Russia part2

Of the Crim and Precopian Tartars, and the Cosacks.

BEtwixt the two Tartarian Kingdoms of Casan and Astrachan,* 1.139 subject to the Grand Czar of Muscovy, all along the River Volga, up to the Don or Tanais, are great Desarts, which are not so much Inhabited, as frequently visited by the Crim or Precopian Tartars, their fixed Habitations being from the mouth of the River Tanais or Don, all along the Palus Meotides, and so in the Taurica Chersonesus; which being divided by a great Forest, that part which borders on the Palus Meotides, belong to the Precopian Tartars, the rest, bordering on the Euxin Sea to the Turks. It contains about 250 English Miles in length, and 150 in breadth, less or more in some places; but, that, what is called the Little

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Tartary, on that side, comprehending also the Tartars of Budziack, which inhabit all along the Palus Meotides, or as it is called by them, to the Sea of Zabacche, up to the River Don or Tanais, is much larger in compass, bordering on the North upon Muscovy, in the East upon the Circassian Tartars, North-west upon Podolia and Luthuania, and towards the South upon Moldavia and Wallachia. These Tartars having been for several Ages last past, very Redoubtable, both to the Muscovites and Poles, who have been often obliged to stop their Fury by Presents, not much differing from an Annual Tribute, and being at this time vigourously attacked by his present Czarish Majesty, who has gained great Advantages over them, they may very well deserve a place in this Treatise.

The Taurica Charsonesus was antiently inhabited by the Tauri,* 1.140 who gave it its Name: These were succeeded by the Greeks, who planted here their Colonies. But about 450 Years ago, some Tartarian Hordes, inhabiting near the Caspian Sea, having by reason of some intestine Wars, left their native Country, and ravaged part of Asia, at last passed the River, Volga, and from thence to the Tanais or Don and the Palus Meotides, where they possessed themselves of the Taurica Chersonesus, except some Ports situate on the Exin Sea, and especially the City of Caffa, which were in the Year 1266, seised by the Genoeses, who kept them in their Possession till the Year 1474, when Mahomet II. the Turkish Emperour took them from the Genoeses. The Places in the possession of the Turks are Batuclawa, formerly a considerable place, but now more like a Village than a City; it has not above 200 Houses, but has a very good Port, and the Turks build there abundance of Ships and Gallies. The two Castles of Ingermen and Mancus, to which were adjoining, when in the Hands of the Genoeses, two goodly Cities, of which scarce any thing remains now but the Ruin. The only place of Note belonging to the Turks here, is one City of Caffa, in former Ages called

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Theodosia. It was, whilst the Genoeses were Masters of it, one of the chief Trading places in the Levant, but the Turks took it from the Genoeses, as was mentioned before, after a Siege of fourteen Years, and, as it was believed, not without Treachery, some of the Genoeses having been corrupted with Money. It is since that time, (as almost all other places that groan under the Turkish Yoak) infinitely decayed from its antient Splendor; notwithstanding which, it contains as yet about 6000 Houses, inhabited by Italians (the Remnants of the Genoese Families) Greeks, Armenians, Jews, Turks and Tartars: The Christians being however the most in number, having 45 Churches here.

The Places belonging to the Precopian Tartars, as well within the Chersonesus as upon the Palus Meotides, are; The City of Azoph or Assaw, situate at the very Mouth of the River Don or Tanais, where it exonerates it self into the Palus Meotides; it is a place of considerable Trade, inhabited for the most part by Tartars, from whom it was about two years ago taken by the Muscovites. The City of Crim, situate in a Bay, made by the Sea of Zabacche, or the Palus Meotides; it is inhabited for the most part by Tartars. It is a strong Walled Town, its Houses being built of Stone and Brick, and was formerly the Seat of their Chan, from whence these Tartars received first their Name, as they were afterwards called Precopians from the City of Precop, (which is situate on the Eastern side of the Isthmus: The Tartars call it 〈◊〉 it is not very large, consisting only of 400 or 500 Houses. It was called Precop, from the Sclavonian Word Precap, which signifies a Ditch or Trench; because it was built just within the Trench of the Taurica Chersonesus, which is made cross the Isthmus. Opposite to this, on the Western side, is the City of Coslow, situate upon a Cape of the Chersonesus, extending to the Exin Sea. It has about 2000 Houses, and is a place of good Trade, and about five or six Days Journey from Azoph. Further Westward at the Mouth of

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the River Boristhenes or Nieper, near the Euxin Sea, lies the City of Oczacow, having a strong Castle; it formerly belonged to the Great Dukes of Lithuania, but was taken from them by the Precopian Tartars, who inhabit here, yet so as to be Tributaries to the Turks, who always keep some Gallies here to keep a watchful Eye over the neigbouring Cosacks. It is near 200 Miles distant from Precop. Baciasaray is the Town where the Chan keeps his ordinary Residence and Court, it contains about 2000 Houses: besides which, he has another Palace, called Almasaray, where he diverts himself sometimes; it is only a Village containing not above 60 or 70 Houses. The Taurica Chersonesus is in some parts full of Hills and Woods, but in others has very fertile Plains, abounding in all sorts of Grain, Fruit, and very excellent Wine. The Tartars that inhabit it seldom apply themselves to Tillage or any other manner of cultivating the Ground, but leave it to the Jews or the Christians, which are their Slaves. And as for the Tartars that live without the Isthmus, they make not the least account of it; applying themselves entirely to Pasturage and Robberies. All their Riches consist in their Cattle, but especially in their Horses, and in what Booty they get abroad in their Excursions; They sell their Prisoners of both Sexes, after the Chan has taken his Share of them for his own Use, to the Christian and Jewish Merchants at Caffa; in Exchange of which they take from them Turkish Horses, Arms, Stuffs, and such other Commodities as they stand in need of. From the City of Caffa, these Slaves are transported to Constantinople, Synope, Trebisord, and other places in the Levant. Among all the Slaves taken by these Tartars, the Polish Women are in greatest esteem; these are not only transported to Constantinople and Persia, but sometimes to the Indies, to be entertained in the Seraglio's of these Princes. Formerly the Soldans of Egypt used to drive a considerable Trade in these Parts, the chief Strength of their Forces being consp•••d of such as the Tartars had made

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Prisoners either in Russia, Podolia, Muscovy, and Circassia. But since the Ruin of this Warlike Empire by Selim the Turkish Emperour, this Trade into Egypt is quite lost.

The Crim or Precopian Tartars are for the most part of a middle Size,* 1.141 strong, and well set in their Limbs; they have short Necks, large and broad Faces, with very small Eyes, but very black and lively, and have some other Features peculiar to themselves, by which they may be easily distinguish'd from other Nations. They are inur'd to all sorts of Hardship from their Infancy; their Mothers being used to bathe them once a Dayat least in cold Water, wherein a little Salt is dissolved, to make them hardy, and render their Bodies proof against the Injuries of the Air. No sooner are they out of their Mother's Tution, but their Fathers, by degrees, bring them to shoot with the Bow, which they do with great Dexterity; and at the Age of twelve or fifteen, make them go along with them in the Wars. The Common Tartars, especially those living abroad in Tents, use no other Cloaths but a Cosaque, coming down to their Heels, made of Sheep-Skin, with a picked Cap or Bonnet of the same Stuff, under which they wear perhaps a pair of Linnen Breeches or Drawers. The Men and Women are scarce to be distinguish'd in their Dress, but that the last wear often a Linnen Coif, or piece of coarse Cloth tyed round their Heads. The Wives of their Chans, and other Women of Quality always wear a Veil over their Faces when they appear in publick, and are cloathed in Calicoes, Stuffs, and sometimes Silk of divers Colours; as their chief Men have their Cloaths made of Cloth, and use Turkish Saddles for their Horses, which are often of the Arabian Breed, and adorned with very good Equipages, all which they have of the Armenian Merchants, or else take from their neighbouring Nations, where they make their Inroads. For the rest they use nothing but Wooden Saddles; Their

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Arms are commonly a Scymiter, a Bow and Quiv•r, furnish'd with twenty or more Arrows. These as well as their Saddles, they make themselves; Their Bow-strings are made out of the Nerves of Horses; the Quiver covered with the Skin of the same Beast: They make also the best Whips in the World, our Whip-makers in Europe having hitherto not been able to come near them in twisting of Whips. Besides their Arms, they always carry about them a Knife, which serves to mend their Bridles and Saddles, if any thing happens to be amiss; a Tinder-box to strike Fire; and a Compass to direct them in their March through the Desarts and Wildernesses, where there is not the least Tract of any Road.

Their Horses,* 1.142 which they call Bachmats, are very ill-shaped, being very long and thin, with long Manes and Tails; but what they want in Shape they make up in Swiftness and Hardiness, being in both these Points together, to be preferred before any other in the World: They commonly undergo the Fatigue of a long days Journey without the least Food; they are continually kept abroad, both Winter and Summer; and when they are upon an Expedition, these Beasts will live upon what they can pick out from under the Snow, or upon the Moss, Bark, or small Branches of Trees, or upon any thing else that they light on in their Way. Their Chief Men make use of Arabian and Turkish Horses, wear under their Cosaques Coats of Mail, and use very good Equipages: Their Chan, especially is most Magnificent in his Horses and Equipages, keeps a very good Table, and lives as to all other things, in great Splendor, suitable to his Quality.

When they live abroad in their Tents,* 1.143 they seldom eat Bread, instead of which they make use of Millet. Their Ordinary Food is Horse-flesh, which they boil, either alone, or with Millet, when they rest in a Place; but when they are going upon an Expedition they have it bak'd, and upon the March, often only roll it together, and put it under

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the Saddle, from whence they take it upon occasion, and so eat it without any further Preparation or Sauce, unless it be the Sweat of their Horses. The worst of all is, that they do not chuse the Youngest or the Fattest of their Horses, but such as are either rendred unserviceable in a March, or die of themselves. They don't drink Wine, as being Mahometans; so that their ordinary Drink is clear Water; and in the Winter, when the Rivers and Springs are frozen up, they make use of Snow; or sometimes of the Broth of bak'd Horse-flesh, or a certain Liquor made out of Millet. Their Chief Officers only, drink Water, Milk, or perhaps Hydromel and Aqua vita, and have now and then a Dish of Wild-fowl: But all of them abstain from Swines Flesh.

As to their Manners, they are said to be as free from Vices as any Nation in the World.* 1.144 For, besides their Abstinence in Eating and Drinking, they are accounted very faithful and trusty; there being no such thing as Robbing among themselves, no false Witnesses, no manner of Injustice or Violence; living with one another in a perfect Union and Tranquility: For, as to those Excursions they make into the Territories of the Neighbouring Christians, they don't look upon them as a Crime, as being committed against those they esteem Infidels; There are abundance of Instances to be given of the Fidelity of these Tartars, which has been sufficiently experienced among some of their neighbouring Nations, where they are Prisoners: It is very frequent in Poland to let the Tartarian Prisoners go upon their Parole of Honour, to endeavour the Recovery of their Liberty by the Exchange with certain Polish Prisoners among the Tartars; which if they cannot obtain, they are sure to return by the Day prefixed, even sometimes to an Hour. There are Persons of Quality in Poland, who will rather entrust the Key of their most precious Moveables, with their Tartarian Slaves, than with any other of their Servants.

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Their Tongue and Religion is the same with the Turks,* 1.145 but only that they have not so many Persian and Arabian Words mix'd with it, and they have their Priests, who are guided by the Alcoran, and interpret it, after the Turkish way.

As their Religion and Language agree in most Points with the Turks, so their Government and Administration of Justice,* 1.146 is the same used in Turky. They have their Cadi's, who hear the Parties plead their own Cause by way of Mouth, and give Judgment immediately. The Chan himself frequently determines the Differences among his Subjects, which he does as often as he appears in Publick, without the least regard or respect of Persons, whether rich or poor. Drunkenness, Adultery, Murther and Thefts, are the most Capital Crimes here, and are sure to meet with severe Punishments; which however, is very rare to be seen; for, tho' they are used to Robbing and P•undering in time of War, they nevertheless keep themselves within their due bounds when they a•e at home, no body being allowed to carry about him any Arms, not so much as in the Chan's own Court. They are under the Subjection of one Prince, whom they call Chan, which is as much as to say, King; He commands over them without Controul, as most all the other Mahometan Princes, and is in great Veneration with his Subjects. The Chan has a Power to nominate his Successor, which is called Galga, and commonly is either his Son, or one of his Brothers. The Chief among his Subjects they call Myrsas. Since Selim the Emperour of the Turks took part of the Taurica Chersonesus from the Genoeses, the Chans became Vassals, but not Tributaries to the Turkish Emperours, who as a Token of his Sovereignty, sends every new Chan a Standard. Their first King or Chan, was one Vlan, of whose Birth they relate strange Miracles. About two hundred Years ago, this Family was set asi•e, and the Family of the Gierey's got into the Throne in their stead, and enjoy it to this day;

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tho' there is some still remaining of the Family of the Vlan's, who are to succeed in the Throne, in case the Family of the Gierey's should happen to fail.* 1.147

This Prince or Chan is able to bring a very numerous Army into the Field; which, when he Summons together all the Hordes under his Jurisdiction, and his Allies, amount to the number of 300000, all Horse; for, they have no Infantry among the Tartars, unless the Turk upon certain Occasions, send some of his Janisaries. It is true, he keeps Garrisons in some fortified Places in the Taurica Chersonesus, but their number is but small. The most considerable is the Fortress of Precop, or as they call it, Or, which however, is but indifferently Fortified, as being surrounded but with a very slender Ditch, not above four or five Rod over, the Ramparts which are of Earth, being neither regular nor very high. He used always to keep hereabouts a good Body to Guard the Isthmus, composed out of that Horde, which extends it self towords the Boristhenes or Nieper. They don't very religiously observe any Treaties with the Christians; and, in the midst of Peace, will not forbear to commit their usual Hostilities, by ravaging the Country, sometimes by the Chan's Orders, but for the most pa•t, by his Connivance. It has been upon this score, that the Muscovites and Poles have oftentimes, when their Affairs at home were not in a good posture, been obliged to pay considerable Sums to the Chan, which at other times upon a more favourable Juncture, they have refused to these Infidels, who claim'd it as a Tribute.

Their manner of making War,* 1.148 is rather an Irruption than a regular War When these Tartars have resolved upon an Expedition, either against Muscovy or Poland, or sometimes against Hungary, they most commonly make choice of the Month of January, and of the Full Moon; when the Rivers, Lakes and Fens, are all frozen over and covered with Snow, this Season being most convenient for them and their Horses, who can live upon any thing;

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whereas it must needs prove very inconvenient to their Enemies, by reason of the difficulty of getting Forage and Provisions, and Encamping in so sharp a Season as they do. Every one of them carries at least two Horses, some more, into this Winter Campaign, either to change them as occasion requires, or else to carry the Booty they get, or what Provision they take along with them, which however, seldom amounts to any more, than a small quantity of Millet, and of dry'd or bak'd Horses Meat; a great many making no other Provision for themselves, but what their Horses tir'd in the March, or else made unserviceable afford them. The most redoubtable Enemies they have, if they direct their March towards the Boristhenes or Nieper, are the Cosacks, who being no less inur'd to Hardships than themselves, are always out upon Parties, to get Intelligence, and upon the least Notice, give the Alarum in the Country, and dispute their Passage at some Advantageous Post or another. It is for this reason they are obliged to March with great Caution through Desarts and unknown Roads, and, for fear of being discovered, Encamp in the very midst of the Winter without Fire. Being come near the Place where they intend to make an Irruption, their Generals detatch a third Part of the whole Army, which being again divided into several Bodies, they make their Excursions at ten or twenty Miles distance• on both sides of the Army, which in the mean while is kept ready in a Posture to fight the Enemy, wherever there may be occasion; The first Detatchment being return'd f•om Pillaging, the second is sent out, and at their return, the third Part, till every one has had his Share in Ravaging round about the Camp, as far as they thought it convenient for the space of five or six days, then they retire as fast as they can, marching sometimes 60 or 80 Miles in 24 Hours, till they come to the Great Plains, where thinking themselves secure by reason of the Advantage they have in the vast number of their Horses, they tarry there for some time,

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as well to recover themselves from the Fatigue they have undergone in the Expedition, as to share the Booty and Prisoners they have taken. They sometimes make also an Irruption in the Summer-time, which is commonly put in Execution by the Tartars of Budziack, who seldom go into the Campaign with above ten or twelve Thousand Men at a time.

The Tartarian Armies are divided into very strong Regiments or Troops,* 1.149 consisting of two, three, and sometimes four Thousand Men; they seldom Engage with their Enemies, except they know themselves much Superior in Number; but, when they cannot avoid fighting, they divide themselves into a great many Bodies, and so make a running Fight, our Forces which are obliged to keep their Rank and Order, not knowing which of them to Attack first, or with the most Advantage. Whilst they are Retiring, they shoot their Arrows backwards, as thick as Hail, which they do with the greatest Dexterity imaginable, being the best Horse-Men in the World, and Riding very short, with their Knees bent, like the Poles, Arabians, Turks and Africans, they at full Speed, raise themselves upon their Stirrops, and with their Arrows gall their Enemies Horse, and return as frequently to Charge those that pursue them, as they find opportunity to do it. This is however to be understood, when they out number their Enemies, for else, if they happen to be surprised, they run away full Speed, and trust to the Heels of their Horses. But this is very rarely done, they always keeping strong Out-Guards at some distance from their Camp, either near a River, or on some Eminency, from whence they at a great distance, descry the approach of the Enemy, being as quick-sighted as any People in the World, and, so give the Alarum to the rest. The Prisoners they take in these Expeditions, they sell to the Merchants, which come from Constantinople, and other Places belonging to the Turks in the Levant, to Caffa; or else they keep them for their

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own Use, either to Cultivate the Ground, or to look after their Cattle, where they must be contented with the same Food their Masters have, which is commonly Horses Flesh half raw, which they eat lying upon the Ground, after a very beastly manner.

But this as well as most of the rest we have related concerning the Manner of these Tartars,* 1.150 is to be understood from such among them, as live in the Great Plains (and these indeed are the greatest part) a sort of a Vagabond Life, but for such as inhabit within the Isthmus of the Taurica Chersonesus, and have settled Habitations in Cities and Villages, are much more civilised, making not only use of Tables and Seats spread with Carpets; and other sorts of Furniture, brought thither by the Armenians, and other Merchants of the Levant, but also their Dyet comes much nearer to that of other Europaeans, making use of Bread, Mutton, Fowl, Hydromel, and Aqua Vitae in their Houses; and have their Mosques, like the Turks. They are all bare-wall'd within, without any Painted or Graven Image, for they ridicule the Russians, telling them, That, when their Saints are grown old and Worm eaten, they throw them into some River or another, from whence, says they, we perhaps take him up, and broil a piece of Horseflesh upon it. A fine God indeed, that is not able to resist those, that are going to destroy it. But the Floor of these Mosques are spread with Carpets, no body being allow'd to come in with his Shooes on. The Day dedicated for their Religious Service is the Friday; (perhaps, because they will not have any thing common with the Christians or Jews) when at Sun-rising they are called together, not by the Ringing of Bells, but by the Priest, who being seated in a certain Place made for that purpose, on the top of the Mosque, with a laudable Voice, exhorts them to repair thither. Being met, he takes the Alcoran, written in Arabick Letters in his Hand, and reads the Chapter, which treats concerning the Manner, how to worship

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God; after which they sing certain Songs in the praise of Mahomet, and so depart to their respective Homes. They do not burn, but bury their Dead, unless it be after a Defeat, when they rather chuse to burn them, than let them fall into the hands of the Christians; and for the rest, believe the Transmigration of Souls.

We having frequently mentioned the Cosacks in the Description of several of the Muscovian Provinces,* 1.151 we will conclude this Chapter with a short Account of their Origin, and what else may be found remarkable among a barbarous multitude of People. Those that have described the Cosacks as a particular Nation, have been grossly mistaken in their Opinion. For, before the Time of Sigismund the I. they were no more than Volunteers or Freebuteers, composed out of a wild and barbarous Rabble, most of them Boors, that had left their Habitations in the Neighbouring Provinces of the Polish Russia, Wolinia and Podolia, and had settled themselves in some Islands of the River Boristhenes, beneath Kiovia, where they lived upon Robbing and Plunder. They were called Cosacks from their Agility (the Word Cosa, intimating as much in the Polish Language) which chiefly consisted in passing betwixt the innumerable small Islands, situate at the mouth of the River Boristhenes. They used to commit their Piracies, for the most part, upon the Black-Sea, and are since that time, not only become formidable to the Turkish Gallies, but also to Natolia it self, where they did not only plunder Trebisond and Sinope, but even the Suburbs of Constantinople, and brought back their Prisoners and Booty safe to their Habitatations, in the Isles of the Boristhenes. Their Custom is to Cruise during the Summer in the Black-Sea; but as soon as the Winter approaches, these Freebuteers, return to the Boristhenes, where dispersing themselves, every one to his respective Home, they before parting, appoint the Time of their Rendezvouz against next Spring, in one of these Isles, near the mouth of the Boristhenes. The

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great Exploits they had formerly done against the Turks, had gain'd them no small Reputation among the Poles; therefore Stephen Batori, Prince of Transilvania, and afterwards Elected King of Poland, having considered with himself, that these Cosacks might be of great use to the Crown of Poland, not only against the Incursions of the Neighbouring Crim or Precopian Tartars, but also might serve as a considerable Addition to the Strength of the Polish Army, which consisting for the most part out of Horse, would in effect, be rendred more formidable, when augmented by so considerable a Number of Foot. It was upon this Consideration, he resolved to put these Vagabond Soldiers into a good Order and Discipline, which he effected, by granting to them, besides their Pay, very considerable Priledges, and putting them under the Command of a General of their own, with a Power to chuse such Officers under him, as he esteem'd most fit for Service. Having thus reduced them into one Body, he gave them the City of Techtimoravia, with all the Territories belonging to it, which being seated upon the Boristhenes, they made it their Magazine, and the Residence of their Governour General: And, to render this Body the more Serviceable against the Tartars, he joyned to this Militia of the Cosacks, (being composed altogether of Foot) two thousand Horse, for the Maintaining of which he allotted the fourth Part of certain Revenues belonging to the Crown, from whence they were called Quartans, and by corruption Quartians, and were disposed upon the Frontiers, most exposed to the Incursions of the Tartars. By this Means that Tract of Land, which from Bar, Bracklavia and Kiovia, extends it self all along the Boristhenes, to the Black-Sea, and is now called the Vkraine, which was before a desolate Country, was in a little time fill'd with populous Cities and Towns. As this Body has done considerable Services to the Crown of Poland, by maintaining its Frontiers against the Irruptions of the Tartars, so after sometime

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time it proved very dangerous, having several times taken up Arms against the Republick. For, being once made sensible of their own Strength, they refused to be obedient to the Orders of the Polish General.

Their first Rebellion was in the Year 1587,* 1.152 under their General, John Podkowa, but being vanquish'd, he had his Head cut off. In the Year 1596, Sigismund III. King of Poland, upon Complaints made by the Turks, forbid them to cruise in the Black-Sea, which Orders they obeyed for that time, but, soon after fell into the Polish Russia and Lithuania, where they Ravaged the Country, under their General, Nalevaiko. In vain did the King send his Orders for them to retire to their Habitations, they on the contrary, resolved to maintain their Ground, against the Polish Army, which was advancing against them, under the Command of the Polish General Zolkieuski. The Battle was fought near the City of Bialacerkiovia, where the Cosacks had the better of it; but Zolkieuski, as he was a Great General, having weather'd the Point for that time, soon after got them into the Trap, so that they were forced to submit, and deliver up their General, Nalevaiko, who underwent the same Fate as his Predecessor. In the Year 1637, the Cosacks revolted again, the Occasion was thus: A great many Polish Lords, having Purchased Estates in the Vkraine (the Quarter of the Cosacks) and observing, that the Boors, their Vassals, run frequently over to them, they were of Opinion, that their Revenues could never be well secured, as long as the Cosacks enjoyed their Priviledges. Having therefore represented them to the King, as dangerous to the Republick, by reason of the great number of Peasants, that daily ran over to them; it was resolved, That the Polish General, Koniespolski, should order a Fort to be erected at a certain Point of Land, called Kudak, where the River Zwamer falls into the Boristhenes, which for its Situation, they had chosen as a convenient Place to bridle the Cosacks, as being not far distant from the place of

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their ordinary Rendezvouz. The Cosacks, who were not so simple as not to penetrate into the Design of the Poles, resolved not to suffer the Bridle to be put over their Heads, and having defeated Coll. Marion, who was left there with 200 Men, to see the Fort perfected, they assembled a considerable Body, to prevent the Polish General in his Design. But at the very juncture of time, when they should have been most unanimous, great Divisions arising among the Cosacks, they revolted against their General, Sawakonowiez, whom they Massacr'd, and in his Place set up one Pauluck, of little Experience, and less Conduct in Martial Affairs; The Polish General having in the mean while taken this Opportunity, to put the Fort in a state of Defence, they marched out under their new General Pauluck; but were surprised in the Plains near Korsun, before they could Entrench themselves betwixt their Waggons, according to their Custom, so that being destitute of Horse, they were easily Defeated by Potoski• the Polish Marshal de Camp. Those that saved themselves by flight, got into Borovits, but being immediately besieged by Potoski, and the Place being not provided with Ammunition, they were obliged to surrender their General, Pauluck, with four more of their Principal Officers, who were afterwards beheaded at Warsaw, notwithstanding their Lives were secured to them by the Capitulation. It was also decreed at the Dyet, held at the same time at Warsaw, that not only all their Priviledges, and the City of Te••htimoravia, granted to them by King Stephen, should be taken from them, but also a new Body of Militia should be erected in their stead. But the Cosacks being not discouraged at this Resolution, resolved also on their Side, to try the utmost for the Recovery of their Liberty; and after having protested to the Poles, that they would remain steadfast to the Interest of that Crown, provided they were maintain'd in their antient Priviledges, they fought a second time with Potoski, in the Vkraine, but with not much better Success than

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before; so that finding their Circumstances desperate, they Entrench'd themselves on the other side of the Boristhenes, upon the River Statcza, where, during the space of two Months, the Poles attack'd them at several times with great Vigour, but were as often repulsed with all the Bravery imaginable; so that, finding there was no good to be done with these desperate Cosacks, they were forced to come to a Capitulation with them, and to confirm all their former Privileges, and to promise the Re-establishment of their Militia upon the same Foot as before, under the Command of their own General chosen by the King. But this Capitulation was almost as soon broken as made; For, no sooner had they cajoled the Cosacks out of their advantagious Post, but most of them were either cut to pieces or plunder'd by the Poles. Their Militia was not re-establish'd, but another set up in their stead, where no Cosacks were permitted to enroll themselves. But scarce two Years were elapsed, before the Poles had sufficient Occasion to repent themselves of this Change. For the Tartars, who before the Reform of these Cosacks, never durst so much as approach these Frontiers, made a great Irruption into the Vkraine, and after having ruin'd all with Fire and Sword, in the Tertitories of Pereaslaw, Corfun, and Wisnowitz, return'd home with a vast Booty, and a great Number of Prisoners, according to their wonted Custom. Ladislaus, therefore then King of Poland, having duely weighed the Necessity there was, to keep on foot this Body, upon which he much relied, especially at that time, when he was likely to be engag'd in a heavy War against the Turks and Tartars, effectually restored them to their former Condition, having given them for their General, one Bogdan (or Theodore) Chmielniski. But a great many of the Polish Nobility having conceiv'd a mortal Hatred against the Cosacks, miss'd no Opportunity of doing them what Mischief they could; Among the rest, a certain Polish Gentleman, whose Name was Jarinski, did

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not only burn some Mills belonging to the General of the Cosacks, Chmielniski; but also, after having ravish'd his Wife, killed both her and her Son. Chmielniski, being provok'd to revenge so barbarous an Affront, after having demanded Satisfaction, which was denied him, stirred up his Cosacks, who with burning, plundering, and ravishing continually pestered the Polish Nobility; so that they address'd themselves to King John Casimir, Brother of the deceased King Ladislaus, desiring him to march against them in Person, which he having refused to do, they brought together an Army of 50000 Men, but were miserably beaten by the Cosacks; and having a second time encountred them without the King's consent, they received another Overthow. To revenge this, they watch'd their Opportunity, when Chmielniski was celebrating the Nuptials of his Son with the Daughter of the Prince of Moldavia; the Poles then surprised the Cosacks, plunder'd the City, and took the Grecian Patriarch Prisoner. The General having sent to the King to know whether it were done by his Orders? was answered no; but that the Nobility had done it to revenge themselves upon the Cosacks. Chmielniski, being vehemently incens'd against the Nobility, entred into a League with the Tartars, and entring Poland with a vast Army, the King march'd against him in Person at the Head of a Hundred thousand Men; The Battle was fought near the City of Berestesko, on the River Ster, where both the Cosacks and Tartars were entirely routed, though they were almost three to one stronger than the Poles. Notwithstanding which, their General Chmielniski, who escaped after the Battle, having re-assembled the Remainders of his broken Army, so continually harassed the neighbouring Country, that the King thought it most convenient to come to an Agreement with them in the Year 1651. But the most of the Nobility being dissatisfied with the King's Proceedings, did let slip no Opportunity that offered it self, to affront the

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Cosacks, but especially their General Chmielniski, which obliged them about two years after, to wit, in the Year 1653. to join with the Muscovites, who with their assistance, took in the Year nex following the City of Smolensko and Vilna; so, that it was chiefly owing to their Valour, that the Muscovites got into the Possession of the Provinces of Smolensko, and Severia, and the greatest part of the Palatinate of Kiovia, which were confirmed to them by the Treaty of Peace, made at Oliva, in the Year 1666. About which time the greatest part of the Cosacks, put themselves under the Protection of the Muscovites, the rest under the Turks, whereby they opened the way to the latter into the Ʋkraine, and Podolia, where two years after, they took the famous Fortress of Caminieck from the Poles.

