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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4




[Sidenote: The new Emperor Pheodore Iuanowich his letters and requests to
the Queene.] It fell out not long after, that the Emperor was desirous to
send a message to the most excellent Queene of England, for which seruice
he thought no man fitter then M. Ierome Horsey, supposing that one of the
Queenes owne men and subiects would be the more acceptable to her. The
summe of which message was, that the Emperor desired a continuance of that
league, friendship, amitie and intercourse of traffique which was betweene
his father and the Queens maiestie and her subiects, with other priuate
affaires besides, which are not to be made common.

[Sidenote: M. Horseis voiage from Mosco to England ouerland.] Master Horsey
hauing receiued the letters and requests of the Emperor, prouided for his
iourney ouer land, and departed from Mosco the fift day of September,
thence vnto Otuer, to Torshook, to great Nouogrod, to Vobsky, and thence to
Nyhouse in Liuonia, to Wenden, and so to Riga: (where he was beset, an
brought foorthwith before a Cardinall called Rageuil, but yet suffred to
passe in the end:) From thence to Mito, to Golden, and Libou in Curland, to
Memel, to Koningsburgh in Prussia, to Elbing, to Dantzike, to Stetine in
Pomerland, to Rostock, to Lubeck, to Hamborough, to Breme, to Emden, and by
sea to London. Being arriued at her maiesties roiall court, and hauing
deliuered the Emperors letters with good fauour, and gracious acceptance,
he was foorthwith againe commaunded to repasse into Russia, with other
letters from her maiestie to the Emperor, and prince Boris Pheodorowich,
answering the Emperors letters, and withall requesting the fauour and
friendship, which his father had yeelded to the English merchants: and
hereunto was he earnestly also solicited by the merchants of London
themselues of that company, to deale in their behalfe. [Sidenote: 1586.]
Being thus dispatched from London by sea, he arriued in Mosco the 20. of
April 1586. and was very honourably welcommed. And for the merchants
behoofe, obtained all his requests, being therein specially fauoured by the
noble prince Boris Pheodorowich, who alwayes affected M. Horsey with
speciall liking, And hauing obtained priuiledges for the merchants, he was
recommended from the Emperor againe, to the Queene of England his
mistresse, by whom the prince Boris, in token of his honorable and good
opinion of the Queens maiestie, sent her highnesse a roiall present of
Sables, Luzarns, cloth of gold and other rich things. So that the companie
of English merchants, next to their thankfulnes to her maiestie, are to
account M. Horseis paines their speciall benefit, who obtained for them
those priuileges, which in twentie yeeres before would not be granted.

The maner of M. Horseis last dispatch from the Emperor, because it was very
honorable, I thought good to record. He was freely allowed post horses for
him and his seruants, victuals and all other necessaries for his long
iourney; at euery towne that he came vnto from Mosco to Vologda, which is
by land fiue hundred miles, he receiued the like free and bountifull
allowances, at the Emperors charge. New victuall and prouision were giuen
him vpon the riuer Dwina at euery towne by the Kings officers, being one
thousand miles in length. When he came to the new castle called Archangel,
he was receiued of the Duke Knez Vasili Andrewich Isuenogorodsky by the
Emperors commission into the Castle, gunners being set in rankes, after
their vse, where he was sumptuously feasted: from thence hee was dispatched
with bountifull prouision and allowance in the Dukes boat, with one hundred
men to rowe him, and one hundred Gunners in other boats to conduct him,
with a gentleman captaine of the Gunners. Comming to the road where the
English, Dutch, and French ships rode, the gunners discharged, and the
ships shot in like maner 46. pieces of their ordinance, and so he was
brought to his lodging at the English house vpon Rose Island.

And that which was the full and complete conclusion of the fauour of the
Emperor and Boris Pheodorowich toward M. Horsey, there were the next day
sent him for his further prouision vpon the sea by a gentleman and a
captaine the things following.

16. liue oxen.
70. sheepe.
600. hens.
25. flitches of Bacon.
80. bushels of meale.
600. loaues of bread.
2000. egs.
10. geese.
2. cranes.
2. Swans
65. gallons of mead.
40. gallons of Aquauitæ.
60. gallons of beere.
3. yong beares.
4. hawkes.
Store of onions and garlike.
10. fresh salmons.
A wild bore.

All these things were brought him downe by a Gentleman of the Emperors, and
another of prince Boris Pheodorowich, and were recalled in order by Iohn
Frese seruant to M. Horsey, together with an honorable present and reward
from the prince Boris, sent him by M. Francis Cherry an Englishman: which
present was a whole very rich piece of cloth of gold, and a faire paire of
Sables. This gentleman hath obserued many other rare things concerning
those partes, which hereafter (God willing) at more conuenient time and
laisure shall come to light.

