Of their mustering, and levying of forces, maner of
armour, and provision of victuall for the warres.
WHEN wars are towards (which they faile not of lightly
every yere with the Tartar, & many times with the
Polonian & Sweden
) the foure Lords of the Chetfirds
send forth their summons in the Emperors name, to all
the Dukes and Dyacks of the Provinces, to be proclaimed
in the head townes of every Shire: that al the Sinaboiarskey, or sonnes of gentlemen make their repaire to
such a border where the service is to be done, at such
a place, & by such a day, and there present themselves
to such, & such Captaines. When they come to the
place assigned them in the summons or proclamation,
their names are taken by certaine officers that have commission for that purpose from the Roserade, or high
Constable, as Clarkes of the bands. If any make default
& faile at the day, he is mulcted, & punished very severely.
As for the General & other chief Captaines, they are sent
thither from the Emperors owne hand, with such Commission & charge as he thinketh behoofull for the present
service. When the souldiers are assembled, they are
reduced into their bands, & companies, under their several
Captaines of tennes, fifties, hundreds, thousands, &c. and
these bands into 4 Polskeis, or Legions (but of farre
greater numbers then the Romane Legions were) under
their foure great Leaders, which also have the authoritie
of Marshals of the field (as was sayd before.)
Concerning their armour they are but slightly appointed.
The common horseman hath nothing els but his bow in
his case under his right arme, & his quiver & sword
hanging on the left side: except some fewe that beare
a case of dagges, or a Javelin, or short staffe along their
horse side. The under captains wil have commonly some
piece of armour besides, as a shirt of male, or such like.
The General with the other chiefe captaines & men of
Nobilitie wil have their horse very richly furnished, their
saddles of cloth of gold, their bridles fair bossed &
tasselled with gold, & silk fringe, bestudded with pearle
& precious stones, themselves in very faire armor, which
they cal Bullatnoy, made of faire shining steele, yet
covered commonly with cloth of golde, and edged round
with armin furre, his steele helmet on his head of a very
great price, his sword bow and arrowes at his side, his
speare in his hand, with another faire helmet, and Shesta
pera, or horsemans scepter carried before him. Their
swords, bowes, and arrowes are of the Turkish fashion.
They practise like the Tartar to shoote forwards and
backwards, as they flie and retire.
The Strelsey or footeman hath nothing but his piece
in this hand, his striking hatchet at his back, & his sword
by his side. The stock of his piece is not made calieverwise, but with a plaine & straite stocke (somewhat like
a fouling piece) the barrel is rudely & unartificially made,
very heavie yet shooteth but a very small bullet. As for
their provision of victual, the Emperor alloweth none,
either for Captaine or souldiour, neither provideth any
for them except peradventure some corne for their money.
Every man is to bring sufficient for himselfe, to serve
his turne for foure moneths, & if neede require to give
order for more to be brought unto him to the Campe
from his tenant that tilleth his land, or some other place.
One great helpe they have, that for lodging and diet
every Russe
is prepared to be a souldier beforehand.
Though the chiefe Captains & other of account cary tents
with them after the fashion of ours, with some better
provision of victual then the rest. They bring with them
commonly into the Campe for victuall a kind of dried
bread, (which they call Suchary) with some store of meale,
which they temper with water, and so make it into a ball,
or small lumpe of dowe, called Tollockno. And this they
eate rawe in stead of bread. Their meat is bacon, or
some other flesh or fish dryed, after the Dutch maner.
If the Russe
souldier were as hardy to execute an enterprise, as he is hard to beare out toyle and travell, or
were otherwise as apt and well trained for the warres,
as he is indifferent for his lodging and diet, hee would
farre exceede the souldiers of our parts.