proper as they say to the nation of the Iewes Onely the booke of Psalmes they haue in great estimation and sing and say them dayly in their Churches Of the new Testament they allow and read all except the Reuelation which therefore they read not though they allow it because they vnderstand it not neither haue the like occasion to know the fulfilling of the prophecies conteyned within it concerning especially the apostasie of the Antichristian Church as haue the Westerne Churches Notwithstanding they haue had their Antichrists of the Greeke Church and may finde their owne falling of and the punishments for it by the Turkish inuasion in the prophecies of that Booke Secondly which is the fountain of the rest of al their corruptiōs both in doctrine ceremonies they holde with the Papistes that their church Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written worde of God Wherein they prefer thēselues before other churches affirming that they haue the true and right traditions deliuered by the Apostles to the Greeke church and so vnto them 3. That the church meaning the Greeke and specially the Patriarch and his Synod as the head of the rest haue a soueraigne authoritie to interpret the Scriptures and that all are bound to holde that interpretation as sound and authentique 4. Concerning the diuine nature the three persons in the one substance of God that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father onely and not from the Sonne 5. About the office of Christ they holde many fowle errours and the same almost as doth the Popish church namely that hee is the sole mediatour of redemption but not of intercession Their chiefe reason if they bee talked withall for defence of this errour is that vnapt and foolish comparison betwixt God and a Monarch or Prince of this world that must bee sued vnto by Mediatours about him wherein they giue speciall preferment to some aboue others as to the blessed Virgin whom they call Precheste or vndefiled and S. Nicôlas whom they call Scora pomosnick or the Speedy helper and say that he hath 300. angels of the chiefest appointed by God to attend vpon him This hath brought them to an horrible excesse of idolatry after the grossest prophanest māner giuing vnto their images al religious worship of praier thanksgiuing offerings adoration with prostrating and knocking their heads to the ground before thē as to God himself Which because they doo to the picture not to the portraiture of the Saint they say they worship not an idol but the Saint in his image so offend not God forgetting the cōmandement of God that forbiddeth to make the image or likenes of any thing for any religious worship or vse whatsoeuer Their church walles are very full of them richly hanged set forth with pearle stone vpō the smooth table Though some also they haue embossed that stick from the board almost an inch outwards They call them Chudouodites or their miracle workers and when they prouide them to set vp in their Churches in no case they may say that they haue bought the image but exchaunged monie for it 6. For the means of iustification they agree with the Papists that it is not by faith only apprehēding Christ but by their works also And that Opus operatum or the worke for the worke sake must needes please God And therefore they are all in their numbers of praiers fastes vowes offrings to saints almes deeds crossings such like and carrie their numbring beads about with them cōtinually aswel the Emperour his Nobilitie as the cōmon people not only in the church but in all other publike places specially at any set or solemne meeting as in their fastes lawe courts common consultations intertainement of Ambassadours and such like 7. They say with the Papists that no man can be assured of his saluation til the last sentence be passed at the day of iudgement 8. They vse auricular confession thinke that they are purged by the very action frō so many sinnes as they confesse by name and in particular to the Priest 9. They hold three sacramentes of Baptisme the Lords supper and the last annoiling or vnction Yet concerning their Sacrament of extreame vnction they holde it not so necessarie to saluation as they do baptisme but thinke it a great curse and punishment of God if any die with out it 10. They thinke there is a necessitie of baptisme and that all are condemned that die without it 11. They rebaptise as many Christians not being of the Greek church as they conuert to their Russe profession because they are diuided from the true Church which is the Greeke as they say 12. They make a difference of meates drinks accounting the vse of one to be more holy then of an other And therefore in their set fastes they forbeare to eate fleshe and white meats as we call them after the manner of the Popish superstition which they obserue so strictly with such blinde deuotion as that they will rather die then eat one bit of flesh egges or such like for the health of their bodies in their extreme sicknese 