* * * * *

Pheodor Iuanowich the new Emperors gracious letter of priuilege to the
English Merchants word for word, obtained by M. Ierome Horsey. 1586.

Through the wil of the almightie, and without beginning God, which was
before this world, whom we glorifie in the Trinitie, one only God the
father, the sonne, and the holy ghost, maker of all things, worker of all
in all euery where, fulfiller of all things, by which will and working, he
both loueth and giueth life to man, That our onely God, which inspireth
euery one of vs his onely children with his word, to descerne God through
our Lord Iesus Christ, and the holy quickning spirit of life now in these
perilous times, Establish vs to keep the right Scepter, and suffer vs of
our selues to raigne to the good profite of the land, and to the subduing
of the people, together with the enemies, and to the maintenance of virtue.

We Pheodor the ofspring of Iohn, the great Lord, Emperor, king and great
prince of all Russia, of Volodemeria, Moscouia and Nouogrod, king of Cazan,
king of Astracan, Lord of Plesko, and great prince of Smolensko, of Tuer,
Yougoria, Permia, Viatsko, of Bolghar and others, lord and great prince of
the land of the lower Nouogrod, Chernigo, Rezan, Polotsko, Rostow.
Yeraslaue, the White lake, Liefland, Oudor, Condensa, and Ruler of all
Siberia, and all the Northside, and lord of many other countries.

I haue gratified the merchants of England, to wit, sir Rowland Haiward, and
Richard Martin Aldermen, sir George Barnes, Thomas Smith, esquire, Ierome
Horsey, Richard Saltonstall, with their fellowes.

I haue licensed them to saile with their shippes into our dominion the land
of Dwina, with all kind of commodities to trade freely, and vnto our
kingdom andd the citie of Mosco, and to all the cities of our empire of
Moscouia.

And the English merchants sir Rowland Haiward and his societie desired vs,
that we would gratifie them to trade into our kingdom of Moscouia, and into
our heritage of great Nouogrod and Plesko, and into all parts of our
kingdom, to buy and sell with their wares without custome.

Therefore we for our sisters sake Queene Elizabeth, and also because that
they allege that they had great losse and hinderance by the venture of the
sea, and otherwise, haue gratified the said English merchants sir Rowland
Haiward and his societie, freely to come into our kingdom of Moscouia, and
into al our dominions with al kind of commodities, to trade, and traffique
freely, and at their pleasure with al kind of their commodities: also I
haue commanded not to take any maner of custome for their goods, nor other
customs whatsoeuer: That is to say, neither for passing by any place by
water, nor for lanching, neither for passing through any place by land,
neither for the vessels or boats, nor for their heads, nor for passing ouer
bridges, nor for ferying ouer at any place, neither for acknowledgment at
any place where they shall come, nor any maner of custome or dutie, by what
name soeuer.

Only they shall not bring with them into our dominions, neither recarie out
of our dominions, or father any other mens goods but their owne, neither
sell them nor barter them away for them.

Also our natural people shall not buy and sell for them, or from them,
neither shal they retaine or keepe any of our naturall subiects goods, or
pawnes by them to colour them.

Also they shall not send any of their Russe seruants about into any citie
to ingrosse, or buy vp commodities, but into what citie they themselues
shal come, they shal buy and sel, and shal sel their owne commodities and
not ours.

And when they shal come into our inheritance of great Nouogrod and Plesko,
and through all our dominions with their commodities, then our noblemen,
and captains, and euery one of our officers shall suffer them to depart
according to this our letter, and shall take no custom at all of them, for
any of their commodities, neither for passing through or passing by, nor
for passage ouer any bridges, nor shall take of them any other dutie
whatsoeuer name they haue.

Also into what places of our dominion, or when they shal happen to come,
and to proceed to buy or sell, and wheresoeuer they shall passe through
with goods not buying of any commodities, neither will sell their owne,
then in those cities and townes they shall take no maner of custome or
dutie of them accordingly as before.

And I haue gratified them and giuen them free leaue to traffique throughout
all the dominions of our kingdom in all cities with their goods, to buy and
sell all maner of commodities, without any dutie or custome whatsoeuer.

And the English merchants where they are desirous to buy or sell, or barter
their wares with our merchants, whole wares for wares, they shall sell
their commodies whole, and not by retaile: That is to say, neither by small
weight nor by the yard, to sell or barter in their owne houses, and they
shal sel and barter their wares wholly, Cloth by the packe, and by the
whole Cloth, and Damaske and veluet by the piece and not by the yard, and
al maner of commodities that are to be sold by weight, not to sell by the
small weights, as by the pound and ounce, but by whole sale: also they
shall sel wines by the pipe: and by the gallon, quart or stoope they shal
not sell.

