Directory of the Calendar of Treasury Papers 1702-1707

[Copy held at, and courtesy of  R.I.C, Courtney Library, Truro.]

 

 

CASE of Edmund Dummer[1], Esq.

 

THAT on the 3rd of August last, [1709], the day whereon one Nicholas Goodwin[2], Money-Scrivener of London, is found to be a Bankrupt, Dummer was in possession of certain effects and properties in shipping, in Yards for building ships, and others for making ropes, in iron-works, in contracts, namely for carrying on a monthly correspondence with the Island Plantations in the West-Indies[3], and a contract for the Smiths Works at Portsmouth, and other contracts, all which were in a flowrishing (sic) condition, and full stock, that with Dummer’s application, known industry, and expence, supporting the same, did return back above £25,000 per annum.  Which on timely notice to have disposed thereof, Dummer would have had sufficient to have satisfied his Creditors, and with continuance thereof, the earnings alone, would soon have raised enough, for paying all his debts.

 

THAT Dummer had dealt with Goodwin, for several years, till the time of his breaking, in exchanging his earnings, for money to carry on his business, during which time, Dummer’s running cash and advanced credit received and disposed of by the said Goodwin, appears to amount to about £200,000.

 

THAT on or about the 7th of January 1709, (the end of six years open Accompt, (sic) the said Goodwin pretended that a balance of £14,000 was due to him, who instead of offering any means to settle or, make a fair Accompt, surpriz’d and prevailed on Dummer, (upon Goodwin’s promising if there was any mistake he would allow it) to sign a Warrant of Attorney pretending it only for his security, on the event of the Accompt, and in case of death.

 

THAT upon examination of the said Accompt, with the consent and privity[4] of the said Goodwin, there appears omissions to Dummer’s credit false and notorious charges on the said Goodwin’s credit, and also for premio’s, and interest false cast, and interest upon interests, running from the beginning to the end of the same; and for entrys (sic) too soon in the said Goodwin’s credit, and too late in the credit of the said Dummer; with variety of other errors and mistakes, which but transiently collected (and still under examination) do amount to above £10,400.

 

THAT the said Goodwin insisted Dummer should from time to time make him all the securities in his power, for he wholly supplying Dummer, he could run no risque thereby; for upon paying what should be due, the securitys (sic) must be deliver’d up; and Dummer upon certain faith of Goodwin’s friendship and integrity, and by various, ad by various pretences and insinuations, was prevail’d with to make 36 assignments of £500 each, on his Sallery (sic)  on the Post-Office, amounting to £18,000 as also divers Navy Bills, which Dummer hoped the said Goodwin took only for his security; but now it will appear he obtain’d them not only to raise Dummer’s credit; but were made pledges whereby the said Goodwin got thereon credit to himself, without which the said Goodwin had no so long subsisted.

 

AND to shew the said Goodwin’s  evil intentions, and still to give himself credit by swelling Dummer’s Accompt all the aforesaid sums and credit, besides subsequent securities by Bills of Sale of the Packet-Boats; were by the said Goodwin had from Dummer, and are no where brought to his credit before the said false balance of £14,000 was made, which are not only very convincing arguments but (added to what now appears to be Goodwin’s circumstances and practices with other people) are obvious reasons why Goodwin obstructed all fair examination or settlement of or into the said Accompt.

 

AND for further confirmation of his said evil purposes, it now appears (since the said £14,000 balance was made and Warrant of Attorney sign’d) that the recipient under Goodwin’s own hand, and by his books, that the monies he has received of Dummer, being the aforesaid £18,000 and also £11,000 more in cash entered in Accompt, and also the said Goodwin owns to have above £17,000 more of Dummer’s effects arising from the income of pledges deposited by Dummer with the said Goodwin all within the space of the last year and a half of the said Accompt, together do amount to above £46,000 of which £46,000 in monies and credit the vouchers for above £21,000 thereof do still remain in the hands of the said Goodwin, or others, by which means the said Accompt can neither be fully examin’d nor settl’d.

 

THAT the said Goodwin, some days before he became a bankrupt, desired of Dummer about £2,000 in Nay Bills, but Dummer having some time before suspected him, refused letting him have any more credit ‘till the Accompt betwixt them was settl’d.  Soon after which, Goodwin’s Attorney, Woodford, acquainted Dummer, that in a few days Goodwin would break, and that he had assign’d Dummer’s Packet-Boats to one John Mead, Merchant, for £5,000 and by all means must meet, and did meet on Sunday Morning the 4th of August last, [17--?], so much was the haste to secure the said Boats, so as they might not be subject to Goodwin’s bankruptcy, and by that means void the contract in the Post-Office; THUS it appears the said Goodwin broke with consideration and secured particular persons, and left others to be undone.[5]

 

