the clocke in the aftemoone, we came to a village called Paranda, which is
from Sloboday 30. miles, where wee remained all that night.
6 We departed from Paranda at 6. of the clocke in the morning, and all that
day what with setting and drawing our boats, we went but 11. miles, for we
twise vnladed our wares, and drew our boats ouerland, in one place a mile
and an halfe, in another place as it were the eight part of a mile, and so
we came to a place called Voyets, where we taried all that night.
7 We departed from Voyets at 4. of the clocke in the morning, and so came
to an Ozera or lake, called after the name of the riuer, and vnto a place
called Quequenich, wee rowed all this day, and came thither by one of the
clock in the afternoone, which is 25. miles from Voyets, and there we
remained all night to hire men and boats to carie vs forward on our
iourney.
Here departed backe from vs the seruant which we had at the Monasterie,
being sent by the monkes to go thus far with vs. And after that he had
hired the boats and taken the mens names that should conduct vs, and giuen
them charge to deliuer vs with all things in safetie, at a place being a
litle towne called Pouensa, then hee departed from vs without taking any
reward for his paines, for so he was charged and commanded by the monkes.
[Sidenote: A lake very full of Islands.] 8 We departed from Quequenich at
sunne rising, and all that day rowed vpon the lake amongst many Islands.
The inhabitants doe there report that there are as many Islands in their
lake, as there are dayes in the yeere. In the euening we came to a village
named Tellekina, which is 60. miles from Quequenich.
9 We departed from Tellekina in the morning at 5. of the clocke, and so
entring into a riuer, we went that day 13. miles. In one place we caried
our boates and goods ouerland 3. miles. At euening we came to a place
called Oreiche na maelay, where we lay all night.
10 Wee departed thence at 5. of the clocke in the morning, and so rowing,
came to a place where the riuer ended, being 20 miles distant from the
place where wee lay all night, at which place wee forsooke our boates and
vnladed our wares, and sent a man to the towne of Pouensa, which was seuen
mile ony for horses to cary vs and our wares to the said place. The horses
came, and we laded our goods, and at sixe of the clocke in the afternoone
wee arriued at the towne of Pouensa, with all things in safetie.
[Sidenote: The famous lake of Onega.] This towne of Pouensa standeth within
one mile lake of of the famous lake or Ozera of Onega, which is 320. miles
long and in some places 70. miles ouer. But where it is narrowest it is 25.
miles ouer, being fed with many goodly riuers which fall into it. Hard
aboord the shore within 6. miles, you shall haue 40. and 45. fathoms of
depth.
Here it is to bee noted that from this place of Pouensa vnto the village of
Soroka downe those dangerous riuers which wee came through, at no time of
the yeere can or may any man cary or transport any goods that come from
Nouogrod, or the Narue, and such other places: for in the Sommer it is
impossible to cary downe any wares by reason of the great fals of water
that doe descend from the rockes. Likewise in the Winter by reason of the
great force and fall of waters which make so terrible raises, that in those
places it neuer freezeth, but all such wares as come from Nouogrod to
Pouensa, are transported by land to a place called Some in the Winter,
which Some standeth on the sea side, as doth Soroka. The ready way from
Pouensa by land to this place of Some, with the distance of miles I will
shew hereafter.
12 We departed from Pouensa at 9. of the clocke in the morning, with 2.
smal boats which we hired to cary vs to a place called Toluo vpon the lake
of Onega, being 50 miles from Pouensa, where we arriued the 13. day in the
morning, where wee bought a boate that caried vs and all our wares from
thence to the Citie of Nouogrod.
14 We departed from Toluo at 3. of the clocke in the afternoone, and at the
euening arriued at a certaine Island named Salasalma, vpon the said lake 7.
miles from Toluo, and by reason of contrary windes we there taried vntill
the 16. day of this moneth.
16 We departed from Salasalma, at 8. of the clocke in the morning, and came
to an Island the 17. day in the morning, named Vorronia, where wee
continued by reason of contrary winds, vntill the 21. day of the said
moneth, and it is 60. miles from Salasalma.
[Sidenote: S. Clement his Monasterie.] 21 We departed from Vorronia Island
two houres before day, and arriued at S. Clements Monasterie at 2. of the
clocke in the after noone, being from Vorronia 48. miles.
