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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques,

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques,




The citie of Mosco is great, the houses for the most part of wood, and some
of stone, with windowes of yron, which serue for summer time. There are
many faire Churches of stone, but more of wood, which are made hot in the
winter time. The Emperors lodging is in a faire and large castle, walled
foure square of bricke, high, and thicke, situated vpon a hill, 2 miles
about, and the riuer on the Southwest side of it, and it hath 16 gates in
the walles, and as many bulwarks. [Footnote: The Kremlin Palace.] His
palace is separated from the rest of the Castle, by a long wall going north
and south, to the riuer side. In his palace are Churches, some of stone and
some of wood, with round towers fairely gilded. In the Church doores and
within the Churches are images of golde: the chiefe markets for all things,
are within the sayd Castle, and for sundry things sundry markets, and euery
science by it selfe. And in the winter there is a great market without the
castle, vpon the riuer being frozen, and there is sold corne, earthen pots,
tubs, sleds, &c. The castle is in circuit 2900 pases.

The coontrey is ful of marish ground, and plaine, in woods and riuers
abundant, but it bringeth forth good plenty of corne. This Emperour is of
great power: for he hath conquered much, as wel of the Lieflanders, Poles,
Lettoes, and Swethens, as also of the Tartars, and Gentiles, called
Samoeds, hauing thereby much inlarged his dominions. He keepeth his people
in great subiection: all matters passe his iudgement, be they neuer so
small. The law is sharpe for all offenders.

The Metropolitan dealeth in matters of religion, as himselfe listeth, whome
the Emperour greatly honoreth. They vse the ceremonies, and orders of the
Greeke Church. They worship many images painted on tables, and specially
the image of S. Nicholas. Their Priests be maried, but their wiues being
dead, they may not marie the second time, and so become Monkes, whereof
there are a great number in the land.

They haue foure Lents in the yeere, and the weeke before Shrofetide, they
call the Butter weeke, &c.

They haue many sortes of meats and drinkes, when they banket and delight in
eating of grosse meates, and stinking fishe. Before they drinke they vse to
blowe in the cup: their greatest friendship is in drinking: they are great
talkers and lyers, without any faith or trust in their words, flatterers
and dissemblers. The women be there very obedient to their husbands, and
are kept straightly from going abroad, but at some seasons.

At my being there, I heard of men and women that drunke away their
children, and all their goods at the Emperors tauerne, and not being able
to pay, hauing impauned himselfe, the Tauerner bringeth him out to the
highway, and beates him vpon the legges: then they that passe by, knowing
the cause, and hauing peraduenture compassion vpon him, giue the money, and
so he is ransomed.

In euery good towne there is a drunken Tauerne called a Cursemay, which the
Emperour sometime letteth out to farme, and sometimes bestoweth for a yeare
or two on some duke or gentleman, in recompense of his seruice: and for
that time he is Lord of all the towne, robbing and spoiling, and doing what
pleaseth him: and then he be growen rich, is taken by the Emperor, and sent
to the warres againe, where he shall spend all that which he hath gotten by
ill meanes: so that the Emperour in his warres is little charged, but all
the burden lieth vpon the poore people.

They vse sadles made of wood and sinewes, with the tree gilded with damaske
worke, and the seat couered with cloth sometimes of golde, and the rest
Saphian leather, well stitched. They vse little drummes at their sadle
bowes, by the sound whereof their horses vse to runne more swiftly.

The Russe is appareled in this manner: his vpper garment is of golde,
silke, or cloth, long, downe to the foot, and buttoned with great buttons
of siluer, or els laces of silke, set on with brooches, the sleeues thereof
very long, which he weareth on his arme, ruffed vp. Vnder that he hath
another long garment, buttoned with silke buttons, with a high coller
standing vp of some colour and that garment is made straight. Then his
shirt is very fine, and wrought with red silk, or some gold, with a coller
of pearle. Vnder his shirt he hath linnen breeches, vpon his legs, a paire
of hose without feete, and his bootes of red or yellow leather. On his head
hee weareth a white Colepecke, with buttons of siluer, gold, pearle, or
stone, and vnder it a black Foxe cap, turned vp very broad.

When he rideth on horsebacke to the warres, or any iourney, he hath a sword
of the Turkish fashion, and his bowe and arrowes of the same maner. In the
towne he weareth no weapon, but onely two or three paire of kniues, hauing
the hafts of the tooth of a fish, called the Morse.

