The Charter of the Marchants of Russia
, graunted upon the discoverie of the saide Countrey, by King Philipe and Queene Marie.
PHILIP and Marie, by the grace of God King and Queene,
&c. To all manner of officers, true Jurie men, ministers
and subjects, and to all other people as well within this
our Realme or elsewhere under our obeysance, jurisdiction,
and rule, or otherwise unto whome these our letters shall
bee shewed, seene, or read, greeting.
Whereas wee be credibly informed, that our right
trustie, right faithfull, and welbeloved Counsailors,
William Marques of Winchester Lord high Treasurer
of this our
Realme of England, Henrie Earle of Arundel
Lord Steward of our housholde, John Earle of Bedford
Lord keeper of our privie Seale, William Earle of Pembroke, William Lorde Howard of Effingham Lorde high
Admirall of our saide
Realme of England, &c. Have at
their owne adventure, costs and charges, provided, rigged,
and tackled certaine ships, pinnesses, and other meete
vessels, and the same furnished with all things necessary
have advanced and set forward, for to discover, descrie,
and finde Iles, landes, territories, Dominions, and Seigniories unknowen, and by our subjects before this not
commonly by sea frequented, which by the sufferance
and grace of Almightie God, it shall chaunce them sailing
Northwards, Northeastwards, and Northwestwards, or
any partes thereof, in that race or course which other
Christian Monarches (being with us in league and amitie)
have not heeretofore by Seas traffiqued, haunted, or
frequented, to finde and attaine by their said adventure,
as well for the glorie of God, as for the illustrating of
our honour and dignitie royall, in the increase of the
revenues of our Crowne, and generall wealth of this and
other our Realmes and Dominions, and of our subjects
of the same: And to this intent our subjects above
specified and named, have most humbly beseeched us,
that our abundant grace, favour and clemencie may be
gratiously extended unto them in this behalfe: Whereupon wee inclined to the petition of the foresaide our
Counsailours, subjects and marchants, and willing to
animate, advance, further and nourish them in their said
godlie, honest, and good purpose, and, as we hope,
profitable adventure, and that they may the more willingly, and readily atchieve the same. Of our especiall
grace, certaine knowledge and meere motion, have
graunted, and by these presents doe graunt, for us, our
heires and successours, unto our said right trustie, and
right faithfull, and right welbeloved Counsailours, and
the other before named persons, that they by the name
of marchants adventurers of England, for the discovery
of lands, territories, Iles, Dominions, and Seigniories
unknowen, and not before that late adventure or enterprise by sea or Navigation, commonly frequented as
aforesaid, shalbe from henceforth one bodie and perpetuall
fellowship and communaltie of themselves, both in deede
and in name, and them, by the names of Marchants
adventurers for the discoverie of lands, territories, Iles
& seigniories unknowen, and not by the seas, and Navigations, before their saide late adventure or enterprise
by sea or Navigation commonly frequented, We doe
incorporate, name, and declare by these presents, and
that the same fellowship or communalty from henceforth
shalbe, and may have one Governour of the saide fellowship, and communaltie of Marchants adventurers.
And in consideration that one Sebastian Cabota hath
bin the chiefest setter forth of this journey or voyage,
therefore we make, ordeine, and constitute him the said
Sebastian to be the first and present governour of the
same fellowship and communaltie, by these presents. To
have and enjoy the said office of Governour, to him the
said Sebastian Cabota during his naturall life, without
amoving or dimissing from the same roome.
And furthermore, we graunt unto the same fellowship
and communaltie and their successors, that they the saide
fellowship and communaltie, and their successors after
the decease of the saide Sebastian Cabota, shall, and
may freely and lawfully in places convenient and honest,
assemble themselves together, or so many of them as
will or can assemble together, as well within our citie
of London, or elsewhere, as it shall please them, in such
sort and maner, as other worshipfull corporations of our
saide citie have used to assemble, and there yeerely name,
elect and choose one Governour or two, of themselves,
and their liberties, and also as well yeerely during the
natural life of the said Sebastian Cabota now Governour,
as also at the election of such saide Governour or governours before his decease, to choose, name and appoint
eight and twenty of the most sad, discreete, and honest
persons of the saide fellowship, and communaltie of
Marchant adventurers, as is above specified, and 4. of
the most expert and skilfull persons of the same 28. to
be named and called Consuls, and 24. of the residue, to
be named and called Assistants to the saide Governour
or governours, and Consuls for the time being, which
shal remaine and stand in their authorities for one whole
yeere then next following. And if it shall fortune the
saide Governour, Consuls, and assistants, or any of them
so to be elected, and chosen as is aforesaid, to die within
the yeere after his or their election, that then and so
often, it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said
fellowship, and communalty, to elect and choose of themselves other Governour or governours, Consuls and
assistants, in the place and steade of such as so shall
happen to die, to serve out the same yeere.