13. They hold marriage to be vnlawfull for all the Clergie men except the priests only and for them also after the first wife as was said before Neither doo they well allow of it in Lay men after the second marriage Which is a pretence now vsed against the Emperours only brother a child of six yeres old Who therefore is not praised for in their churches as their manner is otherwise for the Princes bloud because hee was borne of the sixt marriage and so not legitimate This charge was giuen to the priests by the Emperour himselfe by procurement of the Godonoes who make him beleeue that it is a good pollicie to turne away the liking of the people from the next successour Many other false opinions they haue in matter of religion But these are the chiefe which they holde partly by meanes of their traditions which they haue receiued from the Greeke church but specially by ignorance of the holy Scriptures Which notwithstanding they haue in the Polonian tongue that is all one with theirs some few wordes excepted yet fewe of them read them with that godly care which they ought to doo neither haue they if they would bookes sufficient of the old and new Testament for the common people but of their Leiturgie onely or booke of common seruice whereof there are great numbers All this mischief commeth from the clergie who being ignorant and godlesse themselues are very warie to keepe the people likewise in their ignorance and blindnesse for their liuing and bellies sake partly also frō the manner of gouernment setled among them which the Emperours whom it specially behoueth list not to haue chaunged by any innouation but to retaine that religion that best agreeth with it Which notwithstanding it is not
inuade their Countrey as of olde time Cyrus and Darius Hystaspis on the East and Southeast side haue done it with very ill successe as we find in the stories written of those times For their manner is when any will inuade them to allure and drawe them on by flying and reculing as if they were afraide till they haue drawen them some good way within their countrey Then when they beginne to want vittaile and other necessaries as needs they must where nothing is to bee had to stoppe vp the passages and inclose them with multitudes By which stratagem as we reade in Laonicus Chalcacondylas in his Turkish storie they had welnigh surprised the great aud huge armie of Tamerlan but that hee retyred with all speede hee coulde towardes the riuer Tanais or Don not without great losse of his men and carriages In the storie of Pachymerius the Greeke which he wrote of the Emperours of Constantinople from the beginning of the reigne of Michael Palaeologus to the time of Andronicus the elder I remember hee telleth to the same pourpose of one Nogas a Tartarian captaine vnder Cazan the Emperour of the East Tartars of whome the Citie and kingdome of Cazan may seeme to haue taken the denomination who refused a present of Pearle and other iewels sent vnto him from Michael Palaeologus asking withall for what vse they serued and whither they were good to keepe away sicknesse death or other misfortunes of this life or no. So that it seemeth they haue euer or long time bene of that minde to value things no further then by the vse and necessitie for which they serue For person and complexion they haue broad and flatte visages of a tanned colour into yellowe and blacke fearse and cruell lookes thin haired vpon the vpper lippe and pitte of the chinne light and nimble bodied with short legges as if they were made naturally for horsemen whereto they practise themselues from their childehood seldome going afoote about any businesse Their speach is very suddaine and loude speaking as it were out of a deepe hollowe throate When they sing you woulde thinke a kowe lowed or some great bandogge howled Their greatest exercise is shooting wherein they traine vp their children from their very infancie not suffering them to eate til they haue shot neere the marke within a certein scātling They are the very same that sometimes were called Scythae Nomades or the Scythian Shepheards by the Greeks and Latines Some thinke that the Turkes tooke their beginning from the nation of the Chrim Tartars Of which opinion is Laonicus Chalcocondylas the Greeke Historiographer in his first booke of his Turkish storie Wherein hee followeth diuers very probable coniectures The first taken from the very name it selfe for that the worde Turke signifieth a shepheard or one that foloweth a vagrant and wilde kinde of life By which name these Scythian Tartars haue euer bene noted being called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Scythian shepheards His second reason because the Turks in his time that dwelt in Asia the lesse to wit in Lydia Coria Phrygia and Cappadocia spake the very same language that these Tartars did that dwelt betwixt the riuer Tanais or Don. and the countrey of Sarmatia which as is well knowen are these Tartars called Chrims At this time also the whole