A 17^th Century copy letter book relating to William Freeman (d. 1707) of St Kitts and Fawley Court for the period 31st March 1685 – 6th November 1690

folio (35.5cm x 23cm) of four stitched sections later secured with three paper tape strips, 65 pages with 124 completed pages in manuscript preceded by three blank pages, with one loose letter inserted dated August 9^th 1685, Letters dating 31^st March 1685 – 6^th November 1690, several letters appear signed in William Freeman’s hand. Letters in various hands throughout.

A Gloucestershire Estate

Including letters and occasional financial accounts to multiple correspondents regarding Freeman’s estates, predominantly in St Kitts, Antigua, Barbados and Montserrat and additionally shipments of wine from Madeira to London.

The letters often read as long diatribes with detailed instructions on the management of his estates and shipments with details on the fluctuations in sugar prices, ongoing and repeated issues with shipping and transport, losses of profit to untrustworthy merchants and partners (and family members) interspersed with personal references and not so veiled threats to many of the letters’ recipients. The letters show an inherently astute yet (given the descriptions of certain events - often understandably) distrustful businessman. Certain sums mentioned in the correspondence indicate the impressive size of the business Freeman was managing (a letter of Sept 8^th 1687 mentions a debt of £20,000 equating to over £3,000,000 today)

Correspondents include many letters simply noted as to ‘Sr.’, in addition to Captain Ph. Edwards, Brother Henry [Freeman], George Liddell, Thomas Westcott, Brother [Robert] Helmes, Henry Freeman, Mr [Anthony] Henthorne, Joseph Loveday, Joseph Little, Matthew Matson & Co., Captain Ed Reade, Mr Lupton, Col [Thomas?] Hill, Sister [Sarah] Helmes, Henry Carpenter, William Fox, Humphry, Benjamin Skutt, Doctor Hesketh, Edward Parson, Thomas Belchamber, etc.

Selected excerpts:

Brother Helmes, 20^th March 1684

‘…it is his own fault that ye have had my orders to forbid yor dischargeing him upon my accott for had he not given out that he would come for England and look Captain Freeman in the face and see whether he durst tax a questions him wth any dishonest or disingenuous act I had never given you that order to the Contrary but since his Insolencies are so greate I will never doe it unless he comes to Capt Freeman face and makes an acknowledgemt of his faults and then I shall be easily persuaded to it …’

Brother Henry, 31^st March 1685

letter of over 4 pages, various subjects including the request ‘not to omit to buy negros for yr Plant yr first opportunity that offers, WF’

George Liddell, 31^st March 1685

regarding accounts and shipments and prices of sugar and slaves, ‘sugars are arrived but come to such a misserable market, the will not yield 18 …

Bro Henry, June 10^th 1685

‘it gives me a very great concern to think that you are fallen amongst such Barberous hands that have neither a sense of hon.r nor honesty …’ and regarding a new act of parliament ‘laying a new customs of (?) per hundred upon Sugar’; ‘I am very much in debt & had a dependency on my estate’

Mr Mathew Mattson & Comp, 8^th August 1685

referring to the ‘late Kings death’ … ‘ we were soe unhappy to have a rebellion that layde aside all thoughts of business … well over & all things quiet…’

Brother Helmes, 8^th August 1685

‘……understand of the greater abuses and affronts that are put upon you by that Villen who I perceive is incouraged by the Governmt soe that little hopes of any redress as to that or any things … as cases now… I hope will not continue long in the same curt for that I am certainly informed by Sr N J that the King hath reserved his promise to him to goe governor but keepe this to yo. selfe least it should happen …’ … ‘ endeavor what possible you can to get 20 or 30 good choyse Slaves getting the longest time of paymt you can for them wth such other stock of horses & c as there is an absolute necessity … I would have you come home this next summer his Ma.tie having given me a Comp.a in his Royal Rigimt of Fusileers under ye Comd of my Lord Dartm.o which I will resign to you when you come …

A letter to Freeman’s brother Henry dated August 18, 1685 contains an interesting comment on Catholicism. After Charles II death in 1685, James II wanted to secure the toleration of Catholics and removal of laws that forbade their participation in government and public life in England. The attempt by James II and VII to establish absolutist rule in his kingdoms, and to turn them into a Catholic monarchy, led to the breakdown of his authority by November 1688. It is therefore understandable that Freeman warns his brother to not mention Catholicism in letters that may be used officially in any capacity

‘I take notice of the barberous usage you have meet from those villens w.ch I dispare of any redres for things being at that distance that noe legall proofed can be made of any things, however indeavor, what possible you can to gett good proofs of all things as authentiquely attested as possible.

