Dallam, Thomas; Covel, John; Bent, James Theodore [Editor]: Early voyages and travels in the Levant: with some account of the Levant Company of Turkey Merchants (London, 1893)

INTRODUCTION.

XX

successful career of the Levant Company was in-
augurated.

It was absolutely necessary in those early days of
mercantile enterprise to give the monopoly of the
Levant trade to one Company ; only a rich and
united body, with the privileges accorded to them
by their capitulations, could carry on such trade. It
was necessary, for the safety of the ships, that they
should sail in large numbers for mutual protection
from Dunkirkers, corsairs, and other hostile craft,
and hence very strict penalties were imposed on
private individuals who sought to carry on trade
under the protection of the Company without actually
belonging- to it. The celebrated case of Bates, who

o o

refused to pay a tax to the Company on currants,
and drove them off in his own cart from the wharf,
was tried shortly after this, and when it was decided
in the Company's favour, their monopoly was clearly
established.

In the reign of James I the Company received
the name of " The Governor and Company of Mer-
chants of England trading to the Levant Seas", and
the arms of a ship with three masts in full sail be-
tween two rocks. Their crest was a demi sea-horse
salient; their supporters two sea-horses; and their
motto, " Deo Respublica; et amicis."

In 1612, Mr. Paul Pindar, another of Thomas
Dallam's companions on board the ship Hector,
succeeded Sir Thomas Glover as ambassador for the
Company to the Porte.

In 1623, Sir T. Roe was ambassador. He got a