ABSTRACT
In 1567 Ivan Vassilovitch sent two Muscovite merchants, Stephen Zerdikoff and Fedot Pogneloi, to London, where they (the first who reached that city) arrived in August, and were quartered in the company’s house in Seething Lane. They were commissioned to exchange furs for precious stones and other costly articles for the Czar’s treasury. They brought a letter from him of the 10th of April, which was written in two languages, Russian and German. The latter is the copy I have discovered. It is the oldest in England from a Russian sovereign. The commencement of the Czar’s title is wanting. The part which remains is conceived in the following terms:—“Ruler of Obdoski Condinski, and all the land of Siberia and the north coast, and Lord of the Livonian territory and other places, to Elizabeth, Queen of Engelant, France, and Ireland, and other places. To the gracious and noble Queen, health. We have sent to your country sundry of our merchants, viz. Steffen Fverdiko and Fedota Pogerela, and with them we have sent wares from our treasury, in order that in your king dom they may purchase sapphires, and rubies, and cloths, such as we require in our treasury. When these merchants arrive in your kingdom, we pray you to allow them to pass free with the wares which they take to your kingdom, as well as with those which they purchase from your subjects for our treasury, &c. Given under our hand at our palace at Moscow, in the year 7075 from the creation of the world, on the 10th of April, in the 34th year of our age, in the 20th of our reign over Russia, the 15th of that over Kasan, and the 13th of that over Astracan.” The seal is well preserved.
