John Bland

8 Annotations

First Reading

Terry F.  •  Link

John Bland, London merchant, who immigrated ca. 1635 to Virginia.
Returning to London, he "is known to have written *Trade Revived, or A way proposed to restore...the...trade of our English nation*...(1659); and *To the King's most excellent Majesty, the humble remonstrance of John Bland*...(1661)....He had traded in Seville...and had a half-share in the cargo of the Peter and Andrew, sent to Tangier in September [1662]....He went to Tangier in October 1664 after failing to obtain the contract for supplying it with victuals. There he became Mayor in 1668 and 1670. [L&M, iii.158.n.1.] m. Sarah Green, daughter of Giles Green Esq; d. 8 Jun 1680.

Pauline  •  Link

from L&M Companion
John Bland, of St Olave's parish, was an unusually gifted and enterprising business man, who prospered in the Mediterranean trade....[see annotation above for career details]....He died in St Olave's in 1680. His wife Sarah...had shared in the management of his business and was in Virgiia at his death. Thomas Povey, whom Bland in his will refers to as his 'choycest friend', was associated with them in some of their enterprises (the Tangier victualling among them); and took legal action against the widow and executors in 1691.

Giles, their son, who was also employed in Tangier, had married Povey's daughter Frances. He was executed in 1677 for his part in the Virginian rebellion of 1676; his mother shocked the Navy Board by writing in vindication of his innocence 'comparing thereof to that of his sacred Majesty'.

language hat  •  Link

The first and last references to Giles Bland from the Standard book:

Bacon at once began making ready to continue his oft-interrupted Indian campaign, but first, to be sure of leaving the country safe from Berkeley's ire, - for he feared lest "while he went abroad to destroy the wolves, the foxes, in the mean time, should come and devour the sheep," - he seized Captain Larrimore's ship, then lying in the James, and manned her with two hundred men and guns. This ship he sent under command of Captain Carver, "a person acquainted with navigation" and Squire Bland, "a gentleman of an active and stirring disposition, and no great admirer of Sir William's goodness," to arrest Sir William Berkeley for the purpose of sending him - as those of earlier times had sent Governor Harvey - home to England, to stand trial for his "demerits toward his Majesty's subjects of Virginia," and for the "likely loss of that colony," for lack of defence against the "native savages."

. . .

Though the "prosperous rebel," as the Royal Commissioners call Bacon, had now everything his own way, his hour of triumph was marked by diginity and moderation... He suggested an exchange of prisoners of war to Berkeley - offering the Reverend John Clough (minister at Jamestown), Captain Thomas Hawkins, and Major John West, in return for Captain Carver (of whose execution, it seems, he had not heard), Bland, and Farbe. Governor Berkeley scorned to consider the proposition, and instead of releasing the gentlemen asked for, afterward sent the remaining two after the luckless Captain Carver, although Bacon spared the lives of all those he had offered in exchange, and though Mr. Bland's friends in England had procured the King's pardon for him, which he pleaded at his trial was even then in the Governor 's pocket.

Pedro  •  Link

So now John is “young Bland”?

The background points to John Bland, but this could be his poor son Giles as seen from Pauline’s L&M entry…

Giles, their son, who was also employed in Tangier, had married Povey’s daughter Frances. He was executed in 1677 for his part in the Virginian rebellion of 1676; his mother shocked the Navy Board by writing in vindication of his innocence ‘comparing thereof to that of his sacred Majesty’.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Trade revived, or, A way proposed to restore, increase, inrich, strengthen and preserve the decayed and even dying trade of this our English nation, in its manufactories, coin, shiping and revenue whereby taxes may be lessened if not totally taken away, to the great content of the people : as also a way shewed how the duty of excise may be regulated for the ease and incouragement of this nations commerce, both for the outward exportation and inward consumption of all sorts of commodities : and likewise, certain ways propounded for the raising of considerable sums of money to maintain the charges of the government,without prejudice of the people, as also for the payment of all the souldiers just arrears, and the peoples just publique faith debts / set forth by a wel-wisher to the nation and its prosperity ...
Bland, John.
London: Printed for Thomas Holmwood ..., 1659.
EEBO
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/…

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