A letter of M. Arthur Edwards, written the 8. of August 1566. from the towne of Shamaki in Media, to the right worshipfull the Governours, Consuls, Assistants, and generalitie of the companie of Russia , &c. Shewing his accesse unto the Emperour of Persia, his conference with him, his obtaining of a priviledge, with divers other good observations.
RIGHT worshipfull Sirs, my bounden dutie remembred,
with most humble commendations and like request to God
for the preservation of your good healths, with the rest of
the companie, &c.
It may please you to understand, that
the last letter which I sent you from hence was of the 26.
of April of this present yeere by Richard Johnson at my
departure towards Casbin : to which citie I came the 25.
of May folowing, not slacking any day, houre, nor
moment, to procure and make friends for the speedie
bringing me before the presence of the Shaugh, being the
29. day of the same moneth brought before him, with
whose majestie I was in talke (as I thinke) two houres.
He willed me twise to come neerer him, demanding what
were my requests: and having heard them, he promised
me his gracious letters. Afterwards he called me twise
againe to come neerer him, and talked with me of our
Queenes majestie and Countrey, and what commodities we
had, and what other commodities we desired: and then of
other countries adjoyning to us and their commodities, as
also of king Philip, what overthrow he gave the Turks at
the siege of Malta
. And how long we had traded into
Russeland and Moscovia, and in what space we might
saile out of England into Russeland, & how many weekes
travell it is from Colmogro to Astracan: and then came to
discourse of Russeland, and what townes the Emperour
had wonne, declaring unto me himselfe most of our commodities. In the end he willed that your worships should
send him of all sorts of clothes, but of one especially
which maidens do make (as he sayd :) He named it
Karengi, I thinke it is Westerne dozens died into scarlets.
Time will not permit mee to write at large the conference
which I had with his majesty. It was strange to his
people (knowing our religion) to see me so long in talke
with him, willing his Secretarie before mee to write what
he was desirous of: to wit, of London clothes, three or
foure of all sorts for example, being well shorne and
drest. Violets in graine and fine reds be most worne,
but other good colours will away, when they shall see
them. I wore a garment of London russet, being much
esteemed. You shall doe well to send such sorts as be
lively to the sight, and some blacks for womens garments,
with some Orenge colours and tawneis. Here is much
broad cloth worne. They talke much of London clothes,
and they that know the wearing, are desirous of them
before the cloth of the womens making, for they find it
nothing durable. For when it commeth to weare on the
threed, it renteth like paper. Here is much Venice
cloth
worne, being cromplisted a yard and a halfe broad, and
sold here from 24. to 30. shaughes their arshine, being
longer by two inches then the Russe
arshine is. I wish
also that you send some good chamlets & velvets died in
graine, with purple colours & fine reds: because these are
most worne. Also some blacks with other colours: some
cloth of gold, tissue & bocky, some velvets wrought with
gold, with sattins and damaskes, most purple, and reds
of all sorts. You may not forget to send some Western
karseis, to wit, dozens, which be thicked well, and close
shut in the weaving, being died into fine reds, and some
skarlets: for I thinke there is no such cloth for their
caps.
Your worships shall understand, that after my first
departure from the presence of the Prince, I neglected no
time in daily attendance on them, who had my priviledge
in writing, that I might have it in readinesse at such time
as I should againe bee called before the presence of the
Shaugh, which was the 29. of June last. I was in apparell
that he gave unto me, with other garments to mine interpreter, and one of your servants, and then I received your
letters or priviledge, according to my desire, sealed and
firmed with the Shaughs owne hand. Praysed bee God
who hath wrought with me, and for me, in all my doings.
The 29. of June is one of their chiefe festivall daies, so
that all his nobilitie was there present, with two Ambassadors in companie with his majestie, who sayd unto me
that if my letters were not to my mind, in time to come
they should be mended. Whereupon I made my reverence, and gave his highnesse most humble and heartie
thanks, saying, that with as much speed as might bee, our
Queenes Majestie should understand of hiss goodnesse
towardes her Merchants, which I thought would write
their letters of request unto his Highnes, in such forme &
order as by them should be thought meete and requisite
for their good assurance in the trade of merchandizes:
who replied with these wordes: when wee shall see their
reasonable requests, we will shew them our farther good
will, and so I departed.
