Certain Instructions delivered in the Third Voyage, Anno 1556, for
Russia, to every Purser and the rest of the Servants, taken for the
Voyage, which may serve as good and necessary Directions to all
other like Adventurers.


1. First, you shall, before the ship doth begin to lade, go aboard,
and shall there take and write one inventory by the advice of the
master, or of some other principal officer, there aboard, of all the
tackle, apparel, cables, anchors, ordnance, chambers, shot, powder,
artillery, and of all other necessaries whatsoever doth belong to
the said ship; and the same justly taken you shall write in a book,
making the said master, or such officer, privy of that which you
have so written, so that the same may not be denied when they shall
call account thereof. That done, you shall write a copy of the same
with your own hand, which you shall deliver before the ship shall
depart for the voyage, to the company's bookkeeper, here to be kept
to their behalf, to the end that they may be justly answered the
same when time shall require; and this order to be seen and kept
every voyage orderly, by the pursers of the company's own ship in
any wise.

2. Also, when the ship beginneth to lade, you shall be ready aboard
with your book to enter such goods as shall be brought aboard to be
laden for the company, packed or unpacked, taking the marks and
numbers of every pack, fardell, truss, or packet, coronoya, chest,
vat, butt, pipe, puncheon, whole barrel, half barrel, firkin, or
other cask, maunde, or basket, or any other thing which may or shall
be packed by any other manner of way or device. And first, all such
packs or trusses, etc., as shall be brought aboard to be laden not