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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques,

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Of punishments vpon theeues.

If any man be taken vpon committing of theft, he is imprisoned, and often
beaten, but not hanged for the first offence, as the manner is with vs: and
this they call the lawe of mercie. He that offendeth the second time hath
his nose cut off, and is burnt in the forehead with a hot yron. The third
time, he is hanged. There are many cutpurses among them, and if the rigour
of the Prince did not cut them off they could not be auoyded.


Of their religion.

They maintaine the opinions of the Greeke Church: they suffer no grauen
images of saints in their Churches, but their pictures painted in tables
they haue in great abundance, which they do adore and offer vnto, and burne
waxe candles before them, and cast holy water vpon them, without other
honour. They say that our images which are set vp in Churches, and carued,
haue no diuinitie in them. In their priuate houses they haue images for
their household saints, and for the most part, they are put in the darkest
place of the house: hee that comes into his neighbours house doth first
salute his saints, although he see them not. If any foorme or stoole stand
in his way, hee oftentimes beateth his browe vpon the same, and often
ducking downe with his head, and body, worshippeth the chiefe Image. The
habite, and attire of the Priests, and of the Lay men, doth nothing at all
differ: as for marriage, it is forbidden to no man: onely this is receiued
and held amongst them for a rule, and custome, that if a Priests wife doe
die, he may not marry againe, nor take a second wife: and therefore they of
secular Priests, as they call them, are made Monkes, to whom then chastitie
for euer is commanded. Their diuine seruice is all done and said in their
owne language, that euery man may vnderstand it: they receiue the Lords
Supper with leauened bread, and after the consecration, they carry it about
the Church in a saucer, and prohibite no man from receiuing and taking of
it, that is willing so to doe. They vse both the Olde and the Newe
Testament, and read both in their owne language, but so confusedly, that
they themselues that doe reade, vnderstand not what themselues doe say: and
while any part of either Testament is read, there is liberty giuen by
custome to prattle, talke, and make a noise: but in the time of the rest of
the seruice they vse very great silence and reuerence and behaue themselues
very modestly, and in good sort. As touching the Lords praier, the tenth
man amongst them knowes it not: and for the articles of our faith, and the
ten commandements, no man, or at the least very fewe of them doe either
know them or can say them: their opinion is, that such secrete and holy
things as they are should not rashly and imprudently be communicated with
the common people. They holde for a maxime amongst them, that the olde
Lawe, and the commandements also are abolished by the death and blood of
Christ: all studies and letters of humanitie they vtterly refuse:
concerning the Latine, Greeke, and Hebrew tongues, they are altogether
ignorant in them.

Euery yeere they celebrate foure seuerall fastes, which they call according
to the names of the Saints: the first beginnes with them, at the time that
our Lent beginnes. The second is called amongst them the fast of S. Peter.
The third is taken from the day of the Virgin Marie. And the fourth and
last begins vpon S. Philips day. But as we begin our Lent vpon Wednesday,
so they begin theirs vpon the Sunday. Vpon the Saturday they eate flesh:
whensoeuer any of those fasting feastes doe drawe neere, looke what weeke
doth immediately goe before them, the same weeke they liue altogether vpon
white meates, and in their common language they call those weekes, the fast
of Butter.

In the time of their fasts, the neighbours euery where goe from one to
another, and visite one another, and kisse one another with kisses of
peace, in token of their mutuall loue and Christian concord: and then also
they doe more often then at any other time goe to the holy Communion. When
seuen dayes are past, from the beginning of the fast, then they doe often
either goe to their Churches, or keepe themselues at home, and vse often
prayer: and for that seuennight they eate nothing but hearbes: but after
that seuennights fast is once past, then they returne to their old
intemperancie of drinking, for they are notable tospots. As for the keeping
of their fasting dayes, they doe it very streightly, neither doe they eate
any thing besides hearbes, and salt fish, as long as those fasting dayes
doe endure: but vpon euery Wednesday and Friday, in euery weeke thoughout
the yeere, they fast.

There are very many Monasteries of the order of S. Benedict, amongst them,
to which many great liuings, for their maintenance, doe belong: for the
Friers and the Monkes doe at the least possesse the third part of the
liuings, throughout the whole Moscouite Empire. To those Monkes that are of
this Order, there is amongst them a perpetuall prohibition, that they may
eate no flesh: and therefore their meate is onely salt fish, milke, and
butter: neither is it permitted them by the lawes, and customes of their
religion, to eate any fresh fish at all: and at those foure fasting times,
whereof we spake before, they eate no fish at all: onely they liue with
hearbes, and cucumbers, which they doe continually for that purpose cause
and take order to grow and spring, for their vse and diet.

