The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 03
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
As touching the trade of Shamaky in Media and Tebris, with other townes in
Persia, I haue enquired, and do well vnderstand, that it is euen like to
the trades of Tartaria, that is little vtterance, and small profite: and I
haue bene aduertised that the chiefe trade of Persia is into Syria, and so
transported into the Leuant sea. The fewe shippes vpon the Caspian Seas,
the want of Mart and port Townes, the pouertie of the people, and the ice,
maketh that trade naught.
At Astracan there were merchants of Shamaky, with whom I offered to barter,
and to giue them kersies for their wares, but they would not, saying, they
had them as good cheape in their countrey, as I offred them, which was sixe
rubbles for a kersie, that I asked: and while I was at Boghar, there were
brought thither out of Persia, Cloth, and diuers commodities of our
countries, which were sold as good cheape, as I might sell ours.
The tenth day of Iune we departed from Astracan towards the Mosco, hauing
an hundred gunners in our company at the Emperors charges, for the safe
conduct at the Tartar Ambassadors and me. And the eight and twentieth day
of Iuly folowing, wee arriued at the citie of Cazan, hauing bene vpon the
way from Astracan thither, sixe weekes and more, without any refreshing of
victuals: for in all that way there is no habitation.
[Sidenote: His arriual at Mosco the 2. of September.] The seuenth of August
folowing, wee departed from Cazan, and transported our goods by water, as
farre as the citie of Morum, and then by land; so that the second of
September, we arriued at the citie of Mosco, and the fourth day I came
before the Emperours Maiestie, kissed his hand, and presented him a white
Cowes taile of Cathay, and a drumme of Tartária, which he well accepted.
Also I brought before him all the Ambassadors that were committed to my
charge, with all the Russe slaues: and that day I dined in his Maiesties
presence, and at dinner his Grace sent me meate by a Duke, and asked me
diuers questions touching the lands and countreis where I had bene. And
thus I remained at the Mosco about your affaires, vntil the 17. day of
February that your wares were sent downe: and then hauing a license of the
Emperors Maiestie to depart, the 21. day I came to your house at Vologhda,
and there remained vntil the breaking vp of the yere: and then hauing seene
all your goods laden into your boates, I departed, with the same, and
arriued withall in safetie at Colmogro the 9. of May 1560. And here I cease
for this time, intreating you to heare with this my large discourse, which
by reason of the varietie of matter, I could make no shorter, and I beseech
God to prosper all your attempts.
The latitudes of certaine principall places in Russia, and other Regions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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