at Virginia and transporte
41. thense to London And hee this deponent well knoweth that hee this deponenet
42. in order to the performance of such things as were agreed to be performed
43. on the behalfe to the sayd Warner did cause to be paid unto the sayd GUTTER
44. Watson at Corke in Ireland a hundred pounds in money towards the
45. payment of Mariners wages, And alsoe saith that after the rate of
46. fower Virginia hogsheads to the Tonne the sayd Watson ought for the
47. compleateing of the three hundred Tonnes of tobaccoe by him to have
48. bin brought thense in the sayd shipp to have laden twelve hundred
49. Virginia hogsheads of tobaccoe and noe lesse And further hee cannot depose/"

- HCA 13/71 f.401v Case: Warner against Howe and Watson ("Examined upon the libell on behalfe of the sayd Warner"); Deposition: 7. George ffaulckoner of London Merchant and supracargo of the shipp Alexander the voyage in question aged 40 yeares; Date: 24/10/1656. Transcribed by William Kellett.

---

Payment of gratuities

The forty-six year old mariner, John Stevens of London, gave evidence as to the payments of gratuities to Englsih ships' captains in Cadiz.

• "16. To the second hee saith that as hee hath heard the said Thomas

17. Browning had an Adventure of his owne on board the said shipp
18. the said voyage, and this deponent XXXeth the said allowance of
19. a peece of eight per day in the case aforesaid to be a duety from the
20. owners and not a gratuitie, in as much as a master or purser cannot
21. well be on lesse daily expense XX
22. shoare; and hee doth not conceive that the owners having a factor
23. on shoare shall not expresse the said allowance, for a master is soleman
24. as XXXX consigned to XXXXXX, XX whXXXXX the owners having a factor on
25. shoare shall ˹not˺ excuse the said allowance, for a master is soleman
26. as XXXXX consigned to anyXXXX the owners have not sXXXX
27. further or other person to give him assistance, and that the masters
28. gaines ashoare to him and staying there and writeing when about
29. the shipps business is ˹for the most part˺ equall expense to him as if there were noe
30. further XXXX, and that rate of a peece of eight per diem is a
31. XXXXs ordinary expense there, and ofXXXXr more than lesse. And
32. otherwise cannot answere saving as aforesaid.
33. John Stevens SIGNATURE, RH SIDE
34. Repeated before doctor Godolphin"

- HCA 13/71 f.102v Case: Browning against Vanderpost and Company; Deposition: 2. John Stephens of London Mariner, aged 46 yeeres (Signature of "John Steuens" at end of deposition); Date: 28/02/1655(56). Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Payment of primage and average to Master and crew

ADD EXAMPLE FROM f.359v

---

Payment of wages to wife in absence of a mariner

The forty year old mariner Broeder Backson was master of the ship the XXXX: His wages were paid by the London merchant Luke Lucie, and, according to Backson's testimony, were paid to Backson's wife in backson's absence.

• "1. to his owne use, and hense hee went in ballast to hull, and there tooke

2. in wheate and leade upon the said affreightment for Bordeaux and as shee GUTTER
3. was going thither ward therewith, shee was taken by Ostenders, who carried
4. her to Saint Sebastians, where the said goods being taken out, shee went
5. to Rochell and loaded ˹salt˺ for the said Mr Lucie and carried and delivered the GUTTER
6. same at Southampton and thense went in ballast to Rochell and there
7. tooke in another cargo of salt for his account and carried the same to
8. Derliba in Curland, and there delivered part thereof, and carried the
9. rest to derwinda and delivered it, and there took in a cargo of
10. pipestaves for this port for mr tuXXes account, and there delivered
11. the same, and hense went in ballast to Norway, and there tooke in
12. casks and deales for his account for Dartmouth and there delivered
13. the same, and thense went in ballast to Rochell, and tooke in another
14. cargo of salt for his account and carried the same to Riga to and
15. delivered the same to the foresaid harman Barker, who reladed GUTTER
16. her with her present lading for this port for the said mr
17. Lucies account as aforesaid, and saith hee alwaies and XXXXtimes GUTTER
18. received his wages for his service as master of the said shipp of
19. and from the said mr Lucie, either by this deponents himselfe
20. or his wife to whom (in this deponents absense) the same was sometimes GUTTER
21. paid, shee living at Saint Saviours Dock, and otherwise hee referreth
22. himselfe to his foregoeing deposition."

