anting them permission to traffic freely in all the cities of Russia
without molestation and without paying any tribute or tax. They were
free to establish themselves wherever they pleased to purchase houses
and shops, and to engage servants and mechanics in their employ, and
to exact from them oaths of fidelity. It was also agreed that a man
should be responsible for his own conduct only, and not for that of
his agents, and that though the sovereign might punish the criminal
with the loss of liberty and even of life, yet, under no
circumstances, should he touch his property; that should always pass
to his natural heirs.

The port of St. Nicholas, which, for ages, had been silent and
solitary in these northern waters where the English had found but a
poor and gloomy monastery, the tomb, as it were, of hooded monks, soon
became a busy place of traffic. The English constructed there a large
and beautiful mansion for the accommodation of their merchants, and
streets were formed, lined with spacious storehouses. The principal
merchandise which the English then imported into Russia consisted of
cloths and sugar. The merchants offered twelve guineas for what was
then called a half piece of cloth, and four shillings a pound for
sugar.

In 1556, Chanceller embarked for England with four ships richly laden
with the gold and the produce of Russia, accompanied by Joseph Nepeia,
an embassador to the Queen of England. Fortune, which, until then, had
smiled upon this hardy mariner, now turned adverse. Tempests dispersed
his ships, and one only reached London. Chanceller himself perished in
the waves upon the coast of Scotland. The ships dashed upon the rocks,
and the Russian embassador, Nepeia, barely escaped with his life.
Arriving at London, he was overwhelmed with caresses and presents. The
most distinguished dignitaries of the State and one hundred and forty
merchants, accompanied by a great number of attendants, all richly
clad and mounted upon superb horses, rode out to meet him. They
presented to him a horse magnificently caparisoned, and thus escorted,
the first Russian embassador made his entrance into the capital of
Great Britain. The inhabitants of London crowded the streets to catch
a sight of the illustrious Russian, and thousands of voices greeted
him with the heartiest acclaim. A magnificent mansion was assigned for
his residence, which was furnished in the highest style of splendor.
He was invited to innumerable fes