had entred himself this last year into the Russe profession and so was rebaptized living now as much an idolatour as before he was a riotour and unthriftie person Such as thus receive the Russe baptisme are first carried into some Monasterie to be instructed there in the doctrine and ceremonies of the Church Where they use these ceremonies First they put him into a new and fresh suit of apparell made after the Russe fashion and set a coronet or in Summer a garland upon his head Then they anoint his head with oyl and put a wax candle light into his hand and so pray over him foure times a day the space of seven dayes All this while he is to abstain from flesh and white meats The seven dayes being ended he is purified and washed in a bathstove and so the eighth day he is brought into the Church where he is taught by the Friers how to behave himself in presence of their idols by ducking down knocking of the head crossing himself and such like gestures which are the greatest part of the Russe religion The Sacrament of the Lords supper they receive but once a year in their great Lent time a little before Easter Three at the most are admitted at one time and never above The manner of their communicating is thus First they confesse themselves of all their sinnes to the Priest whom they call their ghostly father Then they come to the Church and are called up to the Communion table that standeth like an altar a little removed from the upper end of the Church after the Dutch manner Here first they are asked of the Priest whether they be clean or no that is whether they have never a sinne behind that they left unconfessed If they answer No they are taken to the table Where the Priest beginneth with certain usuall prayers the communicants standing in the meanwhile with their arms folded one within another like penitentiaries or mourners When these prayers are ended the Priest taketh a spoon and filleth it full of claret wine then he putteth into it a small piece of bread and tempereth them both together and so delivereth them in the spoon to the Communicants that stand in order speaking the usuall words of the Sacrament Eat this c. Drink this c. both at one time without any pause After that he delivereth them again bread by it self and then wine carded together with a little warm water to represent bloud more rightly as they they think and the water withall that flowed out of the side of Christ. Whiles this is in doing the communicants unfold their arms and then folding them again follow the Priest thrice round about the communion toble and so return to their places again Where having said certain other prayers he dismisseth the communicants with charge to be merry and chear up themselves for the seven dayes next following which being ended he enjoyneth them to fast for it as long time after which they use to observe with very great devotion eating nothing else but bread and salt except a little cabbage and some other herb or root with water or quasse mead for their drink This is their manner of administring the Sacraments Wherein what they differ from the institution of Christ and what ceremonies they have added of their own or rather borrowed of the Greeks may easily be noted CHAP. XVIII Of the doctrine of the Russe Church and what errours it holdeth THeir chiefest errours in matter of faith I find to be these First concerning the word of God it self they will not read publickly certain books of the Canonicall Scripture as the books of Moses specially the foure last Exodus Leviticus Numeri and Deuteronomie which they say are all made disauthentick and put out of use by the coming of Christ as not able to discern the difference betwixt the morall and the ceremoniall law The books of the prophets they allow of but reade them not publickly in their churches for the same reason because they were but directours unto Christ and proper as they say to the nation of the Jews Onely the book of Psalmes they have in great estimation and sing and say them dayly in their Churches Of the new Testament they allow and read all except the Revelation which therefore they read not though they allow it because they understand it not neither have the like occasion to know the fulfilling of the prophesies contained within it concerning especially the apostasie of the Antichristian church as have the Western Churches Notwithstanding they have had their Antichrists of the Greek Church and may find their own falling off and the punishments for it by the Turkish invasion in the prophecies of that book Secondly which is the fountain of the rest of all their corruptions both in doctrine and ceremonies they hold with the Papists that their Church Traditions are of equall authoritie with the written word of God Wherein they preferre themselves before other Churches affirming that they have the true and right traditions delivered by the Apostles to the Greek Church and so unto them 3. That the Church meaning the Greek and specially the Patriarch and his Synod as the head of the rest have a sovereigne authoritie to interpret the Scripture and that all are bound to hold that interpretation as sound and authentick 4. Concerning the divine nature and 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 hold many foul errours and the same almost as doth the Popish church namely that he is the sole mediatour of redemption but not of intercession Their chief reason if they be talked withall for defence of this errour is that unapt and foolish comparison betwixt God and a Monarch or Prince of this world that must be sued unto by Mediatours about him wherein they give speciall preferment to some above others as to the blessed Virgin whom they call Precheste or undefiled and S. Nicolas whom they call Scora pomosnick or the Speedy helper and say that he hath 300. angels of the chiefest appointed by God to attend upon him This hath brought them to an horrible excesse of idolatry after the grossest and prophanest manner giving unto their images all religious worship of prayer thanksgiving offerings and adoration with prostrating and knocking their heads to the ground before them as to God himself Which because they do to the picture not to the portraiture of the Saint they say they worship not an idol but the Saint in his image and so offend not God forgetting the commandment of God that forbiddeth to make the image or likenesse of any thing for any religious worship or use whatsoever Their church-walls are very full of them richly hanged and set forth with pearl and stone upon the smooth table Though some also they have embossed that stick from the board almost an inch outwards They call them