And further we do make, ordeine, and constitute George
Barnes knight and Alderman of our Citie of London,
William Garret Alderman of our saide Citie, Anthonie
Husie, and John Suthcot, to be the first and present 4.
Consuls of the said felowship and communalty by these
presents, to have and enjoy the said offices of Consuls to
them the said George Barnes, William Garret, Anthony
Husie, & John Suthcot, for terme of one whole yere next
after ye date of these our letters patents: And we doe
likewise make, ordeine, and constitute Sir John Gresham
knight, Sir Andrew Judde knight, Sir Thomas White
knight, Sir John Yorke knight, Thomas Offley the elder,
Thomas Lodge, Henry Herdson, John Hopkins, William
Watson, Will. Clifton
, Richard Pointer, Richard Chamberlaine, William Mallorie, Thomas Pallie the elder,
William Allen, Henry Becher, Geffrey Walkenden,
Richard Fowles, Rowland Heyward, George Eaton, John
Ellot, John Sparke, Blase Sanders, & Miles Mording,
to be the first and present 24. Assistants to the saide
Governour or governours, and Consuls, and to the said
fellowship and communaltie by these presents, to have
and enjoy the said offices of assistants to them for terme
of one whole yere, next after the date of these our letters
patents. And further, we for us, our heires and successors, as much as in us is, wil & graunt by these presents
unto the saide Governour, Consuls, assistans, fellowship
& company of Marchants adventurers aforesaid, & to
their successors, that the said governour or governours,
4. Consuls, & 24. assistants, that now by these patents
are nominated and appointed, or that hereafter by the
saide fellowship & communaltie of marchants adventurers,
or the more part of them, which shalbe then present,
so from time to time to be chosen, so that there be 15.
at the least wholy agreed therof, the said Governour or
governors, or one of them, and 2. of the said Consuls
shalbe there, and 12. of the residue of the said number
of 15. shall be of the saide assistants, and in the absence
of such Governour, that then 3. of the said Consuls, and
12. of the saide assistants at the least for the time being
shal & may have, use and exercise ful power and authority
to rule and governe all and singuler the Marchants of
the said fellowship and communaltie, and to execute and
doe full and speedie justice to them, and every of them,
in all their causes, differences, variances, controversies,
quarrels, and complaints, within any our realmes,
dominions & jurisdictions onely moved, and to be moved
touching their marchandise, traffikes, and occupiers
aforesaid, or the good order or rule of them or any of
them.
Also wee for us, our heires and successours, so much
as in us is, doe likewise by these presents graunt, that
the said Governour, Consuls, assistants, fellowship and
communaltie, and their successors shall and may have
perpetuall succession, and a common Seale which shall
perpetually serve for the affaires and businesse of the
saide fellowship and communaltie. And that they and
their successours, shall and may bee for ever able persons,
and capax in the lawe, for to purchase and possesse in
fee and perpetuitie, and for terme of life or lives, or for
terme of yeeres or otherwise, lands, tenements, rents,
reversions, and other possessions, and hereditaments
whatsoever they bee, by the name of the Governour,
Consuls, assistants, fellowship and communaltie of the
Marchants adventurers by Seas and Navigations for the
discoverie of landes, territories, Iles, Dominions, and
Seigniories unknowen, and before the saide last adventure
or enterprise by seas not frequented, as before is specified,
and by the same names shall and may lawfully alien,
graunt, let and set the same or any part thereof to any
person or persons able in the lawe to take and receive
the same. So that they doe not graunt nor alien the
same, or any part thereof into mortmaine, without speciall
licence of us, our heires or successours, first had and
obtained.
