To those that ask it faithfully

The LORD will no good thing deny :

This comfort in the Scriptures may you find.
Then let no worldly grief and care

Vex your heart with foul despair :

Which doth declare the unbelieving mind.

All things are ready and every whit prepared to bear you company.

Your friends and parents do give their due attendance together courteously.

The house is drest and garnisht for your sake with flowers gallant and green.

A solemn feast your comely cooks do ready make;
where all your friends will be seen.

Young men and maids do ready stand
With sweet rosemary in their hand;

A perfect token of your virgin's life:

To wait upon you they intend

Unto the church to make an end:

And GOD make thee a joyful wedded wife.

JASPER CAMPION.

The English trade to Scio. 1539-1570 A.D.

[HAKLUYT'S Voyages. 1599.]

A discourse of the trade to Scio, made in the year 1569, [i.e. 1570] by JASPER CAMPION unto Master MICHAEL Lock and unto Master WILLIAM WINTER: as by his letters unto them both, shall appear. Written the 14th of February 1569 [i.e. 1570].

WORSHIPFUL SIR, ETC.

A

S THESE days past, I spake unto you about the procurement of a safe-conduct from the great Turk for a trade to Scio: the way and manner how it may be obtained with great ease, shall plainly appear unto you in the lines following.

Sir, you shall understand that the island of Scio in time past hath been a Signiory or lordship of itself; and did belong to the Genoese. There were twenty-four of them that governed the island, who were called Mauneses. But in continuance of time the Turk waxed so strong and mighty: that they considering they were not able to keep it, unless they should become his tributaries: because the island had no corn nor any kind of victuals to sustain them, but only that which must of necessity come out of the Turk's dominions; and the said island being enclosed with the Turks round about, and but twelve miles from the Turk's continenttherefore the said Genoese did compound and agree to be the Turk's tributaries, and to pay him 14,000,000 ducats yearly: always provided that they should keep their laws both spiritual and temporal, as they did when the island was in their own hands. Thus he granted them their privilege,

which they enjoyed for many years: so that all strangers, and also many Englishmen, did trade thither of long continuance, and went and came in safety.

In this meantime, the Prince PEDRO DORIA, being a Genoese, became a captain to serve the Emperor with thirty. or forty galleys against the Turk. And since that time, divers other captains belonging to Genoa, have been in the service of King PHILIP against the Turk. Moreover, whensoever the Turk made out an army, he perceived that no nation did him more hurt than those Genoese who were his tributaries. Likewise at the Turk's siege of Malta [in 1551-53 A.D.]—before which place he lay a great while; with loss of his men, and also of his galleys-he found, none so troublesome unto his force as one JUANETTE DORIA a Genoese, and divers others of the island of Scio, who were his tributaries. At which sight, he took such displeasure against them of Scio, that he sent certain of his galleys to the island, to seize upon all the goods of the twenty-four Mauneses; and to turn them, with their wives and children, out of the island: but they would let none other depart, in order that the island should not be unpeopled. So that now the Turk hath sent one of his chief men to rule there: whereby now it will be more easy for us to obtain our safe-conduct than ever it was before.

For if the townsmen of Scio did know that we would trade thither, as we did in times past; they themselves, and also the Customer-for the Turk in all his dominions doth rent his customs-would be the chiefest procurer of this our safeconduct for his own gain. Which is no small matter, for we must pay no less than ten in the hundred throughout the Turk's whole dominion: insomuch that if one of our ships should go thither, it would be for the Customer's profit 4,000 ducats at least; whereas if we should not trade thither, he would lose so much.

Also the burgesses and the common people would be very glad of our trade there, for the commonalty do get more by our countrymen than they do by any other nation whatsoever: for we do use to buy many of their silk quilts and of their scamato and dimity, that the poor people make in that town, more than any other nation; so that we would not so gladly trade, but the people of the country would be twice as willing. Wherefore they themselves would be a means unto

Campion

Feb.

their governor by their petition, to bring this trade to pass: giving him to understand that of all nations in the world we do him least hurt, and that we may do his country great good in consuming those commodities which his country people make.

Furthermore, it were far more requisite that we should carry our own commodities, than to suffer a stranger to carry them thither for that we can afford them better cheap than a stranger can.

I write not this by hearsay of other men, but of mine own experience: for I have traded in the country above this thirty years; and have been married in the town of Scic full twenty-four years: so you may assure yourself that I will write nothing but truth.

Now I will declare unto you the wares and commodities that are in the countries near about Scio. There are very good galls, the best sort whereof are sold in England, five shillings [the hundredweight] dearer than any other country's galls. There are also cotton wool; tanned hides; hides in the hair; wax; camlets; mocayares; grogerams; silk of divers countries; Cordovan skins tanned white to be made black, of them in great quantity; and also coarse wool to make beds. The natural commodities growing in the island itself are raw silk and mastic.

Of these commodities there are laden yearly ten or twelve great ships of Genoa; besides five or six which belong to the town of Scio: which ships are freighted for Genoa, Messina and Ancona. And now that the Mauneses and the chief merchants of Genoa are banished, the trade is clean lost by reason whereof our merchandise must now of necessity be better cheap than it has been in times past.

But yet when all those ships did trade to the country, and also our ships; we never had less than three quintals of galls for a kersey; and in England we sold them for 35S. and 36s. the hundred: whereas now they are brought by the Venetians; they sell them unto us for £3 10s. and £4 the hundredweight.

Also we had three quintals of cotton wool for a kersey, and sold the wool for £2 10s. or £3 at the most: whereas now the Italians sell the same to us for £4 10s. and £5 the hundredweight.

In like manner, camlets: whereas we had three pieces, and of the best sort two pieces and a half, for a kersey; and could not sell them above 20s. and 22s. the piece, they sell them for 30s. and 35s. the piece.

Also grogerams, where we had of the best, two pieces and a half for a kersey: they sell them for 4s. and 4s. 6d. the yard.

Carpets, the smaller sort which serve for cupboards, we had three for a kersey. Whereas we, at the most, could not sell them but for 20s. the piece, they sell them for 35s. the piece.

And so all other commodities that the Venetians do bring, they sell them to us for the third part more gains than we ourselves obtained in those days that we traded in those parts.

Likewise the barrels of oil that they bring from Candia, we never could sell them above four nobles [£2 13s. 4d.] the barrel where they sell them always for 50s. and £3 the barrel.

What great pity it is, that we should lose so good a trade; and may have it in our own hands, and be better welcome to that country than the Venetians. Moreover, the Venetians come very little to Scio; for most of their trade is to Alexandria.

And for to assure you that we had these commodities in barter for our kerseys; look into your father's books, and the books of Sir JOHN GRESHAM and his brethren; and you shall find what I have said to be true.

Also you know that we are forced to seek for oils out of Spain, and that for these many years they have been sold there for £25 and £30 the tun: whereas-if we can obtain the foresaid safe-conduct from the Turk-there are divers places in his dominions, where we may lade 500 tuns at £5 sterling the tun. The places are Modon and Coron, which are but twelve miles distant the one from the other; and do stand in our way to Scio, as you may plainly see by the card [chart]. Also there are places where we may utter [dispose of] our own commodities. And not only at these two places, but at many others; where we may have oils, and be better used than we are in Spain: where we pay very dear, and also are very evilly entreated many ways, as to you is not unknown. So that by these means, if the merchants will, we may be eased; and have such a trade as the like is not in Christendom. Now as for getting the safe-conduct, if I were but able to