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Auction: 22106 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 18 - British and World Coins, Medals and Tokens - e-Auction
Lot: 1647

Cambridge, John Blackly (Baker), Farthing, undated († 1670 [?]), in copper alloy, 6h, m.m. star, (m.m.) IOHN • BLACKLY • BAKER, Baker's arms, rev. (m.m.) IN • CAMBRIDGE, I •B• A in centre, mullet between (Cooper [1845], pp. 541; Babington 6; Searle 6; Boyne & Williamson 18; SCBI Norweb I, 368; Dickinson, Cambs 18), fine; another, Jonathan Browne (Grocer), Farthing, undated († 1663), in copper alloy, 12h, IONATHAN BROWNE, Grocer's arms, rev. i.m. cinquefoil (twice) IN CAMBRIDGE, IO. I B monogram in centre, roses beside (Cooper [1845], pp. 541; Babington 7; Searle 7; Boyne & Williamson 18; SCBI Norweb I, 369; Dickinson, Cambs 19), rougher surfaces, poor to fair, rare; lastly, William Bryan (Confectioner), Farthings, 1652, m.m. star, 6h (2), (m.m.) WILL • BRYAN • IN • CAMBRIDGE, three cloves, rev. (m.m.) CONFECTIONER • 1652, •W •B •H in centre (Cooper [1845], pp. 541; Babington 8; Searle 8; Boyne & Williamson 20; SCBI Norweb I, 370; Dickinson, Cambs 20), the first good fine, the other slightly porous otherwise fine (4)

Provenance
i) Purchased Nigel Clark, January 1980
ii-iii) S Sweetiv) Purchased S R Porter, Oxford, November 1978


John Blackly appears to be the son of town Alderman James Blackley. He was apprenticed as a Grocer to Francis Jaggard, Gent. on 5 March 1644/45. However his father James would later involve himself in the ungainly public disputatios against Quakerism in the 1650s. 'The First Publishers of Truth' (Norman Penney, London, 1907), documents the shocking events of May 13 1660, when:



'unruly scollers and rude people of this towne and universitie of Cambridge came to [a Quaker] house (near Sidney College Gate) [to] violently brake open several doores thereoff, and brake the lockes and bolts with a great hammer. When our meettinge was ended, we, passinge away to our severall outward habitations, was most shamefully abused by the Rude Scollers and the wicked people, seuerall hundreds standinge in the streets, some beatinge off us, others rejoyceing to se us beaten, and never a magestrate appeared to suppresse these wicked actions, but Alderman Blackly, who could not pacifie the rude multitude, because they will not obey Justice.' [sic]. The account continues:



'Upon the 20th of the same month, the disorderred Scollers,
which is a shame to there severall tutors, who joined themselves
with the worst of men, came in with one off the Constables, who
came under a pretence to search us for Armes, and searched some
of us and found a bible in a freinds pocket but noe armes ; and
then the rude multitude did fall violently upon us and drew some
off us out by the haire off the head, and pulled and haled most
off the rest and punched some, insomuch that for a tyme they
were in danger off there lives, whither they would recover yea
or nay ; this was att another meetinge.



'Upon the 27 off the same month, the blood thirsty men and scollers did joine themselves together with a murderous intent and purpose in there hearts towards us, and Came desperatly and uiolently in upon us,
severall scores iff not hundreds, and some with sticks, and strucke
freinds on the heads faces and hands, A Justice off peace beinge
in the roome and saw there wickednesse, charged them in the
Kings name severall tymes to be quiet and to keepe the peace,
but the scollers and others beinge soe wickedly bent, they neither
regarded the Kings name nor him, although he was a justice,
but most wickedly went and gott a smiths great hammer, and
brake open 4 doores and brake a wooden window, and tooke
peices of the boards and beat us with them in our owne hired
house and drew us out into the streets and there knocked severall
of us downe and drew the blood or spilled off 24 of us or more,
insoemuch that it was seene in severall places in the streets upon
the stones ; all this beinge done neere the mayors house, he not
at all appearinge that day untill this mischeife above mentioned
was over.' [sic]


William Bryan was Town Mayor in 1650 and again in 1657. He was removed as Alderman in 1662. He died in 1690.

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Estimate
£80 to £100

Starting price
£60