In the Winter time, the people trauell with sleds, in towne and countrey,
the way being hard, and smooth with snow; the waters and riuers are all
frozen, and one horse with a sled, will draw a man vpon it 400 miles, in
three daies: but in the Summer time, the way is deepe with mire, and
trauelling is very ill.

The Russe, if he be a man of any abilitie, neuer goeth out of his house in
the winter, but vpon his sled, and in Summer vpon his horse: and in his
sled he sits vpon a carpet, or a white Beares skinne: the sled is drawen
with a horse well decked, with many Foxes and Woolues tailes at his necke,
and is conducted by a little boy vpon his backe: his seruants stand vpon
the taile of the sled &c.

* * * * *

The voyage, wherein Osep Napea the Moscouite Ambassadour returned home into
his countrey, with his entertainement at his arriuall, at Colmogro: and a
large description of the maners of the Countrey.

The twelfth of Maye, in the yeare of our Lorde 1557 there departed from
Grauesend, foure good shippes well appointed for Marchants, which were
presently bound into the Baye of S. Nicholas in Russia, with which shippes
was transported, or caried home, one Osep Gregoriwich Napea, who was sent
Messenger from the Emperour and great Duke of Moscouia. The foure ships
were these, whose names follow, viz.

The Primerose Admirall.
The Iohn Euangelist Viceadmirall.
The Anne and the Trinitie Attendants.

The 13 of Iuly, the foresayd foure shippes came to an anker in the Baye of
S. Nicholas, befor an Abbey, called the Abbey of S. Nicholas, whereas the
sayde Messenger, Osep Gregoriwich Napea went a shoare, and as many English
men as came to serue the Emperour remained with him at the Abbey for the
space of sixe daies, vntill he had gotten all his things a shoare, and
laden the same in the barkes, to goe vp the riuer Dwina, vnto Vologhda,
which is by water 1000 verstes, and euery verste is about three quarters of
an English mile.

[Sidenote: Presents vsed in Russia are all for the most part of victuals.]
The 20 of Iuly, we departed from S. Nicholas, and the 24 of the same, we
came to Colmogro, where we remained eight daies and the sayd Messenger was
there of all his acquaintance welcommed home, and had presents innumerable
sent vnto him, but it was nothing but meate, and drinke. Some sent white
bread, some rie bread, and some buttered bread and pancakes, beefe, mutton,
bacon, egges, butter, fishes, swannes, geese, duckes, hennes, and all maner
of victuals, both fish and flesh, in the best maner, that the rude people
could deuise: for among them, these presents are highly esteemed.

The 29 of Iuly, we departed from Colmogro, and the 14 of August we came to
Vstiug, where we remained one day, and changed our barkes or boates.

The 27 of August, we came to Vologhda, where we remained 4 dayes vnlading
the barkes, and lading our chestes and things in small waggons, with one
horse in a piece, which in their tongue are called Telegos, and with these
Telegoes they caried our stuffe from Vologhda vnto the Mosco, which is 500
verstes: and we were vpon the same way 14 daies: for we went no faster then
the Telegoes.

[Sidenote: The citie of Boghar.] There are three great townes betweene the
Mosco and Vologhda, that is to say, Yeraslaue, Rostaue, and Pereslaue. Vpon
one side of Yeraslaue runneth a famous riuer which is called Volga. It
runneth into the Caspian sea, and it diuideth it selfe before it come into
the Mare Caspium, in 50 parts or more, and neere vnto the same sea there
stands a great Citie, called Boghar, the inhabitants of which are called by
the same name.

The people of the said Citie doe traffique vnto the Citie of Mosco: their
commodities are spices, muske, ambergreese, rubarbe, with other drugs. They
bring also many furres, which they buy in Siberia coming towards the Mosco:
the sayd people are of the sect of Mahomet.

[Sidenote: They arrived at Mosco.] The 12 of September we came vnto the
citie of Mosco, where we were brought by Napea, and two of the Emperours
gentlemen vnto a large house, where euery one of vs had his chamber
appointed.

The 14 of September we were commanded to come vnto the Emperour, and
immediately after our coming we were brought into his presence, vnto whom
each of vs did his duetie accordingly, and kissed his right hand, his
maiestie sitting in his chaire of estate, with his crowne on his bead, and
a staffe of goldsmiths worke in his left hand well garnished with rich and
costly stones: and when we had all kissed his hand and done our dueties,
his maiestie did declare by his interpreter that we were all welcome vnto
him, and into his countrey, and thereupon willed vs to dine with him: that
day we gaue thanks vnto his maiestie, and so departed vntil the dinner was
readie.

