then a Messenger sent vnto them, to bring them to the Kings house: and they
being after a sort wearied with their long stay, were very ready, and
willing so to doe: and being entred within the gates of the Court, there
sate a very honorable companie of Courtiers, to the number of one hundred,
all apparelled in cloth of golde, downe to their ankles: and there hence
being conducted into the chamber of presence, our men beganne to wonder at
the Maiestie of the Emperour: his seate was aloft, in a very royall throne,
hauing on his head a Diademe, or Crowne of golde, apparalled with a robe
all of Goldsmiths worke, and in his hand hee held a Scepter garnished, and
beset with precious stones: and besides all other notes and apparances of
honour, there was a Maiestie in his countenance proportionable with the
excellencie of his estate: on the one side of him stood his chiefe
Secretaire, on the other side, the great Commander of silence, both of them
arayed also in cloth of gold: and then there sate the Counsel of one
hundred and fiftie in number, all in like sort arayed, and of great State.
This so honorable an assemblie, so great a Maiestie of the Emperour, and of
the place might very well haue amazed our men, and haue dasht them out of
countenance: but notwithstanding Master Chanceler being therewithall
nothing dismaied saluted, and did his duetie to the Emperour, after the
maner of England, and withall, deliuered vnto him the letters of our king,
Edward the sixt. The Emperour hauing taken, and read the letters, began a
litle to question with them, and to aske them of the welfare of our king:
whereunto our men answered him directly, and in few words: hereupon our men
presented some thing to the Emperour, by the chiefe Secretary, which at the
deliuery of it, put of his hat, being before all the time couered: and so
the Emperour hauing inuited them to dinner, dismissed them from his
presence: and going into the chamber of him that was Master of the Requests
to the Emperour, and hauing stayed there the space of two howres, at the
last, the Messenger commeth, and calleth them to dinner: they goe, and
being conducted into the golden Court, (for so they call it, although not
very faire) they finde the Emperour sitting vpon an high and stately seate,
apparelled with a robe of siluer, and with another Diademe on his head: our
men being placed ouer against him, sit downe: in the middes of the roome
stoode a mightie Cupboord vpon a square foote, whereupon stoode also a
round boord, in manner of a Diamond, broade beneath, and towardes the toppe
narrowe, and euery steppe rose vp more narrowe then another. Vpon this
Cupboorde was placed the Emperours plate, which was so much, that the very
Cupboord it selfe was scant able to sustaine the waight of it: the better
part of all the vessels, and goblets, was made of very fine gold: and
amongst the rest, there were foure pots of very large bignesse, which did
adorne the rest of the plate in great measure: for they were so high, that
they thought them at the least fiue foote long. There were also vpon this
Cupbord certaine siluer caskes, not much differing from the quantitie of
our Fyrkins, wherein was reserued the Emperours drinke: on each side of the
Hall stood foure Tables, each of them layde and couered with very cleane
table clothes, whereunto the company ascended by three steps or degrees:
all which were filled with the assemblie present: the ghests were all
apparelled with linnen without, and with rich skinnes within, and so did
notably set out this royall feast The Emperour, when hee takes any bread or
knife in his hand, doth first of all crosse himselfe vpon his forehead:
they that are in special fauour with the Emperour sit vpon the same bench
with him, but somewhat farre from him: and before the comming in of the
meate, the Emperour himselfe, according to an ancient custome of the kings
of Moscouy, doth first bestow a piece of bread vpon euery one of his
ghests, with a loud pronunciation of his title, and honour, in this manner:
The great Duke of Moscouie, and chiefe Emperour of Russia, Iohn Basiliwich
(and then the officer nameth the ghest) doth giue thee bread. Whereupon al
the ghests rise vp, and by and by sit downe againe. This done, the
Gentleman Vsher of the Hall comes in, with a notable company of seruants,
carying the dishes, and hauing done his reuerence to the Emperour, puts a
yong Swanne in a golden platter vpon the table, and immediately takes it
thence againe, deliuering it to the Caruer, and seuen other of his
fellowes, to be cut up: which being perfourmed, the meate is then
distributed to the ghests, with the like pompe, and ceremonies. In the
meane time, the Gentleman Vsher receiues his bread, and tasteth to the
Emperour, and afterward, hauing done his reuerence, he departeth. Touching
the rest of the dishes, because they were brought in out of order, our men
can report no certaintie: but this is true, that all the furniture of
dishes, and drinking vessels, which were then for the vse of a hundred
ghests, was all of pure golde, and the tables were so laden with vessels of
gold, that there was no roome for some to stand vpon them.
