Ralph Fitch, England's Pioneer To India And Burma (1899)

Excerpt from book: CHAPTER I Queen's Letters To India And China?RemarkAble RELATION OF RALPH FITCH?VOYAGE TO GOA?IMPRISONED THE setting forth of Master Ralph Fitch and his companions appears to have had its origin in the enterprise of the newly formed Levant Company, afterwards known as the Turkey Company. Records are preserved of voyages made early in the sixteenth century to various Mediterranean ports in Sicily, Crete,Cyprus, and to Tripoli and Beyrout in Syria, while we had a Consul stationed at Chios as early as 1513. In Hakluyt's Collection we find an account of the perilous voyage of the Holy Cross and the Matthew Gonson to Crete and Chios in 1534. In 1550 Captain Bodenham, in "the great Barke Aucher" went the same journey, and states that " Richard Chancellor, who first discovered Russia, was with me in that voyage." Three years later Anthony Jenkinson, already referred to, who was then at Aleppo, obtained " a safe conduct" from Sultan Solyman, which has been described as the actual foundation of our future capitulations and the commencement of the Levant Company. In 1579 three merchants, William Harebone (or Hare- borne), Edward Ellis, and Richard Staple (apparently , the Richard Staper mentioned below), were sent to Constantinople to obtain for English merchants the privileges enjoyed by other nations.1 In 1581 Elizabeth entered into a treaty with Amurath (Murad) III. for five years, and granted letters patent to a small company entitled, " The Company of Merchants of the Levant." The charter was issued to Sir Edward Osborne, Thomas Smith, Richard Staper, and William Garret. " Her Majesty therefore grants unto those four merchants and to such other Englishmen, not exceeding twelve in number, as the said Sir E. Osborn and Staper shall appoint to be joined to them and their factors,...