When dinner time approached, we were brought againe into the Emperour's
dining chamber, where we were set on one side of a table that stoode ouer
against the Emperours table, to the end that he might wel behold vs al: and
when we came into the foresayd chamber, we found there readie set these
tables following.

First at the vpper end of one table were set the Emperour his maiestie, his
brother, and the Emperour of Cazan, which is prisoner. About two yardes
lower sate the Emperour of Cazan his sonne, being a child of fiue yeeres of
age, and beneath him sate the most part of the Emperors noble men.

And at another table neere vnto the Emperours table, there was set a Monke
all alone, which was in all points as well serued as the Emperour. At
another table sate another kinde of people called Chirkasses, [Footnote:
Kirghis.] which the Emperour entertaineth for men of warre to serue against
his enemies. Of which people and of their countrey, I will hereafter make
mention.

All the tables aforesayde were couered onely with salt and bread, and after
that we had sitten awhile, the Emperour sent vnto euery one of vs a piece
of bread, which were given and deliuered vnto euery man seuerally by these
words: The Emperour and great Duke giueth the bread this day, and in like
manner three or foure times before dinner was ended, he sent vnto euery man
drinke, which was giuen by these words, The Emperour and great Duke giueth
thee to drinke. All the tables aforesayd were serued in vessels of pure and
fine golde, as well basons and ewers, platters, dishes and sawcers, as also
of great pots, with an innumerable sorte of small drinking pottes of diuers
fashions, whereof a great number were set with stone. As for costly meates
I haue many times seene better: but for change of wines, and diuers sorts
of meads, it was wonderfull: for there was not left at any time so much
void roome on the table, that one cuppe more might haue bin set, and as far
as I could perceiue, all the rest were in the like maner serued.

In the dinner time, there came in sixe singers which stood in the midst of
the chamber, and their faces towards the Emperour, who sang there before
dinner was ended three seuerall times, whose songs or voyces delighted our
eares little or nothing.

The Emperour neuer putteth morsell of meate in his mouth, but he first
blesseth it himselfe, and in like maner as often as he drinketh: for after
his maner he is very religious, and he esteemeth his religious men aboue
his noble men.

This dinner continued about the space of fiue houres, which being ended,
and the tables taken vp, we came into the midst of the chamber, where we
did reuerence vnto the Emperors maiestie, and then he deliuered vnto euery
one of vs with his own hands a cup of mead, which when euery man had
receiued and drunke a quantity thereof, we were licensed to depart, and so
ended that dinner. And because the Emperour would haue vs to be mery he
sent to our lodging the same Euening three barrels of meade of sundry
sortes, of the quantitie in all of one hogshed.

The 16 day of September the Emperour sent home vnto our lodging for euery
of vs a Tartarie horse to ride from place to place as we had occasion, for
that the streetes of Mosco are very fowle and mirie in the Summer.

[Sidenote: M. Standish doctor of Phisicke.] The 18 of September there were
giuen vnto master Standish doctor in Physick, and the rest of our men of
our occupations, certaine furred gownes of branched veluet and gold, and
some of red damaske, of which master Doctors gowne was furred with Sables,
and the rest were furred some with white Ermine, and some with gray
Squirel, and all faced and edged round about with blacke beauer.

The 1 of October in the morning we were commanded to come vnto the Emperors
court, and when we came thither, we were brought vnto the Emperor vnto whom
we did our duties accordingly: whereupon he willed vs to dine with him that
day, and so with thanks vnto his maiestie, we departed vntill dinner time,
at which time we came, and found the tables couered with bread and salt as
at the first: and after that we were all set vpon one side of the table,
the Emperors maiestie according to his accustomed maner sent vnto euery man
a piece of bread by some of the Dukes which attended on his highnesse.

And whereas the 14 of September we were serued in vessels of gold, we were
now serued in vessels of siluer, and yet not so abundantly as was the first
of gold: they brought drinke vnto the table in siluer boles which conteined
at the least sixe gallons a piece, and euerie man had a smal siluer cuppe
to drinke in, and another to dip or to take his drinke out of the great
boll withall: the dinner being ended, the Emperour gaue vnto euery one of
vs a cup with meade, which when we had receiued, we gaue thanks and
departed.

Moreouer, whensoeuer the Emperors 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 owne mouth biddeth them to dinner, and this order he
alwaies obserueth.

The 10 of October the Emperour gaue vnto M. Standish 70 rubles in money,
and to the rest of our men of occupations 30 rubles apiece.

The 3 of Nouember we dined againe with the Emperour, where we were serued
as before.

