a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1553- 



[I. 251.] nesse, give some portion of the land amongst them, to 



bestowe them withall. As for the man, whosoever he 

 be, that is in this sort rewarded by the Emperours 

 liberalise, hee is bound in a great summe, to maintaine so 

 many souldiers for the warre, when need shall require, as 

 that land, in the opinion of the Emperour, is able to 

 maintaine. And all those, to whom any land fals by 

 inheritance, are in no better condition : for if they die 

 without any male issue, all their lands fall into the hands 

 of the Emperour. And moreover, if there be any rich 

 man amongst them, who in his owne person is unfit for 

 the warres, and yet hath such wealth, that thereby many 

 Noble men and warriours might be maintained, if any of 

 the Courtiers present his name to the Emperour, the 

 unhappy man is by and by sent for, and in that instant, 

 deprived of all his riches, which with great paines and 

 travell all his life time he had gotten together : except 

 perhaps some small portion thereof be left him, to 

 maintaine his wife, children and familie. But all this is 

 done of all the people so willingly at the Emperours 

 commandement, that a man would thinke, they rather 

 make restitution of other mens goods, then give that 

 which is their owne to other men. Nowe the Emperour 

 having taken these goods into his hands, bestoweth them 

 among his Courtiers, according to their deserts : and 

 oftener that a man is sent to the warres, the more the 

 favour he thinketh is borne to him by the Emperour, 

 although he goe upon his owne charge, as I said before. 

 So great is the obedience of all men generally to their 

 Prince. 



Of the Ambassadors of the Emperour of 

 Moscovie. 



THe Moscovite, with no lesse pompe, and magnificence, 

 then that which we have spoken of, sends his Ambas- 

 sadors to forren Princes, in the affaires of estate. For 

 while our men were abiding in the Citie of Mosco, there 

 were two Ambassadors sent to the King of Poland, 



260 



