men and likewise of Luserns send fewe and principal good. We mind to send you in our shippes 100 tunnes of salte. And because we perceive that balast is hardly to be had at our lading place there with you, we would you should have in a readinesse 100 tunnes of the white stones whereof you sent us home an example two yeres past. And likewise to have in a readinesse mastes of all sortes for our shippes: for we know not what neede wee shall have of them. The bringer hereof is Thomas Alcock, he could not be suffered the last yeare to passe through Poland. And as we wrote unto you in our shippes, hee is our servant for yeares: And for that we know him to be honest, true and painefull, our mind is he shalbe placed where he may do best service. He doth know the commodities and discommodities of all kinde of wares which you doe send us. Therefore we would you should credite his sayings both in quantitie of wares and goodnes, as also wherin is most our profit. We see by your letters that your opinion is that the ropemakers should remaine there two yeres more; and that you have provided great plentie of hempe, which we are content withall. But as yet we have solde none of our cables nor halsers, neither is the proofe of them knowen; because the first you sent us were made of flaxe, which are worth no money for after they be once wet they will rotte and moulder away like mosse. And those which you sent us now last, by misfortune there with you at the lading were wette and fretted in many places, and have lost their colour: by meanes whereof they be not so vendible as if they had come well conditioned. Of an hard beginning we trust God will send us a good ending. We hope in your next letters to heare good newes of the proceedings of Master Antonie Jenkinson. We perceive by his letters that Astracan is not so good a Mart towne as the fame hath gone of it: and marvell much that round pewter should be so good, and good chepe there, and from whence it should come. And whereas you write that you wil come for England in our next shippes, we would gladly have you to remaine there untill the next yere following, for the better instruction of our servants there; who have not had so long time of continuance for the language, and knowledge of the people, countrey, and wares as you have had. Neverthelesse if you will needs come away, we have no doubt, but that you will leave good order with our

servants there, namely with Christopher Hodson and Thomas Glover, whom we appoint to remaine there as Agents in your roome, til further order bee taken: not doubting but that they will use themselves so discreetely and wisely in all their doings, as shall be to the worship and benefite of this company. And as we have a good hope in them that they will be carefull, diligent and true in all their doings: so have we no lesse hope in all the rest of our servants there, that they will bee not onely obedient to them (considering what roome they be in) but also will be carefull, paineful, diligent, and true every one in his roome and place for the benefite and profite of the company: That hereafter in the absence of others they may be called and placed in the like roome there or elsewhere. And if you find any to be disobedient and stubborne, and will not be ruled; wee will you shall send him home in our shippes: who shall find such small favour and friendship during the time that he hath to serve, as by his disobedience and evill service hee hath deserved. And whereas Christopher Hodson hath written to come home, as partly he hath good cause, considering the death of his father and mother: yet in regard that Sir George Barne and the Ladie his wife were his special friends in his absence, we doubt not but that he wil remain in the roome, which we have appointed him, if you doe not tarie and remaine there, till farther order be taken : and for his service and paines hee shall be considered, as reason is, as friendly as if his friends were living. Thus we trust you will take such order the one to remaine at the Mosco, and the other at Colmogro, or elsewhere, as most neede is. Thomas Alcocke is desirous to be in the Mosco: neverthelesse you shall find him reasonable to serve where he may doe most good. The 62 robles which you received of John Boucher we have payed him here, and also the 8 robles, which you received the yere before of Christopher Rose, and the money which you received more of George Burton, for the which we have you our debtors. Thus we rest, referring that which is here omitted to the report of the bringer and so God have you in his keeping. Also we would that you should send us in our shippes 200 horseclothes more. The things before written wee would that you should let our servants see and reade, to the intent they may perceive our mindes.

Another letter to the foresaid parties. 1560.

THIS letter before written is the copie of one sent you by Thomas Alcock, trusting that hee was with you long since. The 26 day of the last moneth we received a letter from him, dated in Stockholme in Sweden the 14 day of January, and we perceive by his letter that hee had talked with a Dutch man that came lately from the Mosco, who informed him that our friend Master Antony Jenkinson was returned to the Mosco in September last past, but how farre he had beene, or what he had done, he could not tell. Also he wrote that one John Lucke a Joyner was taken by the Liefelanders, and put in prison. As yet wee have not heard from the sayd John Lucke, nor know not whether he be released out of prison or not. We suppose that by him you wrote some letter which as yet is not come to our hands: so that we thinke hee is yet in prison, or otherwise dispatched out of the way. The fifteenth day of December wee received a letter from Christopher Hodson, dated in the Mosco the 29 of July, by the way of Danske which is in effect a copie of such another received from him in our shippes. You shal understand that we have laden in three good shippes of ours these kind of wares following: to wit, in the Swallowe of London, Master under God Steven Burrow, 34 fardels N° 136 broad short clothes, and foure fardels No 58 Hampshire Kersies: and 23 pipes of bastards and seckes, and 263 pieces of raisins and 4 hogsheds N° 154 pieces of round pewter, and ten hogsheds and poncheons of prunes, and one dryfatte with Almonds. And in the Philip and Marie, Master under God Thomas Wade, 25 fardels N° 100 broad clothes, and three fardels N° 42 Hampshire Kersies, and thirtie pipes of seckes and bastards, and 100 pieces raisins. And in the Jesus of London, Master under God Arthur Pette, 10 fardels N° 40 broade shorte clothes, and twenty seven pipes of bastards and seckes, as by the Invoices herewith inclosed may appeare: Also you shall receive such necessaries as you did write to bee sent for the rope makers: trusting that you shall have better successe with them which you shall send us in these ships, then with the rest which you have sent us yet: for we as yet have sold none of them. And whereas we wrote unto you in our former letter, that we would send you a hundred tunnes of salte, by reason it is so deare here we

