nature of the sea And salte as wytnesseth Plinie yeldeth the farnesse of oyle But oyle by a certeyne natiue heate is of propertie agreable to fyre The sea then beinge all of such qualitie Salte poureth furth it selfe far vppon thextreme landes whereby by reason of the saltenesse therof it moueth and stereth vp generatiue heate Generatiue heate as by fatnesse it noryssheth the fecunditie of thynges generate It gyueth this frutfulnes to the earth at certeyne fluds although the earth also it selfe haue in his inner bowels the same liuely and nurysshynge heate wherby not only the dennes caues and holowe places Owtwarde could is cause of inwarde heate but also sprynges of water are made warme And this so much the more in howe muche the wynter is more vehement This thyng dooth more appere by this exemple that the mountaynes of Norway and Suethlande are fruteful of metals in the which syluer and copper are concocte and molten into veynes which can scarsely bee doonne in fornaces By this reason also the vapours and hotte exhalations perceinge the earthe and the waters Uapours and exhalations and throwghe both those natures breathynge furth into the ayer tempereth the qualitie of heauen and maketh it tollerable to beastes as wytnesseth the huge byggenesse of the whales in those seas whales with the strength of bodye and longe lyfe of suche beastes as liue on the lande Beastes whiche thynge coulde not bee excepte all thynges were there commodiously nurysshed by the benefite of the heauen and the ayer For nothyng that in the tyme of increase is hyndered by any iniurie or that is euyll fedde all the tyme it lyueth can prosper well hereby maye bee considered the cause of the deathe of owr men that sayle dirâ—ctly to Guinea Neyther are such thynges as lyue there offended with theyr naturall wynter as thowgh an Egiptian or Ethiopian were suddeynly conueyed into those coulde regions For they were in longe tyme by lyttle and lyttle browght fyrst acquaynted with the nature of that heauen as may be proued both by the lyfe of man and by the historie of holy scripture They that were led from Mesopotania and that famous towre of Babilon towarde the north partes of the worlde in the fyrst dispertion of nations dyd not immediatly passe to thextreme boundes No passage from one extremitie to another but by a meane but planted theyr habitations fyrst vnder a myddle heaueÌ„ betwene both as in Thracia and Pontus where theyr posteritie was accustomed the better to susteyne the rygoure of Scythia and Lanais as he 〈◊〉 at commeth from winter to soommer maye the better after abyde Ise and snowe beinge fyrst hardened therto by the frostes of Autumne In lyke maner mortall men accustomed to beare the hardenesse of places nexte vnto theym were therby at the length more confirmed to susteyne the extremes And here also if any sharpenesse remayne that maye seeme intollerable nature hathe prouyded for the same with other remedies For the lande and sea hathe gyuen vnto beastes diepe and large caues dennes Caues and dennes and other holowe places and secreate corners in mountaynes and rockes bothe on the lande and by the sea bankes in the which are euer conteyned warme vapoures so much the more intent and vehement in howe much they are the more constrayned by extreme could Nature hath also gyuen valleys diuerted and defended frome the north wyndes Ualleys Shee hath lykewise couered beastes with heare so much the thicker in howe muche the vehemencie of could is greater by reason wherof the best and rychest furres are browght frome those regions The best furres as Sables whose price is growne to great excesse nexte vnto gold and precious stones Sables and are estemed princely ornamentes The beastes that beare these furres are hunted chiefely in wynter whâ—ch thynge is more straunge bycause theyr heare is thenne thicker and cleaueth faster to the skyn Howe greauous then shall we thinke the winter to bee there where this lyttle beast lyueth so well and where the hunters may search the dennes and hauntes of such beastes throwghe the wooddes and snowe Beastes that lye hyd in wynter But suche beastes the condition of whose bodies is so tender that they are not able to abyde thiniurie of coulde eyther lye hydde in wynter or chaunge theyr habitation as do certeyne beastes also in owre clime Nature hath furthermore gyuen remedie to man bothe by arte and industry to defende him selfe both a brode and at home Abrode with a thicke vesture and the same well dowbeled At home with large fyers on harthes chymyneys and in stooues for the day with close chambers and couches softe and warme beddes for the nyght by whiche remedies they mirigate the winters which seeme rigorous to straungers All beastes haue the nature of the place where they are engendereâ— althowghe they are to thinhabitauntes more tollerable then owre opinion as in deede by the fyrst natural mixture or composition of theyr bodies such thinges are agreable to them as seeme very harde to other The lion in Affrike and the beare in Sarmatia are fierce as in theyr presente strength and vigoure but translated into a contrary heauen are of lesse strength and