Extracts from various Books and Records
relating to Adrian Tilbury: nationality, status, estate
and to Bartolomeo Rodriguez' ship and cargo
Relations between Burma and the traders at Fort St. George
Sources: online texts
Update: 11 June 2015
From The Sepoy Revolt: its Causes and its Consequences
by Henry Mead (London: John Murray, Albemarle Street) 1857
Chapter XVII, pages 211-3
... Five years since, Lord DALHOUSIE threatened the King of Ava that he would dismember his dominions if he refused to pay the sum of 90l., at which sum his lordship assessed the damage that had been sustained by certain merchants at the hands of the Burmese; but a hundred and sixty years ago, one of his predecessors, Nathaniel HIGGINSON, Esq., addressed the lord of the white elephant as follows:-
To his Imperiall Majesty, who blesseth the noble city of Ava with his prescence, Emperour of emperours, and excelling the kings of the East and of the West in glory and honour, the clear firmament of virtue, the fountain of justice, the perfection of wisdom, the lord of charity, and protector of the distressed: The first mover in the sphere of greatness, president in council, victorious in warr; who feareth none and is feared by all: centre of the treasures of the earth, and of the sea, lord proprietor of gold and silver, ruby's, amber and all precious Jewells, favoured by Heaven, and honoured by men, whose brightness shines through the world as the light of the sun, and whose great name will be preserved in perpetual memory.
The paragon of princes has as many titles now as formerly, and his notions of greatness are no doubt equally justified by facts, but the balance of power has been strangely altered, and the nobleman who now sits in Nathaniel's chair expresses his admiration in less glowing language. Talk about the smooth adulation of shopkeepers, what draper's "assistant" ever condescended, in order to sell his wares, to such abasement as the Governor of Fort St. George, who goes on to say:
The fame of so glorious an emperour, the lord of power and riches, being spread through the whole earth, all nations resort to view the splendour of your greatness, and with your Majesty's subjects, to partake of the blessings, which God Almighty hath bestowed upon your kingdoms above all others; your Majesty has been pleased to grant your especiall favours to the honourable English Company, whose servant I am; and now send to present before the footstool of your throne, a few toys, as an acknowledgment of your Majesty's goodness; which I beg your Majesty to accept; and to vouchsafe an audience to my servants, and a gracious answer to my petition.
I humbly pray your Majesty's fountain of goodness to continue your wonted favours to the Right Honourable English Company, and to permit our factors to buy and sell, in such commoditys, and under such priviledges, as your royall bounty shall please to grant; and allow us such conveniencys, as are necessary for the repair of shipps, whereby I shall be encouraged to send my shipps yearly to your Majesty's port, having orders from the Honourable Company, to send shipps and factors into all parts of India, when their service requires it, and pray your Majesty to give me leave to send a factor, next monsoon, to reside at Syrian.
[...]
Several Englishmen, who, in former years, have been in your Majesty's kingdoms, and have obtained liberty of returning, doe declare the greatness of your Majesty's glory. If there be any now remaining under the misfortune of captivity, I humbly beg your Majesty will please to grant their liberty, that they may spread the fame of your Majesty's splendid greatness; from the rising sun to the setting sun.
Adrian TILBURY, a merchant of this place, was my servant for many years. He made a voyage from hence to Mortavan, and there dyed. His widow hath acquainted me that your Majesty's governours have, according to the usuall justice of your Majesty's laws, secured his estate, being a stranger. I humbly pray your Majesty will be pleased to order the same to be delivered to my factors, for the use of his widow and orphan.
I humbly pray your Majesty to permit the speedy repair and return of the ship which I now send, and that my factors may be permitted to return, by the same ship, this monsoon. And if your Majesty will grant me leave to build a small ship, or two, I will send my people next year for that purpose.
Your Majesty's most humble and
Devoted servant,
Nat. Higginson.
Dated in Fort St. George,
the 10th Sept., 1695.
