pounds in vse amongst them, the one great, the other small: the great pound
is iust two small pounds: they call the great weight by the name of
Beasemar, and the smal they call the Skalla weight: with this smal weight
they weigh their siluer coines, of the which the Emperor hath commanded to
put to euery small pound three Rubbles of siluer, and with the same weight
they weigh all Grocerie wares, and almost al other wares which come into
the land, except those which they weigh by the Pode, as hops, salt, iron,
lead, tinne and batrie with diuers others, notwithstanding they vse to
weigh batrie more often by the small weight then by the great.
Whensoever you find the prices of your wares rated by the Pode, consider
that to the great weight, and the pound to be the small. Also they divide
the small pound into 48 parts, and they call the eight and fortieth part a
Slotnike, by the which Slotnike the retailers sell their wares out of their
shops, as Goldsmiths, Grocers, Silkesellers, and such other like as we doe
vse to retaile by the ounce: and as for their great weight which they cal
the Beasemar, they sel by pode or shippond. The pode doth containe of the
great weight, 40 pounds, and of the small 80; there goe 10. podes to a
shippond.
Yet you must consider that their great weight is not full with ours: for I
take not their great pound to be full 13 ounces, but aboue 12 I thinke it
be. But for your iust proofe, weigh 6 Rubbles of Russia money with our
pound weight, and then shal you see what it lacketh: for 6 Rubbles of
Russia is by the Emperors standerd, the great pound: so that I thinke it
the next way to know the iust weight, as well of the great pound as of the
small.
There is another weight needfull to be knowen, which is the weight of
Wardhouse, for so much as they weigh all their drie fish by weight, which
weight is the Baesemar, as they of Russia doe vse, notwithstanding there is
another sorte in it: the names of those weights are these: the marke pound,
the great pound, the weie, and the shippond. The marke pound is to be
vnderstood as our pound, and their great pound is 24 of their marke pound:
the weie is 3 great pound, and 8 weie is a shippound.
Now concerning their measures. As they haue two sortes of weights, so they
haue also two sortes of measures: wherewith they measure cloth both linnen
and wollen: they cal the one an Areshine, and the other a Locut: the
Areshine I take to bee as much as the Flanders ell, and their Locut halfe
an English yard: with their Areshine they may mete all such sorts of
clothes as come into the land, and with the Locut all such cloth both
linnen and wollen, as they make themselues. And whereas we vse to giue yard
and inch, or yard and handfull, they do giue nothing but bare measure.
They haue also measure wherewith they doe mete their corne, which they cal
a Setforth, and the halfe of that an Osmine: this Setforth I take to bee
three bushels of London measure. And as for their drinke measure, they call
it a Spanne, which is much like a bucket, and of that I neuer saw any true
rate, but that some was greater then other some. And as for the measures of
Wardhouse wherewith they mete their cloth, there is no difference between
that and the measure of Danske, which is halfe an English ell.
Concerning the tolles and customs of Russia, it was reported to me in
Moscouia, that the Turkes and Armenians pay the tenth penie custome of all
the wares they bring into the Emperors land, and aboue that they pay for
all such goods as they weigh at the Emperours beame, two pence of the
Rubble, which the buyer or seller must make report to the Master of the
beame: they also pay a certaine horse toll, which is in diuers places of
his Realme four pence of a horse.
The Dutch nation are free of this: notwithstanding for certaine offences,
they had lost their priuiledges which they haue recouered this Summer to
their great charge. It was reported to me by a Iustice of that countrey,
that they paied for it thirtie thousand Rubbles, and also that Rye, Dorpte
and Reuel haue yeelded themselues vnder the gouernment of the Emperor of
Russia: whether this was a bragge of the Russes or not, I know not, but
thus he sayd, and in deed whiles we were there, there came a great
Ambassadour out of Liefland, for the assurance of their priuiledges.
To speake somewhat of the commodities of this countrey, it is to be
vnderstood, that there is a certaine place foure score miles from the Sea
called Colmogro: to which place there resorte all the sortes of Wares that
are in the North parts, as Oyles, Salt, Stockefish, Salmon, Fethers and
Furres: their Salt they make of saltwater by the sea side: their Oyles they
make of Seales, whereof they haue great store which is brought out of the
Bay where our shippes came in: they make it in the Spring of the yeere, and
bring it to Colmogro to sell, and the marchants there carie it to
Nouogrode, and so sell it to the Dutch nation. Their Stockefish and Salmon
commeth from a place called Mallums, not farre from Warehouse: their Salmon
and their Salt they carrie to Mosco, and their drie fish they carrie to
Nouogrode, and sell it there to the Lieflanders.
