proper as they say to the nation of the Iewes Onely the booke of Psalmes they haue in great estimation and sing and say them dayly in their Churches Of the new Testament they allow and read all except the Reuelation which therefore they read not though they allow it because they vnderstand it not neither haue the like occasion to know the fulfilling of the prophecies conteyned within it concerning especially the apostasie of the Antichristian Church as haue the Westerne Churches Notwithstanding they haue had their Antichrists of the Greeke Church and may finde their owne falling of and the punishments for it by the Turkish inuasion in the prophecies of that Booke Secondly which is the fountain of the rest of al their corruptiōs both in doctrine ceremonies they holde with the Papistes that their church Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written worde of God Wherein they prefer thēselues before other churches affirming that they haue the true and right traditions deliuered by the Apostles to the Greeke church and so vnto them 3. That the church meaning the Greeke and specially the Patriarch and his Synod as the head of the rest haue a soueraigne authoritie to interpret the Scriptures and that all are bound to holde that interpretation as sound and authentique 4. Concerning the diuine nature the three persons in the one substance of God that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father onely and not from the Sonne 5. About the office of Christ they holde many fowle errours and the same almost as doth the Popish church namely that hee is the sole mediatour of redemption but not of intercession Their chiefe reason if they bee talked withall for defence of this errour is that vnapt and foolish comparison betwixt God and a Monarch or Prince of this world that must bee sued vnto by Mediatours about him wherein they giue speciall preferment to some aboue others as to the blessed Virgin whom they call Precheste or vndefiled and S. Nicôlas whom they call Scora pomosnick or the Speedy helper and say that he hath 300. angels of the chiefest appointed by God to attend vpon him This hath brought them to an horrible excesse of idolatry after the grossest prophanest māner giuing vnto their images al religious worship of praier thanksgiuing offerings adoration with prostrating and knocking their heads to the ground before thē as to God himself Which because they doo to the picture not to the portraiture of the Saint they say they worship not an idol but the Saint in his image so offend not God forgetting the cōmandement of God that forbiddeth to make the image or likenes of any thing for any religious worship or vse whatsoeuer Their church walles are very full of them richly hanged set forth with pearle stone vpō the smooth table Though some also they haue embossed that stick from the board almost an inch outwards They call them Chudouodites or their miracle workers and when they prouide them to set vp in their Churches in no case they may say that they haue bought the image but exchaunged monie for it 6. For the means of iustification they agree with the Papists that it is not by faith only apprehēding Christ but by their works also And that Opus operatum or the worke for the worke sake must needes please God And therefore they are all in their numbers of praiers fastes vowes offrings to saints almes deeds crossings such like and carrie their numbring beads about with them cōtinually aswel the Emperour his Nobilitie as the cōmon people not only in the church but in all other publike places specially at any set or solemne meeting as in their fastes lawe courts common consultations intertainement of Ambassadours and such like 7. They say with the Papists that no man can be assured of his saluation til the last sentence be passed at the day of iudgement 8. They vse auricular confession thinke that they are purged by the very action frō so many sinnes as they confesse by name and in particular to the Priest 9. They hold three sacramentes of Baptisme the Lords supper and the last annoiling or vnction Yet concerning their Sacrament of extreame vnction they holde it not so necessarie to saluation as they do baptisme but thinke it a great curse and punishment of God if any die with out it 10. They thinke there is a necessitie of baptisme and that all are condemned that die without it 11. They rebaptise as many Christians not being of the Greek church as they conuert to their Russe profession because they are diuided from the true Church which is the Greeke as they say 12. They make a difference of meates drinks accounting the vse of one to be more holy then of an other And therefore in their set fastes they forbeare to eate fleshe and white meats as we call them after the manner of the Popish superstition which they obserue so strictly with such blinde deuotion as that they will rather die then eat one bit of flesh egges or such like for the health of their bodies in their extreme