A copie of the priviledges granted by the right high and
mightie Prince, the Emperour of Russia, &c. unto the
right worshipfull fellowship of English merchants, for
the discoverie of new trades : and hither sent by Thomas
Randolfe esquire, her Majesties Ambassadour to the
sayd Emperour, and by Andrew Savin his Ambassadour
in the yere of our Lord God 1569.
ONE God everlasting, and without and before the beginning, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, the
blessed Trinitie, our onely God, maker, and preserver of
all things, and replenisher of all things every where, who
by thy goodnesse doest cause all men to love the giver of
wisedome our onely Mediatour, and leader of us all unto
blessed knowledge by the onely Sonne his word, our Lord
Jesus Christ, holy and everlasting Spirit, and now in these
our dayes teachest us to keepe Christianitie, and sufferest
us to enjoy our kingdome to the happy commodity of
our land, and wealth of our people, in despight of our
enemies, and to our fame with our friends.
We John Vasiliwich by the grace of God, great lord,
Emperour, and great duke of all Russia
, Volodemer,
Moscovia, Novogrod, Emperour of Cazan, Tversky,
Vgorsky, Permisky, Vadsky, Bulgaria
, and many others,
lord and great duke of the Low countreys of Novogrod,
Chernigosky, Resansky, Polotsky, Rastow, Yeraslave,
Bealosera, Owdorsky, Condinsky, and all Siberland, great
commander of all the North parts, lord of Leifland, and
many other Northward, Southward and Westward.
Whereas our sister Elizabeth by the grace of God
Queene of England, France and Ireland
, defender of the
faith, hath written unto us her letters for her merchants,
who hath made sute that we should grant our goodnesse
to the merchants which are of one Company, and give
them free leave to come to traffike in our kingdome to
Colmogro, and to the countrey of Dwina, and to our great
citie of Moscovia, and to all the cities in our dominions,
and thorow our countrey to Boghar, to Persia, Casbin,
and Charday, and to all other countreys.
1 We John Vasiliwich Emperour and great duke of all
Russia
(for our sister Elizabeths sake, Queene of England）
have given and granted to the English merchants, the
Governours, Consuls, Assistants & felloship, sir Wil.
Garrard Knight, Rowland Haiward Alderman, Joh.
Thamworth Esquire,
John Rivers Alderman, Henry
Beecher Alderman, Consuls: Sir Wil. Chester Knight,
Edward Jackman Alderman, Lionel Ducket Alderman,
Edward Gilbert, Laurence Huse, Francis Walsingham,
Clement Throgmorton, John Quarles, Nicholas Wheeler,
Thomas Banister, John Harrison, Francis Burnham,
Anthony Gamage, John Somers, Richard Wilkinson, Joh.
Sparke, Richard Barne, Robert Woolman, Thomas
Browne, Thomas Smith, Thomas Allen, Thomas More,
William Bully, Richard Yong, Thomas Atkinson,
Assistants: John Mersh Esquire, Geofrey Ducket, Francis
Robinson, Matthew Field, & all the rest of their company
and fellowship, and to their successours and deputies, to
come with ships and other vessels into our Countrey, at
Colmogorod, & Dwina, and to all the North parts now
being ours, or that hereafter shall at any time be in our
possession, by sea, river or land, even to our great Citie of
Mosco, in all the townes of our Countrey, to Cazan and
Astracan, to Novogorod the great, to Plesko & Leifland,
Vriagorod, to Narve, and all other townes of Leifland.
2 And to passe through our land to Boghar, Persia,
Casbin, Charday, and other Countreyes: And wheresoever
they come there to be and abide freely, and to barter and
bargaine freely all wares of sale, without custome of all
people, and Marchants strangers whatsoever.
And if so be they bring any fine wares out of
Englande, or any other Countrey from Boghar, Persia,
Casbin, or from any other place, & those their wares that
come by the way of Narve, or any other part into our
Dominion, to bring the same wares into our treasure, and
our Treasurers to view the same wares, and to take into
our Treasurie of the same such as shalbe needfull for us.
And all such wares as we shal not need, our Chancellour
to redeliver ye same: And after the view of our Chancellours, to barter it freely to whom they will, not selling any
of their wares needful for us, before our Chancellour have
seene the same. And all other grosse and heavy wares
that shall be needfull to our use, not being brought to
Mosco, to declare & tell our Chancellour of the same
wares: And to give a note thereof by name, and how
much they leave there, not brought to Mosco: and then
if we neede not the said wares, the English Marchants,
their servants & Factors, to convey their wares the
neerest way to Ustiug the great, and so to Colmogorod,
or elsewhere at their pleasure, there to barter and sell
the same. But those wares that shalbe needfull for our
Treasurie, they shall not hide from us in any case.
