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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




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The Queenes Maiesties letter to Theodore Iuanouich Emperour of Russia,
1591.

Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, France, and Ireland,
defender of the faith, &c. to the right high, mighty, and right noble
prince Theodore Iuanouich great Lord, King, and great Duke of all Russia,
Volodemer, Mosco, Nouogrod, King of Cazan, and Astracan, Lord of Vobsko,
and great Duke of Smolensko, Otuer, Vghory, Perme, Viatski, Bolgory, and
other places: Lord and great Duke of Nouogrod in the low countrey, of
Chernigo, Rezan, Polotsky, Rostoue, Yeraslaue, Bealozero, and Lifland, of
Oudorsky, Obdorsky, Condinsky, and commander of all Sibierland and the
North coasts, great Lord ouer the country of Tuersky, Grisinsky, Emperor of
Kabardinsky, and of the countrey of Charkasky, and of the countrey of
Gorsky, and Lord of many other countreys, our most deare and louing
brother, greeting. Right noble and excellent prince, we haue receiued your
Maiesties letters brought ouer by our merchants in their returne of their
[Marginal note: 1590.] last voyage from your port of S. Nicholas: which
letters we haue aduisedly read and considered, and thereby perceiue that
your Maiesty doth greatly mislike of our late employment of Ierome Horsey
into your dominions as our messenger with our Highnesse letters and also
that your Maiesty doth thinke that we in our letters sent by the sayd
messenger haue not obserued that due order or respect which apperteined to
your princely maiesty, in the forme of the said letter, aswel touching the
inlargement of your Maiesties stile and titles of honor which your Maiesty
expected to haue bene therein more particularly expressed, as also in the
adding of our greatest seale or signet of armes to the letters which we
send to so great a Prince as your Maiesty is: in any of which points we
would haue bene very loth willingly to haue giuen iust cause of offence
thereby to our most deare and louing brother. And as touching the sayd
messenger Ierome Horsey we are sory that contrary to our expectation he is
fallen into your Maiesties displeasure, whom we minde not to mainteine in
any his actions by which he hath so incurred your Maiesties mislike: yet
that we had reason at such time as we sent him to your Maiesty to use his
seruice as our messenger, we referre our selues to your princely iudgement,
praying your Maiesty to reduce into your minde the especiall commendation,
which in your letters written vnto vs in the yeere 1585, you made of the
sayd Ierome Horsey his behauiour in your dominions: at which time your
Maiesty was pleased to vse his seruice as your messenger to vs, requiring
our answere of your letters to be returned by him and by none other. That
imployment, with other occasions taken by your Maiesty to vse the seruice
of the sayd Ierome Horsey (as namely in the yeere 1587) when your Maiesty
sent him to vs againe with your letters, and your liberall and princely
priuiledge at our request granted to our merchants (for which we haue
heretofore giuen thanks to your Maiesty, so doe we hereby reiterate our
thankfulnesse for the same) mooued vs to be of minde, that we could not
make choise of any of our subiects so fit a messenger to your Maiesty as
he, whom your Maiesty had at seuerall times vsed vpon your owne occasions
into this our Realme. But least your highnesse should continue of the minde
that the letters which you sent by our ambassador Giles Fletcher (wherein
some mention was made of your conceiued displeasure against the sayd
Horsey) came not to our hands, and that wee were kept ignorant of the
complaint which your Maiesty made therein against the sayd Horsey, we do
not deny but that we were acquainted aswell by our ambassadour as by those
letters of some displeasure conceiued against him by your Maiesty: but your
sayd letters giuing onely a short generall mention of some misdemeanour
committed by him, expressing no particulars, we were of opinion that this
offence was not so hainous, as that it might vtterly extinguish all your
former princely fauour towards him, but that vpon his humble submission to
your Maiesty, or vpon better examination of the matter of the displeasure
conceiued against him, the offence might haue beene either remitted, or he
thereof might haue cleared himselfe. And to that end we were not onely by
his great importunity long sollicited, but by the intercession of some of
our Nobility giuing credit to his owne defence, we were intreated on his
behalfe to vse his seruice once againe into Russia as our messenger to your
Maiestie, whereby he might haue opportunity to cleare himselfe, and either
by his answere or by his submission recouer your Maiesties former fauour:
whereunto our princely nature was mooued to yeeld, wishing the good of our
subiect so farre foorth as his desert might carry him, or his innocencie
cleare him.

