A.D. 

 1555- 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



Novogrode. 



[i. 265.] 



The Russian 

 secretary his 

 name. 



And thus 



three 



foi 



may we continue tnree or roure yeeres, 

 and in this space we shall know the countrey and the 

 marchants, and which way to save our selves best, and 

 where to plant our houses, and where to seeke for 

 wares : for the Mosco is not best for any kind of 

 wares for us to buy, save onely waxe, which we cannot 

 have under seven pence the Russe pound, and it lackes 

 two ounces of our pound, neither will it be much better 

 cheape, for I have bidden 6. pence for a pound. And 

 I have bought more, five hundred weight of yarne, 

 which stands mee in eight pence farthing the Russe 

 pound one with another. And if wee had received 

 any store of money, and were dispatched heere of that 

 we tary for, as I doubt not but we shalbe shortly (you 

 know what I meane) then as soone as we have made 

 sale, I doe intend to goe to Novogrode, and to Plesco, 

 whence all the great number of the best tow flaxe 

 commeth, and such wares as are there I trust to buy 

 part. And feare you not but we will do that may be 

 done, if God send us health, desiring you to prepare 

 fully for one ship to be ready in the beginning of 

 April to depart off the coast of England. 



Concerning all those things which we have done in 

 the wares, you shal receive a perfect note by the next 

 bearer (God willing) for he that carieth these from us 

 is a marchant of Terwill and he was caused to cary 

 these by the commandement of the Emperour his 

 secretarie, whose name is Ivan Mecallawich Weskawate, 

 whom we take to be our very friend. And if it please 

 you to send any letters to Dantiske to Robert Elson, 

 or to William Watsons servant Dunstan Walton to be 

 conveyed to us, it may please you to inclose ours in a 

 letter sent from you to him, written in Polish, Dutch, 

 Latine or Italian : so inclosed, comming to the Mosco 

 to his hands, he wil convey our letters to us wheresoever 

 we be. And I have written to Dantiske already to them 

 for the conveyance of letters from thence. 



And to certifie you of the weather here, men say that 



296 



