They fall then to drinking till they bee all drunke,
they perchance haue a minstrell or two, and two naked men, which led her
from the Church daunce naked a long time before all the companie. When they
are wearie of drinking, the bride and the bridegrome get them to bed, for
it is in the euening alwayes when any of them are married: and when they
are going to bedde, the bridegrome putteth certain money both golde and
siluer, if he haue it, into one of his boots, and then sitteth down in the
chamber, crossing his legges, and then the bride must plucke off one of his
boots, which she will, and if she happen on the boote wherein the money is,
she hath not onely the money for her labor, but is also at such choyse, as
she need not euer from that day forth to pul off his boots, but if she
misse the boot wherin the money is, she doth not onely loose the money, but
is also bound from that day forwards to pull off his boots continually.
Then they continue in drinking and making good cheere three daies
following, being accompanied with certaine of their friends, and during the
same three daies he is called a Duke, and shee a dutches, although they be
very poore persons, and this is as much as I haue learned of their
matrimony: but one common rule is amongst them, if the woman be not beaten
with the whip once a weeke, she will not be good, and therefore they looke
for it orderly, and the women say, that if their husbands did not beate
them, they should not loue them.
They vse to marry there very yong, their sonnes at 16. and 18. yeeres old,
and the daughters at 12. or 13. yeeres or yonger: they vse to keepe their
wiues very closely, I meane those that be of any reputation, so that a man
shall not see one of them but at a chance, when she goeth to church at
Christmas or at Easter, or els going to visite some of her friends.
The most part of the women vse to ride a stride in saddles with styropes,
as men do, and some of them on sleds, which in summer is not commendable.
[Sidenote: The women of Russia paint their faces.] The husband is bound to
finde the wife colours to paint her withall, for they vse ordinarily to
paynt themselues: it is such a common practise among them, that it is
counted for no shame: they grease their faces with such colours, that a man
may discerne them hanging on their faces almost a flight shoote off: I
cannot so well liken them as to a millers wife, for they looke as though
they were beaten about the face with a bagge of meale, but their eye browes
they colour as blacke as ieat.
The best propertie that the women haue, is that they can sowe well, and
imbroder with silke and golde excellently.
Of their buriall.
When any man or woman dieth, they stretch him out, and put a new paire of
shooes on his feete, because he hath a great iourney to goe: then doe they
winde him in a sheet, as we doe, but they forget not to put a testimonie in
his right hand, which the priest giueth him, to testifie vnto S. Nicholas
that he died a Christian man or woman. And they put the coarse alwayes in a
coffin of wood, although the partie be very poore: and when they goe
towards the Church, the friends and kinsemen of the partie departed carrie
in their hands small waxe candles, and they weepe and howle, and make much
lamentation.
They that be hanged or beheaded, or such like, haue no testimonie with
them: how they are receiued into heauen, it is a wonder, without their
passport.
There are a great number of poore people among them which die daily for
lacke of sustenance, which is a pitifull case to beholde: for there hath
beene buried in a small time, within these two yeeres, aboue 80. persons
young and old, which haue died onely for lacke of sustenance: for if they
had had straw and water enough, they would make shift to liue: [Sidenote:
Bread made of straw.] for a great many are forced in the winter to drie
straw and stampe it, and to make bread thereof, or at the least they eate
it in stead of bread. In the summer they make good shift with grasse,
herbes and rootes: barks of trees are good meat with them at all times.
[Sidenote: The vnmercifulnesse of the Russes toward the poor.] There is no
people in the world, as I suppose, that liue so miserably as do the pouerty
in those parts, and the most part of them that haue sufficient for
themselues, and also to relieue others that need, are so vmnerciful that
they care not how many they see die of famine or hunger in the streets.
[Sidenote: Stooues or baths vsuall with the Muscovites.] It is a countrey
full of diseases, diuers, and euill, and the best remedy is for anie of
them, as they holde opinion, to goe often vnto the hote houses, as in a
maner euery man hath one of his owne, which hee heateth commonly twise
euery weeke, and all the bouseholde sweate, and wash themselues therein.
The names of certaine sortes of drinkes vsed in Russia, and commonly drunke
in the Emperours Court.
[Sidenote: Reported by Thomas Bulley.] The first and principall meade is
made of the iuice or liccour taken from a berrie called in Russia, Malieno,
which is of a marueilous sweete taste, and of a carmosant colour, which
berry I haue seene in Paris.