Since the receiving of the Shaughs letters, I have eaten
in company of good Dukes and others, who before would
not come neere me. And every day some would come to
my Shop, and eate and drinke with me out of mine owne
dish. Likewise in riding from Casbin hither, on the way
when I sate downe to dinner, they would come and eate
with mee unbidden, when I wished them further off: for
I spared them that, which gladly I would have eaten my
selfe. I doubt not but we shall live here from hencefoorth
in quietnes: for now in all places where I come, I am
friendly used with the best.
I was asked by the Shaugh if you were able to bring
him yeerly one hundred thousand pieces of kersies, and
clothes. And I answered him, saying, your worships
were able to furnish his countrey with two hundred
thousand. Whereat his Highnesse rejoyced: for the
Turkes Ambassador the last yere, as divers have told me,
did put the Shaugh in despaire, saying, that the Turke
would not permit any cloth to be brought into his
countrey.
There is a citie in Syria
named Aleppo, wherein continually are many Venetians dwelling, besides other that
come yeerely and there buy wools, gals, tallow, saffron,
skins, cotton wooll, and other wares, and great store of
spices. Also the Armenians yeerly receive at the Venetians hands, karsies in barter for rawe silks, giving sometimes 60. pieces of karsies for 70. batmans of silke of this
countrey, and 40. pieces for Grosin silke. And karsies
sold commonly for ready money in Aleppo, at 11. and 12.
duckets the piece, (the ducket being here woorth 12.
shillings) may cost the first peny 132. and 144. Shaughs a
karsie. By report it is one moneths travel from this
towne of Shamaky to Aleppo, and from thence to Tripolis,
six dayes journey: and from Tripolis to Venice
by water,
a moneth or five weekes sailing. As I learne, from hence
to Venice
may easily be travelled in lesse then three
moneths. Therefore I wish your worships to procure
some trustie and assured friend there, to whom from
hence letters may be sent. For I can have them here to
put in suerties to deliver my letters, and to bring answere.
If I had any other here with me, I would nothing have
doubted to have brought you the Shaughs letters that way.
The Armenians and other are desirous to barter with
us, giving silke for karsies, and also will serve us of all
kind of spices, we giving them sufficient warning to fetch
it in the Indies, and will deliver it us in Shamaky at these
prizes.
Pepper this townes batman for 18. Shaughs, every
Shaugh is sixepence.
Maces large for 40. Shaughs, and 45. the batman.
Cloves for 40. Shaughs the batman.
Nutmegs for 16. and 18. Shaughs the batman.
Sinamon for 40. Shaughs the batman. I doubt not but
there will be profite and good done in spices, with drugs
and other like in time.
From Casbin to Ormus is six weeks travel, and from
hence to Casbin is 16. dayes with camels laden: but if
one travell with a good Mule unladen, it may be gone in
seven or eight dayes. And I thinke to Ormus and other
places, may be travelled in like order and proportion,
with cattel unladen. But here in all places as men travel,
they must carie their owne provision on horses, which they
are to buy, and thus they travell but a footepase.
The Shaugh himselfe is desirous to bargaine with you
who will give money, silke, and other wares as we will,
and take our wares as we may affoord them, willing me
himselfe to bring such wares as we might gaine by him.
The Armenians by report, and as I perceive, bring from
Aleppo yeerely, foure, five, and six thousand pieces of
karsies, and clothes, besides those which other men bring.
If your Worships might procure and find vent or sales for
rawe silke, and silke died in graine, besides other silkes
wrought and made here, by which, profite may be made:
then you might send a great substance of wares hither.
But I feare you shall be hindered by the Venetians if they
may: for I know it will grieve them that you doe trade
into these partes: for in short time it shall clean alter
their trade, and hinder the sales of their clothes in Aleppo
and other places adjoyning. You shall understand that
60. batmans of silke is a Mules lading: and as it is
reported, one village of the Armenians yerely carieth 400.
and 500. Mules lading of silke to Aleppo, and bringeth
thence 800. or a thousand Mules laden with karsies &
Venice
clothes. And 18. pieces of karsies are a Mules
lading. But I wish you not to send above 2000. pieces
of karsies, although I have bene willed to write for more.
