after to bee admitted or received againe into the same, any thing in these presents contained to the contrary notwithstanding. Provided alwayes, that if it shall hereafter appeare to us our heires and successours, that this graunt or the continuance thereof in the whole or in any part thereof, shall not bee profitable to us our heires and successours, or to this our realme, that then and from thencefoorth, upon and after eighteene moneths warning to bee given to the sayd companie by us our heires and successours, this present graunt shall cease, bee voyd, and determined to all intents, constructions and purposes. 1592. And further of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere motion, wee have condescended and graunted, and by these presents for us, our heires and successours, doe condescend and graunt to the sayde Governour and companie of marchants of Levant, that if at the ende of the sayd terme of twelve yeeres it shall seeme meete and convenient to the sayde Governour and Companie, or any the parties aforesayd, that this present graunt shall bee continued: And if that also it shall appeare unto us, our heires and successours, that the continuance thereof shall not bee prejudiciall or hurtfull to this our realme, but that wee shall finde the further continuance thereof profitable for us our heires and successours and for our realme with such conditions as are herein mentioned, or with some alteration or qualification thereof, that then wee our heires and successours at the instance and humble petition of the sayde Governour and Companie, or any of them so suing for the same, and such other person and persons our subjectes as they shall nominate and appoint, or shall bee by us, our heires and successours newly nominated, not exceeding in number twelve, new letters patents under the great seale of England in due forme of lawe with like cove- [II. i. 303.] nants, graunts, clauses, and articles, as in these presents are contained, or with addition of other necessarie articles or changing of these in some partes, for, and during 1592. the full terme of twelve yeeres then next following. Willing now hereby, and straightly commaunding and charging all and singular our Admirals, Vice-admirals, Justices, Maiors, Shiriffes, Escheators, Constables, Bailiffes, and all and singular other our Officers, Ministers, Liegemen and subjects whatsoever, to bee aiding, favouring, helping, and assisting unto the sayd Companie and their successours, and to their Deputies, Officers, Factors, servaunts, assignes and ministers, and every of them, in executing and enjoying the premisses as well on land as on Sea, from time to time, & at all times when you or any of you shal thereto bee required, any Statute, Acte, ordinance, Proviso, Proclamation or restraint heretofore had, made, set foorth, ordained or provided, or any other matter, cause or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. Although expresse mention of the true yeerely value or certaintie of the premisses, or any of them, or of any other gifts or graunts by us, or any of our progenitours to the sayde Governour and Companie of the marchants of Levant before this time made, in these presents is not made: Or any Statute, Acte, Ordinance, provision, proclamation or restraint to the contrary thereof before this time had, made, done, or provided, or any other matter, thing or cause whatsoever, in any wise notwithstanding. In witnesse whereof wee have caused these our letters to be made patents. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the seventh day of Januarie in the foure and thirtieth yeere of our raigne. Per breve de privato Sigillo. Bailie. To the Worshipfull and his very loving Uncle Ir, considering the goodnesse of your into Turkie, and of the deliverie of the Richard Wrag. 1597. [A description 1593. A description of a Voiage to Constantinople and Syria, begun the 21. of March 1593. and ended the 9. of August, 1595. wherein is shewed the order of delivering the second Present by Master Edward Barton her majesties Ambassador, which was sent from her Majestie to Sultan Murad Can, Emperour of Turkie. E set saile in the Ascension of London, a new shippe very well appointed, of two hundred and three score tunnes (whereof was master one William Broadbanke, a provident and skilfull man in his facultie) from Gravesend the one and twentie of March 1593. And upon the eight of Aprill folowing wee passed the streights of Gibraltar, and with a small Westerne gale, the 24. of the same, we arrived at Zante an Iland under the Venetians. The fourth of May wee departed, and the one and twentie wee arrived at Alexandretta in Cilicia in the very bottome of the Mediterrane sea, a roade some 25. miles distant from Antioch, where our marchants land their goods to bee sent for Aleppo. [II. i. 304.] From thence wee set saile the fift of June, and by contrary windes were driven upon the coast of Caramania into a road neere a litle Iland where a castle standeth, called Castle Rosso, some thirtie leagues to the Eastwards of the Rhodes, where after long search for fresh water, we could finde none, until certaine poore Greekes of the Iland brought us to a well where we had 5 or 6 tuns. That part of the country next the sea is very barren & full of mountains, yet found we there an olde tombe of marble, with an epitaph of an ancient Greeke caracter, by antiquity neere worne out and past reading; which to the beholders seemed a monument of the greatnesse of the Grecian monarchy. 1593. From thence we went to the Rhodes, and by contrary windes were driven into a port of Candy, called Sittia: Candie. this Iland is under the Venetians, who have there 600 souldiers, beside certaine Greeks, continually in pay. Here with contrary winds we stayed six weeks, and in the end, having the winde prosperous, we sailed by Nicaria, Pharos, Delos, and Andros, with sight of many other Ilands in the Archipelago, and arrived at the two castles in Hellespont the 24 of August. Within few dayes after we came to Galipoli some thirty miles from this place, where foure of us tooke a Parma or boat of that place, with two watermen, which rowed us along the Thracian shore to Constantinople, which sometime sailing and sometime rowing, in foure dayes they performed. The first of September we arrived at the famous port of the Grand Signior, where we were not a little welcome to M. Edward Barton untill then her Majesties Agent, who (with many other great persons) had for many dayes expected the present. Five or sixe dayes after the shippe arrived neere the Seven The Ascension towers, which is a very strong hold, and so called of arrived at the so many turrets, which it hath, standing neere the sea side, being the first part of the city that we came unto. Heere the Agent appointed the master of the Ascension to stay with the shippe untill a fitte winde and opportunity served to bring her about the Seraglio to salute the Grand Signior in his moskyta or church: for you shall understand that he hath built one neere the wall of his Seraglio or pallace adjoyning to the Sea side; whereunto twise or thrise a weeke hee resorteth to performe such religious rites as their law requireth : where hee being within few dayes after, our shippe set out in their best maner with flagges, streamers and pendants of divers coloured silke, with all the mariners, together with most of the Ambassadours men, having the winde faire, and came within two cables length of this his moskita, where (hee to his great content beholding the shippe in such bravery) they discharged 7 towers. |