Great Britain -- England -- Harwich, -- production place.
Item Details
Call number
272972 MS
Folger-specific note
From dealer's description: "11. GERINI, Bernardo. [Letter signed, to Filippo Corsini in London, concerning a cargo of herring on a ship grounded in Harwich by the local authorities.] Harwich, 15 December 1592. Manuscript, letter signed, ink on paper. Folio (23 x 35cm) [1 1/2] pages on bifolium in Italian, verso penned with manuscript address panel in English “, residue of red wax seal, old folds, edges uncut, very good. Sent in haste from the English East coast port of Harwich, this letter in Italian bears the signature of the Florentine merchant Bernardo Gerini (d.1601). He addresses his uncle and business associate, the prominent London merchant Filippo Corsini (1538-1601), concerning a dispute with a shipmaster at Harwich, reporting his efforts to release a cargo of herring and pay off the crew after the disappearance of the master at three in the morning. Corsini is warned that the captain shortly will be arriving in London with all the paperwork and is instructed by his nephew not to pay him and to seek legal advice. Gerini gives a full account of the debacle and laments the obstructive attitude of Harwich authorities which led to the ship being grounded. He describes his endeavours to resolve the impasse as quickly as possible, noting the involvement of witnesses. Details include the replacement of spoiled victuals, stale biscuit and foul-smelling salted meat, and the purchasing of four petriere cannons for the defence of the ship to placate the crew. Provenance: Corsini archive (dispersed Christies & Robson Lowe, 1984-1988) - this is one of a relatively small number of Corsini letters penned from an English location." Ordered from Sam Gedge, D9749, 2024-06-12, Cat. 36, item #11
