MRP: 20th February 1662/63, Letter from John Nelsthorpe to Sir HO, forwarded to Sir GO by Sir HO

20th February 1662/63, Letter from John Nelsthorpe to Sir HO, forwarded to Sir GO by Sir HO

BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX ff. 112-113

Editorial history

13/01/12, CSG: Created page

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Abstract & context

John Nelsthorpe wrote to Sir Henry Oxenden on February 20th 1662/63 "on y:e behalfe o a Nephew of mine; (of my owne name,) now under y:e Dispose of yo:r Brother, S:r Geo: Oxinden." Sir Henry sent Nelthorpe's letter on to his brother with a short covering note that the enclosed came to him "from a honest acquaintance." The nephew was Francis Nelthorpe.

John Nelsthorpe (alias Nelthorpe) was probably the future Sir John Nelthorpe (b. ?, d. 1669), the second son of Richard Nelthorpe (b. ?, d. ?) of Scawby, Lincolnshire. A pedigree for the Nelthorpe family of Scawby, Lincolnshire in Lincolnshire Pedigrees states that John Nelthorpe entered Gray's Inn in 1634 and was created a baronet in May 1666. He died three years later in 1669.

According to the same volume of Lincolnshire Pedigrees, Francis Nelthorpe was John Nelthorpe's nephew, the eldest son of John's elder brother, Edward Nelthorpe (b. ca. 1604, d. 1685) of Barton-on-Humber and of Magdalen (née Sandwith), of Barrow. The second son of Edward Nelthorpe was Goddard Nelthorpe (b. ca. 1630, d. 1703), who was raised to knight and baronet. The fourth and youngest brother, James Nelthorpe (b. ?, d. ca. 1685), was a London merchant and haberdasher

However, the birth order recorded in the Lincolnshire Pedigrees is contradicted by an archival index record for Edward Nelthorpe's will, dated December 26th 1684. Edward was then in his eighties, with thirty-two grandchildren. The index record of the will states that a Richard Nelthorpe was the eldest son, with Francis Nelthorpe the fourth male child.

John Nelthorpe described his nephew and his nephew's situation as "very fitt for Busynesse, being of very good parts, & haveing allready spent 5: or 6: yeares in India; hee at present is in y:e Comp:a service at Calevela a place in y:e opinion of his freinds something to remoate, from the presence of y:e Presid:t." Sir Henry helpfully, tadded in his covering letter, hough probably incorrectly: " I think hee meanes Bengall, by Cale Vole."

Desiring that Sir George Oxenden might meet his nephew, John Nelthorpe hoped: "hee may please to Confirme some Employment upon him wherein hee may Both bee serviceable to y:e Comp:a, & alsoe reape some sweete, as wel as sweate, of his soo long Banishm:t from his freinds & native soyle, y:t may redound to his owne accomp:t."

This letter was probably sent in the same package of letters as another from Sir Henry Oxenden to his brother, which immediately precedes it in the copy book, Henry having forgotten to raise the matter in that previous letter.

It is not clear how Sir George Oxenden responded to the letter. Nevertheless, Francis Nelsthorpe, the subject of the uncle's letter, appears in 1665 amongst Sir George Oxenden's correspondents, writing from Fort St. George.

The Nelthorpe family provides a good example of the mid-seventeenth century mixing of gentry, legal and merchant circles. Edward Nelthorpe, Francis' father, had a country house in Barton-upon-Humber. John Nelthorpe, Francis' uncle, was a lawyer of Gray's Inn. Francis himself was a merchant, as was his (probably) younger brother, James Nelthorpe (a haberdasher), as was his cousin, John Nelthorpe, who was a merchant of Aleppo.

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Transcription

This transcription has been completed, but requires checking

[BL, Add. MS. XX,XXX ff. 112-113]

[f.112]

Dearest Brother

This inclosed comes to mee from a honest acquaintance, w:ch I should bee gladd to serve by my interest in you if it stand with your Likeing, & Convenyenci[X], I send you this lre because it will best express his desires I think hee meanes Bengall, by Cale ?Vole; pray Brother serve this Gentleman in thy pticular if you Cann well doo it; which will add more favours to.

Yo:r very affectionate Bro:
& servant
Hen: Oxinden (sic)

I forgott to putt this matter into my other lre.

