ad. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1558. 



things concerning religious matters, as in leading the 

 Metropolitans horse upon Palme Sunday, and giving him 

 leave to sitte on a chaire upon the 12. day, when the 

 river Mosco was in blessing, his majestie standing on 

 the yce. 



All matters of religion are reformed by the Metro- 

 politane, he heareth the causes and giveth sentence as 

 himselfe listeth, and is authorized so to doe, whether it 

 be to whip, hang or burne, his will must needs be 

 fulfilled. 



They have both monks, friers and nunnes, with a 

 great number of great & rich monasteries : they keepe 

 great hospitalitie, and doe relieve much poore people 

 day by day. I have bene in one of the monasteries 

 called Troietes, which is walled about with bricke very 

 strongly like a castle, and much ordinance of brasse 

 upon the walles of the same. They told me themselves 

 that there are seven hundred brethren of them which 

 belong unto that house. The most part of the lands, 

 towns, and villages which are within 40. miles of it, 

 belong unto the same. They shewed me the church, 

 wherein were as many images as could hang about, or 

 upon the wals of the Church round about, and even the 

 roofe of the church was painted ful of images. The 

 chiefe image was of our Ladie, which was garnished 

 with gold, rubies, saphirs and other rich stones abun- 

 dantly. In the midst of the church stood 12. waxe 

 tapers of two yards long, and a fathom about in bignesse, 

 & there stands a kettle full of waxe with about 100. 

 weight, wherein there is alwayes the wicke of a candle 

 burning, as it were a lampe which goeth not out day 

 nor night. 



They shewed me a coffin covered with cloth of gold 

 which stoode upon one side within their church, in which 

 they told me lay a holy man, who never eate or dranke, 

 and yet that he liveth. And they told me (supposing 

 that I had beleeved them) that he healeth many diseases, 

 and giveth the blind their sight, with many other 



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