The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume Iii Part 25

8 Item, that when G.o.d shall send your goods to sh.o.r.e, presently his people shall helpe vs on land with them.

These articles before written, I trust in G.o.d wil content your minds, vntil your farther letters be hitherto written vnto the Prince, who I am a.s.sured will graunt your farther reasonable requests, which his maiestie hath promised. For I moued the question, declaring vnto him that I thought your worships would write your letters of requests, to craue his farther good will, as should be thought meet for your better a.s.surance in the trade of merchandise: you will hardly beleeue what long and gracious, talke he had with mee, which I a.s.sure you continued two houres, which was strange vnto the people and other merchant strangers. For betwixt euery question that his maiestie moued, when I had answered him, hee would talke with his n.o.bles and other his seruants hauing some knowledge of our Westerne parts and commodities, and then againe would demaund other questions. He caused his Secretarie to write the articles before named, in all of his foure letters giuen me (whereof two as I required, are in the Turkish tongue to be sent you.) On the, backe side of the one, hee hath written what wares his Maiestie would haue you to send him. He held me one houre within night before I departed from him.

These bee the names of the wares or commodities, which on the backe side of one of his letters the Shaugh hath written to you to be sent him.

First, some cloth of Gold, with cloth of Tissue, and cloth of Botky, as Veluets wrought with gold.

Item, good veluets, to wit, crimosins, purples, reds, greenes and blackes.

Those colours his maiestie requireth, for they are most worne. And though there be some of these wares made in his citie of Ca.s.san, yet nothing like in goodnes, to those that you may procure for him. Small profite I thinke will be in these wares: yet for diuers considerations, as also to satisfie the Princes mind, I wish you to send some, and those that be especiall good.

Item, good damasks and sattins of all sortes, with an hundred pieces of good chamlets, which are woorth here 80. shaughs the piece, at sixe pence the shaugh, and those silkes to bee of those colours aboue written, to wit, crimosins, purples, reds, greenes, blackes, with some light watchet colours.

Item, three or foure complete harnesses that wil abide the shot of a handgun with 10. or 12. targets of steele, being good.

Item, ten or twelue good shirts of male being very good or els none, that may abide the shot of an arrow, and two buffe ierkins.

Item, ten or twelue pieces of Westerne karsies, being thicked well and close shut in the weauing, and died into scarlets and fine reds. I thinke there wil be no such cloth for n.o.blemens caps. The prince named them karangies [Marginal note: By the word Karangies, I thinke they meane Karsies.], saying, that maidens did make them, and is desirous of them.

Item, six pieces of fine Holland cloth for the Prince, with some other for n.o.blemen, of a lower price.

Item, twentie handguns being good, some of them with fire lockes, and also six good dags, with locks to trauell withall.

Item 100. brusshes for garments (none made of swines haire,) for gifts, and otherwise to be sold.

Item, six stone bowes that shoot lead pellets.

Item, a mill to grind corne in the field as they goe, finely deuised: for Cozomomet willed me to write for one to be sent, to giue the Prince.

Item, the Prince requireth of all sortes and colours of London clothes. I wish you to send no lesse then 40. or 50. for I know they will be sold to profit, especially such cloth as may be affoorded for 20. shaughs the arshine, which is longer by two of mine inches then Russia arshine is. Let there be fine skarlets, violets in graine, fine reds, blacks, browne blewes, foure or fiue of euery sort, for the Prince and other lords: the rest of other colours liuely to the sight, as London russets, tawnies, lion colours, good liuely greenes, with other, as you shall thinke good: for the prince desireth to see of all sorts, which will be an occasion that the Venetians and Turkes shall bee in lesse estimation then they are: for they themselues do feare, and secretly say the same. And truely the Princes subiects intend to enter into trade with vs for spices and other commodities that they were woont to sell vnto the Venetians and Turkes.

Thus I commit you all to G.o.d, who send you health with increase of worship.

Written in Astracan the 16. of Iune, 1567.

By your seruant during life to command,

Arthur Edwards.

Distances of certaine places in Russia.

The way from Saint Nicholas Baie to Mosco.

versts To Colmogro 100 To Vstiug 500 To Totma 250 To Vologhda 250 All by the riuer of Dwina 1100

To Yenslaue 180 To Rostoue 60 To Pecaslaue 60 To Mosko 120 By land East and West 440

The way from Mosko to Smolensko.

To Moram 300 To Smolensko 200

The way from Mosko to Nouogrod.

To Ottuer 180 To Torzhoke 60 To Wisnouolloko 60 To Nouogrod 150 Southeast and Northwest 450

The way from Nouogrod to Narue

To Teseua 50 To the Friers 60 To Yria Niagorod 40 To Narue 15 Southwest and Northeast 165

From Nouogrod to Vobsky, is 180. versts by East.

The way from Vobski to Ry in Liefland.

versts To Newhouse 50 To Gouen on the borders To Wenden To Trecado Al is 200 To Newslot versts.

To Rie

The way from Mosco to Astracan.

To Costrom To Nisnoaogrod To Cazan To Astracan in all is 2800 versts

The way from Vologhda to Narue.

To Belozerco 140 To Batag 80 To Witergen 40 To Ladiski 60 To Onega lake 80 To Oher 90 To Narue 180 Southwest and Northeast 770 versts

To go with a small boat within the land from S. Nicholas to Wardhouse.

To Newnox riuer To Ousca Gouba To Lobshanga To Oust Nauelocki To Wardhouse To Orlouanos in To Solusca Monasterie all 800.

To Candelox versts To Oust Colla Northwest To Zhemaker and Southeast To Poganna Volocki To Chibe Nanolocke To Kegor

The way from Colmogro to Mixemske Sloboda, where the Samoeds keep their Mart.

To Vst Pinnego To Palango To Vescom To Soyaua Al is 230 versts To Coula To Nendega To Lampas To Sloboda

The way to Vromo from Mazemske Sloboda, where the Losh hides are gotten.

To Lampas All is 115. versts To Pogorel Northeast and To Zapolle Southwest.

To Vromo

The way and distances from Saint Nicholas, to the Caspian Sea.

If you goe straight from Saint Nicholas, to the Caspian Sea, you must goe to Vologhda by water, as by the easiest pa.s.sage, and that is accomplished, pa.s.sing day and night, in foureteene dayes and foureteene nights, in boates cut out of a tree: (the boates are called Stroogs) 1100. versts it is.

By horse and sleds in 8. dayes you may pa.s.se it in Winter. In Summer the way is dangerous by meanes of marishes and bogs, and not safely then to be pa.s.sed. Then from Vologhda to Yeraslaue 180. versts ouer land. This Yeraslaue standeth vpon the riuer of Volga, 180. versts I say distant from Vologhda.

To the Caspian sea are 2700. versts from Yeraslaue.

So from S. Nicholas to the Caspian sea, are 3800. 80. versts.