A LARGE DESCRIPTION OF RUSSIA a.d. 



1558. 



First, when there is love betweene the parties, the 

 man sendeth unto the woman a small chest or boxe, 

 wherein is a whip, needles, threed, silke, linnen cloth, 

 sheares, and such necessaries as shee shall occupie when 

 she is a wife, and perhaps sendeth therwithall raisins, 

 figs or some such things, giving her to understand, that 

 if she doe offend, she must be beaten with the whip, & 

 by the needles, threed, cloth, &c. that she should apply 

 her selfe diligently to sowe, and do such things as shee 

 could best doe, and by the raisins or fruites he meaneth 

 if she doe well, no good thing shalbe withdrawn from 

 her, nor be too deare for her : and she sendeth unto 

 him a shirt, handkerchers, and some such things of her 

 owne making. And now to the effect. 



When they are agreed, and the day of marriage 

 appointed, when they shall goe towardes the Church, 

 the bride will in no wise consent to go out of the house, 

 but resisteth and striveth with them that would have 

 her out, and faineth her selfe to weepe, yet in the end, 

 two women get her out, and lead her towards the church, 

 her face being covered close, because of her dissimulation, 

 that it should not be openly perceived : for she maketh 

 a great noise, as though she were sobbing and weeping, 

 until she come at the Church, and then her face is un- 

 covered. The man commeth after among other of his 

 friends, and they cary with them to the church a great 

 pot with wine or mead : then the priest coupleth them 

 together much after our order, one promising to love 

 and serve the other during their lives together, &c. 

 which being done, they begin to drinke, and first the 

 woman drinketh to the man, and when he hath drunke 

 he letteth the cuppe fall to the ground, hasting imme- 

 diatly to tread upon it, and so doth she, and whether 

 of them tread first upon it must have the victorie and 

 be master at all times after, which commonly happeneth 

 to the man, for he is readiest to set his foot on it, 

 because he letteth it fall himselfe, then they goe home 

 againe, the womans face beeing uncovered. The boyes 



445 



