Draft letter from The Mayor and Jurats of Rye to Richard Barry, Lieutenant of Dover Castle, concerning fines for piracy
Historical Background
The letter lists men suspected of piracy at Hastings, Rye, Lydd and Romney, a number of whom are French. They include Frances Maquery from Rye, a French merchant from Dieppe, who also appears elsewhere in the exhibition.
On the subject of the men from Rye, the letter suggests that it would be a waste of their time to look for the culprits, and it may well be that the authorities are protecting them:
The persons presented in our town are from home and not at this instant in Rye; Mihill Russell hath but his wife here with her friends and his substance is his ship, Captain Braband has departed to the seas notwithstanding his wife hath promised to pay the money, Francis Maquery is in France and Nicholas Purvage we think will not be long absent.
- Date details
13 January 1579
- Institution
Uk – Lewes – East Sussex Record Office
- Original reference
Rye 47/20/2
- Period
Early modern Period
- Thematic
Maritime and Trade Links
Location
Rye