Also wee for us, our heires and successours have
graunted, and by these presents doe graunt unto the
saide Governours, Consuls, assistants, fellowship and
communaltie of the saide Marchants and to their successours, that they and their successours, shall and may
lawfully purchase unto them and their successors for ever,
landes, tenements and hereditaments whatsoever, of the
cleare yeerely value of threescore sixe pounds, thirteene
shillings & foure pence of lawful money of England and
not above, as well of such lands, tenements and hereditaments, as bee holden or shall be holden of us, our heires
or successours, as of any other person or persons, the
statutes provided against alienations into mortmaine, or
any of them, or any article or clause in them or any of
them contained, or any other lawe, custome, statute or
provision to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
And that they by the name of the Governour, Consuls,
assistants, fellowship and communaltie of Marchants
adventurers, for the discoverie of lands territories, Isles,
dominions and Seigniories unknowen by the Seas and
Navigations, and not before the said late adventure or
enterprise by seas frequented as aforesaid, shall and may
be able in the law to implead, and be impleaded, to
answere, and to be answered, to defende, and to be
defended before whatsoever Judge or Justice, temporall
or spirituall, or other persons whatsoever, in whatsoever
court, or courts, and in all actions personall, reall, and
mixt, and in every of them, and in all plaints of novel
disseison, and also in all plaints, suites, quarels, affaires,
businesses and demaunds whatsoever they bee, touching
and concerning the saide fellowship and communaltie, and
the affaires and businesse of the same onely, in as ample
manner and forme, as any other corporation of this our
Realme may doe.
Moreover, wee for us, our heires and successours, have
given and graunted, and by these presents doe give and
graunt unto the said Governour, Consuls, assistants,
fellowshippe, and communaltie of Marchants adventurers
aforesaide, and to their successours, that the saide Governour, or Governours, Consuls and assistants, and their
successors, in maner, forme, and number afore rehearsed,
shall have full power and authoritie from time to time
hereafter, to make, ordein, establish and erect all such
statutes, actes and ordinaunces, for the governement,
good condition, and laudable rule of the saide fellowship
and communaltie of Marchants adventurers aforesaid, as
to them shall bee thought good, meete, convenient and
necessarie, and also to admit unto the saide Corporation
and fellowship to be free of the same, such and as many
persons, as to them shal bee thought good, meete, convenient and necessarie. And that every such person or
persons, as shall fortune heereafter to bee admitted into
the saide fellowshippe, communaltie and corporation, shal
from the time of his or their admittance, be free of the
same. And also wee will, and by these presents graunt
for us, our heires and successours, unto the saide Governours, Consuls, assistants, fellowship, communaltie of
Marchants adventurers aforesaid, and to their successours, that the Governour, or governors, Consuls and
assistants of the same, in maner, forme, and number
afore rehearsed, and their successours for the time being,
shall, and may have full power and authoritie by these
presents from time to time, as to them shal seeme good,
to limite, set, ordeine and make, mulcts, and penalties
by fines, forfeitures, & imprisonments, or any of them
upon any offender of the saide fellowship and communaltie, for any offence touching the same fellowship
and communaltie, and also that all acts and ordinances
by them or their successours to bee made, which time
shall thinke not necessarie or prejudiciall to the saide
fellowship or communaltie, at al times to revoke, breake,
frustrate, annihilate, repeale and dissolve at their pleasure
and liberty. And further, wee will, that if any of the
saide fellowship and communaltie shalbe found contrarious, rebellious, or disobedient to the saide Governour
or governours, Consuls, and the said assistants for the
time being, or to any statutes, acts or ordinances by
them made or to be made, that then the saide Governour
or governours, Consuls, and the saide assistants, in
maner, forme, and number above specified, for the time
being, shall and may by vertue of these presents, mulct,
and punish every such offender or offenders, as the quality
of the offence requireth, according to their good discretions.
And further, we will that none of the saide offender
or offenders shall decline from the power of the saide
Governour, or governours, Consuls and assistants, in
maner, forme, and number abovesaide for the time being:
so alwayes, that the saide actes, statutes and ordinances,
doe onely touch and concerne the saide Governour or
governours, Consuls, assistants, and the saide fellowship
and communaltie of our before named Marchants
adventurers, or the men of the same fellowship and
communaltie, and none other; And so alwayes, that such
their acts, statutes and ordinances bee not against our
prerogative, lawes, statutes, and customes of our realmes
and Dominions, nor contrary to the severall duetie of any
our subjects towards us, our heires and successours, nor
contrarie to any compacts, treaties or leagues, by us or
any our progenitours heretofore had or made, or hereafter
by us, our heires and successours to bee made, to or with
any forreine Prince or potentate, nor also to the prejudice
of the corporation of the Maior, communalties and
Citizens of our Citie of London, nor to the prejudice of
any person or persons, bodie politique, or corporate, or
incorporate, justly pretending, clayming, or having any
liberties, franchises, priviledges, rightes or preheminences,
by vertue or pretext of anie graunt, gift, or Letters
patents, by us, or anie our Progenitours, heeretofore
given, graunted, or made.
