|
In former years there have been embassies between our father Ivan of blessed memory and your brother King Edward and King Philip and Queen Mary, and your merchants have trafficked freely in our dominions. Afterwards our father had embassies with you, loving sister, and of late you sent unto him Sir Jerome [Bowes], one of your chief courtiers, whom our father appointed should be met on his way and highly honoured, above other princes' ambassadors, and that he should have great allowance for his provision, such as had not been given to any heretofore. And the great King sent unto him the chief of his nobility, the General of Novogorod the Great, called Neekeeta Romanoveech, Vrieveech Zacharyena his kinsman and his chief captain of arms, the General of Rezheuskoy, called Bodon Yakouleveech Belscoye, and his principal secretary, Andrea Schelcalous, willing them to talk with Sir Jerome what was appointed him from you to declare concerning love and amity, and how our father should be in brotherly love, unity and continual league with you. which he should have declared to these our nobles, yet would not, but always requested to talk with our father and that privately. And though it is not according to the orders of our dominions that we great princes should ourselves talk privily with ambassadors, yet for your sake, our father suffered him to do so, and the rather that it had pleased you to talk with his ambassador, Theodore Pissemkoy in the time of his embassage. When Sir Jerome was with our father, he spake many unseemly words, not meet for an ambassador before high princes; and of our nobles he made false reports, as that they spake different words to our father and to himself.” As touching the effects of bis affairs, he gave not any reason, but only sought his own vain glory and gain, so that he might have great allowance for victuals. &c.; as touching his business he finished not any matter.' Yet our father, for your sake, “respected” not his unseemly words, but willed that he should have great honour showed him, and extended his bounty towards him more than to other princes' ambassadors; imputing the fault to his being a man unlearned, who heretofore had not been before high princes. After our father's death, when we became prince
of all our kingdoms, we gave orders that Sir Jerome Bowes should come before us, for your sake not regarding his former ill-demeanour; sending to him our chief nobles in their best attire; our governor of Casan and Neesenovogorod and general of Resan, called Ivan Vacilleveech Ghodono, and our chief secretaries, Andrew and Vacille Schelcalous, willing them to talk with him; at which time he did many unseemly things, even before us. Yet we bore with his ill-usage for your sake, and let him depart towards you, “gratified from our presence,” and sent a letter to you in answer to yours to our father. |
|
Also we let go the English doctor Robert Jacob, and sent one of our chief courtiers, Meekeefor Sooschoue to bring the said Sir Jerome on his way to Colnagor on the seacoast, who riding on the way railed at those who guarded him, set at nought our bountiful allowance of victuals, and when he went aboard ship, cast away from him our letter to you, and moreover left a writing wherein were many unseemly matters. We have now sent to you our interpreter, Renalde Backman, with this letter, in company with your merchants, to give you intelligence of all things and that we desire to live in love and brotherhood with you, as our father was. |
|
We have given leave to your merchants to traffic freely in our dominions, and licensed them to trade therein at will with all kinds of commodities, without let or hindrance. We will extend our favours to them and have granted that they shall pay but half custom. We mind to send ambassadors to you, loving sister Queen Elizabeth, to desire you to be in love and brotherhood with us, as you were with our father, and that you would suffer our merchants to come into your dominions and trade for all kinds of wares without let; and that you will send Renolde back in the spring by the ships, and be pleased to write by him at large. Our princely house at Musco, December, 7093. |