courage The foule cauled Ciconia which sum thinke to bee the storke dooth not tary the winter yet doo the cranes coomme at that tyme. The Scythian wyll accuse the Romane heauen as induccinge feuers wheras neuerthelesse there is none more holsoome what exercise may doo Such as haue byn tenderly browght vp if they coomme suddenly in to the campe can not away with hunger watchynge heate passages throwgh ryuers baâ—tayles sieges and assaultes But the owld souldier exercised in the warres vseth these as meditations of the fielde as hardened therto by longe experience He that hath byn accustomed to the shadowe of the citie and wyll attempte the sayinge of the poet Uirgil Nudus ara sere nudus that is naked and bare withowt house home shall to his perell make an ende of the verse Use maketh masteries Hâ—bebis frigora febrem that is he shall haue the coulde ague Suche thynges therfore as seeme harde vnto vs beinge accustomed by lyttle and lyttle becomme more tollerable In so much that this exercise of suâ—feraunce by such degrees dooth oftentymes grow to prodigious effectes facte beyonde owre expectation And thus wee seeme to haue made sufficient demonstration by heauen nature and arte wherby it may appere that no part of the lande or sea is denyed to lyuynge creatures The reader may also perceaue how large matter of reasons and exemples may bee opened for the declarynge of owre opinion wherein wee rest Let theâ—fore thautoritie of the ancient autours gyue place and the consent of the newe wryters agree to this hystory not as nowe at the length comprehendâ—d whereas before many hundreth yeares Germanie and Scondia had entercourse of Scondia marchaundâ—es not seuered by the large
vnprofitable And brynge rather a fame to theyr inuentoures then trewe glorye Fame differeth from true glory Perillus was famous by diuisynge his brasen bulle yet so that it had byn better for hym to haue byn obscure and vnknowen They haue therefore deserued more trewe commendation whiche in buyldynge of cities townes fortresses bridges cundites hauens shyppes and suche other haue so ioyned magnificence with profecte that bothe may remaine for an eternal testimonie of absolute glory Absolute glory whose perfection extendeth to the gratifyinge of vniuersal mankind as farre as mans mortalitie wyll permit The whiche thinge whyle I consider and caule to memorie howe Cicero defineth trewe glory to bee a fame of many and greate desertes eyther towarde owre citizens What is true glory owre countrey or towarde all man kynde and the same to bee of such excellencie that the owlde poetes for sume effecte fayned it to bee the sweete Ambrosia and Nectar wherwith the goddes are fedde and that of such force that who so may drynke therof shal also become a god that is to say immortall and happy mee thynke verely that yf man maye be a god to men as holy scripture speaketh of Moises and other the kynges of Spayne of late dayes if I may speake it without offence of other may so much the more for theyr iust desertes and good fortune be compared to those goddes made of men whom the antiquitie cauled Heroes and for theyr manyfolde benefites to man kynde honoured theym with The kynges of Spayne Heroes diuine honoure as theyr famous factes so farre excell al other as I dare not speake to such as haue not yet harde or redde of the same least the greatnesse therof shulde at the first brunte so muche astonyshe the reader that he myght geue the lesse credite to the autoure of this booke who neuerthelesse hath moste faythfully wrytten this hystorye of suche thynges wherof he hath seene a greate parte him selfe as being by the moste catholyke and puissaunt kynge Ferdinando appoynted a commissionarie in th affayres of India and gathered the residewe partly by information and partly out of the wrytinges of such as haue byn as Uyrgyll wryteth of Eneas The certentie of this hystory Et quorum pars magna fui that is doers and parte of such thynges as are conteyned in the hystorie as Gouernours Lieuetenauntes Capitaynes Admirals and Pylottes who by theyr paineful trauayles and prowes haue not onely subdued these landes and seas but haue also with lyke diligence commytted thorder therof to wrytinge And not this onely but for the better tryall of the trewth herein haue and yet doo in maner dayly sende from thense into Spayne such monumentes as are most certeyne testimonies of theyr doynge as yow may reade in dyuers places in this boke This newe worlde is nowe so much frequented the Ocean nowe so well knowen and the commodities so greate that the kynge erected a house in the citie of Siuile cauled the house of the contractes of India perteynynge onely to th affayres of the Ocean The house of the contractes of India to the which al such resorte for necessaries as attempte anye vyage to this newe worlde and lykewyse at theyr returne make theyr accompte to the counsayle for the Indies for the golde and suche other thynges as they brynge from thense The counsayl for the Indiâ—s It is therefore apparent that the heroical factes of the Spaniardes of these days The heroicall factes of the Spanyardes deserue so greate prayse that thautour