As for their drinke, it is very weake, and small. For the discharge of
their office, they do euery day say seruice, and that early in the mornings
before day: and they doe in such sort, and with such obseruation begin
their seruice, that they will be sure to make an ende of it, before day:
and about nine of the clocke in the morning they celebrate the Communion.
When they haue so done, they goe to dinner, and after dinner they goe
againe to seruice, and the like also after supper: and in the meane time
while they are at dinner there is some exposition or interpretation of the
Gospel vsed.

Whensoeuer any Abbot of any monasterie dieth, the Emperour taketh all his
housholde stuffe, beastes, flockes of sheepe, golde, siluer, and all that
he hath: or els hee that is to succeede him in his place and dignitie doth
redeeme all those things, and buyeth them of the Emperour for money.

Their churches are built of timber, and the towers of their churches for
the most part are centered with shingle boordes. At the doores of their
churches, they vsually build some entrance or porch as we doe, and in their
churchyardes they erect a certain house of woode, wherein they set vp their
bels, wherein sometimes they haue but one, in some two, and in some also
three.

There is one vse and custome amongst them, which is strange and rare, but
yet it is very ridiculous, and that is this: when any man dyeth amongst
them, they take the dead body and put it in a coffine or chest, and in the
hand of the corps they put a little scroule, and in the same there are
these wordes written, that the same man died a Russe of Russes, hauing
receiued the faith, and died in the same. This writing or letter they say
they send to S. Peter, who receiuing it (as they affirme) reades it, and by
and by admits him into heauen, and that his glory and place is higher and
greater than the glory of the Christians of the Latine church, reputing
themselues to be followers of a more sincere faith and religion than they:
they hold opinion that we are but halfe Christians, and themselues onely to
be the true and perfect church: these are the foolish and childish dotages
of such ignorant Barbarians.


Of the Moscouites that are Idolaters, dwelling neere to Tartaria.

There is a certaine part of Moscouie bordering vpon the countreys of the
Tartars, wherein those Moscouites that dwell are very great idolaters: they
haue one famous idole amongst them, which they call the Golden old wife:
and they haue a custome that whensoeuer any plague or any calamity doth
afflict the country, as hunger, warre, or such like, then they goe to
consult with their idol, which they do after this manner: they fall down
prostrate before the idol, and pray vnto it, and put in the presence of the
same, a cymbal: and about the same certaine persons stand, which are chosen
amongst them by lot: vpon their cymball they place a siluer tode, and sound
the cymball, and to whomsoeuer of those lotted persons that tode goeth, he
is taken, and by and by slaine: and immediately, I know not by what
illusions of the deuill or idole, he is againe restored to life, and then
doth reueale and deliuer the causes of the present calamitie. And by this
meanes knowing how to pacifie the idole, they are deliuered from the
imminent danger.


Of the forme of their priuate houses, and of the apparell of the people.

The common houses of the countrey are euery where built of beames of Firre
tree: the lower beames doe so receiue the round hollownesse of the
vppermost, that by the meanes of the building thereupon, they resist, and
expell all winds that blow, and where the timber is ioined together, there
they stop the chinks with mosse. The forme and fashion of their houses in
al places is foure square, with streit and narrow windoes, whereby with a
transparent casement made or couered with skinne like to parchment, they
receiue the light The roofes of their houses are made of boords couered
without with ye barke of trees: within their houses they haue benches or
griezes hard by their wals, which commonly they sleepe vpon, for the common
people knowe not the vse of beds: they haue stoues wherein in the morning
they make a fire, and the same fire doth either moderately warme, or make
very hote the whole house.

The apparell of the people for the most part is made of wooll, their caps
are picked like vnto a rike or diamond, broad beneath, and sharpe vpward.
In the maner of making whereof, there is a signe and representation of
nobilitie: for the loftier or higher their caps are, the greater is their
birth supposed to be, and the greater reuerence is giuen them by the common
people.


The conclusion to Queen Marie.