Out of what has been related concerning the Cosacks,* 1.153 it is sufficiently manifest, that they were a certain Body of Soldiers, Established for the Guard of the Frontiers. They used to be enrolled in the Provinces of the Polish Russia, Volinia and Podolia; and had originally but one City belonging to them, which was the Residence of their Governour or General. They were sirnamued Zaporogian Cosacks, to distinguish them from those living upon the Don or Tanais; the Word Porochi, signifying in the Russian Tongue, as much as a Stone, or Rock. At a considerable distance from the mouth of the River Boristhenes, there are a great many Rocks, lying so close together, that they seem to be all of a piece, which render the passage of Ships of Burthen, quite impossible, and takes away all opportunity from the Inhabitants of the Ʋkraine, to Transport their Wheat, and other Commodities, which grow there in great abundance, to Constantinople, and other places. Some of these Rocks are scarce to be seen above the surface of the Water, others again rise above it, some six, some eight or ten Foot, which occasion several dangerous Cataracts or Water-falls, which are impassable to any body else

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but the Cosacks, in their light Ships. There are in all, thirty of these Cataracts, some of which at low Water, are twelve or fifteen foot high. No body can pass among them for a true Cosack, unless he have passed all these Cataracts (which they call Porohi, and from whence they are called Zaporouski) and consequently have made a Voyage upon the Black-Sea, as the Knights of Maltha are obliged to serve on Board their Gallies, before they are received into that Order: There are a great number of Isles near these Rocks, but among the rest below the River of Czertomelick, there is a certain Island, which is surrounded with several thousand little ones, some of which have Sandy, others Marshy Ground, but all of them covered with Bulrushes, which render these Little Channels, by which they are separated, almost invisible. 'Tis into these narrow Passages and Watery Labyrinths the Cosacks make their Retreat; they call them Skarbnissa Woyskowa, which is as much to say, as the Treasury of the Army, this being the Place whither they carry all the Booty they Purchase upon the Black-Sea, the Passage to it being difficult and dangerous; so, that most of the Turkish Gallies, that pretended to pursue them here, have been lost. This is also their Place of Rendezvouz.

The first thing they do,* 1.154 after they have met here, is to chuse their General, who is to Command in the intended Expedition, which being done, they begin to work on their Ships, which they make themselves, being about threescore Foot long, and about ten or twelve broad, very slightly built, every one having its Oars, some ten, others twelve, and sometimes fifteen or sixteen. Their Sails are very wretched, notwithstanding which, by the help of their Oars, which they most rely on, they far exceed the Turkish Gallies in swiftness. Their Provision consists in Bisket, and some Barrels of boil'd Millet; this is chiefly their Food; they seldom carry any Aqua Vitae or other Strong Liquors on Board with them; and tho' they are as great Drunkards as

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any in the North, nevertheless, when they go upon any Expedition, either by Sea or Land, they are the Sobrest people in the World. When they are going to cruise upon the Black Sea, they seldom exceed five or six thousand Men, and there being commonly threescore at a time employed in building each Ship, they will get fourscore or a hundred of them ready to be launched in three Weeks time. Fifty or Sixty of them belong to each Ship, which has on board five or six Falconets, each of the Men being provided with a couple of Fusees, and Powder, and Ball proportionable; They always stay for the last Quarter of the Moon, that at their going out they may not be discovered by the Turkish Gallies, which are always ready in the Harbour of Oczakow, a City situate at the Mouth of the Boristhenes, to observe their Motion. No sooner have they got the least Int•lligence of their being abroad at Sea, but the Alarm is taken immediately; which reaches quickly to Constantinople, from whence Couriers are dispatch'd without delay, to the Coasts of Natolia, Romelia, and Bulgaria, to bid them to be upon their Guard. But the Cosacks are generally to nimble for these Messengers that are sent about to give these People Advice of their coming: They know so well how to take the Advantage of the Wind and Weather, that they commonly are in forty Hours upon the Coast of Natolia.

When they descry a Ship or Gally, which they can do at a great distance without being perceived by them, their Vessels not baring above two Foot and an half above Water, they approach to it as near as they think convenient, towards the Evening; when keeping at about three or four Miles distance, they take exactly notice whereabouts the Ship is, and what Course it takes; About Midnight they get to their Oars, and, with all the haste they can, make towards the Place where they think it most likely to meet with the Ship; which being found out, they surround, attack, and board it on all sides, so that it being impossible for one Ship to defend

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it self in the Night-time against so many, it is soon taken. What Booty they meet with, either of Silver, Cannon or Arms, or such Merchandices as are of no great Burthen, they transport into their Vessels, but the Ship they generally sink. But as they have the Advantage over the Ships or Gallies by Night, so, if they happen to meet them by Day, they seldom come off without bloody Noses, they being not in a Condition to withstand their Cannon. It is then their Swiftness stands them most in stead, and they are secure enough from the Enemy's pursuing, when once they approach their little Channels, and get among the Bulrushes. Whilst they were under the Prorection of the Crown of Poland, the Turkish Grand Seignior used frequently to make his Complaints to the King of Poland against their Piracies in the Black Sea; but he used commonly to receive the same Satisfaction the Poles have when they make their Complaints at Constantinople against the Incursions of the Tartars, who dread no other Enemy in the World so much as they do the Cosacks.

But,* 1.155 as to their manner of Fighting by Land, it's to be observ'd, that they are but very indifferent Horsemen, but most excellent Soldiers on foot. They are inured to all sorts of Fatigues and Hardship, very obedient to their Commanders, and extreamly active and dexterous in intrenching themselves, not only in the ordinary Way, but also by making a Fence of their Baggage-Waggons as they march along. These moving Entrenchments are absolutely necessary for them, when they march without Horse in open Plains and these Desarts of the Tartars, against whom they are forc'd to stand the Brunt wherever they meet them: There has been several Examples, that a thousand Cosacks, all Foot; thus marching betwixt their Chariots and Waggons in a Plain, have repulsed five or six thousand Tartars on Horseback; their Horses as they are exceeding swift, not being very strong, but are stopp'd by the least Barracado that is put in their Way. This Way of

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Marching a whole Army in the midst of their Baggage and Ammunition Waggons, would scarce be practicable in any other Country but Poland, which lies all upon a Level, and consequently is the most proper for such a March in the World.

The Country inhabited by the Cosacks is called the Ʋkraine;* 1.156 which is as much as to say, lying upon the Frontier; It borders upon Podolia, and is a Part of the Palatinates of Kiovia and Braclovia; They had made themselves entirely Masters of this, as well as a great part of the Black Russia, but have since been forc'd to abandon it, for the most part. This Country extends it self from the 51. to the 48. Degree of Latitude; beyond which, to wit, betwixt the Danube and the Palus Meotides as far as the Black Sea, there are vast Plains (but deserted) so fertile that the Grass grows near a Man's height.

The Ʋkraine is a very fertile Country,* 1.157 which tho' scarce the third Part of it be cultivated, produces such a vast quantity of Grains of all sorts, that, for the most part, the Inhabitants don't know how to consume it, wanting the Conveniency of Exportation, their Rivers not being Navigable. They abound also in all sorts of Cattle, Fowl, and Fish, Honey, Wax, and Wood, fit not only for Firing, but also for Building. The only thing they Want is Wine and Salt. With the first of these two they are supplied from Hungary, Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia; besides that, they make very good Beer and Aqua vitae out of their Corn, which together with their Hydromel, they make use of instead of Wine. Their Salt they are furnished with out of the Salt-pits near Cracovia, or out of the Country of Pokutia, upon the Borders of Transylvania and Moldavia, where there are Salt-springs, the Water of which being boiled produces a very White Salt, very agreeable to the Taste, but not so good for salting of Meat as some others are. Their Houses are built of Wood, after the Muscovia• Fashion; and so are their Fortifications, made

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of Earth and Wood, which they account to be better Cannon Proof than Brick'd Walls, but are soon set on fire.

The Rivers of Note here,* 1.158 are the Boristhenes or Nieper, the Bog, the Niester or Tyras, the common Border betwixt them and Wallachia, the Dezna, the Ros, the Horin, the Stucz, and the Ster, near which was fought the last Ba•tle betwixt the Poles and Cosacks, in the Year 1651, which proved fatal to the last, and afterwards made them seek for Protection among the Muscovites and Turks The most considerable Cities and Fortresses, which were once in the Possession of the Cosacks, are Kiovia, dignified with the Title of a Palatinate, and the Residence of the Metropolitan of the Greek Churches in those Parts, Bialacerkievia, Corsun, Constantinow, Bar, Cirkassi, Czehrin, Kudack, Jampol, Braclovia upon the River Bog, Winnicza, Human, Czernihow, Pereaslaw, Lubnie, Pawolocz, Chwastow, all of them fortified within these Fifty Years; besides which there is scarce a Town or Village, but what has something like a Fortification, or at least a Ditch, which was intended, and serves them for a Fence against the Incursions of the Tartars.

The Peasants of the Ʋkraine,* 1.159 as well as of several other neighbouring Provinces, are absolute Slaves; being obliged to work both with their Horses and Hands, three or four Days in the Week for their Lords. Besides which, they are forc'd to allow them a certain Share out of all their Corn and Fruit, the Tenth of all their Muttons, Swine, and Fruits, and to carry Wood to their Landlords Houses, and to do several other Services. But the worst of all was, that before the last Wars, the Noblemen used to farm out their Revenues here to the Jews, who exacted these Services from the Country People with the greatest Rigour imaginable; and had also monopolized the Brewing of Beer, and Distilling of Aqua vitae. This occasioned them to join so frequently with the Cosacks, and to dispute

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so desperately their Liberty against the Nobility, who in Consert with the Jews were the Occasion of these many Revolts; and forced them at last to seek for an end of their Misery among Foreigners.

The Cosacks are generally tall, strong, and wellset,* 1.160 but especially very active; they are Liberal, even to Profuseness, putting no great value upon Riches, but are great lovers of their Liberty, which they look upon as a thing inestimable; they are Indefatigable, hardy, and brave; but great Drunkards, and Treacherous; Their Employment is Hunting and Fishing; besides which, they apply themselves both to Agriculture, and the War. They have also a particular way of making Salt-Petre, great Quantities of which are carried to Dantzick, and from thence transported, chiefly by the Dutch, into other Parts.

The Cosacks have a certain Distemper common with the Poles,* 1.161 by the Physicians, called Plica Polonica, as being peculiar to that Nation, which in their Language, they call, Goschest: Those that are attacqu'd by this Evil, lose all upon a sudden, the Use of their Limbs, and are tortured with most horrible Pains all over their Body, which commonly continues for a whole Year; after which, a Sweat coming, which continues for a whole Night; but especially in the Head, their Hair is the next Morning all twisted together into one knotty Lock, which has a very nauseous Smell, (from whence some attribute the first Use of Hair-Powder, to the Poles) but in a few days after, they are cured both of their Lameness and Pain, but the Knot and the Smell remain for ever; for if they cut it off, the Remnants of the Humour, which purges it self that way through the Pores of the Head, falls upon the Eyes, and makes them blind. This Distemper is as familiar in Poland, as the Itch in some Countries, and what is worse, is very Infectious; It is sometimes, like the Venereal Disease, communicated by Coition; there having been Instances, that Children have brought this Distemper with them

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into the World, but as they grow up, it decreases by degrees, and never returns afterwards. It is look'd upon among them as incurable, except it be by changing the Air, which must be done by going into another Country: The Cause of this Distemper seems to proceed from the great quantity of Arsenical Mines, which are in Poland, and communicate their poysonous quality to the Waters, and consequently to their Body; which seems the more probable, because abundance of their Horses are troubled with the same Distemper, and have such a Knot either in their Manes or foretop, of which, if there be the least part cut off, the Horse either dies, runs mad, or becomes blind and lame; I have been very credibly inform'd, that tho' the Poles look upon this Evil as incurable, several Foreigners travelling in those Parts have cured it with good Success, by the same Method and Remedies, which are made use of in the Venereal Distemper; which seems sufficiently probable for several Reasons, not to be alledged here, where our Scope is directed to History, and not to Physick.

The Language of the Cosacks is a Dialect of the Polish Tongue,* 1.162 as the Polish is a Dialect of the Sclavonian. But that of the Cosacks is much more smooth and full of Diminutives, which render it very agreeable. The Cosacks themselves profess the Greek Religion, in the same manner as it was established in Muscovy in the Year 942, by Ʋlodomir, or Wolodomir, Prince of Russia; but the greatest part of the Nobility of the Ʋkraine are either Roman Catholicks, or else Lutherans or Calvinists. Within these Hundred and twenty Years, the Greek Churches in these Parts, as well as in Muscovy, acknowledged the Patriarch of Constantinople for their Head. But the Grand Dukes of Muscovy having set up a Patriarch of their own chusing, the Greek Bishops in these parts, not long after, to wit, in the Year 1595, sent two Deputies to Rome, who in the Name of the Greek Churches of Black Russia, did represent to the Pope, in the Presence of many

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Cardinals, a Confession of Faith conformable to the Council of Trent, reserving only to themselves the Liberty of the Ceremonies practised in the Greek Church after its Union with the Latin, at the Council of Florence; but they did afterwards retract, and acknowledged for their Ecclesiastical Head a Metropolitan of their own, who for some time resided at Kiovia.

Of the Language, Habit, Manners and Customs of the Muscovites; and of their Marriages, Oeconomies and Interrments.

THE Muscovian Language is a Dialect of the Sclavonian,* 1.163 as well as the Polish; so that he who understands either of these two, cannot be at any great Loss for the Muscovian. The Sclavonian being the Mother-Tongue of a great many Dialects, is in great esteem among the Russians; their Bible and such few other Books as they have, concerning any Sciences, being not only writ in the Sclavonian Tongue; but also those among the Muscovites, who pretend to any Degree of Learning above the rest, always affect to make use of some Sclavonian Words in their Writing, and Sheech, tho' in the Muscovian Dialect; which indeed, among all the rest, comes the nearest to the Sclavonian, having not the least Affinity with the Greek, except that in their Liturgy, there are some Words borrowed from thence, which however are not used any where else. Their Character is that alone wherein they have any Communion with the Greeks; but they have not only much alter'd and transform'd, but also considerably augmented them; so that their Alphabet consists of Thirty eight Letters in Number,

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which I thought superfluous to insert here, since Mr. Ludolph in his Russian Grammar, printed in the Year 1696, at Oxford, has not only given a very fair Delineation of them, but also treated with a great deal of Exactness, the fundamental Parts of this Language, and very methodically represented its Affinity with the Sclavonian; to which I refer the Curious.

As to their Habits,* 1.164 it is not unlike that of the Antient Greeks, whom in this, as well as in several other Respects, they are very ambitious to imtate. Their uppermost Garment is a long great Robe, reaching down to their Feet, with very narrow Sleeves, but as long as the Coat it self, which, when they dress themselves, they turn up in several Pleats, and look upon it as a great Co•eliness▪ In the Winter they let them hang down, so that they serve for a Muff; and sometimes to cover their ill Designs; for when they intend to rob or cudgel any body, they hide in them their Cudgels or Daggers. Persons of Quality have these Robes of Sattin, Damask, or Cloth of Gold; Citizens wear them of Violet, or dark green Colour, and sometimes of red Cloth. The meaner Sort of People, of a coarse dark-colour'd Cloth, such as is made in the Country. In the Winter they l•••e them with Furrs, some with Sables, some with Ermins, others with Martens, or some other sort, according to their several Qualities; but the Poor People are contented with Sheep-Skin, which tho' very convenient for keeping off the Cold, yet casts out a Smell that is very offensive to the Nostrils. These Robes they wear only when they go abroad, over all the rest of their Cloaths, and are as to their Fashion the same with those kept in the Grand Duke's Wardrobe, for the Use of his Boyars, by whom he is attended at publick Ceremonies. Under this they wear a close Coat, and under that a Wastcoat. The close Coat is called Feres, which comes down to the Calf of their Legs, open before, with a very broad Collar falling down upon the

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Shoulders, with Gold or Silver Loop-Buttons, nay, sometimes Embroidery from the top to the bottom▪ and on the side. The Sleeves like those of their Upper Garments, being as long as the Coat it self, but very Narrow. The Wastcoats which they call Kaftan, comes down to their Knees, the Sleeves are likewise so long that they cannot thrust out their Hands without making Folds upon the Arm; The Collars of these Wastcoats are almost like those of the Jesuits, but much higher, covering the hinder part of the Head, about half a quarter of a Yard high. These Wastcoats, as well as the Justelau-Corps, are made either of Callico, Taffata, Damask, or Sattin, according to the several Qualities and Circumstances of those that wear them. And because the Collar of the Wastcoat, is, by reason of its Height, very conspicuous, they either line it with Velvet, or Cloth of Gold, and sometimes adorn it with Pearls and precious Stones. Their Breeches are pretty large, and gathered at the Waste, so that they may be made streighter and wider as they please. Their Shirts which they wear over their Drawers or Breeches, girded under the Navel, are very wide, but short, scarce covering their Thighs; they are not gathered at the Neck like ours, but strengthned behind by a triangular Piece, which comes down from the shoulders to the Reins, and is sow'd down with Crimson Silk; those that are more curious than the rest, have little Fringes of Silk of the same Colour in the Seams, and under their Arm-pits. The Vanity of the richer Sort reaches yet further; for they have their Neck and Wrist-bands, and where it is open at the Breast, embroider'd with Silk, Gold and Silver, and sometimes with Pearls and precious Stones; and they leave open their Wastcoats before, that the Embroidery and the Buttons of Gold, or Pearls, which fasten the Shirt before, may be seen. The Muscovites wear no Hats, but, instead of them, Caps or Bonnets, with a little Snip open before and behind, to the form almost of a Pyramid, but not so much peaked, near half an Ell high. The Boyars when

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they are present at any Publick Ceremonies have them of black Fox-Skins or Sables; but when they are absent from Court, or in their Houses, they wear them of Velvet lined with these Furrs, with narrow Brims (most like the Polonian Bonnets, which are worn by most Strangers in Muscovy) and laid over with Gold and Silver Loops, or embroider'd on the Sides with Pearl. The Poor People wear in the Summer, White Felt or Cloth Caps, patch'd together out of Shreds of Cloth, it being very dear in Muscovy, of several Colours, which in a manner resemble a Jack Pudding's Cap, which they line with the vilest sort of Fur they can get, in the Winter; They are not near so convenient as our Hats; for having no Brims, they don't afford the same protection against the Sun, Wind, or foul Weather. Their Boots, which generally they wear instead of Shooes, are short like those worn by the Polanders, and piked towards the Toes. But the poor Peasant is his own Shoomaker; his Shooes he makes of the Bark of a Tree wrought very thin, and interwoven after the manner of Wicker-basket; so that it is true beyond Contradiction, that no Country in the World has such a Number of Shoomakers as Muscovy; As for Stockings they are never regarded, among these poor Wretches, a piece of Sheep-Skin or Cloth wrapt about their Legs and tied fast with a Packthread, supplies the defect of them; the rest of their Garments, which are of the coarsest Canvass, being suitable to their Shooes and Stockings. Persons of the first Rank shave their Heads, except when they are under some Disgrace with the Grand Czar, when they let their Hair grow and hang carelesly over their Shoulders, as a Token of their Affliction, in imitation of the Antient Greeks. Those of a lower Condition keep their Hair cut short; but the Priests wear it very long, hanging down to the middle of their Backs. There is no great difference betwixt the Mens Habits and the Women; There is no strife here for the Breeches, for the Wife wears them as well as the Husband,

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as they do in all other respects wear the same with the Men. Their Robes are the same but something wider, and the Sleeves are not so closely fastned to them, but that they either may keep in or put out their Arms at pleasure, and let the Sleeves hang by; The richer Sort lay them all over with very thick Gold and Silver Lace, or trim them Button and Loop Fashion. They don't use these High Collars, which the Men esteem as a singular Ornament; besides that their Smock Sleeves are prodigiously long, generally four or five Ells, which they pleat in little Folds upon the Arm; and the Heels of their Shooes are half a quarter of a Yard high. The main difference is in their Head-dress. For they wear very wide Caps or Coifs of Damask or Sattin, made after a very fantastical Way; the Hair of the Casters wherewith they are lined covering all the Forehead, the outside being sometimes very richly embroider'd. Maids that are marriageable wear them of Cloth lined with Fox-Skin, and let their Hair hang down their Backs in two Tresses, which they tye at the End with a piece of Crimson Silk Ribband; but the married Women put up their Hair under their Caps or Coifs. Children under the Age of Ten Years are not to be distinguished in their Habits; both Boys and Girls have their Hair cut close to their Heads, except two short Locks almost like Mustachio's, which are left to cover the Temples; only the Girls wear Rings of Gold, Silver or Brass in their Ears. The Muscovites keep very constant to the same Fashion; it being rarely to be seen that any of them make use of a Foreign Dress unless it be sometimes a Person of Quality, who taking a particular Fancy to Strangers, perhaps makes use of their Fashion when he goes in the Country, or a Hunting. Formerly all Foreigners of what Degree soever, used to go in Muscovian Habits, till about fifty Years ago, the Patriarch having observed some of them to ridicule their Ceremonies when he gave the Benediction to the People, prevail'd with the Grand Czar to forbid all Strangers

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living in Muscovy, to appear for the future in Muscovian Habits; but of late Years, they Cloath themselves again after the Muscovite Fashion.

The Muscovites are of a middle Seize as to their Stature, strong proportioned, of the same colour as the other Europaeans in the Northern Parts. But they much affect Corpulency, especially among Persons of Quality. Long Beards, and great Mustachio's are in great request among them, which they look upon as tokens of Virility. So that a large Belly and a great deal of Hair about the Mouth (for upon their Heads they were little or none) are considered here as peculiar Ornaments belonging to a Man.

The Women in Muscovy are of a midling Stature,* 1.165 neither too tall nor too little, and generally well proportion'd before they are married, but after they have had several Children, inclining to Fatness, by reason they do not keep their Bodies so streight as our Ladies in these Parts, it being look'd upon rather as a Comeliness than an Imperfection. The Features of their Faces are not despisable, and a great many among them might pass for very Handsom in any part of Europe, were it not for that preposterous Custom received among all the Women of Muscovy, of what Age or degree soever, of Painting their Faces, Necks and Hands. The worst of all is, that having not attained to any kind of Perfection in this Art, they paint so grossly, that it appears no otherwise than if it had been done by a Plaisterer; and notwithstanding this; whereas in other places, Women make use of it as an Addition to their Beauty, or a Concealment of their Deformity, a great many of the Muscovian Ladies, may very well be said, to use it as a Veil to their Beauty; Painting being so universally approved in this Country that the Bridegrooms, among other Presents, send it to their Brides, as we shall see anon, before we conclude this Chapther. Besides which, they have another Custom, which will perhaps appear as odd as the former; which is, that they are as careful,

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and take as much pains in making their Teeth black, as our Ladies do in keeping of them white, they esteeming black Teeth an addition to their Complexion, with the same Intention, as our Ladies make use of Patches. I am apt to believe, that their Teeth being generally spoil'd by their Mercurial Paints, has obliged them to make a Vertue of necessity, and by an universal Agreement, to cry that up for an Ornament, which appears to us the greatest Deformity.

The Muscovites are a People of great Wit,* 1.166 Cunning and Dexterity, not wanting Ingenuity in any thing they undertake, as has been sufficiently experienced by those, who have had the Opportunity to deal with them, either by way of Commerce or otherwise; but they are withal, exceedingly proud, jealous and insolent; besides that, they are addicted to Drunkenness beyond any other Nation in the World. They generally boast to be descended from the antient Greeks, but to confess the Truth, as Europe was first beholding to Graecia for their Literature, and Civilization; so it may rationally be concluded, that the want of Conversation with the more civilized part of Europe, and the general Antipathy they have against those Arts and Sciences, which render'd the Greeks so famous in former Ages, has made the Muscovites to appear so different in their Manners and Customs, from most of the other Europaean Nations. This will seem the more probable, if it be taken into consideration, that within these 30 or 40 Years last past, since which time, the Muscovites have had more frequent Conversation with Foreigners than formerly; and that Encouragement has been given of late Years towards the laying the Foundation of several useful Sciences; it must be acknowledged that they made considerable Improvements as to several Matters which formerly were odious, if not unsupportable to civilized Strangers. They are accounted to be very malicious in their Inclinations to one another. It used to be a common Practice among them, for one

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to convey into another's Boots (when they carry their Mony and Letters) either some Mony or other valuable Things, and afterwards accuse the Party of Theft; to obviate this Evil, it was thought most expedient, that it should be Enacted, for the Accuser to endure the Torture first; and if while he was thus tortured, did persist in his Accusation, the accused Person was also to endure the same. Notwithstanding this, there have not been wanting Examples, that even Wives have accused their Husbands, and (that falsely) of most enormous Crimes, and have endured the utmost violence of the Torture, to the Destruction of them.

It is to the want of Education that must be ascribed,* 1.167 their Quarrelsomness, and Insolences, being guided meerly by Instinct, and acting in every respect according to their unbridled Appetites, unless it be some Persons of the first Rank, who by their Conversation, having been made sensible of these Errors, manage themselves with much more Discretion. For the rest, who have not had the same Advantage, they do not shew the least Complaisance to one another, unless it be upon the score of Interest, when they are very ready with their Caps.

