a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1558. 



costly furres, with a crowne upon his head, of the 

 Tartarian fashion, went to the Church in procession, with 

 the Metropolitan, and divers bishops and priests. That 

 day I was before the Emperour again in Russe apparell, 

 and the Emperour asked if that were not I, and his 

 Chancelor answered yea. Then he bad me to dinner : 

 then came he out of the church, and went with the 

 procession upon the river, being all frozen, and there 

 standing bare headed, with all his Nobles, there was a 

 hole made in the ice, and the Metropolitan hallowed the 

 water with great solemnitie and service, and did cast of 

 the sayd water upon the Emperors sonne and the 

 Nobility. That done, the people with great thronging 

 filled pots of the said water to carie home to their houses, 

 and divers children were throwen in, and sicke people, 

 and plucked out quickly againe, and divers Tartars 

 christened : all which the Emperour beheld. Also there 

 were brought the Emperours best horses, to drink at the 

 sayd hallowed water. All this being ended, he returned 

 to his palace againe, and went to dinner by candle light, 

 and sate in a woodden house, very fairely gilt. There 

 dined in the place, above 300 strangers, and I sate alone 

 as I did before, directly before the Emperour, and had 

 my meat, bread and drinke sent me from the Emperour. 



The citie of Mosco is great, the houses for the most 

 part of wood, and some of stone, with windowes of yron, 

 which serve for summer time. There are many faire 

 Churches of stone, but more of wood, which are made 

 hot in the winter time. The Emperors lodging is in a 

 faire and large castle, walled foure square of bricke, high, 

 and thicke, situated upon a hill, 2 miles about, and the 

 river on the Southwest side of it, and it hath 16 gates in 

 the walles, & as many bulwarks. His palace is separated 

 from the rest of the Castle, by a long wall going north 

 and south, to the river side. In his palace are Churches, 

 some of stone and some of wood, with round towers 

 fairely gilded. In the Church doores and within the 

 Churches are images of golde : the chiefe markets for all 



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