I 



ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1553- 



The sharpnes onely from their cabbins to the hatches, had their breath 



of the winter oftentimes so suddenly taken away, that they eftsoones 



fell downe as men very neere dead, so great is the sharpe- 



nesse of that colde climate : but as for the South parts of 



the Countrey, they are somewhat more temperate. 



Of Mosco the chiefe Citie of the kingdome, 

 and of the Emperour thereof. 



T remaineth that a larger discourse be made of Mosco, 

 the principall Citie of that Countrey, and of the 

 Prince also, as before we have promised. The Empire 

 and government of the king is very large, and his wealth 

 at this time exceeding great. And because the citie of 

 Mosco is the chiefest of al the rest, it seemeth of it selfe 

 to challenge the first place in this discourse. Our men 

 say, that in bignesse it is as great as the Citie of London, 

 with the suburbes thereof. There are many and great 

 buildings in it, but for beautie and fairenesse, nothing 

 Their manner comparable to ours. There are many Townes and 

 of building. Villages also, but built out of order, and with no 

 hansomnesse : their streetes and wayes are not paved with 

 stone as ours are : the walles of their houses are of 

 wood : the roofes for the most part are covered with 

 shingle boords. There is hard by the Citie a very faire 

 Castle, strong, and furnished with artillerie, whereunto 

 [I. 249.] the Citie is joyned directly towards the North, with a 

 bricke wall : the walles also of the Castle are built with 

 bricke, and are in breadth or thickenesse eighteene foote. 

 This Castle hath on the one side a drie ditch, on the 

 other side the river Moscua, whereby it is made almost 

 inexpugnable. The same Moscua trending towards the 

 East doth admit into it the companie of the river Occa. 

 In the Castle aforesaide, there are in number nine 

 Churches, or Chappels, not altogether unhansome, 

 which are used and kept by certaine religious men, over 

 whom there is after a sort, a Patriarke, or Governour, 

 and with him other reverend Fathers, all which for the 

 greater part, dwell within the Castle. As for the kings 



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