The John Bargrave Collection
Josias Best (bap. 6 Dec 1596 - fl. 1638)
In describing Tradescants' collection, which he had just seen, Peter Mundy reports that Job Best's collection "is said to bee well stored with the like, dwellinge att Rattcliffe" (Travels, ed. Temple, 3). Temple speculates that Job Best might be Josias Best, son of sea captain Thomas Best: "I can find no trace of any Job Best at this date, nor does the name Job occur among the various references to the Best family in the 17th century. At the period when Mundy was in London, Thomas Best of Whitehouse Street and his son Josias were both well known inhabitants of Ratcliffe. It is possible (as Mr William Foster suggests) that Josias was familiarly called Jo, and if Mundy heard of him as Mr Jo Best, the mistake is easily explained. It is also extremely probable that the Bests of Whitehouse Street had a collection of “rarieties,” since Thomas Best, who served the East India Company from 1613 to 1617, made several voyages to the East. In his will he bequeathed his “est India sword or Seimtary” to his grandson Thomas. See the article in the Dict. Nat. Biog. on Thomas Best, where however the date of his death (August 1639) has not been traced. See also Wills Proved in the P. C. C. (148 Harvey), and Memorials of Stepney Parish (Hill and Frere), addenda to p. 31" (3). Both Josias Best and Peter Mundy were involved in trade and travel to the East. Roles: Collector (minor)Relevant locations: Past Location at Ratcliff
People linked to person: Josias Best was a same person as? (uncertain) Job Best (-)
Josias Best was a subject of cont. description or discourse by Peter Mundy (c. 1596-c. 1667)