We may not forget, that there were 140. seruitors arayed in cloth of gold,
that in the dinner time, changed thrise their habit and apparell, which
seruitors are in like sort serued with bread from the Emperour, as the rest
of the ghests. Last of all, dinner being ended, and candles brought in,
(for by this time night was come) the Emperour calleth all his ghests and
Noble Men by their names, in such sort, that it seemes miraculous, that a
Prince, otherwise occupied in great matters of estate, should so well
remember so many and sundry particular names. The Russes tolde our men,
that the reason thereof, as also of the bestowing of bread in that maner,
was to the ende that the Emperour might keepe the knowledge of his owne
houshold: and withal, that such as are vnder his displeasure, might by this
meanes be knowen.
Of the discipline of warre among the Russes.
Whensoeuer the iniuries of their neighbours doe call the King foorth to
battell, hee neuer armeth a lesse number against the enemie, then 300.
thousand soldiers, 100. thousand whereof hee carieth out into the field
with him, and leaueth the rest in garison in some fit places, for the
better safetie of his Empire. He presseth no husbandman, nor Marchant: for
the Countrey is so populous, that these being left at home, the youth of
the Realme is sufficient for all his wars. As many as goe out to warfare
doe prouide all things of their owne cost: they fight not on foote, but
altogether on horsebacke: their armour is a coate of maile, and a helmet:
the coate of maile without is gilded, or els adorned with silke, although
it pertaine to a common soldier: they haue a great pride in shewing their
wealth: they vse bowes, and arrowes, as the Turks do: they cary lances also
into the field. They ride with a short stirrop, after the maner of the
Turks: They are a kinde of people most sparing in diet, and most patient in
extremitie of cold, aboue all others. For when the ground is couered with
snowe, and is growen terrible and hard with the frost, this Russe hangs vp
his mantle, or souldiers coate, against that part from whence the winde and
Snowe driues, and so making a little fire, lieth downe with his backe
towards the weather: this mantle of his serues him for his bed, wall, house
and all: his drinke is colde water of the riuer, mingled with oatemeale,
and this is all his good cheere, and he thinketh himselfe well, and
daintily fedde therewith, and so sitteth downe by his fire, and vpon the
hard ground, rosteth as it were his wearie sides thus daintily stuffed: the
hard ground is his feather bed, and some blocke or stone his pillow: and as
for his horse, he is as it were a chamberfellow with his master, faring
both alike. How iustly may this barbarous, and rude Russe condemne the
daintinesse and nicenesse of our Captaines, who liuing in a soile and aire
much more temperate, yet commonly vse furred boots, and clokes? But thus
much of the furniture of their common souldiers. But those that are of
higher degrees come into the field a little better prouided. As for the
furniture of the Emperour himselfe, it is then aboue all other times, most
notable. The couerings of his tent for the most part, are all of gold,
adorned with stones of great price, and with the curious workemanship of
plumasiers. As often as they are to skirmish with the enemie, they goe
forth without any order at all: they make no wings, nor militarie diuisions
of their men, as we doe, but lying for the most part, in ambush, doe
suddenly set vpon the enemie. Their horses can well abstaine two whole
daies from any meate. They feede vpon the barkes of trees, and the most
tender branches, in all the time of warre. And this scant and miserable
maner of liuing, both the horse and his Master can well endure, sometimes
for the space of two moneths, lustie, and in good state of body. If any man
behaue himselfe valiantly in the fielde, to the contentation of the
Emperour, he bestoweth vpon him in recompense of his seruice, some farme,
or so much ground as he and his may liue vpon, which notwithstanding after
his death, returneth againe to the Emperour, if he die without a male
issue. For although his daughters be neuer so many, yet no part of that
inheritance comes to them, except peraduenture the Emperour of his
goodnesse, giue some portion of the land amongst them, to bestowe them
withall. As for the man, whosoeuer he be, that is in this sort rewarded by
the Emperours liberalitie, hee is bound in a great summe, to maintaine so
many souldiers for the warre, when need shall require, as that land, in the
opinion of the Emperour, is able to maintaine. And all those, to whom any
land fals by inheritance, are in no better condition: for if they die
without any male issue, all their lands fall into the hands of the
Emperour. And moreouer, if there be any rich man amongst them, who in his
owne person is vnfit for the warres, and yet hath such wealth, that thereby
many Noble men and warriours might be maintained, if any of the Courtiers
present his name to the Emperour, the vnhappy man is by and by sent for,
and in that instant, depriued of all his riches, which with great paines
and trauell all his life time he had gotten together: except perhaps some
small portion thereof be left him, to maintaine his wife, children and
familie. But all this is done of all the people so willingly at the
Emperours commandement, that a man would thinke, they rather make
restitution of other mens goods, then giue that which is their owne to
other men. Nowe the Emperour hauing 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 warres, the more fauour he thinketh is
borne to him by the Emperour, although he goe vpon his owne charge, as I
said before. So great is the obedience of all men generally to their
Prince.
