A copie of the first Privileges graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the English Marchants in the yeere 1555.
JOHN Vasilivich, by the grace of God Emperor of Russia,
great duke of Novogrode, Moscovia, &c. To all people
that shal see, reade, heare or understand these presents,
greeting. Forasmuch as God hath planted al realmes
and dominions in the whole world with sundry commodities, so as the one hath neede of the amity and
commodities of the other, and by means therof traffike
is used from one to another, and amity therby increased:
and for that as amongst men nothing is more to be
desired then amity, without the which no creature being
of a naturall good disposition can live in quietnes, so
that it is as troublesome to be utterly wanting, as it is
perceived to be grievous to the body to lacke aire, fire,
or any other necessaries most requisite for the conservation and maintenance thereof in health: considering also
how needfull marchandize is, which furnisheth men of
all that which is convenient for their living and nouriture,
for their clothing, trimming, the satisfying of their
delights, and all other things convenient and profitable
for them, and that marchandize bringeth the same commodities from divers quarters in so great abundance, as
by meanes thereof nothing is lacking in any part, and
that all things be in every place (where entercourse of
marchandizes is received and imbraced) generally in such
sort, as amity thereby is entred into, and planted to
continue, and the injoyers thereof be as men living in a
golden world: Upon these respects and other weighty
and good considerations, us hereunto moving, and chiefly
upon the contemplation of the gratious letters, directed
from the right high, right excellent, and right mighty
Queene Mary, by the grace of God Queene of England,
France, &c. in the favour of her subjects, merchants, the
governour, consuls, assistants, and communaltie of merchants adventurers for discovery of lands, &c.
Know ye therefore, that we of our grace speciall,
meere motion, and certaine knowledge, have given and
graunted, and by these presents for us, our heires and
successours, do give and grant as much as in us is and
lieth, unto Sebastian Cabota Governour, Sir George
Barnes knight, &c. Consuls: Sir John Gresham, &c.
Assistants, and to the communaltie of the aforenamed
fellowship, and to their successours for ever, and to the
successours of everie of them, these articles, graunts,
immunities, franchises, liberties and privileges, and every
of them hereafter following, expressed and declared.
Videlicet:
1 First, we for us, our heires and successors, do by
these presents give and graunt free licence, facultie,
authority and power unto the said Governour, Consuls,
Assistants, and communalty of the said fellowship, and
to their successors for ever, that all and singular the
marchants of the same company, their Agents, factours,
doers of their businesse, atturneys, servants, and ministers, and every of them may at all times hereafter for
ever more surely, freely and safely with their shippes,
merchandizes, goods and things whatsoever saile, come
and enter into all and singular our lands, countreis,
dominions, cities, townes, villages, castles, portes, jurisdictions and destraicts by sea, land or fresh waters, and
there tary, abide and sojourne, and buy, sell, barter and
change all kind of merchandizes with al maner of
marchants and people, of whatsoever nation, rite, condition, state or degrees they be, and with the same or
other ships, wares, marchandizes, goods & things whatsoever they be, unto other empires, kingdomes, dukedomes,
parts, and to any other place or places at their pleasure
and liberty by sea, land or fresh waters may depart, and
exercise all kinde of merchandizes in our empire and
dominions, and every part thereof freely and quietly
without any restraint, impeachment, price, exaction, prest,
straight custome, toll, imposition, or subsidie to be
demanded, taxed or paid, or at any time hereafter to
be demanded, taxed, set, levied or inferred upon them
or any of them, or upon their goods, ships, wares,
marchandizes, and things, of, for or upon any part or
parcell thereof, or upon the goods, ships, wares,
merchandizes, and things of any of them, so that they
shall not need any other safe conduct or licence generall,
ne speciall of us, our heires or successours, neither shall
be bound to aske any safe conduct or licence in any of
the aforesaid places subject unto us.
2 Item, we give and graunt to the said marchants
this power and liberty, that they, ne any of them, ne
their goods, wares, marchandizes or things, ne any part
thereof, shal be by any meanes within our dominions,
landes, countreyes, castles, townes, villages, or other
place or places of our jurisdiction, at any time heereafter
attached, staied, arrested ne disturbed for anie debt,
duetie or other thing, for the which they be not principall
debters or sureties, ne also, for any offence or trespasse
committed, or that shall be committed, but onely for
such as they or any of them shall actually commit, and
the same offences (if any such happen,) shall bee by us
onely heard, and determined.
3 Item, we give and graunt, that the said Marchants,
shal and may have free libertie, power, and authoritie
to name, choose and assigne brokers, shippers, packers,
weighers, measurers, wagoners, and all other meet and
necessary laborers for to serve them in their feat of
marchandises, and minister and give unto them and every
of them a corporall othe, to serve them well and truely
in their offices, and finding them or any of them doing
contrary to his or their other, may punish and dismisse
them, and from time to time choose, sweare and admit
other in their place or places, without contradiction, let,
vexation or disturbance, either of us, our heires or
successors, or of any other our Justices, officers, ministers
or subjects whatsoever.