of this booke beinge no Spanyarde doth woorthely extolle theyr doynge aboue the famous actes of Hercules and Saturnus and such other which for theyr glorious and vertuous enterpryses were accoumpted as goddes amonge men And surely if great Alexander and the Romans which haue rather obteyned then deserued immortall fame amonge men for theyr bluddye victories onely for theyr owne glory and amplifyinge theyr empire obteyned by slawghter of innocentes and kepte by violence Great Alexander The â—panyardes warres in the Indies haue byn magnified for theyr doinges howe much more then shal we thynke these men woorthy iust commendations which in theyr mercyfull warres ageynst these naked people haue so vsed themselues towarde them in exchaungynge of benefites for victorie that greater commoditie hath therof ensewed to the vanquisshed then the victourers They haue taken nothynge from them but such as they them selues were wel wyllynge to departe with and accoumpted as superfluities as golde perles precious stones and such other for the which they recompensed theym with suche thynges as they muche more estemed The benefites that the Indians haue receaued by the Spanyardes But sum wyll say they possesse and inhabyte theyr regions and vse theym as bondemen and tributaries where before they were free They inhabite theyr regions in deede Yet so that by theyr diligence and better manurynge the same they maye nowe better susteyne both then one before Theyr bondage is suche as is much rather to be desired then theyr former libertie which was to the cruell Canibales rather a horrible licenciousnesse then a libertie Lybertie The Canibales and to the innocent so terrible a bondage thaâ— in the myddest of theyr ferefull idlenesse Feareful idlenesse they were euer in daunger to be a pray to those manhuntynge woolues But nowe thanked be God by the manhodde and pollicie of the Spanyardes this deuelysshe generation is so consumed partely by the slaughter of suche as coulde by no meanes be brought to ciuilitie and partly by reseruynge such as were oueâ—come in the warres and conuertynge them to a better mynde that the prophecie may herein bee fulfylled that the woolfe and the lambe shall feede together Isai. 65. and the wylde fieldes with the vale of Aâ—hor shal be the folde of the heard of gods people Moises as the minister of the lawe of wrath and bondage geuen in fyer teÌ„pestes The warres of Moises was coÌ„maunded in his warres to saue neyther man woman nor chylde and yet brought no commoditie to the nations whom he ouercame and possessed theyr landes But the Spaniardes as the mynisters of grace and libertie The Indians subdued to the fayth browght vnto these newe gentyles the victorie of Chrystes death wherby they beinge subdued with the worldely sworde are nowe made free from the bondage of Sathans tyrannie by the myghty poure of this triumphante victourer Isai. 42. whom as sayth the prophet god hath ordeyned to be a lyght to the gentyles to open the eyes of the blynde and to delyuer the bounde owt of pryson and captiuitie What other men do phantasie herein I can not tell but suer I am that lyke as the slowe and brutysshâ— wyttes for the sclendernesse of theyr capacitie and effeminate hartes do neuer or seldome lyfte vp theyr myndes to the contemplation of goddes workes and maiestie of nature The contemplation of gods workes but lyke brute beastes lookynge euer
nowe aged and sore vexed with the strangurie came with a prosperous and spedy iornay to Moscouia where he was gentely receaued of Basilius and remayned in his courte for the space of twoo monethes But in fine mistrustynge his owne strength and deterred by the difficultie of so great a iorneye when he had vtterly put away all his imaginations and hope of this trade to India returned to Rome with Demetrius â—hambassadour of Basilius before we yet thowght that he had byn in Moscouia Demetrius interteynement at Rome The bysshoppe commaunded that Demetrius shuld bee lodged in the most magnificeÌ„t and princely part of the houses of Uaticane the rouffes of whose edifies are gylted and embowed and the chambers richly furnysshed with sylken beddes and cloth of Arresse Wyllynge furthermore that he shuld bee honorably receaued and vesâ—ured with silkâ— He also assigned Franciscus Cheregatus the bysshoppe of Aprutium a man that had often tymes byn ambassadoure to diuers regyons to accompanie hym and shewe hym thorder and rites of owre religion with the monumentes and maners of the citie Furthermore when Demetrius had certeyne dayes rested and recreate him selfe wasshyng away the fylth he had gathered by reason of the longe vyage then apparelled with a fayre vesture after the maner of his countrey he was browght to the bysshoppes presence whom he honoured kneelynge with great humilitie and reuerence as is the maner and therwith presented vnto his holynes certeyne furres of Sables in his owne name and in the name of his prince Demetrius is brought to the popes presence and also delyuered the letters of Basilius which they before and then the Illyrian or Slauon interpretoure Nicolaus Siccensis translated into the Latine toonge in this