This occasions frequent Quarrels among them, so that even in the open Streets, you may hear them Rail at and Abuse one another, like Fish-Women, and that with such Animosity in outward Appearance, that a Stranger would think it impossible they could part without Fighting. They have one good Quality, which is, that they seldom or never swear, blaspheme, or curse in their Anger; but on the other hand, they use the most horrible and reviling Expressions, accusing one another of Sodomy, Buggery, and all other enormous Crimes they can think of, and that very often, without any respect of Persons, nay, even betwixt Parents and Children. The Government being sensible of the ill consequences of these Insolences, used to send the Strelitzes and Sergeants about to surprise some of these Offenders, but the Evil was found so deeply and universally

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rooted, that in a short time, they would have wanted hands to execute the Punishments, which was Whipping. So, that for the Security of Persons of Quality, it was Ordered, That if any one of them should be thus affronted, the Offender to be obliged to pay a Fine (which they call Biscestia, and at the most amounts to 500 l. Sterl.) according to the respective Quality of the Persons injur'd. And the better to keep in Awe those that had little or nothing to lose, such, as were incapable to pay the Fine, were to be put into their Adversary's hands, who either might make them their Slaves, or else have them severely whipt by the Executioner, whose place is, (to mention it here by the by) Herditary; so, that the Sons serve their Apprenticeship in their Father's House. Notwithstanding all these Precautions, this Fine is frequently paid, even among People of very good Fashion, and Gentlemen, who do not forbear, upon the least Difference to call one another Sons of Whores, Dogs, &c. which however is generally made up over a large Cup of Aqua Vitae, for they seldom come to Fighting, or if they do, when their Spirits are exalted by the Strength of the Liquor, it is done with their Fists, or Switches, or a Cudgel, or perhaps by soundly kicking one another about the Belly, for in the heighth of their Rage, they are sure to aim at the Codpiece; this being the utmost extent of their Bravery in private Quarrels. For, a Man may live a considerable time in Muscovy, and not hear as much as mentioned a Dewel with Sword or Pistol, fought by Muscovites, as it is practised in other Parts of Europe, they, as it seems, not looking upon Bravery and Courage to depend from these Weapons.'Tis true, Persons of great Quality, to distinguish themselves from the rest, commonly fight on Horse-back, but their Weapon is a good Whip, which decides the Difference without Bloodshed.

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They were formerly so fond of Ignorance, that for any one to apply himself to the Study of any Art, Science, or foreign Language, much more to enquire into the State of Affairs of other Countreys, or Discourse of it, was look'd upon as a great Crime. But matters are extreamly alter'd as to this Point, of late Years, by the Encouragement given by his present Czarish Majesty to the Nobility, to make themselves acquainted with foreign Countreys and Languages, and several useful Arts and Sciences, especially the Mathematicks, in which they were so grossly ignorant before, that they look'd upon its Effects no otherwise than Witchcraft. It is questionless owing to this gene•ous Care of the present Czar, that Latin and Greek Schools have been erected in the City of Musco; and that some of the Boyars among other Languages are well versed in the first of these two, which will without question, in process of time, conduce not a little towards the Reformation of such Abuses as have been hitherto in vogue in Muscovy, of which we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter, before the conclusion of this Treatise.

The most familiar Vice the Muscovites are charged with,* 1.168 by Foreigners is Drunkenness, tho' most of the other Countreys in Europe, especially the Northern parts are infected with, as well as Muscovy. It must be confess'd, that it is no where more universal, than among the Russians, when the Clergy as well as the Laity, the Women as well as the Men, young and old, of what Quality or Degree soever, have their share in it. Tzarkowino (for so they term their Aqua Vitae) is the first welcom they give to their Guests, even among People of the best Quality, whether Men or Women, which goes merrily round, before, at, and after Meals; Wine being a Liquor too weak for their Stomachs. The Ladies of Quality themselves, at their Poctivats, or great Entertainments, make themselves so heartily merry with it, that they are sensible of it the next day. It is for this reason, the Lady of the Feast, sends

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the next day, one of her Gentlemen to Compliment her Guests, to enquire after their Healths, and how their Ladiships got home, and how they rested; The general Answer the Lady sends is; I give your Lady a thousand Thanks for her good Cheer, indeed it made me so merry, th•t I scarce remember how I got home. But to speak without Partiality, the Muscovites are not the only People in the World, which are intoxicated by the force of strong Liquor, the very same is practised in Germany, where the Master or the Mistress of the Feast, as well as the Guests do not think the Entertainment compleat, if they go home without Staggering. And as to what concerns the Muscovian Ladies, it is possible their merry Meetings may meet with a favourable Construction from such of our Ladies, as prefer the Charms of Distill'd Waters, before Wine. Besides, that the fair Sex in Muscovy, have a strong Plea to Alledge in their own Defence: For as much as the great Quantity of Fish they eat on their Fast-days, which make up above half the Year, requires certain Digestives to attenuate the Viscosity of this Dyet; and, that, the merry Cup makes them, in some measure an Amends for the solitary Life they lead at Home, under the most rigid Discipline of their Hurbands, of which, we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter. On the other hand, it is most certain, that the meaner Sort of People commit intolerable excesses in this kind; for they will drink not only till they can neither stand nor go, but oftentimes till they die upon the Spot. To spend every Cope• (or Penny) they have, in a Tippling-House, is a common thing here; and thus far they may perhaps be match'd as well in this Kingdom, as some others in Europe; but nothing is more frequent in Muscovy, among the vulgar Sort, than to come away without their Cloaths, nay, it often happens, that if they come away with their Wastcoats on, and meet one of their drunken Companions by the way, they return, and send thus, Stockins, Wastecoat, Shirts and Drawers, after the rest, and return

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home like Adamites. It is easie to be imagined, that there is no Mischief so great, no Vice so abominable, but what is committed by these Drunkards, who, even when sober, very seldom act according to the dictates of Reason. Hence it is, that so many Murthers are committed in the Streets of the City of Musco, so that it is unsafe to go alone, or unarm'd in the Night-time, there being sometimes fifteen dead Bodies to be seen together in the Court of Semskay, a place where they are exposed, that their Friends and Kindred may take care for their Burial. If no body owns them, they are thrown some where or another in a Ditch. From hence also proceed these frequent Irregularities, Disorders and Excesses in Debaucheries, even to sin against the Course of Nature, not only with Men, but also with Beasts. The Women of the meaner Sort, tho' otherwise kept under a very strict Discipline, will often find out their Husbands at the Tippling-House, and drink with them to that Excess, till they can neither stand nor go, and are obliged to lay down among them at the Tippling-House. Several of the Great Dukes have attempted to put a stop to this Evil, by ordering such Publick-houses as were allow'd of by their Authority, to sell their Liquor only by certain Measures at a time; but this prov'd ineffectual, the Neighbours meeting by turns at their own Houses, where they play'd the same Game, they were used to, at the Tippling-Houses.

Formerly Tobacco was as extravagantly taken,* 1.169 as the Aqua Vitae, and was the Occasion of frequent Mischiefs; forasmuch as not only the poorer Sort, would rather lay out their Money upon Tobacco than Bread, but also, when drunk, did set their Houses on Fire through their Negligence. Besides (which made the Patriarch take a particular Disgust at it) they used to appear before their Images with their stinking and infectious Breath; all which obliged the Great Duke, absolutely •o forbid both the Use and Sale of Tobacco, in the

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Year 1634, under very rigorous Punishments; to wit: For the Transgressors to have their Nostrils slit, or else to be severely whipt. Nevertheless, it is of late Years more frequently used, than ever it was before since the time of the Edict, the Search being not now so strict against the Takers, nor the Punishment so rigorously executed. Foreigners having the Liberty to use it, makes the Muscovites often venture upon it in their Company; they being so eager of Tobacco, that the most ordinary Sort, which formerly cost not above 9 or 10 Pence per Pound in England, they will buy at the rate of fourteen or fifteen Shillings; and, if they want Money, they will truck their Cloaths for it, to the very Shirt. They take it after a most beastly manner, instead of Pipes, they have an Engine made of a Cows-horn, in the middle of which, there is a Hole, where they place the Vessel that holds the Tobacco. The Vessel is commonly made of Wood, pretty wide, and indifferently deep; which, when they have fill'd with Tobacco, they put Water into the Horn to temper the Smoak. They commonly light their Pipe with a Firebrand, sucking the Smoak through the Horn with so much Greediness, that they empty the Pipe at two or three Sucks; when they whiff it out of the Mouth, their rises such a Cloud, that it hides both their Faces and the Standers by. Being debarr'd from the constant use of it, they fall down drunk, and insensible immediately after, for half a quarter of an Hour, when the Tobacco having had its Operation, they lep up in an instant, more brisk and lively than before, when their first Discourse commonly tends to the praise of Tobacco, and especially of its noble Quality in purging the Head.

For the rest,* 1.170 the Muscovites are from their Infancy inur'd to all sorts of Hardship, their Children being seldom suckled above two or three Months; and this with the coldness of their Climate, and their sparing Diet, makes them very fit to endure the Fatigues of War, being especially very resolute in

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defending of Places; which they will maintain to the utmost extremity; I will only alledge here for an Instance, the Siege of Noteburgh, where the Garrison was reduc'd to two Men, before they would hearken to a Capitulation; this happen'd in the Year 1579,* 1.171 when the Poles had besieged the Castle of Svikols, fortified after the Russian Fashion, with wooden Fortifications, as they were giving the Assault, had set it on Fire; yet the Muscovites made good the Breach, and were seen to maintain their Ground, when their Cloaths were on fire. Another example of their Resolution may be given in the Siege of the Abby of Paedis in Livonia, where they were reduced to such Extremity for want of Provisions, before they would Capitulate, that they were no longer able to stand upon their Legs, or to be upon their Duty, and were not able to meet the Swedes at the Gate, when they took Possession of the Place. It must be confess'd, that they have seldom had any great Advantage against the Poles or Swedes in the Field, but the most understanding in Martial Affairs have attributed it more to the defect of their Officers, than the Courage of the Soldiers; the first being not to be compared to the Poles and Swedes, neither for Experience or Conduct; as it happen'd at the Siege of Smolensko, where the Muscovites received that Disgrace, if not by the Treachery, at least by the ill Conduct of their Generals. It has, questionless, been for this Reason, That the Czars of Muscovy, have for a considerable time past, and do to this day employ abundance of foreign Officers in their Armies; and, it is very probable, that, since a great number of the Cosacks have embraced the Pr•tection of the Czar of Muscovy, they may prove more formidable in Battles than they have done hitherto They are very good at keeping Secrets, especial•y in what relates to their own Affairs, or the Publick, in which respect they are so over-jealous, that they will scarce allow any Stranger to cast his Eyes upon any Strong-hold, tho' of very small consequence,

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and scarce worth taking notice of; much less, that they should be easie in informing them in any thing, tho' of never so l•ttle moment, which makes it very difficult for Strangers to be truly informed of the Constitution of their Country, unless it be by a very long Conversation. It is upon this score, that all Strangers at their first arrival in the City of Musco, except such as bear a publick Character, are obliged to pass their Examination in the Chancery, in the presence of several Registers, who after having asked them as many Questions as they think convenient, put down in Writing their Depositions. The Muscovites are reckoned to be great Game•ters at Chess, as any are in the World, and many among them will take now and then a Turn at Dice. They are of late Years, become very industrious in their way of Trading, questionless, by their frequent Commerce with the Chineses and Dutch, the last of which they strive to imitate, not only in this, but several other Matters, the Muscovites being more ingenious at imitating, than inventing.

The Women in Muscovy have an extraordinary Respect for their Husbands;* 1.172 they live exceedingly retir'd, and very seldom appear in Publick. Virgins, if they be of any Quality, live under as much if not more Restraint than the Women; for besides that they are very seldom allow'd to go abroad, when they do, they are always covered with a Veil, to prevent their being seen; so that many times they marry here before they have as much as look'd upon one another. Both their Women and Maids, if they be of any Quality, being not educated to any thing of Houswifry, and making or receiving few Visits, lead a very idle Life; having no other Employment, but perhaps a little Embroidery of Silk upon a Handkerchief of white Taffeta, or a Purse, or some such like thing. For the rest their Diversion is to have Ropes fastned to swing in, or else they lay a long Plank over a Block, and mounting one at one end and another at the other, they toss themselves up and down by a very violent

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Motion. They have also publick Engines to swing in, not unlik• to those used by the Boys and Girls in Moor-fields and Bartholomew-Fair, so contriv'd as that four can sit at an equal distance, and so swing continually by the Counterpoise they give one another; so that while some swing up pretty high in the Air, the others fall successively near as low as the Ground, till they are tir'd with the Sport: This is done in the open Streets, where certain Boys keep these Swingers for that purpose, and have two, three, or four Pence for such a merry Bout. The Young Men at their Festivals, for their Pass-time, play at Fisty-cuffs or Cudgels; some exercise themselves in Wrestling, and in the Winter, with Scates upon the Ice, as they do in Holland. Fornication is look'd upon among them as a slender Trespass; and though they don't permit Publick Stews, yet they are not very backward in doing one another a Kindness, especially when they are Flush'd with good Liquor. They don't count it Adultery, for married People to have secret Conversations with one another in the same manner as we do in these Parts; Adultery is not committed here, unless a Man marry another Man's Wife; all the rest comes within the Compass of bare Fornication; with this Difference however, that if a married Man be taken in it, he is punished with some Days Imprisonment, or perhaps to live for some Days upon Bread and Water, or sometimes also with a Whipping; where, by the by, it is to be observed, that Whipping is not accounted so scandalous in Muscovy as in other Parts of Europe, Persons of the best Quality having been sometimes so unfortunate here as not to escape the Lash. But if the Wife chances to be convinced of a Miscarriage of this Nature, she does not come off at so cheap a rate; for besides a good sound Cudgelling or Whipping, which she is sure to receive very bountiful•y from her Husband, she is shav'd and put into a Monastery, unless the Husband be pleas'd to pardon the Fault.

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They are great Admirers of Vocal Musick,* 1.173 for Instrumental Musick, they have little or none, unless it be Bagpipes, and what belongs to their Warlike Musick; to the first they bring up their Children with great Diligence and Severity in Schools erected for that purpose; Their Notes are as different from ours as their Characters of the Alphabet, and in all probability are borrow'd either from the Greeks or Sclavonians. Their Gamut has but small Variety, and instead of our Fa, sol, la, they sing Ga, ga, ge, Their Cadenecs and Closes are unexpected, and, as it were, upon the surprise; and indeed, in the main, not in any way approaching to that Perfection which is in most other Countries of Europe. As for their Warlike Musick they have Kettle-Drums and Trumpets for their Cavalry, but the first don't sound so well as ours do, and as for their Trumpeters, they are but very indifferent Artists, and have not been very many Years in use in Muscovy. But their Hautboys which the Infantry make use of in the Wars, are very passable. In their Hunting they use Brass Bugles, which make a hideous Noise. Their Beggars all beg singing with a very strenuous Voice. The better Sort don't much esteem Dancing, as believing it unbecoming of their Gravity: But those that apply themselves to it, rather dance for the Diversion of others than to please themselves. They use strange Distortions with their Hands, and Shoulders, but especially their Back-sid•s, and hopping upright with their Feet, scarce move from the Place. The Muscovites exercise the Venereal Act with a great deal of Gravity and Circumspection; for they will never have to do with a Woman, unless they first take off the little Cross which is hang'd about her Neck when she is Christned; and they are so considerate in their Love-Passion, as first to cover the Images of their Saints, if there be any in the Room. For the rest, their chief Penance for Trespasses of this Nature is Bathing, which they also make use of, not only at other times, but especially at their Marriages,

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after their first Coition. All Muscovites, of what Degree or Condition soever, sleep after Dinner, so that about Noon the Shops are shut up, and there is no more speaking with any Body than if it were about Midnight. Both Bathng and Sleeping after Dinner is so general a Custom in Muscovy, that Demetrius, who personated the Son of the Czar John Basilowitz, was first suspected to be an Impostor and stranger, because he never bathed himself, nor slept after Dinner, as we shall shew hereafter.

Their Stoves,* 1.174 or Bathing-places, are close Places with Furnaces, which they heat exceedingly, and for the better Excitation of Vapours, frequently cast cold Water upon this Stove. There are Benches all round about at some Distance one above another, differing in degrees of Heat, which are chosen by every one according to his own Conveniency. Upon one of these Benches they lay themselves at full length, stark naked, and after they have sweat as long as they think it convenient by the Help of these hot Vapours, they are well wash'd with warm Water, and well rubb'd with Handfuls of Herbs. After which they aften take a Dram of Aqua vitae, and so go their ways. But what is most admirable, is, that when they find the Heat too intense, both Men and Women will run out of the Stoves stark naked, either straitways into cold Water, or cause it to be pour'd upon them, nay, in the Winter, they will wallow in the Snow. There is scarce a Town or considerable Village in Muscovy which has not some of them; People of Quality have their private ones; and those of the Germans that live in Muscovy out-do the rest, both in Neatness and Conveniency; tho' a Man bathes in them, a Servant Maid, only in her Smock, rubs, washes, and wipes him, and so after some Refreshment of Wine, a Toast and Nutmeg, Citron Peel, &c. he goes to Bed: But, besides this, there are a great Number of Publick Bathing-places every where. These are often so carelesly built, that it is easie to look out of one Room into the other

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thro' the Distance of the Boards that part them, which they look upon here as a Matter of no great Consequence, though either Sex has nothing else to hide their privy Parts but a Handful of Herbs moistned in Water, which a great many don't think it worth their while to make use of, being not very shy to be seen by Men, when they are going out to c•ol themselves in cold Water, both Sexes commonly going out and in at one and the same Doo• to their Bathing-rooms. These Baths are the universal Remedies of the Muscovites, not only for cleansing their Bodies, but also for the Preservation of their Health, which being thus from their Infancy inur'd to the greatest Extremities of Heat and Cold, makes them to be of a very strong and healthy Constitution, and for the generality long liv'd, and very seldom troubled with any Distempers; which if they are, their Panacea is a hearty Draught of the best Aqua vitae fortified with Garlick, and sometimes Pepper, tho' it be in a very high Fever, they not knowing of any other Evacuation but what is wrought thro' the Pores of the Body. Thus they live, for the most part, without Physicians, and many of them without Diseases; yet, since the last Wars with the Poles, they have also made a very intimate Acquaintance with the Venereal Disease, which, in so cold a Climate as theirs, sticks very close to them; especially, since it may rationally be believ'd that Physick does not appear here in its utmost Perfection; tho' it be undeniable, that Physick and Physicians have, for many Years past been highly esteem'd by the Czar and the Nobility.

Their Way of Saluting is by putting off their Caps; and if they intend to pay a more than ordinary Reverence, they decline their Head very low towards the Ground, without moving their Feet. The Women use the same Way of Saluting, only that they bow very slowly, letting their Hands hang down by their Sides and never• touch their Bonnets. When a Muscovite intends to shew the

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greatest piece of Civility he is capable of to a Stranger, he brings to him his Wife attir'd in her best Apparel, to salute her with a Kiss. Your ordinary Citizens, or Peasants, when they appear before their Magistrates or the Nobility, bow to the very Ground, prostrating themselves and beating their Foreheads to the Ground; The same Reverence is paid to the Czar, even by the greatest Men in the Kingdom. This extraordinary Respect paid by the Commonalty to the Nobles makes them appear so extreamly haughty and jealous of their Authority, that Strangers, tho' of the first Quality, rarely meet with that Civility they might reasonably claim according to their respective Stations, unless it be from some who are acquainted with the Customs of Foreign Countries.

They begin their Day at the rising of the Sun, and end it at the setting; so that their Night begins as soon as the Sun is down, and ends when it rises. Their Year they begin on the first of September, because they use no other Epoche than from the Creation of the World, which they suppose was in Autumn. And whereas we account from the Creation of the World to the Nativity of Christ Three thousand, Nine hundred, and Sixty nine Years; they following the Footsteps of the Greeks, reckon Five thousand, Five hundred, and Eight. So that in the Year 1697, they reckon in Muscovy 7209 Years from the Creation of the World, whilst we account but 5720. They solemnize their New-year's Day with great Processions in all the considerable Towns of Muscovy.

Their manner of Travelling is extreamly commodious, especially in the Winter, when their Sleds glide away on the surface of the Ice or Snow in a flat Country, with incredible Swiftness, and very little Inconveniency to the Horses, so that they will travel 50 or 60 Miles a day. These Sleds are made of the Bark of the Linden-tree, fitted to the length and breadth of a Man; they line them with some thick Felt, and when a Man is laid in

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them along, he is covered and wrapt up over Head and Ears in good Furs: The Carter runs, for the most part, by the Sled, to warm himself, and sometimes sits at the Feet of the Person that rides in the Sleds, where he is sure to comfort himself with a Drachm of the Bottle. These Sleds being very low built, if they happen to over-turn, are not very dangerous. The Ladies Sleds, being covered on all sides, in the Fashion of a Coach, are much higher and heavier, and therefore more dangerous. Whilst they travel thus, the Time is past away, for the most part, with Sleeping, the easie and insensible motion favouring the Repose of the Traveller. When they happen to pass through Desarts and great Forests, where they are obliged to remain all Night in the open Air, they kindle a great Fire, and round about it range their Sleds; so, that being well clos'd up on all sides, and covered all over with Furs, they sleep more commodiously, than in a Country Cottage, where Men and Beasts being all together lodged in one Room, greatly disturb a Man's rest. In the Summer they travel either by Water upon the Rivers, wherewith this Country is stor'd every where, or else by Land, on Horseback, by Coach or Waggon, the Roads in Muscovy, being very broad, beautiful and easie for Travelling. By Water they make use of certain little Boats, made all of one Piece, of the Trunk of a Tree made hollow, in which they stand upright, and row over the Lakes and Rivers. These Boats being very light, a Man goes a great way in them in a little time; but they have this Inonvenience, that if not exactly counterpoiz'd, they soon turn over. They have also certain Floating Bridges, made of pieces of Firr joyn'd together, which bear themselves up upon the Water. The greatest inconveniency in Travelling here is, that in the Country there are no Inns or Houses of Entertainment for Travellers, so that they are obliged to carry along with them what Provisions and other Necessaries they stand in need of. Besides that, the violent

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Heat in the Summer, and the prodigious quantities of Flyes, are very troublesome, and interrupt the Pleasure which a Stranger else might take in the Beauty and Variety of their Forests, Brooks and Lakes.

Marriages is accounted honourable among them,* 1.175 and Polygamy forbidden. They may Marry twice, but to do it the third Time, is accounted Scandalous and Immoral. They are very Superstitious in observing the degrees of Consanguinity, and seldom Marry those that are any wise near to them by Kindred or Alliance. Two Brothers are not permitted to Marry two Sisters, neither are God-fathers and God-mothers to the same Person, to inter-marry. There is no such thing as Wooing here betwixt the young Couple, Gallantry and Courtship the Preliminaries of Love, which insensibly insinuate into the Mind, and captivate our Hearts, are look'd upon here as Chymera's, Marriage being considered as a necessary Evil. Young Men and Maids are not suffered to see, much less to have any Conversation with one another, so, as to talk of Marriage, or to be able to make the least Promise by Word or Writing. It is transacted by way of Brokeridge, so that it is no difficult Matter to put a Counterfeit upon the Bridegroom, provided the Parents do but consent to it; in the same manner, as Laban put the Bleer-ey'd Leah upon Jacob, instead of the Beautiful Rebeckah, which is frequently practised in Muscovy. Their general way of Proceeding is thus: If any one have a Marriageable Daughter, whom he is willing to bestow upon a certain young Man he approves of, he either by himself, or his Broker, declares his Mind to the young Man's Parents, or for want of them, to one of the next Kindred. If the Match be accepted of, two or three Women, deputed by him that is to be the Bridegroom, are permitted to take a full view of the future Bride, stark naked, to see▪ whether she has any Defect; after which, their Friends on both sides treat of, and

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Conclude the Marriage, the intended Couple not being allow'd to see one another, till they meet in their Bed-Chamber, after Marriage.

When a Marriage is concluded betwixt Persons of Quality,* 1.176 there are two Women appointed, one on the Bridegroom's, the other on the Brides side, (they call them Suacha's) whose business is jointly to take Care for the Nuptials. The first business of her that is appointed on the Brides side, is to prepare the Nuptial-Bed. She, attended by a great many other Servants, who carry all Things necessary for the Bed and Chamber, goes on the Wedding-Day to the Bridegroom's House, where the Bed is made upon forty Sheaves of Rye, compassed about with several Barrels full of Wheat, Barley and Oats. The same Evening the Bridegroom, accompanied by his Kindred, goes on Horseback, with the Priest before him, to the Brides House, where being met at the Door, and received by all her Friends, they are all invited to sit down at a Table, with three Dishes of Meat upon it. Whilst the Bridegroom is busie in receiving the Compliments of the Brides Friends, a young Lad gets into his Place at the Table, from whom the Bridegroom is forced to purchase the Place by some Presents; when he has taken his Place, the Bride is brought into the Room, most richly Clad, but Veil'd, and seated by the Bridegroom, but separated by a large Piece of Crimson Taffeta, held up betwixt them by two young Lads. This done, the Brides Suacha paints her, tyes up her Hair in two Knots, puts the Crown on her Head, and dresses her like a Married Woman. Whilst the other Suacha is busied in Painting the Bridegroom, the Women sing several foolish Songs. After that, two young Lads in very rich Apparel, bring into the Room on behalf of the Bridegroom, a very large Cheese and some Loaves; the like being done on the Brides part, the Priest blesses them all, and sends them to Church. As they are ready to go to Church, there is a Silver Basin put upon the Table,

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fill'd with little pieces of Sattin and Taffeta, little pieces of Silver, Hops, Bar•ey and Oats, all mix'd together. The Brides Face being covered again, the Suacha takes certain Handfuls out of the Basin, which she casts among the Company, who in the mean while sing a Song, and pick up what they find upon the Ground.

When they come to Church, the young Couple standing upon a piece of Taffeta, receive the Benediction from the Priest, which is performed by holding Images over their Heads. The Priest takes the Bridegroom by the Right, and the Bride by the left Hand at the same time, asking them three times consecutively, Whether they are both sides willing and content to Marry, and to Love one another? After they have both answered, Yes, all the Company join Hands, and the Priest begins to sing the first Verse of the 128 Psalm, the Company singing the next, and so continue to sing by Turns to the End of the Psalm, the Company dancing all this while. The Psalm being ended, the Priest puts a Garland of Rhue upon their Heads; but if a Widow, or a Widower, about the Shoulders, saying, Increase and multiply, and Consummating the Marriage with these Words: Whom God has join'd, let no Man separate. In the mean while, those that are present, lighting each of them a Wax-Candle, fill the Priest a Glass with Red Wine, which he takes off, and the Married Couple having pledg'd him, by drinking it off, each of them, three times; the Bridegroom throws down the Glass, and both of them treading it to pieces under their Feet, pronounce these Words: May they thus fall at our Feet, and be trod to pieces, who shall go about to sow Division or Discontent between us. Then the Women there present, cast some Flax-seed and Hempseed at the young Couple, wishing them much Joy and Prosperity, and pulling the Bride by her Robe (as if they would pull her away from her Husband) but she keeps very close to him, and renders their Endeavours fruitless; Then, by the Light of several

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Torches or Wax-Candles, they all return to the Bridegroom's House, where the Wedding is kept▪ No sooner are they entred the House, but the Bridegroom and the Guests, sit down at a Table ready furnish'd with all sorts of Meat; but the Women carry the Bride up strait-ways to her Chamber, where having pull'd off her Cloaths, she is put to Bed immediately. This done, the Bridegroom is call'd away from the Table, and conducted by six or eight young Lads with Torches (which they stick into the Barrels of Wheat or Barley) into the Chamber. As soon as the Bride perceives the Bridegroom to approach, she goes out of Bed, only with her Night-Gown on, meets and receives him with a very submissive Reverence, with a low Inclination of the Head; in the mean while, that the new Husband takes this Opportunity to gaze at her, this being commonly the first time that he sees her Face. Thus they sit down together, like Man and Wife (for it is to be considered, they are not much addicted to Compliment) and among other Dishes, a roasted Fowl is served up, which the Bridegroom pulls asunder, casting over his Shoulders that Part which first comes off, whether Leg or Wing, the rest they eat; and, all being withdrawn (unless it be one old Female Servant, that keeps Watch at the Chamber-door) to work they go, without any further Preamble, while their Kindred and Friends are busie in certain Charms, which they believe to be of very great Consequence, either for fortifying the Codpiece, or at least in defending it from Witchcraft, which they are sorely afraid of (especially People of Quality) the Nuns here being accounted very dextrous both in tying and unravelling the Codpiece Point▪ The old Female that stands Centry at the Door, asks some time after, whether the Battle be won; and as soon as the Bridegroom answers, that it is, she gives the Signal to the Trumpets, who make an excellent Noi••, which continues, till the Stoves can be got ready, where the new Married Couple bathe

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themselves, but apart. Here they are wash'd with Water, Hydromel and Wine, and the Bride sends the Bridegroom a fine Shirt, embroidered at the Neck and Wrists, and a rich Habit. The two next Days are spent in Entertainments, and all sorts of Divertisements, but especially in Drinking, where the Ladies sometimes improve the Opportunity of their Husbands being drunk, to carry on an Intrigues this being the only Convenient time to make their Advantage of, inspite of all the Rigour of their jealous Husbands.