- HCA 13/71 f.299v Case: The claime of Luke Luce of London Marchant for the Saint John Baptist of which Broeder Barxson is Master and goods; Deposition: 1. Broeder Backson of London Mariner, aged 40 yeeres (Signature of "Brodear Ba?ckson" at end of deposition); Date: 11/07/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Pressure to accept less than full due wages

Beniamin Dimmock was a twenty-six year old mariner from Ratcliff who shipped with XXX on the ship the George Bonadventure. He and his fellow crew mates were in dispute with George ffarington over wages. Dimmock reported pressure on a number of the finacially least secure crew members to accept less than they were due for their wages on a voayage to the Eastern Mediterranean.

• "19. To the 17th hee saith that some of the company being bound out to sea

20. and leaving their wives in want, they have binconstrained as hee beleaveth
21. to take what they could get, and lesse than was due to them for their wages for
22. the said voyage, And otherwise hee cannot depose."

- "HCA f.293r Case: John Cranye, Thomas Captain herXXXX and Company owners of the shipp the George Bonadventure against George ffarington; Deposition: 2. Benjamin Dimmock of Ratcliff in the county of Middlesex Mariner aged 26 yeeres (Signature of Beniamine Dimmocke); Date: 20/06/1656. Transcibed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Serving for shares in prizes

John de Vos testified that he served as gunner in the Hound, also known as the Black Dog, for shares in the prizes his ship might seize. Despite his dutch or flemmish name, and having lived in Dunkirk as well as Dover, he was in the service of an English man of war.

• "41. To the first hee saith hee was Gunner of the said man of warr and

42. on board at the time of the said seizure, wherein hee assisted, and
43. saith that hee served for shares, and was to have nine shares of the
44. Captaine and Companies third part of each prize."

- HCA 13/71 f.15r Case: Goodwin and Company against the goods and the St John, Derrick Ryan Master and against da Souza and others ("Examined upon the foresayd allegation"); Deposition: 2. John de vos of dover late Gunner of the shipp Galliot the hound or Black dogg (derrick hendricks Commander) aged 38 yeeres; Date: 04/03/1655(56) ("same day"). Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

The crew of the Hound or Black Dog contained flemish and dutch as well as (presumably) english sailors.

De Vos's testimony recorded:

21. John de vos of dover late Gunner of the shipp or Galliot
22. the hound or Black. dogg (derrick hendricks Commander)
23. aged 38 yeeres or therabouts sworne and exámined.
24. To the tenth article of the said allegation hee saith and deposeth that at
25. such time as the said shipp or Galliot the hound or dogg (the man
26. of warr) tooke and surprized the shipp the Saint John and her lading, derrick
27. R hendricks commaunder of the said man of warr had his Commission
28. on board the said man of warr for taking and surprizing the shipps and
29. goods of the ffrench kings subiects; which hee knoweth for that the said
30. derrick Ryn master of the Saint John comming first aboard the said man of
31. warr after the said seizure, would not beleeve the man of warr to be
32. English, because there were fflemish and dutch in her, whereupon the
33. said derrick hendricks (who by a nick name is commonly called
34. derrick Swine) caused his Commission to be fetcht by this deponents
35. precontest William Rubris. and showed to the said derrick Ryn in this
36. deponents presense; and saith the said shipp the Saint John and her lading
37. were seized by vertue of the said Commission."

