RUSSIA COMPANY'S ARTICLES ad. 



1555- 

 the matter prudently among your selves, set such high 

 prises of your commodities, as you may assure your 

 selves to be gainers in your owne wares, and yet to buy 

 theirs at such base prises, as you may here also make a 

 commoditie and gaine at home, having in your mindes 

 the notable charges that the companie have diffrayed in 

 advancing this voyage : and the great charges that they 

 sustaine dayly in wages, victuals and other things : all A 7 ^'. 

 which must bee requited by the wise handling of this 

 voyage, which being the first president shalbe a perpetual 

 president for ever : and therefore all circumspection is to 

 be used, and foreseene in this first enterprise, which God 

 blesse and prosper under you, to his glorie, and the 

 publike wealth of this Realme, whereof the Queenes 

 Majestie, and the Lords of the Councell have conceived 

 great hope, whose expectations are not to be frustrated. 



15 Item, it is to be had in minde, that you use all Inqumefir 

 wayes and meanes possible to learne howe men may passe ' *j*$ t0 

 from Russia, either by land or by sea to Cathaia, and 



what may be heard of our other ships, and to what 

 knowledge you may come, by conferring with the learned 

 or well travailed persons, either naturall or forrein, such 

 as have travailed from the North to the South. 



16 Item, it is committed to the said Agents, that if [I. 261.] 

 they shall be certified credibly, that any of our said first 



ships be arrived in any place whereunto passage is to be 

 had by water or by land, that then certaine of the 

 company at the discretion of the Agents shall bee ap- 

 pointed to be sent to them, to learne their estate & 

 condition, to visite, refresh, relieve, and furnish them 

 with all necessaries and requisites, at the common charges 

 of the companie, and to imbrace, accept, and intreat them 

 as oure deare and welbeloved brethren of this our societie, 

 to their rejoycing and comfort, advertising Syr Hugh 

 Willoughbie and others of our carefulnes of them and 

 their long absence, with our desire to heare of them, with 

 all other things done in their absence for their com- 

 moditie, no lesse then if they had bene present. 



285 