effecte as foloweth To pope Clemente sheparde and teacher of the Romane churche Basiâ—ius letters to pope Clement greate Basilius by the grace of God lorde Emperour and dominatour of al Ruâ—sia and great duke Uolodemaria Moscouia Nouogrodia Plescouia Sâ—nolenia Ifferia Iugoria Periunia Uetcha Bolgaria c. Dominator great prince of Nouogrodia in the lower coÌ„trei Also of Cernâ—gouia Razania Uolotchia Rezeuia Belchia Rostouia Iaroslauia Belozeria Udoria Obdoria Condinia c. Yow sent vnto vs Paulus Centurio a câ—tizeÌ„ of Genua with letters wherby yowe do exhorte vs to ioine in poure and counsayle withyowe and other Princes of ChristeÌ„dome ageynst the enemies of the christian faith and that a free passage and redy way may bee opened for bothe yowre ambassadours and owres to coome and go to and fro whereby by mutuall dewtie and indeuoure on both parties we may haue knowleage of the state of thinges perteynynge to the welth of vs both Wee certes as we haue hetherto happely by the ayde and helpe of almyghty god constantly and ernestly resisted the cruell and wycked enemies of the Christian faithe so are we determined to doo hereafter And are likewise redy to consente with other Christian Princes and to graunt free passage into owte dominions In consideration wherof we haue sente vnto yowe owre faithfull seruaunt Demetrius Erasmus with these owre letters and with hym haue remitted Paulus Centurio desyringe yowe also shortly to dismisse Demetrius with safegarde and indemnitie vnto the borthers of owre dominions And we wyl likewyse doo the same if yowe sende yowre ambassadoure with Demetrius wherby both by communication and letters wee may bee better certâ—fied of thorder and administration of such thynges as yowe require so that beinge aduertised of the mindes intent of al other Christian princes we may also consult what is best to be done herein Thus fare ye wel Giuen in owr dominion in owr citie of Moscouia in the yeare from the creation of the worlde seuen thousande and three hundreth the thyrde day of Aprell But Demetrius as he is experte in diuine and humane thynges and espâ—cially of holy scripture seemed to haue secreate commaundement of greater matters whiche we thinke he wyll shortly declare to the seâ—ate in priuate consultations For he is nowe deliuered of the feuer into the whiche he fell by chaunge of ayer and hath so recouered his strengthe and natiue colour that beinge a man of threescore yeares of age he was not only presente at the popes masse celebrated with great solemnitie in the honour of saynt Cosmus and Damian but came also into the Senate at such tyme as Cardinal Campegius commynge â—yrst from the legacie of Pannonia Cardinall Campegius was receaued of the pope and all the nobilitie of the courte And furthermore also vewed the temples of the holye citie with the ruines of the Romane magnificence The â—uines of Rome and with woonderynge eyes behelde the lamentable decay of the auncient buildinges So that we thinke that shortly after he hath declared his message he shall returne to Moscouia with the bysshop of Scarense the popes legate not vnrecompensed with iust rewards at the handes of his holynesse The name of the Moscouites is nowe newe The description of Moscouia althowgh the poete Lucane maketh mention of the Moschos confinynge with the Sarmatians and Plinie also placeth the Moschos at the sprynges of the great ryuer of Phasis in the region of Colchoâ— aboue the sea Euxinus towarde the East Theyr region hath very large boundes and is extended from the altars of great Alexander abowt the springes of Tanais The altares of great alexander to the extreme landes and north Ocean in maner vnder the Northe starres cauled charles wayne or the greate beare beinge for the most parte playne and of frutfull pasture but in sommer in many places full of marisshes For whereas all that lande is replenysshed with many and great ryuers which are greatly increased by the winter snow and I se resolued by the heate of the soonne the playnes and fyeldes are therby ouerflowen with marisshes Marisshes in sommer and all iorneys incumbered with continuall waters and myrie slabbynesse vntyl by the benefite of the new wynter the ryuers and marisshes bee frosen ageyne and giue safe passage to the sleades that are accustomed to iorney by the same The woodde or forest of Hercynia and not Hyrcania as is redde in sum false copies occupieth a great parte of Moscouia The forest of hercynia and is here and there inhabited with houses buylded therein and so made thinner by the longe laboure of men that it dooth not nowe shewe that horrour of thicke and impenetrable woods and laundes as many thinke it â—o haue But beinge replenysshed with many wylde beastes wyld beastes is so farre extended through Moscouia with a continuall tracte betwene the East and the North towarde the Scythian Ocean The Scythian Ocean that by the infinite greatnesse therof it hath deluded the hope of such as haue curiously searched th ende of the same In that parte that reacheth towarde Prussia are founde the greate and fierce beastes cauled Uri or Bisontes The beastes cauled Uri or Bisontes of the kynde of
