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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50886	A brief history of Moscovia and of other less-known countries lying eastward of Russia as far as Cathay, gather'd from the writings of several eye-witnesses / by John Milton.	Milton, John, 1608-1674.	1682 (1682)	Wing M2096; ESTC R12100	30,559	118

A Brief HISTORY OF MOSCOVIA AND Of other less-known Countries lying eastward of Russia as far as Cathay Gather'd from the Writings of several Eye-witnesses By IOHN MILTON LONDON Printed by M. Flesher for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange 1682. The Authour's PREFACE THE study of Geography is both profitable and delightfull but the Writers thereof though some of them exact enough in setting down Longitudes and Latitudes yet in those other relations of Manners Religion Government and such like accounted Geographical have for the most part miss'd their proportions Some too brief and deficient satisfy not others too voluminous and impertinent cloy and weary out the Reader while they tell long Stories of absurd Superstitions Ceremonies quaint Habits and other petty Circumstances little to the purpose Whereby that which is usefull and onely worth observation in such a wood of words is either overslip't or soon forgotten which perhaps brought into the mind of some men more learned and judicious who had not the leisure or purpose to write an entire Geography yet at least to assay something in the description of one or two Countreys which might be as a Pattern or Example to render others more cautious hereafter who intended the whole work And this perhaps induc'd Paulus Jovius to describe onely Muscovy and Britain Some such thoughts many years since led me at a vacant time to attempt the like argument and I began with Muscovy as being the most northern Region of Europe reputed civil and the more northern Parts thereof first discovered by English Voiages Wherein I saw I had by much the advantage of Jovius What was scatter'd in many Volumes and observ'd at several times by Eye-witnesses with no cursory pains I laid together to save the Reader a far longer travaile of wandring through so many desert Authours who yet with some delight drew me after them from the eastern Bounds of Russia to the Walls of Cathay in several late Iourneys made thither overland by Russians who describe the Countreys in their way far otherwise than our common Geographers From proceeding further other occasions diverted me This Essay such as it is was thought by some who knew of it not amiss to be published that so many things remarkable dispers'd before now brought under one view might not hazard to be otherwise lost nor the labour lost of collecting them J. M. ADVERTISEMENT This Book was writ by the Authour 's own hand before he lost his sight And sometime before his death dispos'd of it to be printed But it being small the Bookseller hop'd to have procured some other suitable Piece of the same Authour 's to have joyn'd with it or else it had been publish'd ' ere now MOSCOVIA OR Relations of Moscovia As far as hath been discover'd by English VOYAGES Gather'd from the Writings of several Eye-witnesses And of other less-known Countries lying Eastward of Russia as far as Cathay lately discovered at several times by Russians CHAP. I. A brief Description THE Empire of Moscovia or as others call it Russia is bounded on the North with Lapland and the Ocean Southward by the Crim Tartar on the West by Lituania Livonia and Poland on the East by the River Ob or Oby and the Nagayan Tartars on the Volga as far as Astracan The north parts of this Country are so barren that the Inhabitants fetch their Corn a 1000 miles and so cold in Winter that the very Sap of their Wood-fewel burning on the fire freezes at the Brands end where it drops The Mariners which were left a shipboard in the first English Voyage thither in going up onely from their Cabins to the Hatches had their breath so congeal'd by the cold that they fell down as it were stifl'd The Bay of Saint Nicholas where they first put in lyeth in 64 degrees call'd so from the Abby there built of Wood wherein are 20 Monks unlearned as then they found them and great Drunkards their Church is fair full of Images and Tapers There are besides but 6 Houses whereof one built by the English In the Bay over against the Abby is Rose Island full of damask and red Roses Violets and wild Rosemary the Isle is in circuit 7 or 8 miles about the midst of May the snow there is clear'd having two months been melting then the ground in 14 daies is dry and Grass knee-deep within a month after September Frost returns and Snow a yard high it hath a House built by the English near to a fresh fair Spring North-east of the Abby on the other side of Duina is the Castle of Archangel where the English have another House The River Duina beginning about 700 miles within the Country having first receiv'd Pinega falls here into the Sea very large and swift but shallow It runneth pleasantly between Hills on either side beset like a Wilderness with high Firre and other Trees their Boats of Timber without any Iron in them are either to sail or to be drawn up with Ropes against the stream North-east beyond Archangel standeth Lampas where twice a year is kept a great Fair of Russes Tartars and Samoeds and to the Land-ward Mezen and Slobotca two Towns of traffick between the River Pechora or Petzora and Duina To Seaward lies the Cape of Candinos and the Island of Colgoieve about 30 leagues from the Bar of Pechora in 69 degrees The River Pechora or Petzora holding his course through Siberia how far the Russians thereabouts know not runneth into the Sea at 72. mouths full of Ice abounding with Swans Ducks Geese and Partridge which they take in Iuly sell the Feathers and salt the Bodies for Winter Provision On this River spreading to a Lake stands the Town of Pustozera in 68 degrees having some 80 or 100 Houses where certain Merchants of Hull winter'd in the year 1611. The Town Pechora small and poor hath 3 Churches They traded there up the River 4 daies journey to Oustzilma a small Town of 60 Houses The Russians that have travail'd say that this River springs out of the Mountains of Iougoria and runs through Permia Not far from the Mouth thereof are the Straits of Vaigats of which hereafter more eastward is the Point of Naramzy and next to that the River Ob. Beyond which the Muscovites have extended lately their dominion Touching the Riphaean Mountains whence Tanais was anciently thought to spring our men could hear nothing but rather that the whole Country is Champain and in the northmost part huge and desert Woods of Firre abounding with Black Wolves Bears Buffs and another Beast call'd Rossomakka whose Female bringeth forth by passing through some narrow place as between two Stakes and so presseth her Womb to a disburthening Travailing southward they found the Country more pleasant fair and better inhabited Corn Pasture Meadows and huge Woods Arkania if it be not the same with Archangel