RICHARD CHANCELOR ad 



1553- 



all which were filled with the assemblie present : the 



ghests were all apparelled with linnen without, and 

 with rich skinnes within, and so did notably set out 

 this royall feast. The Emperour, when hee takes any 

 bread or knife in his hand, doth first of all crosse him- 

 selfe upon his forehead : they that are in speciall favour 

 with the Emperour sit upon the same bench with 

 him, but somewhat farre from him : and before the 

 comming in of the meate, the Emperour himselfe, 

 according to an ancient custome of the kings of Mos- 

 covy, doth first bestow a piece of bread upon every 

 one of his ghests, with a loud pronunciation of his 

 title, and honour, in this manner : The great Duke 

 of Moscovie, and chiefe Emperour of Russia, John 

 Basiliwich (& then the officer nameth the ghest) doth 

 give thee bread. Whereupon al the ghests rise up, [I. 250.] 

 and by & by sit downe againe. This done, the Gentle- 

 man Usher of the Hall comes in, with a notable 

 company of servants, carying the dishes, and having 

 done his reverence to the Emperour, puts a yong 

 Swanne in a golden platter upon the table, and immedi- 

 atly takes it thence' againe, delivering it to the Carver, 

 and seven other of his fellowes, to be cut up : which 

 being perfourmed, the meate is then distributed to 

 the ghests, with the like pompe, and ceremonies. In 

 the meane time, the Gentleman Usher receives his 

 bread, and tasteth to the Emperour, and afterward, 

 having done his reverence, he departeth. Touching 

 the rest of the dishes, because they were brought in 

 out of order, our men can report no certaintie : but 

 this is true, that all the furniture of dishes, and drink- 

 ing vessels, which were then for the use of a hundred 

 ghests, was all of pure golde, and the tables were so 

 laden with vessels of gold, that there was no roome for 

 some to stand upon them. 



We may not forget, that there were 140. servitors 

 arayed in cloth of gold, that in the dinner time, changed 

 thrise their habit and apparell, which servitors are in 

 11 257 R 