snâ—we is trauayled in wynter with expedite sleades and incredible celeritie vppon the snowes hardâ—ned with longe froste and compacte lyke Ise by reason of muche wearynge But in soommer the playnes can not bee ouerpassed but by difficulte and laborious trauayle For when the snowes by the continuall heate of the soonne begyn to melte and dissolue they cause greate marysshes and quamyres able to intangle bothe horse and man Marysshes in sommer were it not that wayes are made throwgh the same with brydges and causeys of wood and almost infinite laboure Other writers denye this In all the region of Moscouia there is no vayne or mine of golde or syluer or any other common metall excepte iren neyther yet is there any token of precious stones And therefore they bye all those thynges of straungers Neuerthelesse this iniurie of nature is recompensed with abundaunce of rich furres Riche furres whose price by the wanton nisenesse of men is growne to such excesse that the furres perteynynge to one sorte of apparell The price of furres are nowe soulde for a thousande crownes But the tyme hath byn that hese haue byn bought better chepe when the furthest nations of the north beinge ignorant of owr nyse finenesse and breathyng desyre toward effeminate and superfluous pleasures exchanged the same with muche simplicitie often tymes for tryfles and thynges of smaule value In so muche that commonly the Permians and Pecerrians were accustomed to gyue so many skynnes of Sables for an Iren axe or hatchet as beinge tyed harde togyther how many sâ—bles skynnes for an axe the marchauntes of Moscouia coulde drawe through the hole where the hafte or handyll entereth into the same But the Moscouâ—tes sende into all partes of Europe the best kynde of flaxe to make lynnen clothe Flax. and hempe for ropes Also many oxe hydes Oâ—e hydes and exceadynge great masses of waxe waxe They proudely denye that the Romane churche obteyneth the principate and preeminent autoritie of all other They so abhorre the nation of the Iewes Thei abhorre the Iewes that they detest the memorie of them and wyll in no condition admitte them to dwell within theyr dominions esteemyng them as wycked and mischeuous people that haue of late tawght the Turkes to make gunnes Besyde the bookes that they haue of the ancient Greeke doctours Their bokes and religion they haue also the commentaries and homelies of saynt Ambrose Augustine Ierome and Gregorie translated into the Illirian or Slauon tounge whiche agreeth with theyrs For they vse bothe the Slauon tounge and letters as doo also the Sclauons Dalmates Bohemes Pollones and Lithuanes This tounge is spredde further then any othâ—r at this day The Sclauon tounge spred further then any other For it is familyar at Constantinople in the courte of the Emperours of the Turkes and was of late harde in Egypte amonge the Mamalukes in the court of the Soltane of Alcayre otherwyse cauled Memphis or Babilon in Egipte A greate number of bookes of holy scripture aâ—e translated into this tounge by thindustrie of saynte Ierome and Cyrillus Furthermore besyde the hystories of theyr owne countreys â—â—â—nte Ierome was borne in â—almanâ— nowe câ—uled Sclauonia they haue also bookes conteynyng the factes of great Alexander and the Romane Emperours and lykâ—wyse of Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra They haue no maner of knowleage of philosophie Astronomie or spâ—culatiue phisicke with other liberall sciences But such are taken for phisitians as professe that they haue often times obserued the vertue and qualitie of sum vnknowen herbe They number the yeares not from the byrth of Chryste but from the begynnynge of the worlde howe they number the yeares And this they begin to accoumpte not frome the monethe of Ianuary but from September They haue fewe and simple lawes throwghe owte all the kyngedome Fewe and simple lawes made by the equitie and conscience of theyr princes and approued by the consent of wyse and good men and are therfore greatly for the welthe and quyetnesse of the people forasmuch as it is not lawfull to peruerte them with any interpretations or cauillations of lawyers or atturneys They punyshe theues rouers priuie pyckers and murtherers When they examine malefactours they poure a great quantitie of coulde water vppon suche as they suspecte whiche they say to bee an intollerable kynde of tormente But sumtymes they manacle suche as are stoborne and wyll not confesse apparent crymes Theyr youth is exercised in dyuers kyndes of games and plays resembelyng the warres The exercise of youth wherby they both practise pollicie and increase theyr strength They vse runnynge both on horsebacke and afoote Also runnynge at the tylte wrestelynge and especially shootynge Shootynge For they gyue rewardes to suche as excell therin The Moscouites are vniuersally of meane stature The corporature of the Moscouites yet very square set and myghtyly brawned They haue al grey eyes longe beardes shorte legges and bygge bellyes They ryde very shorte and shoote backewarde very cunnyngely euen as they flye At home in theyr houses theyr fare is rather plentifull then deyntie For