sea, to Cathaia, and what may be heard of our other ships, and to
what knowledge you may come, by conferring with the learned or well-
travelled persons, either natural or foreign, such as have travelled
from the north to the south.

16. Item, it is committed to the said agents that, if they shall be
certified credibly that any of our said first ships be arrived in
any place whereunto passage is to be had by water or by land, that
then certain of the company, at the discretion of the agents, shall
be appointed to be sent to them to learn their estate and condition,
to visit, refresh, relieve, and furnish them with all necessaries
and requisites at the common charges of the company, and to embrace,
accept, and entreat them as our dear and well-beloved brethren of
this our society to their rejoicing and comfort, advertising Sir
Hugh Willoughbie and others of our carefulness of them and their
long absence, with our desire to hear of them, with all other things
done in their absence for their commodity, no less than if they had
been present.

17. Item, it is decreed that, when the ships shall arrive at this
going forth at the Wardhouse, that their agents--with Master
Chanceler, grand pilot; John Brooke, merchant, deputed for the
Wardhouse, with John Backhand, master of the Edward; John Howlet,
master, and John Robbins, pilot, of the Philip and Mary--shall
confer and consult together that is most profitable to be done
therefore for the benefit of the company, and to consider whether
they may bargain with the captain of the Castle, and the inhabitants
in that place, or along the coast for a large quantity of fish--dry
or wet--killed by the naturals, or to be taken by our men at a price
reasonable for truck of cloth, meal, salt, or beer, and what train-