"Remaining stedfast and immutable in his first resolution, he determined either to bring that to passe which was intended or els to die the death.❤

“And as for them which were with Master Chanceler in his Shippe, although they had great cause of discomfort by the losse of their companie (whom the foresaid tempest had separated from them) and were not a little troubled with cogitations and perturbations of minde, in respect of their doubtful course: yet notwithstanding, they were of such consent and agreement of minde with Master Chanceler, that they were resolute, and prepared under his direction and government, to make proofe and triall of all adventures, without all feare or mistrust of future dangers. Which constancie of minde in all the companie did exceedingly increase their Captain's carefulnesse."+

"Master Chan

In this resolute spirit he again put to sea. celer held on his course towards that unknown part of the world, and sailed so farre, that he came at last to the place where he found no night at all, but a continuall light and brightnesse of the sunne shining clearly upon the huge and mightie sea. And having the benefite of this perpetuall light for certaine dayes, at the length it pleased God to bring them into a certaine great bay, which was one hundreth miles or thereabout over. Whereinto they entered somewhat farre and cast anchor."

He had now reached the Bay of St Nicholas. Landing near Archangel, then only a castle, there becomes visible the influence of Cabot's injunction, as to gentleness of deportment towards the natives and its happy result.

“And looking every way about them it happened that they espied a farre off a certain fisher boate which Master Chancellor, accompanied with a fewe of his men, went towards to commune with the fishermen that were in it, and to knowe of them what countrey it was, and what people, and of what maner of living they were: but they being amazed with the strange greatnesse of his shippe (for in those parts before that time they had never seen the like) beganne presently to avoyde and to Bee: but hee still following them at last overtooke them, and being come to them, they (being in greate feare, as men halfe dead) prostrated themselves before him, offering to kisse his feete: but hee (according to his great and singular courtesie) looked pleasantly upon them, comforting them by signes and gestures, refusing those dueties and reverences of theirs and taking them up in all loving sort from the ground. And it is strange to consider how much favour afterwards in that place, this humanitie of his did purchase to himself. For they being dismissed spread by and by a report abroad of the arrival of a strange nation of a singular gentleness and

• Hakluyt, vol. 1. p. 246.
+ Ib.

courtesie, whereupon the common people came together offering to these newecome ghests victuals freely "*

We may not follow further the movements of this intrepid navigator, or repeat the circumstances of his overland journey to Moscow, and his very curious and interesting account of Russia. He was received in the most cordial manner, and effected the necessary arrangements for a safe and extensive commercial intercourse.

• Ib.

CHAP. XXXII.

CHARTER TO THE COMPANY OF MERCHANT ADVENTURERS-SEBASTIAN CABOT NAMED GOVERNOR FOR LIFE-GRANT OF PRIVILEGES BY THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA TO CABOT AND OTHERS-AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE EMPEROR EMBARKS WITH RICHARD CHANCELLER-SHIPWRECK-CHANCELLOR PERISHES-RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF THE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON.

THE SUCCESS of Chancellor gave a new impulse, and the dignity of a Charter, to the Association of Merchant Adventurers.*

In the instrument of incorporation Sebastian Cabot is named, as has been stated, Governor for Life, as "the chiefest setter forth" of the Enterprise.

There is preserved† "A copie of the first privileges granted to the English merchants, by John Vasilivich, by the Grace of God, Emperor of Russia, Great Duke of Novogrode, Moscovia," &c. After the recital it grants "unto Sebastian Cabota, Governor, Sir George Barnes, Knight, &c. Consuls, Sir John Gresham, &c., assistants, and to the communaltie of the afore-named fellowship, and to their successors for ever, and to the successors of every of them, these articles, grants, immunities, franchises, liberties, and privileges, and every of them hereafter following, expressed and declared, videlicet." Then follow ten clauses or articles placing the contemplated commercial intercourse on the most liberal and secure footing.

Passing a little onward we find an Ambassador from the Emperor arriving in England. This incident is connected with the melancholy death of Richard Chancellor, in whose ship the Ambassador had embarked. That intrepid navigator

* Dr Robertson (History of America, book ix.) heedlessly represents the Charter to have preceded the voyage of Sir Hugh Willoughby

† Hakluyt, vol. i. p. 265

was doomed to perish when almost within reach of those beloved "two little sonnes," the thoughts of leaving whom "in the case of orphanes if he spedde not well," had saddened his departure. The ship was driven ashore at Pitsligo in the North of Scotland, and by the fury of the tempest was broken to pieces on the rocks. Chancellor

"using all carefulness for the safetie of the bodie of the said Ambassadour and his trayne, taking the boate of the said Ship trusting to attaine the shore and so to save and preserve the bodie and seven of the companie or attendants of the same Ambassadour, the same boat by rigorous waves of the seas, was by darke night overwhelmed and drowned, wherein perished not only the bodie of the said grand pilot with seven Russes, but also divers of the Mariners of the said ship: the noble personage of the said Ambassadour with a fewe others (by God's preservation and speciall favour) only with much difficultie saved."

A long account is given of the Ambassador's reception and entertainment at London. The following is an extract :†

"On the 27th February, 1557, he approached to the Citie of London within twelve English miles, where he was received with fourscore merchants with chaines of Gold and goodly apparell, as well in order of men-servants in one uniforme liverie, as also in and upon good horses and geldings, who conducting him to a marchant's house, foure miles from London, received there a quantitie of Gold, velvet and silke, with all furniture thereunto requisite, wherewith he made him a riding garment, reposing himself that night. The next day being Saturday and the last day of Februarie, he was by the Merchants Adventuring for Russia, to the number of one hundred and fortie persons, and so many or more servants in one liverie, as abovesaid, conducted towards the citie of London, where by the way he had not onely the hunting of the Foxe and such like sports shewed him, but also by the Queenes Maiesties commandment was received and embraced by the right honorable Viscount Montague, sent by her grace for his entertainment: he being accompanied with divers lustie Knights, esquires, gentlemen and yeomen to the number of three hundred horses, led him to the North partes of London, where by foure notable Merchants richly apparelled was presented to him a right faire and large gelding richly trapped, together with a foot cloth of orient crimson velvet enriched with gold laces, all furnished in most glorious fashion, of the present and gifte of the saide Merchants: whereupon the Ambassador at instant desire mounted, riding on the way towards Smithfield barres, the first limits of the liberties of the Citie of London. The Lord Maior accompanied with all the Aldermen in their Skarlet did receive him, and so riding through the Citie of London in the middle, between the Lord Mayor and Viscount Montague, a great number of Merchants and notable personages riding before, and a large troupe of servants and apprentices following, was conducted through the Citie of London (with great admiration and plausibilitie of the people running plentifully on all sides, and replenishing all streets in such

Hakluyt, vol. i. p. 286.

† Ibid. vol. i. p. 287.

sort as no man without difficultie might passe)' into his lodging situate in Fant church streete, where were provided for him two chambers richly hanged and decked, over and above the gallant furniture of the whose `house, together with an ample and rich cupboard of Plate of all sortes, to furnish and serve him at all meales, and other services during his abode in London, which was, as is underwritten, until the third day of May: during which time, daily, divers Aldermen and the gravest personages of the said companie did visit him, providing all kind of victuals for his table and his servants, with all sorts of officers to attend upon him in good sort and condition, as to such an Ambassadour of honour doeth and ought to appertaine."

He remained in London until the third May, when he

"departed from London to Gravesend, accompanied with divers Aldermen and Merchants, who in good gard set him aboord the Noble shippe the Primrose, Admiral to the Fleete, where leave was taken on both sides and parts, after many imbracements and divers farewels not without expressing of teares."