theyr tables are furnysshed for a smaule price with all suche kyndes of meates as may bee desyred of such as are gyueÌ„ to most excessiue gluttony Theyr fare Hennes and duckes are bought for lyttle syluer pense the piece There is incredible plentie of beastes and cattayle bothe greate and smaule The flesshe of biefe that is kylled in the myddeste of wynter is so congeled and frosen that it putrifiethe not for the space of two moonethes Flesshe preserued longe by reason of coulde Theyr beste and moste delicate dysshes are gotten by huntynge and haukynge as with vs. haukyng and huntynge For they take all sortes of wylde beastes with houndes and dyuers kyndes of nettes And with falcons and erens or eagles of a marueylous kynde whiche the region of Pecerra bryngeth furth vnto them they take not onely fesantes and wylde duckes but also cranes and wylde swannes They take also a foule of darke coloure abowte the byggenes of a goose with redde ouerbrowes whose flesshe in taste passeth the pleasauntnesse of Pheasauntes These in the Moscouites tounge are cauled Tetrao whiche I suppose to bee the same that Plinie cauleth Erythratao knowen to the people of the Alpes and especially to the Rhetians which inhabite the laundes abowte the sprynges of the ryuer Abdua The ryuer of Uolga ministreth vnto them great fysshes and of pleasaunte taste Plentie of fysshe especially sturgions or rather a kynde of fysshe lyke vnto sturgions whiche in the wynter season beinge inclosed in Ise are longe reserued fresshe and vncorrupte Fysshe longe reserued in Ise. Of other kindes of fysshes they take in maner an incredible multitude in the whyte lakes whereof wee haue spoken before And wheras they vtterly lacke natiue wynes wyne they vse suche as are browght from other places And this only in certeyne
feastes and holy misteries Especially the pleasaunte Maluasies of the Iland of Creta nowe cauled Candy Maluasie are had in moste honoure and vsed eyther as medicens or for a shewe of excessiue aboundaunce forasmuche as it is in maner a miracle that wynes browght frome Candy by the streyghtes of Hercules pillers and the Ilandes of Gades All the north parte of the firme lande was cauled Scythia â—nd the people Scythyans tossed with such fluddes of the inclosed Ocean shulde be droonke amonge the Scythyan snowes in theyr natiue puritie and pleasauntnesse The common people drinke mede made of hony hoppes sodden together whiche they keepe longe in pytched barrells where the goodnes increaseth with age They vse also beere and ale as doo the Germanes and Polones They are acustomed for delycatenes nâ— sommer to coole theyr beere and mede with puttynge Ise therin Drynke cooled with Ise. whiche the noble men reserue in theyr sellars in great quantite for the same purpose Summe there are that delyte greately in the iuse that is pressed owte of cherries before they bee full rype wyne of cherryes whiche they affyrme to haue the coloure of cleare and ruddy wyne with a verye pleasaunte taste Theyr wyues and women Their womeÌ„ are not with them in suche honoure as they are in other nations For they vse them in maner in the place of seruantes The noble men and gentelmen doo diligently obserue theyr walkes and haue an eye to their chastitie They are seldom bydden furth to any feastes nether are permytted to resorte to churches farre of or to walke abrode withowt sum greaâ—e consyderation But the common sorte of women are easely and for a smaule price allured to lecherye euen of straungers by reason wherof the gentelmen doo lyttle or nothynge esteme them Iohn the father of kynge Basilius dyed more then .xx. yeares sence He maryed Sophia the doughter of Thomas Paleologus who reigned farre in Pâ—loponnesus now cauled Morea and was brother to Themperoure of constantinople Thomas Paleologus Shee was then at Rome when Thomas her father was dryuen owte of Grecia by the Turckes The coÌ„quest of the turkes in Grecia Of her were fyue chyldren borne as Basilius hym selfe George Demetrius Symeon and Andreas Basilius tooke to wyfe Salomonia the doughter of George Soborouius a man of synguler fideliâ—ie and wysdome one of hys counsayle The excellent vertues of whâ—ch woman only barennesse obâ—cured When the prynces of Moscouia delyberat to marie theyr custome is to haue choyse of the vyrgynes in the realme how the Princes chuâ—e theyr wyues to cause suche as are of most fayre and bewtyfull vysage and personage with maners vertues accordyng to bee browght before them Which afterwarde they committe to certayne faythful men and graue matrones to bee furder vewed in so muche that they leaue no parte of them vnserched Of these shee whome the prynce moste lyketh is pronounced worthy to bee hys wyfe not withowt greate and carefull expectatioÌ„ of theyr parentes lyuynge for that tyme betwene hope and feare The other vyrgyns also which stoode in election and contended in bewty and integritie of maners are often times the same day to gratyfye the prynce maryed to hys noble meÌ„ gentellmen and capytaynes wherby it sumtymes commeth to passe that whyle the princes contemne the lynage of roiall descente suche as are borne of humble