doe send you but nine tunnes and a halfe, for it cost here ten pence the bushell the first penie: namely in the Swallow 6 tunnes and a halfe, in the Philip and Marie one tunne and a halfe, and in the Jesus one tunne and a halfe. The 4 hogsheds of round pewter goe in the Swallow and in the Philip and Marie N° 154 pieces, as is aforesaid. We send you three ships, trusting that you have provided according to our former writing good store of lading for them. If yee have more wares then will lade the ships, let it be Traine oyles that you leave behinde: the price is not here so good as it was: it is worth here 9 pound the tunne. We thinke it good you should let the smaller ship bring as much of the traine as she can cary: And that the masters of the ships do looke wel to the romaging, for they might bring away a great deale more then they doe, if they would take paine in the romaging: and bestowe the traine by it selfe, and the waxe and tallowe by it selfe for the leakage of the traine doth fowle the other wares much. As for Allard the skinner, if you thinke good, he may come home in these shippes. We have no doubt but that you Henrie Lane, if you minde to come home now in these ships as you requested, will leave such good order there with our servants as shall bee for our most profite and their preferment, if they doe their dueties diligently and truely. If our friend Master Antonie Jenkinson bee returned, and meane to come away in these ships to declare his mind and opinion of his travaile, if need require and he be so minded he may returne thither by land and be there by the fine of Januarie or before. But as we be uncertaine whether he be returned or not: so we know not what he hath done, nor what benefite may rise hereafter of his travaile. Therefore in this wee remit it to his and your good discretions. Wee send you Thomas Hawtrey which is our servant for yeeres: our minde is he should be placed, where he may doe best service.

Also we send you Nicholas Chancelour to remaine there, who is our apprentice for yeeres: our minde is hee should be set about such businesse as he is most fit for: he hath been kept at writing schoole long: he hath his Algorisme, and hath understanding of keeping of bookes of reckonings. We send you now but 100 Kersies: but against the next yeere, if occasion serve, wee will send you a greater quantitie, according as you shal advise us: One

of the pipes of seckes that is in the Swallow, which hath 2 round compasses upon the bung, is to be presented to the Emperour: for it is special good. The nete waight of the 10 puncheons of prunes is 4300. 2 thirds 1 pound. It is written particularly upon the head of ever puncheon : and the nete weight of the fatte of almonds is 500 li. two quarters. The raisins, prunes, and almonds you were best to dispatch away at a reasonable price, and principally the raisins, for in keeping of them will be great losse in the waight, and the fruit will decay. We thinke it good that you provide against the next yeere for the comming of our shippes 20 or 30 bullockes killed and salted, for beefe is very deare here. Therefore you were best to save some of this salt that we doe send you in these ships for the purpose. The salte of that countrey is not so good. In this you may take the opinion of the masters of the shippes. Foxe skins, white, blacke, and russet will be vendible here. The last yere you sent none: but there were mariners that bought many. If any of the mariners doe buy any trifling furres or other commodities, we will they shall be registred in our pursers bookes, to the intent we may know what they be. We desire to know how the Emperour tooke the letter which we sent in our ships, as an answere to the letter that came in his name and under his seale for the sixe thousand dallers. Thus wee rest, committing you to God, from London the fift day of May 1560.

For lacke of time the governours have not firmed this letter which is the copie of the other two letters firmed by them.

Yours, William Mericke.
Yours, Blase Sanders.

1560.

The maner of Justice by lots in Russia, written by Master Henrie Lane, and executed in a controversie betweene him and one Sheray Costromitskey in Mosco. AFTER the comming home into Russia of Joseph Napea the first ambassadour to Queene Marie, I remaining the Agent there, sundrie Russian marchants by Josephs procurement obtained letters from the Emperour to freight goods and passe in our ships for England: which thing upon good consideration I answered and refused. They were then driven to credite us and compound in value until the next returne. At which time, notwithstanding