[Sidenote: Long Dinners.] The 6 of December being S. Nicholas day, we dined
againe at the Emperours, for that is one of the principall feasts which the
Moscouites hold: we were serued in siluer vessels and ordered in all points
as before, and it was past 7 of the clocke at night before dinner was
ended.

The Emperours maiestie vseth euery yeare in the moneth of December, to haue
all his ordinance that is in the citie of Mosco caried into the field which
is without the Suburbs of the citie, and there to haue it planted and bent
vpon two houses of Wood filled within with earth: against which two houses
there were two faire white markes set vp, at which markes they discharge
all their ordinance, to the ende the Emperour may see what his Gunners can
doe. [Sidenote: Ordinance in Russia.] They haue faire ordinance of brasse
of all sortes, bases, faulcons, minions, sakers, culuerings, cannons double
and royall, basiliskes long and large, they haue sixe great pieces whose
shot is a yard of height, which shot a man may easily discerne as they
flee: they haue also a great many of morter pieces or potguns, out of which
pieces they shoote wild fire. [Footnote: The cannon in use in the 16th
century were all cast, and in England font metal or bronze was mostly
employed. The falcon seems to have been of 2-1/2 inches bore; the minion
3-1/2 inches; the saker about the same; the culverin 5-1/2 inches--the
weight of the shot not being proportionate to the bore. The falconet,
minion, falcon, saker, and demi-culverin were known respectively as 2, 3,
4, 6, and 9-pounders; while the heavier pieces, or culverins, ranged from
15-pounders up to the "cannon-royall," or 63-pounders. Mortars were first
introduced in the reign of Henry VIII. According to Stowe, those made for
this monarch in 1543 were "at the mouth from 11 to 19 inches wide," and
were employed to throw hollow shot of cast iron, filled like modern bombs
with combustibles, and furnished with a fuse. Some of these 16th century
guns may still be seen at the Tower of London.]

[Sidenote: A yerely triumph.] The 12 of December the Emperours Maiestie and
all his nobility came into the field on horsebacke, in most goodly order,
hauing very fine Iennets and Turkie horses garnished with gold and siluer
abundantly. The Emperors maiestie hauing on him a gowne of rich tissue, and
a cap of skarlet on his head, set not only with pearles, but also with a
great number of rich and costly stones: his noble men were all in gownes of
cloth of gold, which did ride before him in good order by 3. and 3. and
before them there went 5000 harquebusiers, which went by 5 and 5 in a rank
in very good order, euery of them carying his gun vpon his left shoulder,
and his match in his right hand, and in this order they marched into the
field whereas the foresayd ordinance was planted.

And before the Emperors maiestie came into the field, there was a certaine
stage made of small poles which was a quarter of a mile long, and about
threescore yardes off from the stage of poles were certaine pieces of ice
of two foot thicke, and six foote high set vp, which ranke of ice was as
long as the stage of poles, and as soone as the Emperors maiestie came into
the field, the harquebusiers went vpon the stage of poles where they
settled themselues in order. And when the Emperors maiestie was setled
where he would be, and where he might see all the ordinance discharged and
shot off, the harquebusiers began to shoot off at the banke of ice, as
though it had bin in any skirmish or battel, who ceased not shooting vntill
they had beaten all the ice flat on the ground.

After the handguns, they shot off their wild fire vp into the aire, which
was a goodly sight to behold. And after this, they began to discharge the
smal pieces of brasse, beginning with the smallest and so orderly bigger
and bigger, vntill the last and biggest. When they had shot them all off,
they began to charge them againe, and so shot them al off 3 times after the
first order, beginning with the smallest and ending with the greatest. And
note that before they had ended their shooting, the 2 houses that they shot
vnto were beaten in pieces, and yet they were strongly made of Wood and
filled with earth, being at the least 30 foote thicke. This triumph being
ended, the Emperour departed and rode home in the same order that he came
foorth into the field. The ordinance is discharged euery yeare in the
moneth of December, according to the order before mentioned.

On Christmas day we were all willed to dine with the Emperors Maiestie,
where for bread, meat and drinke, we were serued as at other times before:
but for goodly and rich plate, we neuer saw the like or so much before.
There dined that day in the Emperors presence aboue 500 strangers, and two
hundred Russes, and all they were serued in vessels of gold, and that as
much as could stand one by another vpon the tables. Besides this there were
foure cupbords garnished with goodly plate both of gold and siluer. Among
the which there were 12 barrels of siluer, conteining aboue 12 gallons a
piece, and at each end of euery barrell were 6 hoopes of fine gold: this
dinner continued about sixe houres.