And when our Chauncellours shall send our adventure,
with the said Marchants or their Factors, they to take our
adventures with them, and to sell, & to barter for such
wares as shalbe meete for our Treasurie, and to returne
it into our Treasurie.
And when we shall sende any adventure into England
then our Chauncellour to give them a yeeres warning,
that their ships may be provided thereafter, that by taking
in of our wares, they leave not their owne behind them.
And to take our adventure yeerely when they goe into
Persia.
Neither shall the English marchants receive or colour
any of our peoples goods, nor barter nor sell it in any
wise: likewise our people not to barter for the sayd
English marchants or occupy for them.
3 And when they shall come into our Empire of Casan
and Astracan, and other places of our Dominions, then
our Captaines of Casan and Astracan, and our authorised
people, quitely to let them passe, not taking any toll or
custome of their wares, nor once to make search thereof.
And when we shal send no adventure with them, yet to
suffer them freely to passe, not viewing their wares, nor
taking any kinde of custome. And whatsoever English
marchant will bargaine with our Marchants or Factors
ware for ware to barter the same at their pleasure.
And whatsoever their Marchant or Factors will sell their
wares at their house at Mosco, which house I granted
them at S. Maxims at the Mosco, they to sel the ware to
our people, either strangers as they may best utter it,
keeping within their house, arshines, measures, and
waights under seales.
4 We have granted them the saide house at S. Maxims
in the halfe free, and without standing rent, as heretofore
we did graunt it the said English Marchants, sir Wil.
Garrard, and the Company, maintayning in the said house
one housekeeper a Russe
, and two Russe
servants, or
some of their owne countrey men, and none other Russes
besides the aforesayde. And the said housekeepers that
shal live at their house with the English marchants,
neither to buy nor sel any wares for them, but that the
said marchants themselves or their factors, shall buy, sell,
and barter their owne wares: and our Moscovie marchants
not to take the said Englishmens wares to sell them in
our townes, nor to buy any wares for them, neither the
English marchant to colour any Russes wares at any
towne.
5 And whatsoever English marchant will sell his wares
at
Colmogorod, Dwyna, Vologda, Yeraslave, Castran,
Novogorod the lower, Casan, Astracan, Novogrod the
great, Vopsko, the Narve, Vriagorod, or at any other
townes, they to sel their wares there at their pleasure:
And of all wares aswell of other countreis as of Russia
,
no officer or other to take any custome, neither in any
place to stay them in any wise, neither take any kinde of
toll of them for their wares whatsoever.
6 And whatsoever marchant shall bargaine or buy any
wares of English marchants: The said Russe
not to
returne those wares upon the marchants hands againe,
but to give ready money for the said wares, otherwise
they to crave the Justice to give right, and to execute
the lawe upon the same with all expedition. And when
the English marchants or factors shal travaile from Moscovie after the dispatch of their wares and businesse, then
to shew themselves unto our Chancellours, whatsoever
wares of theirs shall goe from Mosco, they not to shew
the same wares to any our officers, nor pay no custome
nor toll in any place.
7 If it so happen the English marchants have any
wracke, and the shippes be brought to any port of our
Dominions, we to command the said goods to be enquired
and sought out, and to be given to the English merchants,
being here abiding at that time in our Countrey, the
factors, servants, or deputies, of the Company aforesayd,
to whom we have granted this our gratious letter.
And if there happen none of the English merchants,
factors, servants, or deputies to be in our Countreis at
such time, then we wil all the said goods to be sought out
and bestowed in some convenient place, and when any of
the Company aforewritten, bringing these our letters,
shall come for their goods, we to command their goods to
be restored unto them.
8 Likewise wee have graunted leave to the English
merchants, their Governours, Consuls, and assistants,
namely, sir William Garrard knight, Rowland Hayward,
and to the Companie, to builde houses at Vologda, Colmogro, and the seaside, at Ivangorod
, at
Cherell, and in
all other places of our Dominions, as shall be needefull
for their trade. And they to keepe at the said house one
housekeeper, a Russe
, and two or three men to keepe
their wares at the said houses, making sale thereof to
whom they will, they, their Factors or deputies: the said
housekeeper not to buy or sell for them.
