Novogrod, Vologda, or Moscow, and sell them there. The feathers
which come from Penning they do little esteem.

If our merchants do desire to know the meetest place of Russia for
their standing house; in mine opinion I take it to be Vologda, which
is a great town standing in the heart of Russia with many great and
good towns about it. There is great plenty of corn, victuals, and
of all such wares as are raised in Russland (Russia), but specially
flax, hemp, tallow, and bacon; there is also great store of wax, but
it cometh from Moscow.

The town of Vologda is meetest for our merchants, because it lieth
amongst all the best towns of Russia, and there is no town in Russia
but trades with it; also the water is a great commodity to it. If
they plant themselves in Moscow or Novogrod their charge will be
great and wonderful, but not so in Vologda, for all things will
there be had better cheap by the one-half; and for their vent, I
know no place so meet; it is likely that some will think the Moscow
to be the meetest by the reason of the court, but by that reason I
take it to be worse; for the charge there would be so great by
cravers and expenses that the moiety of the profit would be wholly
consumed, which in the other place will be saved. And yet,
notwithstanding, our merchants may be there in the winter to serve
the Emperor and his Court. The Emperor is a great merchant himself
of wax and sables, which with good foresight may be procured to
their hands; as for other commodities there are little or none in
Muscovy besides those above rehearsed; if there be other it is
brought thither by the Turks, who will be dainty to buy our cloths
considering the charges of carriages overland.