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==== First Voyage (1601-03) ====
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lancaster Captain James Lancaster] was appointed "General" of the fleet and sailed in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dragon_(1595) 'Red Dragon']. John Middleton was 'Vice-Admiral' in command of the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=57 'Hector']. Other ships were the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=111 'Susan'] commanded by John Hayward, the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=9 'Ascension'] commanded by William Brand and the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=1483 'Guest']. The fleet captured a Portuguese vessel off the coast of Guinea and took her cargo of wine, oil and meal. After calling at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saldanha_Bay Saldanha] at the Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar and Nicobar, they reached [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aceh Achin] on the northern tip of Sumatra where they were able to secure a cargo of pepper, cinamon and spices. The 'Susan' went to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pariaman Priaman] on the coast of Sumatra where she obtained a cargo and sailed for home. Lancaster sent the 'Ascension' back with despatches and proceeded to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_(city) Bantam] where he was able to establish a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_(trading_post) factory]. He the then sent a pinnace to trade in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moluccas Moluccas] while he turned for home. An account of the voyage is given in [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tCwwAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA107&dq=the+period+of+this+voyage+being+estimated+for+twenty+months&hl=en&ei=_D3tTI2nBdC2hAf-_eXMDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=the%20period%20of%20this%20voyage%20being%20estimated%20for%20twenty%20months&f=false ''A general history and collection of voyages and travels Vol 8 page 107''] (Google Books).
==== Second Voyage (1604-06) ====
==== Seventh Voyage (1611-15) ====
The seventh expedition was undertaken by the ship [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=51 'Globe'] with Captain Anthony Hippon in command. Leaving London on 3 January 1611 they had an uneventful passage to the Cape. After very severe weather past Madagascar, they sighted land at Ceylon and arrived at [[Negapatam]] on 6 August. They were unable to negotiate permission to trade however so proceeded north to [[Masulipatam]]. There some trade was effected but they had trouble getting paid. They made passage to Bantam in Java and from there to Patani on the east coat of Thailand. This was their base for over a year during which time Captain Hippon died and Thomas Essington was appointed in his place. An excursion was made to Bangkok and the 'Globe' left Patani on 22 October 1613. Passing through the Singapore Strait they reached Masulipatam on 19 December 1613. They passed nearly a year there during which Capt Essington died and Thomas Skinner became captain. Again there was trouble getting paid for the trade and this was only resolved when the son of the governor was kidnapped and held to ransom. A final visit was made to Bantam before the 'Globe' returned home. She reached the Lizard on 20 August 1615. an account of the seventh voyage can be read in [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tCwwAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA436&dq=the+period+of+this+voyage+being+estimated+for+twenty+months&hl=en&ei=_D3tTI2nBdC2hAf-_eXMDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=the%20period%20of%20this%20voyage%20being%20estimated%20for%20twenty%20months&f=false ''A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Vol 8 page 436''] (Google Books)
==== Eighth Voyage (1611-14) ====
The eighth expedition was the first to reach Japan. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Saris John Saris] was "Chief Captain and Commander" of three ships: the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=22 'Clove'] under James Foster, the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=57 'Hector'] under Thomas Fuller and the [http://www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp?sid=115 'Thomas'] under Richard Dawes. The passage to the Cape was uneventful and Saris called at the Comoros before reaching Socotra on 17 February 1612. His instructions were to pursue trade at Surat but the wind would not be suitable for that voyage for six months. In the meantime he was ordered to trade with Mocha. However, he was warned off by Henry Middleton of the Sixth Expedition who had been imprisoned at Mocha and was bent on revenge. Nevertheless Saris went to Mocha and found the situation more amenable. Middleton however returned from a rebuff at Surat and captured some Indian vessels which piratical action put and end to the possibility of trade. Saris determined to sail direct to Bantam and his three ships made the port by the middle of November 1612. Letters from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor) William Adams], the first Englishman to reach and reside in Japan, decided Saris to head further east. The 'Hector' and the 'Thomas' loaded cargoes of pepper and set sail for home. Saris left Bantam in the 'Clove' on 15 January 1613. He made a number of calls in the Moluccas and finally reached Hirado on 12 June 1613 to a friendly reception. Adams [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor)#Establishment_of_an_English_trading_factory facilitated relations] with the Japanese and Saris made a journey to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yedo Yedo] during which he met the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ieyasu Shogun Ieyasu]. Having concluded a trade agreement with the ruler, Saris left Hirado on 16 December 1613 and reached Plymouth on 27 September 1614.
== External Links ==
*''Letters Received by the East India Company from Its Servants in the East: transcribed from India Office Records'' Archive.org
:[http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceivedb01east#page/n5/mode/2up ''Volume 1 1602-1613''] 1896 [http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceivedb02east#page/n7/mode/2up ''Volume 2 1613-1615''] 1897 [http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceivedb03east#page/n7/mode/2up ''Volume 3 1615''] 1899 [http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceivedb04east#page/n5/mode/2up ''Volume 4 1616''] 1900 [http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceived05fostgoog#page/n9/mode/1up ''Volume 5 1617 January to June''] 1901 [http://www.archive.org/stream/lettersreceivedb06east#page/n5/mode/2up ''Volume 6, 1617 July-December''] 1902
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/voyagesofsirjame00markrich#page/n7/mode/2up ''The Voyages of Sir James Lancaster Kt to the East Indies''] (archive.org)
*[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RgA7AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+voyage+of+Sir+Henry+Middleton+to+Bantam+and+the+Maluco+Islands&source=bl&ots=q_gxTUNzr1&sig=ykuOwa7UO3qB1AdWi2uq5J0y95Y&hl=en&ei=267qTLvOHc6HhQeQm4GWCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false ''The Voyage of Sir Henry Middleton to Bantam and the Maluco Islands''] 1855 (Google Books)
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/captainjvoyageof00saririch#page/n5/mode/2up ''The Voyage of Captain John Saris to Japan 1613''] (archive.org)
*[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ja4w9b7sCsYC&pg=PA295&dq=The+India+List+and+India+Office+List&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0vv2TuC2HYbe8APw38G8AQ&ved=0CGMQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=The%20India%20List%20and%20India%20Office%20List&f=false ''A List of the Ships of the East India Company employed during the 17th century''] (Google Books)<br />
[[Category:East India Company]]
