A. D. 159 1" ^99 



in the Sound, vindicated his colle<fi:ors, and in his turn complained of 

 Ibme Englifh pirates, who frequently robbed his fubjeds of their fliips 

 and merchandize ; which violences were fo heinous and intolerable 

 that he could neither conceal nor endure them longer. He therefor 

 requefted (lie would forthwith redrefs them, and thereby prevent his 

 doing it himfelf, though unwillingly, &c. [FoeJera, V. xvi, p. 105.] 

 Probably the feizures of the Danifh fhips, carrying naval flores, &c. to 

 Spain, were the fubjeft ot his remonftrance. 



We have a letter to Queen Elizabeth from the elector palatine, in an- 

 fwer to her's to him, expreding his forrow that the archbiflion of Bre- 

 men, by command of the Emperor Rodolph, had abfolutely prohibited 

 the fenate and people of Staden from any commerce with the Englifh 

 merchant-adventurers, or from fuflering them to refide there, even al- 

 though four years ago the fenate had made a contrail with the Englifh 

 company for their refidence there. He tells the queen that this pro- 

 hibition was violently obtained, by means of the Spanifh ambaffadors, 

 and of certain fadious Hanfeatics, who are only grieved they do not en- 

 joy the advantages which the faid contrad procured for Staden ; and he 

 promifes his good offices for procuring redrefs. We have a like pro- 

 mife from the eledor of Saxony to the queen on the flime fubjed. [^Foe- 

 dcra, V. xvi, pp. 1 06, in.] 



The Hanfe towns endeavoured to force the town of Elbing in Prullia 

 todifcountenance the Englilh merchant-adventurers, by forbidding their 

 reibrt thither ; but the Elbingers underflood their own interell too well 

 to part with fo advantageous a branch of commerce. They therefor 

 wrote a refpedful letter to Queen Elizabeth, acquainting her with the 

 difpleafure of the other Hanfeatics, both againft them and Staden, on 

 this account. They alfo told her, that the Hanfeatics had lately held a 

 general diet at Lubec, but that their refolutions were kept very fecret ; 

 but they (the Elbingers) were refolved to leave the matter to be confi- 

 dered by the king and diet of Poland ; and in the mean time, under 

 her majefly's protection and authority, they would go on, as their inclin- 

 arions led them, in favour of her merchants. And iving Sigifmund of 

 Poland, in a refpedful l(^tter to the queen, alfo declared his approbation 

 of the Englilhi merchant-adventurers refiding at Elbing, or any where, 

 clfe in Poland. \Fcedera, V. xv\,pp. 135, 154.] 



At length the firfl voyage * from England to Eafl -India was under- 

 taken in this year, with three fliips ; but it was rather a privateering 

 adventure againft the Porcuguefe than a proper mercantile voyage, for 

 they took feveral of that nation's (hips. In their way to India they had 

 iofl fo many men by ficknefs near the Cape of Good Hope that they 



* Linfchottcn [y^. tyc] fav"!, that before he of an Englifh (liip having palRd the Cape of Good 

 laihdfrora ladid (in January 1589) they had lieacd Hope. M. 



