The letters patents, or privileges graunted by her Majestie to Sir Edward Osborne, Master Richard Staper, and certaine other Marchants of London for their trade into the dominions of the great Turke, in the yeere 1581.
ELIZABETH by the grace of God Queene of England,
France and Ireland
, defender of the faith, &c. To all our
Officers, ministers, and Subjects, and to all other people
as well within this our
Realme of England, as else where
under our obeysance, jurisdiction, or otherwise, unto whom
these our letters shall be seene, shewed or read, greeting.
Where our welbeloved Subjects Edward Osborne Alderman of our Citie of London, and Richard Staper of our
sayde
City Marchant, have by great adventure and
industrie, with their great costes and charges, by the
space. of sundry late yeeres, travailed, and caused travaile
to bee taken, as well by secret and good meanes, as by
dangerous wayes and passages both by lande and Sea, to
finde out and set open a trade of Marchandize and trafique
into the Lands, Islands, dominions, and territories of the
great Turke, commonly called the Grand Signior, not
heretofore in the memory of any man nowe living knowen
to be commonly used and frequented by way of marchandise, by any the Marchants or any Subjects of us, or our
progenitours; and also have by their like good meanes
and industrie, and great charges procured of the sayde
Grand Signior (in our name,) amitie, safetie, and freedome, for trade and trafique of Marchandise to bee
used, and continued by our Subjects within his sayde
Dominions, whereby there is good and apparant hope
and likelyhoode both that many good offices may bee
done for the peace of Christendome, and reliefe of many
Christians that bee or may happen to bee in thraldome
or necessitie under the sayde Grand Signior, his vassals or
Subjects, and also good and profitable vent and utterance
may be had of the commodities of our Realme, and sundry
other great benefites to the advancement of our honour,
and dignitie Royall, the increase of the revenues of our
Crowne, and generall wealth of our Realme: Knowe ye,
that hereupon wee greatly tendering the wealth of our
people, and the incouragement of our Subjects in their
good enterprises for the advancement of the Common
weale, have of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge and
meere motion, given and graunted and by these presents
for us, our heires and successours, doe give and graunt
unto our sayd trustie, and welbeloved Subjects Edward
Osborne, and unto Thomas Smith of London Esquier,
Richard Staper, and William Garret of London Marchants, their executors, and administrators, and to the
executours and administratours of them, and of every of
them, that they, and every of them, and such other person
and persons Englishmen borne, not exceeding the number
of twelve, as they the sayde Edward, and Richard shall
appoint, nominate, or admit to be parteners, adventurers,
or doers with them the sayde Edward, Thomas, Richard
and William, in their societie by themselves, their servants, Factours or deputies, and to such others as shall
bee nominated according to the tenour of these our letters
Patents, shall and may during the terme of seven yeeres
from the date of these Patents, freely trade, trafique, and
use feates of Marchandise into, and from the dominions
of the sayde Grand Signior, and every of them, in such
order, and maner, forme, liberties and condition to all
intents and purposes as shalbe betweene them limitted
and agreed, and not otherwise, without any molestation,
impeachment, or disturbance, any Lawe, statute, usage,
diversitie of religion or faith, or other cause or matter
whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.
And that it shalbe lawful to the said Edward and
Richard their executors and administrators, (during the
said terme) to appoint or admit to be parteners and adventurers with them the sayde Edward, Thomas, Richard
and William, such persons not exceeding the number of
twelve (as afore is said) to trafique and use the said trade
& feate of merchandise according to our saide graunt.
And that all and every such person and persons, as shall
hereafter fortune to bee appointed or admitted as parteners
in the said trade or trafique according to these our letters
patents, shall and may from the time of such appointment
or admittance, have and enjoy the freedome and libertie
of the said trade and trafique, during the residue of the
said terme of seven yeeres, according to such limitation
and agreement as is aforesaide, and that it shall and
may be lawfull to and for the saide Edward, Thomas,
Richard and William, their executours and administratours, servants, factours and deputies, and all such as
shall be so appointed, nominated or admitted, to bee
parteners or adventurers in the saide trade, or so many
of them as can and will, to assemble themselves for or
about any the matters, causes, affaires or businesse of the
saide trade in any place or places for the same convenient,
from time to time during the said terme of 7. yeres,
within our dominions or elsewhere, and to make, ordeine,
and constitute reasonable lawes and ordinances, for the
good government of the said Company, and for the better
advancement and continuance of the said trade and
trafique, not being contrary or repugnant to the lawes,
estatutes or customes of our Realme, and the same lawes
or ordinances so made to put in use, and execute accordingly, and at their pleasures to revoke the same lawes and
ordinances, or any of them, as occasion shall require.
