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Richard Hakluyt - Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, 10
graunted, and by these presents for vs our heyres and successours doe graunt vnto the said Gouernours
and companie of marchantes of the Leuant, that they and such onely as be and shall be of that companie,
shall for the sayd terme of twelue yeeres haue, vse, and enioy the whole and onely trade and traffike, and
the whole entire and onely libertie, vse, and priuilege of trading and traffiking, and vsing feate of
marchandise by and through the Leuant seas otherwise called the Mediterran seas into and from the sayd
dominions of the Grand Signor, and dominions of the state of Venice; and by and through the sayd Grand
Signors dominions to and from such other places in the East Indies discouered as aforesayd. And that
they the sayd Gouernour and companie of marchants of the Leuant and euery particular and seuerall
person of that companie their and euery one of their servants, factors, and deputies shall haue full and
free authoritie, libertie, facultie, licence, and power to trade and trafficke by and through the sayde
Leuant seas into and from all and euery the sayd dominions of the sayde Grand Signor, and the
dominions of the state of Venice, and the sayde Indies, and into and from all places where by occasion of
the sayd trade they shall happen to arriue or come, whither they be Christians, Turkes, Gentiles, or
others: And by and through the sayd Leuant seas into and from all other seas, riuers, portes, regions,
territories, dominions, coastes and places with their ships, barkes, pinases and other vessels, and with
such mariners and men as they will leade or haue with them, or sende for the sayde trade as they shall
thinke good at their owne costes and expenses.
And for that the shippes sayling into the sayde Countreyes must take their due and proper times to
proceede in these voyages, which otherwise as we well perceiue cannot be performed in the rest of the
yeere following: Therefore we of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere motion, for vs, our
heyres and successors doe graunt to and with the sayd Gouernour and companie of Marchantes of the
Leuant, that foure good shippes well furnished with ordinance and other munition for their defence, and
two hundred mariners English men to guide and sayle in the same four shippes at all times during the
sayde twelue yeeres shall quietly bee permitted and suffered to depart and goe in the sayde voyages,
according to the purport of these presents, without any stay or contradiction by vs, our heyres and
successors, or by the Lorde high Admirall or any other officer or subject of vs, our heires or successours
in any wise: Any restraint, lawe, statute, vsage or matter whatsoeuer to the contrarie notwithstanding.
Prouided neuerthelesse, that if wee shall at any time within the sayde twelue yeeres haue iust cause to
arme our Nauie in warrelike manner in defence of our Realme, or for offence of our enemies: and that it
shall be founde needefull and conuenient for vs to ioyne to our Nauie the shippes of our subjects to be
also armed for warres to such number as cannot bee supplied if the sayd foure shippes should be
permitted to depart as aboue is mentioned; then vpon knowledge giuen by vs or our Admirall to the sayde
Gouernour or companie about the fifteenth day of the moneth of March, or three moneths before the
saide companie shall beginne to make readie the same foure shippes that we may not spare the sayd foure
ships and the marriners requisite for them to be out of our Realme during the time that our Nauie shal be
vpon the seas, that then the sayde companie shall forbeare to send such foure shippes for their trade of
marchandise vntill that we shall retake our sayd Nauie from the sayd service.
And further our will and pleasure is, and wee doe by these presentes graunt that it shall be lawfull to and
for the sayd Gouernour and companie of Marchantes of the Leuant to haue and vse in and about the
affaires of the sayde companie a common seale for matters concerning the sayde companie and trade.
And that also it shall be lawfull for the Marchants, Mariners, and Sea men, which shall be vsed and
imployed in the sayde trade and voyage to set and place in the toppes of their ships or other vessels the
Armes of England with the redde-crosse in white ouer the same as heretofore they haue vsed.
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