The Furres and Fethers which come to Colmogro, as Sables, Beauers, Minkes,
Armine, Lettis, Graies, Wooluerings, and white Foxes, with Deere skinnes,
they are brought thither, by the men of Penninge, Lampas, and Powstezer,
which fetch them from the Sarnoedes that are counted sauage people: and the
merchants that bring these Furres doe vse to trucke with the marchants of
Colmogro for Cloth, Tinne, Batrie, and such other like, and the merchants
of Colmogro carie them to Nouogrode, Vologda, or Mosco, and sell them
there. The Fethers which come fom Penning they doe little esteeme.
If our marchants do desire to know the meetest place of Russia for the
standing house, in mine opinion I take it to be Vologda, which is a great
towne standing in the heart of Russia, with many great and good towns about
it. There is great plenty of corne, victuals, and of all such wares as are
raised in Rusland, but specially, flaxe, hempe, tallow and bacon: there is
also great store of waxe, but it commeth from the Mosko.
The towne of Vologda is meetest for our marchants, because it lieth amongst
all the best towns of Russia, and there is no towne in Russia but trades
with it: also the water is a great commoditie to it. If they plant
themselues in Mosco or Nouogrode their charge will be great and wonderfull,
but not so in Vologda: for all things will there be had better cheape by
the one half. And for their vent, I know no place so meet. It is likely
that some will think the Mosko to be the meetest by the reason of the
court, but by that reason I take it to be woorse: for the charge there
would be so great by crauers and expenses, that the moitie of the profite
would bee wholly consumed, which in the other place will be saved. And yet
notwithstanding our marchants may bee there in the Winter to serue the
Emperour and his court. The Emperour is a great marchant himselfe of waxe
and sables, which with good foresight may bee procured to their hands: as
for other commodities there are little or none in Moscovia, besides those
aboue rehearsed: if there bee other, it is brought thither by the Turkes,
who will be daintie to buy our clothes considering the charges of cariage
ouer land.
Our marchants may doe well to prouide for the Russes such wares as the
Dutch nation doeth serue them of, as Flanders and Holland clothes, which I
beleeue, they shal serue better and with lesse charge than they of Rye or
Dorpt, or Reuel: for it is no smal aduenture to bring their clothes out of
Flanders to either of these places, and their charge not litle to cary them
ouer lande to Nouogrode, which is from Rye nine hundred Russian miles.
This Nouogrode is a place wel furnished with flaxe, Waxe, Hides, tallow and
many other things: the best flaxe in Russia is brought thither, and there,
sold by the hundred bundles, which is done also at Vologda, and they that
bring the flaxe to Nouogrode, dwell as neere Vologda, as Nouogrode, and
when they heare of the vtterance which they may haue with our nation, they
will as willingly come to them as goe to other.
They haue in Russia two sortes of flaxe, the one is called great flaxe, and
the other small: that which they call great flaxe is better by foure
rubbles in 100. bundels than the small: It is much longer than the other,
and cleaner without wood: and whereas of the small flaxe there goe 27. or
28. bundles to a shippound, there goeth not of the greater sort aboue 22.
or 24. at the most. There are many other trifles in Russia, as sope, mats,
&c. but I thinke there will bee no great account made of them.
* * * * *
A copie of the first Priuileges graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the
English Marchants in the yeere 1555.
Iohn Vasiliuich, by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, great duke of
Nouogrode, Moscouia, &c. To all people that shall see, reade, heare or
vnderstand 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
thereof traffike is vsed from one to another, and amity therby increased:
and for that as amongst men nothing is more to be desired than amity,
without the which no creature being of a naturall good disposition can liue
in quietnes, so that it is as troublesome to be vtterly wanting, as it is
perceiued to be grieuous to the body to lacke aire, fire, or any other
necessaries most requisite for the conseruation and maintenance thereof in
health: considering also how needfull marchandize is, which furnisheth men
of all that which is conuenient for their liuing and nouriture, for their
clothing, trimming, the satisfying of their delights, and all other things
conuenient and profitable for them, and that marchandize bringeth the same
commodities from diuers quarters in so great abundance, as by meanes
thereof, nothing is lacking in any part, and that all things be in euery
place (where entercourse of marchandizes is receiued and imbraced)
generally in such sort, as amity thereby is entred into, and planted to
continue, and the inioyers thereof be as men liuing in a golden world: Vpon
these respects and other weighty and good considerations, vs hereunto
mouing, and chiefly vpon the contemplation of the gracious 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 fauour of
her subiects, merchants, the gouernour, consuls, assistants, and
communaltie of merchants aduenturers for discouery of lands, &c.