If I might have had any understanding what your Worships had written for in your letters sent this yeere, I
should in this my letter have bene better able to have
answered you. They which be now in Astracan, might
have written some thing unto me hither, if it had pleased
them, or else have sent me such letters of mine, as I hope
some of my friends have written to me: for here are
arrived eight weekes past, two boates with wares and
Russes, by whom they might have written, had it bene
but 3. or 4. lines. They promised the Russes to write,
but promise was not kept. I would be sory that any boat
should depart out of these partes, and not write unto
them, waying how all things stand. I heare they have
bought a boat, which cost 40. rubbles, and shipped certaine wares to come hither. God send them in safetie. I
do tarie their comming, or els I had thought to have
come to Astracan in those boates which departed hence
lately.
The fifteenth of July last, I departed from Casbin, and
came to this towne the 29. of ye same. And the fourth of
August I found meanes to arrest the falsest knave in this
countrey, to wit, the Customer for 22. tumens, and 100.
shaughs, (200. shaughs is a tumen.) I have caused him to
put in suerties for his foorthcomming at all times, what
ende I shall have with him, God knoweth, the debt will be
recovered, but not yet, for he must pay the Shaugh 1000.
rubbles. These partes as yet are in no stay for lacke of a
Governour or head to rule, which I thinke shall bee the
Mursey. Within 5. or 6. dayes we shall know, for it is
time, because men are in feare to travell for being robbed.
If there were a prince placed, I should soone get in your
debts, for they dare not disobey the Shaughs letters or
priviledge: wherein he hath not onely written that our
debts shall be paied, but also that we shall be taken heed
to, so as we need not to doubt (God willing) in time to
come, to be here as wel used as we are in Russeland.
The bits of debts that Rich. Johnson
left with me, had
neither the parties name nor summe of mony in two of
them, and in other bils but his own name. If I had not
used discretion in causing to be written in our priviledge,
that such debtes as are owing, should be paied any of us
in the absence of the other, some men would not have
paied one penie, but onely to Richard Johnson, who hath
written but his owne name onely in the bils. I received
in Casbin of Forackan in part of 29. tumens, 300. shaughs
in money: the rest he will deliver me here in silke, and
this is all that I have received to this day. And as for
Hawrambecks twelve tumens, I make accompt, that if I
could ride to speake with him, I should be paid in money
and wares. Touching Ackons money, by meanes of Duke
Ameddinbeck, who first owed the debt, because they
meant not to pay a penie, he did rather seeke to hinder my
sute then to further mee, but I found out a present
remedie: for God sent me friends that were alwayes
about the Shaugh, and daily put on his apparell, who
opened all my sute, and brought mee to the presence of
the Shaugh before that Cozomomet sawe the Shaughs
eyes. But Cozomomet in the end was my friend: for he
was sent for, and declared unto the Shaugh what good
merchants we were, using trueth in all our doings, and
how we were in great favour with the Emperour of Russia,
and what good commodities wee might bring into his
Countrey, with other talke. And daily he was sent for to
the Shaugh about the affaires in those partes, for no man
was able to advise the Shaugh of the state and affaires of
those Countreys so much as hee was. He owed your
Worships seven tumens and 48 shaughs, which was not
all this time to be gotten at his hands: for hee was at
great charges in riding to Casbin, and giving great gifts
since his comming, which he twise declared unto me. I
feeling his griefe became Physicion to ease his paine, and
forgave him his debt abovesayd, in recompence of ten
pieces of karsies, that were promised him by Richard
Johnson and me, to give him at the comming of our
goods, in consideration that he should with speed doe
what lay in him, to dispatch me away: for I perceive hee
procured other that did helpe me in my sute to delay me
of, till time he had his purpose. I never was in quiet, till
I had the Princes priviledge, and had got mee out of
Casbin: for victuals, and all other things are very deare
there, because they are brought thither from farre off. As
for all other smal debts (which may be about 7. tumens)
when our Merchants are come hither, we shall seeke to
get them in as we may. I wish your Worships to send
some bullion to bee coyned here, it will please the prince
there, and be profitable to you. Silke is better cheape by
two or three shaughs the batman, then it was the last
yeere. You shall understand that I have written two
letters of all my proceedings, which I sent from Casbin
long since: to wit, the 24. and 29. of June last, by one
of your servants to Gilan
, there to take ship and to goe to
Astracan, and to deliver the same unto your Factors,
which might have bene to their quietnes and mine, long
agoe. But I am right sorie to heare since my comming
hither, that he hath plaied the loitering merchant in Gilan
,
not going in those boats that went first, but taried for the
last boats. But I will teach him, to the example of other,
how he shall make haste hereafter in such affaires. The
karsies which you sent last, being bought of M. Quarles,
were good and full lengths and well sorted. The Princes
Ambassador of Gilan
was in Casbin, at my being there.