Moreover, we for us, our heires, and successours, will,
and by these presents, doe graunt unto the said Governors, Consuls, assistants, fellowship and communaltie of
our Marchants aforesaid, that their said Governour or
governours, Consuls and assistants, and their successors
for the time being, in maner, forme and number above
rehearsed, shal have full power and authority to assigne,
constitute and ordaine one officer, or divers officers as
well within our aforesaide Citie of London, as also in any
other place or places of this our
Realme of England, or
else where within our dominions, which officer or officers,
wee will to be named and called by the name of Sergeant
or Sergeants to the fellowship or communalty of the said
marchants, and that the said sergeant or sergeants, shall
and may have full power and authoritie by these presents,
to take, levie and gather all maner fines, forfeitures,
penalties and mulcts of every person and persons, of the
saide fellowship and communaltie convict, and that shalbe
convicted, upon or for breaking of any statutes, acts,
ordinances, to bee made by the saide Governour or
governours, Consuls and assistants for the time being.
And further, wee will and also graunt for us, our
heires and successours, that the saide officer or officers
shall have further power and authoritie for the default of
payment, or for disobedience in this behalfe (if neede be)
to set hands and arrest aswell the bodie and bodies, as
the goods and chattels of such offender, and offenders,
& transgressers, in every place and places not franchised.
And if it shall fortune any such offender or offenders,
their goods and chattels or any part thereof, to be in any
citie, borough, towne incorporate, or other place franchised or priviledged, where the said officer or officers
may not lawfully intromit or intermeddle, that then the
Maior, shirifes, baylifes, and other head officers, or
ministers, within every such citie, borough, towne
incorporate or place or places franchised, upon a precept
to them, or any of them, to be directed from the governour
or governours, Consuls and assistants of the said fellowship, in number and forme aforesaid, under the common
seale of the sayd fellowship and communaltie for the time
being, shall and may attach & arrest the body or bodies
of such offender or offenders, as also take, and seise
the goods and chattels of all and every such offender
or offenders, being within any such place or places
franchised, and the same body and bodies, goods and
chattels of all and every such offender and offenders,
being within any such place or places franchised, and
every part therof so attached and seazed, shall according
to the tenor and purport of the sayd precept, returne,
and deliver unto the sayd officer or officers of the aforesaid
fellowship, and communaltie.
And further, we will and grant for us, our heires and
successours by these presents, that all, and every such
Maior, shirife, baylife, or other head officers or ministers
of any citie, borough, towne, incorporate, or other places
franchised, shall not be impeached, molested, vexed or
sued in any our court or courts, for executing or putting
in execution of any of the said precept or precepts.
And furthermore, we of our ample and abundant grace,
meere motion, & certaine knowledge, for us, our heires,
and successors, as much as in us is, have given and
granted, and by these presents doe give and grant unto
the sayd governour, Consuls, assistants, fellowship, and
comminaltie of Marchants adventurers, and to their
successors, and to the Factor and Factors, assigne and
assignes of every of them, ful and free authoritie, libertie,
facultie and licence, and power to saile to all portes,
regions, dominions, territories, landes, Isles, Islands, and
coastes of the sea, wheresoever before their late adventure
or enterprise unknowen, or by our Marchants and subjects
by the seas not heretofore commonly frequented, under
our banner, standerd, flags and ensignes, with their
shippe, ships, barke, pinnesses, and all other vessels of
whatsoever portage, bulke, quantitie or qualitie they may
be, and with any Mariners, and men as they will leade
with them in such shippe or shippes, or other vessels at
their owne and proper costs and expences, for to traffique,
descrie, discover and finde, whatsoever Isle, Islands,
countreis, regions, provinces, creekes, armes of the sea,
rivers & streames, as wel of Gentiles, as of any other
Emperor, king, prince, governor or Lord whatsoever he
or they shalbe, and in whatsoever part of the world they
be situated, being before the sayd late adventure or
enterprise unknowen, and by our Marchants and subjects
not commonly frequented: and to enter and land in the
same, without any maner of denying, paine, penaltie or
forfeiture to be had or taken by anie our lawes, customes
or statutes to our use, or to the use of our heires or
successors for the same.
And we have also granted, and by these presents, for
us, our heires and successors, doe graunt unto the sayd
Governours, Consuls, assistants, fellowship and comminalty, and to their successours, and to their Factors
and assignes, and to every of them, licence for to reare,
plant, erect, and fasten our banners, standards, flags,
and Ensignes, in whatsoever citie, towne, village, castle,
Isle, or maine lande, which shall be by them newly found,
without any the penalties, forfeitures, or dangers aforesayde, and that the sayd fellowship and comminalty, and
their successors, Factors & assignes and every of them
shall and may subdue, possesse, and occupie, all maner
cities, townes, Isles, and maine lands of infidelitie, which
is or shall be by them, or any of them newly founde or
descried, as our vassals and subjects, and for to acquire
and get the Dominion, title, and jurisdiction of the same
Cities, Townes, Castles, Villages, Isles, and maine landes,
which shall bee by them, or any of them newly discovered
or found unto us, our heires and successours for ever.
