John Meyrick (ambassador)

He translated Elizabeth's letters to the tsar into Russian in a personal interview, and laid before him a pedigree of the English royal family.

On 22 June he had a final audience with the tsar, who promised full protection to English merchants, and sent cordial greetings to Elizabeth, besides entrusting Meyrick with four Russian youths of high birth to be educated in England.

Political disturbances compelled Meyrick to remove at times from Moscow to Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory, and late in 1606 he returned to England to report the progress of affairs.

[2] In 1614 he was reappointed English ambassador to the tsar's court, with full powers to use his influence to reduce the anarchy prevailing in the Russian government.

Michael I, of the house of Romanov, was securely installed on the throne, and Meyrick took part in the negotiations for bringing to a close the long-standing warfare between Russia and Sweden.

On 4 March 1616 an armistice for three months was arranged under Meyrick's guidance; on 20 November, owing to his intercession with Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, the Swedes raised the siege of Narva; and on 27 February 1617 he helped to secure the Treaty of Stolbovo, which bore his signature as that of one of the contracting parties.

In November 1617 Meyrick came again to England, accompanied by an elaborate embassy from Russia, and bearing rich presents from the tsar to James I.

[2] On 19 October 1620 he was reappointed English envoy at Moscow, directed to negotiate a commercial treaty and to recover money recently lent to the tsar.