of that I never 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 & customs of Russia, it was reported to me in Moscovia, that the Turkes and Armenians pay the tenth penie custome of all the wares they bring into the Emperors land, and above that they pay for all such goods as they weigh at the Emperours beame, two pence of the Rubble, which ye buyer or seller must make report to of the Master of the beame : they also pay a certaine horse toll, which is in divers places of his Realme foure pence of a horse.

The Dutch nation are free of this: notwithstanding for certaine offences, they had lost their priviledges which they have recovered this Summer to their great charge. It was reported to me by a Justice of that countrey, that they paied for it thirtie thousand Rubbles, and also that Rye, Dorpte and Revel have yeelded themselves under the government of the Emperour 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 priviledges.

To speake somewhat of the commodities of this countrey, it is to be understood, 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, Stockfish, Salmon, Fethers and Furres: their Salt they make of saltwater by the sea side: their Oyles they make of Seales, whereof they have 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 merchants there carie it to Novogrode, and so sell it to the Dutch nation. Their Stockefish and Salmon commeth from a place called Mallums, not farre from Wardhouse: their Salmon and their Salt they carrie to Mosco, and their drie fish they carrie to Novogrode, and sell it there to the Lieflanders.

The Furres and Fethers which come to Colmogro, as Sables, Beavers, Minkes, Armine, Lettis, Graies, Woolverings, and white Foxes, with Deere skinnes, they are

brought thither, by the men of Penninge, Lampas, and Powstezer, which fetch them from the Samoedes that are counted savage people: and the merchants that bring these Furres doe use to trucke with the merchants of Colmogro for Cloth, Tinne, Batrie, & such other like, and the merchants of Colmogro carie them to Novogrode, Vologda, or Mosco, & sell them there. The Fethers which come from Penning they doe little esteeme.

If our merchants 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 plentie 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 amongest 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 themselves in Mosco or Novogrode, 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 thinke ye 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 cravers and expenses, that the moitie of the profite would bee wholly consumed, which in the other place will bee saved. And yet notwithstanding our marchants may bee there in the Winter to serve 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 litle or none in Moscovia, besides those above 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 over land.

Our marchants may doe well to provide for the Russes such wares as the Dutch nation doeth serve them of, as Flanders and Holland clothes, which I beleeve, they shal serve better and with lesse charge then they of Rye or Dorpt, or Revel: for it is no smal adventure to bring their clothes out of Flanders to either of these places,

and their charge not litle to cary them over lande to Novogrode, which is from Rye nine hundred Russian miles.

This Novogrode 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 Novogrode, dwell as neere Vologda, as Novogrode, and when they heare of the utterance which they may have with our nation, they wil as willingly come to them as goe to other.

They have in Russia two sorts 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 then the small: It is much longer then 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 above 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. Articles conceived and determined for the Commission of the Merchants of this company resiant in Russia, and at the Warhouse, for the second voyage, 1555. the first of May, as followeth.

FIRST, the Governour, Consuls, Assistants and whole company assembled this day in open court, committeth and authorizeth Richard Gray and George Killingworth, jointly and severally to be Agents, Factors, and Atturneis generall and speciall, for the whole body of this companie, to buy, sel, trucke, change and permute al, and every kind and kindes of wares, marchandizes and goods to the said company appertaining, now laden & shipped in the good ship called the Edward Bonaventure, appointed for Russia, the same to utter and sell to the best commoditie, profit and advantage of the said corporation, be it for ready money, wares & marchandises, or truck, presently, or for time, as occasion & benefit of the company shal require: and all such wares as they or either of them shal buy, trucke, or provide, or cause to be bought for the company to lade them homeward in good order and condition, as by prudent course of marchandises, shall, and ought to appertaine, which article extendeth also to John Brooke for the Wardhouse, as in the 17. and 18. articles of this commission appeareth.

2 Item, it is also committed, as above, to the said Agents, to binde & charge the said company by debt for wares upon credit, as good opportunitie and occasion shal serve, with power to charge and bind the said company, and their successors, for the paiments of such things as shalbe taken up for credite, and the said Agents to be relieved ab opere satis dandi.

3 Item full authoritie and power is committed to the said first named factors, together with Richard Chancelor grand Pilot of this fleete, to repaire to the Emperors court, there to present the king and Queenes Majesties letters, written in Greeke, Polish, and Italian, and to give and exhibite the marchants presents at such time and place as shalbe thought most expedient, they, or one of them to demand, and humbly desire of ye Emperour such further grants and priviledges to be made to this companie, as may be beneficiall for the same, to continue in traffike with his subjects, according to such instructions as bee in this behalfe devised and delivered to the Agents whereunto relation is to be had, and some one of these persons to attend upon the court for the obtaining of the same, as to their discretions shalbe thought

good.

4 Item, that all the saide Agents doe well consider, ponder and weigh such articles as bee delivered to them to know the natures, dispositions, lawes, customes, maners and behaviours of the people of the countreis where they shal traffike, as well of the Nobilitie as of the Lawyers, Marchants, Mariners and common people, and to note diligently the subtilties of their bargaining, buying and selling, making as fewe debtes as possiblie may bee, and to bee circumspect, that no lawe neither of religion nor positive bee broken or transgressed by them or any minister under them, ne yet by any mariner or other person of our nation, and to foresee that all tolles, customes, and such other rites be so duely paid, that no forfeiture or confiscation may ensue to our goods either outward or inward, and that al things passe with quiet, without breach of the publike peace or common tranquillitie of any of the places where they shall arrive or traffique.

5 Item, that provision bee made in Mosco or elswhere, in one or mo good townes, where good trade shall be found for a house or houses for the Agents, and companie

to inhabite and dwell at your accustomed diets, with warehouses, sellers, and other houses of offices requisite, and that none of the inferiour ministers of what place or vocation soever he be, doe lie out of the house of the Agents without licence to be given, and that every inferiour officer shalbe obedient to the orders, rules and governments of the said Agents, and in case any disobedient person shall be found among any of them, then such person to be punished for his misbehaviour, at the discretion of the said Agents, or of one of them in the absence of the other.

6 Item, if any person of the said ministers shall be of such pride or obstinacie, that after one or two honest admonitions, hee will not bee reformed nor reconciled from his faultes, then the saide Agents to displace every such person from the place or roume to him heere committed, and some other discreete person to occupie the same, as to the saide Agents by their discretions shal

seeme meete.

7 Item, if any person shall bee found so arrogant, that he will not be ordered nor reformed by the said Agents or by one of them in the absence of the other, then the sayde person to bee delivered to the Justice of the countrey, to receive such punishment, as the lawes of the country doe require.

8 Item, that the saide Agents and factours shall daily one houre in the morning conferre and consult together what shall bee most convenient and beneficial for the companie, and such orders as they shall determine, to bee written by the Secretarie of the companie in a booke to bee provided for that purpose, and no inferiour person to infringe or breake any such order or devise, but to observe the same exactly, upon such reasonable paine as the Agents shall put him to by discretion.

9 Item, that the said Agents shall in the ende of everie weeke, or oftener as occasion shall require, peruse, see and trie, not onely the Casshers, bookes, reckonings and accounts, firming the same with their handes, but also shall receive and take weekly the account of every other officer, as well of the Vendes, as of the empteous, and also of the state of the houshold expenses, making thereof a perfect declaration as shall appertaine, the same accounts also to bee firmed by the saide Agents hands. 10 Item, that no inferiour minister shall take upon him