ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1557- 



ordinance is discharged every yeare in the moneth of 



December, according to the order before mentioned. 



On Christmas day we were all willed to dine with the 

 Emperors Majestie, where for bread, meat and drinke, we 

 were served as at other times before : but for goodly and 

 rich plate, we never saw the like or so much before. 

 There dined that day in the Emperors presence above 

 500 strangers, and two hundred Russes, and all they were 

 served in vessels of gold, and that as much as could stand 

 one by another upon the tables. Besides this there 

 were foure cupbords garnished with goodly plate both 

 of gold & silver. Among the which there were 12 

 barrels of silver, conteining above 12 gallons a piece, 

 and at each end of every barrell were 6 hoopes of fine 

 gold : this dinner continued about sixe houres. 

 The hallowing Every yeare upon the 12 day they use to blesse or 

 of the river of sa nctifie the river Moscua, which runneth through the 

 citie of Mosco, after this maner. 



First, they make a square hole in the ice about 3 

 fadoms large every way, which is trimmed about the sides 

 & edges with white boords. Then about 9 of the clocke 

 they come out of the church with procession towards the 

 river in this wise. 



First and foremost there goe certaine young men with 

 waxe tapers burning, and one carying a great lanterne : 

 then follow certaine banners, then the crosse, then the 

 images of our Lady, of S. Nicholas, and of other Saints, 

 which images men carie upon their shoulders : after the 

 images follow certaine priests to the number of 100 or 

 more : after them the Metropolitane who is led be- 

 tweene two priests, and after the Metropolitan came 

 the Emperour with his crowne upon his head, and after 

 his majestie all his noble men orderly. Thus they 

 followed the procession unto the water, & when they 

 came unto the hole that was made, the priests set 

 themselves in order round about it. And at one side 

 of the same poole there was a scaffold of boords made, 

 upon which stood a faire chaire in which the Metro- 



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