I finde the great craft to clear the governor is alleged that all is transarted by the judges of the court to slave of complts - against the governor therefore be sure to fix what you can upon him pticularly and give me as ample & anthentque an accompt of all things as possible you can but one thing you must advise you to forbare in your.r letters which you are to guilty of that is yo. Gross expressions of the Irish nation & romish religion both w.ch you must not att all medle with for w.ch reasons none of yo. Letters are for to be producto either before K. Or councell or to any man of quallity …’

H… Humphry, October 13, 1687

‘renders me incapable in sending any supply … for it impossible for me to live & supply my estate … & receive nothing from it … I resolve to dispose of my part, especially sence I find my Sister Helmes inclines to marriadg, I am resolve to have noe more troublesome … nor shipps.

Brother Henry, October 10, 1688

‘… In finde your maine business is always to keep me in ignorance’ … ‘Capt Winter is supposed to be lost and consequently those Jewells & c. of my wifes as she informed me ware of considerable valleu that I was ignorant of before …. You sent mee noe acct. but of a cabinet without mentioning the things therein contained’ … ‘give me more vexations then all the miscaridges that hath happened under your conduct for I have not patience to thinke that you should bee soe simply negligent as to suffer your selfe to bee made such a buble (?) of by a company of ignorant rogues just under your owne nose…’

A letter to Benjamin Skutt (December 18^th 1688) mentions the Glorious Revolution (the overthrow of the Catholic King James II, who was replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange). During the Glorious Revolution of 1688 (on his march from Torbay to London), William III of Orange is said to have stayed at Freeman's Henley residence of Fawley Hall.

…this day we expect the prince of orange in this towne, who now commd of all the Kings forces & has the absolute power in himself, god grant he may make good use of his power, all we can doe is to pray for a good result and the best we can hope for, is that it will end in a war with France wch I fear will … our poor collonies, yet I hope our … Joyning may prevent it, or at least that the French will not be capable of sending any aid from France, as in the former warrs, for the Gen.a preparations that are … that Kingdome by most of the princes of Europe seem to threaten that great Monarch w.ch hath soe long disturbd the praes (?) of Europe its not to be doubted but hers will be a very great army … (?) out of this kingdome against this hard sumer (?)…

The last three letters of the book pertain to the death of William Freeman’s brother Henry. In a letter to William Fox and Edward Parson he writes ‘the news of my Bro.s unfortunate death …troubles soe much that I scarce know how to put pen to paper at this juncture’ … ‘in this time of Distres wherein we know not soon neither here or at home or abroad, we may have occasion to make use of one an other, …and have indeed been soe unfortunate sine this warr first broke out as that I never rec.d a lett.r fr, him …before the Camp of St xtopher

The volume is appended with a short note to the last page: ‘after Coll. Freemans death I don’t find that he kept any Copy book only loose coppys’

William Freeman, a sugar planter and slave trader across owner in St Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat had moved from the Caribbean to London to combine these pursuits with the work of a general commission merchant trading to the English West Indies. Letters relating to the period until March 16^th 1685 are in the public record but the letters found in the present copy letter book, ending in 1690, show a continued and detailed attendance to the details of the operation, financing and remote management of his overseas estates of predominantly sugar, molasses and slaves. These records are after Freeman’s alleged retreat from the management of the business which post-date the period of the published records.

The letters are a rare source of information on late-seventeenth-century trans-Atlantic enterprise and London business. William Freeman left his English estates to one nephew, John Cooke, later Freeman; and his St Kitts estates to another nephew, George Milward; and he authorised the sale of his Montserrat estate. In his will, in fact, William Freeman left his nephew George Milward £500 from the first produce of the Montserrat estate (as well as the St Kitts estates) and the overplus of the sale of the Montserrat estate to John Cooke, to whom he entailed his English estates.

It was believed that in 1683, at the age of 38, he essentially withdrew from London society. In ill health, at this time, he had bought Fawley Hall near Henley on Thame and built a large house there, reputedly with the architect Christopher Wren.

Several books have been published on Freeman, namely: William Freeman, The Letters of William Freeman, London Merchant, 1678-1685, ed. David Hancock (London, 2002); David Hancock, ‘”A World of Business to Do: William Freeman and the Foundation of England’s Commercial Empire, 1645-1707’.

Many of Freeman’s letters can be found catalogued in the BHO project and a comprehensive contextual history of the known letters and situations of Freeman’s estates can also be found there