Tools: Three Silver Ships

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The three silver ships


Editorial history

Created 28/06/2015 by CSG




Background


Three large ships (The Salvador, the Sampson and the Saint George) of supposedly Lubeck and Hamburg build and ownership were captured by the English in 1652 with highly valuable cargos of bullion. The ships were on their way from Cadiz with bullion from the Spanish West Indies going northwards. It was disputed in court as to whether the ships were bound legally for the Spanish Netherlands, or illegally for Amsterdam.

The case was endowed with political as well as commercial weight - the Protectorate was keen to have the bullion declared lawfull prize, but the Spanish government contested this. The many and varied court depositions and other English Admiralty (and English State Paper) records give very granular and highly colourful accounts of Seville and Cadiz, Hamburg and Lubeck, the Spanish Netherlands, the by-ways between the Spanish Netherlands and Amsterdam by which bullion could be smuggled overland and by canal, and the River Thames, where the ships and sailors were held following seizure. Thomas Violet, a rather dodgy goldsmith, was involved as an agitator on benhalf of the protectorate, and published a pamphlet pleading for reimbursement of his efforts, which supplements the HCA material on the MarineLives wiki.


Timeline


Please enter below all events relating to the Admiralty court case of three Silver ships. Be as specific as possible in terms of day, month, and year.

Please note whether the dates you enter are New or Old style (typically non-English witnesses will use New Style dates, and English witnesses will use Old style dates. In the 1650s the same day in New style was ten days ahead in terms of date compared with Old style.[1]


1646


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1647


Month unspecified: The ship the Salvadore was built at Hamburg[2]


1648


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1649


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1650


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1651


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1652


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1653


Possibly early 1653: Petition of Juan de lossa Barrona, a Spaniard born in Segovia, Spain, regarding the seizure of his goods in the ship the Saint George of Hamburg (master: John Martin), leading to he himself being detained in London hoping that the ship with her lading would be released "to finish her voyage to Ostend". The ship not being released, the petitioners business affairs pressed for him to depart to Flanders.[3]

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1654


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1655


April 3rd: Petition to the English Admiralty Court judges of Christian Cloppenburgh, master of the ship the Sampson, on behalf of himself and the rest of the owners of the ship. States his ship has been detained for more than two years depending on a suit in the Admiralty Court about proving her to be prize and that a sentence had recently been passed by the Court setting the ship and her freight free. However, Thomas Violet had put in information that some silver had been purloyned or embeazled out of a different ship (the Salvadore (Master: Otto George)), and that under this pretence the ship had been further detained. Asked the Court that his ship be speedily discharged to save him and it from utter ruin.[4]

April 3rd: Petition to the English Admiralty Court judges of John Martindorp, master of the ship the Saint George, on behalf of himself and the rest of the owners of the ship. Similar plea to the petition of the same date made by Christian Cloppenburgh.[5]

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1656


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1657


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1658


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1659


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Witness list


Please add witness details and linked references in alphabetical order of witness.

William Astell of the parish of Allhallows Barking London Chirurgeon aged 60 yeares[6]
Albert ?Becher?e of the free Citie of Lubeck Mariner at present Master or Commander of the shipp the King David of London aged 47. yeares[7]
Joachim Beene of hamborough Mariner aged 35. yeares[8]
Antonio Fernandez Caravashall of London Merchant aged 54 yeares[9]
Christian Cloppenburgh of hamborough Mariner aged 43. yeares[10]
Christian Cloppenburgh of Hamborough Mariner Master of the shipp the Salvadore aged 44 yeares[11]
Antonio Estevan de Balderas of Limma in the West Indies merchant aged 38 yeares[12]
Carsten Franck of Lubeck Shipwright aged 32. yeares[13]
Abraham Johnson of the precinct of Saint Catherins neere the Tower of London Sailemaker aged 35 yeares[14]
Magdalena Hendricks the wife of Abraham Johnson living in the Minories neere London aged thirty two yeares[15]
John Lowers of Masterland in Norway Mariner aged 26. yeares[16]
William Pembridge of the Parrish of Saint Magnus London Habberdasher aged 42 yeares[17]
Stephen Puckle of Eastsmithfeild neere London Merchant aged fifty nine yeares[18]
Hance Ramke of Hamborough Mariner aged 40 yeares[19]
Peter Rokes of Lubeck in Germania Mariner Steeresman of the shipp the Goulden Grape of dantsick aged 43. yeares[20]
Henry Slegar of hamborough Saylor aged 23. yeares[21]

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Primary source material other than depositions


HCA 15/6 Box 2

Item: Petition of Christian Cloppenburgh: Date: April 3rd 1655[22]

Item: Petition of John Martindorp: Date: April 3rd 1655[23]

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum

"1652: 26. The Committee for Foreign Affairs to sit on Monday. The Admiralty Judges and Dr. Walker to attend, and report what has been done in that court about the ships Samson, Salvador, and George. 27. Orders for regulating Council's proceedings to be considered on Monday. 28-30. Serjeant Dendy, Mr. Scutt"[24]


Volume 37 - June 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

Admiralty Court, and deliver in on oath after the usual manner the papers now sealed up, which were taken out of the Samson, Salvadore, and George. 10, 11. Mr. Perrott and Mr. Throckmorton, prisoners with the Serjeant-at-arms for being engaged in a challenge, to be dismissed on bonds in 1,000 l . and two