Of the Ambassadours of the Emperour of Moscouie.
The Moscouite, with no lesse pompe, and magnificence, then that which we
haue spoken of, sends his Ambassadors to forrein Princes, in the affaires
of estate. For while our men were abiding in the Citie of Mosco, there were
two Ambassadors sent to the King of Poland, accompanied with 500. notable
horses, and the greater part of the men were arrayed in cloth of gold, and
of silke, and the worst apparell was of garments of blewe colour, to speake
nothing of the trappings of the horses, which were adorned with gold and
siluer, and very curiously embrodered: they had also with them one hundred
white and faire spare horses, to vse them at such times, as any wearinesse
came vpon them. But now the time requireth me to speake briefly of other
Cities of the Moscouites, and of the wares and commodities that the
Countrey yeeldeth.
Nouogorode.
Next vnto Mosco, the Citie of Nouogorode is reputed the chiefest of Russia:
for although it be in Maiestie inferior to it, yet in greatnesse it goeth
beyond it. It is the chiefest and greatest Marte Towne of all Moscouie: and
albeit the Emperour's seate is not there, but at Mosco, yet the
commodiousness of the riuer, falling into the gulfe, which is called Sinus
Finnicus, whereby it is well frequented by Marchants, makes it more famous
then Mosco it selfe. This towne excels all the rest in the commodities of
flaxe and hempe: It yeeldes also hides, honie, and waxe. The Flemings there
sometimes had a house of Marchandize, but by reason that they vsed the like
ill dealing there, which they did with vs, they lost their priuileges, a
restitution whereof they earnestly sued for at the time that our men were
there. But those Flemings hearing of the arriuall of our men in those
parts, wrote their letters to the Emperour against them, accusing them for
pirats and rouers, wishing him to detaine, and imprison them. Which things
when they were knowen of our men, they conceiued feare, that they should
neuer haue returned home. But the Emperour beleeuing rather the Kings
letters, which our men brought, then the lying and false suggestions of the
Flemings, vsed no ill intreatie towards them.
Yeraslaue.
Yeraslaue also is a Towne of some good fame, for the commodities of hides,
tallow, and corne, which it yeeldes in great abundance. Cakes of waxe are
there also to bee solde, although other places haue greater store: This
Yeraslaue is distant from Mosco, about two hundred miles: and betwixt them
are many populous villages. Their fields yeeld such store of corne, that in
conuaying it towards Mosco, sometimes in a forenoone, a man shall see seuen
hundred or eight hundred sleds, going and comming, laden with corne and
salt fish: the people come a thousand miles to Mosco, to buy that corne,
and then cary it away vpon sleds: and these are those people that dwell in
the North parts, where the colde is so terrible, that no corne doth growe
there, or if it spring vp it neuer comes to ripenesse. The commodities that
they bring with them, are salt fish, skinnes, and hides.
Vologda.
Vologda being from Mosco, 550. miles yeeldes the commodities of Hempe and
Flaxe also: although the greatest store of Flaxe is solde at Nouogrode.
Plesco.
The Towne of Plesco, is frequented of Marchants for the good store of Honie
and Waxe that it yeeldeth.
Colmagro.