And in consideration that the said Edward Osborne hath
bene the principall setter foorth and doer in the opening,
& putting in ure of the said trade, we do therfore especially
ordeine, constitute, and provide by these patents, that the
saide Edward Osborne shall be governour of all such as
by vertue of these our letters patents, shall be parteners,
adventurers, or trafiquers in the said trade, during the
said terme of seven yeeres, if hee so long live: And that
if the said Edward shall happen to decease during the
saide terme, the saide Richard Staper then living, then
the sayd Richard Staper shall likewise be governour
during the residue of the said terme (if he so long live)
and that if the said Edward and Richard shall both happen
to decease during the said terme, then the partners or
adventurers for the time being, or the greatest part of
them, shall from time to time as necessitie shall require,
choose and elect a governour of the said Company.
Provided alwayes, that if there shall happen any great
or urgent occasion to remoove or displace any person that
shall be governour of the saide fellowship, that then it
shall, and may be lawfull for us, our heires and successours, to remoove, and displace every such governour,
and to place another of the said fellowship in the same
office, during such time as such person should have
enjoyed the same, according to this our graunt, if there
had bene no cause to the contrary.
And we further for us, our heires, and successors, of
our especiall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere motion,
do graunt to the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith,
Richard Staper, and William Garret, their executors and
administrators, that nothing shall bee done to be of force
or validitie touching the sayde trade or trafique, or the
exercise thereof, without or against the consent of the
said Edward, during such time as hee shall bee Governour
as afore is saide. And after that time without the consent
of the Governour for the time being, and the more part
of the said Company.
And further, wee of our more ample and abundant
grace, meere motion and certaine knowledge, have
graunted, and by these patents for us, our heires and
successors, doe graunt to the saide Edward, Thomas,
Richard and William, their executors and administrators,
that they, the saide Edward, Thomas, Richard and
William, their executors and administrators, and the said
person and persons, by them the said Edward and Richard
to be nominated, or appointed as afore is said, together,
with such two other persons, as wee our heires or successors from time to time during the sayd terme shall
nominate, shall have the whole trade and trafique, and the
whole entire onely libertie, use and privilege of trading,
and trafiquing, and using feate of marchandise, into, and
from the said dominions of the said Grand Signior, and
every of them. And when there shall be no such persons
so nominated or appointed by us, our heires or successors,
that then the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith,
Richard Staper, and William Garret, their executors and
administrators, and such persons by them so to be
appointed, shall have the saide whole trade and trafique,
and the whole entire, and onely libertie, use, and privilege
of trading and trafiquing aforesaid. And that they the
said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William, their executors & administrators, and also al such as shal so be
nominated or appointed to be partners or adventurers in
the said trade, according to such agreement as is abovesaid, and every of them, their servants, factors and
deputies, shal have ful and free authoritie, libertie, facultie,
licence and power to trade and trafique into and from all
and every the saide dominions of the saide Grand Signior,
and into, and from all places where, by occasion of the
said trade, they shall happen to arrive or come, whether
they be Christians, Turkes, Gentiles or other, and into,
and from all Seas, rivers, ports, regions, territories,
dominions, coastes and places with their ships, barks, pinnesses and other vessels, and with such mariners and men,
as they will lead with them or send for the said trade, as
they shall thinke good at their owne proper cost and
expenses, any law, statute, usage, or matter whatsoever
to the contrary notwithstanding. And that it shalbe lawful for the said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William,
and to the persons aforesaid, and to and for the mariners
and seamen to bee used and employed in the said trade
and voyage to set and place in the tops of their ships and
other vessels the armes of England with the red crosse
over the same, as heretofore they have used the red crosse,
any matter or thing to the contrary notwithstanding.
And we of our further royal favor, and of our especiall
grace, certain knowledge and meere motion have
graunted, and by these presents doe graunt to the said
Edward Osburne, Thomas Smith, Richard Staper, and
William Garret, their executors and administrators by
these presents, that the said lands, territories, and
dominions of the said Grand Signior, or any of them,
shall not be visited, frequented, nor haunted by way of
marchandise by any other our subjects during the said
terme, contrary to the true meaning of these patents.
