The maners, usages, and ceremonies of the Russes.
Of the Emperour.
THE Emperours name in their tongue is Ivan Vasilivich,
that is as much to say, as John the sonne of Vasilie and
by his princely state hee is called Otesara, as his predecessors have bene before, which to interprete, is a king,
that giveth not tribute to any man. And this word
Otesara his majesties interpreters have of late dayes interpreted to be Emperour, so that now hee is called Emperour
and great Duke of all Russia
, &c. Before his father they
were neither called Emperours nor kings but only Ruese
Velike, that is to say, great Duke. And as this Emperor
which now is Ivan Vasilivich, doeth exceede his predecessors in name, that is, from a Duke to an Emperour,
even so much by report he doeth exceede them in stoutnesse of courage and valiantnesse, and a great deale
more: for he is no more afraid of his enemies which are
not few, then the Hobbie of the larks.
His enemies with whom he hath warres for the most
part are these: Litto, Poland
, Sweden
, Denmarke, Lifland, the Crimmes, Nagaians, and the whole nation of the
Tartarians, which are a stoute and a hardie people as any
under the Sunne.
This Emperour useth great familiaritie, as wel unto all
his nobles and subjects, as also unto strangers which serve
him either in his warres, or in occupations: for his
pleasure is that they shall dine oftentimes in the yeere in
his presence, and besides that he is oftentimes abroad,
either at one Church or another, and walking with his
noble men abroad. And by this meanes he is not onely
beloved of his nobles and commons, but also had in great
dread and feare through all his dominions, so that I thinke
no prince in
Christendome is more feared of his owne then
he is, nor yet better beloved. For if he bid any of his
Dukes goe, they will runne, if he give any evil or angrie
worde to any of them, the partie will not come into his
majesties presence againe of a long time if he be not sent
for, but will faine him to be very sicke, and will let the
haire of his head grow very long, without either cutting or
shaving, which is an evident token that hee is in the
Emperors displeasure: for when they be in their prosperity, they account it a shame to weare long haire, in
consideration whereof, they use to have their heads
shaven.
His majesty heareth all complaints himselfe, and with
his owne mouth giveth sentence, and judgement of all
matters, and that with expedition: but religious matters
he medleth not withall, but referreth them wholly unto
the Metropolitane.
His majestie retaineth and well rewardeth all strangers
that come to serve him, and especially men of warre.
Hee delighteth not greatly in hawking, hunting, or any
other pastime, nor in hearing instruments or musicke, but
setteth all his whole delight upon two things: First, to
serve God, as undoubtedly he is very devoute in his
religion, and the second, howe to subdue and conquere
his enemies.
He hath abundance of gold and silver in his owne
handes or treasurie: but the most part of his know not a
crowne from a counter, nor gold from copper, they are so
much cumbred therewithall, and he that is worth 2. 3. or
4. grotes, is a rich man.
Of their Religious men.
THE Metropolitane is next unto God, our Lady and S.
Nicholas excepted: for the Emperors majesty judgeth &
affirmeth him to be of higher dignitie then himselfe; for
that, saith he, he is Gods spiritual officer, and I the
Emperour am his temporall officer, and therefore his
majestie submitteth himselfe unto him in many things concerning religious matters, as in leading the Metropolitans
horse upon Palme sunday, and giving him leave to sitte
on a chaire upon the 12. day, when the river Mosco was in
blessing, his majestie standing on the yce.
All matters of religion are reformed by the Metropolitane, he heareth the causes and giveth sentence as himselfe
listeth, and is authorized so to doe, whether it be to whip,
hang or burne, his will must needs be fulfilled.
They have both monks, friers and nunnes, with a great
number of great & rich monasteries: they keepe great
hospitalitie, and doe relieve much poore people day by day.
I have bene in one of the monasteries called Troietes,
which is walled about with bricke very strongly like a
castle, and much ordinance of brasse upon the walles of
the same. They told me themselves that there are seven
hundred brethren of them which belong unto that house.
The most part of the lands, towns, and villages which are
within 40. miles of it, belong unto the same. They shewed
me the church, wherein were as many images as could
hang about, or upon the wals of the Church round about,
and even the roofe of the church was painted ful of
images. The chiefe image was of our Ladie, which was
garnished with gold, rubies, saphirs and other rich stones
abundantly. In the midst of the church stood 12. waxe
tapers of two yards long, and a fathom about in bignesse,
& there stands a kettle full of waxe with about 100.
weight, wherein there is alwayes the wicke of a candle
burning, as it were a lampe which goeth not out day nor
night.
