Folio 189: Swann to Williamson. Hamburg burghers remain obstinate in their determination...

Folio 189: Swann to Williamson. Hamburg burghers remain obstinate in their determination to export cloth from England, despite Westermann's assurance that senate would restrain them from doing so; they have ordered purchase of several ships to be laden in London and the North; magistrate tries to palliate the business 'with smooth words and dilatory promises'; encloses translations of two leaflets [?pamphlets] one purporting to come from Cologne, but both printed at Hamburg [missing], proving their disdain not only of company's English factory whose members live among them, but also their disregard of King's interposition, as well as their disaffection for him as shown by their 'scandalous' reports about his fleet; senate uses diplomatic subterfuge that if the 'autors' are found they will be severely punished; he, Swann, cannot see that he will be able to accomplish anything until King revokes all his grants unless they comply with his wishes on behalf of his merchants; meanwhile great quantities of cloth from England, exported by burghers, arrive daily; English factory, severely 'disappointed' in their trade have complained to him, Swann, pointing out that if King were in earnest to have privilege [of exporting cloth from England] 'appropriated' to company, he need not urge Hamburgers to forbid their people to 'fetch' cloth from England, if he can, with one word, prohibit them from doing so within his own dominions; in this sense English factory's reply is very rational; a strict order from King in England is of utmost necessity to company's welfare and to preservation of trade which must not be left in hands of strangers; speedy action required to stop burghers' encroachments on English trade.

Date and Place: 1664 July 16/26 Hamburg