DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57079#0144
128 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
credit he should have the title of Consul con-
ferred upon him. To this the members
agreed, and it was decided that the person
appointed should have as commission %
dollar for every ton of currants bought;
and he was to give the company security to
the extent of £i,ooo.45
Currants, as we have seen, formed the staple
of the imports from the Levant. But the
45 Mr. Thomas Symonds was chosen for this position
out of five candidates. See above, p. 98 . Letters
were read from Symonds at the court held December
24, 1638 (see Minutes under that date), in which he
related that the Venetian Senate had ordered him to
come to Venice. The company after that received
letters from him from Venice, saying that the Senate
were wasting his time, keeping him in Venice by means
of idle excuses. Obviously the Venetians wanted to
hinder the company’s trade (cf. Min. July n, 1639).
At last, at a meeting of the currants-committee held
in August, 1639, it was resolved to put an end to the
loss the company was sustaining. “ Rather than the
company shall persist so vainly to struggle with the
state of Venice or trouble the king’s majesty in his
(Symonds’) behalf, he (Symonds) shall be dismissed of
his employment, since it is impossible he should now
after so much opposition and envy, quietly enjoy and
execute the same.” And so it was resolved to appoint
an agent in each island, without the name of con-
sul or any other title that might give the Venetians
offence.
credit he should have the title of Consul con-
ferred upon him. To this the members
agreed, and it was decided that the person
appointed should have as commission %
dollar for every ton of currants bought;
and he was to give the company security to
the extent of £i,ooo.45
Currants, as we have seen, formed the staple
of the imports from the Levant. But the
45 Mr. Thomas Symonds was chosen for this position
out of five candidates. See above, p. 98 . Letters
were read from Symonds at the court held December
24, 1638 (see Minutes under that date), in which he
related that the Venetian Senate had ordered him to
come to Venice. The company after that received
letters from him from Venice, saying that the Senate
were wasting his time, keeping him in Venice by means
of idle excuses. Obviously the Venetians wanted to
hinder the company’s trade (cf. Min. July n, 1639).
At last, at a meeting of the currants-committee held
in August, 1639, it was resolved to put an end to the
loss the company was sustaining. “ Rather than the
company shall persist so vainly to struggle with the
state of Venice or trouble the king’s majesty in his
(Symonds’) behalf, he (Symonds) shall be dismissed of
his employment, since it is impossible he should now
after so much opposition and envy, quietly enjoy and
execute the same.” And so it was resolved to appoint
an agent in each island, without the name of con-
sul or any other title that might give the Venetians
offence.