4 Item, we give and graunt unto the saide Marchants
and their successours, that such person as is, or shalbe
commended unto us, our heires or successors by the
Governour, Consuls and assistants of the said fellowship
resiant within the citie of London within the
realme of
England, to be their chiefe Factor within this our empire
and dominions, may and shal have ful power and
authoritie to governe and rule all Englishmen that have
had, or shall have accesse, or repaire in or to this said
Empire and jurisdictions, or any part thereof, and shal
and may minister unto them, and every of them good
justice in all their causes, plaints, quarrels, and disorders
betweene them moved, and to be moved, and assemble,
deliberate, consult, conclude, define, determine and make
such actes, and ordinances, as he so commended with his
Assistants shall thinke good and meete for the good
order, government and rule of the said Marchants, and
all other Englishmen repairing to this our saide empire
and dominions, or any part thereof, and to set and levie
upon all, and every Englishmen, offender or offenders,
of such their acts and ordinances made, and to be made,
penalties and mulcts by fine or imprisonment.
5 Item, if it happen that any of the saide Marchants,
or other Englishman, as one or more doe rebell against
such chiefe Factor or Factors, or his or their deputies,
and will not dispose him or themselves to obey them
and every of them as shall appertaine, if the saide Rebels
or disobedients doe come, and bee founde in our saide
Empire and jurisdictions, or any part and place thereof,
then wee promise and graunt, that all and every our
officers, ministers, and subjects shall effectually ayde and
assist the saide chiefe Factour or Factours, and their
deputies, and for their power shall really woorke, to
bring such rebell or disobedient rebels, or disobedients
to due obedience: And to that intent shall lende unto
the same Factour or Factours, and their deputies upon
request therefore to be made, prisons, and instruments
for punishments from time to time.
6 Item, we promise unto the saide Marchants, and
their successours upon their request to exhibite and doe
unto them good, exact and favourable justice, with
expedition in all their causes, and that when they or any
of them shall have accesse, or come to or before any
of our Justices, for any their plaints mooved, and to bee
mooved betweene any our subjects or other stranger,
and them, or any of them, that then they shalbe first
and forthwith heard, as soon as the party which they
shal find before our Justices shalbe depeached, which
party being heard forthwith, and assoone as may be, the
said English marchants shall be ridde and dispatched:
And if any action shall be moved by or against any of
the said Marchants being absent out of our saide empire
and dominions, then such Marchants may substitute an
Atturney in all and singular his causes to be followed as
need shall require, and as shall seeme to him expedient.
7 Item, wee graunt and promise to the saide Marchants,
and to their successours, that if the same Marchants
or any of them shall bee wounded, or (which God forbid)
slaine in any part or place of our Empire or dominions,
then good information thereof given, Wee and our Justices
and other officers shall execute due correction and punishment without delay, according to the exigence of the
case: so that it shall bee an example to all other not
to commit the like. And if it shall chaunce the factors,
servants, or ministers of the saide Marchants or any
of them to trespasse or offende, whereby they or any of
them shall incurre the danger of death or punishment,
the goods, wares, marchandizes, and things of their
Masters shall not therefoore bee forfaited, confiscated,
spoiled ne seised by any meanes by us, our heires or
successours, or by any our officers, ministers or subjects,
but shall remaine to their use, franke, free, and discharged
from all punishment and losse.
8 Item, we graunt that if any of the English nation
be arrested for any debt, he shal not be laid in prison,
so farre as he can put in sufficient suretie and pawne:
neither shall any sergeant, or officer leade them or any
of them to prison, before he shall have knowen whether
the chiefe Factor or factors, or their deputies shalbe
sureties, or bring in pawne for such arrested: then the
officers shal release the partie, and shall set him or them
at libertie.
9 Moreover, wee give, graunt and promise to the saide
Marchants, that if any of their ships or other vessels
shall bee spoyled, robbed, or damnified in saying, anckoring or returning to or from our saide Empires and
Dominions, or any part thereof, by any Pirats, Marchants,
or other person, whatsoever hee or they bee, that then
and in such case, wee will doe all that in us is to cause
restitution, reparation, and satisfaction to bee duely made
to the said English marchants by our letters and otherwise, as shall stand with our honour, and be consonant
to equitie and justice.
10 Item, for us, our heires and successours, wee doe
promise and graunt to performe, mainteine, corroborate,
autenticate, and observe all and singular the aforesaide
liberties, franchises, and priviledges, like as presently we
firmely doe intend, and will corroborate, autentike and
performe the same by all meane and way that we can,
as much as may be to the commoditie and profite of
the said English Marchants, and their successours for
ever.
And to the intent that all and singuler the saide giftes,
graunts and promises, may bee inviolably observed and
performed, we the said John Vasilivich by the grace of
God Emperor of Russia, great Duke of Novogrode,
Mosco, &c. for us, our heires and successors, by our
Imperiall and lordly word in stead of an othe, have and
doe promise by these presents, inviolably to mainteyne
and observe, and cause to be inviolably observed and
mainteined all and singuler the aforesayde giftes, graunts
and promises from time to time, and at all and every
time and times heereafter. And for the more corroboration hereof have caused our Signet hereunto to be put:
Dated in our Castle of Mosco the 20. day of in
the yeere.
