A. D. 1568. 147 



to the value of about L200,ooo Sterling; for in thofe times the Nether- 

 landers and Spaniards had more (hips and efleds in England than the 

 Englifli had in thofe countries, however different the cafe may be in 

 modern times. This obliged the Englifli merchants-adventurers to re- 

 move from Antwerp to Hamburgh, whence, by the influence of the 

 emperor, they were obliged to remove to Staden, where they remained 

 till the year 1597, though much difturbed by the Hanfeatic league, be- 

 caufe Queen Elizabeth had put the merchants of the Steelyard on an 

 equal footing with her own fubjedls, in refped; to the cufl:om on cloth, 

 &c. exported. When the Englifli merchants-adventurers firfl; fettled 

 at Staden, it was fo unmercamile a town, that there were no other mer- 

 chants found there ; but during the time that company remained there, 

 Staden wonderfully increafed in wealth and buildings. 



Charles IX of France continuing to diftrefs and perfecute his prote- 

 ftant fubjeds, notwithftanding the manifefl; prejudice of fuch condudl 

 to the true intereft of himfelf and his kingdom, by driving great num- 

 bers of his mofl induflrious fubjeds into foreign countries ; concerning 

 which hardfliip of his people of her own perfuafion. Queen Eliza- 

 beth, by her ambaflador Norris, frequently and earneftly retnonftrated ; 

 and particularly in this year, Camden (in her hifl;ory) acquaints us, ' that 

 fhe exhorted him not to incenfe his good people (the proteflants) by- 

 trying arbitrary and dangerous experiments ; but rather to beware of 

 thofe bad minifl:ers, who, by driving out his beft fubjeds, did but weaken 

 the power of France to fuch a degree, as to leave it an eafy prey to fuch 

 as defired to difturb it.' But not being lifl;ened to, fhe thereupon found 

 herfelf obliged to aflill; thofe diftreffed people, by generoufly fending 

 them 100,000 angels (fays Camden), with warlike ammunition, as they 

 now religioufly protefled, that they took up arms againfl their king fole- 

 ly for their own defence. Queen Elizabeth about this time received 

 and courteoufly entertained all fuch French proteffants as fled to Eng- 

 land from perfecution at home, whereby fhe increased the riches and 

 populoufnefs of her own kingdom. 



The Englifh Ruflia company's frefh adventure through Ruflia into 

 Perfia began in this year, and lafted to 1573, according to Hakluyt, and 

 would have proved exceeding profitable, had they not, in their return 

 acrofs the Cafpian fea, with Perfian raw filk, wrought filks of many 

 kinds, galls, carpets, Indian fpices, turquois flones, &c been robbed by 

 Coffac pirates, to the value of about L40,ooo Sterling, fome fmall part of 

 which, however, they recovered by veffels fent out from Aftracan. 



The tyranny and cruelty of the Spaniards to the Moors, who ftill re- 

 mained in great numbers in the countries of Granada and Murcia, pro- 

 duced a terrible infurredion of thofe people, which lalfed almoit two 

 years. For though Ferdinand and Ifabella had conquered Granada, the 

 laft Moorifh kingdom in Spain, and driven out vail numbers of Moors, 



Ta 