And by vertue of our high prerogative royall (which
wee will not have argued or brought in question) we
straightly charge and commaund, and prohibite for us,
our heires, and successours, all our subjects (of what
degree or qualitie soever they be) that none of them
directly, or indirectly, do visite, haunt, frequent or trade,
trafique, or adventure by way of marchandise into, or
from any of the Dominions of the sayde Grand Signior,
or other places abovesayde by water or by lande (other
then the said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William,
their executors or administrators, or such as shalbe
admitted, and nominated as is aforesaide) without expresse
licence, agreement, and consent of the said Governour,
and company or the more part of them, whereof the said
Governour alwayes to be one, upon paine of our high
indignation, and of forfeiture and losse, as well of the
ship and shippes, with the furniture thereof, as also of
the goods, marchandizes, and things whatsoever they be
of those our Subjects which shall attempt, or presume
to saile, trafique, or adventure, to or from any the
dominions, or places abovesaid, contrary to the prohibition
aforesaid: the one halfe of the same forfeiture to be to
the use of us, our heires & successors, and the other halfe
to the use of the said Edward, Thomas, Richard and
William, and the said companie, and further to suffer
imprisonment during our pleasure, and such other punishment as to us, for so high contempt, shal seeme meete
and convenient.
And further of our grace speciall, certaine knowledge,
and meere motion we have condescended and graunted,
and by these patents for us our heires and successors,
doe condescend and grant to the said Edward, Thomas,
Richard & William, their executors and administrators,
that we our heires & successors during the said terme,
will not grant liberty, licence or power to any person or
persons whatsoever, contrary to the tenor of these our
letters patents, to saile, passe, trade, or trafique into or
from the said dominions of the said Grand Signior or
any of them, without the consent of the said Edward,
Thomas, Richard & William, and such as shalbe named
or appointed as afore is said, or the most of them. And
that if at any time hereafter during the said terme, ye
said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William, or the survivors of them, shal admit or nominate any of our subjects
to be partners & adventurers in the said trade to the
number of 12. or under as afore is said, that then we
our heires and successors at the instance and petition of
the said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William, or the
survivors of them in our Chauncerie to be made, and
upon the sight of these presents, will grant and make to
the said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William, or to
the survivors of them, and to such persons as so shall be
nominated or appointed by their speciall names, surnames,
& additions as is aforesaid, new letters patents under the
great seale of England in due forme of law with like
agreement, clauses, prohibitions, provisoes and articles
(mutatis mutandis) as in these our letters patents are conteined, for, and during the residue of the said terme of
seven yeres then remaining unexpired. And that the sight
of these presents shalbe sufficient warrant to the Lord
Chancellour, or Lord keeper of the great seale for the
time being, for the making, sealing and passing of such
new letters patents, without further writ or warrant for
the same to be required, had, or obtained.
And the said Edward Osburne, Thomas Smith, and
Richard Staper, and William Garret and such others as
shalbe so nominated and appointed, as is aforesaid, to be
of their trade or companie, shall yeerely during 6. of the
last yeres of the said 7. yeres, lade out of this our Realme,
and bring home yeerely, for, and in the feate and trade
of marchandizing aforesaid, so much goods and marchandizes, as the custome, and subsidie inwards and outwards,
shall amount in the whole to the summe of 500. li. yeerely.
So that the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith, Richard
Staper, and William Garret and the said persons so to
be nominated as is aforesaid, or any of them, or their ship
or shippes be not barred, stayed, restrained or let by any
reasonable occasion from the sayde trade or trafique, and
so that the said ship or ships do not perish by any misfortune, or bee spoyled by the way in their voyage.
And further, the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith,
Richard Staper, and William Garret, and such others as
shall be appointed as aforesaide to be of their saide trade
or Company, shall give notice unto the Lord Admirall of
England, or to some of the principall officers of the
Admiraltie for the time being, of such ship or shippes as
they shall set foorth in the same voyage, and of the
number of Mariners appointed to goe in the same ship or
shippes, by the space of fifteene dayes before the setting
or going foorth of the same ship or shippes. And also
the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith, Richard Staper
and William Garret, and such other as shall be by them
the saide Edward and Richard, nominated to be of the
said trade, shall and will at the setting foorth of their ship,
or shippes, for the same voyage, permit and suffer the
Master of the Ordinance of us, our heires and successors,
or some others, our or their principall officers of the
Ordinance, to take a view of the number and quantitie of
such Ordinance, powder, and munition as shall be caried
in the said ship, or shippes, and shall also at the returne
of the same ship, or shippes, suffer a view to be taken,
and upon request made, make an accompt to the saide
officers of our Ordinance, of the expenses, and wastes
of the said Ordinance, powder, and munition, so to bee
caried in the same ship, or shippes.
