Archangel, City

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Arch-Angel, is a very famous Sea-Port in the North of Muscovy, in the Province of Dwina, upon the River Dwin; which near this place is divided into two Branches, making the Island of Podesmeske, and then falling into the White-Sea, 6 German Miles beneath this City. The passage by Sea to this City was first sound out by one Richard Chandler, an English-man, in the Year 1554, or near that time, before which the Muscovites had no Communication with these parts of the World, excepting by the Baltick Sea, by Narva, and Poland: accordingly, the English were at first treated with great Kindness by the Princes of Muscovy, and in the Year 1569, obtain'd from Basilovits, the Emperour of Muscovy, that none but the English should Trade here; but since that, the Dutch, Danes, and Swedes, have had their share; and Arch-Angel, which when it was discover'd was a Village, is now become a rich and populous City. This City lies in 64d. of lat. //Paris Meridian was used in the book

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

* Archangel, Lat. Archangilopolis, St. Michael Archangel, in French a famous Emporium in the Province of Duris, in the N. of Muscovy, upon the River Dixina, which near this place divides into two Branches, making the Island of Podesmeske, and falls into the White Sea, six German Miles beneath this City. This Passage was first discovered by Richard Chandler an Englishman, An. 1554. before which time the Muscovites had no Commerce with these parts of the World, but by the Baltick, the Narve, and Poland; whereupon the English were at first treated with great kindness by the Muscovites, and their Emperor Basilovite granted the English the sole privilege of Trading thither, An. 1569. but the Dutch, Danes, and Swedes, have now as much liberty as they: And Archangel being but a Village at that time, is now become a Rich and Populous City, Lat. 64.

Archangel, Mr. Lane relates that in the year 1553. Sir Hugh Willoughby was sent to discover the N. E. Passage to China; Richard Chancellor, the Master of one of the Ships, was separated from the Fleet, and by chance arrived at Archangel, and Wintered there that year, of which see more below. Sir Hugh Willoughby, with 70 Men, perished that year in Lapland.

When Chanceller first came into the White Sea, he found a Boat Fishing, which having never before seen a Ship fled from him, and when he came up with them, fell down at his feet, and would have kissed them, and were hardly to be persuaded to sell him any thing without leave of their Prince; but they gave him plenty of Victuals for nothing: The Emperor was very kind, and in 1555. a Company was settled there under Mr. Geo. Killingworth upon good Privileges.

This place in all the ancient Voyages is called Colmogro, and is placed 100 Verstes from the Bay of St. Nicholas, Lat. 64. 25. by Mr. Jenkinson; The River is called Pinego. In the year 1566. the Emperor of Russia granted to Queen Elizabeth, That no Ship of any other Nation but the English, should Trade to any of his Ports on the North Sea, from Wardhouse to the River Obb. The Ports are reckoned thus: Petzora, Cola, Mezen, Petchnigo, the Island of Shallaway, on the mouth of Dwina, Colmogro, or the River Obb. From Colmogro to Wardhouse is 800 Versts; from Colmogro to Uromo, The farthest place of Trade with the Samoieds are 345 Versts. Burrough an Englishman observed the true Latitude of Michael Archangel to be 64.54. That of Colmogro to be 64. 25. The Meridian Altitude at Archangel 42. 30. at Colmogro 42. 15.

Archangel is placed on the E. side of the Dwina, and when we were there (in 1663.) was not very great; but yet so populous, that it could scarce hold the Inhabitants and People that resorted thither to Trade with the English and Hollanders, Carlile's Ambassy, p. 79. Soon after this it was burnt and almost all reduced to Ashes, p. 91. The Castle of this place was built about 1506. and this Town became a Mart about 1591. the Road for Ships being at St. Nicholas on Rose Island, and the Mart at Colmogro.

1698. The antient and present state of Muscovy by Jodocus Crull.

The City of Archangel, or St. Michael Archangel an Archbishop's Seat, and now the Capital of 〈◊〉 Province, is situated at the Mouth of the River Duina on the left side as you enter it from the White Sea, where it makes the Island of Podesemski. 〈◊〉none of the largest, but withal so populous, that no other place in whole Muscovy is comparable to it, by reason of the great concourse of Merchants which flock thither from the circum•acent Provinces, to truck their Commodities, which consist in Corn, Caviarr, Furrs, Hemp, Russia Leather and Wax, against Cloth, Velvets, Damask, Spices, Tin, Lead, Wine, and Strong-Waters, imported by the English, Dutch, and Hamburghers; so, that sometimes 300 or 400 Ships are to be seen of several Nations in the Port of Archangel, the Customs of which are said to amount Yearly to near 200000 l. Sterling. It is above Sevenscore Years ago since the English began to remove their Trade from Narva to this place. For, King Edward VI. having set out a Fleet for the establishing a Trade in some unknown Country, they having followed the Northern Passage, were at last brought into the Port of Archangel; John Basilovitz, the then Grand Czar of Muscovy, being very desirous to draw the English Traffick thither, •o encourage their Undertaking, granted them a Priviledge of Commerce without any Custom or Impost; so, that in the Year 1555. the English settled a Company there, under the Direction of one Mr. Killingworth, and the Muscovy Trade has been ever since continued from that place, to the great Advantage of the English Nation; tho' at the same time, it cannot be denied, but that, since the Year 1591. when the Town became a Mart, the Dutch and Hamburghers have interfered with the English in their Commerce. It has a considerable Castle, which was built in the Year 1506. and the Town being for the most part reduced to Ashes in the Year 1663. is since that time restored to a more flourishing condition than before. In the Gulph which the Sea makes near the Mouth of the before-mentioned River Dwina, there are three small Islands, called Soloska, Anger, and Colova; the first whereof was heretofore Famous for the Sepulchre of a Muscovian Saint, whose Body was about Fifty Years ago translated from thence to the City of Musco. Besides this and the before-mentioned City of Dwina, St. Nicholas, Lapas, and Korela, are the most worth taking notice of in this Country.