His shipwreck and death at Pitsligo.
Arrival in London of the first Russian ambassador, Feb. 1557. with so much skill and judgment that the Emperor of Russia readily entered into his plans for promoting commercial intercourse between England and Russia, and despatched with him an ambassador to negotiate treaties on the most liberal bases, at the same time granting to the "Association of Merchant Adventurers" and "their successors for ever" special privileges. Chancellor, however, did not live to reap the fruit of his labours and receive the rewards and honours to which he was so well entitled. On his return to England, his ship was dashed to pieces during a furious gale at Pitsligo, in the north of Scotland; and, in his praiseworthy and successful exertions to save the life of the Russian ambassador, he unfortunately lost his own.[1] But mourning is only for a season. The lamentations on the loss of so many brave men, and especially on Chancellor, were drowned in the shouts of rejoicing which soon afterwards welcomed the Russian ambassador to the city of London. On the 27th February, 1557, he was met twelve miles from the City by "fourscore merchants with chaines of gold and goodly apparell," with their retinue of servants and "horses and geldings" more gaudily adorned than themselves, and on reaching the boundaries of the City, the "Lord Mayor, accompanied by all the aldermen, received him, accompanied by Viscount Montague and other members of the court of the Queenes Majestie, together with a great number of merchants and notable personages riding before, and a large troupe of servants and apprentices following."
- ↑ Chancellor was drowned, according to Hakluyt, Nov. 7, 1556 (vol. ii. p. 286).
