COOT, JOHN [SSNE 7782]

Surname

COOT, COOTS, COOTES, KOUTZ, KOUT, KUTH, CUT

First name

JOHN, JOHAN, HANS

Title/rank

MERCHANT

Nationality

ENGLISH

Region

LONDON

Text source

John Cut/Coote (active 1590-1618) of London was a merchant draper who worked alongside Thomas Fisk [SSNE 7820], official London agent to Duke Karl (later Karl IX of Sweden) Vasa. Coote was in Sweden in the years 1590-1, during which period he delivered cloth and other materials on behalf of Fisk. Coote was issued a letter of recommendation on 18 January 1591 allowing him to engage in trade with other merchants. Coote returned to England briefly in 1592 at which point he probably undertook the financial dealings noted below. Coote then travelled again to Sweden later in 1592, possibly with some other English players engaged by Duke Karl.

Coote also seems to have served as a financial go-between for some of the English players/musicians in the Duke's service: in 1592 Coote received 28 riksdaler and 5 shillings from the Duke's treasurer, which was in addition to his invoice for  31 daler 21 ore and 8pr. Fisk noted that Coote paid out to Richard Blewett and Edward Tamset "4 1/2 marks every daler, 56 for 63 daler specie".

Coote appears twice in Swedish court records. The first time was on 16 July 1600 when he complained that a compatriot Leonard Tuckers (probably also an Englishman) had defamed him publicly and threatened to kill him. Three further members of the British community also appeared before the Stockholm city court as witnesses: Richard Raff [SSNE 7813], Richard Kent and William Netherwood [SSNE 1633]. The case was amicably resolved.

The second time John was involved in an appeal case in Sweden concerning the Scottish officer, Patrick Rutherford in 1614. The details of the case were kindly provided by Dr Mia Korpiola and are given in full below. The following year he had financial transactions with Sir James Spens of Wormiston [SSNE 1642]

 

Sources: Stockholmsstads Tankebocker, del III, p.93-4. Erik Wikland, Elizabethan Players in Sweden 1591-2 &c. 2nd ed., (Stockholm: Almqvist&Wiksell, 1971), p.26, 75, 76, 81, 94, 101-4.

Riksarkivet, Sweden. Svea Hovrätt, 42 Huvudarkivet, B Registratur och koncept, Över utgångna skrivelser, a Registratur 1614-1802, 1 1614:

81v: Till H: Henrich i Alfta Sochn att inleggia/ och bettala på sin Broders Samson Ewerdt-/sons, wegna Johan Koutz fulmechtige N:/ Patrich Rudderfurt Peninger 150 dal:/ Aff Stockholm den 10. _Decem._ etc. 614./ Wår gunstlige helssen. Wij lathe edher her Hendrich i alfta/ her med förnimma, Att Johan Kout borgere ifrå Lunden i Enge-/land hafuer _Praesenteret_ sin saak för oss, tilkenne gifuandes, att i/ hafue gået lÿfte för eder Brodher Samson Ewertsson på 150/ daler, som han honom är skÿldigh, och hade bort betala till för-/leden S. _Johannis_ tijdh, efter som begges edes Vnderschriffue och/ förseglede handskrift förmäler, huilket i icke effterkommer haf-/wen, Och fördenskuldh begäret denne förmaningz skrift/ till eder, then wij honom för rättwijsanes skuldh icke hafue we-/let wägre, förmana wij edher, att i wthan oppeholdning förnöije the-/ne brefuisere för:te Johan Koutz fulmächtige Edel och Wälbördig/ _Patric Rudderfurt_, och honom samma 150 daler tilhanda/ felle, helst medan för:te Johan Kout icke personlig kan begifua/ sigh der hedhan, Vthan moste för sin nödige werff och ärende/ draga herifrå, och till Engeland igen. Och der i honom icke/ nu stelle honom tilfridz, då måge i wara förtänkte att sua-/ra honom till rätte, när och huart han eder wardher for-/drandes. Dette i wette att effterrätta./ _Datum vt supra etc._

 

For Coote and Spens see Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria

https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0073861_00062#?c=&m=&s=&cv=61&xywh=3309%2C1797%2C2530%2C1459

Service record

SWEDEN, NYKOPING

Arrived 1590-01-31

Departed 1614-12-31

Capacity MERCHANT BURGESS OF LONDON, purpose MERCHANT, COMMERCE, TRADE