THE LEVANT TRADE a.d. 



1577. 



The King of Spaine his letters to the Lieutenant, 

 for the placing of John Fox in the office of 

 a Gunner. 



TO the illustrious Prince, Vespasian Gonsaga Colonna, 

 our Lieutenant and Captaine Generall of our Realme 

 of Valentia. Having consideration, that John Fox 

 Englishman hath served us, and was one of the most 

 principal!, which tooke away from the Turkes a certaine 

 gallie, which they have brought to Tarento, wherein were 

 two hundred, fiftie, and eight Christian captives : we 

 licence him to practise, and give him the office of a 

 Gunner, and have ordained, that he goe to our said 

 Realme, there to serve in the said office in the Gallies, 

 which by our commandement are lately made. And we 

 doe commaund, that you cause to be payed to him eight 

 ducats pay a moneth, for the time that he shall serve 

 in the saide Gallies as a Gunner, or till we can other- 

 wise provide for him, the saide eight duckats monethly 

 of the money which is already of our provision, present 

 and to come, and to have regarde of those which come 

 with him. From Escuriall the tenth of August, 1577. 



I the King. 



Juan del Gado. 

 And under that a confirmation of the Councell. 



The renuing and increasing of an ancient and com- 

 modious trade unto diverse places in the Levant 

 seas, and to the chiefest partes of all the great 

 Turks dominions, by the meanes of the Right 

 worsh. citizens Sir Edv^ard Osburne Alderman, 

 and M. Richard Staper marchant of London. 



His trade into the Levant (as is before mentioned, 

 page 96 of this present volume, whereunto I 

 referre the Reader) was very usuall and much 



frequented from the yeere of our Lord 151 1, till the 

 yeere 1534, and afterward also, though not so commonly, 



167 