9 Also we have given and graunted to the English
Merchants, their house which they have by our goodnesse
at S. Maximes in the Zenopski, and other their houses in
the towne of Zenopski, made for the better assurance of
their goods, and all such as they shall set up hereafter
shal be of the Opressini, and will make them knowen to all
them of Opressini.
10 And whereas by our goodnes we have graunted them
a Ropehouse at Vologda, being farre from the English
Merchants house, now we have given them to build a
house for that use by the said English house, and have
given and graunted them (of our goodnesse) ground, one
hundreth and fourescore fadome long, and fiftie fadomes
in breadth, according to their owne request.
11 Also, we have of our goodnesse given and graunted
to the English Merchants, leave to buy them a house
at
Wichida, and there to search out mines of yron. And
where they shal happily find it, there to set up houses for
the making of the same yron: and to make the same,
of our goodnesse have graunted them woods, five or sixe
miles compasse about the sayd houses, to the making
of the sayd yron, and not to exceede these bounds and
limits: And where they shall cut the sayde wood, not
to set up any village or farme there, bringing the artificers
for making of their yron, out of their owne Countrey,
and to learne our people that arte, and so freely occupying
the said yron in these our Dominions, transporting also of
the same home into Englande, allowing for every pound
one dingo, or halfe penie.
12 And if any of the said yron shalbe needfull for our
workes, then we to take of the said yron to our worke,
upon agreement of price, paying money out of our
Treasurie for the same: And when the said English
Merchants or Factors shal send their owne people out of
our Realme into their Countrey, over land through any
Countrey whatsoever, freely to send the same with our
words.
13 Also, we of our goodnesse have graunted, that if
any man misuse the said English, the Factors or servants,
or the saide English Merchants, their Factors or servants
abuse any other at Moscovie, or any other out townes
whatsoever within our Dominions in trade of Marchandise
or otherwise, then they to have upright justice in all such
matters of our counsaile the Opressini without all let or
delay: But if our Justice may not agree the parties, then
lots to be made, and to whose lotte it shall fall, to him
the right to be given, and that only our counsaile at
Moscovie, and none of our Captaines, or authorised
people, or officers in any other our townes, give judgement
upon the said English Merchants for any thing.
14 Also, if any stranger shall have matter of contro
versie with any English Merchant, Factor or servant,
abiding within these our Realmes, or contrariwise any
English Merchant, Factor or servant, against any other
stranger, in all those causes our Counsaile of the Opressini, to give them Justice, and to make an agreement &
end betweene the parties, without all delay: And none to
deale therein, save our Counsaile of the Opressini.
15 And if any man have action against any English
Merchant being absent, that then in his absence it shalbe
lawful for any other Englishman at his assignation to
answere his cause.
16 If any Englishman happen to be wounded or beaten
to death, or any Russe
or stranger slaine or beaten,
17 Or any stollen goods to be found in the said English
houses, then our Counsellers to cause the guiltie persons
to be sought out, and to doe right and Justice in the
cause, and the partie that is guiltie, if he deserve punishment, to be corrected accordingly after his offence: That
the said English Merchants, factors and servant, sustaine
thereby no hinderance or damage.
18 And whatsoever English Marchant, Factor, servant,
or deputie, shalbe guiltie of any fault, deserving our displeasure, then our Counsellers to cause the guiltie partie
to goe under suerties, and their goods to be sealed and
kept, untill our pleasure be further knowen, and our
Counsaile to examine their offence, and so to report it
unto us, that we may command what shall be done therein,
and none other to be arrested or have their goods sealed,
which are not guiltie of that offence, nor to stay or apprehend them in any of our Dominions for the same.
19 If any English Marchant, Factor or servant shall
offend, it shalbe lawfull for their Agent to doe justice upon
the said partie, or to send him home into England at his
pleasure.
20 If any English Marchant, Factor or servant, have
lent or hereafter shall lende money to any of our people,
or credite them with wares, and so depart into any
forreigne Countrey, or die before the debt be due to be
payde, then our people and Marchants to paye the sayde
debt, to whom soever shall be appointed to the sayd
roome or charge, and the saide English Marchant, factor,
or servant, to bring his bill of debt to our Counsell, to
shewe them what is due, and what money is owing them
for any wares: and thus to doe truly, not adding any whit
to the debt, and our Counsel to command the debt to be
discharged unto the English Marchant, factor, or servant,
without delay.
