By a former wife he had two sons, who did not
agree with Despina, the reigning grand duchess, and were not therefore on
very friendly terms with their father. Despina, his second wife, had
brought him two daughters, and was said to be again with child.
The grand duke returned to Moscow from his journey to the frontiers about
the end of December; and, as I could not reconcile myself to the manners
and mode of life of the Russians, I became exceedingly impatient to leave
the country, and could not persuade myself to stay for the return of
Stephen from Venice with money. For this reason, I made interest with one
of the lords of the court, to prevail on the grand duke to supply me with
money, and to give me leave to depart. A few days afterwards, the grand
duke sent for me to court and invited me to dinner, when he agreed, from
respect to the republic, to lend me as much money as was necessary to
clear all my debts to the Tartarian and Russian merchants, and to enable
me to return to Venice. The dinner was quite magnificent, consisting of
every delicacy, and of abundance of exquisitely dressed dishes. When the
repast was finished, I retired according to custom. Some days afterwards,
I was again invited to court, and the grand duke gave orders his
treasurer to give me all the money necessary for paying my debts, besides
which, he presented me with 1000 ducats, and a magnificent dress of
Scythian squirrels skins, to wear in his presence when I came to court.
Before returning to my quarters, he ordered me to be presented to the
grand duchess, who received me very graciously, and desired me to offer
her respectful salutations to our illustrious republic, which I promised
to do.
[1] This journey appears to have been through the country on the west of
the Wolga, which they probably passed about Czariein, through the
provinces of Saratov, Woronez, and Penza, avoiding the Ilafla, to
Rezan or Riazan. - E.
[2] Rezan or Riazan, in the province of that name, on the Oka. In a
considerable, part of the track of this journey, there are now towns
and villages; but the whole of this south-eastern frontier of European
Russia, appears to have been then entirely waste, and pervaded by the
wandering Tartars. We are quite in the dark respecting the particulars
of the route from Astracan to Rezan. It was certainty on the east of
the Wolga at the first, to avoid the Tartars which occupied the
country between the Caspian and Euxine. The passage of that vast
river may have been at Czariein, at its great elbow, in lat. 48 deg. 30'N.
or about Saratov in 51 deg. 20'N. neither of which towns seem to have then
existed. From thence they would probably proceed, to avoid the larger
rivers, between where Penza and Tchenbar now stand, and by the scite
of Morbansk, towards Riazan. - E.
[3] In the original this large bridge is said to have been at Kolomna,
which is on the river Mosqua, of very inferior magnitude; and flows
into the Oka, which most probably is the Monstrus of the text. - E.
[4] In the original, the commander of this body of cavalry is said to have
been a Tartarian general - E.
[5] The word Leopolitain, may possibly be a corruption for Neopolitan, or
a native of Naples. Perhaps it may refer to Leopol, in that part of
Poland now belonging to Austria, and called Galicia. - E.
[6] Such is the expression in the original, which ought perhaps to be
reversed. Yet Contarini possibly meant to say, that the inhabitants of
Moscow laid up a sufficient stock of money from the profits of their
long winter labours, for their subsistence during summer; when, by the
absence of the court, they had little employment. - E.
[7] There are two cities named Novogrod or Novgorod in Russia, nearly at
equal distances from Moscow, one to the northwest, and the other to
the southwest; the latter of which, named Novgorod Sieverskov, is
probably meant in the text, and which ought rather to have been
described as towards the frontiers of Poland. The other Novgorod did
not then belong to the Russian sovereignty. - E.
[8] The geographical ideas of Contarini are very vague and superficial.
This is perhaps the only instance wherein Poland; a portion of
European Sarmatia, is considered as belonging geographically to
Germany. - E.
[9] The reigning sovereign of Russia at the period was John III. who began
to reign in 1463, and was succeeded in 1505 by Basil IV. - E.
SECTION IX.
_Contarini leaves Moscow, and having passed through Lithuania, Poland,
and Germany, arrives at Venice._
On the day before that which I had fixed for my departure, I was invited
to dine at court. Before dinner, I was taken into one of the halls of the
palace, where I found the grand duke, accompanied by Marcus and a
secretary. His highness addressed me very graciously, and desired me to
report all the marks of esteem and friendship he had shewn me, from
respect to our illustrious republic, and offered me every thing I could
desire, and which lay in his power to grant. While speaking, I drew back
from respect; but as I retired he always advanced. I answered every thing
to his satisfaction, and humbly offered my most grateful thanks for all
his benevolence to me. He treated me with the utmost politeness and
familiarity, and even condescended to shew me some robes of gold tissue,
magnificently lined with Scythian sables; after which we went to dinner.
The repast was extraordinarily magnificent, at which several of the
barons and great officers of state assisted. When we rose from table, the
grand duke called me to him, and gave me my audience of leave in the most
gracious terms, speaking so loud as to be heard by all the company, and
expressing his high esteem for the illustrious republic of Venice.
![A General History And Collection Of Voyages And Travels - Volume 2 - By Robert Kerr
- The grand duke[9] appeared to be
about thirty-five years of age, was handsomely made, and had very
dignified - Page 68](../images/travel.jpg)
