Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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[Footnote: His Arriual At Mosco.] To Mosco We Came About The End Of
September, Receiued By No Man, Not So Much As Our Owne Countreymen Suffered
To Meet Vs, Which Bred Suspition In Me Of Some Other Course Intended, Then
We Had Hitheto Found.
[Footnote: A special house at Mosco, built for Ambassadours.] We were
brought to a house built of purpose by the Emperour for Ambassadours, faire
and large, after the fashion of that countrey.
Two gentlemen were appointed to attend vpon me, the one to see vs furnished
of victuals, and that we lacked nothing of the Emperors allowance: the
other to see that we should not goe out of the house, nor suffer any man to
come vnto vs, in which they left nothing vndone that belonged to their
charge. But specially he that looked to our persons so straightly handled
vs; that we had no small cause to doubt that some euill had bene intended
vnto vs. No supplication, sute, or request could take place for our
liberty, nor yet to come to his presence.
Hauing passed ouer 17 weeks in this sort, the Emperour sendeth word that we
should be ready against Tuesday the 20 of Februarie, at eight a clocke in
the morning.
[Sidenote: Two Pristaues.] The houre being come that I should go to the
Court, the two gentlemen Pristaues (as they call them) came vnto me
apparelled more princely then before I had euer seene them. They presse vs
to depart, and mounted vpon their owne horses, and the Ambassador vpon such
a one as he had borrowed, his men marching on foot, to their great griefe.
The Ambassadour (being my selfe) was conueyed into an office where one of
the chancellors doeth vse to sit, being there accompanied with the two
foresayd gentlemen: I taried two long houres before I was sent for to the
Emperor. In the end message being brought that the Emperour was set, I was
conueyed by my gentlemen vp a paire of staires thorow a large roome, where
sate by my estimation 300 persons, all in rich attire, taken out of the
Emperors wardrobe for that day, vpon three ranks of benches, set round
about the place, rather to present a maiestie, then that they were either
of quality or honor.
[Sidenote: His admission to the Emperors presence.] At the first entry into
the chamber I with my cap gaue them the reuerence, such as I iudged, their
stately sitting, graue countenances and sumptuous apparell required, and
seeing that it was not answered againe of any of them I couered my head,
and so passing to a chamber where the Emperor was, there receiued me at the
doore from my two gentlemen or gouernors, two of the Emperors counsellors,
and shewed me to the Emperor, and brought me to the middle of the chamber,
where I was willed to stand still, and to say that which I had to say. I by
my Interpretor opened my message as I receiued it from the Queene my
Mistresse, from whom I came, at whose name the Emperor stood vp, and
demanded diuers questions of her health and state:
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