sicknese 13. They hold marriage to be vnlawfull for all the Clergie men except the priests only and for them also after the first wife as was said before Neither doo they well allow of it in Lay men after the second marriage Which is a pretence now vsed against the Emperours only brother a child of six yeres old Who therefore is not praised for in their churches as their manner is otherwise for the Princes bloud because hee was borne of the sixt marriage and so not legitimate This charge was giuen to the priests by the Emperour himselfe by procurement of the Godonoes who make him beleeue that it is a good pollicie to turne away the liking of the people from the next successour Many other false opinions they haue in matter of religion But these are the chiefe which they holde partly by meanes of their traditions which they haue receiued from the Greeke church but specially by ignorance of the holy Scriptures Which notwithstanding they haue in the Polonian tongue that is all one with theirs some few wordes excepted yet fewe of them read them with that godly care which they ought to doo neither haue they if they would bookes sufficient of the old and new Testament for the common people but of their Leiturgie onely or booke of common seruice whereof there are great numbers All this mischief commeth from the clergie who being ignorant and godlesse themselues are very warie to keepe the people likewise in their ignorance and blindnesse for their liuing and bellies sake partly also frō the manner of gouernment setled among them which the Emperours whom it specially behoueth list not to haue chaunged by any innouation but to retaine that religion that best agreeth with it Which notwithstanding it is not
to be doubted but that hauing the word of God in some sort though without the ordinarie meanes to attaine to a true sense and vnderstanding of it God hath also his number among them As may partly appeare by that which a Russe at Mosko said in secret to one of my seruaunts speaking against their images and other superstitions That God had giuen vnto England light to day and might giue it to morrow if he pleased to them As for any inquisition or proceeding against men for matter of religion I could heare of none saue a few yeares since against one man and his wife who were kept in a close prison the space of 28. yeares till they were ouer growen into a deformed fashion for their hayre nailes collour of countenance and such like and in the end were burned at Mosko in a small house set on fire The cause was kepte secrete but like it was for some part of truth in matter of religion though the people were made to beleeue by the Priests and Friers that they held some great and damnable heresie Of the manner of solemnizing their Marriages The 24. Chapter THe manner of making solemnizing their marriages is different frō the maner of other countries The man though he neuer saw the woman before is not permitted to haue any sight of hir al the time of his woing which he doth not by himself but by his mother or some other ancient woman of his kin or acquaintance When the liking is taken aswell by the parents as by the parties thēselues for without the knowledge consent of the parents the cōtract is not lawful the fathers on both sides or such as are to thē in steede of fathers with their other chiefe friends haue a meeting conference about the dowrie which is comonly very large after the abilitie of the parents so that you shal haue a market man as they call them giue a 1000. rubbels or more with his daughter As for the man it is neuer required of him nor stādeth with their custome to make any iointer in recompence of the dowrie But in case he haue a child by his wife she enioieth a thirde deale after his disease If hee haue two children by hir or more shee is to haue a courtesie more at the discretion of the husband If the husband depart without issue by his wife shee is returned home to hir friends without any thing at al saue only hir dowrie if the husband leaue so much behind him in goods When the agreement is made cōcerning the dowrie they signe bonds one to the other aswell for the paiment of the dowrie as the performing of the mariage by a certein day If the woman were neuer married before hir father and friends are bound besides to assure hir a maiden Which breedeth many brabbels and quarrels at Law if the man take any conceipt concerning the behauiour and honestie of his wife Thus the contract being made the parties begin to send tokēs the one to the other the woman first then afterwards the mā but yet see not one an other till the marriage be solemnized On the eaue before the marriage day the bride is carried in a Collimago or coach or in a sledde if it be winter to the bridegromes house with hir marriage apparell and bedstead with hir which they are to lie in For this is euer prouided by the Bride and is commonly very faire with much cost bestowed vpon it Here she is accompaned all that night by