They shewed me a coffin covered with cloth of gold
which stoode upon one side within their church, in which
they told me lay a holy man, who never eate or dranke,
and yet that he liveth. And they told me (supposing that
I had beleeved them) that he healeth many diseases, and
giveth the blind their sight, with many other miracles, but
I was hard of belief because I saw him worke no miracle
whilest I was there.
After this they brought me into their sellers, and made
me taste of divers kinds of drinks, both wine and beere,
mead and quassie, of sundry colours and kinds. Such
abundance of drink as they have in their sellers, I doe
suppose few princes have more, or so much at once.
Their barrels or vessels are of an unmeasurable bignes
& sise: some of them are 3. yards long and more, and
2. yards & more broad in their heads: they conteine 6. or
7. tunnes a piece: they have none in their sellers of their
owne making that are lesse then a tunne. They have 9.
or 10. great vautes which are full of those barrels which
are seldome remooved : for they have trunks which come
downe through the roofe of the vautes in sundry places,
through which they powre drinke downe, having the caske
right under it to receive the same, for it should be a great
trouble to bring it all downe the stayres.
They give bread, meat and drinke unto all men that
come to them, not onely while they are at their abbey, but
also when they depart, to serve them by the way.
There are a great number of such monasteries in the
Realm, and the Emperors majesty rideth oftentimes from
one to another of them, and lieth at them 3. or 4. daies
together.
The same monkes are as great merchants as any in the
land of Russia
, and doe occupy buying and selling as
much as any other men, and have boats which passe too
and fro in the rivers with merchandize from place to place
where any of their countrey do traffike.
They eate no flesh during their lives as it is reported:
but upon Sunday, Munday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday it is lawful for them to eate egges, butter,
cheese and milke, and at all times to eate fish, and after
this sort they lead their lives.
They weare all blacke garments, and so doe none other
in all the lande, but at that abbey onely.
They have no preachers no not one in al the land to
instruct the people, so that there are many, & the most
part of the poore in the country, who if one aske them
how many gods there be, they wil say a great many,
meaning that every image which they have is a god: for
all the countrey and the Emperours majesty himselfe wil
blesse and bowe, and knocke their heads before their
images, in so much that they will crie earnestly unto their
images to helpe them to the things which they need. Al
men are bound by their law to have those images in their
houses, and over every gate in all their townes and cities
are images set up, unto which the people bow and bend,
and knocke their heads against the ground before them:
as often as they come by any church or crosse they do in
like maner. And when they come to any house, they
blesse themselves 3. or 4. times before they will salute
any man in the house.
They reckon and hold it for great sinne to touch or
handle any of their images within the circle of the boord
where the painting is, but they keep them very daintily,
and rich men deck them over and about with gold, silver
and stones, and hang them over and about with cloth of
gold.
The priestes are married as other men are, and weare
all their garments as other men doe, except their nightcaps, which is cloth of some sad colour, being round, &
reacheth unto the eares: their crownes are shaven, but the
rest of their haire they let grow, as long as nature will
permit, so that it hangeth beneath their eares upon their
shoulders: their beards they never shave: if his wife
happen to die, it is not lawfull for him to mary againe
during his life.
They minister the Communion with bread and wine
after our order, but he breaketh the bread and putteth
it into the cup unto the wine, and commonly some are
partakers with them: and they take the bread out againe
with a spoon together with part of the wine, and so take it
themselves, and give it to others that receive with them
after the same maner.
Their ceremonies are al as they say, according to the
Greeke Church used at this present day, and they allow
no other religion but the Greeks, and their owne: and
will not permit any nation but the Greeks to be buried in
their sacred burials, or churchyards.
All their churches are full of images, unto the which
the people when they assemble, doe bowe and knocke their
heads, as I have before said, that some will have knobbes
upon their foreheads with knocking, as great as egges.
All their service is in the Russe
tongue, and they and
the common people have no other praiers but this, Ghospodi Jesus Christos esine voze ponuloi nashe. That is
to say, O Lorde Jesus Christ, sonne of God have mercy
upon us: and this is their prayer, so that the most part
of the unlearned know neither Pater noster, nor the
Beliefe, nor Ten commandements, nor scarcely understand
the one halfe of their service which is read in their
Churches.
Of their Baptisme.
WHEN any child is borne, it is not baptized until the next
Sunday, and if it chance that it be not baptized then, it
must tary until the second Sunday after the birth, and it
is lawfull for them to take as many Godfathers and Godmothers as they will, the more the better.
When they go to the Church, the midwife goeth formost, carying the childe, & the Godfathers and Godmothers follow into the midst of the Church, where there
is a small table ready set, and on it an earthen pot ful
of warme water, about the which the Godfathers and
Godmothers, with the childe, settle themselves: then the
clearke giveth unto every of them a smal waxe candle
burning, then commeth the priest, and beginneth to say
certaine words, which the Godfathers and Godmothers
must answere word for word, among which one is, that
the childe shal forsake the devill, and as that name is
pronounced, they must all spit at the word as often as it
is repeated. Then he blesseth the water which is in the
pot, and doth breathe over it: then he taketh al the
candles which the gosseps have, and holding them all in
one hand letteth part of them drop into the water, and
then giveth every one his candle againe, and when the
water is sanctified, he taketh the childe and holdeth it in
a small tubbe, and one of the Godfathers taketh the pot
with warme water, and powreth it all upon the childs
head.
After this he hath many more ceremonies, as anoynting
eares and eyes with spittle, and making certaine crosses
with oyle upon the backe, head, and brest of the childe:
then taking the childe in his armes, carieth it to the
images of S. Nicholas, and our Ladie, &c. and speaketh
unto the images, desiring them to take charge of the
childe, that he may live, and beleeve as a Christian man
or woman ought to doe, with many other words. Then
comming backe from the images, he taketh a paire of
sheares and clippeth the yong and tender haires of the
childes head, in three or foure places, and then delivereth
the childe, whereunto every of the Godfathers & Godmothers lay a hand: then the priest chargeth them, that
the childe be brought up in the faith & feare of God or
Christ, and that it be instructed to clinege and bow to the
images, and so they make an end: then one of the Godfathers must hang a crosse about the necke of the childe,
which we must alwayes weare, for that Russe
which hath
not a crosse about his necke they esteeme as no Christian
man, and thereupon they say that we are no Christians,
because we do not weare crosses as they do.
Of their Matrimonie.
THEIR matrimonie is nothing solemnized, but rather in
most points abhominable, and as neere as I can learne, in
this wise following.
First, when there is love betweene the parties, the man
sendeth unto the woman a small chest or boxe, wherein is
a whip, needles, threed, silke, linnen cloth, sheares, and
such necessaries as shee shall occupie when she is a wife,
and perhaps sendeth therwithall raisins, figs or some such
things, giving her to understand, that if she doe offend,
she must be beaten with the whip, & by the needles,
threed, cloth, &c. that she should apply her selfe diligently
to sowe, and do such things as shee could best doe, and
by the raisins or fruites he meaneth if she doe well, no
good thing shalbe withdrawn from her, nor be too deare
for her: and she sendeth unto him a shirt, handkerchers,
and some such things of her owne making. And now to
the effect.
When they are agreed, and the day of marriage
appointed, when they shall goe towardes the Church, the
bride will in no wise consent to go out of the house, but
resisteth and striveth with them that would have her out,
and faineth her selfe to weepe, yet in the end, two women
get her out, and lead her towards the church, her face
being covered close, because of her dissimulation, that it
should not be openly perceived: for she maketh a great
noise, as though she were sobbing and weeping, until she
come at the Church, and then her face is uncovered. The
man commeth after among other of his friends, and they
cary with them to the church a great pot with wine or
mead: then the priest coupleth them together much after
our order, one promising to love and serve the other
during their lives together, &c. which being done, they
begin to drinke, and first the woman drinketh to the man,
and when he hath drunke he letteth the cuppe fall to the
ground, hasting immediatly to tread upon it, and so
doth she, and whether of them tread first upon it must
have the victorie and be master at all times after, which
commonly happeneth to the man, for he is readiest to set
his foot on it, because he letteth it fall himselfe, then they
goe home againe, the womans face beeing uncovered.
The boyes in the streetes crie out and make a noyse in the
meane time, with very dishonest wordes.
When they come home, the wife is set at the upper end
of the table, and the husband next unto her: they fall then
to drinking till they bee all drunke, they perchance have a
minstrell or two, and two naked men, which led her from
the Church daunce naked a long time before all the companie. When they are wearie of drinking, the bride and
the bridegrome get them to bed, for it is in the evening
alwayes when any of them are married: and when they
are going to bedde, the bridegrome putteth certain money
both golde and silver, if he have it, into one of his boots,
and then sitteth down in the chamber, crossing his legges,
and then the bride must plucke off one of his boots, which
she will, and if she happen on the boote wherein the
money is, she hath not onely the money for her labor, but
is also at such choyse, as she need not ever from that day
forth to pul off his boots, but if she misse the boot wherin
the money is, she doth not onely loose the money, but is
also bound from that day forwards to pull off his boots
continually.
