I Requested
Permission From Him To Go Away, Giving Him The Most Solemn Assurance That
I Would Transmit Full Payment To Him Immediately After My Arrival At
Venice.
But he declared this was not in his power, as he was under the
necessity of repaying the Tartarian and Russian merchants, who had
advanced all these things for us, and to whom he had become security for
payment.
Finding every application to the duke and Marcus on this subject
ineffectual, as I could not procure the necessary funds for my journey
from either, I was under the necessity of sending Stephen Testa to Venice,
to solicit a remittance from our illustrious senate, by which I might be
enabled to pay my debts. Stephen left Moscow on the 7th of October,
accompanied by one _Nicolas Leopolitain_[5], who knew the country.
I became acquainted at Moscow with one Triphon, a goldsmith, a native of
Ascravia or Cathara, who was employed in making several articles of
silver plate for the grand duke. I likewise formed acquaintance with a
very ingenious architect of Bologna, named Aristotle, who was building a
new church in the market-place. As the house in which I lodged was small
and disagreeable, I went to live with this person by the advice of Marcus:
But I was soon after obliged to change my quarters by order from court,
to a house near the castle, in which I remained for the rest of my stay
at Moscow. This city, which is the capital of the Russian dominions, and
the residence of the grand duke, or sovereign, is built on a small
elevation, on the banks of the Mosqua, over which there are several
bridges; the castle and all the houses of the city being built of wood,
which is procured from several thick forests near the place. The soil of
this country is fertile, and produces abundance of corn of all kinds,
which sell here much cheaper than with us; The country abounds in cattle
and swine, and with incredible numbers of poultry, ducks, geese, and
hares; but they have no venison, either because there are no deer, or
because the natives are ignorant of the art of taking them. But they have
no vines, and their only fruits are cucumbers, wild apples, and nuts. The
country is extremely cold, and the inhabitants are under the necessity of
living for nine months of the year in stoves. They provide during winter
for their living in summer[6]. When the whole country is enveloped in
frost and snow, they use sledges drawn by horses, which are very
convenient and useful for travelling; and are even used in summer on
account of the miry bad roads, which are exceedingly difficult and
unpleasant. The river ordinarily freezes over about the end of October,
when the merchants erect booths on the ice, in which they expose their
wares of all kinds for sale, as in a fair or market; and they here sell
great numbers of cattle and swine, and great quantities of corn, timber,
and all other necessaries of life; every thing being procurable in great
abundance all the winter. About the end of November, they kill all the
cattle, sheep, and other animals that are required for winter provision,
and expose them for sale on the river in a frozen state; and the rigour
of the season preserves these provisions for two or three months, without
any risk of spoiling. Fish, poultry, and all other articles of food, are
kept in the same manner. The horses run with great ease and swiftness on
the ice yet they sometimes fell and break their necks. Both men and women
of this country have very good faces, but their manners are exceedingly
bad.
The Russian church is ruled over by a patriarch, whose election or
appointment is dependent on the grand duke, and who does not acknowledge
subjection to the Roman pontiff; and they hold all sectaries in
abhorrence, as people doomed to perdition. The natives are much addicted
to drunkenness, and he who excels in drinking is much esteemed among them.
They have no wine, as I have said before, instead of which they drink
mead, made of honey and water, which is very pleasant when sufficiently
kept. It is not allowed to every one to make this liquor, for which
purpose a license or permission must be had from the grand duke; for if
every person had liberty to make mead, they would drink perpetually like
so many beasts, and would kill one another. From morning till noon, they
are employed in the market-place, occupied in their various businesses
and employments, after which they adjourn to the taverns, in which they
spend all the rest of the day. Every winter, great numbers of merchants
come to Moscow from Germany and Poland, who purchase furs of all kinds,
which are indeed exceedingly beautiful. Among these furs, are the skins
of foxes, wolves, martins, sables, ermines, and many others, from Scythia
and the alpine regions, many days journey to the north of Moscow. Many of
these are likewise carried for sale to Novogorod[7], a city towards the
frontiers of Germany, eight days journey west from Moscow. The government
of that city is democratic, and only pays a stipulated yearly tribute to
the grand duke.
The country subject to the grand duke of Russia is of vast extent, and an
infinite number of people are subject to his dominions, but they are by
no means warlike. This empire extends from the north towards the west, to
that part of Germany which is under the dominion of the king of Poland[8];
and some reckon among his subjects a wandering nation of idolaters, who
acknowledge no sovereign, not even submitting to the authority of the
grand duke, but when it suits their own convenience. These wandering
tribes are said to worship during the day whatever first presents itself
to their view, on going out in the morning; many other ridiculous things
are reported of them, which I do not repeat, as I have not seen them, and
can hardly give credit to the reports.
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