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53420


Warrants of the Council of State, Generals of the Fleet, &c

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

Bristol, to transport 40 draugh t nags to Barbadoes, for the use of the sugar mills, on the same terms as others. 120 — — " 21 " Pass For Eliz. Meutis to Flanders 127 — — " " " Comrs. for Sale of Dutch Prizes. To seize and secure some gold and silver embezzled from the Samson, Salvador, and George in the

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53421

Volume 77 - December 1654

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1654

the Admiralty Committee to request the Protector and Council for an order to dispose of the Samson, Salvadore, and George, which had the great quantity of silver on board, to the best advantage of the State, the Prize Goods' Commissioners reporting that they are much injured by having lain 2 years in

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53459


Volume 40 - September 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1653-4

the Samson, Salvadore, and George, and to take down in writing all the preparations of evidence and proofs thereupon, and draw a full plea by his advice for the protection for the State's interest, and to give in the names of all the material witnesses they know of, that the points may be proved by

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53494


State Papers, 1653 - November (2 of 5)

A collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, volume 1

consideration of a paper from the Spanish ambassador presented this day to the council, concerning certain bags of wooll, taken out of the Samson, Salvador, and George, and to examine the matter of fact, and for their better information to send for doctor Walker, and such other persons, papers, and witnesses as

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=55282


Volume 32 - January 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

send an account to Mr. Thurloe tomorrow of their proceedings against the Samson, Salvador, and George, and the whole state of that business. 3. The petition of Col. Ryley to be considered on Wednesday, and he to be here. 4. Mr. Thurloe to draw up a paper to be offered to Council, to be sent to foreign

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53415


Volume 34 - March 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

referred to the Committee for Foreign Affairs. 15. Mr. Thurloe to declare to Dr. Walker that he may give such answers as he thinks fit to the paper published by the advocate of Flanders, upon the proceedings in the Admiralty Court upon the Samson, Salvadore, and George, and publish the same if he see

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53417


Volume 33 - February 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

February 1653 Feb. 1. 4. Order in the Council for Trade and Foreign Affairs, that the account brought in by the Admiralty Judges of their proceedings in the Admiralty Court, on the Samson, Salvador, and George, be presented to Council. [ I . 132, p . 61.] Feb. 1. 1, 2. Petition of Thomas Jennings

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53416


Volume 76 - September 1654

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1654

into one treasury. [ Excise Coll. pp . 149–154, Vol . 98, June 1655.] [Sept. 2.] 12. Dr. Walter Walker to Sec. Thurloe. It appears by yours that the Hamburg agent urges a judgment on the Samson, Salvador, and George. I waited on you yesterday at Whitehall about it, but could not see you. The matter of

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53456


State Papers, 1654 - March (5 of 5)

A collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, volume 2

ships the Samson, Salvadore, and St. George, in the port of Cadiz, being his own port, several bags of wools, to be transported to another port of his own in Flanders, for his own account, there to be delivered to his assistants, for his own account, towards the payment of his armies. That these ships

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=55311


Volume 36 - May 1653

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1652-3

of Otho George and others interested in the three silver ships, Salvador, Samson, and George. That they made the purser alter his book, taking out the names of all Hollanders and Zealanders, and inserting others. That they threw letters overboard tied to an iron bar, on coming into the Downs. That

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53419


Volume 130 - October 1656

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Interregnum, 1656-7

the next post after I have received the value. I am surprised your friends do not put another address on your letters. [1 page, French .] Oct. 20. 63. Shorthand notes of proceedings in the Committee upon the case of the [silver] ships Samson, Salvador, and George. [3¼ pages, undecyphered .] Oct. 21.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=54487

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Cast of Characters


Please add key characters in the affair of the silver ships, together with short referenced profiles of the characters.


Christian Cloppenburgh


Master of the ship the Salvadore of Hamburg. Aged forty-four in June 1655.[25]


Antonio Estevan de Balderas


Spanish merchant, resident in Lima in the Spanish West Indies.[26]


Otto George


Master of the ship the Sampson of Lubeck.


Jaspar Lorenzo


Spanish merchant claiming to have lost three cerons of cutchineele in the ship the Salvadore.[27]


John Martindorp


Master of the ship the Saint George of Hamburg


Ferdinando Nunez


Spanish merchant.[28]


Ships


Please create profile of ships named in the case of the three silver ships.


Golden Sunn


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Mercurius


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Saint George


The Saint George of Hamburg (Master: John Martindorp)

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Salvadore


The Salvadore of Hamburg (Master: Christian Cloppenburg)

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Sampson


The Sampson of Lubeck (Master: Otto George)

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  1. ↑ Add reference
  2. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.387v
  3. ↑ HCA 15/6 Box 2 no fol.
  4. ↑ HCA 15/6 Box 2 no fol.
  5. ↑ HCA 15/6 Box 2 no fol.
  6. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.712v
  7. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.134r
  8. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.137r
  9. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.714v
  10. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.142v
  11. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.387v
  12. ↑ HCA 13/68 f.175r
  13. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.140v
  14. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.709r
  15. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.720r
  16. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.139v
  17. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.713r
  18. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.717v
  19. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.734v
  20. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.136r
  21. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.141v
  22. ↑ HCA 15/6 Box 2 no fol.
  23. ↑ HCA 15/6 Box 2 no fol.
  24. ↑ CSPD:Interregnum: Volume 26 - December and Undated, 1652. 1652
  25. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.387v
  26. ↑ HCA 13/68 f.175r
  27. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.387v
  28. ↑ HCA 13/70 f.387v

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