Those of less Quality are Married with less Ceremony. The Night before the Wedding, the young Man sends to his intended Bride some Cloaths, a Cabinet with some Jewels, a Comb, and a Looking-Glass. The next Day the Priest is sent for, who comes with a Silver Cross, and haveing given his Benediction to the whole Company, the young Couple are set at the Table with a piece of Taffeta between them; but whilst the Suacha dresses the Brides Head, a Looking-Glass is brought, and the young Couple joining their Cheeks, look, and smile upon one another in the Glass; in the mean while, Hops are cast upon them, and so they are led to Church, where the Ceremonies are the same as we have mentioned before. The Bridegroom is led home by young Lads, and the Bride by some grave Mat•ons and the Suacha, the Priest leading the Van with his Cross; at home they are received by a Quire of Boys and Girls, singing Epithalamiums or Nuptial Songs, but of the coarsest sort of Bawdry; and being afterwards conducted to their Nuptial Bed, the Suacha is very careful in exhorting the Bride to be Debonair and Buxom, and the Bridegroom not to deceive the Bride in her Expectation; In the Interim, she stands at the Chamber-Door, in expectation when the business is over; which being done, she carries the Tokens of Virginity, with a great deal of Joy to her Parents, and the next day or two are spent in Feasting and other Jollities, which the Bridegroom endeavours to recover

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his lost Spirits out of the Aqua Vitae Cup, and the Bride appears very chearful among her new Friends, this being commonly the last Day of Mirth for the poor Woman, unless what happy Minutes she can get by Stealth, at her Husband's drunken Hours. To speak without Partiality, Muscovy may well be called the Purgatory of the Women, they being kept under so rigorous a Discipline by their Husbands, that in some Places Slaves be treated with much less Severity: For, it is not sufficient, that by their Ecclesiastical Constitutions they are debarr'd from Venery two Days in a Week, viz. Mondays and Wednesdays, besides, in Lent, and some other Fastings, which make up near Eight Months in the Year; but Abstinency from their Wives and Aqua vitae is the chief Penance laid upon the Muscovite Husbands by their Priests; so that the Wife bearing the same Share with her Husband for his Trespasses, labours under such Hardships as would seem intolerable in other Countries. If a married Woman happens to grant a Friend in a Corner Kindness, she is sure, besides the House-Discipline, to be sent into a Monastery, where she is to stay all her Life-time. The worst of it is, that this Severity often furnishes a Husband, with a Pretence upon the least Surmise, to rid himself of his Wife, by suborning of Witnesses, a thing frequently practis'd in those Parts. If a married Woman happen to have no Children by her Husband, he has the Liberty of Perswading, and if that be not prevailing enough, of Cudgelling her into a Monastery, where she must tarry all her Life-time, for what, perhaps, was none of her Fault, but the Husbands, who has the Liberty of m•rrying again in six Weeks. But this is not all, if the Husband is taken with a Fit of Devotion (whether real or pretended, it matters not) of leaving his Wife for God's sake, as they term it, which is as much in plain English, when a Man is tir'd of his Wife, and maintaining his Family, he has the Liberty, of going into a Monastery,

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without his Wifes Consent, or making any Provision for his Children; where he has a prospect of becoming, perhaps, from a Mechanick, a Priest, if his Wife marry again; this being the only Amends the Wife has to make her self, if that may be accounted an Amends, when they are forced to leap (according to the old Proverb) Out of the Frying-pan into the Fire; for whenever they Marry again, they are sure to meet with the Muscovian House-Discipline, which is the Cudgel and the Whip. It is so general a Custom in Muscovy, for a Husband to chastise his Wife with the Whip, that the Outcry's of a Woman upon such an Occasion, are no more regarded, than we do a Correction given to Children. They often used to tye them up, stark naked, by the Hair of the Head, and so to whip them as long as they were able; Nay, there have not been wanting Examples of Husband's whipping their Wives to Death, upon Suspicion of Adultery, without as much as being call'd to an Account for it, they pretending to be exempt from Punishment on the account of killing a Wife or Slave, if it happen upon Correction. This barbarous Custom has of late Years, however, been much alter'd, if not quite abolished, among People of Fashion, by the prudent Care of the Parents, who now a-days, to mitigate at least the Slavery of their Daughters, oblige their Husbands in their Jointures, under considerable Forfeitures, to find them with Cloaths, suitable to their Qualities, to feed them with good wholesom Meat, and Drink, to use them kindly without Whipping, Striking or Kicking; but these Contracts, as all others, are sometimes kept, sometimes broken, the General Custom being a strong Plea on the Husband's side; the best Comfort the poor Women have, is that their Neighbours and Friends receive the same Treatment. I know it has been alledged in behalf of the Muscovian House-Discipline, that the Women here have very lewd Tongues, will drink a merry Cup of strong Liquor, and upon an Occasion

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not refuse a Kindness to a Friend; but grant this to be true, if the Muscovites, according to the laudable Examples of other Nations of Europe, would give their Children of both Sexes a more generous Education, the Husbands would shew better Example and more Complaisance to their Wives; these Means would prove, without all question, more effectual than all their Whips and Cudgels.

As to what concerns their Oeconomy and the Affairs of their Houses in general,* 1.177 it must be confessed, that it bears not the least comparison with what is usual in these Parts; for the inferior Sort live in wooden Houses, very low, and meanly built, their Houshold Stuff consisting commonly in two or three Pots, and a few wooden or earthen Dishes. Some of the richer Sort make use of Pewter, but what they have of it is very ill kept, as is most of their other Furniture, the Muscovites not making the least account of Cleanliness▪ and as for Plate, there is scarce any thing like it to be seen, unless it be some few drinking Cups and Goblets. Their Rooms, at the best are hung with Mats, and adorned with two or three Images, painted after the Muscovian Fashion. As for their Sleeping, they strive not only to imitate, but also to out-do the antient Inhabitants of Capua; for those would not allow their Children any Beds; till they were Married, alledging, that Beds were invented for the Ease of Antient and decripid People, not to encourage young Men in their Effoeminacy. The Muscovites seem to be more severe, the most of them not using Beds, neither before nor after Marriage, nor in their Old Age. A great many even of the better Sort are contented with Matrushes, and the Poor with Chaff or Straw, and for want of that, with their Cloaths, which in the Summer they spread upon a Table, Bench, or perhaps the Ground; and in the Winter, lie near or upon their Stoves, which are flat on the Top; Master and Mistress, Man and Maid, all in one

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Room; nay, in the Country the Poultry and the Pigs are not excluded from the same Room in the Night-time. The common People have very little other Chear but coarse Meal, Pea•e, Turnips, Cabbages, Colworts, Cucumers, both f•esh and pickl'd with Salt and Vinegar. They seldom want fresh Fish in a Country so abounding with Rivers and Lakes; but their greatest Delicacy is Salt-fish, which being ill salted, has a very strong Smell. Most of their Dishes are season'd with Onions and Garlick▪ and that to such a degree, that you may know the Approach of any of them by the Scent, before you see them, especially in Lent. The Spawn of F•sh, but especially of the Sturgeon, which we call Caviare, is one of their best Banquets. I have made mention of this before in the IV. Chapter; but because it is much esteem'd by a great many in these Parts, but especially in Italy, where they use it in Lent, I will give a short Description of it here.

Caviare,* 1.178 or Cavajar (by the Russians called Ikary) is made of the Roes of two different Fishes, which they catch in the River Wolga, but espcecially near the City of Astracan, to wit, of the Sturgeon, and the Belluga. I will not pretend to describe the first, it being too well known in these Parts; But the Belluga is a large Fish, about twelve or fifteen Foot long, without Sca•es, not unlike a Sturgeon, but more large and incomparably more luscious, his Belly being as tender as Marrow, and his Flesh whiter than Veal, from whence he is call'd Whitefish by the Europeans; under which Name we have mention'd it before, in the Description of the River Wolga and the C•spian Sea. This Belluga lies in the bottom of the River, at certain Seasons, and swallows many large Pebbles of a great Weight, to ballast himself against the Force of the Stream of the Wolga augmented by the melting of the Snows in the Spring: When the Wace•s are asswaged, he disgorges himself. Near Astrac•n, they catch sometimes such a Quantity of them, that they

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throw away the Flesh, (tho' the daintiest of all Fish) reserving only the Spawn, of which they sometimes take an Hundred and fifty, or Two hundred Weight out of one Fish. These Roes they salt and press, and put up into Casks, if it is to be sent abroad, or to be kept for a considerable time, else they keep it unpress'd, only a little corn'd with Salt. That made of the Sturgeons Spawn is black and small grain'd, somewhat Waxy, like Potargo, and is called Ikary, by the Muscovites; this is also made by the Turks. The second Sort which is made of the Roes of the Belluga or Whitefish, has a Grain as large as a small Pepper-corn, of a darkish Grey, the Caviare made out of this Spawn, the Muscovites call Arminska Ikary, because they believe it was first made by the Armenians. Both Kinds they cleanse from its Strings, salt it, and lay it upon shelving Boards, to drein away the Oily and most Unctuous Part; this being done, they salt, press it, and put it up into Casks containing 700 or 800 Weight, and so send it to Musco and other Places, from thence it is transported by the English and Dutch into Italy. That Glew which is called Ising-glass is made out of the Belluga's Sounds.

But to return to the Russian Diet; They prepare this with Onions and Pepper mix'd with Oil and Vinegar, in the Nature of a Salad. The middling Sort of People in Muscovy living sparingly, and the Poor meanly in their Diet; they know no Superfluity but Drink, which they will purchase, let come of it what will.

Their ordinary Drink is a sort of small Hydromel,* 1.179 which they call Quas; This they make of Honey-combs, which they beat in warm Water, stirring it about for some time, and after it hath rested ten or twelve Hours, it is cleansed thorow a Sieve, boil'd and scumm'd, and so immediately used.

Next to this is the strong Hydromel,* 1.180 which they order sometimes with Rasberries, Cherries, Strawberries, or Mulberries; they infuse what Fruit they

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have most a mind to, for two or three Nights, in Water, or sometimes in Aqua vitae, till it has extracted the Colour and Tastes of the Fruit. Into this they put the purest Honey, to every Pound three or four Pounds of Water, according as they would have it strong; Into this they put a Toast dipp'd in the Dregs of Beer, which, as soon as the Hydromel begins to work, they take out again. When it has done working, they either keep it upon or without the Lees, according as they either intend to keep it or to spend it immediately; And to give it a pleasant Flavour, they put into it sometimes a little bag of Cinnamon and Grains of Paradise, with a few Cloves. But their main Liquor is Aqua vitae, made out of Corn, which tho' very strong here, however they sometimes fortifie with Pepper. Of this they drink a Dram before and after Dinner, and at any other time when they intend to make themselves merry.

Persons of Quality, and rich Merchants, have of late Years built themselves Houses of Brick and Stone; they lie upon Beds or Quilts, have Tapestry and other Hangings, and the rest of their Houshold-stuff is suitable to their Quality, yet not to that Degree of Politeness as is usual in these Parts. As for their Diet, they don't only use all sorts of Meats and Fowls, but especially by reason of their frequent Fasts, have great Variety of Dishes of all sorts of Fish, Herbs, and Pulse. Among the rest they have one Dish, which they make use of after a drunken Bout, and has a very savoury Taste. They take cold roasted Veal, which they mince, but not very small, with some pickl'd Cucumers, to this they put good store of Vinegar, Pepper, and the Liquor of pickl'd Cucumers, and recommend it as a good Preservative against the Head-ach arising from hard Drinking; forasmuch as they believe it dispells the Vapours rising into the Head out of the Stomach. The Cellars of Persons of Quality are always well furnish'd with Hydromel or Mead, Aqua vitae, strong Beer, Sack, and

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other sorts of strong Wines; (for the Rhinish and French Wines are in no great esteem among them, as being not strong enough.) They brew their strong Beer, as we do, in March, and to keep it cool, (their Cellars not being vaulted) during the Heat of the Summer they make a Bed of Ice and Snow mix'd tog•ther, and then a Layer of Barrels, upon them another Bed of Ice, and then again a Row of Barrels, which they cover with Straw and Planks, which serves for a Vault. They are very Splendid in their Cloaths and Equipage, being attended by a great Number of Slaves, all which however they do without any great Expence, for asmuch as what Provisions they want for themselves and their Horses, is brought from their Farms in the Country; and as for those Slaves they entertain in the City, they allow them Board-Wages, but so scantily that they can scarce live upon it. This is one of the chiefest Causes that so many Riots and Murthers are committed in the Streets of the City of Musco, and, that in Hay-making time the Roads leading to this City are so unsafe to travel, there being about that time so great a Number of Slaves abroad working in the Fields. Persons of Quality and the richest Merchants in Musco keep for this Reason a Guard in their Courts, who watch all Night, and are to knock every hour with a Stick upon a Board,* 1.181 as many Knocks at a time as the Clock has struck Hours.

They are very Ceremonious in their Interrments. No sooner is the sick Person departed, but all the Kindred and Friends come and stand about the Body, making most horrid Out-cries▪ and Lamentations. They ask him, Why he would dye? Whether he wanted Meat and Drink? Whether he had not a Handsom Wife? and such like Questions. The next thing to be taken care of, is to send a Present to the Priest to pray for the Soul of the deceased Party, which he is to do Morning and Evening, for six Weeks, upon his Grave. For tho' the Muscovites do not believe Purgatory

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yet they believe two different Places, where the Soul retires till the Day of Judgment; some, they say, abide in a pleasant Place, where they enjoy the Conversation of Angels; others in a dark Valley, where they are pester'd with the Company of Devils. They are of Opinion, that by the Prayers of Priests and Monks, the Souls may be delivered out of this Place of Misery, and God's Wrath be appeased against the Day of Judgment. For which reason also, those that are able give frequent Alms, during these six Weeks. Before it be put into the Coffin, which is made out of the Trunk of a Tree, the Body is well wash'd, the Shrowd, or a clean Shirt put about it, and a pair of new Shooes on the Feet, with the Arms cross the Breast.

At the Funeral Solemnity,* 1.182 the Priest goes first, carrying the Image of that Saint, which had been assigned the Deceased at his Baptism for his Patron. Him follow four Virgins, the next of Kin to the deceased, who represent the Mourners, and make most horrid Out-cries and Lamentations, all in a Tune, not unlike the wild Irish. Then follows the Body, carried by six Men upon their Shoulders, the Kindred and Friends following the Body without any Order, with Wax-Candles in their Hands, whilst the Priest is singing certain Psalms, they surround the Body, and by their Incenses, keep off the evil Spirits.

Being come to the Grave, the Coffin is uncovered, and the same Saint that was carried before the Procession, is held over him; the Priest in the mean while saying certain Prayers, and repeating frequently these Words: Lord, look upon this Soul in Righteousness; and the Widow continuing (but how heartily, is easie to be guess'd, considering their Usage) her former Lamentations: Timming Dooshink. Alas! My Dear, Why wouldst thou leave me thus? And repeating the same questions we have mentioned before. Then the Kindred and Friends take their last Farewel of the Deceased,

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some kissing him, some the Coffin; and as soon as the Priest has put a Testimonial between his Fingers, which is to serve him as a Pass for the other World, the Coffin is shut up, and put into the Grave, with the Face towards the East. The Kindred, after having paid their Devotions to the Images, return to the House, where they drown their Sorrow in strong Liquor. The Mourning is continued for forty Days after, during which, the Kindred are entertained at three several times, viz. the third, the ninth, and twentieth Day; and during this time of Mourning, the Priest reads twice a day (as we mentioned before) the Psalms upon the Grave, having a little Booth made up of Mats, to shelter him from the Weather. The Testimonial or Pass for his Admittance into the other World is signed by the Patriarch or Metropolitan of the Place, and the Confessor, who sells it according to the Ability of those that are to buy it. This Testimonial runs thus: We, whose Names are hereunto subscribed, the Patriarch (or Metropolitan) and Priest of the City of N. do Certifie by these Presents, That the Bearer hereof hath always beha•ed himself and lived among us as became a good Christian, professing the Greek Religion; and tho he may have committed some Sins, he hath Confessed the same, whereupon he hath received Absolution, and taken the Communion for the Remission of his Sins. That he hath honoured God and his Saints; that he hath not neglected his Prayers, and hath Fasted on the Hours and Days appointed by the Church; and that he hath always behaved himself towards me, who am his Confessor, in such a manner, that I have no Reason to complain of him, nor to deny him the Absolution of his Sins. In witness whereof, we have given him these Testimonials, to the end, That St. Peter, upon sight of them, may not deny him the opening of the Gate of Eternal Bliss.

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Of the Civil Government, Laws, and Justiciary Proceedings of the Muscovites.

THE State of Muscovy, or its Political Government, of which we are to treat in this Chapter, is not only Monarchical, but also Despotical or Absolute; forasmuch as the Czar being sole and absolute Master over all his Subjects, disposes without Controul of their Lives and Estates, in the same manner as in most antient Times did the Kings of Assyria, Media and Persia, who governed their Subjects no otherwise, than a Lord does his Slaves; and as it is to this day in Turky, where the Grand Seignior, disposes of the Lives and Fortunes of his Subjects at pleasure. The Czars of Muscovy possessed with so uncontrouled a Power, as Hereditary Sovereigns of these vast Countreys we have given a short Description of in the foregoing Chapters, that there is not a Knez or Lord so great in all these vast Dominions, but who without Reluctancy confesses, that he is his Czarish Majesty's Galop or Slave. It is therefore the Czar alone, that gives Laws to the People; it is he that disposeth of the Government of Provinces; it is he that Levies Taxes, makes Peace and War; and to be short, does what he pleases. For, tho' he consults in Matters of Importance with his Boyars or Councellors; yet, besides, that this Counsel is of his own Chusing; he does not always follow it, but reserves to himself the Prerogative of doing what he judges most convenient. The Honours of Knez, Boyars, Dukes or Princes owe all their Origin to the Czar's Favour, which they bestow upon such as they would Reward for their Services; and the greatest of them

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depend upon the Czar's meer Pleasure, and own publickly, that all they have belongs to God and Them: Nay, formerly (within our Age) they were whipt like the vilest Slaves, and that sometimes for a small matter, but of late years small miscarriages have been punished with two or three days Imprisonment. This Slavish Subjection seems to be natural to the Muscovites, forasmuch as in all these several Revolutions that have happened there in our Age, they have frequently changed their Masters, but never shew'd the least inclination of changing the Form of their Government, which the Sovereign Power has devolved into their hands. The wiser sort among them were perhaps sensible, that those who are good Slaves, make the worst Freemen in the World; not only their natural Inclination, but also their Education, having infused into them the Principles of Passive Obedience, in so transcendent a Degree, as not to have the true Sense of that Liberty we enjoy in these Parts. This is sufficiently evident out of their whole Behaviour, both in publick and private; None among them, of what Quality soever approaches the Czar with a Petition or otherwise, but he names himself in the Diminutive. As for instance, if his Name be Peter, he will say, I little Peter, do implore, &c. When they are to be admitted into his Presence, they say; Shall I have the Honour to see the brightness of the Eyes of His Czarish Majesty? If you ask them a Question that surpasses their Judgment, they will answer; God and the Czar knows; and nothing is more frequent in their common Discourse, than to own, that, all what they have is at God's and the Czar's Disposal. The Great Duke, John Basilowits, was the first that reduced them to this entire Submission; for, when most of these Territories, now under the Subjection of the Grand Czar of Muscovy, were divided into a great many Principalities, Govern'd by their own Laws and Princes, there is no question, but that the Nobility had their Share in the Government here, as well as they had in

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former Ages in most Countreys of Europe; and what confirms me the more in this Opinion, is, that at the Solemnity of the Czar's Coronation, among other Things the Estates, Ecclesiastical and Temporal, are mentioned by the Patriarch, as we shall see anon. This entire Resignation and Subjection of the Muscovites to the Absolute Disposal of their Sovereign, has ever since been maintain'd by three general Maxims; The first is, that no body is allow'd, upon pain of Death, to travel out of Muscovy, without leave of his Czarish Majesty; The second is, that the Czar never Marries a foreign Princess, but looks out for a Spouse among his own Subjects. The third is, the Discouragement of Learning and Sciences, their Knowledge, even of the Priests themselves, not reaching beyond Reading and Writing their own Language. The reason of it is obvious; for asmuch as Ignorance makes people supple, and conduces much to the easie Conservation of what by a long Custom and Education has been implanted in them; whereas Knowledge is merely without Ambition. Lycurgus was not ignorant of this Maxim, when he establish'd Ignorance as one of the fundamental Laws of his Republick; And the Emperours, Valentinian and Licinius, used to term Learning the Plague and Poyson of Sovereignty. And, that by Travelling abroad they might not be enamour'd with the sweet taste of Liberty, other Nations enjoy▪ and perhaps, by their Conversation, be instructed in such Matters, as were not to be learn'd at home; they were not only prohibited to go abroad into other Countreys, but also Persons of a high Rank debarr'd from Conversing with foreign Ministers in their own Country, without the Great Duke's express Permission. And for fear, that by introducing a foreign Princess, some new Customs might be introduced among the Muscovites, which in time might cause an Alteration in the State, the Czars of Muscovy, (quite contrary to what is practised by other Princes in Europe) always chuse their

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Spouses among their own Subjects. The Czar being thus secure of his Subject's entire Obedience, he alone creates and deposes Magistrates, and orders them to be punished at Pleasure. He appoints the Governours and Lieutenants of Provinces, for the Management of the antient Demesnes, and the Administration of Justice; they have a Diack or Secretary, and sometimes another Assessor join'd with them, and take Cognisance of all Matters, giving a final and absolute Judgment in all Causes, and have full Power to see their Sentences put in Execution, without any Appeal; unless the Cause be removed before Judgment given, to one of the Pricas or Courts of Justice in Musco. They are changed from three years to three years.

Besides these Courts, kept by the Waywode or Governour in the Provinces, there are a great many others, who are all kept in the City of Musco, and are call'd Pricas, where always one of the Boyars, or the Czar's Ministers is President, having join'd with him, sometimes one, sometimes more Assessors, and a Diack or Secretary.

The chiefest are Pomiestnoi Pricas, where a Register is kept of all Manors held by homage, and the Sutes concerning them are adjudged, and the Duties belonging to the Great Duke received.

In the Casanskoi, and Siberskoy Pricas; all differences of the Provinces of Casan and Siberia, are determined, and Accompts kept of all the Furs coming from thence to the Great Duke.

In the Rosboinoy Pricas, all Robberies upon the High-way, Murthers, and other Criminal Causes are Judged.

The Provinces of Gallitz and Wolodimer, have also their particular Pricas, which is called Galliasko-Volodimirski Pricas; as Novorodkoi Pricas belongs to Novogorod, and Nise-novogorod.

The Knez and Boyars have their own Pricas, as have also the Gentlemen and Officers of the Court. The Diacks, Secretaries, Clerks, &c. have their own Judge.

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In the Monasterski Pricas, all Ecclesiastical Persons, whether Secular Priests or Monks are judged, except it be in priviledged Cases. Besides which, the Patriarch has his particular Pricas.

There are a great many other Pricas, or Courts of Justice, as those for the Czar's Factors, for his Revenues, for the Galops or Slaves, for the Retalers of Wine, Aqua Vitae, and Hydromel or Mead, for his Smiths, Armourers, Cannoneers; For the Military Officers, for the Cavalry, and many more, too many to be described here.

Besides which, there is one general Pricas or Court of Justice, where all Matters that do not appertain to any peculiar Pricas, are determined, this is called Siskoi Pricas.

All the Diacks or Secretaries, Clerks, and Copiers of these Courts, are very well Skill'd in Writing and Arithmetick, the latter of which they perform by the help of Plumb-Stones instead of Compters. They keep their Registers in Rolls of Paper pasted together, which being 30 or 40 Yards long, are kept in the Offices. The Boyar, who is President of each Court, and has his Secretary and Assessors, determines finally, all such Causes as come under his Cognisance, he being the Representative of his Imperial Majesty.

Formerly most of these Causes depended from the Equity of the Judge,* 1.183 there being very few Laws established then, according to which, Judgment was to be given; They only were concerning High Treason, Adulteries, Thefts, and Debts between private Persons. But in the Year 1647, a Book was compiled in Folio, under the Title of Soborna Ʋlosienia, that is to say, Universal and General Right, containing all the several Laws and Ordinances, according to which, the Judges were to regulate themselves in the Courts of Judicature. In Civil Cases, they proceed thus: If there be no sufficient Evidence on the Plaintiff's side as to the Matter of Fact alledged against the Defendant, the latter is ask'd, Whether he will by his Oath, confirm

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the Answer given to the Plaintiff's Declaration, or else refer it to the Plaintiff's Oath. He, who consents to take the Oath, is brought in the presence of one of their Saints, where being admonished, and ask'd, Whether he will take this Oath upon the Salvation of his Soul? If he persists in his Resolution, he is obliged to kiss a little Cross, and the Saint's Image. Those that have taken an Oath, tho' never so true, are look'd upon as Scandalous, and are not admitted to the Communion in three Years after. For which Reason, and to obviate Perjuries (which are pretty common here) the Great Duke made an Edict in the Year 1634, That all Promises or Obligations, whether for Money or Pawning, tho' between Father and Son, should be put in Writing, sign'd by both Parties, under Forfeiture of the Debt. Perjury is punished by a severe Whipping and Banishment. Strangers take their Oaths according to the Custom of their several Countreys and Religions.

In Criminal Cases, the Accused cannot be Condemn'd, altho'never so many Witnesses appear against him, unless he confess the Fact. To force therefore Criminals to a Confession of the truth, they make use of the Torture, which has its several Degrees: The first is the Strapado; when they hang the Malefactor with his Hands tyed behind, in the Air, having fastned to his Feet a great Beam, upon which the Executioner ever and anon gets up, to further the Dislocation of the Members, and consequently to augment the Pain. Under his Feet is made a Fire, which with the Smoak and Heat stifles and burns him: If they don't think this sufficient, they shave his Head, and, as he is thus hanging, drop gradually cold Water upon the Crown of his Head, which is the most exquisite Torment that can be invented. Whipping in Muscovy is perform'd thus; A lusty Fellow, one of the Executioner's Men after having stript them to the middle, takes up one by one upon his Back (much after the same manner as the Boys in England are hors'd

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by their Fellow-Scholars at School) and having ty'd their Feet together with a Cord which comes thro' the Legs of him that holds them up, is held by another Servant of the Executioners, so fast that they are not able to stir. The Executioner with a Bulls Pizzle, having fastned to the end of it three Straps of an Elks Skin not tann'd, lays it on their Back with so much Dexterity and Strength, that at every Lash the Blood gushes out on all sides: Heretofore these Punishments were not accounted Infamous, and were inflicted upon Persons of the first Rank; but time has in a great measure corrected that Error. Besides this, they have another Way of Chastisement, which is also used in Families for the Correction of Children and Slaves. He that is to be thus corrected, after having pull'd off his Cloaths to the Shirt and Drawers, is laid down upon the Ground flat upon his Belly, one sits across his Head and Neck, another upon his Feet, each of them furnish'd with a good Switch, wherewith they soundly tickle his Back, in the same Manner as we beat the Dust out of Cloaths or Hangings. Murther is a capital Crime, unless no body prosecute it; or it be that a Man kills his Wife or Slave under Correction. He that has committed a Murther, after he has been kept with Bread and Water in close Prison, has his Head cut off; But if a Wife kills her Husband, she is put in the Ground, alive, up to the Neck, till she dies. The Punishment of Coiners is, to have some Metal ready melted pour'd down their Throats. Traitors, after they have been tormented to the highest Degree, are often banish'd into Siberia, some with their Noses and Ears cropp'd, some without Eyes, some are put under the Ice. Hanging has not been long in use in Russia; but what is most remarkable is, that the Malefactor, most commonly at the Command of the Hangm•n, puts his Neck thorow the Noose, and turns himself off, •uch particular Admirers are the Russians of Passive Obedience. Thefts are not capital in

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Muscovy, but they are not sparing in applying to them the Torture for the Discovery of their Accomplices. The first time, after a sound Whipping across the Market-place, they have one Ear cut off, and are imprison'd for two Years; The second time they receive the same Punishment; but as an additional Chastisement, are banish'd into Siberia. The Concealers and Receivers undergo the same Punishment. Those that sell Tobacco and Aqua vitae without Licence, have their Nostrils slit, or else are whipt. How they punish Adultery is mentioned before. Those that are uncapable of paying their Debts, are us'd with a most barbarous Severity: For if any one happen to fail of paying at the time prefi•ed, he is put in a Sergeant's House for some time, to see whether in the mean time he can make Satisfaction or agree with the Creditor. If he cannot, he is carried to Prison, and from thence brought every Day to a certain Place appointed for that purpose, where, for a whole Hour, the Executioner beats him with a pretty thick Wand across the Shin-bone. If he can put in Security for his forth-coming the next day, in order to receive the same Chastisement, he is permited to go home; if not, he is remanded to Prison, and is to undergo the same every day till he has made Satisfaction; which if he cannot do at last, he is to be sold as a Slave to his Creditor, with Wife and Children; but this last the Muscovites are not much concern'd at, forasmuch as they frequently fell themselves and their whole Family upon a very slender Account. So much are they accustom'd to Slavery, that they scarce look upon it as a Punishment. Sometimes the Executioner, for a Present, will suffer the Debtor to put a small Iron Plate under his Boots. The same Rigour is used, without any difference, to all of what Quality, Condition, Sex or Age soever.

