This triumph being
ended, the Emperour departed and rode home in the same order that he came
foorth into the field. The ordinance is discharged euery yeare in the
moneth of December, according to the order before mentioned.
On Christmas day we were all willed to dine with the Emperors Maiestie,
where for bread, meat and drinke, we were serued as at other times before:
but for goodly and rich plate, we neuer saw the like or so much before.
There dined that day in the Emperors presence aboue 500 strangers, and two
hundred Russes, and all they were serued in vessels of gold, and that as
much as could stand one by another vpon the tables. Besides this there were
foure cupbords garnished with goodly plate both of gold and siluer. Among
the which there were 12 barrels of siluer, conteining aboue 12 gallons a
piece, and at each end of euery barrell were 6 hoopes of fine gold: this
dinner continued about sixe houres.
[Sidenote: The hallowing of the riuer of Mosco.] Euery yeare vpon the 12
day they vse to blesse or sanctifie the riuer Moscua, which runneth through
the citie of Mosco, after this maner.
First they make a square hole in the ice about 3 fadoms large euery way,
which is trimmed about the sides and edges with white boords. Then about 9
of the clocke they come out of the church with procession towards the riuer
in this wise.
First and foremost there goe certaine young men with waxe tapers burning,
and one carying a great lanterne: then follow certaine banners, then the
crosse, then the images of our Lady, of S. Nicholas, and of other Saints,
which images men carie vpon their shoulders: after the images follow
certaine priests to the number of 100 or more: after them the Metropolitan
who is led betweene two priests, and after the Metropolitan came the
Emperour with his crowne vpon his head, and after his maiestie all his
noble men orderly. Thus they followed the procession vnto the water, and
when they came vnto the hole that was made, the priests set themselues in
order round about it. And at one side of the same poole there was a
scaffold of boords made, vpon which stood a faire chaire in which the
Metropolitan was set, but the Emperours maiestie stood vpon the ice.
After this the priests began to sing, to blesse and to sense, and did their
seruice, and so by that time that they had done, the water was holy, which
being sanctified, the Metropolitan tooke a litle thereof in his hands, and
cast it on the Emperour, likewise vpon certaine of the Dukes, and then they
returned againe to the church with the priests that sate about the water:
but that pressse that there was about the water when the Emperor was gone,
was wonderful to behold, for there came aboue 5000 pots to be filled of
that water: for that Moscouite which hath no part of that water, thinks
himselfe vnhappy.
And very many went naked into the water, both men and women and children:
after the presse was a litle gone, the Emperours Iennets and horses were
brought to drinke of the same water, and likewise many other men brought
their horses thither to drinke, and by that means they make their horses as
holy as themselues.
All these ceremonies being ended, we went to the Emperour to dinner, where
we were serued in vessels of siluer, and in all other points as we had bene
beforetime.
[Sidenote: The Russes Lent.] The Russes begin their Lent alwaies 8 weekes
before Easter: the first weeke they eate egs, milke, cheese and butter, and
make great cheare with pancakes and such other things, one friend visiting
another, and from the same Sunday vntil our Shrofesunday there are but few
Russes sober, but they are drunke day by day, and it is accompted for no
reproch or shame among them.
The next weeke being our first weeke of Lent, or our clensing weeke,
beginning our Shrofesunday, they make and keepe a great fast. It is
reported, and the people do verily beleeue that the Metropolitan neither
eateth nor drinketh any maner of thing for the space of seuen dayes, and
they say that there are many religious men which doe the like.
The Emperors Maiestie eateth but one morsel of bread, and drinketh but one
draught of drinke once in the day during that weeke, and all men that are
of any reputation come not out of their houses during that time, so that
the streetes are almost void of company, sauing a few poore folkes which
wander to and fro. The other sixe weeks they keepe as we do ours, but not
one of them will eate either butter, cheese, egs or milke.
On Palme Sunday they haue a very solemne procession in this maner
following.
First, they haue a tree of a good bignesse which is made fast vpon two
sleds, as though it were growing there, and it is hanged with apples,
raisins, figs and dates, and with many other fruits abundantly. In the
midst of the same tree stand 5 boyes in white vestures, which sing in the
tree before the procession: after this there followed certaine yong men
with waxe tapers in their hands burning, and a great lanterne that al the
light should not go out: after them followed two with long banners, and
sixe with round plates set vpon long staues: the plates were of copper very
ful of holes and thin:
