Epstein, Mordecai: The English Levant Company: its foundation and its history to 1640 (London: George Routledge & Sons Ltd, 1908)

THE LEVANT COMPANY 71
ance he took kindly at the company’s hands n”
At the same meeting, Mr. Leate was chosen
Deputy. But he refused to take office, plead-
ing his age and the stress of his own private
business. He was pressed, however, and
eventually gave way. Whereupon he was
voted a sum of 100 marks.12 Later on it
became customary to vote an allowance to
the Governor, his Deputy and the Husband.
Thus in 1629 13 “ a usual gratification ” of
£100 was made to the Governor, £80 to the
Deputy and £50 to the Husband. Often the
sum allowed was much larger. In 1636 14
£100 is mentioned as the “ fee ” of the Gover-
nor, which makes it clear that it was by that
time looked upon as an established payment
for services done. On this occasion a sum
of £200 was voted the Governor, £100 being
described as a gratuity, over and above the
fee. On another occasion, in 163915 the
Governor’s grant was even larger. Garway
11 Surely an early example of the payment of a
director of a company for his services.
12 Min. February 4, 1617.
13 Min. February 3, 1629.
14 Min. February 2, 1636.
15 Min. February 10, 1639.