hir mother and other women but not welcommed nor once seene by the Bridegrome himselfe When the time is come to haue the marriage solemnized the Bride hath put vpon her a kind of hood made of fine knitworke or lawne that couereth her head and all her body downe to the middle And so accompanied with her friends the bridegroome with his they goe to Church all on horsebacke though the Church bee neere hande and themselues but of very meane degree The wordes of contract and other ceremonies in solemnizing the marriage are much after the order and with the same wordes that are vsed with vs with a ring also giuen to the Bride Which beeing put on and the wordes of contract pronounced the Brides hand is deliuered into the hand of the Bride groome which standeth al this while on the one side of the altar or table and the Bride on the other So the marriage knot beeing knitte by the Priest the Bride commeth to the Bridegroome standing at the end of the altar or table and falleth downe at the feete knocking her head vpon his shooe in token of her subiection and obedience And the Bridegroome againe casteth the lappe of his gowne or vpper garment ouer the Bride in token of his duetie to protect and cherish her Then the Bridegroome and Bride standing both together at the tables ende commeth first the father and the other friends of the Bride and bowe themselues downe low to the Bridegroome and so likewise his friends bow themselues to the Bride in tokē of affinity loue euer after betwixt the two kinreds And withall the father of the Bridegroome offreth to the priest a loafe of bread who deliuereth it straight again to the father other friends of the Bride with attestatiō before God and their idols that hee deliuer the dowry wholly and truely at the day appointed hold loue euer after one kinred with another Wherupon they break the loaf into pieces eate of it to testifie their true sincere meanings for performing of that charge and thenceforth to become as grains of one loafe or men of one table These ceremonies being ended the Bridegroome taketh the Bride by the hand and so they goe on together with their friendes after them towardes the Church porche Where meete thē certein with pots cups in their handes with meade and Russe wine Whereof the Bridegroome taketh first a charke or little cuppe full in his hand and drinketh to the Bride who opening her hood or vale below and putting the cup to her mouth vnderneath it for beeing seene of the Bridegroome pleadgeth him agayne Thus returning altogether from the Church the Bridegroome goeth not home to his owne but to his fathers house and she likewise to hers where either intertayn their friends apart At the entring into the house they vse to fling corne out of the windowes vpon the Bridegroome and Bride in token of plentie and fruitfulnes to bee with them euer after When the Euening is come the Bride is brought to the Bridegrooms fathers house and there lodgeth that night with her vale or couer still ouer her head All that night she may not speak one word for that charge she receiueth by tradition from her mother and other matrones her friendes that the Bridegroome must neither heare nor see her till the day after the marriage Neither three dayes after may shee bee hearde to speake saue certeyne fewe wordes at the
when they drink of it they are seldome sober The like they doe with the first fruites of their corne in Haruest They haue an other ceremonie on Palm-sunday of auncient tradition what time the Patriarch rideth through the Mosko the Emperour himself holding his horse bridel and the people crying Hosanna spreding their vpper garmentes vnder his horse feete The Emperour hath of the Patriarch for his good seruice of that day 200 rubbels of standing pension Another pageant they haue much like to this the weeke before the nativitie of Christ When euery Bishop in his Cathedral Church setteth forth a shew of the three children in the Ouen Where the Angell is made to come flying from the roofe of the Church with great admiration of the lookers on and many terrible slashes of fire are made with rosen and gun-powder by the Chaldians as they call them that run about the towne all the twelue dayes disguised in their plaiers coats make much good sport for the honour of the Bishops pageant At the Mosko the Emperour himselfe and the Empresse neuer faile to be at it though it be but the same matter plaid euery yeere without any new inuention at all Besides their fastes on Wednesdayes and Fridayes throughout the whole yeere the one because they say Christ was solde on the Wednesday the other because he suffered on the Friday they haue foure great Fastes or Lentes euery yeere The first which they call their great Lent is at the same time with ours The second about Midsommer The third in Haruest time The fourth about Hallontide which they keepe not of pollicie but of meere superstition In their great Lent for the first weeke they eate nothing but bread and salt and