Touching the sayd barke, to what purposes she may best serue, and the maner
how to imploy her, and thereupon to giue your order and direction vnto him,
as the time and place shall require.
[Sidenote: Berozoua Vstia.] 8 Item, if you shall vnderstand as you are
outwards bound, that the enemie is gone before you to S. Nicholas, remember
what aduice hath bene giuen you for your stay at Berozoua Vstia, till you
haue by espials viewed and vnderstood the forces, and the manner of their
abode at that place.
9 And if in the sea either outwards or homewards, or in the time of your
abode at anker at Saint Nicholas, you shall be assaulted by force of any,
as enemie whatsoeuer, you are to defend your selues with such forces as you
may or can: trust not too farre, neither giue place to inconuenience.
10 You will not forget what conference we had touching your passing
outwards bound by Wardhouse, to view and vnderstand what you can at that
place, and to shew your selues, to see if there be any there that haue a
mind to speake with you, for that we thinke it better then, and thereabout,
then afterwards or els where.
11 While you shall remaine in the road at S. Nicholas, be circumspect and
carefull to haue your ships in readinesse and in good order alwaies, and
vpon all suddens. The greatest danger vnto you in that place will be while
you shall shift your ships: therefore you are to consider of it, but the
fittest time for you to doe the same, will bee when the winde is Southerly
off the shore, or calme, and at such time you may the better doe it without
danger. You must take such order among you, that your companies may be
alwaies willing and ready to help one the other, and appoint among your
selues such ships to shift first, and such after, in such sort and forme as
you shall thinke best and most conuenient. And while they shall be in
discharging, shifting, and lading, let the rest of your companies which
haue not then to doe in lading or discharging, helpe those ships that shall
haue labour to doe, as well for carying the barkes from ships to the
shoare, or from shore to the shippe: with your boates, as also for any
other helpe that they shall haue need of.
12 Remember what hath bene said vnto you touching the moring of your ships,
&c. for vsing aduantage against the enemie, if you shall be assaulted in
that place.
13 See that you serue God, abolish swearing and gaming, be carefull of fire
and candles, &c.
14 You are to consult and agree among your selues vpon signes, tokens, and
good orders for the better keeping of company together, and also the maner
how and by what meanes, rescue, ayde, or helpe may be giuen by one to the
other in fight, if you happen to come to it.
Thus we pray God to send you a prosperous voyage and safe returne.
* * * * *
The opinion of Master William Burrough sent to a friend, requiring his
iudgment for the fittest time of the departure of our ships towards S.
Nicholas in Russia.
Whereas you request me to perswade the company not to send their shippes
from hence before the fine of May, I do not thinke the same so good a
course for them to obserue; for you know that the sooner wee sende them
hence, the sooner we may looke for their returne. [Sidenote: The Russian
fleet best to be set forth in the beginning of May.] If wee sende them in
the beginning of May, then may they be at Saint Nicholas by the fine of the
same moneth: and by that time the greatest parte of your lading of
necessitie must bee downe, especially the flaxe: but if it should fall out
so lateward a breaking vp of the riuer of Duyna, that by the ende of May
the goods cannot be brought to Saint Nicholas, yet this is alwayes to be
accounted for certaine, that before our ships can come thither, the goods
may be brought downe to that place: and if through ice the shippes be kept
backe any time, the losse and charge of that time toucheth not the companie
at all, but the owners of the shippes, and yet will the Owners put that in
aduenture, rather than tarie longer time before their going hence.
Now seeing by sending our shippes hence in the beginning of May, their
arriuall at S. Nicholas may be at the ende of the same moneth, and
remaining thirtie dayes there, they may bee laden and come thence by the
last of Iune, and returne home hither by the 10 of August with commodities
to serue the market then, it cannot bee denied but we should reape thereby
great commoditie.
But it may he obiected, that if all our shippes be sent then to returne as
aforesaid, you shall not be able to send vs in so much cordage, Waxe and
Oyles, as otherwise you should doe if they remained a moneth longer,
neither could you by that time perfect your accounts to be sent in them as
you would doe.
For answere thereunto this is my meaning: though I wish the greatest part
of our shipping to go as aforesaid, yet would I haue one good ship or two
at the most well furnished in al points that should depart alwaies from
hence, betweene the beginning and the 10 day of Iune: and the same to be
conditioned withall to remaine at S. Nicholas from the first arriuall there
vntill the middest of August, or to be despatched thence sooner, at the
will and liking of our factors for the same:
