The Queenes Majesties Letters to the Emperour of Russia, requesting licence, and safe conduct for M. Anthony Jenkinson to passe thorow his kingdome of Russia , into Persia, to the Great Sophie. 1561.
ELIZABETH by the grace of God, Queene of England,
&c. to the right excellent, and right mightie Prince, Lord
John Basiliwich, Emperour of all Russia
, &c. greeting,
and most happie increase in all prosperitie.
Right
mightie Prince, the amitie of your Majestie towards us
and our subjects is very pleasant to us to be remembred,
which being begun by the goodnesse of God in the reigne
of our most deare brother of happie memorie, King
Edward the sixt, and afterwards, through your not onely
singular humanitie, fed, and nourished, but also through
your incredible goodnesse increased, and augmented, is
now firmed and established, with all maner of tokens
of your benevolence, that now we doubt not, but that
from hencefoorth, during many ages, the same shall
endure to the praise of God, to both our glories, to the
publike great commoditie of our Realmes on either part,
and to the private desired hope, and certeine felicitie
of all our subjects. And although that this your goodnesse hath bene abundantly extended to all our subjects,
that have at any time repaired into any part of your
Empire, for the which wee give (as reason is) your
Majestie right heartie thanks, and will againe shew the
like unto yours, right willingly, whensoever opportunitie
shall require; yet the abundance of your benignitie both
in receiving, and also in enterteining our faithfull and
beloved servant, Anthonie Jenkinson, the bringer of these
our letters, is unto us for him privately very thankefull.
For besides this, that in all places of your Empire, he
not onely by your Majesties sufferance, but also by your
commandement, enjoyed much libertie, and great friendship, your goodnesse not ceasing in this your domesticall
disposition of clemencie, did right willingly, and of your
owne abundant grace, commend the same our welbeloved
servant, by your letters sealed with your Imperiall seale,
to sundrie forren Princes, unto whom he was minded
to journey: which your magnificence did purchase unto
him happily, according to his desire, both passage without all perill, through your notable credit, and also
atchieving of his journey through your commendation.
Thereforelike as these your duplicated benevolences, both
that one generally exhibited to all our subjects frequenting
that your Realme, and also this the other extended apart
to this our right faithfull servant Anthonie Jenkinson,
is right assuredly fastened in our remembrance, not onely
for a perpetuall and gratefull memoriall, but also for a
mutuall and meet compensation: so we desire of your
Majestie, to vouchsafe from hencefoorth to conserve and
continue the geminate disposition of your benevolences,
both generally to all our subjects, and also privately to
this our beloved servant. And we doubt not, but that
at our request, you will againe graciously shew unto
the same Anthony, now admitted into our service, the
like favor as heretofore your Majesty of your meere
motion did exhibite unto him, being then a private person.
And therefore we desire your Majesty eftsoones to grant
to the same our servant, your letters of licence, pasport,
& safe conduct, through the tenour, authority, and helpe
whereof, he, his servants, together with their merchandises, baggages, horses, and goods whatsoever, that
shall be brought in, or carried out, by or thorow all your
empire, kingdome, dominions, and provinces, may surely
and freely journey, go, passe, repasse, depart, and there
tary so long as it shall please him: and from thence
returne whensoever it shall seeme good to him or his:
and as we doubt not, but that your Majesty in the
goodnesse of your nature will graciously and abundantly
grant all these good offices of humanity, so we do heartily
desire that your Majesty wil likewise vouchsafe to
commend the same our servant, together with all his
goods, by your letters to other forren Princes, and
specially to the great Sophy, and Emperour of Persia,
into whose empire and jurisdictions the same our servant
purposeth with his for to journey, chiefly for triall of
forren merchandises.
We therefore doe trust that all these our demands shall
tend, and have effect, according to the hope of our
servant, and to our expectation, for your wealth, for the
commodity of both our subjects, lucky to him, thankefull
to us, acceptable to your Majesty, and very profitable
to our subjects on either part. God grant unto your
Majesty long and happy felicity in earth, and everlasting
in heaven. Dated in our famous city of London the 25
day of the moneth of April, in the yeere of the creation
of the world 5523, and of our Lord God Jesus Christ,
1561, and of our reigne the third.
