Lesson plan
Robert Brook
Robert Brook (floruit 1590-1600) was a London goldsmith. Brook worked in London's Lombard Street. In 1594 he lent money to Bartholomew Gilbert and Robert Howe, who had a large diamond for sale. He raised the money to redeem the diamond for himself from Giles Simpson, a goldsmith and pawnbroker at the Sign of the White Bear in Lombard Street. Gilbert was questioned by Sir Richard Martin about the origin of the diamond and insisted he obtained it from a sailor at Limehouse, introduced to him by John Maddox from Ipswich. He made the deal in the house of John Terry, a Cheapside jeweler. William Hamour said that Brook had given him the diamond for safe-keeping and his wife Alice had lost it. Alice said she no knowledge of the diamond. In 1596 the sailor Nicholas Saunders wrote twice to Sir Robert Cecil describing a remarkable hat from the Americas which had been bought from Robert Brook by John Battersby of Plymouth, a former pedlar. The hat was woven with silver and pearl, but was now old and worn. At first sight Saunders had mistakenly thought it was a hat obtained by Sir Francis Drake from an "Indian king or viceroy" that a Captain Morris had described to him. Brook had dealings with Scottish merchants and diplomats, especially those who came to London to collect an annual subsidy or annuity given by Queen Elizabeth to James VI.…
Article summary
Robert Brook (floruit 1590-1600) was a London goldsmith. Brook worked in London's Lombard Street. In 1594 he lent money to Bartholomew Gilbert and Robert Howe, who had a large diamond for sale. He raised the money to redeem the diamond for himself from Giles Simpson, a goldsmith and pawnbroker at the Sign of the White Bear in Lombard Street. Gilbert was questioned by Sir Richard Martin about the origin of the diamond and insisted he obtained it from a sailor at Limehouse, introduced to him by John Maddox from Ipswich. He made the deal in the house of John Terry, a Cheapside jeweler. William Hamour said that Brook had given him the diamond for safe-keeping and his wife Alice had lost it. Alice said she no knowledge of the diamond. In 1596 the sailor Nicholas Saunders wrote twice to Sir Robert Cecil describing a remarkable hat from the Americas which had been bought from Robert Brook by John Battersby of Plymouth, a former pedlar. The hat was woven with silver and pearl, but was now old and worn. At first sight Saunders had mistakenly thought it was a hat obtained by Sir Francis Drake from an "Indian king or viceroy" that a Captain Morris had described to him. Brook had dealings with Scottish merchants and diplomats, especially those who came to London to collect an annual subsidy or annuity given by Queen Elizabeth to James VI.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.