Thus noble Prince, our most louing and dearest brother, it may appeare vnto
your Maiesty how we were induced to vse the seruice of the sayd messenger,
aswell for the recouery of your Maiesties fauour towards him (if he had
been found woorthy of it) as for experience of the maners and fashions of
your countrey, where he hath bene much conuersant. But sith by your
Maiesties letters it appeareth that he hath not cleared himselfe in your
Maiesties sight, we meane not to vse him in any such price hereafter.

And as touching your Maiesties conceit of the breuitie which we vsed in the
setting downe of your Maiesties stile and titles of honour: as nothing is
further from vs, then to abridge so great and mighty a Prince of the honour
due vnto him (whom we holde for his greatnesse to deserue more honour then
we are able to giue him) so shall we need no further nor surer argument to
cleare vs of the suspicion of the detracting from your Maiesty any part of
your iust and princely honor and greatnesse, then the consideration of our
owne stile, which is thus contracted, videlicet, Elizabeth by the grace of
God Queene of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith &c. which
kingdomes and dominions of ours are expressed by these generall words,
videlicet, England, France, and Ireland: in euery of which there are
seuerall principalities, dukedomes, earledomes, prouinces and countreys:
which being seuerally expressed would enlarge much our stile, and make it
of great length: which by our progenitours hath not bene vsed:
notwithstanding, we thinke it no dishonour to vs, compendiously to abridge
the same in all our writings and letters written to what Prince, King, or
Potentate soeuer. Whereupon we inferre, that holding your Maiesties
generall stile, we offer your Highnesse no dishonour in not expressing all
the particular prouinces: albeit we can willingly content our selfe, upon
the knowledge of your vsages and customes, to obserue that course, which
your selfe shall thinke most honourable. And for the sealing vp of our
letters which we write to all our allies, kinsmen, and friends, Kings and
Princes, we haue in vse two seuerall seales: both which we esteeme alike
honourable, being our princely seales. And as the volume of our letters
falleth out to be great or small, so accordingly is our greater or lesser
seale annexed to the sayd letters, without esteeming either of them more or
lesse honourable then the other. So as, our most louing and dearest
brother, in the said letters there was nothing done of purpose to detract
from your Maiesty any thing, of the vsuall regard, which our Highnesse was
woont to yeeld vnto your most noble father of famous memory Iuan Basiliuich
Emperor of al Russia, or to your selfe, our dearest brother. For the
residue of the points of your Maiesties letters concerning the
entertainement of our ambassadour, and proceeding in the cause of Anthonie
Marsh we holde our selfe satisfied with your princely answere, and doe
therein note an honourable and princely care in your Maiestie to preuent
the like troubles, controuersies and sutes, that Marshes cause stirred vp
betweene our merchants and your subiects, which is, that your Maiestie
doeth purpose from time to time to purge your Countrey of such straglers of
our subiects, as doe or shall hereafter abide there, and are not of the
Company of our merchants, but contemptuously depart out of our land without
our Highnesse licence: of which sort there are presented vnto vs from our
merchants the names of these seuerall persons, videlicet, Richard Cocks,
Bennet Iackman, Rainold Kitchin, Simon Rogers, Michael Lane, Thomas
Worsenham: whom it may please your Maiesty by your princely order to
dismisse out of your land, that they may be sent home in the next shippes,
to auoid the mislike which their residence in those parts might breed to
the disturbance of our brotherly league, and the impeaching of the
entercourse.

And whereas, most louing and dearest brother, one William Turnebull a
subiect of ours is lately deceased in your kingdome, one with whom our
merchants haue had much controuersie for great summes of money due vnto
them by him while he was their Agent in their affayres of merchandises:
which differences by arbitrable order were reduced to the summe of 3000
rubbles, and so much should haue beene payed by him as may appeare by your
Maiesties councell or magistrates of iustice by very credible information
and testimony: and whereas also the sayd Turnbull was further indebted by
billes of his own hand to diuers of our subiects, amounting in the whole,
to the summe of 1326 pounds, which billes are exemplified vnder our great
seale of England, and to be sent ouer with this bearer: of which summes he
hath often promised payment: it may please your most excellent Maiestie in
your approoued loue to iustice, to giue order to your fauourable councell
and magistrates, that those seuerall debts may be satisfied to our
merchants and subiects out of the goods, merchandise, and debts which are
due to the state of the sayd Turnbull: whereof your Maiesties councell
shalbe informed by the Agent of our merchants.