Provided alwayes, that if any of the said trade or Company, or their servants, factors, or sailers, in any ship by
them laden, shall commit any piracie or outrage upon the
seas, and that, if the said Company or societie shall not,
or do not, within reasonable time, after complaint made,
or notice given to the said Company, or to any of them,
either satisfie or recompense the parties that so shall for
tune to be robbed, or spoiled by any of the said Company,
or sailers, in the said ships, or els shall not do their
endevour to the uttermost of their reasonable power, to
have the parties so offending punished for the same their
offences, that then, and from thencefoorth, these present
letters patents shall be utterly voyd, cease, and determine.
Provided likewise, that if it shall hereafter appeare unto
us, our heires, or successors, that this grant, or the continuance thereof in the whole, or in any part thereof, shall
not be profitable to us, our heires, our successors, or to
this our Realme, that then, and from thencefoorth, upon,
and after one full yeeres warning, to be given unto the
said Company, or to the Governour thereof, by us, our
heires, or successors, this present grant shall cease, be
voyd, and determine, to all intents, constructions, and
purposes.
Provided also, that we, our heires and successors, from
time to time, during the said 7. yeeres, may lawfully
nominate, appoint, and authorise two persons, being fit
men, to be of the saide company, and for want or lacke
of them, two others to be adventurers in the said trade,
for such stocke and summe of money, as they shall put
in, so that the said persons to bee nominated, or
authorised, shall be contributorie to all charges of the said
trade & adventure indifferently, according to their stockes :
and as other adventurers of the said trade shall doe for
their stockes, and so that likewise they doe observe the
orders of the said Company, allowable by this our graunt,
and that such persons so to be appointed by us, our heires
or successors, shall, and may, with the saide Company,
and fellowship, use the trade and feate of marchandise
aforesaide, and all the liberties and privileges herein before
granted, according to the meaning of these our letters
patents, any thing in these our letters patents contained
to the contrary notwithstanding.
And further of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge,
and meere motion, we have condescended and granted,
and by these presents for us, our heires and successors,
doe condescend, and grant to the said Edward Osborne,
Thomas Smith, Richard Staper, and William Garret, their
executors, and administrators, that if at the ende of the
said terme of seven yeeres, it shall seeme meete, and
convenient unto the said Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith,
Richard Staper, and William Garret, or the surviver of
them, that this present grant shall be continued: and if
that also it shall appeare unto us, our heires, or successors, that the continuance thereof shall not be prejudiciall,
or hurtfull to this our Realme, that then we, our heires,
or successors, at the instance and petition of the said
Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith, Richard Staper, and
William Garret, or the surviver of them, to be made to
us, our heires, or successors, wil grant and make to the
said Edward, Thomas, Richard and William, or the surviver of them, and to such other persons, as so shal be
by the said Edward and Richard nominated and appointed,
new letters patents, under the great seale of England, in
due forme of lawe, with like covenants, grants, clauses,
and articles, as in these presents are contained, or with
addition of other necessary articles, or change of these,
in some part, for and during the full terme of seven yeeres
then next following. Willing, and straightly commanding, and charging all and singuler our Admirals, Viceadmirals, Justices, Maiors, Sheriffes, Escheaters, Constables, Bailiffes, and all and singuler our other officers,
ministers, liege men, and subjects whatsoever, to be
aiding, favouring, helping, and assisting unto the said
Governour, and company, and their successors, and to
their Deputies, officers, servants, assignes, and ministers,
and every of them, in executing and enjoying the
premisses, as well on land as on sea, from time to time,
and at all times when you, or any of you, shall be thereunto required, any statute, act, ordinance, proviso, proclamation, or restraint heretofore had, made, set forth,
ordained, or provided, or any other matter, cause or thing
to the contrary, in any wise notwithstanding.
In witnesse whereof we have caused these our letters
to be made patents, witnesse our selfe, at Westminster
,
the 11. day of September, in the 23. yeere of our raigne.
