A Copie of the First Privileges Graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the English Marchants
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| Date | 1555 |
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Entry
IN THE YEERE 1555.' [Hakluyt, Principal Navigations, Vol. II., pp. 297-303.] John Vasilivich, by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, great duke of Novogrode, Moscovia, etc. To all people that shal see, reade, heare or understand these presents, greeting. Forasmuch as God hath planted al realmes and dominions in the whole world with sundry commodities, so as the one hath nede of the amity and commodities of the other, and by means therof traffike is used from one to another, and amity therby increased : and for that as amongst men nothing is more to be desired than amity, without the which no creature being of a naturall good disposition can live in quietnes, so that it is as troublesome to be utterly wanting, as it is perceived to be grievous to the body to lacke aire, fire, or any other necessaries most requisite for the conservation and maintenance thereof in health : consider- ing also how needful merchandize is, which furnisheth men of all that which is convenient for their living and nouriture, for their clothing, trimming, the satisfying of their delights, and all other things convenient and profitable for them, and that merchandize bringeth the same commodities from divers quarters in so great abundance, as by meanes thereof nothing is lacking in any part, and that all things be in every place (where entercourse of merchandizes is received and imbraced) generally in such sort, as amity thereby is entered into, and planted to con- tinue, and the injoyers thereof be as men living in a golden world : Upon those respects and other weighty and good considerations, us hereunto moving, and chiefly upon the contemplation of the gratious letters directed from the right high, right excellent, and right mighty Queene Mary, by the grace of God Queene of England, France, etc. in the favour of her subjects, merchants, the governour, consuls, assistants, and communaltie of merchants adventurers for discovery of lands, etc. Know ye therefore that we of our grace speciall, meere motion and certaine knowledge, have given and graunted, and by these presents for us, our heires and successours, do give and grant as much as in us is and lieth, unto Sebastian Cabota Governour, Sir George Barnes knight, etc. Consuls : Sir John Gresham, etc. Assistants, and to the communaltie of the aforenamed fellow- ship, and to their successours for ever, and to the successours of everie of them, these articles, graunts, immunities, franchises, liberties and privileges, and every of them hereafter following, expressed and declared. Videlicet.
1. First, we for us, our heires and successours, do by these presentes give and graunt free licence, facultie, authority and power unto the said Governour, Consuls, Assistants and communalty of the said fellowship, and to their successors for ever, that all and singular the marchants of the same company, their Agents, factours, doers of their businesse, atturneys, servants, and ministers, and every of them may at all times hereafter for ever more surely, freely and safely with their shippes, merchandizes, goods and things whatsoever saile, come and enter into all and singular our lands, countreis, dominions, cities, townes, villages, castles, portes, jurisdictions and destraicts by sea, land or fresh waters, and there tary, abide and sojourne, and buy, sell, barter and change all kind of merchandizes with al maner of marchants and people, of whatsoever nation, rite, condition, state or degrees they be, and with the same or other ships, wares, merchandizes, goods and things whatsoever they be, unto other empires, kingdomes, dukedomes, parts, and to any other place or places at their pleasure and liberty by sea, land or fresh waters may depart, and exercise all kinde of merchandizes in our empire and dominions, and every part thereof freely and quietly without any restraint, impeachment, price, exaction, prest, straight custome, toll, imposition, or subsidie to be demanded, taxed or paid, or at any time hereafter to be demanded, taxed, set, levied, or inferred upon them or any of them, or upon their goods, ships, wares, merchandizes and things, of, for or upon any part or parcell thereof, or upon the goods, ships, wares, merchandizes, and things of any of them, so that they shall not need any other safe conduct or licence generall ne speciall of us, our heires or successours, neither shall be bound to aske any safe conduct or licence in any of the aforesaid places subject unto us. 2. Item, we give and graunt to the said marchants this power and liberty, that they, ne any of them, ne their goods, wares, merchandizes or things, ne any part thereof, shal be by any meanes within our dominions, landes, countreyes, castles, townes, villages, or other place or places of our jurisdiction, at any time, heereafter attached, staied, arrested ne disturbed for anie debt, duetie or other thing, for the which they be not principall debters or sureties, ne also, for any offence or trespasse committed, or that shall be committed, but onely for such as they or any of them shall actually commit, and the same offences (if any such happen) shall be by us onely heard and determined. 3. Item, we give and graunt, that the said Marchants, shal and may have free libertie, power, and authoritie to name, choose and assigne brokers, shippers, packers, weighers, measurers, wagoners, and all other meet and necessary laborers for to serve them in their feat of merchandizes, and minister and give unto them and every of them a corporall othe, to serve them well and truely in their offices, and finding them or any of them doing contrary to his or their othe, may punish and dismisse them, and from time to time choose, sweare and admit other in their place or places, without contradiction, let, vexation or disturbance, either of us, our heires or successors, or of any other our Justices, officers, ministers or subjects whatsoever. 4. Item, we give and graunt unto the saide Marchants and their successours, that such person as is, or shalbe commended unto us, our heirs or successours by the Governour, Consuls and assistants of the said fellowship resiant within the citie of London within the realme of England, to be their chiefe Factor within this our empire and dominions, may and shal have ful power and authoritie to governe and rule all Englishmen that have had or shall have accesse or repaire in or to this said Empire and jurisdictions, or any part thereof, and shal and may minister unto them and every of them good justice in all their causes, plaints, quarrels and disorders betweene them moved, and assemble, deliberate, consult, conclude, define, determine and make such actes, and ordinances, as he so commended with his Assistants shall thinke good and meete for the good order, government and rule of the said Marchants, and all other Englishmen repairing to this our saide empire and dominions, or any parte thereof, and to set and levie upon all, and every Englishmen, offender or offenders, of such their acts and ordinances made, and to be made, penalties and mulcts by fine or imprisonment.
5. If it happen, that any of the said Marchants or other Englishman, as one or more doe rebell against such chiefe Factor or Factors or his or their deputies, and will not dispose him or themselves to obey them and every of them as shall appertaine, if the saide Rebels or disobedients doe come, and bee founde in our saide Empire and jurisdictions, or any part and place thereof, then wee promise and graunt, that all and every our officers, ministers and subjects shall effectually ayde and assist the saide chiefe Factour or Factours, and their deputies, and for their power shall really woorke, to bring such rebell or disobedient, rebels or disobedients, to due obedience : And to that intent shall lende unto the same Factour or Factours, and their deputies upon request therefore to be made, prisons and instruments for punishments from time to time. 6. Item, we promise unto the same Marchants, and their successours upon their request to exhibite and doe unto them good, exact and favourable justice, with expedition in all their causes, and that when they or any of them shall have accesse, or come to or before any of our Justices, for any their plaints mooved and to bee mooved betweene any our subjects or other stranger and them or any of them, that then they shalbe first and forthwith heard, as soon as the party which they shal find before our Justices shalbe depeached, which party being of marchandise in as large and ample maner as any other merchaunt straungers have or of right ought to have within the same, this Order aforesaid or any thing therin conteyned to the contrarye notwithstanding.
This Decre was made and gyven at Westminster, the xxiiijth of February, in the sixte yere of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lord, King Edward the Sixte.
