Whensoever the injuries of their neighbours do call the king forth to
battle, he never armeth a less number against the enemy than three
hundred thousand soldiers, one hundred thousand whereof he carrieth into
the field with him, and leaveth the rest in garrison in some fit places
for the better safety of his empire. He presseth no husbandmen nor
merchant; for the country is so populous that these being left at home
the youth of the realm is sufficient for all his wars. As many as go out
to warfare do provide all things of their own cost; they fight not on
foot, but altogether on horseback: their armour is a coat of mail, and a
helmet; the coat of mail without is gilded, or else adorned with silk,
although it pertain to a common soldier; they have a great pride in
showing their wealth; they use bows and arrows as the Turks do; they
carry lances also into the field. They ride with a short stirrup after
the manner of the Turks; they are a kind of people most sparing in diet,
and most patient in extremity of cold above all others. For when the
ground is covered with snow, and is grown terrible and hard with the
frost, this Russian hangs up his mantle or soldier’s coat against that
part from whence the wind and snow drives, and so making a little fire,
lieth down with his back towards the weather; this mantle of his serves
him for his bed, wall, house and all; his drink is the cold water of the
river, mingled with oatmeal, and this is all his good cheer, and he
thinketh himself well and daintily fed therewith, and so sitteth down by
his fire, and upon the hard ground, roasteth, as it were, his weary sides
thus daintily stuffed; the hard ground is his feather bed, and some block
or stone his pillow; and as for his horse, he is, as it were, a
chamber-fellow with his master, faring both alike. How justly may this
barbarous and rude Russian condemn the daintiness and niceness of our
captains, who, living in a soil and air much more temperate, yet commonly
use fur boots and cloaks! but thus much of the furniture of their common
soldiers. But those that are of higher degrees come into the field a
little better provided. As for the furniture of the Emperor himself, it
is then above all other times most notable. The coverings of his tent
for the most part are all of gold, adorned with stones of great price,
and with the curious workmanship of plumasiers; as often as they are to
skirmish with the enemy, they go forth without any order at all; they
make no wings, nor military divisions of their men, as we do, but lying
for the most part in ambush, do suddenly set upon the enemy. Their
horses can well abstain two whole days from any meat. They feed upon the
barks of trees and the most tender branches in all the time of war. And
this scant and miserable manner of living both the horse and his master
can well endure, sometimes for the space of two months lusty and in good
state of body. If any man behave himself valiantly in the field to the
contentation of the Emperor, he bestoweth upon him in recompense of his
service some farm or so much ground as he and his may live upon, which,
notwithstanding, after his death returneth again to the Emperor if he die
without a male issue. For although his daughters be never so many, yet
no part of that inheritance comes to them, except, peradventure, the
Emperor of his goodness give some portion of the land amongst them to
bestow them withal. As for the man, whosoever he be, that is in this
sort rewarded by the Emperor’s liberality, he is bound in a great sum to
maintain so many soldiers for the war, when need shall require, as that
land in the opinion of the Emperor is able to maintain. And all those to
whom any land falls by inheritance are in no better condition, for if
they die without any male issue, all their lands fall into the hands of
the Emperor; as, moreover, if there be any rich man amongst them, who in
his own person is unfit for the wars, and yet hath such wealth, that
thereby many noblemen and warriors might be maintained, if any of the
courtries present his name to the Emperor, the unhappy man is by-and-by
sent for, and in that instant deprived of all his riches, which with
great pains and travail all his lifetime he had gotten together, except
perhaps some small portion thereof be left him to maintain his wife,
children, and family. But all this is done of all people so willingly at
the Emperor’s commandment, that a man would think they would rather make
restitution of other men’s goods than give that which is their own to
other men. Now the Emperor having taken these goods into his hands,
bestoweth them among his courtiers according to their deserts, and the
oftener that a man is sent to the wars, the more favour he thinketh is
borne to him by the Emperor, although he go upon his own charge, as I
said before. So great is the obedience of all men generally to their
prince.