22 We departed from S. Clements Monasterie at the breake of the day, hauing
a faire wind all a long the lake: we sailed without striking of saile vntil
two houres within night, and then entred into a riuer called Swire, at a
Monasterie called Vosnessino Christo, fiue miles from the entrance of the
riuer, where we taried al night. It is from S. Clements Monastery 160.
miles: the streame of that riuer went with vs.
23 Wee departed from Vosnessino Christo before Sunne rising, and valed
downe the riuer sometime sailing, and sometime rowing, so that this day wee
went 90. miles and lay at night at a place called Vassian.
24 Wee departed from Vassian at the breake of the day, and came to a place
called Selucax [Marginal note: Or Sermaxe.], where we lay all night, and is
10. miles from Vassian.
[Sidenote: The riuer of Volhuski. The lake of Ladeskai.] 25 We departed
from Selucaxe at 4 of the clocke in the morning, and entred vpon the Lake
of Ladiskaie, the winde being calme al that day sauing 3. hours, and then
it was with vs, so that we sailed and rowed that day 10. miles, along vpon
the said lake, and entred into the riuer of Volhuski, which riuer hath his
beginning 20. miles aboue Nouogrod, and runneth through the midst of the
Citie, and so falleth into this lake, which is farre longer then the lake
of Onega, but it is not so broad. This lake falleth into the sea that
commeth from the Sound: where any vessel or boat, hauing a good pilot, may
goe through the Sound into England.
As soone as we were entred into the riuer, we came to a Monasterie called
S. Nicholas Medued, where we lay all that night.
[Sidenote: The Monasterie of Gosnopoli.] 26 Wee departed from S. Nicholas
Medued, at fiue of the clocke in the morning, rowing and drawing our boates
all day, and came at night to another Monasterie called Gosnopoli, which is
30 miles from S. Nicholas Medued, where we lay all that night.
27 We departed from Gosnopoli at 6. of the clocke in the morning, and at
euening came to a place called Moislaue, where we lay all night, being 46.
miles from the Monasterie of Gosnopoli.
28 We departed from Moislaue, and the saide day at night came to a place
called Grussina, 35. miles from Moislaue where we lodged.
29 Wee departed from Grussina in the morning, and the same day at euening
came to a place called Petroe Suetoe, where we lay all night, being 40
miles from Grussina.
[Sidenote: The citie of Nouogrod.] 30 We departed from Petroe Suetoe in the
morning, and at two of the clock in the afternoone we arriued at the Citie
of Nouogrod, being twentie miles from Petroe Suetoe. Here we found William
Rowlie Agent to the company, who was there stayed with all his company, and
was not licenced to depart thence for the Mosco, by reason that the plague
was then in the Citie of Nouogrod. Vnto him we deliuered all the wares that
wee brought from Colmogro, for by the way we sold not a peny worth, the
people of the countrey euery where be so miserable.
The right way to bring and transport wares from Nouogrod to Rose Island
into S. Nicholas bay, where our Ships yeerely lade, with the distance of
miles from place to place, is as followeth:
20 Miles from Nouogrod to Petroe Suetoe.
40 Miles from thence to Grusina.
35 Miles from thence to Moislaue.
46 Miles from thence to the Monasterie Gosnopoli.
15 Miles from thence to Ladega towne.
15 Miles from thence to Selunaz ouer the lake of Ladega, albeit there be
many villages all along the lake.
180 Miles from Ladega towne vp the riuer of Swire, vnto the Monasterie of
Vosnessino Christo, albeit there are many villages vpon the riuer: for
within euery fiue or sixe miles you shall haue villages or small townes.
160 Miles from Vosnessino Christo to S. Clements Monastery, albeit there be
many villages all along the lake of Onega.
48 Miles from thence to Voronia.
67 Miles from thence to Toluo towne: and there are diuers villages al along
the lake where the carriers may lie, and haue meate for man and horse.
50 Miles from thence to Pouensa, where Onega lake endeth.
The way from Pouensa to Some towne is this:
30 Miles from Pouensa to Mastlelina.
10 Miles from thence to Tellekina.
30 Miles from thence to Toluich.
35 Miles from thence to Carraich.
20 Miles from thence to Varnich.
10 Miles from thence to Ostrouo.
15 Miles from thence to Lapina.
20 Miles from thence to Some it selfe.
Note, that from the Citie of Nouogrod vnto the towne of Some is 936. miles,
and from the towne of Some vnto the Monasterie of S. Nicholas or Rose
Island, ouer and against where our Ships do ride, is iust as many miles as
is Soroka village from S. Nicholas, as the Russes doe accompt it, as also
we do iudge it, namely 325. miles. So that from Nouogrod to S. Nicholas
road, is by our accompt 1261. miles or versts.