And they shall buy, sell and exchange their owne commodities themselues,
and the Russe merchants shall not make sales or exchange for them or from
them any of their commodities, neither shal they themselues conuey or cary
through any other mans goods at no place instead of their owne: and which
of the English merchants will at any time sell his commodities at Colmogro
or Vologda or Yeraslaue, they may, and of their commodities throughout all
our cities and dominions, our noblemen, captains, and euery of our officers
shall take no maner of custome, according as it is written in this our
gracious letter: and throughout all our dominions and cities they shal hire
carriers and vessels with men to labour, at their owne charge, to transport
their goods.

So likewise, whensoeuer the English merchants are disposed to depart out of
our kingdom into any other countrey or into their owne land, if our
pleasure be, they shall take our goods with them from our Treasurie, and
shall sell them, and exchange them for such commoditie as is commodious for
our kingdom, and shall deliuer it into our Treasurie, and with those our
commodities, our Noblemen and captains, and euery of our officers shall let
them passe through all our cities also without custome according to these
our letters.

Also whensoeuer the English merchants shall haue sold their own goods and
bought themselues commodities, and wil depart out of Mosco, then they shal
manifest themselues to our chiefe Secretarie Andrew Sholkaloue, in the
office where the Ambassadors are alwayes dispatched.

And if the English merchants comming, haue had any mischance by the sea,
insomuch that the ship be broken, or if that ship do come to any part of
our country: then we will cause the goods to be sought out in true Iustice,
and to be giuen to the English people, which at that time shall bee here
resident in our countrey: and if so be that it so fell out that at that
time there be no Englishmen within our realme: then wil we cause these
goods to be laid vp in a place together, and when the people of England
shall come into our realme, then we will command all those goods to be
deliuered to the sayd English people.

Also we haue gratified all the English merchants with the house of one Vrie
here in the Mosco right ouer against S. Maximes church behind the market,
and they shal dwel in the same house according as before time, and they
shall keepe one alwayes in the house to keepe it, either a Russe, or one of
their owne people.

Also the English merchants shal possesse their houses, to wit, at
Yeraslaue, Vologda, Colmogro, and the house at the hauen of the sea, and
they shal dwel in those houses, according as our goodnes hath bene to them
heretofore: and we haue commanded, that there shall not be taken of them no
yeerely rent, nor no maner of custome, taxe, rent or any other dutie
whatsoeuer for those houses, neither shal they pay any dutie or taxe with
any of the townsmen of those places, and in euery one of those houses, to
wit, at Yeraslaue, Vologda, and Colmogro, they shall haue men to keepe
their houses, two or three of their owne countrey people, strangers or els
Russes, men of the meanest sort, which shall be no merchants, that they may
lay their goods in those houses, and they may sell the commodities out of
those their houses to whom they please, according to this our gracious
letter: and those that keepe their houses shall not sell or buy no part of
their commoditie, except they be there or giue order, whereby they be not
deceiued by them.

So likewise I haue gratified them with their house at the sea hauen, at the
mouth of Podezemsky, and we haue commanded that they shal not cary their
goods from thence to the new castle S. Michael the archangel, but shall
arriue, and doe as they haue done heretofore with their wares at that their
house, and shall vnlade their commodities out of their ships, and shal lade
them againe with Russe commodities, euen there at that their house without
interruption: onely they shal permit our officers of Colmogro and sworn men
to write vp those commodities, both the commodities of England, and those
of Russeland, what the merchants shal declare themselues, and no otherwise,
but they shal not ouerlooke their commodities, neither shal they vnbind any
of their packs.

And when the English merchants are disposed to send into their owne
countrey, to wit, any of their owne people on land through any other
kingdom whatsoeuer, they shall not send their people without our kingly
knowledge, and commandement, and which of their people so euer they do
meane to send out of our kingdom into their owne countrey, then they shal
send those their people, not without our kingly maiesties knowledge, to
wit, those that go of pleasure without carying any commodities with them,
and they shal haue a letter of passe giuen vnto them, out of the office
where the Ambassadors haue alwayes their dispatch.

And whosoeuer hath anything to doe with them in matters of controuersie,
either concerning merchandize or iniuries, then they are to be iudged by
our treasurers and Secretarie of the Ambassadors office to do iustice
between both parties, and to seek out the trueth of matters in al things,
and whatsoeuer cannot be found out by the Law, shalbe tried by othe and
lots: whose lot soeuer is taken foorth, him to haue right.