nation of the Turkes differ not much in their common speach from the Tartar lāguage Thirdly because the Turke and the Chrim Tartar agree so well together aswell in religion as in matter of traffique neuer inuading or iniurying one another saue that the Turke since Laonicus his time hath encroached vpon some Townes vpon the Euxin sea that before perteined to the Chrim Tartar Fourthly because Ortogules sonne to Oguzalpes father to Otoman the first of name of the Turkish nation made his first roads out of those partes of Asia vpon the next borderers till he came towardes the countreys about the hill Taurus where hee ouercame the Greeks that inhabited there and so enlarged the name and territorie of the Turkish nation til he came to Eubaa and Attica and other partes of Greece This is the opinion of Laonicus who liued among the Turks in the time of Amurat the sixt Turkish Emperour about the yeere 1400. when the memorie of their originall was more fresh and therefore the likelier hee was to hit the trueth There are diuers other Tartars that border vpon Russia as the Nagaies the Cheremissens the Mordwites the Chircasses and the Shalcans which all differ in name more then in regiment or other condition from the Chrim Tartar except the Chircasses that border Southwest towardes Lituania and are farre more ciuil then the rest of the Tartars of a comely person and of a stately behauiour as applying themselues to the fashion of the Polonian Some of them haue subiected themselues to the kings of Poland professe Christianitie The Nagay lyeth Eastwarde and is reckoned for the best man of warre among all the Tartars but verie sauage and cruell aboue all the rest The Cheremifrn Tartar that lieth betwixt the Russe the Nagay are of two sorts the Lugauoy that is of the valley and the Nagornay or of the hillie countrey These haue much troubled the Emperours of Russia And therfore they are content now to buy peace of thē vnder pretence of giuing a yeerely pension of Russe commodities to their Morseis or Diuoymorseis that are chiefe of their tribes For which also they are boūd to serue thē in their wars vnder certeine conditions They are saide to be iust true in their dealings and for that cause they hate the Russe people whom they account to be double false in all their dealing And therfore the common sort are very vnwilling to keep agreement with them but that they are kept in by their Morseis or Dukes for their pensions sake The most rude barbarous is coūted the Mordwit Tartar that hath many self fashiōs strange kinds of behauiour differing frō the rest For his religiō thogh he acknowlege one god yet his maner is to worship for god that liuing thing that he first meeteth in the morning to sweare by it al that whole day whether it be horse dogge catte or whatsoeuer els it be When his friend dieth he killeth his best horse and hauing flayed off the skin he carrieth it on high vpon a long pole before the corpes to the place of buriall This hee doeth as the Russe sayeth that his friend may haue a good horse to carie him to heauen but it is likelier to declare his loue towardes his dead friende in that hee will haue to die with him the best thing that hee hath Next to the kingdome of Asiracan that is the farthest part Southeastward of the Russe dominion lyeth the Shalcan and the countrey of Midia whither the Russe marchants trade for raw silks syndon saphion skins and other commodities The chiefe townes of Media where the Russe
Pasquils to note their great mens faults that no man els dare speake of Yet it falleth out sometime that for this rude libertie which they take vpon them after a counterfeite maner by imitation of Prophets they are made away in secret as was one or two of them in the last Emperours time for beyng ouer bolde in speaking against his gouernment Of their Leiturgie or forme of Church-seruice and their manner of administring the Sacraments The 22. Chapter THeir morning seruice they call Zautrana that is mattins It is done in this order The Priest entereth into the Church with his Deacon following him And when hee is come to the middle of the Church he beginneth to say with a loude voyce Blasslauey Vladika that is Blesse vs heauenly Pastor meaning of Christ Then he addeth In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost one very God in Trinitie and Aspody Pomeluy or Lorde haue mercy vpon vs Lorde haue mercie vpon vs Lorde haue mercie vpon vs repeated three times This done hee marcheth on towardes the Chauncell or Sanctum Sanctorum as they vse to call it and so entreth into the Scharsuey Dwere or the heauenly doore which no man may enter into but the Priest only Where standing at the altar or table set neere to the vpper wall of the chauncell hee sayeth the Lordes prayer and then againe Aspody Pomeluy or Lord haue mercie vpon vs Lorde haue mercie vpon vs c pronounced twelue times Then praysed be the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and holie Ghost for euer and euer Wherto the Deacons