21 And whatsoever English Marchant shall be arrested
for debt, then our Counsell to command the partie under
arrest to be delivered to the Agent: and if he have no
suertie, to binde the Agent with him, for the better force
of the bond.
And if any Englishman be endebted, we will the
Creditor not to cast him in prison, or to deliver him to
the Sergeant, lest the officer lose him, but to take ware in
pawne of the debt.
22 Also of our goodnes, we have granted the English
Marchants to send our Commission to all our Townes,
Captaines, and authorised men, to defende and garde the
said Marchants from all theeves, robbers, and evill disposed persons.
23 If in comming or going to and fro our dominions,
the Marchants, the factors, or servants be spoyled on the
sea, our Counsell shall send our letters, and will them to
be sought out, and where they shall finde the goods, cause
it to be restored againe, and the offender to be punished,
according to our commandement.
24 Also of our goodnes, we have granted the saide
Merchants to take up Brokers, Packers, Wayers, and such
like labourers, as shall be needefull for them, paying for
their hier as the labourers and they shall agree.
25 We likewise of our goodnes, have licensed the
English Marchants in our Townes of Mosco, Novogorod
the great, and Plesko, that the Coiners of the said Townes
shall melt Dollers, and coine money for them, without
custome, allowing for coales, and other necessaries, with
the workemanship.
26 Also of our goodnes, we have granted to the sayd
English Merchants, to take poste horse at needfull times,
leaving with our officers a note how many they take,
and not else, in no case hindering or diminishing our
treasurie.
27 Also for our sister Queene Elizabeths sake, we of our
goodnes have granted to the merchants within written,
this our letter, and to their successors, that no Englishman, nor any other stranger, come without the Queenes
leave to Colmogorode, the river of Vob, Vasiagy, Pechora,
Cola, Mezena, Pechingo,
Zelevetskyes Island, the river of
Shame, nor to no other haven of Dwina, nor to any part of
the northside of Dwina by hetherward of Wardhouse, to
any haven, with shippe, Busse, or any other vessell, nor to
occupie in any kind of waies, but onely the said English
companie, and their successors, to whom we of our
goodnes have granted this priviledge.
28 Also that no English Merchant, without the Queenes
leave, shall come with any wares, to the Narve, or Uriogorod.
29 And whatsoever English Merchant, stranger, or
other, of whatsoever Countrey he be, shall come with
any shippe, Busse, or any other vessel, to any of the said
havens, of the north side, to any part of Dwina, by North
the Narve, or Uriogorod, without the Queenes leave or
knowledge, not being of the company above written, we to
apprehende and take the same vessell from those strangers
and Merchants, the one halfe to us the Emperour, and
great Duke, and the other halfe to the company of English
Merchants.
30 Also of our goodnes we have granted the said company of English merchants, that no English merchants or
strangers shall passe through our dominions, to Boghar,
Persia, Casbin, Charday, or other Countreys, save onely
the company of English merchants, and our owne
messengers.
31 Also whatsoever Englishman, comming out of
England or any other Countrey, into our dominions,
without the Queenes leave, and knowledge, not being of
the sayd company, written within those our letters, mind,
and purpose, to abide in our realme, contrary to the
Queenes will and pleasure, or any way abuse himselfe,
the Agent shall freely send him home, to the Queene his
Soveraigne: which if the Agent of himselfe be unable to
do, let him pray for ayd of the captaines and officers of our
townes there being, and so send him to prison, and will the
sayd captaines not to hinder the sayd Agent from sending
home such evill persons into England.
32 And if any man within our countrey runne away
to any other towne or place, the English merchants and
factours, to have free libertie to apprehend him, and take
their goods from him againe.
33 And as for our privilege given to Thomas Glover,
Ralfe Rutter, Christopher Bennet, John Chappell, and
their adherents, we have commanded the same privileges
to be taken from them.
34 Also we of our goodnesse have granted the sayd
company of English merchants, their successours, servants
and deputies, that doe or shall remaine at Mosco, or
elsewhere within our dominions freely to keepe their owne
law: and in any wise none of ours to force them to our
law or faith against their will.
Moreover, besides and with the company of English
merchants, we permit all strangers, to trade to our towne
of Narve, Ivanogorod, & other our townes of Liefland, as
they have done beforetime. Given from the beginning of
the world 7077, in the moneth of June 20, Indiction 12,
the yere of our lordship and reign 35, and of our Empire
of Rusland 23, Cazan 17, Astracan 15.