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[illustration]

A Bojar or Muscovian Lord giving his attendance at Court or at any extraordinary Solemnity

Pag. 177

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An account of the Coronation of the Czars of Muscovy, their Grandeur, Revenue, Marriages, &c.

NO sooner is the Czar of Muscovy dead, but Messengers are sent every where to summon the Chief Officers of the Court and others, who are to be present at the Coronation, to repair to the City of Musco, where this Solemnity is perfo•med with all the Expedition imaginable, and sometimes the very next day after the Decease of the Predecessor. The Metropolitans, Archbishops, Knez, Boyars, and the principal Merchants of the Kingdom, being entred the place at the day appointed for the Coronation of the new Czar, a Scaffold is erected three Steps high, and covered with Persian Tapestry, in the great Church within the Castle. On this Scaffold are set three very rich Chairs, at an equal distance from one another, to wit: One for the Great Duke, another for the Patriarch, and the third for the Ducal Cap, embroider'd with Pearls and Diamonds, with a Tassel on the Crown of it, on which hangs a little Crown, all over beset with Diamonds of a great Value, and the Robe, which is made of the richest Brocado, lined with Sables.

The new Czar,* 1.184 attended by the Patriarch and Metropolitans, being come within the Church, the Clergy begin to sing certain Hymns, which being done, the Patriarch prays to God, St. Nicholas, and other Saints, desiring them to be present at this Great Solemnity. The prayer being ended, the Chief Minister of State takes the Grand Duke by the Hand, and presents him to the Patriarch, and says: The Knez and Boyars having acknowledged this

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Prince the lawful Heir to the Crown, as being the next of Kin to the late Czar, they desire, that you may Crown him immediately. The Patriarch then leads the Prince upon the Scaffold, where being seated in one of the three Chairs, he blesses him with a little Cross beset with Diamonds, by putting it to his Head, and immediately after, one of the Metropo••tans reads the following Prayer: O Great Lord our God, thou King of kings, who by the Prophet Samuel, didst once chuse thy faithful Servant, David, to be King over thy People of Israel, hearken to our Prayers, which we thy unworthy Servants offer up unto thee, at this time. Look down from the highest Heaven upon thy faithful Servant here present, who, through thy Grace, thou hast exalted to be King over thy People, and thy Son hath redeemed by his Blood. Anoint him with the Oil of Chearfulness, protect him by thy Power, and Crown him with a precious Diadem; grant him a long and happy Reign; put the Royal Scepter into his Hands, that he may sway it upon the Throne of Justice. Let all barbarous Languages acknowledge his Power, and let both his Heart and Ʋnderstanding be always directed to thy fear, and during the Course of this mortal Life, let him never recede from thy Commandments. Let Heresie, and Schism not come near his Person or Government; and may he always maintain and observe what is commanded and ordained by the holy Greek Church; Judge thy People in Justice, and shew thy Mercy to the Poor, that, when they leave this Valley of Misery, they may be received into eternal Joys. The whole Prayer he concludes with these Words; For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be with us and remain with us.

The Prayer ended, two Metropolitans by order from the Patriarch, take the Cap and Robe up, which are taken from their Hands by some Boyars, who put them upon the Grand Duke, whom the Patriarch blesses a second time by touching his Forehead with the Cross of Diamonds; and whilst he is saying, In the Name of the Father, the Son, and

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the Holy Ghost, and imparting the third Blessing to the Grand Duke, the Ducal Cap is by two of the Boyars, put upon the Patriarch's Head, who causes all the rest of the Prelates there present, to approach, and give the Benediction to the Great Duke, but only with their Hands. Then the Great Duke and Patriarch sit down, but raise again immediately, when the Litany is sung, every Verse ending, with God have mercy upon us, and the new Czar's Name. The Litany ended, both the Great Duke and Patriarch sit down again, when one of the Metropolitans, approaching to the Alta•, sings the following Words: O God preserve our Czar, and Grand Duke of all the Russes, whom God, out of his great Mercy hath bestowed upon us, God grant him good Health, and a long and happy Life. All that are present, repeat the same Words, and the Boyars, and Chief Lords approaching to the Great Duke, as a sign of their Subjection, smite their Foreheads before him, and afterwards kiss his Hand. This Ceremony being over, the Patriarch standing alone before the Great Duke, admonishes him in the following Words: Since through the singular Providence of God, the Estates of the Kingdom, as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal, have Acknowledged and Crowned You Great Duke over all the Russes, and have Entrusted You with a Matter of so great Weight, as the Government of so great a Kingdom, You ought to employ all Your Thoughts, to the Love of God, to the Obedience of His Commands, to the due Administration of Justice, and the Protection of the True Greek Religion. Then the Patriarch gives him once more his Bendiction, and the whole Assembly goes from thence into the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, which is opposite to the former; where the L••any is Sung over again, as before; the same is done afterwards in the Church of St. Nicholas, where an End is put to the Ceremony, and the whole Assembly is most magnificently Entertain'd in the great Hall of the Great Duke's Palace.

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In former times the Chiefest Dignity in the whole Empire,* 1.185 was that of Lord High Steward of Muscovy (call'd Sunderstrevoi Coiniske.) When Zurki was called to the Crown, he was in that Office; since which time, it has been suppressed. The next, and which is now the first in Dignity, is the Duaretskoy, or Great Master, which is correspondent to our Lord High Steward of the Houshold. The next in order is the Orusnitshei, or Master of the Horse. These three precede all the other Boyars and Lords of the Court. Next to these are the two Secretaries of State, the first whereof, is the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal or Chancellour, the other is the Vice Chancellour. After them come the Posticnizei or Lord Chamberlain, who makes the Great Duke's Bed; next to him the Catamutzoy Klut-ziom, or Vice Chamberlain, the Cratzey or Carver. Then follow the Stolniki or Gentlemen Sewers, the Strapsi or Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, and the Duoroini or Gentlemen-Ushers; besides the Pages, Secretaries and Clerks, and a good number of Interpreters, for all Languages. Besides these, there are six Capital Officers belonging to the Court, which they call Courts of Chancery: The first is for foreign Affairs, under the Tuition of its Chancellour; the second for War, the third for Crown-Lands, and the Czar's Revenues, under the Lord Treasurer: The fourth receives the Accompts of Factors, and those that manage the Taverns▪ The fifth is for Appeal in Civil Causes, and the sixth for Criminal Causes. The Czar has also two Councils, with whom he consults concerning Matters of Moment; the first is in the nature of the Cabinet Council, composed of the Boyars; the second is corresponding to our Privy Council, composed out of the Ocolnits, or Lords, out of whose number the Boyars are chosen, and all of them depending from the meere Pleasure of the Czar; they commonly meet in the Night-time, when they are to consult about State Affairs. All the Knez and the Boyars, who have plentiful Estates, are obliged to give

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their Attendance every day at Court, and to smite their Forehead in the Great Duke's Presence, which he looks upon as an Argument of their Fidelity and his Security, which by their Absence might be put in danger, considering the great Authority they have in their respective Provinces. They are obliged to appear at Court in great Splendor, to live very Magnificiently, both in their Houses and Retinue; so, that those who have no Employments, and want Means to make their Appearance at Court, have leave given them to retire into the Country, where they live, rather like Peasants than Noblemen. The Knez, Boyars and Gentlemen, enjoy this Prerogative as well as the Monasteries, that they are exempted from Taxes, but are obliged to maintain a certain number of Soldiers, both Horse and Foot, proportionable to their Revenue. No body is permitted, of what Quality soever, to appear in the Czar's presence with a Sword on his side, nay, not as much as within the Palace.

The Court of the Czar of Muscovy never appears in greater Splendor,* 1.186 than at the publick Audiences of Ambassadors; when all the Knez, Boyars, Officers of the Houshold, and the Chiefest of the Czar's Factors, are obliged to appear in the greatest Magnificence in the World. Besides several Regiments of Guards, which are drawn up on both sides of the Courts of the Palace, to the very bottom of the Stairs, where the Ambassador is to pass. In the Hall which leads immediately to that where the Audience is to be given, the Guards of the Czar's Person are placed in a most splendid Equipage, their Vests of Velvet, lin'd with Sables, their Caps adorn'd with Pearls and precious Stones, and their Partisans cover'd with Gold and Silver. At the upper End of the Hall of Audience, His Czarish Majesty is placed in a Throne of Massie Silver, with his Scepter in his Hand, and a Crown on his Head. The Throne is most curiously wrought, standing seven or eight Steps higher than the Floor. The Crown which the Czar upon such an

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Occasion wears upon a Cap lin'd with Sables, is covered all over with precious Stones, it terminates towards the Top, in the Form of a Pyramid, with a Golden Cross at the Spire. The Scepter glisters all over with precious Stones of great Value; his Garments being covered before with Jewels, and embroider'd all over with Pearls. On both sides of the Chair or Throne, but something Lower stand four young Lords, remarkable for their Tallness, with Silver Battle-Axes over their Shoulders, putting their Hands to them as if they were going to strike. They are clad always in White, sometimes in Satt•, sometimes in Ermin Vests, according to the difference of the Season; their Caps, nay, even their B•ots, being cover'd with the same, having great Chains of Gold a-cross their Breasts, reaching down to their Hips. On the right side of the Chair or Throne, upo• a P•ramid of Silver stands the Imperial Apple, of massie Gold, of a considerable Bigness, representing the World; and on the same side, five Paces Distance from the Throne, stands the Lord Chancellour. Round about by the Walls are Benches rais'd three or four steps above the Floor, and about the b•eadth of a good Walk, where are placed the Knez and Boyars, sometimes to the Number of two hundred, cloathed all of them with Vests of Cloth of Gold and Silver, or Velvet adorn'd▪ with Pearls and Jewels. The Grose or the Czar's Merchants or Factors, stand at the lower End of the Hall, in ve•y rich R•bes, taken for that purpose out of the Czar's Wardrobe; The Sides and Floor of the Hall of Audience, as also the Benches, where the Lords are plac'd, being all covered with rich Persian Tapest•y. As soon as an Ambassador enters the Hall of Audience, he makes a very low Reverence, the Throne of the Czar being exactly opposite to the Door; Then advancing, and stopping in the midst of the Hall, he makes a second, and when he is ready to speak, the third. The Credentials being delivered to the Czar, (who immediately gives them to his Chancellour that stands near the Throne)

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and the Presents sent to the Czar being offered, and the Salutes and other Ceremonies us'd upon such Occasions past, the Ambassador is reconducted to his Palace, where he is splendidly entertain'd with a great number of Dishes out of the Czar's Kitchen, which in great State are carried from the Castle to the Ambassadors House. There is one thing very remarkable in this Court in the Publick Audience of Christian Ambassadors, that they and their Retinue are obliged to kiss the Grand Czar's Hand; which, as it is otherwise look'd upon as a thing much below the Dignity of an Ambassador; so it is consider'd in the Muscovian Court as a particular Favour, which is only granted to the Ambassadors of Christian Princes, and never permitted to Infidels.

The Revenues of the Czar of Muscovy are proportionable to the vast Extent of his Dominions. For besides, that he is Heir to all who die intestate and without Heirs; He lays what Imposition he thinks convenient upon the Estates and Persons of his Subjects, which indeed, in times of Peace are not great; but in times of War very excessive; so that they pay sometimes the Pottina, as it is call'd in Muscovy, which is the Fifth Part of every Man's Estate; as in the Reign of Michael Federowitz, when the famous Siege of Smolensko was to be undertaken, in the Year 1632. But most frequently at the Beginning of any great War, the Tenth is paid by the Muscovites.

The Great Duke's proper Demesne, is always farm'd out, from whence arises so considerable a Revenue, that it maintains near a Hundred Thousand Strelitz or▪ Musketeers, which are in part employ'd for the Guard of his Person and the City of Musco, partly are dispos'd in the Frontier-places.

The Customs are very considerable in Muscovy, Five per Cent. of all Merchandices imported or exported, being to be paid to the Czar. The Custom-House of Archangel has some Years paid in near 200000 l. Sterling; and since the Establishment

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of a free Commerce betwixt China, Persia and Muscovy, the Customs paid on those Frontiers amount to a great Sum yearly.

The Czar is as it were the General Merchant of the Empire, employing under him a great number of Factors, who are all accountable to him. What is imported by the Greeks and Persians is engrossed for the Czar's Use at a certain Price; Hides, Potash, Wax, Hemp, Flax, and other such like Commodities, which are of the Product of Muscovy, are sent by these Factors to Archangel and other places, where they are truck'd off for Silk, Cloth, Velvet, Cloth of Gold, and such other Commodities as the Czar stands in need of; it being a Custom in Muscovy for the Czar to bestow his Graces among his Subjects, in Silks, Velvets, Sables, and such like; As his Houshold-Servants are for the most part paid with Meal, Honey, Fish, Nut-oils, Oa•s, Beer, Mead, and other Necessaries. His Revenue out of•the Fur and Caviare, as also the Ithyocolla and Agarick, • must needs be very great, forasmuch as he monopolizes these Commodities.

Bath-stoves being so common in Muscovy, that there is not a Village so small, but has one or more of them: The Impost laid upon those that keep them for publick Use amounts to a vast Sum; But as the Taverns and other Houses where strong Liquors are sold, infinitely out-number the Bathstoves, so the Revenue arising from to the Czar is incredible; some of them being farm'd out at 2000, others at 6000, some at 10000 and 12000 Rubbles per Annum, reckoning a Rubble at•the rate of 8 Shillings Sterling.

It is to be imagined, that all these several Branches, when united, must needs make up a vast Treasure, but, if his Receippts are great, his Issues and Expences are proportionable thereto. For, not to insist here upon the extraordinary Splendor and Pomp of his Court, the Presents and Expences bestowed upon foreign Ambassadors, and the vast

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Consumption of all manner of Provisions of his Table, and the rest of his Court, where above a thousand Persons have Meat provided for them; every day. His Military Expences are almost incredible. The vastness of his Territories obliges him to keep above a hundred thousand Men in constant Pay, which in time of War are sometimes augmented to three hundred thousand; His Wars are more expensive to him than most other Princes of Europe, by reason of the great number of foreign Officers as well as Soldiers, he entertains in his Armies, who are both very plentifully and punctually paid; so, that notwithstanding the vastness of his Revenues, at the commencement of any War, he is obliged to lay extraordinary Impositions upon his Subjects.

The Great Duke,* 1.187 having only the Power of Coining Money, the same is commonly Farm'd out to several Merchants of the Cities of Musco, Novogorod, Twere and Plescou; these four Cities enjoying alone the Privilege of Coining, throughout all Muscovy. Their Silver Coin (for Gold they have none, unless it be Medals) is of an Oval figure, and very small, the biggest being worth but a Penny, they call them Copees, or Denaing, haveing on one side the Arms of Muscovy, as we have described it before, and on the other the Great Duke's Name then Reigning; and that of the City, where it is Coin'd. They have two lesser Sorts, call'd Poluske and Mustofske; the first is worth half, the second the fourth part of a C•pee, both of Silver, so that this small Money being so very troublesome to Tell; the Muscovites in their Trading make up their Accompts by Altins, Grif, and Rubbles; the first of these they count worth Three, the second Ten, and the third a Hundred Copees; tho' there▪ be no such Coin in Muscovy, but only is made use of in Commerce, to avoid the Multiplication of Copees. Besides this small Money, they make use, for the most part, of Rixdollars, and some Spanish Reals. The first they call J•sim•i,

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from the word Joachim, a name of a certain Saint, whose Image was formerly Stampt upon one side of these Rixdollars, and who hath communicated his name to a certain City in Bohemia, call'd Joachimstad, where in the Year 1519, these Rixdollars were first Coin'd, and are in Germany to this day, call'd Joachim's Dollars. The Czar rarely appears in Publick, unless it be on Festivals, or some other extraordinary Occasion, when he shews himself in the utmost Splendor; none but his Domesticks and Lords in Office are admitted to approach within the inward Court; The Guards which are within the Court, are kept under so exact a Discipline, that they stand at their Duty, silent, and as it were, immoveable. He dines but seldom in publick, and whether at Dinner or Supper, there is not the least Noise made by the Sounding of Trumpets or otherwise, but a certain Officer goes to the Cellar and Kitchen-door, where he calls to the Servant, Godusar Kushinung, that is to say, The Grand Seignior would be Serv'd, when immediately, the Meat is carried up. The Grand Duke always Dines alone; but if he invites any of his Lords, they are placed at another Table at some distance from his, and are Served with the same Meat, that has been presented to the Grand Duke. For, it is to be observed, that the Grand Duke has always fifty Dishes dress'd for his Dinner, which the Gentlemen, that bring them up all at once, hold so long in their Hands, till the Carver hath shew'd them to the Czar, who, after he has made choice of such of them as he likes best, sends the rest to such Persons of Quality, as he has invited to Dinner, or if he Dines alone, he sends those Dishes that have been untouch'd, to some of his Boyars, to their Houses.

There is a House of Pleasure at about three Miles distance from the City of Musco, belonging to the Great Dukes, where they goe once a Year, towards the end of May. It is called Obrasauksky, which is as much as Transfiguration, it being dedicated to

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the Transfiguration in the Mount. Here the Czar, in imitation of these Words: Master, 'tis good for us to be here, let us make three Tabernacles, has very magnificent Tents set up, for him and his Retinue, where he spends some time very retiredly, no body being admitted to disturb the Czar with any Petitions, or other Business; Nay, round about these Tents, are not only Rails, but Guards, placed to hinder the approach of the People, whom the Czar does not allow to be Eye-witnesses of his Retirement.

It being an established Custom in Muscovy,* 1.188 as we have said before, that the Czar never makes Alliances by way of Marriage with foreign Princes, he always chuses one of his own Subjects, which is generally done with a great deal of Secrecy, and never publish'd till after the Consummation of the Marriage; forasmuch as the Person the Czar makes Choice of (which is done by Tying a Crown upon her Head) is exposed to the Envy and Malice of such other Ladies, as have been refused by the Prince, so that to avoid any dangerous consequences, but especially the Charms of these Rival Ladies, which are much fear'd by the Muscovites, there is scarce any thing known of the Czar's Marriage, till it is Proclaim'd by the Sound of the Great Bell in Musco, perhaps the finest in the World.

As the Fashion of the Czar's Cloaths is like that of the Nobility,* 1.189 but only richer; so the Dress of the Czaritza or Empress is little different from other Women; the Attire of her Head is something higher, and her Smock Sleeves are much longer, to wit, ten or twelve English Yards; besides that, her Robe or uppermost Gown has wide Sleeves, not unlike to those of our Batchellours of Arts: These are worn by all her Women of Honour, Chamber-Women, Ladies, and Embroideresses. The Father or Brother of the Czaritza or Empress, dare not call her his Daughter and Sister, nor dare any of the Kindred own themselves so.

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It is a general Custom among the Russians,* 1.190 not to let their young Children be seen by any body, but their nearest Relations, for fear Strangers should cast some ill Aspect upon them. This is more strictly observed with the Czarovitz or Son of the Czar, none being permitted to see him, unless it be his Tutor, and Family Servants, till he be fifteen Years old, when he is exposed to publick View; At the Birth of a Czarovitz, the people, to demonstrate their Joy, bring great Presents to the Court, which are, for the most part, return'd, but, if the Czar likes any of them, he pays to the full Worth for them. The Czar's Children are attended by other Children, bred up with them, who exactly know their distance, and what manner of Respect is to be paid to them, as well as other Persons, of what degree soever. None of them dare speak the least Word of what passes in their Court; as it is death for any one to Reveal what is past in the Czar's Palace.

Of the Religion of the Muscovites, and their Church Government.

THE Muscovites do all profess one and the same Religion, which may be said to be particular to them; forasmuch as it extends not beyond the Grand Czar's Dominions, unless it be at Narva, where some few Muscovites live under the Jurisdiction of Sweden, and that there is some Analogy betwixt them and those Inhabiting the Polish Russia, that profess the Greek Religion. The Muscovites glory, that they are the only True Christians now in the World; forasmuch as they are baptized, whereas others have been only Sprinkled, which is the Reason they

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alledge for Re-baptizing all such, of what Persuasion soever, that embrace their Religion. They profess, as they say, the true Greek Religion, which makes them shew abundance of Respect and Kindness to the Greeks, so that the Greek Monks or Priests, which frequently come from other parts into Muscovy with their Relicks, know how to make an Advantage of their Simplicity and Ignorance. They found their Religion on the Books of the Old and New Testament. They are forbidden to bring the whole Bible to Church (tho they are allowed to read it at home) by reason of several passages in the Old Testament; so that they only carry the New Testament, and some certain chosen Psalms and Verses taken out of the Prophets. It is about threescore years ago that they got the Bible translated into the Russian Language, wherein they followed, as they pretend, the foot-steps of the Seventy Interperters. They have also a certain Book, which they call the History of the Gospel, but the whole so adulterated with Fabulous Narrations, and Impertinent Circumstances, that in another Christian Country it would be so far from being look'd upon as a Book of Devotion, that it would appear abominable. As to the Explication of the Bible, they follow St. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem, who flourish'd towards the latter end of the Fourth Age, under the Reign of the Emperor Theodosius, and ought not to be confounded with Cyril of Alexandria. The rest of the Fathers, which are in greatest esteem among the Russians, are John Damascene, Gregory Nazianzen, St. John Chysostome, and Ephraim the Syrian; of whom they relate, that an Angel having presented to him a Book writ in Golden Characters, which no body could disclose, he immediately received those Instructions from thence, which he has transmitted in his Books to Posterity. They relate out of their Annals, that the Christian Religion was first established in these parts by the Apostle St Andrew, who leaving Greece, came to the Borysthenes, where he embark'd,

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and by the Sea of Ladoga, came to Novogorod, where he Preach'd the Gospel. That the Christian Religion was afterwards extirpated by the Neighbouring Pagans, who made themselves Masters of Muscovy, till in the Year 989. Prince Wolodimer, or Ʋlodimer, Great Duke of Russia having given them a signal Overthrow, and re-united several of these Provinces to his Crown, grew so famous for his great Atchievements, that Basilius and Constantine Porphyrogennetae, Emperours of Constantinople, sent their Ambassadours to Congratulate his good Success; and that by the Conversation and Instructions of these Ambassadors, Prince Wolodimer was induc'd to embrace the Christian Faith, and to receive Baptism. John Cropalates who writ part of the Byzantine History, and lived much about the same time, as also Cedren and Zonaras chiefly attribute the Conversion of the Russians to the Christian Religion, to a Miracle perform'd by a Bishop that was sent thither by the Patriarch of Constantinople to instruct and baptize the people. For, these Infidels having objected to him, That, since God had preserved Daniel's Companions in the Fiery Furnace, why might not with the same, or more reason, the Bible be prevented by God's power, from being consumed by Fire? The Bishop, after having told them that he was assured he could not ask any thing from God, which he could not obtain by his prayers, cast the Bible into a great Fire, made for that purpose, where having lain till the Fire was all spent, it was taken out as entire and untouch'd as it was cast in, whereat Wolodimer being moved, abolish'd all Idolatry, and in lieu thereof, planted Christianity in all his Territories. From hence it is, that they deduce the Origin of their Religion from the Greek Church, which however, they have much alter'd since.

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The Creed of Athanasius is the general Rule of their Faith, for they believe in God the Father as Creator of the World, in God the Son, as Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind, and in the Holy Ghost, as Sanctifier of all the Faithful; but for the rest, they are involved in a great many Superstitions, and fix the Center of their Devotion, more in the outward and Ceremonial Part, than in the Internal Part of Religion. They pay their Venerations to the Virgin Mary, the Evangelists, the Apostles, and an infinite number of other Saints, not only as Intercessors, but Co-operators of their Salvation, for they pay to their Saints and Images all the Honours due to none but God Almighty. There is never a Family so small in M•scovy, but what has its Tutelar Saint's Image hung up against the Wall of the Chamber, unto whom the ignorant People pay their daily Devotion, and all the religious Instructions they give to their Children, tends to no more, than to stand with a great deal of Respect, and to say their Prayers before those Images; for the rest, they place the utmost Excellency of their good Works (which they believe meritorious) in building of Monasteries and Churches, and giving Alms. Those who intend to change their Religion, and embrace the Muscovian, are obliged to go for six Weeks into some Monastery or another, where all the Instructions they receive, is, how to say their Prayers, how to reverence their Saints and Images, and how to make the Cross.

The whole Exercise of the Muscovian Religion, may be reduced under these several Heads, viz. Baptism, Reading of the Word of God in their Churches, going to Mass, Praying to Saints, and making Reverences before their Images, Processions, Pilgrimages, Fastings, Confession and Communion.

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Baptism,* 1.191 they look upon as the most necessary Point of Religion; they acknowledge themselves conceived and born in Sin, and that by Baptism, they are regenerated and cleansed, according to God's Institution, from their original Impurity. They baptize their Children as soon as they are born; and, unless they be too weak (when they Baptize them at home, but never in the same Room where the Mother lies) they are carried to Church by the Godfather and Godmother, where being met at the Door by the Priest, he signs the Child with the Sign of the Cross in the Forehead, and gives him the Benediction, saying. The Lord preserve thy coming in, and thy going out. Then they walk up together to the Font, which stands in the middle of the Church, cross which, the Priest fastens nine lighted Wax-Candles, delivered to him by the Godfathers, whom he Incenses, and Consecrates the Water with a great many Ceremonies. Then the Procession begins about the Font; the Clerk goes before with the Image of St. John, being followed by the Godfathers, with Wax-Candles in their Hands; thus they go about it three times, whilst the Priest Reads out of a Book. The Procession being over, the Godfathers give the Name of the Child to the Priest, in Writing, upon his Demand, who puts it upon an Image, which he holds upon the Child's Breast, and after some short Prayers, asks the God-fathers, Whether the Child believes in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Having answer'd, Yes, they all turn their Backs to the Font, as a Sign of their Aversion to the three next following Questions, to be asked by the Priest, to' wit; Whether the Child forsakes the Devil? Whether he forsakes his Angels? Whether he forsakes his Works? The Godfathers answering, Yes, distnctly to every Question, and Spitting three times upon the Ground.