And furthermore, whereas by the voyage of our subjects
in this last yeere attempted by Navigation, towards the
discoverie and disclosure of unknowen places, Realmes,
Islandes, and Dominions by the seas not frequented, it
hath pleased Almighty God to cause one of the three
shippes by them set foorth for the voyage, and purpose
above mentioned, named the Edward Bonaventure, to
arrive, abide, and winter within the Empire and dominions
of the high and mightie Prince our cousin and brother,
Lord John Basilivich Emperour of all Russia
, Volodomer,
great duke of Moscovie, &c. Who, of his clemencie,
for our love and zeale, did not onely admitte the Captaine,
and marchants our subjects into his protection, and
Princely presence, but also received and intertained them
very graciously, and honourably, granting unto them by
his letters addressed unto us, franke accesse into all his
Seigniories and dominions, with licence freely to traffique
in and out with all his Subjects in all kinde of Marchandise, with divers other gracious priviledges, liberties, and
immunities specified in his sayde letters under his Signet:
Know yee therefore that wee of our further royall favour
and munificence, of our meere motion, certaine knowledge,
and speciall grace, for us our heires and successours,
have given and graunted, and by these presents doe give
and grant unto the same Governours, Consuls, assistants,
fellowship, and comunalty above named, and to their
successours, as much as in us is, that all the mayne
landes, Isles, portes, havens, creekes, and rivers of the
said mighty Emperour of all Russia
, and great duke of
Mosco, &c. And all and singuler other lands, dominions,
territories, Isles, Portes, havens, creekes, rivers, armes
of the sea, of al and every other Emperor, king, prince,
ruler and governor, whatsoever he or they before the
said late adventure or enterprise not knowen, or by our
foresayd marchants and subjects by the seas, not commonly frequented, nor by any part nor parcell thereof
lying Northwards, Northeastwards, or Northwestwards,
as is aforesayd, by sea shall not be visited, frequented,
nor hanted by any our subjects, other then of the sayd
company and felowship, and their successours without
expresse licence, agreement and consent of the Governour,
Consuls, and Assistants of the said felowship and communaltie above named, or the more part of them, in
manner and number aforesayd, for the time being, upon
paine of forfeiture and losse, as well of the shippe and
shippes, with the appurtenances, as also of all the goods,
marchandises, and things whatsoever they be, of those
our subjects, not being of the sayd felowship and communalty, which shall attempt or presume to saile to any
of those places, which bee, or hereafter shall happen to
bee found, and traffiked unto: the one halfe of the same
forfeiture to be to the use of us, our heires and successors,
and the other halfe to be to the use of the sayd fellowship
and communaltie. And if it shall fortune anie stranger
or strangers, for to attempt to hurt, hinder, or endamage
the same marchants, their factors, deputies or assignes,
or any of them in sailing, going or returning at any
time in the sayd adventure, or for to saile or trade to
or from any those places, landes or coastes, which by
the sayd marchants, their factors, deputies and assignes
have bene, or shall bee descried, discovered and found,
or frequented, aswell within the coastes and limites of
gentility, as within the dominions and Seigniories of the
sayd mighty Emperour and Duke, and of all and every
other Emperour, King, Prince, Ruler and governour
whatsoever he or they be, before the sayd late adventure
or enterprise not knowen by any our said marchants and
subjects, by the seas not commonly frequented, and lying
Northwards, Northwestwards or Northeastwards as aforesaid, then wee will and grant, and by these presents doe
licence, and authorise for us, our heires and successors,
the said marchants, their factors, deputies, and assignes,
and every of them to doe their best in their defence, to
resist the same their enterprises and attempts. Willing
therefore, and straightly commanding and charging al
and singuler our Officers, Maiors, Sherifes, Escheators,
Constables, Bailifes, and all and singuler other our
ministers and liege men, and subjects whatsoever, to bee
aiding, favouring, helping & assisting unto the sayd
governour or governours, Consuls, assistants, fellowship
and communalty, and to their successeors and deputies,
factors, servants, and assignes, and to the deputies,
factors and assignes of every of them, in executing and
enjoying the premisses, as well on land as in the sea,
from time to time, and at all times when you or any of
you shall be thereunto required. In witnesse whereof, &c.
