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Table of Contents:
The Historie
is somewhat otherwise recorded by
Froysard
and
Holenshed
in manner following, pag. 473.
The voyage of
M. Roger Bodenham
with the great
Barke
Aucher
to
Candia
and
Chio
, in the yeere
1550
.
The confession of
William Bends Masters Mate
in the
Edward Cotton
, the 21 of
October
,
Ann
.
1584
.
Orders agreed upon by the Captaines and Masters to be
observed by the fleet of Sir
Humfrey Gilbert
.
The voiage made by
Sir Richard Greenvile
, for
Sir Walter
Ralegh
, to
Virginia
, in the yeere
1585
.
An ancient voyage of
M. Robert Reniger
and
M. Thomas
Borey
to
Brasil
in the yeere of our Lord
1540
.
WORSHIPFULL Sir, my bounden duetie remembred, with
heartie prayer unto God for the preservation of you and
yours in perfect health with increase of worship.
It may
please you that my last letter I sent you was from
Astracan the 26 of July 1565. From whence Richard
Johnson, my selfe, and Alexander Kitchin, departed as the
30 of the same. And by meanes of contrary windes, it
was the 23 of August before we came to our desired port
named Nazavoe. There, after we had gotten your goods
on land, with much labour and strength of men, as also
windlesses devised and made, we haled your barke over a
barre of beach or peeble stones into a small River, sending
your ships apparell with other things to an house hired in
a village thereby. And as soone as we might get camels,
being the fift of September we departed thence, and came
to this towne of Shamaki the 11. of the same: and the
17. day folowing, we presented unto Abdollocan the king
of this countrey, one timber of Sables, one tunne or nest
of silver cups parsill gilt, three Morses teeth, 4. Arshines
of skarlet, 3. pieces of karseis, with 40. red foxes.
He received our presents with giving us thanks for
our good wils, demanding if M. Jenkinson were in good
health, and whether he would returne into these parts
againe. He willed us also himselfe to sit downe before
him the distance of a quoits cast from his tent, where
he sate with divers of his counsaile and nobilitie, sending
us from his table such meate as was before him: And
after certaine talke had with us, he sayd, if he might
perceive or know any maner of person to doe us any
wrong, he would punish them in example of others,
whereby we should live in quietnesse, and have no cause
to complaine, giving us a litle house for the time, untill
a better might be provided in such place as we should
thinke most meete, never willing us to rise or depart,
untill such time as we of our selves thought it convenient.
At the taking of our leave, hee willed us to put our whole
minds and requests in writing, that he might further
understand our desires. But while we were about to doe
so, God tooke this good king our friend out of this present
life the 2. of October past. The want of him hath bene
the cause that as yet wee cannot receive certaine debts.
Howbeit, we doubt not but we shall recover all such
summes of money as are owing us for this voyage. As
for Thomas Alcocks debts they are past hope of recoverie,
which had not bene lost if the.king had lived. We trust
in the place of him, God will send as friendly a king
towards us: who by report (and as we be credibly
informed,) shall bee his sonne named the Mursay: who
since the death of his father, at our being with him,
promised to shew us more friendship then ever we found:
God grant the same.
Great troubles have chanced in these parts. Of those
which were of the old kings counsell or bare any rule
about him in these quarters, some are in prison, some are
pinched by the purse, and other sent for unto the Shaugh.
These troubles have partly bene the let that wares were
not sold as they might, to more profite. Your Agent
Richard Johnson bought foure horses, minding to have
sent to Casbin Alexander Kitchin, whom God tooke to his
mercy the 23. of October last: and before him departed
Richard Davis one of your Mariners, whose soules I trust
the Lord hath received to his mercy. We are now destitute of others to supply their roumes. Foure Mariners
were few enough to saile your barke, whereof at this
present we have but one, whose name is William Smith,
an honest yong man, and one that doeth good service
here. For want and lacke of Mariners that should know
their labours, we all were like to be cast away in a storme.
For all the broad side of our barke lay in the water, and
we had much adoe to recover it, but God of his mercy
delivered us. Mariners here may doe you good service
all the winter otherwayes : and merchants here will be
gladder to ship their goods in us giving good fraight.
