Maritime record MDO47914 - Santa Maria de Luce 1546

1546 or earlier wreck of Portuguese cargo vessel which was wrecked near Poole. Light artillery guns known as "versos" and "one oliphant's tooth" were recovered from this wreck. The "oliphant's tooth" may be a suggestion that the vessel had connections with Africa and records for a vessel of this name as a slaver exist from 1532, although they may not necessarily pertain to the same vessel. Constructed of wood, she was a sailing vessel. It is possible, although unproven, that this vessel may be a candidate for the identification of the Studland Bay wreck.

154. The Privy Council.

2 Feb. 1546. Dasent's APC. 329.

'Meeting at Greenwich, 2 Feb. Present: Chancellor, Norfolk, Great Master, Privy Seal [Durham, Gage, Browne, Wingfield, Paget, Petre, Salder, Riche]. Business...John Baptist Sanvitores, Spaniard, had letters to the mayor of Pole [sic] for "nine verse with their chambers and one oliphant's tooth" saved by John Reyse at the wreck of the SANTA MARIA DE LUCE of Lussheborne, paying salvage. Upon supplication for Alonzo de Castro, Spaniard, concerning spoil of his ship, to the value of 100 mks., brought to Newport in the Isle of Wight; because the bailiff of Newport was said to be part owner of the ship which so spoiled her, the supplication was sent to the captain of the Isle that he might examine the bailiff and others and cause restitution, "and otherwise to advertise their depositions".' (1)

"Versos" = breech-loading light artillery pieces, with the gunpowder contained in a removable "chamber" (resembling a tankard) and usually associated with Portuguese ships. (2)

The 'oliphant's tooth' is an indicator of a voyage to Africa and a possible involvement in the slave trade. (2) One S[ANTA] MARIA DA LUZ was recorded as a slaver in 1532; (3) there is no further record of this vessel but this does not mean that she stopped trading in 1532. The time elapsed between 1532 and 1546 may mean that this is not the same vessel, but if 1546 refers to an earlier incident a few years earlier (not uncommon in contemporary reports, and certainly the vessel had been salvaged so the wreck had at least taken place some months earlier). (2)

Owner of ship: Alonzo de Castro (1)
Owner of cargo: John Baptist Sanvitores (1)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Reporting date of loss

Period Display date Start date End date Class Group Term
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 EVIDENCE Documentary Evidence
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 MARITIME CRAFT TYPE Armed Cargo Vessel
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 MARITIME CRAFT TYPE Cargo Vessel
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 MARITIME CRAFT TYPE Slave Ship
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 MARITIME MAIN BUILDING_MATERIALS Wood
Post Medieval Lost 1546 1546 1546 MARITIME PROPULSION Sail

<1> Letters and papers Foreign and Domestic. Henry VIII, February 1546 (Unpublished document). SDO20613.

<2> Hall, N, Oral: Nicholas Hall, Royal Armouries, e-mail correspondence, 12-SEP-2008 (Verbal communication). SDO20615.

<3> http://www.slavevoyages.org, accessed on 22-MAR-2011 (Digital archive). SDO20614.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1480411 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 27 2024 4:48PM