The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
into the trade of Lappia, others will preuent them.] To which I answere,
that if they deal not that waies, & that with speede they seeke not to
preuent others that mean to deale there, although not English men, let them
then not thinke long to haue any profitable trade in Russia: for the
greater part of that benefit wil be wiped from them, or 5 yeere to an end,
as I will shew good reason, if I be demanded the question. [Sidenote: The
trade of Vedagoba.] Therefore if they will maintaine the Russia trade with
aduantage, then ought they to looke to this in time, so may they keepe the
Russia trade as it is, and likewise make a trade in Lappia more profitable
then that, and therefore this is to bee considered, rather then to
prohibite Englishmen from the trade of Vedagoba. For if they looke not to
this, and that in time, they may be likened (if it might be without offence
spoken) to two dogs that striue for the bone whiles the third run away with
it: and yet mean I not otherwise, but in such order, as not Englishmen
only, but also Hollanders, Brabanders, & others may be iustly and vtterly
put from the trade in Lappia, and the company to keepe the whole trades to
themselues without interruption of any, to their great benefit, which I
wish from the bottome of my heart, as euer I wished wealth to mine owne
person: And thereby hold me excused in the third case I write of.
[Sidenote: He can say somewhat though not much.] And for the fourth as
touching my iudgment, as I confesse it is not very deepe, so I thanke God I
am not vtterly without vnderstanding (although I be poore) and therefore
peraduenture holden out of reputation, yet God doth distribute his gifts as
it pleaseth him. I haue seen wise men poore in my time, & foolish men rich,
and some men haue more knowledge then they can vtter by speech, which,
fault was once obiected against me by a learned man of this realme: but
surely how weak soeuer my vtterance is, my meaning is faithful and true,
and I wish in my heart to your laudable company al the gaine that may be,
or els I pray God to confound me as a false dissembler. [Sidenote: 1183
barrels of oyle bough by others. Colt sold 27 barrels to a Hollander.] It
greeueth me to see how of late they haue bin brought to great charges,
beating the bush, as the old terme is, & other men taking the birds: this
last yere hauing in Lappia 2 ships, as I am partly informed, they both
brought not much aboue 300 barrels of traine oile, yet am I sure there was
bought besides them of the Russes, Corels, & Lappes, 1183 barrels, besides
27 barrels Colt sold to Iacob the Hollander, at two barrels for one
Northerne dozen. And yet there is a greater inconuenience springing, which
if it take a little deeper roote it will be (I feare) too hard to be pulled
up, which for loue & good will (God is my witnes) I write of, wishing as to
my deare friends that they should looke to it in time, if they meane to
keepe the trade of Russia or Lappia. And thus loue hath compelled me to
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