[Sidenote: The Emperour seised our merchants goods.] We trust we shall not
need to make any new request by motion to your Maiesty that some order
might be taken for the finding out of the rest of our merchants goods
seised to your maiesties vse in the hands and possession of Iohn Chappel
their seruant, being a thing granted, and no doubt already performed by
your Maiesties order. We therfore intreat your Maiesty, that as
conueniently as may be, satisfaction or recompense be giuen to our said
merchants towards the repairing of their sundry great losses aswell therein
as otherwise by them of late sundry wayes sustained. And lastly, our most
deare and louing brother, as nothing in all these our occasions is to be
preferred before our entire league and amitie, descending vpon vs as an
inheritance, in succession from both our ancestours and noble progenitours:
so let us be carefull on both sides by all good meanes to holde and
continue the same to our posterity for euer. And if any mistaking or errour
of either side do rise, in not accomplishing of circumstances agreeable to
the fashion of either of our countreys and kingdomes, let the same vpon our
enterchangeable letters be reconciled, that our league and amitie be no way
impeached for any particular occasion whatsoeuer. And thus we recommend
your Maiesty to the tuition of the most High. From our royall Palace of
Whitehall the 14 of Ianuary, anno Domini 1591.

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The Queenes Maiesties letters to the Lord Boris Pheodorowich.

Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, France, and Ireland,
defendour of the faith, &c. to the right honourable and noble prince Lord
Boris Pheodorowich Godonoua, Master of the horses to the great and mightie
Emperour of Russia, his highnesse lieutenant of Cazan and Astracan, our
most deare and louing cousin, greeting. Right honourable, it hath appeared
vnto vs vpon the reading and perusing of the Letters lately sent vnto our
Highnesse from our deare and louing brother the Emperour, in what part his
Maiestie tooke the late employment of our messenger Ierome Horsey in our
affaires into Russia: wherein we doe also finde the honourable endeuour
vsed by your Lordship to appease his Highnesse mislike and exception taken
aswell to the person of our Messenger, as to our princely letters sent by
him: both of which points we haue answered in our letters sent by this
bearer directed to our sayd louing brother the Emperour: vpon perusing
whereof we doubt not but his Maiestie will be well satisfied touching our
sayd Messenger and former letters. And for the honourable course holden by
your Lordship in the interposing of your opinion and fauourable
construction in a thing which might grow to the offence of the league and
amitie standing betweene your Soueraigne Lord and vs (wherein your Lordship
performed the office of an honourable and graue Councellour) we take our
selfe beholding to your Lordship for your readinesse in that behalfe, and
doe assure our selfe that the same did proceed of the especiall loue and
kinde affection that your Lordship hath euer borne and continued towards
vs, whereof our princely nature will neuer be vnmindfull. We haue bene also
from time to time made acquainted by our chiefe and principall Councellour
William Lord Burghley, Lord high Treasurour of our Highnesse Realme of
England, of your letters which haue passed betweene your Lordship and him,
concerning the entercourse of our Merchants trafficke in your Countreys,
and of the honourable offices done by your Lordship with the Emperpur in
fauour of our sayd Marchants. And lastly (which wee take a most assured
argument of your vndoubted loue and affection towards vs) that your
Lordship hath vouchsafed, of purpose taken into your hands the protection
of our sayd Merchants, and the hearing and determining of all their causes
and occasions whatsoeuer, which shall concerne them or their trade. All
which wee conceiue to be done for our sake, and therefore do acknowledge
ourselues to be, and still will continue beholding vnto you for the same.

And whereas we haue made mention in our sayd letters written to our louing
brother the Emperour of certeine debts due aswell to our merchants, as to
other of our subiects by one William Turnebull a subiect of ours late
deceased in Russia, wee pray you to be referred to the sayd letter. And
forasmuch as the sayd cause will fall vnder your Lordships iurisdiction by
reason of your acceptation of all their causes into your patronage and
protection: we are so well assured of your honourable inclination to
iustice, and your good affection towards our merchants for our sake, that
we shall not need to intreat your honourable furtherance either of iustice
or expedition in the sayd cause. And lastly considering that your noble
linage together with your great wisedome and desert hath made you a
principall Councellour and directour of the state of so great a Monarchie,
whereby your aduice and direction is followed in all things that doe
concerne the same, we haue giuen order to our sayd principall Counsellonr
William Lord Burghley, treasurour of our Realme of England, that as any
occasion shall arise to the hinderance of the entercourse betweene these
Countreyes, or of the priuiledges graunted by his Maiestie to our
merchants, that he may by aduertisement treat with your Lordshippe
thereupon: which we by reason of our great princely affayres can not so
conueniently at all times doe with such expedition as the cause may
require. And thus with our princely commendations we bidde you farewell.
From our royall Pallace of Whitehall the foureteenth day of Ianuarie, Anno
Domini 1591.