Know ye therefore, that we of our grace speciall, meere motion, and
certaine knowledge, have giuen and graunted, and by these presents for vs,
our heires and successours, do giue and graunt as much as in vs is and
lieth, vnto Sebastian Cabota Gouernour, Sir George Barnes knight, &c.
Consuls: Sir Iohn Gresham, &c. Assistants, and to the communaltie of the
aforenamed fellowship, and to their successours for euer, and to the
successours of euerie of them, these articles, graunts, immunities,
franchises, liberties and priuileges, and euery of them hereafter
following, expressed and declared. Videlicet:
1. First, we for vs, our heires and successors, do by these presents giue
and graunt free licence, facultie, authority and power vnto the said
Gouernour, Consuls, Assistants, and communalty of the said fellowship, and
to their successors for euer, that all and singular the marchants of the
same company, their Agents, factours, doers of their businesse, atturneys,
seruants, and ministers, and euery of them may at all times hereafter for
euer more surely, freely and safely, with their shippes, merchandizes,
goods and things whatsoeuer saile, come and enter into all and singular our
lands, countreis, dominions, cities, townes, villages, castles, portes,
iurisdictions, and destraicts by sea, land or fresh waters, and there tary,
abide and soiourne, and buy, sell, barter and change all kind of
merchandizes with al maner of marchants and people, of whatsoeuer nation,
rite, condition, state or degrees they be, and with the same or other
ships, wares, marchandizes, goods and things whatsoeuer they be, vnto 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 euery
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, leuied or inferred vpon them or any of them, or vpon their goods,
ships, wares, marchandizes, and things, of, for or vpon any part or parcell
thereof, or vpon 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 vs, our heires or successours, neither shall be
bound to aske any safe conduct or licence in any of the aforesaid places
subiect vnto vs.
2. Item, we giue 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
iurisdiction, 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 vs onely heard, and determined.
3. Item, we giue and graunt, that the said Marchants shal and may haue 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 serue them in their feat of marchandises, and
minister and giue vnto them and euery of them a corporall othe, to serue
them well and truely in their offices, and finding them or any of them
doing contrary to his or their othe, 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 vs, our
heires or successors, or of any other our Iustices, officers, ministers or
subiects whatsoeuer.
4. Item, we giue and graunt vnto the saide Marchants and their successours,
that such person as is, or shalbe commended vnto vs, our heires or
successours by the Gouernour, Consuls and assistants of the said fellowship
residant within the citie of London within the realme of England, to be
their chiefe Factor within this our empire and dominions, may and shal haue
ful power and authoritie to gouerne and rule all Englishmen that haue had,
or shall haue accesse, or repaire in or to this said Empire and
iurisdictions, or any part thereof, and shal and may minister vnto them,
and euery of them good iustice in all their causes, plaints, quarrels, and
disorders between them moued, and to be moued, 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, gouernment and rule of the said Marchants, and all other
Englishmen repairing to this our saide empire or dominions, or any part
thereof, and to set and leuie vpon all, and euery Englishman, offender or
offenders, of such their acts and ordinances made, and to be made,
penalties and mulcts by fine and imprisonment.
5. Item, if it happen that any of the saide Marchants, or other Englishmen,
as one or more doe rebell against such chiefe Factor or Factors, or his or
their deputies, and will not dispose him or themselues to obey them and
euery of them as shall appertaine if the saide Rebels or disobedients doe
come, and bee founde in our our saide Empire and iurisdictions, or any part
and place thereof, then wee promise and graunt, that all and euery our
officers, ministers, and subiects 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 tende vnto the same
Factour or Factours, and their deputies vpon request therefore, to be made,
prisons, and instruments for punishments from time to time.
6. Item, we promise vnto the saide Marchants, and their sucessours, vpon
their request to exhibite and doe vnto them good, exact and fauourable
iustice, with expedition in all their causes, and that when they or any of
them shall haue accesse, or come to or before any of our Iustices, for any
their plaints mooued, and to bee mooued betweene any our subiects 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
Iustices 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 moued 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 giuen, Wee and our Iustices 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,
seruants, 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 vs, our heires or successours, or by any our officers, ministers
or subiects, but shall remaine to their vse, 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. Moreouer, we giue, graunt and promise to the saide Marchants, that if
any of their ships or other vessels shall bee spoyled, robbed, or damnified
in sayling, anckoring or returning to or from our saide Empires and
Dominions, or any part thereof, by any Pirats, Marchants, or other person,
whatsoeuer hee or they bee, that then and in such case, wee will doe all
that in vs 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 iustice.