The North parts of Russia yeelde very rare and precious skinnes: and
amongst the rest, those principally, which we call Sables, worne about the
neckes of our Noble women and Ladies: it hath also Martins skinnes, white,
blacke, and red Foxe skinnes, skinnes of Hares, and Ermyns, and others,
which they call and terme barbarously, as Beuers, Minxes, and Miniuers. The
sea adioyning, breedes a certaine beast, which they call the Mors, which
seeketh his foode vpon the rockes, climing vp with the helpe of his teeth.
The Russes vse to take them, for the great vertue that is in their teeth,
whereof they make as great accompt, as we doe of the Elephants tooth. These
commodities they cary vpon Deeres backes to the towne of Lampas: and from
thence to Colmagro, and there in the winter time, are kept great Faires for
the sale of them. This Citie of Colmagro, serues all the Countrey about it
with salt, and salt fish. The Russians also of the North parts, send
thither oyle, which they call traine, which they make in a riuer called
Vna, [Marginal note: Or Dwina.] although it be also made elsewhere: and
here they vse to boile the water of the sea, whereof they make very great
store of salt.
Of controuersies in Lawe, and how they are ended.
Hauing hitherto spoken so much of the chiefest Cities of Russia, as the
matter required: it remaineth that we speake somewhat of the lawes, that
the Moscouits doe vse, as farre foorth as the same are come to our
knowledge. If any controuersie arise among them, they first make their
Landlords Iudges in the matter, and if they cannot end it, then they
preferre it to the Magistrate. The plaintif craueth of the said Magistrate,
that he may haue leaue to enter law against his aduesarie: and hauing
obtained it, the officer fetcheth the defendant, and beateth him on the
legges, till he bring forth a suretie for him: but if he be not of such
credite, as to procure a surety, then are his hands by an officer tied to
his necke, and he is beaten all the way, till he come before the Iudge. The
Iudge then asketh him (as for example in the matter of debt) whether he
oweth any thing to the plaintife. If he denies it, then saith the Iudge,
How canst thou deny it? the defendant answereth, By an othe: thereupon the
officer is commaunded to cease from beating of him, vntill the matter be
further tried. They haue no Lawyers, but euery man is his owne Aduocate,
and both the complaint of the accuser, and the answere of the defendant,
are in maner of petition deliuered to the Emperour, intreating iustice at
his hands. The Emperour himselfe heareth euery great controuersie, and vpon
the hearing of it, giueth iudgement, and that with great equitie, which I
take to be a thing worthy of speciall commendation, in the Maiestie of a
Prince. But although he doe this with a good purpose of mind, yet the
corrupt Magistrates do wonderfully peruert the same: but if the Emperour
take them in any fault, he doeth punish them most seuerely. Now at the
last, when ech partie hath defended his cause with his best reasons, the
Iudge demandeth of the accuser, whether he hath any more to say for
himselfe: he answereth, that he will trie the matter in fight by his
Champion, or else intreateth, that in fight betwixt themselues the matter
may be ended: which being graunted, they both fight it out: or if both of
them, or either of them seeme vnfit for that kinde of triall, then they
haue publike Champions to be hired, which liue by ending of quarrels. These
Champions are armed with yron axes, and speares, and fight on foote, and he
whose Champion is ouercome, is by and by taken, and imprisoned, and
terribly handled, vntill he agree with his aduersarie. But if either of
them be of any good calling, and degree, and doe challenge one another to
fight, the Iudge granteth it: in which case they may not vse publike
Champions. And he that is of any good birth, doth contemne the other, if he
be basely borne, and wil not fight with him. If a poore man happen to grow
in debt, his Creditor takes him, and maketh him pay the debt, in working
either to himselfe, or to some other man, whose wages he taketh vp. And
there are some among them, that vse willingly to make themselues, their
wiues, and children, bondslaues vnto rich men, to haue a little money at
the first into their hands, and so for euer after content themselues with
meate and drinke: so little accompt doe they make of libertie.
Of punishments vpon theeues.
If any man be taken vpon committing of theft, he is imprisoned, and often
beaten, but not hanged for the first offence, as the manner is with vs: and
this they call the lawe of mercie. He that offendeth the second time hath
his nose cut off, and is burnt in the forehead with a hot yron. The third
time, he is hanged. There are many cutpurses among them, and if the rigour
of the Prince did not cut them off they could not be auoyded.
