Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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When They Giue Any Charge, Or Make Any
Inuasion, They Make A Great Hallow Or Shoute Altogether, As Lowd As They
Can, Which With The Sound Of Their Trumpets, Shawmes And Drummes, Maketh A
Confused And Horrible Noyse.
So they set on first discharging their
arrowes, then dealing with their swordes, which they vse in a brauerie to
shake, and brandish ouer their heads, before they come to strokes.
[Sidenote: The footmans charge.] Their footmen (because otherwise they want
order in leading) are commonly placed in some ambush or place of aduantage,
where they most annoy the enemie, with least hurt to themselues. [Sidenote:
The walking Castle.] If it be a set battell, or if any great inuasion be
made vpon the Russe borders by the Tartar, they are set within the running
or mouing Castle (called Bexa, or Gulaygorod) which is caried about with
them by the Voiauoda golauoy (or the walking General) whom I spake of
before. This walking or moouing Castle is so framed, that it may be set vp
in length (as occasion doeth require) the space of one, two, three, foure,
fiue, sixe, or seuen miles: for so long will reach. It is nothing els but a
double wall of wood to defend them on both sides behinde and before, with a
space of three yards or thereabouts, betwixt the two sides: so that they
may stand within it, and haue roome enough to charge and discharge their
pieces, and to vse their other weapons. It is closed at both ends, and made
with loope holes on either side, to lay out the nose of their piece, or to
push foorth any other weapon. It is caried with the armie wheresoeuer it
goeth, being taken into pieces, and so layde on cartes sparred together,
and drawen by horse that are not seene, by reason that they are couered
with their cariage as with a shelfe or penthouse. When it is brought to the
place where it is to be vsed (which is deuised and chosen out before by the
walking Voiauod) it is planted so much as the present vse requireth,
sometime a mile long, sometimes two, sometimes three or more: Which is
soone done without the helpe of any Carpenter, or instrument: because the
timber is so framed to claspe together one piece with in another: as is
easily vnderstoode by those that know the maner of the Russe building.
In this Castle standeth their shot wel fenced for aduantage, especially
against the Tartar, that bringeth no ordinance, nor other weapon into the
field with him, saue his sword, and bow, and arrowes. They haue also within
it diuers field pieces, which they vse as occasion doth require. Of pieces
for the field they carie no great store, when they warre against the
Tartar: but when they deale with the Polonian (of whose forces they make
more account) they go better furnished with all kind of munition, and other
necessarie prouisions. It is thought that no Prince of Christendome hath
better store of munition, then the Russe Emperour. And it may partly
appeare by the Artillery house at Mosco, where are of all sortes of great
Ordinance, all brasse pieces, very faire, to an exceeding great number.
The Russe souldier is thought to be better at his defence within some
castle or towne, then he is abroad at a set pitched field. Which is euer
noted in the practise of his warres, and namely at the siege of Vobsco,
about eight yeres since: [Sidenote: 1580.] where he repulsed the Polonian
king Stepan Batore, with his whole armie of 100000 men, and forced him in
the end to giue ouer his siege, with the losse of many of his best
Captaines and souldiers. But in a set field the Russe is noted to haue euer
the worse of the Polonian and Sweden.
[Sidenote: Reward for valure.] If any behaue himselfe more valiantly then
the rest, or do any special piece of seruice, the Emperor sendeth him a
piece of golde, stamped with the Image of Saint George on horsebacke: Which
they hang on their sleeues, and set in their caps. And this is accounted
the greatest honour they can receiue, for any seruice they doe.
Of their Colonies, and maintaining of their conquests, or purchases by
force.
The Russe Emperors of late yeres haue very much enlarged their dominions,
and territories. Their first conquest after the Dukedome of Mosco, (for
before that time they were but Dukes of Volodomer, as before was said) was
the citie, and Dukedome of Nouogrod on the West, and Northwest side: which
was no smal enlargement of their dominion, and strengthening to them for
the winning of the rest. This was done by Iuan great grandfather to Theodor
now Emperor, about the yere 1480. The same began likewise to encroach vpon
the countries of Lituania and Liuonia, but the conquest only intended, and
attempted by him vpon some part of those countries, was pursued and
performed by his sonne Basileus, who first wan the citie and dukedom of
Plesko, afterwards the citie and dukedome of Smolensco, and many other
faire towns, with a large territory belonging vnto them, about the yere
1514. [Sidenote: 1580.] These victories against the Lettoes or Lituanians
in the time of Alexander their duke, he atchieued rather by aduantage of
ciuil dissentions, and treasons among themselues, then by any great
policie, or force of his own. But al this was lost againe by his son Iuan
Vasiliwich about 8 or 9 yeres past, vpon composition with the Polonian king
Stephan Batore: whereunto he was forced by the aduantages which the Pole
had then of him, by reason of the foile he had giuen him before, and the
disquietnes of his own state at home. Onely the Russe Emperor, at this time
hath left him on that side his countery, the cities of Smolensco, Vobsco,
Chernigo, and Bealagorod in Lituania. In Liuonia, not a towne nor one foot
of ground.
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