parentage are exalted to the degree of princely estate In lyke maner as Themperours of the turckes were accustomed to bee chosen by cumlynesse of personage and warly prowes Basilius was vnder thage of forty and seuen yeares Duke Basilius of cuâ—ly personage singuler vertue and princely qualities by all meanes studyous for the prosperitie and commodities of hys subiectes Furthermore in beneuolence lyberalytie and good successe in hys doynges to bee preferred before his progenitours For when he hadde .vi. yeares kepte warre with the Lyuons that moued .lxxii. confetherate cities to the cause of that warre he obteyned the victorie and departed with fewe conditions of peace rather gyuen then accepted war betwene the Polones and Moâ—chouites Also at the begynnynge of his reigne he put the Polones to flight and tooke prisoner Constantine the capitayne of the Ruthens whom he brought to Moscouia tyed in chaynes But shortly after at the ryuer Boristhenes aboue the citie of Orsa he hym selfe was ouercomne in a great battayle by the same Constantine whom he hadde dismissed Yet so that the towne of Smolenzko whiche the Moscouites possessed before and was nowe woonne by the Polons sâ—ulde styll perteyne to the dominions of Basilius But ageynste the Tartars war betwene the Moschouites Tartars and especially the Tartars of Europe cauled the Precopites the Moscouites haue often tymes kepte warre with good successe in reuenge of thiniuries doone to them by theyr incursions Basilius is accustomed to brynge to the fielde more then a hundreth and fiftie thousande horsemen deuided into three bandes and folowynge the banners or enseignes of theyr capitaynes in order of battayle The Moscouitâ—s army Their baÌ„ner On the banner of the kynges wynge is figured the image of Iosue the capitaine of the Hebrewes at whose prayer the soonne prolonged the daye and steyde his course as wytnesse the hystories of holye scripture Armies of footemen are in maner to no vse in those great wyldernesses aswel for theyr apparel beinge loose and longe as also for the custome of theyr enemies who in theyr warres truste rather to the swyftenesse of theyr lyght horses then to trye the matter in a pyght fyelde Theyr horses are of lesse then meane stature Their horses and horsmeâ— but verye stronge and â—wyfte Theyr horsemen are armed with pykes ryuettes mases of Iren and arrowes Fewe haue hooked swoordes Theire armure Theyr bodies are defended with rounde Targets after the maner of the Turkes of Asia or with bendyng and cornarde targettes after the maner of the Greekes Also with coates of mayle brygantynes and sharpe helmettes Basilius dyd furthermore instytute a band of hargabusiers on horsbacke hargabusiers and caused many greate brasen pieces to bee made by the woorkemanshype of certeyne Italyans Gunnes and the same with theyr stockes wheeles to bee placed in the castell of Mosca The kynge hym selfe with pryncely magnyfycence synguler familiaritie wherwith neuerthelesse no parte of the maiestie of a kynge is vyolate is accustomed to dyne openly with hys noble men and straunge ambassadours in hys owne chamber of presence where is seene A meruelous quantitye of syluer and gylte plate standynge vppon two great and high cubbardes in the same chamber The Prince dyneth openly Sigismundus sayth that much of this is golde He hath not abowte hym any other garde for the custody of hys person sauynge only hys accustomed famylye For watche and warde is dylygently kepte of the faythfull multytude of the citisens In so muche that euery warde or quarter
or Moscouite interpretours hearynge theyr prince to bee so cauled of straunge nations began them selues also to name hym an Emperour and thinke the name of Czar to bee more worthy then the name of a kynge althowgh they signifie all one thynge But who so wyl reade all theyr hystories and bookes of holy scripture The greate Turke shall fynde that a kynge is cauled Czar and an Emperour Kessar By the lyke erroure Themperour of the Turkes is cauled Czar who neuerthelesse of antiquitie vsed no hygher tytle then the name of a kynge expressed by this woorde Czar And hereof the Turkes of Europe that vse the Slauon tounge caule the citie of Constantinople Czargead that is the kynges citie Sum caule the prince of Moscouie the whyte kynge The whyte kynge whiche I thinke to proceade of the whyte cappes or other tyrementes they weare on theyr heades lyke as they caule the kynge of Percia Kisilpassa that is redde headde The duke of Moâ—couia his tyâ—le He vseth the tytle of a kynge when he writeth or sendeth to Rome the Emperour the pope the kynge of Suetia and Denmacke the greate master of Prussia and Liuonia and also to the greate Turke as I haue byn credably informed but he is not cauled kynge of any of them excepte perhappes of the Liuons Yet by reason of his later conquestes sum haue thought hym worthy the name of a kynge or rather of an Emperour bycause he hath kynges vnder his Empire To the kynge of Polone he vseth this tytle The greate lorde Basilius by the grace of god lorde of all Russia and greate duke of Uuolodimeria Moscouia Nouogardia c. leauynge owt the tytle of a kynge For