From Recherches sur la Géographie des anciens
by P. F. J. Goselin, vol. iii (Paris) 1813
... In 1695, Nathaniel HIGGINSON, governor of Fort St. George, sent Mr. Edward FLEETWOOD and Captain James LESLY as envoys to the court of Ava. Their objects were to obtain the settlement of a factory at Sirian, the release of English captives, and of a sloop belonging to one Bartholomew RODRIGUEZ, which had been confiscated, and the restoration of the effects of one Adrian TILBURY, a merchant of Fort St. George, who had died at Martaban.
They carried presents to the amount of about 1000 pagodas, and a letter from Governor HIGGINSON, written in a very humble style. The presents were a regular mercantile speculation. The envoys were to try to get as much as possible in return, asking for more if they found it feasible, and were themselves to get ten per cent. on the proceeds as an incitement to do their best.
Mr. FLEETWOOD does not appear to have been a gentleman likely either to impress the Burmese court with an exalted impression of his country, or to bring back with him any interesting particulars of theirs. He seemed to think he had made a great coup in providing himself with a letter of introduction to the king's mistress. The mission had as little success as it deserved under such auspices, but the re-establishment of the factory at Sirian was conceded. Two years later (1697) Mr. BOWYEAR was sent as chief of the factory at Sirian, and with a mission to the court similar in its objects to FLEETWOOD‘s. It appears from the instructions that the return-presents made to FLEETWOOD’s mission had been profitable to Mr. HIGGINSON, and he was not indisposed to repeat the speculation. But he honourably adds;
If the returns of the present shall stand in competition with, or hinder, the restoring of Bartholomew RODRIGUEZ his cargo, I had rather forego the receiving of any returns for the present, than hinder the restoration of the cargo.
No record of BOWYEAR's mission has been found, and it is probable that he did not proceed to Ava, as the king died just after his arrival in the country. ...
From Early English Intercourse with Burma (1587-1743), page 151
bt Daniel George Edward Hall, 1928
This view is further supported by the fact that somewhere about this time a Dutchman, Adrian TILBURY, long resident at Madras, and married to a woman of that city, had died intestate in Tavoy or Martaban, while on a trading voyage there, and the Burmese Govenment had seized his possessions ... the estates of deceased Englishmen were to be left to the disposall of the surviving English according to their manner and will.
From The British Burma Gazetteer
Vol. 1, page 295, 1880
Shortly afterwards an Englishman named Adrian TILBURY died intestate at Martaban and the Burmese governor, acting on the ordinary and well-understood Burman custom of those days, escheated the property. Subsequently a ship belonging to Barholomeo RODRIGUES and sailing under British colours ...
From The Making of Burma
by Dorothy Woodman (Cresset Press), 1962
... Concerning the Goods of Adrian TILBURY who died at Martavan, in the Kindoms of his Imperiall Majesty, we have no account of it by writing, nor know certainly anything of it. ...
From A Guide to Colonial Sources on Burma: Ethnic & Minority Histories, page 479
by Mandy Sadan, 2008
[British India Office Records]
I herewith deliver you a letter of procuration from the widow of Adrian TILBURY and a certificate signed by the Portuguese [for RODRIGUEZ' ship] which you may make use of if it shall be occasion to confirm what I have written to the King about his estate ...
From Burmah, its People and Natural Productions
by Francis Mason, 1860
[Apparently referring to Mr. FLEETWOOD's expedition, envoys were to request] ... the release of English captives, and of a sloop belonging to one Bartholomew RODRIGUEZ, which had been confiscated, and the restoration of the effects of one Adrian TILBURY, a merchant of Fort St. George, who had died at Martaban.
They carried presents to the amount of about 1000 pagodas, and a letter from governor HIGGINSON, written in a very humble style. The presents were a regular mercantile speculation. The envoys were to try to get as much as possible in return ...
From Records of Fort St. George: Diary and Consultation Book
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British India Records, pub. Superintendent, Government Press, 1918
[Part of the abovementioned letter, a further quotation from Governor HIGGINSON:]
[Bartholomew RODRIGUEZ' ships'] ... provisions falling short called at Mortivan for a supply, where yr. Govnr. (according to the custome of the place) made a seizure of all, because they were not bound for that Port. Also for the recovery of the estate of Adrian TILBURY, Dutchman, but long a married Inhabitant of ys. place, who dyeing in Pegue his Estate was seized by the Govnr. and secured in the Kings goedown.