AND this was not the said Goodwin’s only revenge to Dummer, first to assign the assignments on the Post-Office, and next the Ships; the one to spoil his credit, and the other to break his contract,  But to shew an exquisite malice and barbarity, got a Judgement enter’d on the said Warrant of Attorney, and assigned the said Judgement to one Whitchurch; on which (two days before Godwin(sic) broak (sic)) Execution was  su’d[6] (sic)  out against Dummer, and all his effects and estate were seiz’d, to his total ruin and destruction; and to favour the said Whitchurch the more, he kept from Acts of Bankruptcy ‘till the same Execution was executed, and then became a Bankrupt; presuming Dummer was so crush’d that he could not raise money to be relieved against any of these unjust dealings.  But to consumate (sic)  Dummer’s entire destruction, and to make him and his family most miserable, he the said Mead prest [(im)pressed] Dummer with arguments to enter into a Charter-party for the said packet-Boats, saying that if Dummer did not, he would seize the said packet-boats, and apply them to his own use, by which means the contract with the Post-Office must of consequence cease;  and the said Woodford for many years had pretended great friendship, us’d this argument for prevailing with Dummer, saying what an honest man and a man of honour the said Mead was, and how assisting he would be; and the said Mead, as a further argument, swore Dummer should not suffer, for he would supply him with every thing, and money sufficient to fit out the said boats, and carry on the service.  These were the offers to Dummer, alledging that all things being taken from him, he could now fit out the said boats.

 

UPON these assurances, Dummer believing he had found a deliverer, chearfully (sic) enter’d into a Charter-party, but soon to his sad fate found his error; for Mead instead of supplying him with money, prevented his creditors, by discouraging words, to come into measures to supply and carry on the said contract:  And that to bring about his original intention of getting the said boats, he told the Captains they must not obey Dummer’s orders, but his; and that he had not taken the said boats ***** with intention to get Dummer’s Contract also.  And to make this double dealing appear without doubt, he went to the Post-Master-General[7] for that purpose, and he, and the said Woodford, us’d all their interest and means to obtain the same contract.  But being yet disappointed, suffered two of the said ships to ly (sic) so long in harbour, that the Captains and the Seamen condemn’d the same in the Admiralty-Court for their wages; and the said Mead sold his interest in both for a little above £200, and to end his wrath, tho’ he knew at the same time of entring (sic) into the said Charter-party, and ever since, that Dummer could not fit the said ships to sea, did by the said Woodford, his Attorney, cause Dummer to be arrested for £1,500, who for want of Bail was forc’d to surrender himself to the fleet.  That now his stock, his contracts, and all his effects whatsoever are taken away; and not only that, but he is imprison’d and made incapable to help himself, creditors, or family; and by these means, from a good estate is reduced to the utmost Necessity.  And still to aggravate his misery, Woodford has declar’d he hath  friends, and would keep Dummer in prison all his life.  And it is presum’d all this malice of Meads and Woodford’s is vented upon the disappointment they have had of Dummer’s Contract to the West Indies.

 

Dummer hath brought his Bill in Equity to be reliev’d in many of the aforesaid particulars, before Hillary[8] Term last, against the said Mead, Goodwin, Whitchurch and others; some have appear’d, only one has answer’d.  But the said Mead has neither appear’d , nor answer’d.

 

THAT it is humbly hop’d Dummer’s Creditors will stand by him, and assist him, and give him time for paying his just debts; which if they do, he hopes from his indefatigable industry, and purchas’d experience, to pay all his debts.  Tho’ to take the sword out of his hand, he the said Woodford now threatens to make Dummer a Bankrupt, and to sue out a Commission against him to find him so, and if that should be, then it is hop’d the Assignees will prosecute the said Cause with Effect, not only for Dummer’s relief, but for their own.[9]

 

 

 

 

 


[1] In 1694 he held the appointment of Surveyor-general to the Navy and supervised the construction of a number of exceptionally fast packet-boats for the Post-Office packet service from Harwich to the Low countries. (Alan.W. Robertson, A History of Ship’s Letters, p.B8/A.)

[2] Dummer’s case for debt with Nicholas Goodwin involved the Navy Board as he (Dummer) was a contractor for iron and timber at Portsmouth, and had timber at Chatham..(Sergison Papers, at NMM.)

[3] Falmouth had been established as a packet-station by the Post Office in 1688, with mail packet services to Corunna and Lisbon.  Dummer proposed a monthly service to be operated by 4 ocean-going packets (Sloops) calling at Barbadoes, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis and Jamaica.  In June 30th, 1702, the Crown came to terms with Dummer agreeing his plan and granting special concessions.  He was permitted to fly the Queen’s colours on his ships, his crews were exempted from impressment for naval service, and he was granted a letter of marque for the duration of the War of the Spanish Succession which had commenced in the same year.  The first trans-atlantic mail service directly sponsored by the Post Office was inaugurated on October 21st, 1702, with the sailing from Portsmouth for Barbadoes of  (Dummer’s) packet BRIDGEMAN. (qf. Alan W. Robertson,  A History of Ship’s Letters, p.B.8/A.)

[4] Privity: ‘private knowledge; any relation between two parties that is recognised by law.’

[5] Preferential treatment of (some) creditors. (illegal)

[6] ‘issued’

[7] PMG – Lord Nottingham . (Cotton /Frankland?  CHECK)

[8] ‘Hillary’ – a Judge?

[9] Edmund Dummer died in 1813.  His widow petitioned for a pension in consideration of his work for the Navym which was supported by the Navy Board [£300 p.a. shared equally between his wife and daughter.]  see Sergison Papers, Navy records, National Maritime Museum.