Gabriel Towerson (East India Company)

Gabriel Towerson (1576-1623), was a captain and agent for the East India Company.

He may have been the son of William Towerson, an influential member of the Muscovy Company in 1576, and an adventurer in Fenton's voyage in 1582, who seems to be distinct from William Towerson, the merchant and navigator. His brother William is repeatedly mentioned in the East India papers. Gabriel appears to have gone out in the Company's second voyage in 1604 under Sir Henry Middleton and to have been left as factor at Bantam, together with John Saris. In 1609 he and Saris returned to England; and in 1611 he went out again on the Company's Eighth Voyage as captain of the Hector, under the command of Saris. On 15 January 1612 (O.S.)–13(N.S.), still in the Hector, he sailed from Bantam in company with Nicholas Downton and William Hawkins. He arrived at Waterford in September 1613 having brought back, "Coree", the first South African to set foot in England, who was taken into the care of Sir Thomas Smythe, Governor of the EIC. In the following January he applied for a 'gratification' for good service in bringing home the Hector. In considering the matter, the court found charges of private trading made against him, rendering him liable to the forfeiture of his bond for £1,000. They resolved to remit the punishment, but to make him pay freight for the goods, 18 January 1613–14. In 1617 he was again in India, apparently with some mission; Sir Thomas Roe, English ambassador at Ahmedabad to Jahangir, complained that Towerson had arrived with 'many servants, a trumpet, and more show’ than he himself used.

In 1618 Towerson returned to England, leaving his wife at Agra. On 24 January 1619–1620 he was ordered to go out as principal factor in the Moluccas, with pay of £10 per month, the same as when he was captain of the Hector. He applied to go out in command of one of the company's ships; but this was refused, and, together with some other factors, he was ordered a passage 'in the great cabin of the Anne, of which Swanley is commander.' The sailing of the Anne appears to have been delayed; for she was still on the way out on 30 May 1621, when a consultation of the principal officers of the fleet was held on board her. The committee of officers appointed Towerson to command the Lesser James, on account of the differences between her pilot and master ever since they left England. In November he was at Batavia, whence he and the other factors wrote on the 6th that, "seeing the Netherlanders are so contentious, false, and impudent in all their proceedings, not shaming to affirm or write anything that makes for their purposes, we have thought fit not to answer their protest fraught with untruths." Such a declaration seems to have a very direct bearing on the tragedy which followed. In May he went to Amboyna, to succeed the agent who was going home.

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