The deposition of M. William Burrough to certaine Interrogatories ministred unto him concerning the Narve,
Kegor, &c. to what king or prince they doe appertaine
and are subject, made the 23 of June, 1576.
These articles seeme to have bene ministred upon the
quarel between Alderman Bond the elder, and the
Moscovie company, for his trade to the Narve without
their consent.
FIRST, whether the villages or townes vulgarely called the
Narve, Kegor, Pechingo and Cola, and the portes of the
same townes, as well at the time of the grant of the letters
of privilege by the Emperour to our merchants, as also in
the yeeres of our Lord, 1566, 1567, 1568, 1569, 1570,
1571, 1572, 1573, 1574, and 1575, respectively were (as
presently they be) of the jurisdiction, and subject to the
mightie prince the Emperour of Russia: and whether the
saide Emperour of Russia, by all the time aforesaide, was
chiefe lord and governour respectively of the said places,
and so vulgarly knowen, had, and reputed: and whether
the said townes and places, and either of them be situated
towards the North and Northeast or Northwest, and
between the North and the East point: and be the same
places whereunto by force of the said privilege, it is
forbidden to any other subject to have traffike, saving to
the societie aforesaid.
To this Interrogatorie the deponent saith, that it is
true that the villages, townes and places vulgarly called
the Narve, Kegor, Pechingo and Cola, and the portes
thereof, at the time of the grant of the said privilege
(as he judgeth) were reputed respectively to be under the
jurisdiction, & subject to the Emperour of Russia, and
so from the time of the said grant, unto the yeere, 1566,
and that in the yeeres of our Lord, 1566, 67, 68, 69, 70,
71, 72, 73, 74, and 1575. respectively they were (as
presently they be) of the jurisdiction, and subject unto the
mighty prince the Emperour of Russia, and the same
Emperour of Russia, by all the time aforesaid, was chiefe
governour respectively of the said places, and so vulgarly
knowen, had and reputed. And that all the said places
are situated from London Northwards, betweene the East
and the North, and within the grant of the letters
patents, and privileges of the said companie of merchants
for the discovery of new trades, and the same places
whereunto by force of the said letters patents, it is forbidden to any other subject to have traffike saving to the
societie aforesaid.
Notwithstanding the Deponent saith, that he hath heard
it credibly reported by divers, that the king of Denmarke
of late yeres, or every yeere once, hath had one of his
subjects or more by him selfe, or with his guide
a Lappian, that hath at the places Cola, Kegor,
and divers other places in
Lappia, taken of the
Lappies certain tribute or head pence, which the
said Lappies have willingly given to winne favour of
the saide prince, and to live quietly by his subjects, the
people of Finmarke which border upon their countrey,
whereof Wardhouse is the strongest hold, & bordereth
neere unto them. Hee hath also hearde that in the time
of peace betweene the saide Emperour of Russia, and
the kings of Sweden
, there was yeerely for the king of
Sweden
one or more that came into Lappia unto divers
places, in maner as the king of Denmarkes servant useth
to doe, and did demaund of them some tribute or duetie
which they willingly paide: but since the late warres
betweene the saide Emperour and king of Sweden
, hee
hath not heard of any thing that hath bene paide by them
to the king of Sweden
: such is the simplicitie of this
people the Lappies, that they would rather give tribute to
all those that border upon their countrey, then by denying
it have their ill willes.
But the trueth is, as this Deponent saith, that the saide
mightie prince the Emperor of Russia is the chiefe lord
and governour of the saide countrey of Lappia, his lawes
and orders are observed by them, hee takes toll and
custome, &c. of them. They are infidels, but if any of
them become Christians it is after the Russe
law. If
there happen any controversie betweene those people,
such as cannot be ended amongst themselves, or by the
Emperours deputies in that countrey, they repaire to the
Mosko as their highest Court, and there have it ended.
Betweene the place specified Kegor, and the confines of
Finmarke aforesaide in
Lappia, is the monasterie
Pechingo, which are monkes, and use the Russe
lawe,
the chiefe or head of that abbey is alwayes appointed by
the cleargie in Mosko.
Also in the yeere of our Lord 1557. the said Deponent
was at the place Kegor, in the moneth of June, the
29. day being S. Peters day, at which time was a great
assembly of people at a mart there, the Russes, Kerils
and Lappians on the one side subjects to the said mighty
prince the Emperour of Russia, and the Norwegians or
Norses and people of Finmarke subjects to the king of
Denmarke on the other part, they did barter and exchange
fish for other commodities. The deputie for the Russe
had the chief government of the said Mart, and tooke
toll of those people yt were subject to his master, and the
captaine of Wardhouse had then the government of the
people subject to his master the king of Denmark. He
saith also, that betweene the abbey of Pechingo, and the
abbey of S. Nicholas in Russia
, upon the border of the
said coast of Lappia, he hath bene upon the shore at
divers places, where fresh rivers fall into the Sea, where
are commonly taken fresh salmons, all which places he
doth know for certaine, that they were farmed out to the
subjects of the said Emperour, and he the said Emperour
received yeerely the rent for them. And further he saith
that it hath bene further credibly reported unto him, that
there is not any such river or creek of fresh water which
falleth out of the said countrey of Lappia into the sea,
between the said abbey Pechingo, and the bay of S.
Nicholas, but they are all and every of them farmed out,
and the Emperour receiveth the rent for them.
Item, whether as well before, as also within the
memorie of men, till the time of the graunt of the said
letters patents any of the English merchants (saving the
merchants of the said societie) subjects of this
realme of
England, have commonly exercised or frequented businesse or trade in the said villages or townes called the
Narve, Kegor, Pechingo, and Cola, or in any of them,
or in any ports or territories of the said Emperour of
Russia.
To this Interrogatorie the Deponent answereth, that the
subjects of this realme before the graunt of the said letters
patents did not commonly exercise, neither frequent or
trade to any of the said places called the Narve, Kegor,
Pechingo or Cola, or to any of them.
