2 The greatest part of our goods may be returned thither timely to serue the first markets.
3 Our late ships remaining so long here may serue to good purpose, for returning answere of such letters as may he sent ouer land, and receiued here before their departure.
4 Their remaining so late with you shal satisfie your desire for perfecting your accounts, and may bring such cordage, Waxe, Oile, and other commodities, as you can prouide before that time: and chiefly may serue vs in stead to bring home our goods that may be sent vs from Persia.
Now seeing it may be so many wayes commodious to the commpany to obserue this order, without any charge vnto them, I wish that you put to your helping hand to further the same.
* * * * *
A copie of the Commission giuen to Sir Ierome Bowes, authorizing him her
Maiesties Ambassadour vnto the Emperour of Russia, Anno 1583.
ELIZABETHA, Dei gratia, AngliŠ, FranciŠ, et HyberniŠ Regina, fidei defensatrix, &c. Vniuersis et singulis prŠsentes literas visuris et inspecturis, salutem. Cum Serenissimus Princeps, Ioannes Basilius, Rex, et magnus Dux RussiŠ, VolodimerŠ, MoscouiŠ, et NouogrodiŠ, Rex Cazani, et Astracani, Dominus PlescoŠ, et magnus Dux SmolenscoŠ, Tueri, Vgori; PermiŠ, ValeŠ, BolharŠ, et aliarum ditionum: Dominus et magnus Dux NouogrodiŠ in inferiori regione ChernigŠ, RezanŠ, PoletscoŠ, Ratsauie, Yeraslaue, Bealozeri, LiflandiŠ, Oudori, et CondensŠ, et gubernator in tota prouincia SiberiŠ, et partium Septentrionalium, et aliarum, frater, et Amicus charissimus, Nobilem virum, Feodor Andrewich Spisemski, nuper ad nos ablegauerit, ad certa quŠdam negotia nobiscum agenda, quŠ honorem vtrinque nostrum quÓm proximŔ attingunt, quŠque rectŔ definiri concludique nequeunt nisi Ambassiatorem aliquem et oratorem ad prŠfatum serenissimum principem amandauerimus: Hinc est, qu˛d nos de fidelitate, industria, prouida circumspectione, et satis magno rerum vsu, prŠdilecti nobis famuli nostri, Hieronimi Bowes Militis, ex nobilibus domesticis nostris vnius, plurim¨m confidentes, prŠfatum Hieronimum Bowes Militem, nostrum verum et indubitatum Ambassiatorem, Oratorem, et Commissarium specialem facimus, et constituimus per prŠsentes. Dantes, et concedentes eidem Hieronimo Bowes Militi oratori nostro tenore prŠsentium, authoritatem, et mandatum, tam generale, quÓm speciate, ita qu˛d specialitas non deroget generalitati, nec Ŕ contra generalitas specialitati, nomine nostro, et pro nobis, cum prŠfato serenissimo principe, eiusque consiliarijs, et deputatis quibuscunque de prŠfatis negotijs et eorum singulis, tractandi, conferendi, concludendi appunctuandique, prout prŠfato Oratori nostro Šquum, et ex honore nostro videbitur: Nec non de, et super huiusmodi tractatis, conclusis, appunctuatisque, cŠterÝsque omnibus et singulis, prŠmissa quouismodo concernentibus, literas, et instrumenta valida et efficacia, nomine nostro, et pro nobis tradendi, literasque et instrumenta consimilis vigoris et effectus, ex altera parte petendi, et confici, et sigillari debitŔ procurandi, et recipiendi, et generaliter omnia, et singula prŠmissa qualitercunque concernentia, faciendi, exercendi, et expediendi, in, et eodem modo, sicut nos ipsi faceremus, et facere possemus, si essemus prŠsentes, etiamsi talia sint, quŠ de se mandatum exigant magis speciale; promittentes bona fide, et in verbo Regio, omnia et singula, quŠ per prŠdictum Ambassiatorem, et oratorem nostrum appunctuata, promissa. conuenta, concordata, et conclusa fuerint in hac parte, nos rata et grata, et firma habituras et obseruaturas, et superinde literas nostras patentes confirmatorias, et approbatortias in forma valida, et autentica, prout opus fuerit, daturas. In cuius rei testimonium, his prŠsentibus manu nostra signatis, magnum sigillum nostrum regni nostri AngleiŠ apponi fecimus. DatŠ Ŕ Regia nostra Grenwici quinto die mensis Iunij, Anno Dom. 1583. Regni ver˛ nostri vicessimo quinto.
The same in English.
Elizabeth by the grace of God, Queene of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. to al and singular, to whom these presents shal come to be seen and red, greeting. Whereas the most excellent prince Iohn Basiliwich king, and great duke of all Russia, Volodomer, Moscouie, and Nouogrod, king of Cazan and Astracan, lord of Plesco, and great duke of Smolensco, of Tuer, Vgor, and Permia, Valca, Bolhar and others, lord great duke of Nouogrod in the low country, of Cherniga, Rezan, Polotsco, Rostoue, Yeraslaue, Bealozera, Liefland, Oudor, and Condensa, and gouernour of al the land of Siberia, and of the North parts and other, our most deare brother and friend, did of late send vnto vs one Feodor Andrewich Spisemsky, a noble man of his, to deale with vs in certaine speciall businesses, respecting very neerely the honour of either of vs, and being such as without the speeding of some Ambassadour of ours to the aforesaid most excellent prince, cannot be sufficiently determined and concluded: For this cause we hauing great confidence in the fidelitie, industrie, prouident circumspection and conuenient experience of our welbeloued seruant Ierome Bowes, knight, & gentleman of qualitie of our householde, do by these presents make and constitute the foresaid Ierome Bowes knight our true and undoubted Ambassadour, Orator and special commisioner, giuing and graunting to the same Ierome Bowes knight, our Orator, by the vertue of these presents authoritie and commandment, as wel general as special, so that the special shall not preiudice the generall, nor on the other side the general the special to, intreat, conferre, conclude, and appoint in our name, and for us with the foresaid most excellent prince and his counsellers and deputies whatsoeuer, concerning the foresaid businesses, and ech of them, according as it shall seeme good, and for our honour to our foresaid Orator, as also of and vpon such things intreated, concluded and appointed, as in all and singular other things, any maner of way concerning the premisses, to deliuer in our name and for vs, sufficient and effectual letters and instruments and to require letters and instruments, of the like validitie and effect of the other part, and to procure them lawfully to bee made and sealed and then to receiue them, and generally to doe, execute, and dispatch al and singular other things concerning the premisses, in, and after the same maner, as we our selues would and might do if we were present, although they be such things as may seeme of themselues to require a more speciall commandement: promising in good faith and in the word of a prince, that we will hold and obserue all and singular the things which by our Ambassador aforesayd shall be appointed, promised, agreed, accorded and concluded in this behalfe; as lawfull, gratefull, and firme, and thereupon as need shall require, will giue our letters patents, confirmatory and approbatory, in forme effectuall and autenticall. In witnesse whereof, we haue caused our great seale of our kingdome of England to be put to these presents, and signed them with our owne hand.
Giuen at our pallace of Greenewich the fourth day of Iune, in the yeere of our Lord 1583, and of our reigne the fiue and twentieth.