One merchant at this present is content to pay 20. rubbles
for twentie camels lading fraight to Astracan. Such
barkes as must passe these seas, may not draw above five
foote of water, because that in many places are very
shallow waters. Wee mind hereafter to make the Russian
boates more strong, and they shall serve our turnes very well.
And whereas some in times past tooke great paines,
travell and care, and could not have their desire in the
getting of the Shaughs letters or priviledge: Now, I trust
(with Gods helpe) they may be obtained: which being had,
will be beneficiall to the company, and great quietnes to
those that shal remaine here, although heretofore things
have chanced ill, as the like in other countries hath bene.
But I doubt not, this priviledge once gotten and obtained,
we shall live in quietnesse and rest, and shall shortly grow
into a great trade for silkes both raw and wrought, with
all kind of spices and drugs, and other commodities here,
as to M. Anthonie Jenkinson is well knowen, who (I
doubt not) hath long agoe throughly advertised the Companie thereof.
The trueth of the slaughter of Thomas Alcock your
servant, is not certainly knowen. Some thinke it was
by the meanes of a noble man, with whom your sayd
servant was earnest in demanding of your debts: upon
whose words he was so offended, that he procured his
death. But other doe thinke verily, that in riding from
the Court without companie, false knaves lay in waite,
thinking he had much about him, and so slew him. I
doubt not though this misfortune hath chanced, that
things shall come well to passe, and that we shall be
better beloved when we shall be more knowen.
Honest merchants are glad of our being here, and
seeke to grow in acquaintance with us, being glad to
further us in that they may, & have spoken in our favours
to the chiefest of this Countrey: one being a noble man,
with whom your Agent and I are entred into friendship,
who is at this time in great favour with the Shaugh. He
hath here and in other places of these parts set a good
stay in things since the kings death: he is well knowen to
M. Jenkinson, his name is Cozamomet. Also another
Duke named Ameddinbeck is our great friend: And his
sister is the Shaughes wife. These two have promised
your Agent by their lawe, not onely to procure to get the
Shaughes priviledge, but also that I shall have the debts
paied me of those that went from hence to Casbin, if we
would send one with them. In consideration whereof, I
was upon short warning (for want of a better) appointed
by your Agent M. Richard Johnson, all excuses laied
apart, presently to put my selfe in readinesse, and to
depart in company with these noblemen: with charge,
when God should send me to Casbin, to use my discretion
with their advise, for the recovering of your debts and
priviledge. I shall have with mee one interpreter and two
bought servants: one of which partly understandeth this
tongue, and may be put in trust whatsoever should become
of me. I have received 6. tumens in ready money, 200.
shaughs is a tumen, reckoning every shaugh for sixe
pence Russe
. I have further received two timbers of
Sables, one to be sold, the other to bee given to Thomas
the Shaugh: and have order further to give as I shall see
good to those that shall further my suite, and as occasion
serveth. And forasmuch as I am commanded to go, I
shall willingly do my best, putting my trust in God that he
will send me well to speed in this journey.
For all kind of wares bought or sold, you shal throughly
be advertised by your Agent Richard Johnson, whose
reckonings or accompts at no hands I might see or be
privie unto. Your karseis were good and well sorted,
they are and will be sold from 150. shaughs, to 160. the
piece. Two hundred pieces were sold under, that needed
not: one 100. pieces at 146. and 147. the piece but more
would have bene given, if circumspection had bene used.
They were sold to those noble men aforesayd, when as
yet it was not knowen that I should have gone with them.