life and death and that by evidence upon information though they never saw nor heard the partie who is kept still in prison where the fact was committed and never sent up to the place where he is tried If they find the partie guiltie they give sentence of death according to the qualitie of the fact which is sent down by the Lord of the Chetfird to the Duke and Diack to be put in executien The prisoner is carried to the place of execution with his hands bound and a wax candle burning held betwixt his fingers Their capitall punishments are hanging heading knocking on the head drowning putting under the ice setting on a stake and such like But for the most part the prisoners that are condemned in summer are kept for the winter to be knockt in the head and put under the ice This is to be understood of common persons For theft and murder if they be committed upon a poore Mousick by one of Nobilitie are not lightly punished nor yet is he called to any account for it Their reason is because they are accounted their Kolophey or bondslaves If by some Sinaboiarskey or Gentleman-souldier a murder or theft be committed peradventure he shall be imprisoned at the Emperours pleasure If the manner of the fact be very notorious he is whipped perchance and this is commonly all the punishment that is inflicted upon them If a man kill his own servant little or nothing is said unto him for the same reason because he is accounted to be his Kolophey or bondslave and so to have right over his very head The most is some small mulct to the Emperour if the partie be rich and so the quarrell is made rather against the purse then against the injustice They have no written law save onely a small book that containeth the time and manner of their sitting order in proceeding and such other judiciall forms and circumstances but nothing to direct them to give sentence upon right or wrong Their onely law is their Speaking Law that is the pleasure of the Prince and of his Magistrates and officers Which sheweth the miserable condition of this poore people that are forced to have them for their law and direction of justice against whose injustice and extreme oppression they had need to be armed with many good and strong laws CHAP. XV. Their forces for the warres with the chief officers and their salaries THe souldiers of Russia are called Sinaboiarskey or the sonnes of Gentlemen because they are all of that degree by virtue of their military profession For every souldier in Russia is a gentleman and none are gentlemen but onely the souldiers that take it by descent from their ancestours so that the sonne of a gentleman which is born a souldier is ever a gentleman and a souldier withall and professeth nothing else but militarie matters When they are of years able to bear arms they come to the office of Roserade or great Constable and there present themselves who entreth their names and allotteth them certain lands to maintain their charges for the most part the same that their fathers enjoyed For the lands assigned to maintain the army are ever certain annexed to this office without improving or detracting one foot But that if the Emperour have sufficient in wages the rooms being full so farre as the land doth extend already they are many times deferred and have nothing allowed them except some one portion of the land be divided into two Which is a cause of great disorder within that countrey when a souldier that hath many children shall have sometimes but one entertained in the Emperours pay So that the rest having nothing are forced to live by unjust and wicked shifts that tend to the hurt and oppression of the Mousick or common sort of people This inconvenience groweth by maintaining his forces in a continuall succession The whole number of his souldiers in continuall pay is this First he hath of his Dworaney that is Pensioners or Guard of his person to the number of 15000. horsemen with their captains and other officers that are alwayes in a readinesse Of these 15000. horsemen there are three sorts or degrees which differ as well in estimation as in wages one degree from another The first sort of them is called Dworaney Bulshey or the company of head Pensioners that have some an hundred some fourescore rubbels a year and none under 70. The second sort are called Seredney Dworaney or the middle rank of Pensioners These have sixtie or fiftie rubbels by the year none under fourtie The third and lowest sort are the Dyta Boiarskey that is the low Pensioners Their salarie is thirtie rubbels a year for him that hath most some have but five and twentie some twentie none under twelve Whereof the half part is paid them at the Mosko the other half in the field by the Generall when they have any warres and are employed in service When they receive their whole pay it amounteth to 55000. rubbels by the year And this is their wages besides lands allotted to every one of them both to the greater and the lesse according to their degrees Whereof he that hath least hath to yield him twen tie rubbels or marks by the year Besides these 15000. horsemen that are of better choice as being the Emperours own guard when himself goeth to the warres not unlike the Romane souldiers called Praetoriam are 110 men of speciall account for their Nobilitie and trust which are chosen by the Emperour and have their names registred that find among them for the Emperours ware to the number of 65000. horsemen with all necessaries meet for the wartes after the Russe manner To this end they have yearly allowance made by the Emperour for themselves and their companies to the summe of 40000. rubbels And these 65000. are to repair to the field every year on the borders towards the Chrim Tartar except they be appointed for some other service whether there be warres-with the Tartars or not This might seem peradventure somewhat dangerous for some state to have so great forces under the command of Noblemen to assemble every year to one certain place But the matter is so used as that no danger can grow to the Emperour or his state by this means 1. Because these Noblemen are many to wit an 110 in all and changed by the Emperour so oft as he thinketh good 2. Because they have their livings of the Emperour being otherwise but of very small revenue and receive this yearly pay of 40000. rubbels when it is presently to be paid forth again to the souldiers that are under them 3. Because for the most part they are about the Emperours person being of his Councel either speciall or at large 4. They are rather as paymasters then Captains to their companies themselves not going forth ordinarily to the warres save when some of them are appointed by speciall order from the Emperour himself So the whole number of
