PELSAERT, Francisco. 159? — Batavia ?.9.1630. Dutch Factor in India and Indonesia. From Antwerpen. In 1618 sailed to the East as Assistant, the lowest grade of the Dutch E.I.C.’s service. In 1620 promoted to junior factor (onderkoopman) and posted to India. Travelled overland from the east coast to Surat and…
METHWOLD (Method), William. Baptized South Pickenham near Swaffham, Norfolk 1590 — Kensington 5.3.1653. British Merchant and Traveller in India. Son of Thomas M. and Susanna Hogan. Aged 16 he was apprenticed to a merchant, served four years in London and five in Middelburg, the Netherlands. In 1615 accepted as Persian linguist in…
LEWIS, R. E. (or G. C.?). 1817? — Anerley ?.3.1899. British Businessman in Sri Lanka. Arrived in 1841, when 24, representing Parlett, O’Halloran & Co. In 1848-53 the editor of the Ceylon Examiner. In 1853 left for England, returned 1855 and worked in business. Finally returned to England in 1870. Publications: “The…
LAET, Joannes de (Latin: Ioannes Latius). 1581 (not 1593) — buried 15.12.1649. Flemish Geographer, Philologist and Naturalist, who wrote from secondary sources a well known book on India. Son of a cloth merchant, Hans de Laet, who as a protestant fled to north, when the Spanish took the town. Educated…
LINWOOD, William. Birmingham 1817 — ?.10.1878. Rev. British Classical Scholar. Son of Willim L., a merchant, and Mary Iliffe. After Birmingham grammar school studied Classics and Sanskrit at Oxford (Christ Church) from 1836 (won 1839 Boden Sanskrit Scholarship). B.A. 1839, M.A. 1842. He took orders and taught at Shrewsbury school,…
SHAW, Robert Barkley. London 12.7.1839 — Mandalay, Burma 15.6.1879. British Traveller in Central Asia, then Civil Servant in Burma. Son of Robert Grant Shaw, “educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, became a tea-planter in Kangra. Travelled in 1868 as a merchant to Eastern Turkestan, reaching Yarkand and Kashgar, Jan.…
SASSETTI, Filippo. Florence 26/28.9.1540 — Goa 3.9.1588. Italian Traveller. Son of a wealthy merchant, he studied at Pisa 1568-73 and thus knew Latin and Greek. In 1578 he went to Spain and Poetugal and then 1583 to India as an agent of Florentine spice syndicate. On way to India also…
PAES (Pais), Domingo. 14?? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In c. 1520 wrote his account, characterized by reliable and exact observations and including important information about Vijayanagara. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten. Publications: Edited together with the account of F. Nuniz…
NUNIZ (Nunes), Fernão. 1??? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In 1535-37 stayed in Vijayanagar and then wrote an account, including a short history of the Vijayanagara Empire. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten for many years. Publications: Ed. together with the account…
NIKITIN, Afanasij. Tver 1433 (?) — Smolensk 1472 or 1475 (?). Russian Traveller in India. A merchant from Tver, he visited Persia and India, and wrote a good account of these countries. The chronology of his travel is uncertain. He left Tver in 1466, 1469, or 1471 and travelled via…