These are the things most excellent Queene, which your Subiects newly
returned from Russia haue brought home concerning the state of that
countrey: wherfore if your maiestie shall be fauourable, and grant a
continuance of the trauell, there is no doubt but that the honour and
renowne of your name will be spred amongst those nations, whereunto three
onely noble personages from the verie creation haue had accesse, to whom no
man hath bene comparable.

* * * * *

The copie of the Duke of Moscouie and Emperour of Russia his letters, sent
to King Edward the sixt, by the hands of Richard Chancelour.

The Almighty power of God, and the incomprehensible holy Trinitie,
rightfull Christian beliefe, &c. We great Duke Iuan Vasiliuich, [Marginal
note: Iuan Vasiluich, that is to say, Iohn the sonne of Basilius.] by the
grace of God great lord and Emperor of all Russia, great Duke of Volodemer,
Mosco, and Nouograd, King of Kazan, King of Astracan, lord of Plesko, and
great duke of Smolensko, of Twerria, Ioughoria, Permia, Vadska, Bulghoria,
and others, lord and great duke of Nouograd in the Low countrey of
Chernigo, Resan, Polotskoy, Rostoue, Yaruslaueley, Bealozera, Liefland,
Oudoria, Obdoria, and Condensa, Commander of all Siberia, and of the North
parts, and lord of many other countries, greeting. Before all, right great
and worthy of honour Edward King of England &c. according to our most
hearty and good zeale with good intent and friendly desire, and according
to our holy Christian faith, and great gouernance, and being in the light
of great vnderstanding, our answere by this our honourable writing vnto
your kingly gouernance, at the request of your faithfull seruant Richard
Chancelour, with his company, as they shall let you wisely know, is this.
In the strength of the twentieth yeere of our gouernance, be it knowen that
at our sea coastes arriued a shippe, with one Richard, and his companie,
and sayd, that hee was desirous to come into our dominions, and according
to his request, hath seene our Maiestie, and our eyes: [Marginal note: That
is, come into our presence.] and hath declared vnto vs your Maiesties
desire, as that we should grant vnto your subiects, to goe and come, and in
our dominions, and among our subiects, to frequent free Marts, with all
sortes of marchandizes, and vpon the same to haue wares for their returne.
And they haue also deliuered vs your letters, which declare the same
request. And hereupon we haue giuen order, that wheresoeuer your faithful
seruant Hugh Willoughbie land or touch in our dominions, to be wel
entertained, who as yet is not arriued, as your seruant Richard can
declare.

And we with Christian beliefe and faithfulnes, and according to your
honourable request, and my honourable commandement will not leaue it
vndone: and are furthermore willing that you send vnto vs your ships and
vessels, when and as often as they may haue passage, with good assurance on
our part to see them harmlesse. And if you send one of your maiesties
counsel to treate with vs whereby your countrey marchants may with all
kinds of wares, and where they wil make their market in our dominions, they
shall haue their free Marte with all free liberties through my whole
dominions with all kinde of wares to come and goe at their pleasure,
without any let, damage or impediment, according to this our letter, our
word and our seale which we haue commaunded to be vnder sealed. Written in
our dominion, in our citie and our palace in the castle of Mosco, in the
yeare 7060, the second moneth of February.

[This letter was written in the Moscouian tongue, in letters much like to
the Greeke letters, very faire written in paper, with a broad seale hanging
at the same, sealed in paper vpon waxe. This seale was much like the broad
seale of England, hauing on the one side the image of a man on horseback in
compleate harnesse fighting with a dragon. Vnder this letter was another
paper written in the Dutch tongue, which was the interpretation of the
other written in the Moscouian letters. These letters were sent the next
yere after the date of king Edwards letters, 1554.]

* * * * *

The letters of king Philip and Queene Marie to Iuan Vasiliuich the Emperour
of Russia written the first of April 1555 and in the second voyage.

Philip and Marie by the grace of God, King and Queene of England, France,
Naples, Ierusalem, and Ireland, defenders of the faith, Princes of Spaine
and Sicilie, Archdukes of Austrich, Dukes of Burgundie, Millaine, and
Brabant, Counties of Haspurge, Flanders, and Tiroll: To the right High,
right Mightie, and right excellent Prince, garnished with all gifts of
nature, by Gods grace Iohn Vasiliuich Emperour of all Russia, great Duke of
Volodemer, Mosco, and Nouogrod, King of Cazan, King of Astracan, Lord of
Plesco, and great Duke of Smolensko, of Tueria, Ioughoria, Permia, Vadska,
Bulghoria, and others, Lorde and great Duke of Nouogrod of the lowe
Countrey, of Chernigo, Rezan, Polotskay, Rostoue, Yeraslaue, Bealozera,
Liefland. Oudoria, Obdoria, and Condensa, Commander of all Siberia, and of
the North partes, and lord of many other countreys, greeting. Whereas by
the consent and license of our most deare and entirely beloued late
brother, King Edward the sixt, whose soule God pardon, sundrie of our
subiects marchants of the citie of London within this our realme of England
did at their owne proper costs and aduenture furnish three shippes to
discouer, serch and find lands, Islands, regions, and territories before
this aduenture not knowen, ne commonly haunted and frequented by seas. The
one of the which three shippes, named the Edward Bonauenture, (whereof our
right welbeloued Richard Chancelour was then gouernour and great Captaine)
chanced by the grace of God, and the good conduct of the sayd Chancelour to
arriue and winter in the North part of your Empire of Russia. Forasmuch as
we be credibly informed by the report of our trustie and welbeloued
subiect, that your Maiestie did not onely call him and certaine of his
company to your emperiall presence and speech, entertayned and banqueted
them with all humanitie and gentlenes but also being thereunto requested
partly by the letters of our said brother, and partly by request of the
sayd Richard Chancelour haue by your letters patents vnder your seale among
other things granted: That all such marchants as shall come forth of anie
of our realms of England or Ireland with al maner of wares, if they wil
trauel or occupie within your dominions, the same marchants with their
marchandises in al your lordship may freely, and at their libertie trauaile
out and in without hindrance or any maner of losse: And of your farther
ample goodnesse haue promised that our ambassadours, if wee send any, shall
with free good will passe to and from you without any hindrance or losse,
with such message as shall come vnto you, and to returne the same to our
kingdomes well answered, as by the same your letters, written in your
lordly Palace and Castle of Mosco in the yeere 7063 [Footnote: Should be
7060.] the moneth of Februarie, more at large appeareth. Like as wee cannot
but much commend your princely fauour and goodnesse, and in like manner
thank you for the abundant grace, extended to the sayd Richard Chancelour,
and others our subiects marchants: Euen so these are to pray and request
you to continue the same beneuolence toward them, and other our marchants
and subiects, which doe or heereafter shall resorte to your countrey: And
for the more assurance and incouragement to trade and exercise the feate of
marchandise with your subiects and all other marchants within your
dominions, that it may please you at this our contemplation to assigne and
authorise such Commissaries as you shall thinke meete to trade and conferre
with our welbeloued subiects and marchants, the sayd Richard Chancelour,
George Killingworth, and Richard Graie, bearers of these our letters: who
are by vs authorised for that purpose: and to confirme and graunt such
other liberties and priuiledges vnto the Gouernour, Consuls, Assistants,
and Communaltie of the fellowship of the saide Marchants, as the said
bearers in their name propone and require by you to be granted for their
safe conduct, good gouernment, and order to bee erected and continued among
them in your saide dominions; And this with such your clemencie and
expedition, as we, vpon the next arriuall of the saide Richard Chancelour
may bee enformed of your gracious disposition and answere. Which your
beneuolences so to bee extended, wee bee minded to requite towards any your
subiects Marchants, that shal frequent this our realme at your
contemplation therefore to be made. Thus right high, right Excellent, and
right mightie, Almightie God the Father, the Sonne and the holy Ghost haue
you in his blessed keeping. Giuen vnder our seale at our Palace of
Westminster, the first of April, in the yeere from the blessed incarnation
of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, 1555. and in the first and second yeeres of
our reignes.

* * * * *

Articles conceiued and determined for the Commission of the Merchants of
this company residant in Russia, and at the Wardhouse, for the second
voyage, 1555. the first of May, as followeth.