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Then they face about again to the Font▪ and being asked by the Priest, whether they promise to bring up the Child in the true Greek Religion, they advance with the Child nearer towards the Door (for fear the Devil, by whom they believe Children to be possess'd before Baptism, should take up his Residence in the Church) where he begins the Exorcism, putting his Hands upon, and blowing three times cross the Child with these Words: Get out of this Child thou unclean Spirit, and make way for the Holy Ghost. Then returning to the Font, he cuts off a little of the Childs Hair, which he puts into a Book, and, having asked the God-fathers, whether the Child was brought thither to be Baptized, he takes him stark Naked into his Arms, and dips him three times into the Water, pronouncing the Words of the Sacrament in the mean while, viz. I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Immediately after the Baptism, he signs it with the sign of the Cross on the Forehead, upon the Hands, Breast and Back, with a certain Oyl consecrated for that purpose, and having put a corn of Salt in the Child's Mouth, and a clean Shirt about him, Thou art, says he, as clean and as clear from thy Original Sin, as thy Shirt. Then the Priest hangs •bout his Neck a little Cross of Gold, Silver or •ead, according to the Ability of the Parents, with 〈◊〉 very strict Injunction to wear it all his life-time; •hich is observed with so much strictness by the Muscovites, that they deny Christian Burial to such 〈◊〉 have it not about them, at their last Exit out of his World. The whole is concluded by the Priest's •igning the Child a certain Saint, whose Image he ••livers to the God-father, and charges him to take ••ectual care, that, the Child, as soon as he is come 〈◊〉 Years of Discretion, may pay all due Reverence 〈◊〉 his Patron. Lastly, he takes his leave from the •hild and God-fathers with a Kiss, exhorting them 〈◊〉 mutual Love, but to take heed of intermarry•g.

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The Water, wherein the Child is to be Baptized, is never Warmed over the Fire, though the Cold be never so excessive, but they put it sometimes in some warm place or other, to take off a little of the cold. If two or more Children are to be Baptized at the same Font, the Water is emptied so often as there are several Children to be Baptized, it being their Opinion, that the Water which is contaminated with the Original Sin of the first Child, is not pure enough to cleanse the second or third from their Impurities. Persons of Age who change their Religion, and embrace the Muscovite Faith, nay, even Muscovites, who having changed their Religion in another Country, are willing to return to their own Communion, must be first Re-baptized, which is always done in a Brook or River, where they are plunged over Head and Ears, be it never so Cold, nay, they oftentimes break through the Ice to come at the Water.

In the same manner are treated those whom the Russians call Chaldeans, who being look'd upon by them as Infidels, and who during the time they commit their Extravagancies, have withdrawn themselves from the Church, must be reconciled to it, by Re-baptization on Twelfth-day, as that on which happened the Vocation of the Gentiles. They are a Company of idle Vagabond Fellows, who, in Commemoration of Sadrach, Mesack and Abednego, that were cast into the Fire by the Command of Nebuchadn••ar, represent the Men that heated the Oven; for which purpose, pursuant to an Ancient Custom, they get leave from the Patriarch, to Disguise themselves, and to run up and down the Streets with Fire-works, from the Eighteenth Day of December, till Twelvetide: During which time, they commit great Insolencies, exacting small Gifts from the Peasants whose Hair and Beards they set on Fire upon refusal. On Twelfth-day, when their License is expired, they are Re-baptized (some of them having been Baptized Ten or Twelve times) and lookt upon as good Christians. Those that intend to Embrace the Russian

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Faith, be they of what Religion they will, must first renounce their former Baptism, abjure their former Religion, and declare if Heretical, spit as often as it is named, and Curse their Fathers and Mothers. After which they are clad in the Muscovian Habit, and are maintained by the Great Duke according to their Qualities.

Their Festivals,* 1.192 when besides Sundays, every body is to attend Divine Service at Church are regulated and certain, and are inserted in the Muscovian Almanack, according to the Old Stile: They have fifteen of them throughout the whole Year▪ and stand according to their Year, which begins in September, in the following order.

First, The Nativity of the Blessed Mother of God, on the Eighth Day of September, called by the Russians, Prasnick Rosostua Priziste B•gerodice.

The Exaltation of the Cross on the Fourteenth of the same Month, called Vzemirna Wasdai▪ Senja Chresta.

The Oblation of the Blessed Mother of God, on the One and Twentieth of November, called Vedenja Priziste Bogorodice.

The Nativity of Christ on the Five and Twentieth of December, called R•s•stua Christova.

The Epiphany on the Sixth of January, called Cres••enia.

Candlemass Day the second of February, called Stratenia Gospoda Boga.

The Annunciation of our Blessed Lady, on the Five and Twentieth of March, called B•agaves•enia Priziste Bogoredice.

Palm Sunday, which they call We•bna W•s•r•shenia.

Easterday, or the Resurrection of Christ, called Welikoiden, or Wos•reshenia Christova.

The Ascension of Christ, called Wosneshenia Christova.

Whit-Sunday, or the Sending of the Holy Ghost, called Schiestnie Swetaga Duena. The next day after this, they Celebrate the Feast of the Trinity,

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and the next following Sunday, that of All Saints.

The Manif•station of the Glory of Jesus Christ upon the Mountain; which they call Prebrosiena Gospodo Christova, is celebrated on the 6th Day of August.

The Ascension of the Virgin; or, The Assumpption of the Mother of God, called by them Vspenia p•iziste bogorodice, they celebrate on the 15th of the same Month.

There is scarce a Day in the Year, but what is dedicated to one Saint, or another; nay, sometimes three or four Saints have but one Day allotted betwixt them: But these being of an inferiour Degree, are not much regarded by the Laity; the Ecclesiasticks being only obliged to say the Offices appointed for those Days.

Formerly the Muscovites made but an indifferent Account of their Festivals and Sundays; for, though they would go to Mass in the Morning, the Shops were open, and the Handycraft's-Man did follow his ordinary Employment in the Afternoons; till about Fifty Years ago, by a special Order from the Patriarch, the Shops were ordered to be shut, not only upon these Festivals and Sundays, but also on their Weekly Fasting-days; to wit, on Wednesdays and Fridays: And that during the Time of Divine Service, no Wine or Aqua-vitae should be sold; but this is not executed with too much Rigour; at least, they seldom fail to conclude them with Strong Liquors.

Upon these above-mentioned Festivals,* 1.193 and Sundays, they go to Church three times a Day; first, in the Morning early, to Mattens; at Noon; and in the Evening, to Vespers. They do not make use, in their Service, of any Sermons, or Instructions to their Auditors; but only read certain Passages out of the Bible, and some Homilies: Giving for a Reason, That their Faith being founded upon the pure Word of God, it is, without any farther Explication, sufficient to lead them into the Way of Salvation; for

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as much as the divers Interpretations of the Holy Scripture occasion Heresies and Divisions in the Church. This they lay down as so unalterable a Maxim▪ that some of their Priests, who were, perhaps, not quite so ignorant as the rest, and undertook to preach, and exhort the People out of the Holy Scripture, have been excommunicated, and banished into Siberia; as it happen'd about 60 Years ago, to a certain Proto-Pope of Morum, and his Followers. Their whole Service therefore consists in the Reading of certain Chapters out of the Bible, some Psalms, and St. Athanasius's Creed: Sometimes they add an Homily out of St. Chrys•stom, or certain Prayers, or rather Anthems; sung much after the same manner as the Antiphona's.

The general Morning-Anthems are, Deliver me, O Lord, of thy abundant Mercy: For thy Mercy's sake, cleanse me from my Sins; O Lord, my Saviour. This is for the Mattens, or Morning-Prayers.

At Noon-Prayers, this Anthem is used, amongst others; We trust in Christ, our Saviour; and our Hope is in him: Halleluja; Halleluja.

That for the Vespers, is; Lord, hear my Prayer, and hear me when I call; and let my Cry come unto thee.

At the Conclusion of these, or any other of their Anthems, the People repeat three times (making every time the Sign of the Cross) their Gospodi Pomilui; or, Lord, have Mercy upon me.

This done, the Priest, attended by the Clerk, goes up to the Altar, where he says the Office, according to the Liturgy of St. Basil. He pours Red Wine and Water (in Imitation of the Blood and Water that came out of our Saviour's Side) into the Chalice, with some little Bits of Leaven'd Bread; and after having consecrated them, and said several Prayers, he takes out the Bread with a Spoon, but gives nothing of it to any body, unless it be to some sick Child, brought thither on purpose to receive the Communion according to the Institution of the Muscovite Church. They are all bare in the Church,

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even the Great Duke himself. The People stand all the Service-time, and incessantly bow and pay their Reverences to the Images, frequently pronouncing Gospodi Pomilui or Lord have Mercy upon me. The most Devout prostrate themselves, knocking their H••ds against the Ground; especially at Whitsuntid▪ when they fall prostrate upon Sycamore-Branches wherewith their Churches are strewed; being perswaded that the Holy Ghost descends upon these Leaves. The Priests only have the Liberty of keeping on their Caps, which are given them at their Consecration. But if a Priest have known his Wife, if he have touched a dead Corps, or been at a Burial, he is not to offici•te at the Altar the same Day, but is obliged to substitute another in his Place. The most Devout keep at a distance, not entring the Church, but perform their Devotion at the Door, among the Women: The fair Sex (as if they were not sufficiently disciplined at home) having this, as an additional Mortification, enjoined them, that they must keep at a distance at Church; especially if they have chanced to take the Husband in a good Humour, and enjoyed lately the Pleasures of Matrimony. In which Case also the Man is confined to the Church-door, unless he have, after having had Knowledge of his Wife, washed and bathed himself, and put on a clean Shirt. If the Russian Women were as constant Church-Women as our Ladies, they would be obliged to build their Porches bigger than the Churches.

Most of these Festivals are also solemnized among the Muscovites with Processions, among which, that upon Palm-Sunday, representing the Entrance of our Saviour into Jerusalem, is performed in the Presence of the Great Duke, and the Patriarch himself, in the City of Mosco; and throughout the whole Kingdom, by the Wayvodes and Metropolitans of the Provinces, who represent the Great Duke and Patriarch.

The Great Duke goes from the Castle,* 1.194 with the Patriarch, to the Church called Jerusalem, without the Castle-Gate, in the following Order: After a

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Hundred, or more, Scavengers have cleared the Way through which the Procession is to pass, there first comes a very large Chariot, most like a Pageant, drawn by six Horses; in which is placed a Tree, garnished with abundance of Apples, Figs and Grapes, which are fasten'd to the Branches: Round about it are placed four or five Lads, with Surplisses, singing Hosannah. Next to the Chariot come a great many Priests, in their Surplisses and Copes; some carrying Books and Crosses, others Banners and Images upon long Poles; some sing, others cast Incense among the People. After these, march the Duke's Factors and Merchants; then the Secretaries, Knez and Boyares, who go immediately before the Great Duke, most of them with Palm twigs in their Hands. The Grand Duke himself marches on foot, richly clad, with a Crowned Bonnet upon his Head; supported on both sides by two of the principal Bojares, or Counsellors of State; and leading by the Bridle, which is three or four Yards long the Patriarch's Horse: This Horse, which is covered all over with a White Fine Linnen Cloth, is disguised like an Ass, with great Artificial Ears; upon which the Patriarch rides sideling, having upon his Head a round low Crowned Cap, with a narrow Brim, lined with E•mins, and richly beser with Pearls, over which appears a kind of a Diadem: In his Right Hand he has a Cross of Diamonds, wherewith he blesses the People, who receive his Benediction with very low Submissions, bowing their Heads to the Ground, and making the Sign of the Cross. He is surrounded by Metropolitans, and other Priests; whereof, some carry Books, others Censers. As they pass along, there are a great Number of Boys placed on both sides of the Way, some of which pull off their upper Garments, which they scatter along the Way; others lay Pieces of Cloth, of several Yard• long, upon the Ground, for the Great Duke and 〈◊〉 to pass over.* 1.195 Thus they march to the above mentioned Church, where having stay'd above 〈◊〉 an Hour, they return in the same Order, till they come

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to a certain Plat-form, where the Patriarch, after having presented the Czar and some of the Bojares with Palm-twigs, takes off the Great Duke's Cap, and having laid it upon a Silver Plate, he presents his Diamond-Cross to him to kiss: This being done with a most profound Reverence by the Czar, the Patriarch waves it on high, all round about, first towards those upon the Plat-form, who also receive this Benediction with the utmost Respect; and then to all the People▪ who at the same Instant prostrate themselves upon the Ground, especially the Czar's Guards that attend there▪ and upon this Occasion, appear the most zealous in their Devotion. They conclude with some Hymns, which having lengthen'd the whole Devotion to an Hour, the Procession marches from thence, back to the Castle▪ in the same manner as they went first to the Church. The Patriarch, as an Acknowledgment of the Honour received from His Czarrish Majesty, in leading his Horse, presents him with a Purse, containing to the Value of an Hundred Guineas.

Eight Days after this Procession is the Feast of Easter,* 1.196 which the Muscovites celebrate with great Ceremonies, and Rejoicings; as well in Remembrance of the Resurrection of our Saviour, as that it puts an End to their Mortifications which they have endured in their Lent. Their Rejoicings continue for 15 Days during which they feast▪ one another with all manner of good Cheer▪ and to make thmselves a full Amends for their Sufferings during the Lent, they ply the Drinking-Houses so warmly, that they are filled up every where with Persons of all sorts, Men and Women, Ecclesiasticks and Laicks; and the Streets almost not to be passed, for the Multitudes of Drunkards at Night. They sell for these fifteen Days Eggs ready d•ed, of all sorts of Colours, but especially of a Red, or Crimson; which they send as Pr•••nts to one another, to some, one; some, two; some three: And if they meet one another in this 〈◊〉 they salute one another with these Words, Christes wos chrest, that is, Christ is risen: Whereto

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the other having answered, W•stin wos Chrest; that is, He is certainly risen; they kiss one another: He that salutes first, is obliged to present the other with an Egg; no body, of what Condition, Sex or Quality soever, daring to refuse either the Kiss, or the Egg. The Great Duke himself does not only present Eggs to the principal Counsellors and Lords of his Court, but also to his Military Officers residing in the City of Musco; who all come to kiss his Hand, and His Majesty imparts to them his Royal Benediction.

They have many such like Processions,* 1.197 upon several Occasions; and the Great Duke goes frequently on Pilgrimage, with his whole Court. The First of October is, among other Days, celebrated with a great deal of Ceremony. The Great Duke, attended by his Bojares, and Officers of his Houshold; and the Patriarch, accompanied by some Metropolitans, and a great Number of other Priests, with Books and Crosses in their Hands, go in Procession to the same Church we have mentioned before, called by them, that of the Blessed Trinity; and by the Germans, and most other Strangers, Jerusalem. But before they come quite to the Church, there is a Theatre erected on the Right Hand as you go to it, railed in all about; before which are planted two great Pieces of Cannon, whereof the Bore is near half an Ell Diameter. The Grand Duke and Patriarch, without admitting any body else, being got within the Rails, upon the Theatre, the Patriarch presents to the Great Duke a certain Image, painted upon a piece of Past-board which folds together in the Middle, not unlike a Book, and is enriched with Silver at the four Corners; to which the Czar makes a very low Reverence, touching it with his Forehead, whilst the Priests without the Rails are muttering over certain Prayers, appointed for that Solemnity. This done, the Patriarch presents to him a Golden Cross, beset with Diamonds, of about a Foot in length; which, after the Great Duke has kissed, the Patriarch touches his Forehead and Temples with it; and so

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to Church they go, where the Service is performed, and the Solemnity ended for that Day.

With no less Solemnity they celebrate their New-Years-Day,* 1.198 which is the first of September; they having no other Epache but that of the Creation of the World, as we have mentioned before. This Procession is performed in the Castle, where a considerable number of the People are permitted to partake of the Benediction given them by the Patriarch. He, attended by three or four Hundred Priests, carrying Banners, Images, Crosses, and Books, comes out of the Church, which is on the Right Hand of the Second Court of the Castle, while the Great Duke with his Knez, Bojares, and other Officers of his Court, comes out on the Left Hand of the same Court. The Grand Duke with his Cap in his Hand, and the Patriarch with his Mitre on his Head, and a Cross beset with Diamonds a Foot long in his Hand, advancing to one another, the Patriarch presents the Cross to the Great Duke to kiss; which he having done with a most profound Respect, the Patriarch gives his Benediction first to the Czar, and afterwards to all the rest there present, wishing them all Prosperity in the New Year.

As to what concerns their Images,* 1.199 they suffer not any that are Carved or Graven, either in their Churches or Houses; because, say they, these are forbidden in the Decalogue; but their Images are painted with Oil upon Wood. The best of all is, That they will not admit of any painted by Foreigners, though done by the greatest Masters of Europe; but they must be painted by one of their own Religion: So that for Colour, Painting, and Proportion they are the most wretched in the whole World, being about a Foot in Breadth, and not quite a Foot and a half in length. There is in the City of Musco, as we have mentioned in the Second Chapter, a certain Street appointed for the Sale of these Images; though a Muscovite will never own to have bought his Saint: For which reason, when any one of them has chosen an Image in the God-market, he deposits Money

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for the Exchange of it; if the Saint-maker thinks it not sufficient, he shoves it back, and the other Party is obliged to add more to it, till both Parties are contented. They will own, that during the first Centuries, even till the Time of Constantine the Great, Images were not used in the Church; or, if they were, no Worship was paid them. They alledge that they follow in this Point the Authority and Opinion of John Damascene, though it is more likely they have taken them from the Greek Church. The Walls of their Churches are every where full of them, as they are the chief Ornaments of their Houses, every Family having its Saint with a small Wax-Candle before it, which they light when they pay their Devotion. Over the Porch of their Churches, in the Market-places, and over the Gates of their Cities you are sure to meet with the Picture of some Saint or another, but especially with that of the Virgin Mary, and St. Nicholas the Patron of Muscovy.

These Images the Muscovites respect,* 1.200 and look upon as things so absolutely necessary, that without them they could not perform their Devotion. As often as they address their Prayers to them, they set Wax Candles before that Saint to whom they intend to make their Addresses; and after they have made most profound Inclinations with their Heads, they frequently make the Sign of the Cross with three Fingers of their Right Hand, touching first the Forehead, next the Breast, lastly the Right Shoulder, and the Left after that. They conceive in this way of crossing themselves a great deal of Mystery; for, they say, the Three Fingers signifie the Trinity; by their putting them to their Forehead, they would shew that Christ is ascended into Heaven; by crossing the Breast, that God ought to be reverenced and loved with all our Heart. But as to making the Sign of the Cross from the Right Shoulder to the Left, they intend to signifie the Day of Judgment; forasmuch as it is said, That God shall place the Righteous on his Right Hand, to be called to Eternal Salvation;

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and the wicked on the Left, to be thrown into the Abyss of Hell.

If they pass by any of their Images in the Street, they make a stand for a while before them, till they have made their Reverence four or five times one after another, which is done by crossing themselves, and pronouncing with a loud Voice their Gospodi Pomilui, or God have mercy upon me.

They address themselves with the same Veneration to such Crosses as they meet with in their way,* 1.201 where they are frequently observed to stop, and repeat the same Ejaculations. The first, nay, the only thing Parents teach their Children, is, to make their Reverences and Inclinations to the Images, to make the Sign of the Cross, and to say the Gospodi Pomilui, or God have mercy upon me. The Muscovites don't undertake any thing, nor Eating nor Drinking, or whatever else it may be, without making first the Sign of the Cross, which may well be called the Introduction to all the Civil Actions of the Muscovites.

The Tutelar Saints of private Houses have commonly their Stations assign'd them in a Corner behind the Table. Whenever a Muscovite comes into a House, the first thing he does is to go straightways to the Saint of the House; if he cannot find him, he asks, Jest le Boch, or Where is the God? After he has found him out, he pays his Reverence to him, saying his Gospodi Pomilui, or Lord have mercy upon me; and then turns about and salutes the Company. If they are to take a merry turn with a Woman in the Room where the Saint is, they are sure to cover him first▪ perhaps▪ for fear he should tell tales. They will not allow Strangers to touch them, or for any Body to sleep in the same Room, with their Feet towards them; nay, some are so nice, as to purifie the Chamber with Incense, if any Strangers of another Religion have lodged in it.

They will hold their Images to the Fire, believing they have a Power to extinguish it if they please. The Swedish Soldiers, who in the Year 1610. had taken and burnt the City of Novogorod, when they saw the Inhabitants presenting their Images to stay

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the Progress of the Flames, being convinced of their Fondness to them, and not finding any thing else in their Houses worth taking, carried away their Images, which the Muscovites afterwards redeemed at a very good Rate. In time of Fire▪ they strive, before all other things, to save their Images; but if they, or a Church happen to be burnt, they would look upon it as a great Disgrace to say the Saint or Church is burnt; but they say, They are ascended. When the Image is become obliterate or rotten, they either bury it with a great deal of Ceremony, or else (which is the general way) throw it into some River, and commit it to the Chance of the Current; at parting they cross themselves, and cry, Prosti, Farewel. Persons of great Fortunes or Quality adorn their Saints with Pearls or precious Stones; but these Demy-Gods are so tenacious of what they have once got into their Clutches, that they will never part with any of it again to the Owners, though never so •ecessitous. There are not wanting Examples, that, upon a pinch, some have made bold to borrow of their Saints against their Will, what formerly was their own, who have paid for it with the loss of both their Hands. If any one is excommunicated, his Saint, as well as his Person, is excluded from the Church.

The Muscovian Monks and Priests,* 1.202 as ignorant as they are in other matters, have been cunning enough not to despoil the Saints of the Art of doing Miracles. At Archangel there was once a Gang of them, who, by such Impostures, had got a considerable Sum of Money together; but falling out among themselves when they were dividing the Spoil, the Fraud was discovered, and so had a good Whipping for their pains. It must be owned, there are but few Instances of this nature among the Muscovites, they being else too zealous to call in question the Omnipotency of their Saints, whom they believe to have at least something of Divinity in them. In the Year 1643. an old Image had began to change Colour, and to turn a little reddish. This was immediately cry'd up not only for a Miracle, but rather for an ill Omen,

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or some Bloody Presage, to that Degree, that the Great Duke and the Patriarch being frightned thereat, as well as the People, preparations were making for an extrordinary Fast-day, and publick Prayers to be made all over the Kingdom; but some of the Bojares having thought it convenient to call together all the Painters about the City, they brought in their Verdict: That they believed there was nothing ominous in the matter, forasmuch as they were assured, that time having consumed the Paint, had only discovered the colour of the Wood, which was Red: Among others of their miraculous Saints, they have two of a late Date; the Name of the first was, Sudatworets Philip Metropolite, he lived in the Reign of that famous Tyrant, John Basilovits, unto whom he used constantly to make remonstrances of his wicked Life and Cruelties, till the Great Duke not able any longer to endure his Reprehensions, caused him to be slain by one of his Servants; since which time he has been reckoned among their Holy Martyrs, and been famous for the Miracles they have attributed to him, which were formerly performed at Archangle, near which he was Buried in the Isle of Solofka in the White Sea, but has been since from thence translated to the City of Musco, and placed in the great Church of the Castle; where for some time he did most surprising Miracles, by healing the Dumb, Deaf, Blind, Agues, and Paraliticks: But of late Years, it seems, the Saint is grown Weary of his Profession of Physick, though they affirm, that his Body remains entire to this day, which is not easie to be disproved, since it is forbidden upon pain of Death, to lift up the Cloath which covers the Body of the Saint.

The second, and the topping Saint of all Muscovy, for Miracles, is one Sergius, whose Residence was in the Monastery of Troitza, about threescore Miles distant from the City of Musco. This Saint as it seems, was in his younger Days, a Military Person of a very graceful Aspect, but having taken a Distaste at that Profession, and abandoned his vicious

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course of Life, turn'd first Hermite, and afterwards got into the Monastery of Troitza, which from his Name, ever since his Burial there, has been called Zergeofski Troitza, it being formerly Dedicated to the Trinity, where being soon after chosen Abbot, he, and one of his Disciples, called Nikon, grew so famous for the many Miracles they performed, that they were both Canonized after their Death, which hapned in the Year 1563. Their Heads, as they say, do not only remain entire to this day, but also that of Sergius (if one may believe them) has not lost its Military Operation; for, when this Monastery was Besieged by the Poles, the Head of Sergius only forced them to raise the Siege, having caused them to turn their Arms against themselves, during the Assault: 'Tis true, this Monastery was Besieged by the Poles, under their General John Sapicha, who was forced to abandon the Enterpize, and thus far the Monks are in the right of it, but they were mistaken in the true circumstances of the matter; for, asmuch as it was not the Head of their Saint, or their own Bravery, put the Swedish Army that obliged the Poles, to raise the Siege: But they are not used to examine Miracles with so much nicety here; for notwithstanding this, the Great Dukes goe thither generally twice a Year to do their Devotion, and when they come at two Miles distance from the Monastery, alight from their Horses, walking the rest of the way on foot. Having performed their Devotion, they spend some days in Hunting, during which time, the Abbot entertains the Great Duke, and his whole Retinue. The Muscovites frequently perform here their Vows of going on Pilgrimage, and bestowing their Alms, made perhaps in their Travels or Sickness, which with the Liberality of the Great Dukes, has encreased the Revenues of this Monastery to that Degree, that it is accounted one of the Richest and the most Beautiful in all Muscovy, and maintains a great number of Monks.

There is also a Church Dedicated to the Holy Mother of Casan, whither many Pilgrimages which are

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made by the Muscovites, as also to Chutina, about Eight Miles distant from Novogorod, to the Sepulchre of one of their Saints, called Werlam, who being Born at Novogorod, was Buried near the said Monastery of Chutina.

On the Eve of the Pentecost they perform certain a naual Devotions in Memory of their departed Friends, with a great deal of Formality, but in a manner very Ridiculous.

Those of their Churches which are of Stone,* 1.203 are all round and Vaulted, because, they say, they have thus a nearer resemblance to Heaven, which is the Throne of God. These have in the midst of four Turrets, a Tower form'd at the Top, not unlike the Knobs we put on our Bedsteads, having upon it a Triple Cross: This is to represent our Saviour, as the head of the Church, and the Cross being the Badge of Christianity, they think fit, the Church of Christ should be distinguish'd by it from others. Within are neither Seats nor Benches, because none sit down, but all perform their Devotions, either standing, or prostrating themselves. They don't make use of Organs, or any other Musical Instruments in their Churches, being perswaded, that things inanimate, cannot glorifie God. They believe their Churches profaned by the Entrance of any Stranger that is not of the same Communion▪ wherefore they are not admitted, and as soon as Discovered, thrust out. But if a Dog chances to come into the Church, they first sweep, and afterwards purifie it with Incense and Holy Water; they also shew a great deal of respect for their Church-yards.

Their Bells are not hung in Steeples like ours,* 1.204 but placed in a certain Engine, built for that purpose in the Church-yard, near the Church: They are for the most part very small (tho' Muscovy has else the greatest• Bell perhaps in the World) seldom exceeding 200 Weight. The Ropes are not fastned to the Bells, but to the Clapper, and they fasten two of these Ropes to both Arms near the Elbows, and two more to both hands of a Man, so that one

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single Person may make a Chiming, in which the Muscovites take extraordinary delight, tho' it sounds but very indifferently to those that are used to better; they Toll them at the beginning of Services, and at the Elevation of the Chalice; for, the Bread being put in immediately after the Consecration into the Wine, they make but one Elevation; they reckon the Chiming of Bells so essential a part of Divine Service, that they believe it to be imperfect without it.

