The Discovery of Muscovy Part 4

4. Item, thirty Lausannes large and beautiful.

5. Item, six large and great skins, very rich and rare, worn only by the Emperor for worthiness.

6. Item, a large and fair white Jerfawcon, for the wild swan, crane, goose, and other great fowls. Together with a drum of silver, the hoops gilt, used for a lure to call the said hawk.

Gifts sent to the Emperor of Russia by the King and Queen's Majesties of England.

1. First, two rich pieces of cloth of tissue.

2. Item, one fine piece of scarlet.

3. Item, one fine violet in grain.

4. Item, one fine azure cloth.

5. Item, a notable pair of brigandines, with a murrian covered with crimson velvet and gilt nails.

6. Item, a male and female lions.

Gifts given to the Amba.s.sador at his Departure, over and above such as were delivered unto him at his first Arrival.

1. First, a chain of gold of one hundred pound.

2. Item, a large basin and ewer, silver and gilt.

3. Item, a pair of pottle pots gilt.

4. Item, a pair of flagons gilt.

THE VOYAGE Wherein OSEPP NAPEA, the Muscovite Amba.s.sador, returned home into his Country, with his Entertainment at his Arrival at Colmogro; and a large description of the Manners of the Country.

The 12th of May, in the year of our Lord 1567, there departed from Gravesend four good s.h.i.+ps, well appointed for merchants, which were presently bound into the Bay of St. Nicholas in Russia, with which s.h.i.+ps were transported or carried home one Osepp Gregoriwich Napea, who was sent messenger from the Emperor and Great Duke of Muscovy.

The four s.h.i.+ps were these whose names follow, viz.

The Primrose, Admiral.

The John Evangelist, Vice-Admiral.

The Anne, and the Trinity, Attendants.

The 13th of July, the aforesaid four s.h.i.+ps came to an anchor in the Bay of St. Nicholas, before an Abbey called the Abbey of St.

Nicholas, whereas the said messenger, Osepp Gregoriwich Napea, went ash.o.r.e, and as many Englishmen as came to serve the Emperor, remained with him at the Abbey, for the s.p.a.ce of six days, until he had gotten all his things ash.o.r.e, and laden the same in barques to go up the river Dwina, unto Vologhda, which is by water 1,000 verstes, and every verste is about three-quarters of an English mile.

The 20th of July, we departed from St. Nicholas, and the 24th of the same we came to Colmogro, where we remained eight days; and the same messenger was there of all his acquaintance welcomed home, and had presents innumerable sent unto him, but it was nothing but meat and drink; some sent white bread, some rye bread, and some b.u.t.tered bread and pancakes, beef, mutton, bacon, eggs, b.u.t.ter, fishes, swans, geese, ducks, hens, and all manner of victuals--both fish and flesh--in the best manner that the rude people could devise; for among them these presents are highly esteemed.

The 29th of July we departed from Colmogro, and the 14th of August we came to Vstioug, where we remained one day, and changed our barques, or boats.

The 27th of August we came to Vologhda, where we remained four days, unlading the barques, and lading our chests and things in small waggons, with one horse in a piece--which in their tongue are called "telegos"; and these telegos, they carried our stuff from Vologhda unto the Moscow, which is 500 verstes; and we were upon the same way fourteen days; for we went no faster than the telegos.

There are three great towns between the Moscow and Vologhda--that is to say, Yereslava, Rostave, and Pereslava. Upon one side of Yereslava runneth a famous river, which is called Volga. It runneth into the Caspian Sea, and it divideth itself, before it come into the Mare Caspium, in fifty parts or more: and near unto the same sea there stands a great city called Boghare; the inhabitants of the which are called by the same name.

The people of the said city do traffic in the city of Moscow: their commodities are spices, musk, ambergris, rhubarb, with other drugs.

They bring also many furs, which they buy in Siberia, coming towards the Moscow. The said people are of the sect of Mahomet.

The 12th of September we came unto the city of Moscow, where we were brought by Napea and two of the Emperor's gentlemen unto a large house, where every one of us had his chamber appointed.

The 14th of September we were commanded to come unto the Emperor, and immediately after our coming we were brought into his presence, unto whom each of us did his duty accordingly, and kissed his right hand, his Majesty sitting in his chair of state, with his crown on his head and a staff of goldsmith's work in his left hand well garnished with rich and costly stones; and when we had all kissed his hand and done our duty, his Majesty did declare by his interpreter that we were all welcome unto him, and into his country, and thereupon willed us to dine with him that day. We gave thanks unto his Majesty, and so departed until the dinner was ready.

When dinner-time approached we were brought again into the Emperor's dining chamber, where we were set on one side of a table that stood over against the Emperor's table, to the end that he might well behold us all, and when we came into the aforesaid chamber we found there ready set these tables following:-

First, at the upper end of one table were set the Emperor's Majesty, his brother, and the Emperor of Ca.s.san, who is prisoner. About two yards lower sat the Emperor of Ca.s.san's son, being a child of five years of age, and beneath him sat the most part of the Emperor's n.o.blemen.

And at another table near unto the Emperor's table there was set a monk all alone, who was in all points as well served as the Emperor.

