He fitted out ships in Dantzig to capture English ships bound for the Narva, and threatened Elizabeth that loss of liberty, life, wives and children awaited those who should carry wares and weapons to the Muscovite who was not only the enemy of the King of Poland but the hereditary foe of all free nations." Among other of the company's servants who distinguished themselves were Southam and Spark who discovered the water-way from the White Sea to Novgorod, and so got goods thither without such risk as was run from Russia's enemies on the Baltic when sent by Narva. The Flemings and Germans were jealous of the new traders and made many misrepresentations concerning both persons and goods. They themselves furnished an inferior staple, but the simple people were made to prefer it to English cloth which, as it would not shrink as theirs did, could not be new. Jerom Horsey was an apprentice or underling of the Russia company at Moscow; he attracted the Tsar's attention by his expert horsemanship and his wit when the Tsar questioned him respecting the Russian ships building at Vologda for the Caspian. Horsey answered that with others he had admired their "strange fashion." Ivan would know what he meant by this description. "I mean that the figure heads of lions, dragons, eagles, elephants and unicorns were so skilfully, so richly adorned with gold and silver, and painted in bright colours." "A crafty youth to commend the work of his own countrymen," remarked Ivan, and then asked about the English Fleet, but was displeased when Horsey described the Queen's flag as "one before which all nations bow." These traders were not the only British in Moscow, others were brought as prisoners by Ivan on his return from the devastation of Novgorod.