Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Prologue 1
4. 1. The British in Seventeenth-Century Luso-Dutch Asia 14
5. 2. Enter the Interlopers: Genesis of the Courteen Association, Rival of the English East India Company 34
6. 3. From the Downs to Goa to Melaka, April 1636–June 1637: Mishaps and Breakthroughs along the Way to China 48
7. 4. Welcome to China with Portuguese Characteristics: The Courteen Fleet in Macao Purgatory, July–August 1637 70
8. 5. The Dragon Enters the Tiger: The Courteen Fleet in the Bogue and Pearl River Estuary, August 1637 83
9. 6. Captives at Canton: The Crisis of the Courteen Fleet at the Bogue, September–October 1637 93
10. 7. Negotiation and Liberation: Restoration at Canton and Trade at Macao, October–December 1637 107
11. 8. Lessons Learned: The “Anglology” of the Ming? 130
12. 9. Lessons Learned: The Sinology of the Courteens? 157
13. Epilogue: The First British Trade Expedition to China: A Precursor of the Opium Wars? 176
14. Appendix: Key Chinese Officials in Ming Documents with English Renderings by the Courteens 185
15. Bibliography 187
16. Index 195