Friers and Nunnes it needs not to those that know the hypocrisie uncleannesse of that Cloyster-brood The Russe himself though otherwise addicted to all superstition speaketh so fouly of it that it must needs gain silence of any modest man Besides these they have certain Eremites whom they call Holy men that are like to those Gymnosopâ—ists for their life and behaviour though farre unlike for their knowledge and learning They use to go stark naked save a â—lout about their middle with their hair hanging long and wildly about their shoulders and many of them with an iron coller or chain about their necks or mids even in the very extremitie of winter These they â—â—ke as Prophets and men of great holinesse giving them a libertie to speak what they lâ—â—t without any controlement though it be of the very highest himself So that if he reprove any openly in what sort soever they answer nothing but that it is Pâ—…um that is for their â—…es And if any of them take some piece of sale waâ—â— from any 〈◊〉 shop as he passeth by to give where he list he thinketh himself much beloved of God and much beholding to the holy man for taking it in that sort Of this kind there are not many because it is a very hard and cold profession to go naked in Russia specially in Winter Among other at this time they have one at Mosko that walketh naked about the streets and inveigheth commonly against the state and government especially against the Godonoes that are thought at this time to be great oppressours of that Common-wealth Another there was that died not many years ago whom they called Basileo that would take upon him to reprove the old Emperour for all his crueltie oppressions done towards his people His bodie they have translated of late into a sumptuous Church near the Emperours house in Mosko and have canonized him for a Saint Many miracles he doth there for so the Friers make the people to believe and many offerings are made unto him not onely by the people but by the chief Nobilitie and the Emperour and Empresse themselves which visit that Church with great devotion But this last year at my being at Mosko this Saint had ill luck in working his miracles For a lame man that had his limbs restored as it was pretended by him was charged by a woman that was familiar with him being then fallen out that he halted but in the day time and could leap merrily when he came home at night And that he had intended this matter six years before Now he is put into a Monasterie and there raileth upon the Friers that hired him to have this counterfeit miracle practised upon him Besides this disgrace a little before my coming from thence there were eight slain within his Church by fire in a thunder Which caused his bels that were tingling before all day and night long as in triumph of the miracles wrought by Basileo their Saint to ring somewhat softlier and hath wrought no little discredit to this miracle-worker There was another of great account at Plesko called Nicola of Plesko that did much good when this Emperours father came to sack the town upon suspicion of their revolting and rebellion against him The Emperour after he had saluted the Eremite at his lodging sent him a reward And the Holy man to requite the Emperour sent him a piece of raw flesh being then their Lent time Which the Emperour seeing bid one to tell him that he marvelled that the Holy man would offer him flesh to eat in the Lent when it was forbidden by order of holy Church And doth Evasko which is as much to say as Jack think quoth Nicola that it is unlawfull to eat a piece of beasts flesh in Lent and not to eat up so much mans flesh as he hath done already So threatning the Emperour with a prophesie of some hard adventure to come upon him except he left murdering of his people and departed the town he saved a great many mens lives at that time This maketh the people to like very well of them because they are as Pasquils to note their great mens faults that no man else dare speak of Yet it falleth out sometime that for this rude libertie which they take upon them after a counterfeit manner by imitation of Prophets they are made away in secret as was one or two of them in the last Emperours time for being overbold in speaking against his government CHAP. XXII Of their Liturgie or form of Church-service and their manner of administring the Sacraments THeir morning service they call Zautrana that is maâ—â—ins It is done in this order The Priest entereth into the Church with his Deacon following him And when he is come to the middle of the Church he beginneth to say with a loud voice Blasslavey Uladika that is Blesse us heavenly Pastour 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 Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us repeated three times This done he marcheth on towards the Chancel or Sanctum Sanctorum as they use to call it and so entreth into the Scharsuey Dwere or the heavenly doore which no man may enter into but the Priest onely Where standing at the altar or table set near to the upper wall of the chancell he saith the Lords prayer and then again Aspody Pomeluy or Lord have mercie upon us Lord have mercie upon us c. pronounced twelve times Then Praised be the Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost for ever and ever Whereto the Deacons and people say Amen Next after the Priest addeth the Psalmes for that day and beginneth with O come let us worship and fall down before the Lord c. and therewithall himself with the Deacons and people all turn themselves towards their Idols or Images that hang on the wall and crossing themselves bow down three times knocking their heads to the very ground After this he readeth the ten commandments and Athanasius Creed out of the Service book This being done the Deacon that standeth without the heavenly doore or chancell readeth a piece of a Legend out of a written book for they have it not in print of some Saints life miracles c. This is divided into many parts for every day in the year and is read by them with a plain singing note not unlike to the Popish tune when they sung their Gospels After all this which reacheth to an houre and an half or two houres of length he addeth certain set Collects or prayers upon that which he hath read out of the Legend before and so endeth his Service All this while stand burning before their Idols a great many of wax candles whereof some are of the bignesse of a mans wast vowed or enjoyned by penance upon the people of the parish