[Sidenote: The hallowing of the riuer of Mosco.] Euery yeare vpon the 12
day they vse to blesse or sanctifie the riuer Moscua, which runneth through
the citie of Mosco, after this maner.

First they make a square hole in the ice about 3 fadoms large euery way,
which is trimmed about the sides and edges with white boords. Then about 9
of the clocke they come out of the church with procession towards the riuer
in this wise.

First and foremost there goe certaine young men with waxe tapers burning,
and one carying a great lanterne: then follow certaine banners, then the
crosse, then the images of our Lady, of S. Nicholas, and of other Saints,
which images men carie vpon their shoulders: after the images follow
certaine priests to the number of 100 or more: after them the Metropolitan
who is led betweene two priests, and after the Metropolitan came the
Emperour with his crowne vpon his head, and after his maiestie all his
noble men orderly. Thus they followed the procession vnto the water, and
when they came vnto the hole that was made, the priests set themselues in
order round about it. And at one side of the same poole there was a
scaffold of boords made, vpon which stood a faire chaire in which the
Metropolitan was set, but the Emperours maiestie stood vpon the ice.

After this the priests began to sing, to blesse and to sense, and did their
seruice, and so by that time that they had done, the water was holy, which
being sanctified, the Metropolitan tooke a litle thereof in his hands, and
cast it on the Emperour, likewise vpon certaine of the Dukes, and then they
returned againe to the church with the priests that sate about the water:
but that pressse that there was about the water when the Emperor was gone,
was wonderful to behold, for there came aboue 5000 pots to be filled of
that water: for that Moscouite which hath no part of that water, thinks
himselfe vnhappy.

And very many went naked into the water, both men and women and children:
after the presse was a litle gone, the Emperours Iennets and horses were
brought to drinke of the same water, and likewise many other men brought
their horses thither to drinke, and by that means they make their horses as
holy as themselues.

All these ceremonies being ended, we went to the Emperour to dinner, where
we were serued in vessels of siluer, and in all other points as we had bene
beforetime.

[Sidenote: The Russes Lent.] The Russes begin their Lent alwaies 8 weekes
before Easter: the first weeke they eate egs, milke, cheese and butter, and
make great cheare with pancakes and such other things, one friend visiting
another, and from the same Sunday vntil our Shrofesunday there are but few
Russes sober, but they are drunke day by day, and it is accompted for no
reproch or shame among them.

The next weeke being our first weeke of Lent, or our clensing weeke,
beginning our Shrofesunday, they make and keepe a great fast. It is
reported, and the people do verily beleeue that the Metropolitan neither
eateth nor drinketh any maner of thing for the space of seuen dayes, and
they say that there are many religious men which doe the like.

The Emperors Maiestie eateth but one morsel of bread, and drinketh but one
draught of drinke once in the day during that weeke, and all men that are
of any reputation come not out of their houses during that time, so that
the streetes are almost void of company, sauing a few poore folkes which
wander to and fro. The other sixe weeks they keepe as we do ours, but not
one of them will eate either butter, cheese, egs or milke.

On Palme Sunday they haue a very solemne procession in this maner
following.

First, they haue a tree of a good bignesse which is made fast vpon two
sleds, as though it were growing there, and it is hanged with apples,
raisins, figs and dates, and with many other fruits abundantly. In the
midst of the same tree stand 5 boyes in white vestures, which sing in the
tree before the procession: after this there followed certaine yong men
with waxe tapers in their hands burning, and a great lanterne that al the
light should not go out: after them followed two with long banners, and
sixe with round plates set vpon long staues: the plates were of copper very
ful of holes and thin: then followed 6 carying painted images vpon their
shoulders, after the images followed certaine priests to the number of 100
or more, with goodly vestures, whereof 10 or 12 are of white damaske set
and imbrodered round about with faire and orient pearles, as great as
pease, and among them certaine Sapphires and other stones. After them
followed the one halfe of the Emperours noble men: then cometh the Emperors
maiestie and the Metropolitane, after this maner.

First, there is a horse, couered with white linen cloth down to the ground,
his eares being made long with the same cloth like to an asses ears. Vpon
this horse the Metropolitane sitteth sidelong, like a woman: in his lappe
lieth a faire booke, with a crucifix of Goldsmiths worke vpon the couer
which he holdeth fast with his left hand, and in his right hand he hath a
crosse of gold, with which crosse he ceaseth not to blesse the people as he
rideth.

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