A bare letter for the summe of his dispatch, conteyning nothing of that he
came for, and the poore and disgraceful present sent him (in the name of
the Emperour) in respect of that that was meant him by the old Emperor,
knowing all these to be done in disgrace of her Maiestie and himselfe,
determined now to be discharged of some part of them in such sort as he
could, and so prouiding as he might to preuent his danger, in getting to
his shippe, furnishing and placing his men to answere any assault that
should be offered him, after he had bidden farewell to the vncourteous
gentleman that brought him thither, by three or foure of the valiantest and
discreetest men he had, he sent to be deliuered him or left at his lodging,
his maisters weake letter, and worsse present, and so afterwards happily
(though hardly) recouered his ship in safetie, although presently
afterwards, there was great hurly burly after him, to force him to receiue
the same againe, but failed of their purpose. So came the ambassadour from
S. Nicholas the twelfth day of August, and arriued at Grauesend the twelfth
of September following, and attended her Maiestie at the court at Otelands,
where, after hauing kist her Maiesties hands, and deliuered some part of
the successe of his ambassage, he presented her an Elke or Loshe, the Red
deere of the countrey, and also a brace of Raine deare, Buck and Doe, both
bearing very huge hornes: they in her Maiesties presence drew a sled and a
man vpon it, after the maner of the Samoeds, a people that inhabite in the
Northeast from Russia and were that yeere come ouer the sea in the winter
season vpon the yce, in their sleds, drawen with these deere into Russia,
where the ambassadour bought of them seuenteene, whereof he brought nine
aliue into Kent.
* * * * *
The maner of the preferring of sutes in Russia, by the example of our
English merchants bill, exhibited to the Emperour.
Iohn Basiliwich, Lord, King, and great Duke of all Russia, the English
merchants, William sonne of Thomas, with his company sue vnto.
Lord, in the 7082. yeere of the worlds creation, thy Maiesties treasurer,
named Gregorie Mekitowich Borozden, tooke of vs for thy vse 12. poods of
loafe sugar, prised at 8. robles the pood, which sugar was sent to the
Sloboda [Marginal note: The Emperours house of recreation.]. More, the sayd
Gregorie treasurer, tooke of vs for thy Maiestie 200. reames of paper,
prised at 20. altines the reame, for all which the money hath not bene payd
which amounteth to 216. robles.
And in the 84. yeere thy diake Stephan Lighachdo tooke of vs for thy
Maiesty copper plates, for the summe of 1032. robles and one fourth part
vnpayd for.
Also in the said 84. yeere thy Maiesties diakes called Iuan Blasghoy, and
Iuan Sobakin tooke of us for thy vse, sundry commodities and haue not payd
630. robles, the rest of the money due for the said goods.
In the 83. yeere thy Maiesties treasurer Peter Gholauen tooke of vs for thy
Maiestie, cloth of sundry sorts, and hath not payd of the money due
therefore 538 robles.
In the 88. yere, thy diakes Andrea Shalkan, and Istomay Yeuskoy tooke of vs
lead for thy Maiestie, to the value of 267. robles and a halfe not payd.
And in the same yeere thy Maiesties diak Boris Gregoriwich had for thy vse
15. broad cloths of diuerse sorts, prised at 210. robles, whereof 90.
robles are vnpayd.
Also in the said 88. yere thy diak Andrea Shalkan tooke from vs 1000.
robles for thee (Lord) in ready money, yet we know not whether by thy
Maiesties appointment.
And also in the 89. yeere (Lord) thy diak Andrea Shalkan tooke from vs for
thy Maiesty 500. robles, we know not whether by thy Maiesties order or no,
because that thy authorized people do yeerely take away from vs, neither do
they giue vs right in any cause.
All the mony (Lord) which is not payd vs out of thy Maiesties treasury for
our commodities or wares, with the money taken from vs by Andrea Shalkan,
is 4273. robles 25. altines.
Right noble king and Lord, shew thy mercy, and cause the money to be payd
vs which is owing for our goods, as also that which has beene taken from
vs: extend thy fauor, King and Lord.
* * * * *
A letter of M. Henrie Lane to the worshipfull M. William Sanderson,
conteining a briefe discourse of that which passed in the the Northeast
discouery for the space of three and thirtie yeres.
Master Sanderson, as you lately requested mee, so haue I sought, and though
I cannot finde things that heretofore I kept in writing and lent out to
others, yet perusing at London copies of mine old letters to content one
that meaneth to pleasure many, I haue briefly and as truely as I may,
drawen out as foloweth: the rough hewing may be planed at your leasure, or
as pleaseth him that shall take the paines.
First the honorable attempt to discouer by sea Northeast and Northwest
named for Cathay, being chiefly procured by priuiledge from king Edward the
sixt, and other his nobilitie, by and at the cost and sute of M. Sebastian
Cabota, then gouernor for discoueries with sir Andrew Iudde, sir George
Barnes, sir William Garrard, M. Anthonie Hussie, and a companie of
merchants, was in the last yeere of his Maiesties reigne 1553. [Sidenote:
Anno 1553 M. William Burrough was then yong, and with his brother in this
first voyage.] The generall charge whereof was committed to one sir Hugh
Willoughbie knight, a goodly Gentleman, accompanied with sufficient number
of Pilots, Maisters, Merchants and Mariners, hauing three shippes well
furnished, to wit, The Bona Speranca, the Edward Bonaduenture, and the
Confidentia.