First, the Gouernour, Consuls, Assistants and whole company assembled this
day in open court, committeth and authorizeth Richard Gray and George
Killingworth, iointly and seuerally to be Agents, Factors, and Atturneis
generall and speciall, for the whole body of this company, to buy, sel,
trucke, change and permute al, and every kind and kindes of wares,
marchandises and goods to the said company appertaining, now laden and
shipped in the good ship called the Edward Bonauenture, appointed for
Russia, the same to vtter and sell to the best commoditie, profit and
aduantage of the said corporation, be it for ready money, wares and
merchandises, or truck, presently, or for time, as occasion and benefit of
the company shal require: and all such wares as they or either of them shal
buy, trucke, or prouide, or cause to be bought for the company to lade them
homeward in good order and condition, as by prudent course of marchandises,
shall, and ought to appertaine, which article extendeth also to Iohn Brooke
for the Wardhouse, as in the 17. and 18. articles of this commission
appeareth.

2. Item, it is also committed, as aboue, to the said Agents, to binde and
charge the said company by debt for wares vpon credit, as good opportunitie
and occasion shal serue, with power to charge and bind the said company,
and their successors, for the paiments of such things as shalbe taken vp
for credite, and the said Agents to be relieued ab opere satis dandi.

3. Item full authoritie and power is committed to the said first named
factors, together with Richard Chancelor grand Pilot of this fleete, to
repaire to the Emperors court, there to present the king and Queenes
Maiesties letters, written in Greeke, Polish, and Italian, and to giue and
exhibite the marchants presents at such time and place as shalbe thought
most expedient, they, or one of them to demand, and humbly desire of the
Emperour such further grants and priuiledges to be made to this companie,
as may be beneficiall for the same, to continue in traffike with his
subiects, according to such instructions as bee in this behalfe deuised and
deliuered to the Agents whereunto relation is to be had, and some one of
these persons to attend vpon the court for the obtaining of the same, as to
their discretions shalbe thought good.

4. Item, that all the saide Agents doe well consider, ponder and weigh such
articles as bee deliuered to them to know the natures, dispositions, lawes,
customes, maners and behauiours of the people of the countries where they
shal traffike, as well of the Nobilitie as of the Lawyers, Marchants,
Mariners and common people, and to note diligently the subtilties of their
bargaining, buying and selling, making as fewe debtes as possiblie may bee,
and to bee circumspect, that no lawe neither of religion nor positiue bee
broken or transgressed by them or any minister vnder them, ne yet by any
mariner or other person of our nation, and to foresee that all tolles,
customes, and such other rites be so duely paid, that no forfeiture or
confiscation may ensue to our goods either outward or inward, and that al
things passe with quiet, without breach of the publike peace or common
tranquilitie of any of the places where they shall arriue or traffique.

5. Item, that prouision bee made in Mosco or elsewhere, in one or mo good
townes, where good trade shall be found for a house or houses for the
Agents, and companie to inhabite and dwell at your accustomed diets, with
warehouses, sellers, and other houses of offices requisite, and that none
of the inferiour ministers of what place or vocation soeuer he be, doe lie
out of the house of the Agents without licence to be giuen, and that euery
inferiour officer shalbe obedient to the orders, rules and gouernments of
the said Agents, and in case any disobedient person shall be found among
any of them, then such person to be punished for his misbehauiour, at the
discretion of the said Agents, or of one of them in the absence of the
other.

6. Item, if any person of the said ministers shall be of such pride or
obstinacie, that after one or two honest admonitions, hee will not bee
reformed nor reconciled from his faultes, then the saide Agents to displace
euery such person from the place or roume to him heere committed, and some
other discreete person to occupie the same, as to the saide Agents by their
discretions shal seeme meete.

7. Item, if any person shall be found so arrogant, that he will not be
ordered nor reformed by the said Agents or by one of them in the absence of
the other, then the sayde person to bee deliuered to the Iustice of the
countrey, to receiue such punishment, as the lawes of the countrey doe
require.

8. Item, that the Agents and factours shall daily one houre in the morning
conferre and consult together what shall bee most conuenient and beneficial
for the companie, and such orders as they shall determine, to bee written
by the Secretarie of the companie in a booke to bee prouided for that
purpose, and no inferiour person to infringe and breake any such order or
deuise, but to obserue the same exactly, vpon such reasonable paine as the
Agents shall put him to by discretion.

9. Item, that the said Agents shall in the ende of euerie weeke, or oftener
as occasion shall require, peruse, see, and trie, not onely the Casshers,
bookes, reckonings and accounts, firming the same with their handes, but
also shall receiue and take weekly the account of euery other officer, as
well of the Vendes, as of the empteous, and also of the state of the
houshold expenses, making thereof a perfect declaration as shall
appertaine, the same accounts also to bee firmed by the saide Agents hands.

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