10. Item, for vs, our heires and successours, wee doe promise and graunt to
performe, mainteine, corroborate, autenticate and obserue all and singular
the aforesaide liberties, franchises, and priuiledges, 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 euer.
And to the intent that all and singuler the saide giftes, graunts and
promises, may bee inuiolably obserued and performed, we the said Iohn
Vasiliuich by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, great Duke of Nouogrode,
Mosco, &c. for vs, our heires and successors, by our Imperiall and lordly
word in stead of an othe, haue and doe promise by these presents,
inuiolably to mainteyne and obserue, and cause to be inuiolably obserued
and mainteined all and singuler the aforesayde giftes, graunts and promises
from time to time, and at all and euery time and times heereafter. And for
the more corroboration hereof haue caused our Signet hereunto to be put:
Dated in our Castle of Mosco the 20. day of * * * in the yeere * * *.
* * * * *
The Charter of the Marchants of Russia, graunted vpon the discouerie of the
saide Countrey by King Philip and Queene Marie.
Philip and Marie, by the grace of God King and Queene, &c. To all manner of
officers, true Iurie men, ministers and subiects, and to all other people
as well within this our Realme or elsewhere vnder our obeysance,
iurisdiction, and rule, or otherwise vnto whome these our letters shall bee
shewed, seene, or read, greeting.
Whereas wee be credibly informed that our right trusttie, right faithfull,
and welbeloued Counsailors, William Marques of Winchester Lord high
Treasurer of this our Realme of England, Henrie Earle of Arundel Lord
Steward of our housholde, Iohn Earle of Bedford Lord keeper of our priuie
Seale, William Earle of Pembroke, William Lorde Howard of Effingham Lorde
high Admirall of our saide Realme of England, &c. Haue at their own
aduenture, costs and charges, prouided, rigged, and tackled certaine ships,
pinnesses, and other meete vessels, and the same furnished with all things
necessary haue aduanced and set forward, for to discouer, descrie, and
finde Isles, landes, territories, Dominions, and Seigniories vnknowen, and
by our subiects before this not commonly by sea frequented, which by the
sufferance and grace of Almightie God, it shall chaunce them sailing
Northwards, Northeastwards, and Northwestwards, or any partes thereof, in
that race or course which other Christian Monarches (being with vs in
league and amitie) haue not heeretofore by Seas traffiqued, haunted, or
frequented, to finde and attaine by their said aduenture, as well for the
glorie of God, as for the illustrating of our honour and dignitie royall,
in the increase of the reuenues of our Crowne, and generall wealth of this
and other our Realmes and Dominions, and of our subiects of the same: And
to this intent our subiects aboue specified and named, haue most humbly
beseeched vs, that our abundant grace, fauour and clemencie may be
gratiously extended vnto them in this behalfe: whereupon wee inclined to
the petition of the foresaide our Counsailours, subiects and marchants, and
willing to animate, aduance, further and nourish them in their said godlie,
honest, and good purpose, and, as we hope, profitable aduenture, and that
they may the more willingly, and readily atchieue the same. Of our
especiall grace, certaine knowledge and meere motion, haue graunted, and by
these presents doe graunt, for vs, our heires and successours, vnto our
said right trustie, and right faithfull, and right wel beloued
Counsailours, and the other before named persons, that they by the name of
marchants aduenturers of England, for the discouery of lands, territories,
Iles, Dominions, and Seigniories vnknowen, and not before that late
aduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation, commonly frequented as
aforesaid, shalbe from henceforth one bodie and perpetuall fellowship and
communaltie of themselues, both in deede and in name, and them, by the
names of Marchants aduenturers for the discouerie of lands, territories,
Iles and seigniories vnknowen, and not by the seas, and Nauigations, before
their saide late aduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation commonly
frequented, We doe imcorporate, name, and declare by these presents, and
that the same fellowship or communalty from henceforth shalbe, and may haue
one Gouernour of the saide fellowship, and communaltie of Marchants
aduenturers.
And in consideration that one Sebastian Cabota hath bin the chiefest setter
forth of this iourney or voyage, therefore we make, ordeine, and constitute
him the said Sebastian to be the first and present gouernour of the same
fellowship and communaltie, by these presents. To haue and enioy the said
office of Gouernour, to him the said Sebastian Cabota during his naturall
life, without amouing or dismissing from the same roome.