Mastering the Worst of Trades : England’s Early Africa Companies and Their Traders, 1618–1672

I am eternally grateful to my supervisor, Professor Catia Antunes, for her help, advice, drive, and support over the course of the project. Our team, and the lasting bond we have formed, must be credited to her, who put together a group -and created an environment -that inspired curiosity, thought and care. I am also grateful to my co-supervisor, Dr. William Pettigrew, for extending his help to me throughout, and bringing forth insightful and invaluable input on numerous drafts over the years. I extend my sincerest gratitude to the team. Kaarle for his warm heart and support, Eli for her no-nonsense attitude and help, and to Edgar for his vast knowledge and good conversations. Thanks also to our extended team, to Kate, Erik, Joris, Bram and Hasan. I am grateful to the University of Leiden and the people there, especially Jeannette, Sanne, Marion, Aniek, Damian and others, who helped make my time there so special. My sincere appreciation to the many colleagues who have offered their advice and feedback on my work through the years, to Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Illustrations and Tables Abbreviations Introduction Bibliography Foundations Bibliography Chapter 1 Launching the Guinea Company, 1618–1630 1 Introduction 2 Members of the Early Guinea Company 2.1 Discoverers and Naval Men 2.2 Court Connections and Financial Trouble 3 The Two Merchants 3.1 John Davies 3.2 Humphrey Slaney 4 The Company in Court 5 Internal Strife 6 The End of the First Patent 7 Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 2 Fit for Purpose: the Guinea Company in the 1630s and 1640s 1 Introduction 2 Format of Trade 3 John Wood and the Guinea Company of the 1640s 4 A 1640s Snapshot 5 Early English Slave Trade – Formal and Informal 6 Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 3 The Honourable Guinea and East India Company, 1640–1663 1 Introduction 2 Why the Coast of Guinea? 3 Potential for Connection 4 Renegotiating the Patent 4.1 Samuel Vassal’s Suggestions and Changes to the Patent 4.2 An Unfortunate Gambian Adventure 4.3 Gold Mining 5 1657 to 1664: the United East India and Guinea Company on the Coast of Africa 6 The Loss of the Trade 7 Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 4 The Official Push to the West: How to Control the Atlantic? 1 Introduction 2 Practices of the Past, the Case of Virginia 3 The English Civil War 4 A New approach to Colonial Management 5 The Restoration 6 Conclusion Bibliography Chapter 5 Royal Adventurers and the Spanish Asiento 1 Introduction 2 The Company of Royal Adventures Trading into Africa 3 Securing the Asiento 4 Servicing the Asiento 5 English Slave Trading under the Asiento 6 Winding Up the Company 7 Conclusion Bibliography Conclusion Bibliography Appendix 1 Africa Company Members Appendix 2 Debtors to the Guinea Company from June 1643 to June 1644 Primary Archival Material The National Archive, London, UK Published Primary Material Bibliography Index "This book directs its main focus to the Guinea Company and its members, aiming to understand the genealogy of several major changes taking place in the English Atlantic and in the Anglo-Africa trade in the 17th century and beyond. Little focus has been directed at the companies that preceded the Royal African Company, launched in 1672, and through presenting the Guinea Company -- the earliest of England's chartered Africa companies, and its relationship with the influential men who became its members, the book questions the inevitability of the Atlantic reality of the later seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Through its members, the Guinea Company emerged as a purpose-built structure with the ability to weather a volatile trade undergoing fundamental change"-- Provided by publisher This book investigates the Guinea Company and its members, aiming to understand the genealogy of several major changes taking place in the English Atlantic and in the Anglo-Africa trade in the seventeenth century and beyond. Little attention has been paid to the companies that preceded the Royal African Company, launched in 1672, and by presenting the Guinea Company – the earliest of England's chartered Africa companies – and its relationship with the influential men who became its members, this book questions the inevitability of the Atlantic reality of the later seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Through its members, the Guinea Company emerged as a purpose-built structure with the ability to weather a volatile trade undergoing fundamental change. An account of the emergence of England's earliest chartered Africa companies and their traders. It questions the interaction between company and private interests and their mutual impact on the emerging Atlantic of the seventeenth century and beyond.