And in what place of all our kingdom, in what citie soeuer they or their
people shall bee, and that there happen any matter of controuersie, either
concerning merchandise, iniuries or otherwise, that they haue occasion to
set vpon any man by lawe, or that any seeke vpon them, concerning what
matter soeuer in all our kingdom and cities, then our lieutenants,
captains, and our officers shall giue them Iustice, and shall minister all
true iustice betweene them, seeking out the trueth: and what cannot be
truly sought by law, shalbe sought out by othe and lot; whose lot soeuer is
taken out, him to haue right accordingly as before, and the Iudges or
Iustices shall take of them no kind of dutie, for matters of law no where
throughout all our realmes. This letter is giuen in our princely palace
within the citie of Mosco, in the yeere from the foundation of the world,
seuen thousand fourescore and fifteene in the moneth of February.

* * * * *

The Ambassage of M. Giles Fletcher, Doctor of the Ciuil Law, sent from her
Maiestie to Theodor the Emperor of Russia. Anno 1588.

In the yeere 1588. was sent Ambassador from her highnesse into the countrey
of Russia, Giles Fletcher Doctor of the Ciuil Lawe, as well to treat with
the new Emperor Pheodor Iuanowich, about league and amitie, in like maner
as was before with his father Iuan Vasilowich, as also for the
reestablishing and reducing into order the deciad trade of our Englishmen
there. Who notwithstanding at his first arriuall at the Mosco, found some
parts of hard entertainment, by meanes of certaine rumors concerning the
late nauall victory which was there reported to haue fallen on the Spanish
side, as also for some dislike conceiued against the priuileged trade of
our English merchants. Yet in the end he obtained of the Emperour many good
and equall conditions, and was curteously and honourably dismissed by him.
The principall points which he entreated of, and were granted vnto him by
the said Emperor were these:

1 A continuation of league and amitie betweene her Highnesse and the sayd
Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich, in like maner as was before with his father
Iuan Vasilowich.

2 A confirmation and reestablishment of the former priuileges of the
Companie of our English merchants, which were infringed and annulled in the
principal points, with diuers necessary additions to the same, for the
better ordering of their trade in those countreys hereafter, viz. That the
state of the priuilege granted before in the names of some priuate and
particular men, be altered in that point, and the same granted by the name
and stile of their incorporation, viz. To the felowship of English
merchants for the discouerie of new trades.

3 That vpon euery surmise and light quarel, the said priuilege be not
reuoked and annulled, as before time it hath bene.

4 That iustice shall be administred to the said Companie and their Agent
without delay, vpon such as shal offer them any despite or iniurie, or shal
exact or impose vpon them any paiment, taxation or imposition whatsoeuer,
contrary to the freedome of the said grant.

5 That the goods and commodities of the said Companie, be not forcibly
taken as before time they had bene by the Emperors officers or people of
authoritie, either for the vse of the said Emperor or of his officers. But
in case they haue need of the said commodities, the same to be taken at
reasonable prices, and for ready money.

6 That the said Companie be not charged hereafter with the answering of
such debts as are made by any Englishman not being of the societie.

7 That the Emperors authorized people shall not hereafter repute any
Englishman residant in that countrey, to be any factor, seruant, or dealer,
in the said Companies affaires, but such as the Agents shall inregister by
name, within the offices where custome is entered in all such places of the
land where the sayd Companie haue residences to traffike.

8 That the names of such as shall so be inregistred be no longer continued
in record, nor themselues reputed as factors or dealers for the said
Companie, then the Agent shall thinke good. But in case the said Agent in
his discretion shall thinke meete to strike out of the Register any name of
such as haue bene employed in the Companies seruice, the said person to be
held as priuate, and whose acte in bargaining or otherwise, shall not
charge the said Companie.

9 That if any English man within the countrey of Russia be suspected for
any notorious crime, as felony, treason, &c. the same be not straightwaies
set vpon the Pudkey, [Marginal note: It is rosting to death.] nor otherwise
tormented, till such time as he shall be conuicted by plaine and euident
proofes: which being done, the whole proceeding to be sent ouer to the
Queene of England.

10 That the said priuilege with the additions, shall be published in all
townes and partes of the Emperors dominions, where the said Companie haue
traffike.

11 That the said Companie shall be permitted to vse a sole trade through
the Emperours countries, by the riuer Volga into Media, Persia, Bogharia,
and the other the East countries.