S:r

I presume upon yo:r former Civilities, to putt these lines into yo:r hands, by way of petition: on y:e behalfe o a Nephew of mine; (of my owne name,) now under y:e Dispose of yo:r Brother, S:r Geo: Oxinden; Presid:t of y:e East India Comp:a in India : wherein w:t favour you shall vouchsafe in writeing, or you Brother, at you:r desire Confirr upon him, shall w:th all respects bee acknowledged by us Both; in Short my request is, y:t you will please in a line or two to recomend him to y:e Prsid:t as a freind of yo:s very fitt for Busynesse, being of very good parts, & haveing allready spent 5: or 6: yeares in India; hee at present is in y:e Comp:a service at Calevela a place in y:e opinion of his freinds something to remoate, from the

[f.113]

presence of y:e Presid:t If hee might have y:e favour y:t yo:r Brother would see him , they hope, his pson & qualityes would bee sufficient lres of recomendation, especially when directed to him by yo:r Superscription & then I hope upon y:t yo:r faire presentation of him, & yo:r Brothers essay á view of his abilitye, hee may please to Confirme some Employment upon him wherein hee may Both bee serviceable to y:e Comp:a, & alsoe reape some sweete, as wel as sweate, of his soo long Banishm:t from his freinds & native soyle, y:t may redound to his owne accomp:t, this will forever putt him under an obligation of endearement to y:e memory of yo:r famely; y:t y:e name of Oxinden shall bee to him as á sweete pfume, in all places of his future aboades, & wherein I cann serve you, or yo:s in any respect yo:r word shall bee á Command w:ch you may expect without Delay to bee observed by.

S:r

Yo:r reall ffreind to Love & serve
You
Jn:o Nelsthorpe

20: ffeb:ry 1662:

If you please to send yo:r lre to mee I must desire it by y:e midle of March & then I shall take care to have it conveyed to the Presid:t; my nephewes name is ffran:s Nelthorpe

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Notes

Lincolnshire Nelthorpe family or families

There are extensive Nelthorpe records at Lincolnshire archives.

There is also a detailed pedigree 'Nelthorpe of Scawby' in A.R. Maddison (ed.), Lincolnshire pedigrees, vol. 2 (London, 1902), pp. 702-704

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Sir Goddard Nelthorpe, St James in the Fields

Sir Goddard Nelthorpe was building in St James in the Fields post 1660. This may be Sir Goddard Nelthorpe of St James Clerkenwell. Sir Henry Oxenden was undertaking similar property development in this period in Oxenden Street.

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Sir John Nelthorpe bart

There are also records of a Sir John Nelthorpe bart.

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Possible primary sources

TNA

C 6/115/50 Short title: Emerson v Dalton. Plaintiffs: Alexander Emerson. Defendants: John Dalton, Edward Nelthorpe, Anthony Hall and Thomas Empringham. Subject: property in Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire. Document type: bill, answer. 1652
C 6/168/52 Short title: Falding v Nelthorpe. Plaintiffs: John Falding. Defendants: Edward Nelthorpe, John Nelthorpe, Edward Wobson and William Wobson. Subject: property in Barton (unidentified). Document type: answer only. 1664
C 6/179/8 Short title: Faulding v Nelthorp. Plaintiffs: John Faulding. Defendants: Edward Nelthorp, John Nelthorp, George Healey, John Nelthorp and William Dobson. Subject: property in Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire. Document type: bill, two answers, replication. 1663
C 6/188/87 Short title: Nelthorpe v Lord Eure. Plaintiffs: Sir Goddard Nelthorpe baronet. Defendants: George Eure Lord Eure, Richard Bettinson, Vincent Amcotts and George Evelyn. Subject: personal estate of the deceased Sir John Nelthorpe baronet, of Yorkshire. Document type: bill, answer. 1670

C 22/62/9 Emerson v. Nelthorpe. Between 1558 and 1714
C 22/62/24 Emerson v. Nelthorpe. Between 1558 and 1714
C 22/626/30 Emerson v. Nelthorp. Between 1558 and 1714
C 22/627/7 Emmerson v. Nelthorpe. Between 1558 and 1714
C 22/627/25 Emmerson v. Nelthorpe. Between 1558 and 1714

E 134/1649/Mich7 John Nelthorpe v. George Marris: Farm in Barrow called Grandsire farm lately belonging to Richd. Nelthorpe (plaintiff's father). Metes and bounds. Alleged encroachment on farm.: Lincoln 1649

PROB 11/183 Coventry 54-116 Will of Richard Nelthorpe, Gentleman of Stamford Bridge, Lincolnshire 28 May 1640
PROB 11/331 Coke 198-166 Will of Sir John Nelthorpe of Grays Inn, Middlesex 05 October 1669
PROB 11/331 Coke 108-166 Sentence of John Nelthorpe of Clements Inn, Middlesex 12 October 1669
PROB 11/381 Cann 108-165 Will of James Nelthorpe, Merchant of London 02 October 1685
PROB 11/411 Fann 147-194 Will of Susanna Nelthorpe or Nelthorp, Widow 08 September 1692
PROB 11/444 Lort 45-91 Will of John Nelthorpe of Aleppo 12 February 1698
PROB 11/476 Ash 89-131 Will of Sir Goddard Nelthorp or Nelthorpe of Clerkenwell, Middlesex 11 May 1704
PROB 11/489 Eedes 133-181 Will of Richard Nelthorpe of Scawby, Lincolnshire 13 March 1707

WARD 7/94/178 Nelthorpe, Richard: Lincoln 16 Chas I.

