The Articles of the second priviledge delivered to Laurence
Chapman, which are to be annexed unto the former
priviledge.
- Item, that the merchants have free libertie, as in
their first priviledge, to goe unto Gilan
, and all other
places of his dominions, now or hereafter when occasion
shall be given.
- Item, if by misfortune any of their ships should
breake, or fall upon any part of his dominions on the sea
coast, his subjects to helpe with all speed to save the
goods and to be delivered to any of the sayd merchants
that liveth : or otherwise to be kept in safetie until any of
them come to demaund them.
- Item, if any of the said merchants depart this life in
any citie or towne, or on the high way, his governours
there to see their goods safely kept, and to be delivered to
any other of them that shall demand them.
- Item, the said merchants to take such camel-men as
they themselves wil, being countrey people, and that no
Kissell Bash do let or hinder them. And the said owners
of the camels to bee bound to answere them such goods
as they shal receive at their hands, and the camel-men to
stand to the losses of their camels or horses.
- Item more, that the sayd Cariers do demaund no
more of them, then their agreement was to pay them.
- Item more, if they be at a price with any Cariers, &
have given earnest, the camel-men to see they keepe their
promise.
- Item, if any of the said merchants be in feare to
travel, to give them one or more to go with them and see
them in safetie with their goods, to the place they will
goe unto.
- Item, in all places, to say, in all cities, townes or
villages on the high way, his subjects to give them honest
roume, and victuals for their money.
- Item, the sayd merchants may in any place, where
they shall thinke best, build or buy any house or houses
to their owne uses. And no person to molest or trouble
them, and to stand in any Caravan where they will, or
shal thinke good.
THE commodities which the merchants may have by this
trade into Persia are thought to bee great, and may in
time perhaps be greater then the Portugals trade into ye
East Indies, forasmuch as by the way of Persia into
England, the returne may be made every yeere once:
whereas the Portugals make the returne from Calecut but
once in two yeeres, by a long and dangerous voiage all by
sea: for where as the citie and
Island of Ormus, lying
in the gulfe of Persia, is the most famous
Mart towne of
all East India, whither al ye merchandises of India are
brought, the same may in shorter time and more safely
be brought by land and rivers through Persia, even unto
the
Caspian sea, and from thence by the countreis of
Russia
or Moscovia by rivers, even unto the citie of Yeraslave, and from thence by land 180. miles to Vologda,
and from thence againe all by water even unto England.
The merchandises which be had out of Persia for the
returne of wares are silke of all sortes of colours, both
raw and wrought. Also all maner of spices and drugs,
pearles & precious stones, likewise carpets of divers sortes,
with divers other rich merchandises. It was told me of
them that came last from Persia, that there is more silke
brought into some one city of Persia, then is of cloth
brought into the
city of London. Also that one village of
Armenia
named Gilgat doeth care yeerely five hundred,
and sometime a thousand mules laden with silke to Halepo
in Soria of Turkie, being 4. dayes journey from Tripoli
,
where the Venetians have their continuall abiding, and
send from thence silks which they returne for English
karsies and other clothes into all partes of Christendome.