and people say Amen Next after the Priest addeth the Psalmes for that day and beginneth with O come let vs worshippe and fall downe before the Lorde c. and therewithall himselfe with the Deacons people all turne themselues towardes their Idoles or Images that hang on the wall and crossing themselues bowe downe three times knocking their heades to the verie ground After this he readeth the ten commandements and Athanasius Creed out of the Seruice booke This being done the Deacon that standeth without the heauenly doore or chauncel readeth a piece of a Legēd out of a written booke for they haue it not in print of some Saints life miracles c. This is diuided into manie partes for euerie day in the yeere and is read by them with a playne singing note not vnlike to the Popish tune when they soung their Gospels After all this which reacheth to an houre and an halfe or two houres of length hee addeth certeyne sette Collectes or prayers vpon that which hee hath read out of the Legend before and so endeth his Seruice All this while stand burning before their Idoles a great many of waxe candles wherof some are of the bignesse of a mans wast vowed or enioyned by penance vpon the people of the parish About 9. of the clock in the morning they haue an other seruice called Obeidna or Compline much after the order of the Popish Seruice that bare that name If it bee some high or Festiuall day they furnish their Seruice beside with Blessed bee the Lorde God of Israel c. and We prayse thee O God c Sung with a more solemne and curious note Their Euening seruice is called Vecherna where the Priest beginneth with Blaslauey Vladika as hee did in the morning and with the Psalmes appointed for the Vecherna Which beyng read hee singeth My soule doeth magnifie the Lorde c. And then the Priest Deacons and people all with one voice sing Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercie vpon vs thirty times together Whereunto the boyes that are in the Church answere all with one voyce rowling it vp so fast as their lippes can goe Verij Verij Verij Verij or Prayse Prayse Prayse c. thirty times together with a very straunge noyse Then is read by the priest vpō the holidaies sung the first Psalme Blessed is the man c. And in the end of it is added Alleluia repeated ten times The next in order is some part of the gospell read by the Priest which hee endeth with Alleluia repeated three times And so hauing said a collect in remembrance of the Saint of that day he endeth his euening seruice All this while the Priest standeth aboue at the altar or high table within the Chancel or Sanctum Sanctorum whence he neuer moueth al the seruice time The Deacon or Deacons which are many in their cathedrall Churches stand without the chancell by the Scharsuey dwere or heauenly doore for within they may not be seene all the seruice time though otherwise their office is to sweepe and keepe it and to set vp the waxe candels before their Idols The people stand together the whole seruice time in the body of the Church and some in the church porch for piew or seate they haue none within their churches The Sacrament of baptisme they administer after this manner The child is brought vnto the Church this is done within eight daies after it is borne if it bee the childe of some Nobleman it is brought with great pomp in a rich sled or wagō with chaires cushiōs of cloth of gold such like sumptuous shew of their best furniture When they are come to the Church the Priest standeth ready to receiue the child within the church porch with his tub of water by him And thē beginneth to declare vnto them that they haue brought a little Infidell to be made a Christian c. This ended he teacheth the witnesses that are two or three in a certeine set forme out of his booke what their dutie is in bringing vp the childe after hee is baptised vz. That he must be taught to know God and Christ the Sauiour And because God is of great maiestie and wee must not presume to come vnto him without mediatours as the manner is when wee make any suit to an Emperour or great Prince therefore they must teach him what Saints are the best chiefe mediatours c. This done he cōmandeth the diuell in the name of God after a coniuring manner to come out of the water so after certeine praiers he plungeth the childe thrise ouer head eares For this they holde to be a point necessary that no part of the childe be vndipped in the water The words that beare with thē the forme of baptisme vttered by the Priest when he dippeth in the childe are the very same that are prescribed in the gospell vsed by vs vz In the name of the Father of the Sonne of the Ghost For that they should altar the forme of the words and say by the holy Ghost as I haue heard that they did folowing certein heretikes of the Greeke church I found to be vntrue aswell by report of them that haue bin often at their baptismes as by their booke of Leiturgie it selfe wherein the order of baptisme is precisely set downe When the childe