North Eastern Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 3 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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And Before The Comming In Of The
Meate, The Emperour Himselfe, According To An Ancient Custome Of The Kings
Of
Moscouy, doth first bestow a piece of bread vpon euery one of his
ghests, with a loud pronunciation of his
Title, and honour, in this manner:
The great Duke of Moscouie, and chiefe Emperour of Russia, Iohn Basiliwich
(and then the officer nameth the ghest) doth giue thee bread. Whereupon al
the ghests rise vp, and by and by sit downe againe. This done, the
Gentleman Vsher of the Hall comes in, with a notable company of seruants,
carying the dishes, and hauing done his reuerence to the Emperour, puts a
yong Swanne in a golden platter vpon the table, and immediately takes it
thence againe, deliuering it to the Caruer, and seuen other of his
fellowes, to be cut up: which being perfourmed, the meate is then
distributed to the ghests, with the like pompe, and ceremonies. In the
meane time, the Gentleman Vsher receiues his bread, and tasteth to the
Emperour, and afterward, hauing done his reuerence, he departeth. Touching
the rest of the dishes, because they were brought in out of order, our men
can report no certaintie: but this is true, that all the furniture of
dishes, and drinking vessels, which were then for the vse of a hundred
ghests, was all of pure golde, and the tables were so laden with vessels of
gold, that there was no roome for some to stand vpon them.
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