Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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By Means Whereof The Worshipfuls
Goods Lie Vnsold To This Day To Their Great Hinderance, Which I For My Part
Am Not A Litle Sory To See.
[Sidenote: Babylon 15 days iourney from Casbin.] Babylon is from hence
fifteene dayes tourney, whereas by true report be
Great store of Dates, and
sold for a bisse the batman, the commoditie fit for England, and the place
so neere vnto vs might easily haue bene knowen, if hee, whose deeds and
sayings differ much, had bene willing to the same. Casan also is but seuen
dayes iourney from hence, and a place by report, where most store of spices
be at all times to be had, ouer and aboue any place in this countrey: it
could not be granted by him to be seen and proued at this time: if this be
losse to the worshipfull, referre it to the want of one which can do that
which he speaketh in words.
To trauell in this countrey is not onely miserable and vncomfortable for
lacke of townes and villages to harbour in when night commeth, and to
refresh men with wholesome victuals in time of need, but also such
scarsitie of water, that sometime in three dayes iourney together, is not
to be found any drop fit for man or beast to drinke, besides the great
danger we stand in for robbing by these infidels, who doe account it
remission of sinnes to wash their hands in the blood of one of vs. Better
it is therefore in mine opinion to continue a beggar in England during
life, then to remaine a rich Merchant seuen yeeres in this Countrey, as
some shall well find at their comming hither.
[Sidenote: His voyage to Gilan.] By commandement of the Agent also I went
to Gilan, as well to see what harbor was there for your ship, as also to
vnderstand what commoditie is there best sold, and for what quantitie. I
found the way from hence so dangerous and troublesome, that with my pen I
am not able to note it vnto you: no man trauelleth from hence thither, but
such poore people as need constraineth to buy Rice for their reliefe to
liue vpon, and they lay not aboue twentie batmans vpon a catter, and it
lieth no lower then the skirts of the saddle, and he escapeth very hardly
that commeth there with the same.
The towne of Laighon, which was the chiefest place in all that land, haue I
seen, and Langro and Rosar also, which be now ouerrun by the Shaugh and his
power, and be so spoiled, and the people so robbed, that not one of them is
able to buy one karsie. The best commoditie there to bee bought, is raw
silke, and is sold in the Summer time for 38. shaughs the Laighon batman,
which is litle aboue 40. li. waight, and for ready money: also there is to
bee had what store of Alom you will, and sold there for one bisse the
Teueris batman.
[Sidenote: The malice of the Turkish merchants.] In these partes be many
Turkie merchants resident, which giue an outward shew, as though they were
glad of our comming hither, but secretly they be our mortall enemies,
searching by all meanes to hinder our sales, because we should the sooner
giue ouer our trade thither, which in processe of time I hope will growe to
better perfection. They wish vs to go to Hallape with the rest of our
commodities vnsold, where they say we shall haue good intertainment in
spight of the great number of Venetians which be there resident, and the
custome but two in the hundred, and our karsies to be sold presently, had
we neuer so many, for twelue duckets, which maketh of this money 165.
shaughs: but by such as know the place, market and custome, it is reported
to vs credibly to the contrary, and that such karsies as ours be, are not
sold for aboue 8. duckets there: the custome thirtie in the hundred and
more, that no place in the world so well furnished with good cloth and
karsies, and of so braue colour as that place is, supposing it to bee
craftily purposed of them, to bring vs into trouble, which God defend vs
from.
[Sidenote: The price of spices.] The price of spices be these, at this
present enhansed by reason the way is shut to Ormus, which when God shall
send open, I purpose (God willing) to see, and at my returne to aduertise
the worshipfull what benefit is there to be had in all points, so neere as
I can learne: Pepper 25. shaughs the Teueris batman: Cloues 50. shaughs,
Long pepper 25. shaughs, Maces large 50. shaughs, Ginger 24. shaughs, ready
money all, or els looke not vpon them. And the best sort of rawe silke is
sold for 60. shaughs the Teueris batman. Thus for want of further matter to
inlarge, I ende for this time, beseeching God to preserue you in continuall
health.
By your obedient seruant,
Lawrence Chapman.
* * * * *
Notes concerning this fourth voyage into Persia, begun in the moneth of
Iuly 1568. gathered by M. Richard Willes from the mouth of Master Arthur
Edwards which was Agent in the same.
When he came first to the Sophies presence, at his court in Casbin,
bringing his interpreter with him, and standing farre off, the Sophie
(sitting in a seat roiall with a great number of his noble men about him)
bad him come neere, and that thrise, vntill he came so neere him that he
might haue touched him with his hand. Then the first demand that he asked
him was, from what countrey he came: he answered, that he came from
England. Then asked hee of his noble men, who knew any such countrey? But
when Edwards saw that none of them had any intelligence of that name, he
named Inghilterra, as the Italians call England.
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