I hope in God, if I remaine here, and may goe to Gilan
,
to obtaine for your worships the like priviledge at the
kings hand there also. For I have somthing moved the
matter, being put in such comfort, that I doubt not the
getting thereof with small charges, which I had done at
this time if I had had other here with me to put in trust: for
from Casbin to Gilan
is but 5. dayes riding, which Countrey may be profitable to your Worships. There is in that
Province good store of silke, better cheape, & better in
goodnesse then this countrey silke is. Also great store of
Alom, being there sold this townes batman, for one bist
and a halfe. I have made reckoning, al charges borne
from hence to Colmogro, & from thence fraight into
England at three pounds the tunne, al charges accounted,
will not stand you in above 18. and 20. shillings the
hundreth. You have yeerly by report two or three
hundred tunnes lading. Other commodities there for
England I heare not of. As for gals here to bee bought,
there is no profit to be done by them. They be brought
from Aleppo, and sold here not under 3. or 4. shaughs their
batman, being six pounds English waight. Graine that
you die scarlet withall is worth the batman ready mony,
200. shaughs, reckoning the shaugh for 6. pence Russe
,
it may be 6. rubbles their batman. Your worships may
send some portion of mony, if you may buy, as I thinke
you may, for 12. and 13.s. a pound the berries, so you
shall gaine both in the price and waight. If one Englishman more had bene here with me, to whom I might have
delivered our bils of debts and other things, whatsoever
should have chanced of me, I would then have become
servant to mine Interpreter, and so have gone to Ormus
and Aleppo, which both joyne on the borders of this
countrey, being the chiefe Mart townes, whereunto from
all places merchants resort. And thus would I have spent
4. or 5. months in travelling for further knowledge of
things for to have certified your worships of. I hope in
God to use things in such order, that yeerly you shall have
returne of your goods from hence, as you have forth of
Russeland, and in those ships. For if we may, as I doubt
not with diligence, provide to make sales in time, and
with speed receive silke at the Shaughs hand, and other
mens, that it may be sent from hence to be in Astracan
at the beginning of Aprill, from whence it may be sent
to Colmogro in three moneths and lesse, and there to be
ready with the rest of your goods by the end of June for
your ships to receive, that will be time inough. This I
doubt not to bring to passe within a yeere or two, when
we are throughly setled in these parts, and better knowen.
Moreover you shall understand, that at my last being in
the presence of the Shaugh, it was sayd to mee that M.
Anthonie Jenkinson did proffer to take all the rawe silke
in those parties, delivering cloth and other commodities
for the same. I assure you there is in those parts to be
had three or foure thousand horses lading, every horse
load being 50. or 60. batmans, beside silke of Grosin.
Great abundance of silke at times is sent out of these
parts, to wit, 4. or 5. hundred horse lodes at a time by
the Turkes, who bring great store of silver to be coined,
to wit, Dollars at ten shaughs the piece. The Hungarie Ducket is at 12. shaughs. And having money in readines
at the time of the yeere, they buy silke the better cheape,
when the countrey men bring it first to be sold. If your
worships may bargaine with the Venetians to take silke at
your hands, or otherwise deale with them, I doe not
mistrust but to have at the Shaughs hand sixe batmans
of silke for two pieces and a halfe of karsies. Your good
advise herein, and in other matters, I trust you will write
with convenient speed. Master Anthonie Jenkinson hath
deserved great commendation at all your worships hands:
for the good report of his well and wise doings in those
parts, was oftentimes a comfort to me to heare thereof,
and some good helpe to me in my proceedings. To this
day I never heard from any of our merchants. God
graunt me in health to see your worships, for I have had a
carefull travell, with many a sorrowfull day and unquiet
sleepes. Neither had I the company of one English
person, to whom sometimes I might have eased my
pensive heart, as God well knoweth, who hath delivered
me from mine enemies. Thus almightie God graunt you
in health and wealth long to live.
Your humble servant at commandement
during life,
Arthur Edwards.