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Lincolnshire Archives

LINCOLNSHIRE ARCHIVES: Nelthorpe [NEL I - NEL V]: Copy of a will. NEL IV/21/1 Dated 26th December, 1684

- Contents: Testator: Edward Nelthorpe of Barton on Humber.
Beneficiaries: (Note: his 1st, 2nd. 3rd (now deceased), 5th sons and 1st daughter are already provided for in his marriage settlement etc.).Richard his 1st. son - a ring and a Turkey Carpet cloth (formerly Edward's father's) Francis his 4th son - 4 acres of meadow at Barton, East Close, Barton (in Codicil this close is given to Magdalene), 4 acres of land for 80 years, cottages near Market Place and Priestgate, Barton, Great Creakes Close Barton, 2 plough lands, Barton, Buckles Acre in Barton Ings, 2 acres in Middle Ings, Barton, 6 acres in Far Ings, Barton; Land in Laceby but if Richard his eldest son pays Francis £25 then this land at Laceby shall be Richard's; £100:; one bedstead, feather bed, bolster, pillow, rug, blanket, curtains, "Valines", Book of Martyrs, (3 vols.). James, haberdasher, of London - Little Wood in Bradley of 4 acres. If Richard pays him £25 this goes to Richard. Sir Goddard, Francis, Henry, James, Magdalene are to share Bradley Great Wood (53 acres) unless Richard gives them £300 when it shall go to Richard.Magdalene - all household goods and stuff at Scawby to be removed to house already settled upon her at Barton (Tan House and land). Magdalene Healey, grandchild - £100. Ursula Healy widow daughter - 20 shillings in gold for rings. Elizabeth Johnson of Kingston on Hull - 20 shillings in gold for rings. To his 3 daughters - napery, silver and damask equally divided. To each living grandchild - (now 31 of them) 20 shillings. William Dobson (a witness) - "The Misery of Iniquity or History of Papacy". Sir Goddard - draw table, napkin and great cupboard. To the Poor of Barton, Scawby and Sturton: £6, (i.e. £4 to Barton, £1 to Scawby and £1 to Sturton.). To be buried at Scawby.
Executors: Sir Goddard and Magdalene.
Supervisors: John Nelthorpe of Little Grimsby, his cousin and grandson George Healey of Burringham.

LINCOLNSHIRE ARCHIVES: NELTHORPE: Nelthorpe [NEL I - NEL V] : Copy of a will. NEL IV/21/3 12th February, 1693

- Contents: Testator: John Nelthorpe, merchant of Aleppo.
- Beneficiaries: His father Sir Goddard £40 for a ring and mourning.
Mother, Lady Dorothy, £40 for a ring and mourning. Henry Nelthorpe, his eldest brother - £40 for a ring and mourning.
Revd. Mr. William Hallifax, minister at Aleppo 50 Lyon dollars. William Harvey, a friend - a ring of 20 shillings. Dr. John Pickerne, 50 Lyon dollars. Signor J. G. Transfeldt, 100 Lyon dollars. Monsieur Bigand, a ring. Abdallor, his warehousekeeper 50 dollars. To his boy Michael, 50 dollars. To the Poor - 50 dollars. Mr. Alexander Akehurst, to be assignee and to take books papers and all else and send them to his brothers Edward and Richard Nelthorpe, his executors. Edward Nelthorpe his brother - 2/3 of his estate. Richard Nelthorpe his brother - the other third. Alex. Akehurst - horses, furniture, books, arms, wearing apparel and half the furniture of chambers and country house. George Juxon his partner - his share of partnership and the other half of his furniture of chambers and country house. Mr. Hallifax to manage affairs over the will in Aleppo and the Bishop of London in England. Will dated Probate, 1697.

LINCOLNSHIRE ARCHIVES: Nelthorpe [NEL I - NEL V]: Copy of a will. NEL IV/21/5 9th March, 1700:

- Contents: Testator: Francis Nelthorpe of Bridlington Quay. [co. York]
- Beneficiaries: Thomas his eldest son. - land at Barton for 80 years.

Ann his wife: house in Barton and also all land there that he inherited from his father for life if she remains a widow but if she remarries it is to go to his son Thomas who also gets it on his mother's death if she remains a widow. He is to pay his brothers Goddard and Francis £100 each. If Thomas dies without issue lands to go to Goddard who shall pay Francis £150. Feoffees if necessary: his brothers Richard and Edward Nelthorpe and cousin Nathaniel Rogers of Hull. Personal estate to his wife.