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To the right honourable my very good Lord, the Lord Boris Pheodorowich,
Master of the horses to the great and mighty Emperour of Russia, his
Highnesse Lieutenant of Cazan and Astracan, William Cecil Lord Burghley,
Knight of the noble Order of the Garter, and Lord high Treasurer of
England sendeth greeting.

Right honourable my very good Lord, vpon the last returne of our merchants
shippes out of Russia, there was brought vnto my handes, by one Francis
Cherrie an English merchant, a letter directed to the Queenes Maiestie,
from the great and mightie Emperour of Russia, and another letter from your
Lordship directed to me: which sayd letter written from the Emperor to her
Maiesty hath beene considerately and aduisedly by her Highnesse read and
perused, and the matter of complaint against Ierome Horsey therein
comprised thorowly examined: which hath turned the same Horsey to some
great displeasure. I did also acquaint our Maiesty with the contents of
your Lordships letters written to mee, and enformed her of your Lordships
honourable fauour shewed to her Highnesse merchants from time to time: who
tooke the same in most gracious part, and confessed her selfe infinitly
beholding vnto your Lordship for many honourable offices done for her sake,
the which she meant to acknowledge by her letters to be written to your
Lordship vnder her princely hand and seale. And forasmuch as it hath
pleased your good Lordshippe to take into your handes the protection of her
Maiesties merchants, and the redresse of such iniuries as are, or shall be
offered vnto them contrary to the meaning of the priuiledges and the free
liberty of the entercourse, wherein some points your Lordship hath already
vsed a reformation, as appeareth by your sayd letters: yet the continuance
of traffique moouing, new occasions and other accidents tending to the
losse of the sayd merchants, whereof some particulars haue beene offered
vnto me to treat with your lordship vpon: I thought it good to referre them
to your honourable consideration, that order might be taken in the same,
for that they are apparantly repugnant to the Emperours letters written to
her Maiestie, and doe much restraine the liberty of the trade: one is, that
at the last comming of our merchants to the port of Saint Michael the
Archangel, [Sidenote: This is a new port.] where the mart is holden, their
goods were taken by the Emperours officers for his Highnesse seruice at
such rates, as the sayd officers were disposed to set vpon them, so farre
vnder their value, that the merchants could not assent to accept of those
prices: [Sidenote: The English merchants 3 weeks restrained from their
Mart.] which being denied, the sayd officers restrained them of all further
traffique for the space of three weekes, by which meanes they were
compelled to yeeld vnto their demaund how vnwillingly soeuer. Another is,
that our sayd merchants are driuen to pay the Emperours officers custome
for all such Russe money as they bring downe from the Mosco to the Sea side
to employ there at the Mart within the Emperours owne land; which seemeth
strange vnto me, considering the same money is brought from one place of
the Countrey to another, and there imployed without any transport ouer the
borders [Footnote: The original reads: _ouer the sayd of money_. As this is
unintelligible, I have ventured to insert a new reading.] of the sayd
country. These interruptions and impositions seeme not to stand with the
liberties of the Emperours priuileges and freedome of the entercourse,
which should be restrained neither to times or conditions, but to be free
and absolute: whereof it may please your Lordship to be aduised, and to
continue your honourable course holden betweene the Emperour and her
Maiesty, to reconcile such differences as any occasion doth offer to their
league or trafficke. Thus not doubting of your Lordships furtherance
herein, I humbly take my leaue of your good Lordship. From her Maiesties
royall palace of Whitehall this 15 of Ianuary 1591.

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A letter from the Emperour of Russia, Theodore Iuanouich to the Queenes
Maiestie.

Through the tender mercie of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high
hath visited vs, thereby to guide our feet into the way of peace. Euen this
our God by mercy we glorifie in Trinitie.

[Sidenote: The emperours stile lately enlarged.] We the great Lord, King
and great Duke Theodore Iuanowich, gouernour of all Russia, of Volodimer,
Mosco, and Nouogrod, King of Cazan and Astracan, Lord of Vobsco, and great
Duke of Smolensco, Otuer, Vghori, Perme, Viatsky, Bulgary, and other
regions, Lord and great Duke also of Nouogrod in the low countrey, of
Chernigo, of Rezan, Polotsko, Rostoue, Yeroslaue, Bealozera, and of
Lifland, of Vdorsky, Obdorsky, Condinsky, and all the countrey of Siberia,
and commander of all the North parts, and Lord ouer the countrey of
Iuersky, and King of Grusinsky, and of the countrey of Kabardinsky,
Cherchasky, and Duke of Igorsky, Lord and ruler of many countreys more etc.
To our louing sister Elizabeth Queene of England, France, and Ireland, &c.
Louing sister, your letters sent by your seruant Thomas Lind, we haue
receiued, and read what you haue written in the same touching our title,
and touching your order holden in your letters heretofore sent vs by your
seruant Ierome Horsey: wherein you haue answered vs sufficiently and most
graciously.

