The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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William Courten (c.1568 - 1636)

Merchant and financier. He was born shortly after his parents (his father another William Courten or "Courteen" as it was then styled) immigrated to London as Protestant refugees, establishing a prosperous silk and linen business in Abchurch Lane before moving to Pudding Lane (Leith-Ross, 172). He pursued trade interests in Guiana and Barbados, extending the family business in partnership with his brother-in-Law and later redirecting his efforts to the far East.

While this Courten "was in a position to amass a considerable collection of his own," he received a knighthood in 1622, long before a "William Curteene" was named as a benefactor in Musaeum Tradescantianum in 1656 (Leith-Ross, 172). The more likely candidate is his son of the same name. Relevant locations: Workplace or place of business Pudding Lane, London
 Relationships: William Courten was a father of William Courten (-1655)
William Courten was a grand-father of William Courten (28 Mar 1642-26 Mar 1702)
William Courten was a employer of Peter Mundy (c. 1596-c. 1667)

Hester Courten (1579-27 May 1636) was a wife of William Courten
John Marlow (-fl. 1697) was a source of object(s) for William Courten
Linked manuscripts: as Recipient of object(s) - MS 27, Yorkshire Archaeological Society,
Linked manuscript items: as Recipient of object(s) - "[Catalogue of Woodward's gift of objects to Courten]," Yorkshire Archaeological Society MS 27, Leeds
as Subject of/in a document - "[two poems on William Courten]," British Library Lansdowne MS 98/23, London
 Linked print sources: as Collector (minor) - John Ray, Naturalist: His Life and Works.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The John Tradescants: Gardeners to the Rose and Lily Queen .
as Subject of/in a document - Biographia Britannica: or, the lives of the most eminent persons who have flourished in Great Britain and Ireland, from the earliest ages, To The Present Times: collected from the best authorities, Printed And Manuscript, and digested in the manner of Mr. Bayle's Historical and critical dictionary. The second edition, with corrections, enlargements, and the addition of new lives.
 References in Documents:
Peter Mundy's description of the Tradescants' Ark in his travel diary (1634) Relation XX. Some Observations Since My Arrival Home From India, 1634, Til My Departure Thither Againe on Sir William Courteenes Shipps, Vizt.