If there be any Religion in the World that obliges its Professors to a most severe Mortification,* 1.205 it is certainly the Muscovian; for as if it were not sufficient to have enjoyned the keeping of two constant Fast-days in the Week, to wit, the Wednesday and Friday, and the Eves before Holy Days, when they are obliged to abstain so strictly from all kind of Flesh, that they must not make use of Eggs and Milk, they have four Lents every Year: The longest of them is like ours of seven Weeks; the second begins Eight Days after the Pentecost, and lasts till St. Peter's Day; the third holds from the first of August, to the Sixteenth of the same Month; and the fourth from the twelfth of November till Christmass Day. During all these Lents, they eat neither Butter, nor Eggs, nor Milk, much less Flesh, unless it be in the first Week of the long Lent, which being their Carnaval, they have liberty for all manner of excesses, except Fish. In this Week, their Extratravagances are almost past belief, and as if this time was alloted them as a preparative to their Fastings, they commit such Debauches in double distilled Brandies and melted Butter, which they pour down their Throats, that they are all kindled in a Flame, and if they are not immediately quenched with Milk, they die upon the Spot. Woe, to any Stranger that meets these Drunkards at Night, without being well guarded, their Insolencies being so great, that with Fightings, Quarrels and Murthers, commonly Forty or more Persons are Murthered in a Night, during this Week; not to reckon those, who being overcharged

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with Liquors, and wanting Attendance to carry them Home, fell down upon the Snow, and so are Frozen to Death. It is a most dismal Spectacle, to behold perhaps Ten or a Dozen of these in the Morning, carried upright in a Sledge, Frozen to Death, some having their Faces Gnawed, others their Arms eaten off by Dogs, others to have nothing left but the bare Bones; and yet these are the daily Objects one meets with in the Streets of Musco, during this time of Debauchery. All the attonement they make for these Enormities, is, That the next Week after they live upon Honey, Herbs and Pulse, and Drink only Quus, or small Mead, and Water; and to cleanse themselves from the Impurities contracted in these excessive Debauches, they dont forget to visit the Bath-stoves. The rest of the Lent, they live pretty Temporately, and some of the most Devout will not eat Fish all that time, unless it be on Sundays: But as they are very exact in observing these strict Rules in Lent, so it is a very difficult task to perswade them to eat Fish on Sundays or Holy Days out of Lent, being of Opinion, that the Rules prescribed by St. Clement, in the Tomes of the Councels Printed at Venice, according to which, Laymen that Fast on Saturdays and Sundays, ought to be Excommunicated, are most consonant to the Apostolical Institution. By the same Rule that forbids them to eat Flesh, they are also enjoyned not to meddle with Women on their Fast-days, and during their Lent; if the Russians should send abroad any Missionaries, I am apt to believe they would make but very few Proselites in these parts. There are some who alledge, that these frequent Feasts have been Establish'd in Moscovy, rather upon a Political than Spiritual account, to wit, for the preservation of their Cattle; forasmuch as the Peasants, being all Slaves here, dont take the same care for the propagating and preserving their Cattle, as they do in other parts, where they enjoy the Fruits of their own labour; and that the long Winters in Muscovy renders the keeping of the Cattle both very troublesome and

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chargeable, whereas they abound in the best Fish in the World, which are sold at a very cheap rate all over Muscovy.

All those that are arrived to the Age of Discretion,* 1.206 are obliged to go to Confesssion, before they receive the Communion. Their Confession they make standing before one of their Images, on which having fastned their Eyes, they make a particular recital of all their Sins, expressing their Sorrow for every one of them in particular, and promising Amendment▪ The Priest very rarely gives them the Absolution without some Penance, which consist for the most part, in repeating frequently the Gospodi Pomilui, or Lord have Mercy on me; in making a certain number of Reverences before their Saints, in standing at the Church-door, in abstaining from Women and Aqua-Vita. But if it be a sin that requires more than ordinary expiation, the Priest is not unmindful of his own Interest; for, in this case, he enjoyns them to make use of the Holy Water, which is Consecrated on Twelfth-Day▪ to cleanse Sinners of their Sins, and is disposed of for that purpose by the Priests, not without a good Consideration.

Most of the Muscovites receive the Communion upon Easter Eve,* 1.207 or at least upon a Fasting Day; forasmuch as if they should Communicate on a Sunday, they must not eat Flesh that day. They prepare themselves for it, by an extraordinary Mortification a Week before, when they eat nothing but hard Bread, and drink nothing but Quus, worse than our small Bear, or Water. They Communicate in both kinds, unless it be Children under seven years old, at which Age, as soon as they are arrived, they are admitted to Communicate both, because at that Age (as they say) they begin to sin mortally. They mix warm Water with Wine, which (according to the Counsel of Constantinople) represents the Water that came forth with the Blood from the side of our Saviour; the Bread, which must be Leavened and Baked by a Priest's Widow, they put in the Wine, taking out a Morsal, together with

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some of the Wine in a Spoon. The Communion Bread for sick Persons is about twice as big, and somewhat thicker than a Crown Piece, and hath in the middle the sign of the Crucifix. This figure (after it is Consecrated) the Priest takes off with an Instrument, not unlike a Launcet, and puts it up in a wooden Box, hanging above the Altar, to preserve it from Rats and Mice. If a sick Person is to receive the Communion, they take a little of it, upon which they put a few drops of Red Wine, and a little Water in the Chalice, which they give to the sick Person with a Spoon; if the sick Person be not capable of swallowing the Bread, they give him only a little Wine. In the ordinary Administration of the Sacrament, they make use of the same sort of consecrated Bread, but not bigger than half a Crown, from which they also take the Crucifix, and break it into as many pieces, as there are Communicants, which they cast into Red Wine, and mix it with a little warm Water, and so Administer with a Spoon: What remains of the Bread, after Consecration, is called Kutja, or Holy Bread, of which the Priest gives a Morsel to each of those, who have Communicated the Week before. At the Administring of the Sacrament, the Priest says these Words: This is the true Body, and the true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath been given for thee, and for many more, for the remission of thy sins, which thou shalt take in remembrance of him, God bless thee: There have been some who from these Words have drawn this inference, as if the Muscovites believed Transubstantiation, against which several pregnant reasons may be alledged to the contrary. For, if you Discourse the Muscovites concerning the Consequences of that belief, they will not refuse to own it irrational, nay, absur'd and ridiculous, neither do they call to their aid (as the Roman Catholicks do) God's Omnipotency. Besides that they dont pay Adoration to this Mystery, which doubtless they would do in a Religion so Zealous and Superstitious as theirs, were they of the same Opinion, as to this

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point, with▪ the Roman Catholicks. Sick Children, though never so Young, receive the Communion, but in one kind, till they are seven Years Old, when they Communicate like the rest, as we have observed before. They do not refuse the Communion to Madmen, but they only touch their Lips with the Bread dip'd before in the Wine. A Woman in Childbed is not to Communicate in the same Room, where she was brought to Bed, but must be first washed and carried into another place. Those that have committed Murther, are not to be Communicated but at the point of Death; if those that lie in extremity are to be Communicated, they gave them first some Water, or Aqua-vitae, wherein some relicks have been put, then they receive the Communion, and at the same time the Extream Unction; which done, they are to take nothing else, nor any Nourishment, unless there be very apparent Signs of their amendment. There are some among the Muscovites, who at the last extremity, cause themselves to be Shaven, and become real Monks: This once done, they are not permitted to take any thing for a Week after; being perswaded that they are no more Men, but become Angels: And if they happen, after these Eight Days of Abstinence, to recover their Health, they must go into a Monastery, because the Razor has passed upon their Heads. Formerly they used to send the Consecrated Bread to those Places in the Country that were destitute of Priests: They used also to give it to Travellers, to reserve it for a Case of Necessity: But this Custom is now quite abolished in Muscovy.

The Ecclesiastical Government of Muscovy consists of a Patriarch,* 1.208 who resides in the City of Musco, four Metropolitans, seven Archbishops, and one Bishop; besides the Arch-Deacons, Proto-Popes and Priests. The four Metropolitans are those of▪

Novogorodskoi and Welikoluskoi, who resides at Novogorod.

Of Rostoufskoi and Harostauskoi, who has his Residence at Rosto•.

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Of Casanskoi and Sunatskoi, at Casan.

And that of Sarskoi and Pondoskoi, who lives within the Castle at Musco.

The seven Archbishops are those of▪

Wologdskoi and Weliko Premskoi, who has his Seat at Wologda.

Of Resanskoi and Moromskoi, who lives at Resan.

Of Susdalskoi and Turruskoi, who has his Residence at Susdal.

Of Twerskoi and Cassinskoi, at Twere.

Of Sibirskoi and Tobolskoi, at Toboleska.

Of Astrachanschoi and Terskoi, who resides at Astrachan.

Of Pleskouskoi and Sborskoi, who lives at Pleskou.

There is but one Bishop in all Muscovy, to wit, that of Comenskoi and Cassieskoi, who keeps his Residence in the City of Columna.

The Patriarch hath always about him an Arch-Deacon, who is, as it were, his Vicar-General: He hath also a Proto-Deacon, residing in the Castle of Sabor. The rest of the Ecclesiastical Order are distinguished into Proto-Popes and Popes, or Priests. Those that attend at Church, toll the Bells, and do other inferiour Offices, are called Pangamari. The Patriarch of Muscovy has the same (if not a greater▪) Authority, as the Pope has in the Latin Church; for he, in a manner, divides the Sovereignty with the Great Duke. He is the Supream Head and Judge of all Ecclesiastical Affairs: And such is his Power in all Matters that have any Relation to their Religion, that he reforms whatever he thinks prejudicial to this Religion, or good Manners, without giving an Account of it to their Great Duke: Yet not so, but that his Orders must be put in Execution by the Czar's Commands. The Patriarch of Constantinople had heretofore the Nomination of the Patriarch of Muscovy, till in process of Time he had only the Confirmation; and in this Age he hath lost both: At present, the Patriarch of Muscovy is chosen by the Great Duke and the other Prelates: The Latter meet in the great Church within the Castle, called Sabor;

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where having nominated two or three Prelates, the most eminent for Learning, and other good Qualilities, they present them to the Great Duke, who, after a Conference with these Prelates, proceeds jointly with them, to an Election. If it happen that those proposed for the Election are equally eminent for their Learning and Piety, it is, with the Grand Duke's Approbation, sometimes decided by Lot.

The Patriarch,* 1.209 Metropolitans, Archbishops, and the Bishop, in Muscovy, are not to marry, but make a Vow of Chastity as long as they continue in that Dignity: For, the Prelates, as well as the Priests, are allowed here to quit their Orders whenever they think it convenient, They must not wear Rings on their Fingers. They wear neither Drawers nor Shirts of Linen Cloth, but of Flannel: Neither do they make use of Beds.

The ordinary Habit of the Patriarch,* 1.210 Metropolitans, Archbishops, Bishop, and even of their Monks, is very near the same: They wear a black Cassock; and over that, an upper Garment of the same Colour, not much different from that worn by the other Muscovites: Their Hoods are at least an Ell and an half Diameter, having in the midst a round Piece, as big as a Trencher, which hangs on the hinder part of the Head: They wear in their Hands a Staff, forked at the End, when they go abroad, which they call Posock, and serves them for a Crosier.

There being in the City of Musco above 2000 Churches and Chapels, the first of which have at least three or four, and some more, Priests belonging to them, it is no difficult Matter to guess what a vast Number of Priests and Ecclesiasticks there must be in that City. Those that are desirous to enter into Holy Orders, make their Addresses either to the Patriarch, or any one of the Metropolitans; the first, the best; where having been examined concerning their Qualifications, which consist only in Reading and Writing, and to be able to sing in the Church, they are admitted into Orders, with an Att•station of their being received into Priestood. At

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their Consecration they are invested with the Priestly Habit, as we have just now described it: They have also the Hair cut off from the Crown of their Heads, on which is put a little Cap, or Calotte, which is the main Character of their Priesthood; the which they never move, or take off, neither at Church, or any where else, unless it be when they have their Hair cut. The chief Respect the Muscovites pay to the Priest, he is beholden for to his Calotte; and good Reason why; for if, upon any Contest, or Quarrel, this Calotte should be pulled off his Head, upon the Ground, the adverse Party would incurr the Penalty of the Mulct, called Bicestie, which we have mentioned before: To prevent which, the Muscovites, when they are going to fight with a Priest, first reverendly take off his Calotte; which, after they have soundly cudgell'd or beaten him, they put on again with a great deal of Respect: Which done, they are not liable to any farther Punishment, than if they had kick'd or cuffed a Lay-Man.

The Proto-Popes and Popes, or Temple-Priests, are not only allowed, but obliged to marry once; but cannot the second or third time, unless they quit their Priesthood. This Point of the Marriages of Priests is one of the main Points wherein they differ as well from the Greek Church, as the Roman: For which they alledge the Text of St. Paul, 1 Tim. 3. that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife. And for the Confirmation of it, they alledge the Fourth Cannon of the Council which was held at Gangres, in Paphlagonia, not long after that of Nice; where all those are Anathematized who refuse to take the Communion from the Hands of a Married Priest. The Muscovites are so strict in the Observance of this Opinion, that their Priests must be in a State of Marriage before they are admitted into Orders: Which makes those that intend to embrace that kind of Life marry very young, that they may the sooner have an Opportunity of getting a Living. They are, besides this, to marry a Maid, and no Widow, nor a Woman

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the least blemished in her Reputation: And in this Point they are to be so circumspect, that if the Priest, the first Night after Marriage, finds that the Lock has been opened before, by any other Key than his own, he must either be divorced from her, or lay down his Calotte; out of which two, you may be sure he chuses the first. But if the Parson's Wife stands her Trial fairly the first Night, she has, however, this Comfort before the rest of the Muscovian Women, that she is not likely to be kept under so severe an House-Discipline as the rest, for as much as the Muscovian Priests hang, in a great measure, by the Apron-string, they being, after they once become Widowers, not suffered to administer the Sacrament, or to assist at Noon-Service, when the Communion is received, or to give their Benedictions to Marriages; but only at the Morning and Evening-Services. But to counter-ballance this Advantage the Parson's Wife has before others, the Priest is under a most strict Obligation, that when-ever he has given his Wife due Benevolence, he must not approach the Altar all the next Day; so that, what with this, and the great Number of Fasts, she is likely to live upon very slender Diet, unless the Parson be so good-nature as sometimes to prefer the Duty to his Wife, before that in the Church, and substitute one to officiate in his Room at the Altar. The Priests, however, have this Comfort left them after the Death of their Wives, that if they do not approve of a single Life, they are free to lay down their Cassock and Calotte, and turn Merchants, Tradesmen, or any thing else they can, and so marry again. If they are too old to undergo the Fatigues of the Sacerdotal Function, or of Marriage, the last Remedy is a Monastery, where they end their 〈◊〉.

There is a great Number 〈◊〉 Monasteries all over Muscovy,* 1.211 both for Men and Women, both in Cities, and up and down the Country; especially, all along the Rivers Mosca and Oeca, the most fertile Part of all Muscovy. Besides the Anchorets, who build their Chapels upon the High-ways, and live in Woods, like

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Hermites, subsisting only by the Alms they receive from Travellers; the rest follow the Rule of Great St. Basil.

They eat no Flesh, nor Fresh Fish; neither drink they any Wine, Aqua-vitae, or Hydromel: They live only on Salt Fish, Honey, Milk, Cheese, Herbs and Pulse: Cucumbers, both Fresh, and Pickled, are their chiefest Dainties; these they mince very small, and eat them with a Spoon, in some of their Qua•s, or Small Hydromels. But if they live in great Austerity in their Monasteries, when-ever they go abroad, (which they are allowed to do,) both Men▪ and Women are very forward in dispensing with the Severity of their Statutes; for they seldom refuse any thing that is offered them; and will refresh themselves with Strong Liquor to that Degree, that it is unsafe for them to go home without good Company. Here-tofore Superstition had got so far the Ascendant over the Religious Muscovites, that here, as well as in some other Countries of Europe, they used to make over all that they had, for the Benefit of the Monasteries: So that, if a Stop had not been put to these Extravagancies, they would, in Time, have got into the Possession of the best part of this vast Empire. But those that now embrace the Monastick Life, are only allowed to carry a certain Part of their Estates with them, into the Monastery; being obliged 〈◊〉 leave the rest to their Heirs. They do not live so retired in them, but that they appear in great Numbers, both in the Cities, and all over the Country, where they frequently follow the same Employments with the Peasants; some of them also Trading in Malt, Hops, all sorts of Corn, and Cattel. Poverty, Old Age, Infirmities and Domestick Contests being the chief Inducements of those that embrace this Life, the fewest chusing it out of a Motive of Devotion, it is no Wonder if they, most of them, according to the general Education of the Muscovites, can scarce read or write: Not One in Ten▪ that can say the Lord's Prayer: And those amongst them that are acquainted with the Creed and the Ten

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Commandments, are looked upon as Men of extraordinary Learning. I cannot forbear to relate, upon this Occasion, a certain merry Passage, which happen'd some Years ago, in the Monastery of Rostone, for as much as it is not only very diverting, but also may serve as a convincing Instance of the Simplicity and Ignorance of the Muscovian Monks: The abovementioned Monastery stands upon a Lake, where, for some time, a Fish had been seen of an extraordinary Magnitude, to the great Astonishment of the Monks. This Fish, in a Sun-shiny Day, would often be playing, and appearing half above Water; so that an Eagle, one time, swooping at it, and being over-eager of his Prey, struck his Talons into the Flesh of the Fish with such Violence, that he could not pull them out again. The Fish being willing to be rid of his Enemy, plunged him in to the Bottom; so that being transiated into a much grosser Element than he was used to live in before, he soon lost his Life, though his Talons still stuck fast in the Flesh. The Fish, very impatient of his Burthen, made frequently towards the Shoar of the Lake; where being perceived by the Friars, with Feathers upon his Back, they were all put under such a Consternation, that not one of them had the Courage to approach it; some believing it to be an Apparition; others, a Sea-Monster; and some concluding it could be no less than a Water-Devil: The last Opinion, it seems, was the most prevailing; so that, to banish the Devil from that Shoar, they fell to Ringing of Bells: And when they found this to prove ineffectual, they went all in Procession, armed at all Points with such Instruments and Weapons as are commonly made use of upon such Occasions; but all in vain, the Monster, or Devil, as it seems, not being afraid of their Weapons: So that all thereabouts, nothing was to be heard of, but the dreadful Leviathan, which had scared the poor Monks almost out of their Senses. One Mr. Roger Eaton, an English Merchant, then living in Russia, coming by chance that way, had immediately a full Relation given

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him of the Monster; so that being curious to see, he went to the Shoar, where he found a great Number of People standing some distance off. He soon perceiving what it was that had put them into such a Fright, told them, that he would soon deliver them from this Monster, provided they could get some Body that would row the Boat. But it was no easie matter to perswade any one of them all to be so bold, as to approach so near the Devil; till a certain Fellow, being made more couragious than the rest by good store of Aqua-vitae, at last undertook the Task. As they were going off from the Shoar, to encounter the Monster, the Spectators, looking upon the Attempt no less dangerous, than when St. George fought▪ the Dragon, gave them over for lost, expecting every Moment to see them devoured by this Water-Dragon: But they were agreeably surprized when they perceived the terrible Leviathan slain by his Conqueror. In short, Mr. Eaton shot and killed the Beast with a Screw'd Gun; which, when taken up, proved to be nothing else than a very large Pike, of about five Foot long, and of the Thickness of a Man. It is easily to be imagined, that their Fear soon turned into Shame; yet, to hide their Blushes, and to make some Amends to their Champion, they drunk together so heartily, till they became all mellow; and so put a merry Epilogue to the Play.

Mr. White, another English Merchant, living in Russia, did not meet with the same Entertainment from the Fraternity; For, having been one time invited by them to Dinner, they had caught another Pike, not quite so big as the former; and as the Cook was cutting it open, he found a new-born Infant in the Belly of it; which put the Monks into so ill an Humour, that the English Gentleman was fain to return home without his Dinner. This Infant was suspected to have been thrown into the Lake by one of the Nuns of a Nunnery hard by this Monastery; it being the Custom in Muscovy, to build always a Convent and Nunnery near to one another.

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The Gentleman to whom we are beholden for these two Relations,* 1.212 and who has, for a considerable time, been resident in Muscovy, having given another Instance of the Ignorance and Superstition of their Priests, no less pleasant than the former, it will not be amiss to insert it here. It seems the English Resident in the City of Muscow had a very fine Monkey, famous amongst the Russians there, for his many Tricks and Pranks which he would be playing in the Market. This Monkey, one Day, got into one of the Muscovite Churches, hard by the English Resident's House, and tumbled down some of their Saints. The Priest coming soon after into the Church, and seeing his Gods thus handled, stood amazed; but having recovered himself a little, and set their Saintships in their respective Places, he dashed all the Windows and Doors with Holy-Water, to keep the Devil out of the Church. But Pug not understanding his Exorcisms, took his Opportunity one Morning, when the Priest was going to perform the Morning-Service, to be in the Church as soon as he; where he begun the old Game of ruffling and pulling about the Saints, not sparing even St. Nicholas himself; and that with so much Eagerness, as if he had been bred a Quaker, grinning now and then in the Priest's Face; who, after he had recovered himself out of his first Fright, at last approached, with his Cross before him; and having no other Way left, he betakes himself to his Sovereign Remedy; I mean, the Horse-Tail, dipped in Holy-Water; wherewith he so besprinkled poor Pug, (who hated it as bad as the Devil himself,) that he made the best of his Way home to the English Resident's House. No sooner was the Morning-Service over, but the Pope (or Priest) made most bitter Complaints against a certain Stranger, living in the English House, for having thrown down his Saints, and prophaned the Holy Place. Whereupon, he obtained an Order to search the Resident's Lodgings: And all his Retinue were brought forth, in the Presence of the Priest; but none of them being the Person

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he looked for, It was, says he, a little Nincheen, (or Stranger.) Whereupon, the young Children being brought out, the Monkey, by chance, came jumping out with them: Hold, hold, said the Priest, with a great deal of Joy, this is the little Stranger: Seize him, seize him. Which being done accordingly, poor Pug was had before his Betters; where not being able to answer for himself, he was condemned to the Strappado, and paid for his unseasonable Reformation, with his Life.

But, after all this merry Digression, it is time to return to more serious Matters: It is to be observed, that the Muscovites retain to this Day some Remnants of the Mosaick Law; For, though they do not abhor Swine's Flesh, yet they will not touch a Squirrel, Coney, or Hare. But, which is the oddest of all, They hold it Pagan, or Vnclean, to eat Veal; but not Lamb: For what Reason, neither they, nor any body else, know. They account it next to a Sin, to omit Lotionem post inatum. They look upon it as a great Sin, for a Muscovite to lie with a Woman that is not of the same Communion: But a Venial Trespass, for a Russian Woman to accept of a Kindness from a Stranger: They give for a Reason, Because her Issue will be educated in the True Russian Faith; whereas a Muscovite Man may happen to beget a Child upon a Stranger, which is not likely to be educated in the same Religion. Heresie is punished, among the Russians, with Fire: The Heretick is carried to the Top of a low House, from whence he jumps into the Fire made underneath; and immediately they throw Straw upon him, and good store of dry Splinters of Firr-Wood; these being fired, they soon suffocate the Malefactor.

A Brief History of the Succession of the Russian Great Dukes from their first Origin, till the Death of that famous Tyrant, John Basilovitz.

THE first Origin of this Empire is very abscure; for, the Great Dukes of Muscovy derive their Pedigree from August•s Caesar, yet if it be considered, how confused the Atchievements and Successions, of these Ancient Princes are among an ignorant People, it is no difficult matter to imagine, that their Ancient History must be full of uncertainty. Thus much is certain, that this vast Empire was in former Ages divided into a great many Principalities, under their own Laws and Princes, which in after Ages, and by several Degrees, have been united under one Head, and compose that vast Body, which now adays is known under the name of the Russians Empire.

But to return to their Chronicles, they relate that Augustus Caesar, among others of his Kindred, whom he sent to be Governour over very remote Provinces. One Prussus had assigned him Prussia, had his Seat on the Eastern Baltick Shoar by the River Weixel. Of him were descended by the fourth Generation, Rureck, Sinaus and Truvor, who, at the perswasion of one Gostomistius, a rich Citizen of Novogorod, were sent for by the Russians, who at that time lived without any Civil Government, to rule over them in the Year 1573. As they went into Russia, they took a long with them Olechus, their near Kinsman, and so having divided the whole Country among themselves, each in his Province laid the first foundation of a regular Civil Government.

Iverson the Son of Rureck (the rest dying without Issue) became Successor to them all: He took to Wife one Otha, the Daughter of a Citizen of Plesscon, by whom he begot Stoslaus, but being after that Slain by his Enemies, his Wife Otha went to Constantinople, where she was Baptized and Named Helen.

His Son Stoslaus was a Warlike Prince, and very Victorious in several Battles, till at last being Slain by his Enemies, they made a Cup of his Skull, Engraven'd with this Sentence; Seeking after other Men's lives, he has lost his own. He left three Sons Teropolchus, Olega and Volodimir.

Volodimir having slain his two Elder Brothers, made himself master of all Russia; he married afterwards Anne, the Sister of Basitius Porphyrogenites, and in the Year 989, introduced the Christian Religion among the Russians, himself being before instructed in it, and Baptized in the Year 988. Some among whom is Zonara's report, that it was done by a Miracle, of which we have spoke before. He built the City of Volodimir, the Capital of the Province of the same Name, upon the River Cesma, which was for a considerable time after the Residence of the Great Dukes.

Volodimir left behind him Eleven Sons, among whom he divided the Dukedom: Beristus and Glebus forsook the World, and for their Holy Life were Canon•sed after their Death; their Feast is kept by the Russians in November: The rest falling, into contentio•s among themselves, every one being ambitious of making himself the sole and supream Lord of all Russia, they ruined one another, till Jaroslaus was left the only inheritor of all their Dominions.

Volodimir, the Son of this Jaroslaus, used to keep his Residence in the City of Kiovia, upon the River Boristhenis: He was grown very famous for the many conflicts he had with the Sons of his Uncles, whom having at last subdued, he was call'd Mono Machus. He was also very Victorious against Constantine the Greek Emperor, and having over-run all Thracia, returned home loaden with Honour, and a prodigious Booty; whilst he was preparing to renew the War with more Vigour against the Emperor, he sent to him Neuphytus Bishop of Ephesus, and Eustathius Abbot of Jerusalem, who having among other rich Gifts, presented him, with part of our Saviour's Cross, and saluted him by the Name of Czar, perswaded him to enter into a League with Constantine, with whom ever after he cultivated a very good Correspondance.

He was succeeded by his Son Vuzevolodus, after whom in order of descent, Reigned George and Demetrius.

George Succeeded his Father Demetrius; he fought with very ill success against Bathy the Tartarian Prince, by whom he was slain in the Battle in the Year 1237, and the Russians brought under the subjection of the Tartars, who made their Dukes dependent from them, and as a token of their subjection, forced them too often as the Tartarian. Ambassadors should come into Russia, to go out and to meet them, and to stand bare headed in their own Courts, while the Ambassadors delivered their message sitting. About the same time, the Tartars having ravaged Poland, Plesia and Hungary, Pope Innocent IV. obtained a Peace, or rather a Truce, from them for five Years; the Russians affirm, that this Bathy was the Father of Tamerain.

George was succeded by his Brother Jaroslaus, and after him Reign'd his Son Alexander.

Daniel the Son of Alexander, was the first that translated the Seat of the Great Dukes to the City of Musco, and laid the first Foundation of the Castle; he was also the first that took upon him the Title of Great Duke.

John, the Son of Daniel, was sirnamed Kalota, which signifies a Scrip, which he always carried about him, and out of it he used to give Alms to the Poor.

His Son Simeon died without Issue, and left the Dukedom to John his next Brother.

Demetrius succeeded his Father John, and left two Sons, Basilias and George.

Basili, the Eldest Brother, Reigned after his Father's Death, and had a Son of his own Name, but having conceived a jealousie against his Wife, he disinherits the Son, declaring, George his Brother, his Successor in his Dominions.

George being thus gotten into Possession of Russia, puts his Nephew Basili in Prison, but at his Death, (though he had two Sons of his own) resigned the whole Dukedom to the hands of the same Basili:

Basili being thus unexpectedly put into his supposed right, was soon attack'd by Andrew and Demetrius, the two Sons of George, who could not brook the injury received by their Father's last Will, and having surprised him, they put out his Eyes, thinking thereby to render him incapable of entertaining any further hopes of administring the Government, but they were mistaken in their Aim; for, the Bojares and Nobles, notwithstanding his Blindness, kept stedfast to their Allegiance to the Great Duke, who was therefore Sir-named Cziemnok, or the blind Duke.