[Sidenote: Trauel by Sleds.] Furthermore it is to be noted that all such
wares as shall be bought at Nouogrod, and sent to Some towne, must be sent
by sled way in the Winter: for if any ware should be sent from Nouogrod by
water in the spring of the yeere after the yce is gone, then must the said
wares remaine at Pouensa towne al that Summer, by reason that in the Summer
there is no way to goe from Pouensa vnto Some towne.
At Pouensa there are many warehouses to be hired, so that if there were as
much goods as ten ships could cary away, you might haue warehouses to put
it in: but if there should remaine much ware all the Summer, to be caried
in the Winter to Some towne, then horses are not easily to be gotten at
that place to cary it thither: [Sidenote: 2000. Sleds belonging to one
towne.] so that your wares once bought at Nouogrod, you musthaue cariers
there to cary it to the towne of Some by Sleds, whereof you may there haue
2000. if you will, by the report of the Russes.
For from Nouogrod yerely there go many Sleds in the Winter to fetche salt
from Some, with carriers and emptie Sleds there to buy it, and to bring it
to Nouogrod to sell it in the market or otherwise.
[Sidenote: A good caueat for seasonable trauell.] From Nouogrod vnto Some
towne you may haue a pood of wares carted for eight pence or nine pence:
but in any wise your wares must bee sent from Nouogrod by the sixt of
Ianuary, so that the wares may bee at Some by Candlemas, or soone after:
for if your wares should tary by the way vntill the 15. of February, when
the Sunne is of some power, then is it dangerous: for the heate of the
Sunne in the day causeth the deepe lakes of Ladega, and specially of Onega
to cleaue: and if there should come then a sudden thaw, as oftentimes in
that time of the yeere doeth, then doe these lakes open and breake, whereby
many men are lost, and both men and horse drowned, although other riuers do
remaine frozen a long time after.
In the towne of Some also there are many warehouses, whereof we cannot be
destitute for the reposing of our wares, as also as many barkes as you wil
to transport your wares from thence to S. Nicholas road, and that for three
pence a poods caryage: so that from the Citie of Nouogrod vnto S. Nicholas
road you may haue wares caried for two altines. The pood commeth vnto 23.
altines the tunne.
[Sidenote: Nouogrod within 180 miles of the Narue.] Prouided alwayes, that
you buy your wares there your selfe, and send it thence: for there is no
hope that the natiues will bring their wares from Nouogrod to Some, in hope
to sell vnto vs, considering the great trade that they haue at the Narue,
which is within 180. miles off them.
Written by Thomas Southam a seruant to the company.
* * * * *
An Act for the corporation of Merchants aduenturers for the discouering of
new trades, made in the eight yere of Queene Elizabeth. Anno 1566.
Whereas diuers very good Subiects of this Realme of England in the latter
end of the reigne of the late right high and mightie prince our Soueraigne
Lord king Edward the sixt, at the gracious incouragement, and right good
liking of the said king, and by his Maiesties liberall example, did at
their aduenture, and to their exceeding great charges, for the glory of
God, the honor and increase of the reuenues of the Crowne, and the common
vtilitie of the whole Realme of England, set forth three ships for the
discouery by Sea, of Isles, lands, territories, dominions, and Seigniories
vnknowen, and by the Subiects of the sayd late king not commonly by seas
frequented: and after that Almightie God had called to his mercie the said
king, who died before the finishing and sealing of his most ample and
gracious letters of priuiledges promised to the said Subiects, as wel in
consideration of the said enterprise, as for diuers other respects it
pleased our late soueraigne Q. Mary, at the humble suites of the same
subiects, to graunt by her letters Patents vnder the great Seale of
England, bearing date at Westminster the 26. day of February, in the second
yeere of her raigne, for the considerations mentioned in the said letters
Patents, to the saide subiects being specially named in the saide letters
Patents, and to their successors, that they by the name of Merchants
aduenturers of England, for the discouerie of lands, territories, Isles,
dominions, and Seigniores vnknowen, and not before their late aduenture or
enterprise, by seas or Nauigations commonly frequented, should be from