And whereas your Maiestie hath written in your letter concerning the goods
of William Turnebull late deceased in our kingdome, that your subiects, for
whom he was factour, should haue debts growing vnto them from him by
account: we at your Maiesties request haue caused not onely order to be
taken, but for your Highnesse sake, louing sister, we haue caused the goods
to be sought out and deliuered to your merchants Agent and his company,
together with his stuffe, bookes, billes and writings, as also money to the
value of sixe hundred rubbles, which Christopher Holmes and Francis Cherry
are to pay for ycarie [Footnote: Caviare.]: [Marginal note: This is a
dainty meat made of the roas of Sturgeons.] and we haue set at libertie the
said Turnebulles kinseman Raynold Kitchin and his fellowes, and deliuered
them to your merchants Agent.

And further, where you write vnto vs for such your subiects as letting,
either in the Mosco, the Treasurehouse, or else where by any of our
authorised people, but absolutely to bee at free libertie at their owne
will and pleasure. And also I will continue to be their protectour and
defendour in all causes, by our Lorde and kings Maiesties order and
commaundement: as it shall be knowen and certified you by your people
resident here in the Mosco.

[Sidenote: Anno Domini 1592.] Written in our kings Maiesties royall citie
of Mosco from the beginning of the world, 7101. yeere, in the moneth of
Ianuary.

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A most gracious Letter giuen to the English Merchants Sir Iohn Hart and his
company, by Theodore Iuanowich, the King, Lord, and great duke of all
Russia, the onely vpholder thereof.

The onely God omnipotent before all eternitie, his will be done without
ende: the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost we glorifie in Trinitie. Our onely
God the maker of all things and worker of all in all euery where with
plentifull increase: for which cause he hath giuen life to man to loue him,
and to trust in him: Our onely God which inspireth euery one of vs his holy
children with his word to discerne good through our Lord Iesus Christ, and
the holy quickning spirit of life now in these perilous times establish vs
to keepe the right scepter, and suffer vs to reigne of our selues to the
good profit of the land, and to the subduing of the people together with
the enemies, and to, the mainteinance of vertue.

We the great Lord, king and great duke Theodore Iuanowich, of all Russia
the onely vpholder, of Volodimer, Mosco, and Nouogrod, King of Cazan, and
king of Astracan, Lord of Vobsco, and great duke of Smolensko, of Otuer,
Vghorie, Permia, Viatski, Bulgari, and other regions, great duke also of
Nouogrod in the lowe Countrey, of Chernigo, of Rezan, Polotski Rostoue,
Yaruslaue, Bealozero, and of Liefland, of Vdorski, Obdorski, Condenski, and
commaunder of all the Countrey of Siberi and of the North parts, and Lord
ouer the Countrey of Iuerski, Grusinski, and King ouer the Countrey of
Igorski, and ruler ouer many other kingdomes and Lordships more.

Our princely Maiestie at the request of our brother in lawe Boris
Feodorowich Godenoua our seruant, and Master of our horses, generall
Comptroller of our house, and gouernour of the Lordships and kingdomes of
Casan and Astracan: vnto the English merchants Sir Iohn Hart knight, sir
William Webbe knight, Richard Salkenstow Alderman, Nicholas Mosely
alderman, Robert Doue, Wil. Garrowe, Iohn Harbey, Robert Chamberlaine,
Henry Anderson, Iohn Woodworth, Francis Cherry, Iohn Merrick, and
Cristopher Holmes; hath gratiously giuen leaue to come and go with their
ships into our kingdome and territories of Duina with all kind of
commodities at their pleasures to trafficke from the seaside to our roial
city of Mosco, and in all other cities, townes, countries and territories
of our whole kingdom of Mosco: vpon the humble petition and sute of the
saide English merchants sir Iohn Hart and his company, wee haue giuen them
leaue to passe and trafficke into all parts of our dominions and
territories of Mosco, and to our inheritance of Nougrod and Plesco with
their wares and commodities without paying any custome or dueties.

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