John Basilovits, who began his Reign in the Year 1450, succeeded his Father Basili, he was the first that brought the Russian Name out of Obscurity into Renown. For, after having secured himself at home, by putting to Death all such of his Kindred, as were likely to contend with him for the Superiority, he applied all his thoughts to make himself formidable to his Neighbours. Among them he bent his whole Force against the City and Dukedom of Novogorod Veliki, with whom he was engaged in a War for Seven Years, till at last in the Year 1477. having vanquish'd them in a Battle, he forced that Great and Rich City to a Submission, and to receive a Russian Governour. But afterwards thinking himself not absolute Master of the City, and being unwilling to run the hazard of compelling them by force, he went thither in Person, under pretence of some Religious concerns in behalf of the Greek Religion; so that being admitted into the City by the Authority of the Archbishop Theophilus, he ransact it and carried away an incredible Booty to Musco, with most of the Inhabitants, and sent Muscovites thither in their place.

Having subdued this Potent Dukedom, as also those of Tyversky and Plescou, and several other petty Principalities bordering upon his Dominions; he was the first that united Russia into one considerable Body, and consequently laid the first Foundation of its future Greatness. He entred into a War with the Livonians, for no other cause than to enlarge his bounds, and advanced as far as the River Narva, where he built the strong Castle of Ivanogorod, upon a steepy Rock opposite to the City of Narva, which lies on the other side of that River; but having received a Signal, overthrew in a Battle fought against Guallies de Pletenbergh, the Master of the Livonian Order of Knights, he was forced to make a Truce with them for Fifty Years. He had also some differences with Alexander, King of Poland, who having married his Daughter, had, as he pretended, forced her to abandon the Greek Religion, and to turn Roman Catholick, which breaking out at last into a War, was carried on for some time with no great advantage on either side; nevertheless the Basilovits took Plescou in the Fray from the Luthianians. His Wife was the Daughter of the Duke of Tiversky, of her he begat John, unto whom, after he had Married him to the Daughter of Stephen, Prince of Moldavia, he resign'd the whole Dukedom: But John dying soon after, left only one Son, who was called Demetrius: Basilovits by reason of the tender Age of his Grandchild, was obliged to reassume the Administration of the Government, and soon after Married a second Wife, to wit, Sophia, the Daughter of Thomas Polvologus, who is said to have receiv'd her Doury out of the Pope's Treasury, under condition that she should endeavour the Convertion of the Duke to the Romish Faith. This Princess being of a very Haughty Temper, and not able to endure that her Husband should be a Vassal to the Tartars, did so effectually encourage him to shake of the Tartarian Yoak, that having first dislodged the Tartarian Ambassadors, that had their residence in the Castle of Musco, and were the Duke's Overseers in State Affairs, afterwards by degrees dispossess'd them of all they held in Russia. By the perswasion of this Princess, he transferred the Dukedom from Demetrius, his Grandchild, the Son of John, deceased, to Gabriel his Eldest Son by this Princess.

Gabriel was no sooner Great Duke, but he changed his Name, and assum'd that of Basili Ivanowitz; he, after the example of his Father, applied all his care to enlarge his Territories, which he did with good success against the Lithuanians and Polanders, from whom he recovered great part of Muscovy, especially the City of Smoleusko, on the River Boristhenes or Nieper in the Year, 1514. He also ejected the Duke of Siberi or Severia, and united the Province to his Crown; he afterwards turned his Arms against the Tartars of Casan, whom he defeated in a memorable Battle, and made them his Vassals. But the Tartars having soon after killed their Governour, surprised him with a considerable Army, and having forced him to retreat with such Forces, as he could get together in hast, under Novogorod on the River Occas, they took and plundred the City of Musco, and forc'd the Castle to a shameful Capitulation, by vertue of which the Great Dukes were to be tributaries to the Tartars. But the Tartars having soon after broken the Capitulation by Besieging the City of Rhesan, and the Weywode or Muscovite Governor, having by a straitagem, got into his possession the Great Duke's Original Letters Patents, whereby the Conditions made with the Castle of Musco were confirmed, (as has been related before in the Description of the City of Casan,) and having at the same time, forced the Tartars to raise the Siege of the City and Castle of Rhesan, both the People and Great Duke, were so encouraged by the sudenness of so lucky an accident, that the latter marched against the Tartars, and Besieged the City of Casan, which he caused to be attack'd with all the Vigour imaginable; but these within being conscious of their guilt, Fought like desperate Men, so that after• much Bloodshed on both sid•s, the Great Duke was obliged to raise the Siege, and to leave the Conquest of this, as well as other Tartarian Kingdoms on that side to his Son John Basilovits, whom he begat of Helan, the Daughter of Knez Glinsky, after having Divorced himself from his first Wife.

John Basilovits being but a Child, succeeded his Father, under the Tuition of George his Uncle, in the Year 1540. But no sooner was he arrived to the Age of Maturity, but he gave most evident proofs of his future Greatness.

Being willing to make himself formidable to his Neighbours, by some memorable exploit, at the beginning of his Reign, he resolved to revenge the affront his Father had received before Casan, which City he Besieged in the Year 1552, And after he had batter'd it very furiously for the space of two Months, offered them very honourable conditions, which they having refused to accept, he ordered the general Assault to be given on the Second Day of July in the same Year; and notwithstanding the resolute Defence made by the Tartars, carried it by Storm, and thereby became Master of the whole Kingdom of Casan.

About two Years after, he marched against the Nagajan Tartars, bordering to the South upon those of Casan; and having in the Year 1554, on the first day of August taken by Assault Astra Chan, the Capital of the Province, he also reduced that Kingdom under his Subjection.

By what accident he got into the Possession of the vast Country of Siberia, which has since proved one of the most profitable to the Czars of Muscovy; by which they have opened themselves a way into China, as has been related before in the Description of that Province.

In the Year 1558. he turned his victorious Arms again Livonia; where having ravaged the Bishoprick of Derpt and Virland, he made himself Master of the Cities of Narva, and of Toopator-Derpt: So that the Livonians not being able alone to resist his Power, and being put into Despair by the most horrid Cruelties exercised upon them by the Muscovites, and especially against Furstenbergh, the Master of their Order, they were forced to submit themselves, some under the Protection of Sweden, the rest under the Crown of Poland. In the Year 1570▪ he sent a very numerous Army, under the Command of Maynus Duke of Holstein, to besiege the City of Revel, in Livonia; but the City being assisted by the Swedes, under whose Protection they were, forced him to raise the Siege: And when he attacked it a second time, in the Year 1577, he met with no better Success: And in the Year 1581, the Swedish General, Pontus de la Guarde, recovered the City of Narva from the Muscovites.

He was at first also very successful against the Poles, till Stephen Battori, Prince of Transylvania, and elected King of Poland, not only recovered all the Places he had taken from that Crown before, but also obliged him to make a Peace in the Year 1582; by virtue of which, he relinquished all his Pretensions to that part of Livonia which had put it self under the Protection of the King of Poland. In the Year 1571, the Crim-Tartars also made a great Irruption into Muscovy, destroying all with Fire and Sword; and at last burnt the City of Musco.

As the first Years of his Reign were attended with Victories abroad, so at home he ruled for some time with a great deal of Mildness; and by the outward Shew of his Piety, made his Subjects conceive all the Hopes that could be of a prosperous Reign: For he would go frequently to Church, say the Service himself, sing, and never fail to be present at any Ecclesiastical Ceremonies; nay, sometimes execute the Functions of Monks and Priests himself: Which, without Question, was it that mis-led Paulus Jovius into that Mistake, when he calls him a good and devout Christian; For it will sufficiently appear, in the Sequel of this History, that he abused both God and Men; and that his pretended Piety was only intended to gain the Popular Applause, (which he both effected, and stood in need of,) and to cover his most horrid Designs against such of the Nobility as he was afraid would not submit, without Reluctancy, to the Yoak he intended to put upon their Necks. He began to give the first Proofs of his cruel Disposition in the Year 1560; when having acquired a vast Reputation, both at home and abroad, by the great Success of his Arms against the Tartars, Livonians and Poles, he thought this the most convenient Time to put in Execution his Design of making himself the sole and absolute Master of this vast Empire. His Grandfather had laid the first Foundation of this Maxim, (which was followed by his Son Basili, the Father of John Basilovitz,) to wit, To suppress the antient Nobility, by despoiling them not only of their Castles, and Strong Holds, but also of their Estates. But this Tyrant looking upon these Means as insufficient, resolved, by putting to death all the Great Men in the Kingdom whom he found, in the least, contrary to his Design, to secure to himself the Arbitrary Disposal of this great Empire.

He made the first Beginning with one Demetrius Owezinovitz, a Man of great Parts among the Russians: Being therefore willing to be rid of him, he invited him one Evening to Supper, with a great deal of seeming Friendship; where they drunk very merrily, so that Dem•trius began to be overcome by the Strength of the Liquor; which the Tyrant perceiving, and believing this to be a fit Opportunity to put his Design in Execution, he drank to him a great Bowl-full of Strong Hydromel, which he obliged Demetrius to pledge, to his (the Great Duke's) Health; but it being impossible for him to drink above half of it, the Great Duke angrily told him, That since he was so unmannerly as to refuse to drink his Health in his Presence, he might get down into his Wine-Cellar, where he should drink it at his own Leisure. Demetrius being very willing to obey, went, without Reluctancy, down into the Cellar; where, by the secret Orders of the Tyrant, he was suffocated.

In the same manner he caused to be either secretly slain, or suffocated, several Persons of Eminent Quality, without any Body's daring to enquire into their Death; till at last, the Patriarch, and the other Prelates, in Conjunction with some of the boldest among the Nobility▪ having represented to him the Enormities of his Actions, he seemed, for some small Time, to have changed his cruel Sentiments into a more mild Disposition.

The better to confirm them in this Opinion, he got it spread abroad, that he intended to abdicate the Empire, and to retire into a Monastery: And soon after, having called together the Nobility, he told them, That since he had two Sons, whom he intented to make his Successors, he would recommend them to their Care: That he did not question but they would not only pay them due Allegiance, but also assist them with their Counsel, and good Advice: That, for his part, he intended to build himself a Monastery, near the City of Musco; where he would be ready at hand to give his Directions in Matters of any Moment. Having thus cajoll'd them into a good Opinion, he caused a very large Building to be erected, surrounded with a strong Wall▪ which he endowed with considerable Revenues, for the Maintenance of such as were to abide with him there, and to lead, as he pretended, a Monastick Life; but, in effect, to serve as an Encouragement to such as he intended to employ in the Execution of his cruel Designs: For, after he had settled himself, with his Gang, in this Castle, he used, under pretence of Preferment, to send such of his Nobles as he intended to sacrifice to his Ambition, into some distant Province or another, as Governors; whither, after some Time, he would command some of his Soldiers, under such Officers as were before-hand engaged to execute his Orders, to the Place, where the Fact was to be perpetrated under pretence of changing the Garrison; where they remained till they found a convenient Opportunity to send, by one Means or another, the Governor into the other World: Which done, his Kindred were sure to meet with the same Fate at Musco; the Tyrant never wanting Means to root out the Shrubs, after he had fell'd the Tree; forasmuch as the Muscovites, who are above all other Nations given to caluminate and draw one another into the Snare, were always ready to furnish him with sufficient opportunity to rid himself of those under some specious pretence or another.

Thus he treated Knez Rostoroski, descended from the antient Dukes of Roskovie, or Rosthovie; whom he dreaded, for his Courage, and Skill in Martial Affairs. This Principality, as well as those of Twere and Bielski, were in former Ages allotted to the Younger Brothers of the Dukes of Russia; but were by Basili, the Father of John Basilovits, appropriated to his own Use, leaving only to the Heirs a very moderate Share for their Maintenance. The last of the Dukes of Kosthovie was Peter Rostowski, whom the Tyrant had made Waywode or Governor of Nise Novogorod. Having resolved his Ruin, he sent thither 40 Ruffians, whom he used to employ on such like Occasions, with Orders to bring to him the Head of the said Governor. These having found him at his Devotion, they dragg'd him from thence; and having stripp'd him stark naked, and tied him in a Sledge, they carried him streight-ways to the River Colga; where he that commanded the Party, having cut off his Head, threw the Body into the River. His Kindred and Children (Fifty in Number) were all murther'd by the Tyrant's Order; and Forty of his Slaves condemned to perpetual Imprisonment.

John Pietrovits, a Man of a very high Rank in Russia, was fain to undergo the same Fate, with his whole Family: For, having been falsly accused in the Year 1568, as if he aimed at the Crown, the Tyrant, without admitting them to be heard, seized upon his Estate, both Real and Personal, which was very great; and condemned him to go as a private Soldier, in the War against the Tartars. Having not so much left him, out of all his Estate, as an Horse to ride upon; he was furnished with one by a certain

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Friar, who took pity of his Condition;so he obeyed his Orders: And after having served several Years as a single Volunteer, who used to have at his Heels a great Number of Servants, he at last returned to Musco. The Tyrant not thinking it sufficient to have humbled him thus, he called together, at a certain Time; his Council of Nobles; where having summoned Pietrovits to appear, he, with his own Hands, as soon as they were all met, put the Ducal Cap and Crown on his Head, with a Sceptre in his Hand, and thus, attired in a very rich Robe, set him upon a Throne, in the Presence of all the Court; where having shewed him the same Revernce as is usually paid to the Czars of Muscovy, he spoke thus to him; All Hail to our Great Duke and Monarch of Russia: Now thou hast obtained what thou so much desiredst; now it is, thou hast encompassed thy Wish. I knew thy Aim was, to supply my Place, in the Throne of Muscovy: See how I have, my self, created thee Great Duke of Russia, in a most solemn manner. But know▪ that as it was in my Power to set thee upon the Throne, so I am able to dethrone and despoil thee of that Dignity, as Pleasure. He had no sooner uttered these last Words, but he stabbed him with a Dagger, several times, through the Heart. But this was only the Prologue to the following Tragedy; for he did not only command all his Servants to be either strangled or drowned, but he went in Person to the Castle of Columna, 180 Miles distant from the City of Musco, and formerly belonging to Pietrovits; where 300 of his Vassals were massacred in the Tyrant's Presence. But not satisfied with this, after he had, for a whole Year together, ruined his Estate with Fire and Sword, he shut up all the Gentlemen (of whom there was a considerable Number) that held any Lands under Pietrovits, in one House, and so blew them up into the Air, with Gun-Powder: Their Wives and Daughters, after they had been ravished by his Guards, were cut to pieces. The Peasants, with their Wives and Children, were driven, stark naked, into the Woods. The Wife of Pietrovits was shut

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up in a Monastery; and his Children, and whole Family, destroyed, by the Tyrant's Order.

In the same Year he caused his Chancellor, Kozarin Dubrowski, to be slain by his Guards, with two of his Sons, as they were sitting at Dinner; and a third Son happening not to be at home, escaped present Death for that time; but he was afterwards taken, and Quartered alive.

Boris Titow, one of his Chief Counsellors of State, coming one Day to pay his Reverence, as is usual, to the Great Duke; as he was bowing his Head, he cut off one of his Ears, with his own Hands; and presenting it to the Owner, Accept, says he, of this small Gift at present: Another time I will remember you better.

These Cruelites exercised on Persons of so eminent a Rank, struck such a Terrour into the rest of the Nobility, that they were resolved to try their utmost, whether perhaps they might not be able to divert him from these cruel Designs. Being therefore met at a certain Day, to the Number of 300, they went all in a Body, to represent to the Czar the Heinousness of his Cruelties; telling him, That they were ready to sacrifice both their Lives and Estates for his Service; and that they would always remain stedfast in their Allegiance: But, on the other hand, they hoped he would be pleased not to afflict, in so horrible a manner, his faithful and innocent Subjects.

The Grand Duke being not well pleased at their Errand, he ordered them, all together, to be thrown into Prison; and some Days after, some to have their Tongues, others their Legs and Arms cut off; and 50 of the most Eminent among them were whipped round the Market-place; the rest were dismissed without any Punishment for that time, but they paid afterwards the whole Score, with Interest: For, in the Year 1570, one Morning, when the Citizens were opening their Shops, they were not a little surprized to see 18 Gibbets erected in the Market-place, surrounded by the Great Duke's Guards, who had brought along with them all manner of Instruments

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for the Torture▪ besides which, there was a great Fire, and over it was placed a great Caldron, with boiling hot Water in it. The Citizens, I say, being terrified at so horrible a Spectacle, and presaging nothing but the worst to themselves, as being uncertain for what End all these dreadful Preparations were made, some instantly shut up their Shops again; others, more fearful than the rest, left all what they had, as it was, and were for saving themselves by Flight, or, at least, for hiding in some more remote Part of the City; Which Place being thus put into a general Consternation, the Great Duke, surrounded by a great Number of his Guards, appeared in the Market-place, seating himself near the Caldron of boiling Water. But perceiving that the Generality of the Citizens had; out of Fear, either abandon'd their Houses, or, at least, absconded, and dispersed themselves into the other Quarters of the the City, he rid in Person through the Streets, crying out to them; Let nothing disturb you: Come, and see what I am going to do: I give you my Word, that nothing shall hurt you; you may come forth, without the least Danger to your selves: Therefore come forth, and see what a Spectacle I am preparing for you. The People, partly out of Fear, partly out of Curiosity, flocked to the Market-place, where they saw 400 Noble-men, of the most antient Families in Muscovy, coupled together, Two and Two, like Hounds; and so miserably disfigured by the Violence of the Torture, that they were almost not to be known by their nearest Kindred. To gratifie in some measure the People, he selected 180 out of their Number: Vnto these, said he, I give their Lives, for your sakes; I will pardon them all their Offences: Let them be presently discharged. Which being done accordingly,

The first that was brought forth to Execution, was John Michaelovits Wiskowaty, his Chancellor; descended from one of the most antient Families in Muscovy: Who being charged with Keeping great Correspondence with the King of Poland, and inviting the Turks and Tartars to invade Muscovy, when he was

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just going to be put on one of the Gibbets, he spoke these following Words: I call God Almighty, the Infallible Searcher of Hearts, to witness of what I am going to say, to be true: I confess my self, before him, to be a miserable Sword•; and trust in his Mercy, through the Blood of his 〈◊〉 beloved Son. But as to what concerns the Station I was lately in, by the Great Duke's Favour, I protest to God, that I have always discharged my Trust faithfully, as I ought to do, towards him; and therefore I appeal at this Instant to the Tribunal of God, where, when I shall meet the Duke, I will make my Innocence appear to the Great Judge of Heaven and Earth. I am sensible that, O Duke, such is thy Ambition, such is thy Avarice and Thirst after innocent Blood, that nothing but my Life can satisfie thee at present: Glut thy self therefore with innocent Blood; but remember that thou must one Day give a most severe Account of all these most barbarous Cruelties. Whilst he was going on in his Discourse, the Executioner, by the Great Duke's Order, tied him up to one of the Gibbets, with his Feet upwards, and his Head hanging down. This done, one of the Captains of his Guards asked him what he would have farther done with this Malefactor? Every one of you, said he, that belong to my Court, here present, shall lend an helping Hand to send this Traytor out of the World, whom I will have cut Limb by Limb. He had no sooner spoke the Word, but the first Captain of his Guards, called Molutlo, dismounting his Horse, he, with a little Knife, cut off his Right Ear; the Second, his Left; the Third, his Lips; and so every one, in their Turn, the rest of his Limbs. The Secretary of the Grand Duke being also to have his Share in the Execution, at last cut off his Privy Members; of which he immediately died: Which the Duke perceiving, and believing that it had been done on purpose to shorten the Chancellor's Misery, he ordered him to eat them instantly; which he was forced to do.

The dead Body of the Chancellor being taken from the Gibbet, and cut into small pieces, the next that was brought upon the Scaffold, was Michael Tum•chow, the Lord High Treasurer of Musc••y, for no other reason but that he had been an intimate Friend of the Chancellors; he was very short in his Expressions, saying only these Words: I appeal to God, from whom nothing can be hidde• 〈◊〉 I never was guilty of any trespass against▪ my Lord and Master, and that I have faithfully, and without any fraud, discharged my Office; wherefore, I summon thee, O Great Duke, to appear on the last day of Judgment, before the Tribunal of God, where thou shalt be obliged to make ample satisfaction to me. Having ended these Words, he was tied up to the Gibbet, in the same manner as the Chancellor with his Head downwards, and very close shaved: After he had hung thus for some time, two of the Captains of his Guards, each with a bucket of Water; whereof one was Cold, the other fill'd out of the Chaldron with Boiling Water, we mentioned before, approached to the Gibbet, and he with the cold Water, having first washed his Head, the other continually poured the Boiling hot Water upon it, till the Skin was quite shriveled together, and the poor Treasurer at last died in the midst of the most exquisite Torments. The third in order was his Cook, who underwent the same Fate as the Chancellor, being cut to pieces Limb by Limb.

After these, follow three of the Great Duke's chief Secretaries, George Czapkinou, John Buthakow, and Basili Stepanow; these were all together with their Wives and Children cut in pieces, in the Great Duke's presence, by his Guards: At last, two hundred of these Noble Men we spoke of before, were brought before the Great Duke upon the Scaffold; who having Condem'd them to Die, without as much as naming their Crime, they were in an instant cut to pieces by his Guards before his Face. To conclude the Tragedy, the Great Duke ordered to be brought before him out of Prison (where he had been detained a great while) a certain person venerable for his Old Age and Nobility, as being extracted from a very ancient Family, whom he run

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through the Body with his own Lance, and not satisfied with that, after the Old Man lay upon the Ground, wallowing in his Blood, gave him at least Fifteen or Sixteen Wounds more, till he died upon the Spot.

This Spectacle having thus continued for four Hours, the Tyrant before he returned to the Castle, would needs give a Visit to the Widow of the Treasurer, whom he had caused to be executed just before. She was Sister to the Duke Wiazinski, and one of the handsomest Ladies in all Muscovy, whom he found shut up in her Bed-chamber, all over whelmed with Grief, and lamenting the miserable Death of her Husband in Terms so Passionate, that it would have moved Compassion in a heart of Stone. But the Tyrant being void of all sense of Humanity, no sooner entred the House, but ordered her to be stript stark Naked, and to be set with her bare Buttocks upon a Rope, fastned titely for that purpose betwixt two Posts, and so to be drawn upon the Rope, till the tender Flesh of this Pretty Creature, not being able to resist long the violence of this motion, was torn every where to the very Bones, of which she died some days after. She had a little Daughter and Son, who had been forced to be the mournful Spectators of their dear Mothers Misery; the first was sent into a Nunnery, the last Condemned to a perpetual Punishment. The Chancellor's Widow was also forced to embrace the Monastick Life, and his Son sent Prisoner to the Castle of Biel•jezoro, which lies in one of the Northern and most unfrequented Provinces of Muscovy. Some days after this Slaughter, about Fourscore of the Wives and Daughters of these two Hundred Nobles, he had caused to be Butchered before his Face, where dragged by the Hair, to the River side, where they were all drowned. About the same time, one of his Secretaries having been presented with a Pike by a certain Countryman, the Great Duke having got Notice of it, caused him to be thrown into a Lake, where, as he said, he might have Fish enough, since he was so great a lover of them.

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The Lithuanians having by a stratagem surprised the Castle of Borsko, took the Governour and his Lady Prisoners, who being afterwards exchanged with some Poles, returned to the City of Musco, where they were no sooner Arrived, but the Great Duke ordered three Gibbots to be Erected, on which the Governor, and two more of his chief Officers being fastned with a Rope about their Wastes, the Tyrant and his Son shot their Arrows at them till they were killed, telling them, ever now and than, Thus you ought to have defended your Cause.

His own Brother, though he had lived all along with the greatest Circumspection in the World, for fear of giving any occasion of Jealousie to the Tyrant, yet could not escape his hands. For under pretence that one of his Bojares, called Trzeriack Wiskonati, had given information against him, he caused him, without being heard, to be tortured in the most violent manner that could be invented; and thus having forced him to make a Confession where his Treasure was hid, his Head was cut off in the presence of his Lady, who all this while lay prostrate at the Tyrant's Feet, and in vain was imploring his Clemency: But instead of lending a favourable Ear to her just Petition, she was stript stark Naked, exposed to the view of the whole Court, and afterwards dragged to the River and drown'd.

It used to be a common Custom with him, to make Ladies of the greatest Qualities to stand Naked before him, and if he took any liking to them, after he had abused them himself, to expose them to the Officers of his Guards, and afterwards cause them to be hanged at their own Doors, where the Husband was to go out and in, perhaps for three or four Weeks, till the Tyrant was pleased to order the dead Body to be removed. He was something more favourable to a certain merry Crew of English, and other Women Foreigners, who had, as it seems, laugh'd at some of his Prancks, which he used to play a• certain times, when he was in a good Humour; which he taking Notice of, they were all sent for to

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the Palace; where, after they were all stripp'd stark Naked, in a very large Room, he Commanded several Bushels of Pease to be thrown down before them, which he made them pick up: When he had done, he treated them with some Wine, and bid them to take heed for the future, how they made sport with so great an Emperor. Perhaps, having been used to take a view of the Muscovian Ladies, he took this opportunity to see how far the Foreign Women differed in Shape from his own Country-Ladies.

After he had, in a manner, thus either ruin'd, or quite destroyed all the most antient Families of Muscovy, he turned his Fury against the Polish, and Lithuanian Captives, of whom he had a great Number: Some of these were slain by his own Hand; the rest, to the Number of some Thousands, Men, Women and Children, were, by his Order, cut in Pieces, or thrown into the River. His Cruelties exercised against the Inhabitants of Novogorod, Plesco• and Twere, are the most Barbarous in the World, being not to be parallel'd in History.

Of the Barbarities committed in the City of Novogorod, we have spoken in the Description of that City; so that it will be superfluous, to give a further Account of them here: We will only add thus much, That, as he exceeded all the Tyrants that ever were infamous for their Cruelties, so it was he that perfected the Work begun by his Grand-father: to wit, by suppressing the Antient Nobility, to make himself absolute Master of this great Empire: Which when he had obtained, he grew also insupportable to Sovereign Princes. How he treated the Polish and Lithuanian Captives, we have related before; and his Ambition being unmeasurable, he gave a proof of it to a French Ambassador; who having put on his Hat in his Presence, he caused it to be Nailed to his Head. Sir Jerom Bowes having, not long after, been sent by Queen Elizabeth, as Ambassador to him, he not only put on his Hat, but also cockt it before him. At which Boldness, the Tyrant being somewhat startled, asked him, Whether he were ignorant how he had served the French Ambassador? Unt• which, Sir Jerom replied, That there was a great difference betwixt them two; That, for his part, he knew whom he Represented; that he served a Queen, who knew how to Revenge any Affront put upon her Ministers. The Great Duke was so far from being displeased with this bold Answer, that ever after he had a great esteem for him; telling his Bojares, That he questioned whether, among them all, there was one that dare do so much for him. It was in his Reign that the English settled first their Trade in Russia, as we have mentioned in the Description of the City of Archangel. He had three Sons; of which, the Eldest being struck by his Father one time, with a stick, died with Grief; or, as some will have it, by his Father's Lance: The two others were, Fedor, or Theodor, and Demetrius; the Eldest of which succeeded him in the Empire. He Reigned Nine and Thirty Years, and died in the Year 1584. in the Fifty sixth Year of his Age; beloved by few, but dreaded both at home and abroad, and might have been counted one of the greatest Princes that ever sat upon the Russian Throne, if by his most barbarous Cruelties he had not defaced the Glory of his great Actions, and had drawn upon his Family the Vengeance of God, which was very conspicuous in those Revolutions which after his Death happen'd in the Muscovian Empire; which, as they are the most surprising in the World, so we intend to give a most exact account of them, as well as the succeeding Reigns, till the Arrival of his present Czarish Majesty in England, in the Second Volum of this Treatise.