a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1553- 



amongst all the rest there stoode foure marvellous great 



pottes or crudences as they call them, of golde and silver : 

 I thinke they were a good yarde and a halfe hie. By 

 the cupborde stoode two gentlemen with napkins on their 

 shoulders, and in their handes each of them had a 

 cuppe of gold set with pearles and precious stones, 

 which were the Dukes owne drinking cups : when he 

 was disposed, he drunke them off at a draught. And 

 for his service at meate it came in without order, yet 

 it was very rich service : for all were served in gold, 

 not onely he himselfe, but also all the rest of us, and 

 it was very massie : the cups also were of golde and 

 very massie. The number that dined there that day 

 was two hundred persons, and all were served in golden 

 vessell. The gentlemen that waited were all in cloth 

 of gold, and they served him with their caps on their 

 heads. Before the service came in, the Duke sent to 

 every man a great shiver of bread, and the bearer called 

 the party so sent to by his name aloude, and sayd, 

 John Basilivich Emperour of Russia and great Duke 

 of Moscovia doth reward thee with bread : then must 

 all men stand up, and doe at all times when those wordes 

 are spoken. And then last of all he giveth the Marshall 

 [I. 239.] bread, whereof he eateth before the Dukes Grace, and 

 so doth reverence and departeth. Then commeth the 

 Dukes service of the Swannes all in pieces, and every 

 one in a severall dish : the which the Duke sendeth 

 as he did the bread, and the bearer sayth the same 

 wordes as he sayd before. And as I sayd before, the 

 service of his meate is in no order, but commeth in 

 dish by dish : and then after that the Duke sendeth 

 drinke, with the like saying as before is tolde. Also 

 before dinner hee changed his crowne, and in dinner 

 time two crownes ; so that I saw three severall crownes 

 upon his head in one day. And thus when his service 

 was all come in hee gave to every one of his gentlemen 

 waiters meate with his owne hand, & so likewise 

 drinke. His intent thereby is, as I have heard, that 



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