thenceforth one body, and perpetual felowship and communalitie of
themselues, both in deed and in name, and that same felowship and
communaltie from thenceforth should and might haue one or two gouernours,
foure Consuls, and 24. assistants, of the said fellowship and comminaltie
of Merchants aduenturers, and that they by the name of the Gouernour,
Consuls, assistants, felowship, and comminaltie of Merchants aduenturers,
for the discouery of lands, territories, Isles, dominions, and Seigniories
vnknowen by the seas and Nauigations, and not before their said late
aduenture or enterprise, by Seas frequented, should or might be able in the
lawe to implead and to be impleaded, to answere and to be answered, to
defend, and to be defended, before whatsoeuer Iudge or Iustice temporall or
spiritual, or other persons whatsoeuer, in whatsoeuer court or courts, and
in all actions, real, personal, and mixt, and in euery of them, and in all
plaints of Nouel descision, and also in all plaints, suites, quarrels,
affaires, businesse, and demaunds whatsoeuer they be, touching and
concerning the said felowship and comminaltie, and the affaires and
businesse of the same only in as ample maner and forme, as any other
corporation of this Realme might doe, giuing also, and granting vnto them
by the said letters Patents, diners authorities, powers, iurisdictions,
prehemmences, franchises, liberties and priuiledges, as by the same letters
Patents more at large will appeare. And among other things mentioned in the
said letters Patents, whereas one of the three ships, by the said
fellowship before that time set foorth for the voyage of discouery
aforesaid, named the Edward Bonauenture, had arriued within the Empire and
dominion of the high and mightie Prince Lord Iohn Vasiliwich, Emperour of
all Russia, Vlodimersky, great duke of Musky, &c. who receiued the Captaine
and Merchants of the saide shippe very graciously, granting vnto them
freely to traffique with his subiects in all kinde of Merchandizes, with
diuers other gracious priuiledges and liberties: therefore the said late
Queene by the same letters Patents, for her, her heires and successors, did
graunt that all the maine lands, Isles, ports, hauens, creeks, and riuers
of the said mighty Emperour of all Russia, and great duke of Mosco, &c. and
all and singular other lands, dominions, territories, Isles, ports, hauens,
creeks, riuers, armes of the seas, of al and euery other Emperour, king,
prince, ruler, or gouernour whatsoeuer he or they be, before the said late
aduenture or enterprise not knowen, or by the aforesaid merchants and
subiects of the said king and Queene, by, the seas not commonly frequented,
nor any part or parcel thereof, and lying Northwards, Northeastwards, or
Northwestwards, as in the said letters patents is mentioned, should not be
visited, frequented nor haunted by any the subiects of the said late
Queene, other then of the said company and fellowship, and their
successors, without expresse licence, agreement, and consent of the
Gouerner, Consuls, and Assistants of the said felowship, and communaltie or
the more part of them, in maner and forme, as is expressed in the saide
letters patents, vpon paine of forfeiture and losse aswell of the ship and
ships, with the appurtenances, as also of the goods, merchandizes, and
things whatsoeuer they be, of those the subiects of the said late Queene
not being of the saide fellowship and communaltie, which should attempt or
presume to saile to any of those places, which then were, or after should
happen to be found and traffiqued vnto, the one halfe of the same
forfeiture to be to the vse of the said late Queene, her heires and
successors, and the other halfe to be to the vse of the said felowship and
communaltie, as by the same letters patents more plainly will appeare.
Since the making of which letters patents, the said fellowship haue, to
their exceeding great costes, losses and expences, not onely by their
trading into the said dominions of the saide mightie prince of Russia, &c.
found out conuenient way to saile into the saide dominions: but also
passing thorow the same, and ouer the Caspian sea, haue discouered very
commodious trades into Armenia, Media, Hyrcania, Persia, and other
dominions in Asia minor, hoping by Gods grace to discouer also the countrey
of Cathaia, and other regions very conuenient to be traded into by
merchants of this realme, for the great benefite and commodities of the
same.
