RUSSIA COMPANY'S CHARTER ad. 



1555- 



letters addressed unto us, franke accesse into all his The Mos- 



Seigniories and dominions, with licence freely to traffique tavUts frivin 



in and out with all his Subjects in all kinde of Mar- ^/^W^ 



chandise, with divers other gracious priviledges, liberties 



and immunities specified in his sayde letters under his 



Signet : Know yee therefore that wee of our further 



royall favour and munificence, of our meere motion, 



certaine knowledge, and speciall grace, for us our 



heires and successours, have given and graunted, and 



by these presents doe give and grant unto the same 



Governours, Consuls, assistants, fellowship, and comun- 



alty above named, and to their successours, as much as 



in us is, that all the mayne landes, Isles, portes, 



havens, creekes, and rivers of the said mighty Emperour 



of all Russia, and great duke of Mosco, &c. And all 



and singuler other lands, dominions, territories, Isles, 



Portes, havens, creekes, rivers, armes of the sea, of al 



and every other Emperor, king, prince, ruler and 



governor, whatsoever he or they before the said late 



adventure or enterprise not knowen, or by our foresayd 



marchants and subjects by the seas, not commonly 



frequented, nor by any part nor parcell thereof lying 



Northwards, Northeastwards, or Northwestwards, as is The largenes 



aforesayd, by sea shall not be visited, frequented, nor oftheprwi- 

 i j 1 i_- 1 ^1 £ ^i_ j ledge of the 



nanted by any our subjects, other then or the sayd yi oscov - tte 



company and felowship, and their successours without companle. 

 expresse licence, agreement and consent of the Gover- 

 nour, Consuls, and Assistants of the said felowship and 

 communaltie above named, or the more part of them, 

 in manner and number aforesayd, for the time being, 

 upon paine of forfeiture and losse, as well of the 

 shippe and shippes, with the appurtenances, as also of 

 all the goods, marchandises, and things whatsoever they 

 be, of those our subjects, not being of the sayd felow- 

 ship and communalty, which shall attempt or presume 

 to saile to any of those places, which bee, or hereafter 

 shall happen to bee found, and traffiked unto : the one 

 halfe of the same forfeiture to be to the use of us, our 



315 



