presentes to
the Emperour, together with the disorderly dealinge of their factors, that
it stoode them in fourscore thousande poundes before they broughte it to
any goodd passe. And nowe after longe hope of gayne, the Hollanders, as
also the men of Diepe, are entred into their trade by the Emperours
permission; yea, whereas at the firste our men paid no custome, of late
yeres, contrarie to their firste priviledge, they have bene urged to pay
yt. Also the chardges of bringinge the Emperours embassador hither, and
mayneteyninge him here, and the settinge furthe of her Majesties
embassadour thither with presentes to the Emperour, lyenge all upon the
poore marchantes neckes, is no easie burden unto their shoulders. And to
encrease the some, the Kinge of Denmarke requireth a tribute of them,
thoughe they touche not upon any of his domynions. And nowe the Emperour
of Russia beinge late deade,(50) yt is greately feared that the voyadge
wilbe utterly ouerthrowen, or els become not worthe the contynuaunce.

Thus hauinge regarde unto the premisses, yt behoveth us to seeke some newe
and better trade, of lesse daunger and more securitie, of lesse dammage,
and of more advauntage; the rather to avoide the wilfull perjurie of suche
of our Englishe nation as trade to Spaine and other of Kinge Phillipps
domynions, where this oathe followinge ys usually ministred unto the
master of our shippes. Firste, he willeth the master to make a crosse with
his fore finger and his thombe, layenge one ouer the other crosswise. This
beinge don, he saieth these wordes followinge: You shall sweare to speake
the truthe of all thinges that shalbe asked of you, and yf you doe not,
that God demaunde yt of you: and the Englishe master muste saye, Amen. You
shall sweare by that crosse that you bringe no man in your shippe but
suche as are goodd christians, and doe beleue as our Catholicke Churche of
Rome dothe beleve. Nexte, that you bringe no manner of bookes but suche as
are allowed by our Catholicke Churche of Rome; and that you use no manner
of prayers but suche as are allowed by our Churche of Rome. What
marchandize bringe you; suche and suche. We will and commaunde you and
your companie to come on land to masse every Sonday and holy day, upon
paine of discommunication. Then they open their chestes, and looke if the
master and maryners bringe any bookes with them in their chests. This don,
the officers that come with the preestes aske of the master and ma