A.D, 



1581. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



The letters patents, or privileges graunted by her 

 Majestie to Sir Edward Osborne, Master 

 Richard Staper, and certaine other Marchants 

 of London for their trade into the dominions 

 of the great Turke, in the yeere 1 581. 



LIzabeth by the grace of God Queene of 

 England, France and Ireland, defender 

 of the faith, &c. To all our Officers, 

 ministers, and Subjects, and to all other 

 people asw ell within this our Realme of 

 England, as else where under our obey- 

 sance, jurisdiction, or otherwise, unto 



whom these our letters shall be scene, shewed or read, 

 greeting. Where our welbeloved Subjects Edward 

 Osborne Alderman of our Citie of London, and Richard 

 Staper of our sayde City Marchant, have by great adven- 

 ture and industrie, with their great costes and charges, by 

 the space of sundry late yeeres, travailed, and caused 

 travaile to bee taken, as well by secret and good meanes, 

 as by dangerous wayes and passages both by lande and 

 Sea, to finde out and set open a trade of Marchandize and 

 trafique into the Lands, Islands, dominions, and territories 

 of the great Turke, commonly called the Grand Signior, 

 not heretofore in the memory of any man nowe living 

 knowen to be commonly used and frequented by way of 

 marchandise, by any the Marchants or any Subjects of us, 

 or our progenitours ; and also have by their like good 

 meanes and industrie, and great charges procured of the 

 sayde Grand Signior (in our name,) amitie, safetie, and 

 freedome, for trade and trafique of Marchandise to bee 

 used, and continued by our Subjects within his sayde 

 Dominions, whereby there is good and apparant hope and 

 likelyhoode both that many good offices may bee done 

 for the peace of Christendome, and reliefe of many 

 Christians that bee or may happen to bee in thraldome 

 or necessitie under the sayde Grand Signior, his vassals or 



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