drinke nothing but water neither meddle with anie matter of their vocation but intende their shriuing and fasting only They haue also 3. Vigils or Wakes in their great Lent which they cal Stoiania the last Friday their great Vigil as they cal it What time the whole parish must bee present in the Church and watch from nine a clocke in the Euening til sixe in the morning all the while standing saue when they fall downe and knock their heads to their idoles which must be an hundred and seuentie times iust through the whole night About their burials also they haue manie superstitious and prophane ceremonies as putting within the finger of the corpes a letter to Saint Nicolas whome they make their chiefe mediatour and as it were the porter of heauen gates as the Papistes doe their Peter In Winter time when all is couered with snow and the ground so hard frozen as that no spade nor pikeaxe can enter their manner is not to burie their dead but to keepe the bodies so many as die all the Winter time in an house in the suburbs or outparts of the towne which they call Bohsedom that is Gods house where the dead bodies are pyled vp together like billets on a woodstack as hard with the frost as a very stone till the Springtide come resolueth the frost what time euery man taketh his dead friend and committeth him to the ground They haue besides their yeeres and moneths mindes for their friendes departed What time they haue praiers saide ouer the graue by the Priest who hath a penie ordinarie for his paines When any dieth they haue ordinary women mourners that come to lament for the dead party and stand howling ouer the bodie after a prophane and heathenish manner sometimes in the house somtimes bringing the bodie into the backside asking him what hee wanted and what he meant to die They bury their dead as the party vsed to goe with coate hose bootes hat and the rest of his apparell Many other vaine and superstitious ceremonies they haue which were long and tedious to report By these it may appeare how farre they are fallen from the true knowledge and practise of Christian religion hauing exchanged the worde of God for their vaine traditions and brought al to external and ridiculous ceremonies without any regard of spirite and trueth which God requireth in his true worship Of the Emperours domestike or priuate behauiour The 26. Chapter THe Emperours priuate behauiour so much as may bee or is meete to bee known is after this maner Hee riseth cōmonly about 4 a clock in the morning After his apparrelling and washing in commeth his ghostly father or priest of his chāber which is named in their tongue Otetz Duhouna with his crosse in his hand wherwith he blesseth him laying it first on his forehead then vpon his cheekes or sides of his face and then offreth him the ende of it to kisse This done the Clearke of the crosse called Chresby Deyack Profery bringeth into his chamber a painted image representing the Saint for that day For euery day with them hath his seuerall Saint as it were the patrone for that day This he placeth among the rest of his image gods wherewithall his chamber is decked as thicke almost as the wall can beare with lampes and waxe candles burning before them They are very costly and gorgeously decked with pearle and precious stone This image being placed before him the Emperour beginneth to crosse himselfe after the Russe manner first on the forehead then on both sides of his breaste with Aspody Pomeluy Pomeluy mena hospody sacroy mena gresnick Syhodestua which is as much to say as Helpe me O Lorde my God Lorde comfort me defende and keepe me a sinner from doing euill c. This hee directeth towardes the image or Saynt for that day whom hee nameth in his prayer together with our Lady whom they call Precheste Saint Nicholas or some other to whome he beareth most deuotion bowing himself prostrate vnto them with knocking his head to the verie ground Thus he continueth the space of a quarter of an houre or thereabouts Then cōmeth againe the ghostly father or chāber priest with a siluer bowle full of holy water which they call in Russe Sweta Voda a sprinkle of Basill as they call it in his hād so al to besprinckleth first the image gods and then the Emperour This holy water is brought fresh euery day from the Monasteries farre and neere sent to the Emperour from the Abbot or Prior in the name of the Saint that is patrone of that Monastery as a speciall token of good wil from him These deuotions being ended he sendeth in to the Empresse to aske whether she hath rested in health c. And after a little pawse goeth himselfe to salute her in a middle roome betwixt both their chambers The Empresse lieth apart from him and keepeth not one chamber nor table with the Emperour ordinarily saue vpon the eaue of their Lentes or common Fastes what time she is his ordinarie ghest at bedde and boorde After their meeting in the morning they goe together to their priuate Churche or Chappell where is sayde or soung a