Then they continue in drinking and making good cheere
three daies following, being accompanied with certaine of
their friends, and during the same three daies he is called
a Duke, & shee a dutches, although they be very poore
persons, and this is as much as I have learned of their
matrimony: but one common rule is amongst them, if
the woman be not beaten with the whip once a weeke, she
will not be good, and therefore they looke for it orderly,
& the women say, that if their husbands did not beate
them, they should not love them.
They use to marry there very yong, their sonnes at 16.
and 18. yeeres olde, and the daughters at 12. or 13. yeeres
or yonger: they use to keepe their wives very closely, I
meane those that be of any reputation, so that a man
shall not see one of them but at a chance, when she goeth
to church at Christmas or at Easter, or els going to visite
some of her friends.
The most part of the women use to ride a stride in
saddles with styrrops, as men do, and some of them on
sleds, which in summer is not commendable.
The husband is bound to finde the wife colours to paint
her withall, for they use ordinarily to paynt themselves:
it is such a common practise among them, that it is
counted for no shame: they grease their faces with such
colours, that a man may discerne them hanging on their
faces almost a flight shoote off: I cannot so well liken
them as to a millers wife, for they looke as though they
were beaten about the face with a bagge of meale, but
their eye browes they colour as blacke as jeat.
The best propertie that the women have, is that
they can sowe well, and imbroder with silke and golde
excellently.
Of their burial.
WHEN any man or woman dieth, they stretch him out, and
put a new paire of shooes on his feete, because he hath a
great journey to goe: then doe they winde him in a sheet,
as we doe, but they forget not to put a testimonie in his
right hand, which the priest giveth him, to testifie unto
S. Nicholas that he died a Christian man or woman. And
they put the coarse alwayes in a coffin of wood, although
the partie be very poor: and when they goe towards the
Church, the friends and kinsemen of the partie departed
carrie in their hands small waxe candles, and they weepe
and howle, and make much lamentation.
They that be hanged or beheaded, or such like, have no
testimonie with them: how they are received into heaven,.
it is a wonder, without their pasport.
There are a great number of poore people among them
which die daily for lacke of sustenance, which is a pitifull
case to beholde: for there hath beene buried in a small
time, within these two yeeres, above 80. persons young
and old, which have died onely for lacke of sustenance:
for if they had had straw and water enough, they would
make shift to live: for a great many are forced in the
winter to drie straw and stampe it, and to make bread
thereof, or at the least they eate it in stead of bread. In
the summer they make good shift with grasse, herbes and
rootes: barks of trees are good meat with them at all
times. There is no people in the world, as I suppose, that
live so miserably as do the poverty in those parts: and
the most part of them that have sufficient for themselves,
and also to relieve others that need, are so unmerciful that
they care not how many they see die of famine or hunger
in the streets.
It is a countrey full of diseases, divers, and evill, and
the best remedie is for anie of them, as they holde opinion,
to goe often unto the hote houses, as in a maner every
man hath one of his owne, which hee heateth commonly
twise every weeke, and all the housholde sweate, and
wash themselves therein.
The names of certaine sortes of drinkes used in Russia
,
and commonly drunke in the Emperours Court.
THE first and principall meade is made of the juice or
liccour taken from a berrie called in Russia
, Malieno,
which is of a marvellous sweete taste, and of a carmosant
colour, which berry I have seene in Paris
.
The second meade is called Visnova, because it is made
of a berry so called, and is like a black gooseberrie: but
it is like in colour and taste to the red wine of France.
The third meade is called Amarodina or Smorodina,
short, of a small berry much like to the small rezin, and
groweth in great plentie in Russia
.
The fourth meade is called Cherevnikyna, which is made
of the wilde blacke cherry.
The fift meade is made of hony and water, with other
mixtures.
There is also a delicate drinke drawn from the root of
the birch tree, called in the Russe
tongue Berozevites,
which drinke the noble men and others use in
Aprill,
May, and June, which are the three moneths of the
spring time: for after those moneths, the sappe of the
tree dryeth, and then they cannot have it.
