Like his father he was a substantial stockholder in the East India Company, and throughout his twenties he imported a wide variety of commodities, including cloves, indigo, silks, pepper, elephant tusks, calicoes, and shells.

In 1637, the Guinea Company, including Nicholas, reported that they had dispatched John Crispe as captain of merchantman Talbot "to take "nigers," and carry them to foreign parts.

[2][3] A sizeable assemblage of early-17th century glass beads and 'wasters' were discovered in association with a brick furnace in the grounds of the private estate of Sir Nicholas Crisp (on what is now Hammersmith Embankment) during excavation in 2005.

Crisp was forced by Parliament to surrender his patents for making and vending beads and for slave trading from Guinea to the West Indies.

An order relating to a debt owed by Sir Nicholas Crisp to the Navy was laid before the House of Lords in December 1643.

The House of Commons of England had ordered that Crisp's share in the Guinea Company, his trading venture to Africa, should be used to cover this debt.

Operating from west country ports, he ferried troops from Ireland and played an important role in shipping tin and wool to the continent.

He would also bring back arms and ammunition as a return cargo, and ultimately held the important position of deputy controller-general of posts.

Family connections allowed him to return but his politics had not changed in the least and in the run up to the Restoration, Crisp performed secret services and raised money for exiled Charles II.

He was also involved in clandestine support for royalist conspiracies, such as the abortive plot of 1650 to land forces from the Scillies on the Cornish coast.

[8] He was buried in St Paul's Church, Hammersmith in a monument of black and white marble 8 feet (2.4 m) long and 2 feet (0.61 m) wide, upon which was a brass head of King Charles I, with an oval engraving:[8]"This Effigies was Erected by the special Appointment of Sir Nicholas Crispe, Knight and Baronet, as grateful Commemoration of that Glorious Martyr King Charles I. of blessed Memory".Under that oval was a white pedestal upon which was inscribed:[8]"Within this Urne is Entomb'd the Heart of Sir Nicholas Crispe Kt.

"In his will he directed that his monument should record that he had lost 'out of purse about a Hundred Thousand pounds' by his pioneering efforts in the Guinea trade.

Originally named the "Great House" by Crisp, this impressive residence was later the home of King George IV's estranged wife Queen Caroline.