GB 0096 MS 407 - Petition of William Courten

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0096 MS 407

Title

Petition of William Courten

Date(s)

  • 1671 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

2 leaves.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Sir William Courten (1572-1636) was a highly successful silk and linen merchant, possessing a fleet of over 20 ships which traded with Guinea, Spain and the West Indies. He lent money to both James I and Charles I, and was rewarded with a knighthood and grants of Barbados (which had been discovered by one of his ships). Courten sent colonists to Barbados in 1625 and 1628, but they were forcibly ejected by the Earl of Carlisle in 1629. Courten's grandson, William Courten (1642-1702) was a naturalist, and sometimes went by the name of Charleton. He tried to enforce his grandfather's claim on the money lent to the crown and to lands in Barbados, and failed in both attempts. He opened a botanical museum in London in 1684.

Archival history

GB 0096 MS 407 1671 Collection (fonds) 2 leaves. Courten , William , fl 1671 , grandson and heir of Sir William Courten
Sir William Courten (1572-1636) was a highly successful silk and linen merchant, possessing a fleet of over 20 ships which traded with Guinea, Spain and the West Indies. He lent money to both James I and Charles I, and was rewarded with a knighthood and grants of Barbados (which had been discovered by one of his ships). Courten sent colonists to Barbados in 1625 and 1628, but they were forcibly ejected by the Earl of Carlisle in 1629. Courten's grandson, William Courten (1642-1702) was a naturalist, and sometimes went by the name of Charleton. He tried to enforce his grandfather's claim on the money lent to the crown and to lands in Barbados, and failed in both attempts. He opened a botanical museum in London in 1684.

The petition was found inserted into a volume of printed material mostly relating to Sir William Courten and lettered 'Barbadoes Courten & 1676-1682' (Ref: Goldsmith's Library Catalogue 2466).

Manuscript petition of William Courten, grandson and heir of Sir William Courten, the administrators and executors of Courten's estate (Sir Richard Mauleverer, Sir Erasmus de la Fountaine, Sir John Ayton, Maurice Thompson, Walter Deureux, Thomas Coppin and William Lloyd) and the rest of Courten's creditors, requesting compensation for the loss of Courten's estates in Barbados. The petitioners beg the king to compel the merchants who have unlawfully dispossessed Sir William Courten of his plantations in the Barbados to make redress to his creditors. Endorsed 'Peticion of Sr Richard Mauleverer & others abt the Barbados'; also, in another hand, 'Rec'd 13th Sept. 1671'.

Single item.

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
English

Collection level description.

The Goldsmith's Library of Economic Literature holds several works relating to legal cases following the death of Sir William Courten (Ref: G.L. 2053, 2072, 2124, 2168-9, 1350 and 2466).

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Jul 2001 Administration of justice Agricultural economics Ayton , Sir , John , fl 1671 , Knight Barbados Barrot , Sir , Erasmus de la Fountaine , fl 1671 , Knight Caribbean Coppin , Thomas , fl 1671 , [executor of Sir William Courten] Courten , Sir , William , 1572-1636 , Knight , merchant and shipowner x Courteen , Sir , William x Curteene , Sir , William Courten , William , 1642-1702 , naturalist x Charleton , William Deureux , Walter , fl 1671 , [executor of Sir William Courten] Land economics Land tenure Legal procedure Lloyd , William , fl 1671 , [executor of Sir William Courten] Mauleverer , Sir , Richard , ? 1623-1675 , Knight Thompson , Maurice , fl 1671 , [executor of Sir William Courten] West Indies

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The petition was found inserted into a volume of printed material mostly relating to Sir William Courten and lettered 'Barbadoes Courten & 1676-1682' (Ref: Goldsmith's Library Catalogue 2466).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Manuscript petition of William Courten, grandson and heir of Sir William Courten, the administrators and executors of Courten's estate (Sir Richard Mauleverer, Sir Erasmus de la Fountaine, Sir John Ayton, Maurice Thompson, Walter Deureux, Thomas Coppin and William Lloyd) and the rest of Courten's creditors, requesting compensation for the loss of Courten's estates in Barbados. The petitioners beg the king to compel the merchants who have unlawfully dispossessed Sir William Courten of his plantations in the Barbados to make redress to his creditors. Endorsed 'Peticion of Sr Richard Mauleverer & others abt the Barbados'; also, in another hand, 'Rec'd 13th Sept. 1671'.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Single item.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The Goldsmith's Library of Economic Literature holds several works relating to legal cases following the death of Sir William Courten (Ref: G.L. 2053, 2072, 2124, 2168-9, 1350 and 2466).

Finding aids

Collection level description.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Senate House Library, University of London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area