[Sidenote: This is meant for Alderman Bond the elder.] And forasmuch as
diuers subiects of this realme, vnderstanding the premises, and perceiuing
that now after the charge and trauel aforesaid, diuers wares and
merchandizes are brought by the saide fellowship into this Realme, out of
the dominions already discouered, which bee within this realme of good
estimation, minding for their peculiar gaine, vtterly to decay the trade of
the sayde fellowship, haue contrary to the tenor of the same letters
patents, in great disorder traded into the dominions of the said mightie
prince of Russia, &c. to the great detriment of this common wealth: And for
that the name by which the saide felowship is incorporated by the letters
patents aforesaid, is long, and consisteth of very many words: [Sidenote:
English Merchants for discouery of new trades.] Therfore be it enacted by
the Queenes most excellent Maiestie, the Lords spiritual and temporal, and
the commons in this present parliament assembled, and by authoritie of the
same, that the said felowship, company, society and corporation made or
created by the said letters patents, shal at al time and times from
henceforth be incorporated, named and called only by the name of the
fellowship of English merchants, for disouery of new trades, and by the
same name for euer shall and may continue a perpetuall body incorporate in
deede and name, and onely by the same name from henceforth, shall implead,
and be impleaded, answere and be answered, defend and be defended, sue and
bee sued, in whatsoeuer courts and places, and shall and may by the same
name bee inabled to purchase, haue, holde, possesse, reteine, and enioy
whatsoeuer manors, landes, tenements, rents, reuersions, seruices, and
hereditaments not exceeding a hundred marks yeerly, not being holden of the
Queenes matestie, her heires, or successors by knights seruice in Capite,
and all goods, merchandizes, chattels, and other things whatsoeuer, and
shall and may by the same name make and do all things as any other
corporation may do, and also shall haue and enioy all and singular the
liberties, priuiledges, iurisdictions, franchises, preheminences, powers,
authorities, and things, and may doe and execute all other matters and
things in the sayd letters patents mentioned, or in any wise conteined. And
that no part nor parcell of the maine lands, Isles, ports, hauens, roades,
creekes, riuers, armes of the seas of any Emperour, king, prince, ruler or
gouernor whatsoeuer he or they be, before the said first enterprise made by
the merchants, of the saide corporation, not knowen by the merchants and
subiects of this Realme, or by them not commonly by seas frequented, and
lying from the City of London Northwards, Northwestwards, or
Northeastwards, nor any part or parcel of the maine lands, dominions,
isles, ports, roades, hauens, creeks, armes of the Seas, that now be
subiect to the said high and mightie prince Lord Iohn Vasiliwich, his
heires, or successours, or to the Emperour, chiefe gouernour or ruler of
the said country of Russia for the time being, his heires or successors,
nor the countries of Armenia maior or minor, Media, Hyrcania, Persia, or
the Caspian sea, nor any part of them shall be sailed or traffiqued vnto,
visited, frequented, or haunted by any person being or that shalbe a
subiect or denizen of this realme, by themselues, their factor or factors,
or any other to their vse or commoditie, by any wayes or meanes, directly
or indirectly, other then by the order, agreement, consent, or ratification
of the gouernour, Consuls and assistants of the saide fellowship and
comminaltie, or the more part of them, and their successors for the time
being: vpon paine that euery person and persons offending in this behalfe,
shall forfeit and loose, Ipso facto, euery such ship and ships, with the
appurtenances, and all such goods, Merchandizes, and things whatsoeuer, as
by any such person or persons shalbe by any wayes or meanes, directly or
indirectly, prouided, caried, conducted, brought, or exchanged, in, at, to,
through or from any of the places prohibited, as is aforesiade, contrary to
the true intent of this statute: the one moietie of all which forfeitures
to bee to our said souereigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie, her heires and
successors, and the other moietie thereof to the sayde fellowship of
English Merchants for discouery of newe trades, and their successors, to be
seized and taken wheresoeuer they may be found, by any person or persons,
to the vse of our said Souereigne Lady, her heires and successors, and of
the said fellowship of English Merchants for discouery of newe trades, and
of their successors, or the same or the value thereof to bee demaunded or
sued for by the Queenes highnesse, her heires and successors, or by the
saide fellowship of English Merchants for the discouery of newe trades, or
their successors, or their atturney or atturneis, or by any person or
persons being of the same fellowship of English Merchants for discouery of
newe trades, or their successors in any court of Record, or in any other
Court or courtes within this Realme, or els where, by Action of debt,
action of detinue, bill, plaint, information, or otherwise: in which suite
no essoine, protection, wager of lawe, or iniunction shal be allowed, for,
or on the behalfe of the partie or parties defendant.
Prouided alwayes, that whereas diuers Subiects of this Realme being not of
the fellowship aforesaid, haue heretofore made aduentures to and from some
of the places prohibited by the said letters patents, that the said
subiects, their heires, executors, administrators and assignees, or any of
them shall not be impeached, impleaded, troubled, sued, nor molested for
the same in their goods or persons in any maner of wise, either by our
saide souereigne Lady, her heires or successors, or the said fellowship, or
their successors.