The second voiage into Persia made by Tho. Alcock, who
was slaine there, and by George Wrenne, & Ric. Cheinie
servants to the worshipfull companie of Moscovie
merchants in Anno 1563. written by the said Richard
Cheinie.
IT may please your worships to understand, that in the
yere 1563. I was appointed by M. Antho. Jenkinson, and
M. Thomas Glover your Agent in Russia
, to goe for
Persia in your worships affaires, one Thomas Alcock
having the charge of the voyage committed to him, and
I one of your worships servants being joyned with him.
in your busines, having with us, as they said 1500.
rubbles. And if it shall please you I cannot tell certainly
what summe of money we had then of the Emperors: for
I received none, nor disbursed any of it in wares for the
voyage. Also, God I take to record, I could not tell what
stocke your worships had there, for the bookes were kept
so privily that a man could never see them. The 10. of
May anno 1563. we departed from a towne called Yeraslave upon our voyage toward Persia. The 24. of July
we arrived at Astracan: and the second of August wee
departed from Astracan, and the 4. of the same moneth
we came to the
Caspian sea, and the 11. day of the said
moneth we arrived at our port in Media: and the 21. of
the said August wee arrived at
Shammaki, whereas the
king Obdolocan lay in the fielde. We were wel entertained of heathen people, for the thirde day after our
arrivall at
Shammaki wee were called before the king:
we gave him a present, and he entertained us very well.
At our comming to the Court wee were commaunded
to come before the king, who sate in his tent upon the
ground with his legs a crosse, and all his dukes round
about his tent, the ground being covered with carpets:
wee were commaunded to sit downe, the King appointing
every man his place to sit. And the king commaunded
the Emperour of Russelands Merchants to rise up, and to
give us the upper hande. The 20. of October Thomas
Alcock departed from Shammaki towards Casbin, leaving
mee at
Shammaki to recover such debts as the dukes of
Shammaki ought for wares which they tooke of him at his
going to Casbin. In the time I lay there I could recover
but little. And at Thomas Alcocks comming from Casbin,
who arrived at a towne called Leuvacta, whereas the king
Obdolocan lay, a day and a halfes journey from the towne
whereas I lay, I hearing of his arriving there, departed
from Shammaki, finding him there in safetie with all such
goods as he had with him. During his abode there for
seven dayes he made suite to the king for such money as
the dukes ought him. But the king was displeased for
that the Emperour of Russelands merchant had slaine a
Boserman at his going to Casbin. Thomas Alcocke seeing
the king would shewe us no favour, and also hearing from
Shammaki, that the Russes sent their goods to the sea
side, for that they feared that the king of Persia should
have knowledge of the death of the Boserman, willed mee
to depart to Shammaki with all such goods as he had
brought with him from Casbin, I leaving him at the
Court.
The thirde day after mine arrivall at
Shammaki, I had
newes that Thomas Alcocke was slaine comming on his
way towards me. Then the king Obdolocan understanding
of his death, demaunded whether he had ever a brother.
Some said I was, some saide I was not his brother. When
this fell out, your worships had no other servant there but
mee among those heathen people. Who having such a
summe of goods lying under my handes, and seeing howe
the Russes sent their goods with as much hast as they
might to the sea side, and having but foure men to sende
our wares to the sea side, I used such diligence, that
within two dayes after Thomas Alcocke was slaine, I sent
in company with the Russes goods, all your worships
goods with a Mariner, William August, and a Swethen,
for that they might the safer arrive at the seaside, being
safely layd in. All which goods afterwards arrived in
Russeland in good condition, Master Glover having the
'receipt of all things which I sent then out of those parties
into Russeland. Concerning my selfe, I remained after I
had sent the goods into Russeland sixe weekes in
Shammaki, for the recovery of such debts as were owing, and
at last with much trouble recovered to the summe of fiftene
hundreth rubbles or there about, which M. Glover received
of me at my comming to Mosco, and all such goods as I
brought with me out of Keselbash, as by a note of my
hand that hee hath shall appeare. Also he having the
receipt of all such goods as I sent into Russeland by these
two above named, he then had that voyage in venter of
his owne better then an hundredth rubbles, one Richard
Johnson twentie rubles, one Thomas Pette fiftie rubles,
one Evan Chermisin a Tartar seventie rubles. All these
had their returne: M. Glover allowed himselfe God
knoweth howe, I then being in Persia in your worships
affaires.
And whereas he saith, the Emperour had but for his
part a dobble, as farre as I can see, knowing what the
wares cost in those partes, hee had treble. If they gave
him so much wares, all charges turned to your worships,
as well of the Emperours as of their owne returnes. I
have sowen the seede, and other men have gathered the
harvest: I have travailed both by lande and by water full
many a time with a sorrowfull heart, aswell for the safegarde of their goods as yours, how to frame all things
to the best, and they have reaped the fruites of my
travaile. But ever my prayer was to God, to deliver mee
out of those miseries which I suffered for your service
among those heathen people. Therefore knowing my
duetie which I have done, as a true servant ought to do,
I beseech your worships (although I have but small recompence for my service,) yet let me have no wrong, and God
will prosper you the better.
Also, to informe your worships of your Persian voyage
what I judge: it is a voyage to bee followed. The king
of Gillan, whereas yet you have had no traffique, liveth
al by marchandise: and it is neere Casbin, and not past
six weekes travaile from Ormus, whither all the spices
be brought: and here, (I meane at
Gillan) a trade may be
established: But your worships must send such men as
are no riotous livers, nor drunkards. For if such men
goe, it wil be to your dishonour and great hinderance, as
appeared by experience the yeere 1565. when as Richard
Johnson went to Persia, whose journey had bene better
stayed then set forward. For whereas before wee had the
name among those heathen people to be such marchants
as they thought none like in all respects, his vicious
living there hath made us to be compted worse then the
Russes.
Againe, if such men travaile in your affaires in such a
voyage, you shall never know what gaine is to be gotten.
For how can such men imploy themselves to seeke the
trade, that are inclined to such vices? or howe can God
prosper them in your affaires? But when a trade is established by wise and discreet men, then wil it be for your
worships to traffique there, and not before: for a voiage
or market made evil at the first, is the occasion that your
worships shal never understand what gaine is to be gotten
thereby hereafter,