They may stand us much in stead, as they have promised
us their goods wils in that they may doe. Here is at this
time bought for England 11. packes of rawe silke, 25.
and 26. batmans being in every packe: The batman being
7. pound, which may be 6. pound and a halfe of English
waight, being bought here from 66. to 70. shaughes the
batman. It is fine and good, litle course at this time was
to be had. And where course silke might be had being
at Grosin, we could not send thither: for that time was
neglected at the first. When wee shall have lidgers here
to remaine in Sommer, we may buy it at the first hand of
the countrey people that bring it to sell hither, and to
other places. I would to God the Companie could find the
meanes to have a vent to make sales for the one halfe
that we may buy here. The Companie may have for 30.
or 40. thousand pounds yeerely. And as appeareth by
your Agents wordes being at Varas, he and others sawe
there so great abundance, that by report of divers, you
may bestow (if it were not for the Turkes) for a two
hundred thousand pounds: besides silke of all colours
died in graine, bound up in pound waights, I thinke 15. of
our ounces to their pound waight, and here sold for 23.
shaughs, at 6.d. the shaugh, may be 11.s. 6.pence.
From Astracan in 7. or 8. dayes, wee may saile with
our barke to a place named Gilan
: the which place in
time to come, (I thinke) shall serve our purpose best to
goe unto. Alom is there good cheape, being brought
from thence hither to Shamaki, and sold here for two
bists their batman, which may be 5. pence in our money:
and so I have bought to bee sent home 223. batmans for
example. And at Gilan
there is rawe silke enough for the
companies stocke. I beleeve, if any great store of wares
be sent from you, that must be the place: & from thence a
man may travell in 4. dayes to Casbin, and there make
quicke and better sales, at which place your commodities
are to be sold. For there be the chiefe and best merchants, and divers other cities round about, to wit,
Teveris, Ardouil, and Caishan, being the heart of the
countrey, where there is more civilitie and merchants are
better used. Concerning this point I have inquired of
divers merchants both Russes and others that have bene
in those parts, and found them all agreeing in one tale,
and perceive the same to be true, and that all kind of
wares come from thence into these parts. And from
Casbin to Ormus, is about 30. daies travelling with
camels. I have written the prices of wares in my letter
to the governour both for spices and some drugs which I
do know.
Also you shall understand here is plentie of yew for
bowstaves. I caused three horse loades to be bought
us for to know the trueth: but they were cut out of
season this moneth of April, the sap being in them.
Three moneths I never left speaking to the Countrey
men to bring some. Your Agent will send some home for
example.
This day being the 26. of Aprill I departed towards
Casbin: God give me a good houre and well to speed,
with a mery heart in returning againe, as my hope is I
shall. I have written my mind to M. Glover your Agent,
what Russian wares I thinke best to be bought for this
Countrey, and to send some one hither that hath the
Russe
tongue, for we have need. And the companie shall
do well hereafter in taking of servants to be sent hither,
to see that they be such as have discretion, and be some
thing broken in the world, and seene in the trade of
merchandise, and one (if they can get some such) as can
speake the Portingall tongue, may do them as good
service, as those that shall be here two yeeres before him:
for then we may buy a slave that can speake this language
and the Portingal tongue also, which shall then interprete
unto us in all your secret doings, not making the Russes
privy: for they are sory that we doe trade into these
partes, for we are better beloved then they are: because
they are given to be drunkards, they are much hated of
these people. It is to be wished that none should serve
your worships in these parts that be given to that kind of
vice: And that your chiefe Agent and Factor should be
able to rule and governe himselfe, that no dishonestie
should be imputed to him and us. By his evill usage he
paied here 24 rubbles, being in this Countrey 4. tumens
for a boy, that he was charged to have conveied away
from a Tesicke one of this countrey men, who willed him
to sweare that he knew not where the boy was become,
and he should not pay it. If he were honest he might
do your worships good service because of his Russian
tongue.
Your London reds are not to be sent hither, for they
will not give above 18. shaughes their arshine. Here be
reds of more orient colour, being Venice
die. The people
are given much to weare cloth: the common people
specially weare karseis, and the merchants of more wealth
weare broad cloth. You shall doe well to send five or sixe
broad clothes, some blackes, pukes, or other sad colours,
that may be affoorded at 20. shaughes the arshine, and
not above. It is here reported that King Philip hath
given the Turkes a great overthrow at Malta
, and taken
70. or 80. of his chiefe captains.
Thus wishing I had more time to write, I pray you to
beare with this my scribled letter, and after you have red
it, that M. Nicols may have a sight thereof.
By your servant to command,
Arthur Edwards.
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