- HCA 13/71 f.15r Case: Goodwin and Company against the goods and the St John, Derrick Ryan Master and against da Souza and others ("Examined upon the foresayd allegation"); Deposition: 2. John de vos of dover late Gunner of the shipp Galliot the hound or Black dogg (derrick hendricks Commander) aged 38 yeeres; Date: 04/03/1655(56) ("same day"). Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

---

Specifying length of mariners contract for wages

See:

• "44. To the second hee saith that the sayd shipp the Justice of Dover being in the moneth

45. of October 1655 shee was there hyred by the arlate Nayler, horne
46. and Company for seaven moneths certaine and nyne moneths uncertayne to goe
47. from thense to Ginney and to returne back to the Barbados, And saith shee laded at
48. the Barbadoes a ladeing of Copper barrs and severeall other Merchandize for Accompt
49. of the sayd Nayler horne and Company to be disposed of at Guinney for their Accompt
50. and"

- HCA 13/71 f.399r Case: XXXX; Deposition: 2. William Buckland of Stepney in the County of Middlesex Mariner aged forty fower yeares; Date: 04/11/1656 ("the same day") . Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.

See:

• "1. To the 7th hee saith hee was present at the Barbados and heard the sayd

2. Nayler and horne and Company agree with the foresayd Kerwall and others
3. owners of the shipp Justine to give them fifty pounds a moneth for seaven
4. monthes certayne and eight moneths uncertayne, under which pay the sayd shipp
5. was at the tyme of her seizure and saith the sayd shipp was by contract
6. to be delivered to her Owners at Barbados after her returne from
7. Guinney and further hee cannot depose./"

- HCA 13/71 f.400r Case: XXXX; Deposition: XXXX (Signature of "William Buckland"); Date: XXXX. Transcribed by William Kellett.

---

---

Cases from Chancery cases, 1640-1699 involving seamens' wages

---

C10/160/41 f.3

Page 8 in voyage accounts lists crews' wages per person and role

Identifies all crew members, their role on the ship, as well as months and days worked, their rate of pay, and total pay due.

ADD ADDITIONAL DATA. HAVE I IMAGED THIS PAGE?

Mens Wages for the voyage

To David Hamilton Com:r
To John Kinge Cheife mat:r
To John ffisher Carpenter
To Edw:d Aggus Gunner
To Bath: Cole Boatsw
To Jonathan Loveday Chirugion
To Thomas Lutton Carp:rs mate
To John Upshott Cooper
To Phillip Henley Cooke
To John ?Jackson Gunners mate
To John Lobbe Quarterm:r
To Richard Hawkes Q:tr m:r
To Sam:ll Walker Q:tr m:r
To John Puford Seaman
To John Williams Seam:n
To John Geare Seaman
To ?Andrewe ?Anguish
To Benj: Readinge
To John Hall Seaman
To Tho: ?Bewe Seaman
To Jn: Whetstone Seaman
To Daniell ??Turbis Seaman
To W:m Day Seaman
To Joseph Small Seaman
To Edw:d Ster?nay Seaman
To Josphe Brawne

---

Mixed statehood of crews on English (and other) ships

Swedish, Easterling and English sailors in twelve man crew of Luke Lucie's ship, the XXX

• "46. To the 9th hee hath saith hee had twelve of his company in this GUTTER

47. present voyage, whereof three were English, and thereof XXXX GUTTER
48. Swedes and Easterlings, saving this deponent who liveth at XXXX GUTTER
49. but was borne in holsteinland, and that there were noe fflandrians GUTTER
50. or other subiects of the king of Spaine aboard her.
51. Broeder Backson SIGNATURE, RH SIDE"

- HCA 13/71 f.299v Case: The claime of Luke Luce of London Marchant for the Saint John Baptist of which Broeder Barxson is Master and goods; Deposition: 1. Broeder Backson of London Mariner, aged 40 yeeres (Signature of "Brodear Ba?ckson" at end of deposition); Date: 11/07/1656. Transcribed by Colin Greenstreet.