At another table sat another kind of people called Chirka.s.ses, which the Emperor entertaineth for men of war to serve against his enemies; of which people and of their country I will hereafter make mention.

All the tables aforesaid were covered only within salt and bread, and after that we had sat awhile, the Emperor sent unto every one of us a piece of bread, which was given and delivered unto every man severally with these words: "The Emperor and Great Duke giveth thee bread this day;" and in like manner three or four times before dinner was ended he sent unto every man drink, which was given with these words: "The Emperor and Great Duke giveth thee to drink."

All the tables aforesaid were served in vessels of pure and fine gold, as well basins and ewers, platters, dishes, and saucers, as also of great pots, with an innumerable sort of small drinking-pots of divers fas.h.i.+ons, whereof a great number were set with stone. As for costly meats, I have many times seen better; but for change of wines, and divers sorts of meads, it was wonderful; for there was not left at any time so much void room on the table that one cup more might have been set, and as far as I could perceive all the rest were in the like manner served.

In the dinner-time there came in six singers who stood in the midst of the chamber, and their faces towards the Emperor, who sang there before dinner was ended three several times, whose songs or voices delighted our ears little or nothing.

The Emperor never putteth morsel of meat in his mouth but he first blesseth it himself, and in like manner as often as he drinketh; for after his manner he is very religious, and he esteemeth his religious persons above his n.o.blemen.

This dinner continued about the s.p.a.ce of five hours, which being ended, and the tables taken up, we came into the midst of the chamber, where we did reverence unto the Emperor's Majesty, and then he delivered unto every one of us with his own hands a cup of mead, which when every man had received and drunk a quant.i.ty thereof we were licensed to depart, and so ended that dinner. And because the Emperor would have us to be merry, he sent to our lodging the same evening three barrels of mead of sundry sort, of the quant.i.ty in all of one hogshead.

The 16th day of September the Emperor sent home unto our lodging for every one of us a Tartary horse to ride from place to place as we had occasion, for that the streets of Moscow are very foul and miry in the summer.

The 18th of September there were given unto Master Standish, doctor in physic, and the rest of our men of our occupations, certain furred gowns of branched velvet and gold, and some of red damask, of which Master Doctor's gown was furred with sables, and the rest were furred, some with white ermine, and some with grey squirrel, and all faced and edged round about with black beaver.

The 1st of October, in the morning, we were commanded to come unto the Emperor's Court, and when we came thither we were brought unto the Emperor, unto whom we did our duties accordingly, whereupon he willed us to dine with him that day, and so with thanks unto his Majesty we departed until dinner-time, at which time we came and found the tables covered with bread and salt as at the first; and after that we were all set upon one side of the table, the Emperor's Majesty according to his accustomed manner sent unto every man of us a piece of bread by some of the dukes who attended upon his Highness.

And whereas the 14th of September we were served in vessels of gold, we were now served in vessels of silver, and yet not so abundantly as was the first of gold; they brought drink unto the table in silver bowls, which contained at the least six gallons apiece, and every man had a small silver cup to drink in, and another to dip or to take his drink out of the great bowl withal. The dinner being ended, the Emperor gave unto every one of us a cup with mead, which when we had received, we gave thanks and departed.

Moreover, whensoever the Emperor's pleasure is that any stranger shall dine with him, he doth send for them in the morning, and when they come before him, he with his own mouth biddeth them to dinner, and this order he always observeth.

The 10th of October the Emperor gave unto Master Standish seventy roubles in money and to the rest of our men of occupations thirty roubles apiece.

The 3rd of November we dined again with the Emperor, where we were served as before.

The 6th of December being St. Nicholas' Day, we dined again at the Emperor's, for that is one of the princ.i.p.al feasts which the Muscovites hold. We were served in silver vessels, and ordered in all points as before, and it was past seven of the clock at night before dinner was ended.

The Emperor's Majesty useth every year in the month of December to have all his ordnance that is in the city of Moscow carried into the fields which are without the suburbs of the city, and there to have it planted and bent upon two houses of wood filled within with earth. Against which two houses there were two fair white marks set up, at which marks they discharge all their ordnance, to the end the Emperor may see what his gunners can do. They have fair ordnance of bra.s.s of all sorts-bases, falcons, minions, sakers, culverins, cannons (double and royal), basilisks (long and large); they have six great pieces, whose shot is a yard of height, which shot a man may easily discern as they flee. They have also a great many of mortar pieces or pot guns, out of which pieces they shoot wild fire.

The 12th of December the Emperor's Majesty and all his n.o.bility came into the field on horse-back in most goodly order, having very fine jennets and Turkey horses garnished with gold and silver abundantly; the Emperor's Majesty having on him a gown of rich tissue and a cap of scarlet on his head, set not only with pearls, but also with a great number of rich and costly stones; his n.o.blemen were all in gowns of cloth of gold, who did ride before him in good order by three and three, and before them there went 5,000 arquebusiers, which went by five and five in a rank in very good order, every of them carrying his gun upon his left shoulder and his match in his right hand, and in this order they marched into the field where the aforesaid ordnance was planted.