Zeelandia Port Royal

17. The Auction

Thursday, 24th December 1676

While Charles and I sat breakfasting on Thursday morning, he answered my questions about the auction. "Yes, we shall proceed in the same manner as in Barbados, except here, with more space, we will range the entirety of the lots on the wharf, not only examples of them."

"So, with the larger area, a larger guard is required."

"Indeed, and with cut-purses and pickpockets more common here, we will post additional men with belaying pins."

"And more with loaded pistols along the bulwarks?"

"Those are mainly as a show of force. There is too much danger to innocent ones to fire into the crowd."

"Yes, of course. But still, their presence would deter the felonious."

He nodded. "And this is why we display them."

After I had enjoyed a bite of ham, I dabbed my lips on my linen and asked, "What have you learnt about demand?"

"Misters Jenkins and Cogswell had visited most of the merchants, smiths and craftsmen to inform them, and they each returned with a similar finding. It appears that recent ships have arrived with luxurious goods and finery, but little if anything ordinary, and near nothing for the craftsmen. There is a paucity of hardware for the builders, and some have reverted to the old methods of wooden pegs or mortise and tenon for joining, using leather for hinges and so forth. Roofs leak for the lack of pitch and many windows remain unglazed."

"Oh, how wonderful for us."

"Indeed, and the milliners and tailors have large quantities of rich silks, moires and brocades, but a dearth of ordinary cottons, linens and woollens."

I paused another bite short of my mouth. "Our cloths should sell well again, then."

"Aye, they will, as will the metals. Many of the smiths have exhausted their bars and ingots, and they have sent boys into the lanes and the mews to search for scrap, and others to call from door to door for old copper and iron wares to buy. Those crafting gold and silver now resort to melting coins."

"Oh, even more wonderful! And I had thought the addition of the Virginia lots would have us offering too much. What of our rumbullion?"

"Again, in short supply here. Their distilleries cannot keep up with the demand, and were it not for the arrival of ours, the Christmas partying will likely have depleted most of what remains."

I laughed. "Have we sufficient bags to receive all the payments?"

"Aha! A fine question. I shall have the sailmakers craft additional. The quantity might be fourfold or more since many here pay in plundered cobs."

"Cobs? What are these?"

"Crudely-cut pieces of silver or gold, struck by the mints in Lima, Cartagena and elsewhere along the Spanish Main. They have designs to resemble coins, but their lack of consistency and their ease of being clipped forces us to accept these by weight, not by face."

"So as before with the foreign coins, receive them by size at one-fourth."

Charles shook his head. "No, we had received no cobs in Barbados; few reach there. But if we had, we would have taken them by weight, not at one-fourth of their specie value."

"Specie value? What is this?"

"The value assigned to a coin by a nation, which these days is about four-times the metal value to discourage melting."

"Would it not be better for them to pay in English coin?"

"Indeed, but that is scarce here."

"Oh! This would be why Martha was so pleased to receive mine."

"Yes, I am sure. There is an overabundance of cobs here, and they seem to be dispensed as if water."

"So, bidding will be liberal."

"This is what I anticipate, what with their shortage of what we offer, and many with too much ready money seeking it."

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When the bells of St Paul's Church struck ten, Charles addressed the large assembly bustling on the wharf below us. "Hoy, there! Hear here, now!"

He paused a few moments for the hubbub to subside, then he continued, "We thank you for your interest. Many of you have now registered, but for those recently arrived, I will repeat. Bidding will be only by raising your numbered placard, and these may be obtained by registering at this table." He pointed to it, and a few men headed to join the short line there.

"Bidding shall be in English pounds, and payment shall be in the same, with guineas taken at twenty-two. If you wish to pay with cobs, we will accept them by their weight, silver at five shillings, sixpence the ounce and gold at sixty-five shillings. Settlement in full shall be at the completion of bidding on each lot, and when that is accomplished, we will open bidding on the next lot."

He paused again to sweep an arm past the crowd. "You will see many of our stoutest sailors circulating among you, armed with heavy brass truncheons. This is to deter cut-purses and pickpockets. And up here along the deck are sailors armed with loaded and primed pistols to maintain a broad overview."

"Thank you," was called from somewhere in the crowd, then others repeated.

"Let us begin, then. Lot number one, twenty-four bars of wrought iron, each of three stone weight – over half a ton total. Who will offer twenty pounds?"

A flurry of cards was raised, and a call came from the crowd, "Thirty."

This was immediately followed by, "Thirty-five."

"Thirty-six."

"Thirty-eight."

"Forty."

Several cards remained raised, and Charles pointed to each in turn as he counted, "Forty-two, forty-four, forty –"

He was interrupted by a man at the front calling, "Fifty."

"We have fifty. Is there higher?" He paused to scan the crowd. "No? Then sold to bidder sixty-three at fifty pounds. Thank you, Sir. To the table to settle."

While the man paid, I leant to Charles and said, "Already well above the highest bid in Barbados. This bodes well."

"Aye. And four cards remained up beyond that bid."

When the payment was complete and the voucher issued, Charles called, "Lot number two, the same as the last, Do I have forty –?"

He was cut off by a voice calling, "Fifty."

"Fifty-two."

"Fifty-five."

Only one card remained up, the man who had bought the first lot, and Charles called, "We have fifty-five. Anyone higher?"

I watched some move their cards, but none was raised.

"Fine, then," Charles called. "Sold to bidder sixty-three. Thank you again, Sir."

The remaining three lots of iron each sold higher, and the bidding continued in this aggressive manner through all seventy-six lots. When the final casks of rumbullion had been sold, Charles thanked those remaining and asked them to make room, that the loading of waggons could begin.

Then he swept me into an embrace and leant with me against the bulwarks, sighing.

We remained silent, and I felt him slowly relax from more than three hours of concentration.