our honour to vouchsafe vs of your
further direction by a generall letter to my selfe, my brethren, and the
rest of the merchants of this city, at your honors best and most
conuenient leisure, because we meane not to deferre the finall proceeding
in this voyage, any further then to the end of April next comming, I
cease, beseeching God long to blesse and prosper your honourable estate.
Bristol. March 27. 1583.

V. A briefe and summary discourse vpon the intended voyage to the
hithermost parts of America: written by Captaine Carlile in April, 1583.
for the better inducement to satisfie such Merchants of the Moscouian
companie and others, as in disbursing their money towards the furniture of
the present charge, doe demand forthwith a present returne of gaine,
albeit their said particular disbursements are required but in very
slender summes, the highest being 25. li. the second at 12. li. 10. s. and
the lowest at 6. pound fiue shilling.

When the Goldsmith desireth to finde the certaine goodnesse of a piece of
golde, which is newly offered vnto him, he presently bringeth the same to
the touchstone, where by comparing the shewe or touch of this new piece
with the touch or shew of that which he knoweth of old, he forthwith is
able to iudge what the value is of that, which is newly offered vnto him.
After the example whereof I haue thought it good to make some briefe
repetition of the particular estate of many other forren voyages and
trades already frequented and knowen vnto vs, whereby we may be the better
able to conceiue and iudge what certaine likelihood of good there is to be
expected in the voyage, which is presently recommended vnto your knowledge
and resolution.

And first to lay downe that of Moscouia, whose beginning is yet in the
remembrance of many: It is well knowen, that what by the charges of the
first discouery, and by the great gifts bestowed on the Emperour and his
Nobilitie, togither with the leud dealing of some of their seruants, who
thought themselues safe enough from orderly punishment, it cost the
company aboue fourescore thousand pounds, before it could be brought to
any profitable reckoning. And now that after so long a patience and so
great a burthen of expences, the same began to frame to some good course
and commoditie: It falleth to very ticklish termes, and to as slender
likelihood of any further goodnesse, as any other trade that may be named.

For first the estate of those Countre