RICHARD CHANCELOR ad. 



1553- 

 a little fire, lieth downe with his backe towards the 

 weather : this mantle of his serves him for his bed, wall, 

 house and all : his drinke is colde water of the river, 

 mingled with oatemeale, and this is all his good cheere, 

 and he thinketh himselfe well, and daintily fedde there- 

 with, and so sitteth downe by his fire, and upon the hard 

 ground, rosteth as it were his wearie sides thus daintily 

 stuffed : the hard ground is his feather bed, & some 

 blocke or stone his pillow : and as for his horse, he is as 

 it were a chamberfellow with his master, faring both alike. 

 How justly may this barbarous, and rude Russe condemne 

 the daintinesse and nicenesse of our Captaines, who living 

 in a soile & aire much more temperate, yet commonly use 

 furred boots, and clokes ? But thus much of the furni- 

 ture of their common souldiers. But those that are of 

 higher degrees come into the field a little better provided. 

 As for the furniture of the Emperour himselfe, it is then 

 above all other times, most notable. The coverings of 

 his tent for the most part, are all of gold, adorned with 

 stones of great price, and with the curious workemanship 

 of plumasiers. As often as they are to skirmish with the 

 enemie, they goe forth without any order at all : they 

 make no wings, nor militarie divisions of their men, as we 

 doe, but lying for the most part, in ambush, doe suddenly 

 set upon the enemie. Their horses can well abstaine two 

 whole daies from any meate. They feede upon the barkes 

 of trees, and the most tender branches, in all the time of 

 warre. And this scant and miserable maner of living, 

 both the horse and his Master can well endure, sometimes 

 for the space of two moneths, lustie, and in good state of 

 body. If any man behave himselfe valiantly in the flelde, 

 to the contentation of the Emperour, he bestoweth upon 

 him in recompense of his service, some farme, or so much 

 ground as he and his may live upon, which notwithstand- 

 ing after his death, returneth againe to the Emperour, if 

 he die without a male issue. For although his daughters 

 be never so many, yet no part of that inheritance comes 

 to them, except peradventure the Emperour of his good- 



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