12 Whereas there was claimed of the said Companie the summe of 23553.
markes of debt, made by certaine of their factors for the said company, for
paiment whereof their whole stocke was in danger of arrest, by publike
authoritie: Futher also 2140. rubbles for custome and houserent, he
obtained a rebatement of eighteene thousand, one hundred fiftie and three
marks of the sayd debt.

The sayd Ambassador M. Giles Fletcher, as I vnderstand, hath drawen a booke
intituled, Of the Russe Common wealth, containing:

First, a Cosmographicall description, of the countrey, which hath these
chapters.

1 Of the length and bredth of the countrey of Russia, with the names of the
shires.

2 Of the soile and climate.

3 Of the natiue commodities of the countrey.

Secondly, a description of their policie contained in these Chapters, viz.

1 Of the constitution or state of the Russe Common wealth.

2 Of their Parliaments, and maner of holding them,

3 Of the Russe Nobilitie and meanes whereby it is kept in an vnder
proportion agreeable to that state.

4 Of the maner of gouerning their prouinces of shires.

5 Of the Emperours priuie counsell.

6 Of the Emperors customs and their reuenues, with the practises for the
increase of them.

7 Of the Russe communaltie and their condition.

8 Of their publike iustice and maner of proceeding therein.

9 Of the Emperors forces for his warres, with the chiefe officers,
and their salarie or pay.

10 Of their maner of mustering, armour, and prouision for victuall.

11 Of their ordering, marching, charging, and their martiall discipline.

12 Of their colonies and policie in maintaining their purchases by
conquest.

13 Of their borderers with whom they haue most to doe in warre and peace.

14 Of their church officers and degrees.

15 Of their liturgie or forme of Church seruice.

16 Of their maner of administring the Sacraments.

17 Of the doctrine of the Russe church.

18 Of the maner of solemnizing their marriages.

19 Of the other ceremonies of the Russe church.

Thirdly, the Oeconomie or priuate behauiour of the Russe containing these
chapters.

1 Of the Emperors houshold officers, and order of his house.

2 Of the priuate behauiour and maner of the Russe people.


The description of the countrey of Russia, with the bredth, length, and
names of the Shires.

The countrey of Russia was sometimes called Sarmatia. It changed the name
(as some do suppose) for that it was parted into diuers smal, and yet
absolute gouemments, not depending, nor being subiect the one to the other.
For Russe in that tongue doeth signifie as much as to part, or diuide. The
Russe reporteth that foure brethren, Trubor, Rurico, Sinees, and Variuus
deuided among them the North parts of the country. Likewise that the South
parts were possessed by 4. other, Kio, Scieko, Choranus, and their sister
Libeda: each calling his territorie after his owne name. Of this partition
it was called Russia, about the yere from Christ 860. [Sidenote: Strabo in
his 7. booke of Geogr.] As for the coniecture which I find in some
Cosmographers, that the Russe nation borowed the name of the people called
Roxellani, and were the very same nation with them, it is without all good
probabilitie, both in respect of the etymologie of the word (which is very
far fet) and especially for the seat and dwelling of that people, which was
betwixt the two ruiers of Tanais and Boristhenes, (as Strabo reporteth)
quite another way from the countrey of Russia.

When it bare the name of Sarmatia, it was diuided into two chiefe parts:
the White and the Black. The white Sarmatia was all that part that lieth
towards the North, and on the side of Liefland: as the prouinces now called
Dwina, Vagha, Vstiug, Vologda, Cargapolia, Nouogrodia, &c whereof Nouogrod
velica was the Metropolite or chiefe citie. Black Sarmatia was al that
countrey that lieth Southward towards the Euxin or Black sea: as the
dukedome of Volodemer, of Mosco, Rezan, &c. Some haue thought that the name
of Sarmatia was first taken, from one Sarmates, whom Moses and Iosephus cal
Asarmathes sonne to Ioktan, and nephew to Heber, of the posteritie of Sera.
[Sidenote: Gen, 10. Ioseph. l. 1. ca, 14.] But this seemeth to be nothing
but a coniecture taken out of the likenes of the name Asarmathes. For the
dwelling of all Ioktans posteritie is described by Moses to haue bene
betwixt Mescha or Masius (an hil of the Ammonites) and Sephace, nere to the
riuer Euphrates: which maketh it very vnlikely that Asarmathes should plant
any colonies so far off in the North and Northwest countries. [Sidenote:
The borders of Russia.] It is bounded northward by the Lappes and the North
Ocean. On the Southside by the Tartars called Crimmes. Eastward they haue
the Nagaian Tartar, that possesseth all the countrey on the East side of
Volga towards the Caspian sea. On the West and Southwest border lieth
Lituania, Liuonia and Polonia.

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