none of them vouchesafeth to receaue the letters of the other augmented with any new tytle as I knewe by experience at my being in Moscouia at which tyme Sigismundus the kynge of Polone sente hym his letters augmented with the tytle of the duke of Masouia wherwith he was not a lyttle offended They glorie in theyr hystories that before Uuolodimeria and Olha the lande of Ruâ—sia was baptised and blessed of saynt Andrewe thappostle of Chryst Russia baptysed by saynte Andrewe the Apostle affirmynge that he came from Grecia to the mouthes of the ryuer Borysthenes and that he sayled vppe the ryuer to the mountaynes where as is nowe Chiouia and that there he blessed all the lande and placed his crosse prophesyinge also that the grace of god shulde bee greate there and that there shulde bee many churches of Chrystian men Lykewyse that he afterwarde came to the sprynges of Borysthenes vnto the great lake Uuolok and by the ryuer Louat descended into the lake Ilmer from whense by the ryuer Uuolcon whiche runneth owte of the same lake he came to Nouogardia and passed frome thense by the same ryuer to the lake Ladoga and the ryuer Heua and so vnto the sea whiche they caule Uuaretzkoia beinge the same that we caule the Germayne sea betwene Uuinlandia or Finlandia and Liuâ—nia by the whiche he sayled to Rome and was at the laste crucified for Chryste his gospell in Peloponnesus by the tyranny of Agus Antipater as theyr crownacles make mention The prynce euery seconde or thyrde yeare causeth a muster to bee taken of the soonnes of the Boiarons The Moscouites warres and takethe an accoumptâ— bothe of theyr number and howe many horses and men euery of them is able to make and then appoynteth a certeyne stypende to suche as are able further to beare theyr owne charges in the warres They haue seldome any rest or quyetnesse For they eyther keepe warre with the Lithuanians Liuonians Suetians or Tartars of Casan Or yf it so chaunce that the prynce keepe no warre yet dooth he yearely appoynte garrysons of .xx. thousande menne in places abowt Tanais and Occa to represse the incursions and robberyes of the European Tartars cauled Precopites As in other matters Dyuers maners of dyuers people in the ware euen so in thorder of warrefare ther is great diuersitie amonge men For the Moscouian as soone as he begynneth to flye thinketh of none other succoure but putteth all his confidence therein Beinge pursued or taken of his enemie he neyther defendeth him selfe nor desirethe perdon The Tartar cast of from his horse spoyled of al his armure weapons and also sore wouÌ„ded defendeth hym selfe with handes feete and teethe and by all meanes he may vntyll his strength and spirite fayle hym The Turke when he seeth hym selfe destitute of all helpe and hope to escape doth humbly desyre pardon casting away his weapons armure and reching furth to the victourer his handes ioyned together to be bounde hopynge by captiuitie to saue his lyfe The Moscouites in placeinge theyr armye chuse them a large playne where the best of them pytch theyr tentes the other make theÌ„ certen arbours of bouwes fyxt in the grounde The Moscouytes army bendyng together the toppes therof whiche they couer with theyr clokes to defende them selues theyr bowes arrowes saddyles and other theyr necessaries from rayne They put furth theyr horses to pasture and for that cause haue theyr tentes so farre in sunder which they fortifye neyther with cartes or trenches or any other impedyment excepte perhappes the place bee defended by nature as with wooddes ryuers and marysshes It may perhappes seeme straunge howe he maynteyneth hym and hys so longe with so smaule an armye as I haue sayde howe he maynteyneth his army I wyll nowe therfore brefely declare they re sparynge and frugalitie He that hath syxe or sumtymes more horses vseth one of them as A packe horse to beare all theyr necessaryes eyes He hath also in a bagge of two or three spanes longe the floure or meale of the grayne cauled mylle and .viii. or x. poundes weyghte of swynes flesshe poudered He hathe lykewyse A bagge of salte myxte with pepper if he bee ryche Furthermore euery man caryeth with hym A hatchet A fyre boxe and a brasen potte so that if they chaunce to coomme to any place where they can fynde no frutes garlyke onyons or flesshe they kyndle a fyre and fylle theyr pottes with water wherunto they put a spoonefull of meale with a quantitie of salte and make pottage therof wherwith the master and all hys seruauntes lyue contented But if the master bee very hungary he eateth all alone and the seruantes are sumtymes inforsed to faste for the space of two or three dayes And yf the master intende to fare sumwhat more delycately then he addeth therto a lyttle portion of swynes flesshe I speake not thys of the best of them but of suche as are of the meane sorte The gouernours and capytaynes of tharmye doo sumtymes bydde the poorer sorte to they re tables where theye feede them selues so wel that they fast two or three dayes after When they haue frutes garlyke and onyons theye can well forbeare all other meates Procedynge forwarde to the battayle they put more confydence in