Of their religion.
They maintaine the opinions of the Greeke Church: they suffer no grauen
images of saints in their Churches, but their pictures painted in tables
they haue in great abundance, which they do adore and offer vnto, and burne
waxe candles before them, and cast holy water vpon them, without other
honour. They say that our images which are set vp in Churches, and carued,
haue no diuinitie in them. In their priuate houses they haue images for
their household saints, and for the most part, they are put in the darkest
place of the house: hee that comes into his neighbours house doth first
salute his saints, although he see them not. If any foorme or stoole stand
in his way, hee oftentimes beateth his browe vpon the same, and often
ducking downe with his head, and body, worshippeth the chiefe Image. The
habite, and attire of the Priests, and of the Lay men, doth nothing at all
differ: as for marriage, it is forbidden to no man: onely this is receiued
and held amongst them for a rule, and custome, that if a Priests wife doe
die, he may not marry againe, nor take a second wife: and therefore they of
secular Priests, as they call them, are made Monkes, to whom then chastitie
for euer is commanded. Their diuine seruice is all done and said in their
owne language, that euery man may vnderstand it: they receiue the Lords
Supper with leauened bread, and after the consecration, they carry it about
the Church in a saucer, and prohibite no man from receiuing and taking of
it, that is willing so to doe. They vse both the Olde and the Newe
Testament, and read both in their owne language, but so confusedly, that
they themselues that doe reade, vnderstand not what themselues doe say: and
while any part of either Testament is read, there is liberty giuen by
custome to prattle, talke, and make a noise: but in the time of the rest of
the seruice they vse very great silence and reuerence and behaue themselues
very modestly, and in good sort. As touching the Lords praier, the tenth
man amongst them knowes it not: and for the articles of our faith, and the
ten commandements, no man, or at the least very fewe of them doe either
know them or can say them: their opinion is, that such secrete and holy
things as they are should not rashly and imprudently be communicated with
the common people. They holde for a maxime amongst them, that the olde
Lawe, and the commandements also are abolished by the death and blood of
Christ: all studies and letters of humanitie they vtterly refuse:
concerning the Latine, Greeke, and Hebrew tongues, they are altogether
ignorant in them.
Euery yeere they celebrate foure seuerall fastes, which they call according
to the names of the Saints: the first beginnes with them, at the time that
our Lent beginnes. The second is called amongst them the fast of S. Peter.
The third is taken from the day of the Virgin Marie. And the fourth and
last begins vpon S. Philips day. But as we begin our Lent vpon Wednesday,
so they begin theirs vpon the Sunday. Vpon the Saturday they eate flesh:
whensoeuer any of those fasting feastes doe drawe neere, looke what weeke
doth immediately goe before them, the same weeke they liue altogether vpon
white meates, and in their common language they call those weekes, the fast
of Butter.
In the time of their fasts, the neighbours euery where goe from one to
another, and visite one another, and kisse one another with kisses of
peace, in token of their mutuall loue and Christian concord: and then also
they doe more often then at any other time goe to the holy Communion. When
seuen dayes are past, from the beginning of the fast, then they doe often
either goe to their Churches, or keepe themselues at home, and vse often
prayer: and for that seuennight they eate nothing but hearbes: but after
that seuennights fast is once past, then they returne to their old
intemperancie of drinking, for they are notable tospots. As for the keeping
of their fasting dayes, they doe it very streightly, neither doe they eate
any thing besides hearbes, and salt fish, as long as those fasting dayes
doe endure: but vpon euery Wednesday and Friday, in euery weeke thoughout
the yeere, they fast.
There are very many Monasteries of the order of S. Benedict, amongst them,
to which many great liuings, for their maintenance, doe belong: for the
Friers and the Monkes doe at the least possesse the third part of the
liuings, throughout the whole Moscouite Empire. To those Monkes that are of
this Order, there is amongst them a perpetuall prohibition, that they may
eate no flesh: and therefore their meate is onely salt fish, milke, and
butter: neither is it permitted them by the lawes, and customes of their
religion, to eate any fresh fish at all: and at those foure fasting times,
whereof we spake before, they eate no fish at all: onely they liue with
hearbes, and cucumbers, which they doe continually for that purpose cause
and take order to grow and spring, for their vse and diet.