be done amounts but to fornication and when a married man is taken in it his punishment is whipping and some days imprisonment or haply he is sentenc'd to live some time on bread and water Then he is set at liberty and may resent the complaints made by his wife against him upon that occasion A husband who can convince his wife of a miscarriage of this nature may have her shav'd and put into a Monastery Those who are weary of their wives often make use of this pretence accuse their wives of Adultery and suborn false witnesses upon whose depositions they are condemn'd without being heard Religious Women are sent to her lodgings who put her into their habit shave her and carry her away by force into the Monastery whence she never comes out having once suffer'd the Razour to come upon her head The most ordinary cause of divorce at least the most plausible pretence is devotion They say they love God better than their wives when an humour takes them to go into a Monastery which they do without their consent or making any provision for the children they have had between them And yet this kind of retiring out of the World is so much approv'd among them though St. Paul says that such are worse than Heathens and Infidels that if the woman marry again they make no difficulty to conferr Priesthood on this new Proselite though before he had been but a Tayler or Shoemaker Barrenness is also another cause of divorce in Muscovy for he who hath no children by his wife may put her into a Monastery and marry again within six weeks The Great Dukes themselves make use of this freedom when they have only Daughters 'T is true the Great Duke Basili did not put his Wife Salome into a Monastery and marry Helene daughter to Michael Linski a Polander but upon his having no Children one and twenty years after marriage but it is also true that some few days after she was brought to bed of a Son and yet she was forc'd to continue there because she had been shaved We saw an example of it in a Polander who having embrac'd the Greek Religion purposely to marry a Muscovian beauty was forc'd to take a journey into Poland where he stay'd above a year The young Lady in her husband's absence made a shift to be otherwise supply'd so effectually that she augmented her family by a child but fearing her husband's displeasure she retir'd into a Monastery and was shaved The husband did all he could to get her out again promising to pardon her offence and never to reproach her with it The woman was willing to come out but would not be permitted it being according to their Theology a sinne against the Holy Ghost not to be forgiven either in this World or the next This artifice Boris Federouits Gudenou made use of who having acquired much repute in the management of the publick affairs during the minority of Foedor Iuanouits and perceiving the Muscovites were not fully resolv'd to make him Great Duke to make them the more earnest to do it pretended he would turn Monk and went into a Monastery where his Sister was a Nun. As soon as the Muscovites heard of it they came in multitudes to the Monastery cast themselves upon the ground tore their hair as being in a desperate condition intreated him not to be shaven and that he would be pleas'd to take the place of their deceased Prince He at first would not hearken to them but at last pretended himself overcome by their intreaties and his Sister's intercession by which means he came to be courted to what he had not haply got otherwise with all the subtlety he could have used The Muscovites are extremely venereous yet will not have to do with a Woman but they must first take off the little Cross which is hang'd about her neck when she is Christened nor would they do it in a place where there are any Images of their Saints till they had covered them They go not to Church the day they have dealt with a Woman till they have wash'd themselves and chang'd their shirts Those that are more devout go not into it at all but say their prayers at the door Priests are permitted to come into the Church the same day provided they have wash'd themselves above and below the navil but dare not approach the Altar The women are accompted more impure than the men and therefore they ordinarily stay at the Church-door all service time He who lies with his wife in Lent may not Communicate that year and if a Priest commit that offence he is suspended for a year but if one that pretends to Priesthood be so unhappy as to fall into it he can never recover himself but must quit his pretension Their remedy against this kind of uncleanness is rather bathing than repentance which is the reason they use the former upon all occasions Demetrius who personated the son of the Great Duke Iohn Basilouits who had been kill'd long before at Vglits never bath'd himself upon which the Muscovites suspected him to be a stranger For perceiving he would not make use of a bath made ready for him eight dayes after his marriage they conceiv'd a horror against him as a Heathen and profane person sought divers other pretences set upon him in the Castle and kill'd him the 19. day after his Wedding as we shall shew hereafter The politick Government of Muscovy is Monarchical and despotical The Great Duke is the hereditary Soveraign of it and so absolute that no Knez or Lord in all his Dominions but thinks it an honour to assume the quality of his Majesties Golop or slave No Master hath more power over his slaves than the Great Duke hath over his Subjects what condition or quality soever they be of So that Muscovy may be numbred among those States whereof Aristotle speaks when he sayes there is a kind of Monarchy among the Barbarians which comes near Tyranny For since there is no other difference between a legitimate Government and Tyranny than that in the one the welfare of the Subjects is of greatest consideration in the other the particular profit and advantage of the Prince we must allow that Muscovy inclines much to Tyranny We said before that the greatest Lords think it not below them to put their names in the diminutive nor is it long since that for a small matter they were whipt like slaves but now their lesser miscarriages are punish'd with two or three dayes imprisonment They give their Soveraign the quality of Welikoi Knez that is Great Lord as also that of Czaar and his Czaarick Majesty Since the Muscovites came to understand that we call him Kayser who is the most eminent among the Christian Princes of Europe and that that word comes from his proper name who turn'd the Popular state of Rome into a Monarchy they would have it believ'd that their word Czaar
of tranning Ox-hides otherwise than the soles The Womens shooes are half a quarter high at the heel set on with little nails in so much that they can hardly go in them The Muscovian Women are habited much after the same fashion as the Men save that their Hongrelines or Coats are wider and of the same stuff as their Wastcoats The richer sort have them layd over very thick with Gold Silver or Silk-Lace and have buttons and loops of the same stuff or great buttons of Silver or Tinn to fasten them The sleeves are so put on as that they may thrust their hands into them or let them hang down They wear no Kaftans much less use those high collars which are thought so ornamental for the Men. Their Smock sleeves are four or five ells long and are set in little folds upon the arm They wear very wide Caps or Coifs of Damask plain or purfled Satin embroider'd with Gold and Silver and lined with Castors the hair whereof does in a manner cover all their forehead Maids that are marriageable wear cloath Caps lined with Fox-skin It is not long since that strangers whether Physicians or Merchants as the French English Hollanders and Germans went in Muscovian habits to avoid the insolence of the people who many times took occasion to affront them out of no other reason than the diversity of their cloaths But the present Patriarch having observ'd in a Procession that the Germans who had thrust in among the Muscovites to see it pass by betraid a certain irreverence at their Ceremonies especially at the Benediction he gave the people was incens'd thereat and said that those strangers being not worthy to participate of the Benediction which was given to the faithful it were fit the Great Duke put out an Ordinance obliging strangers to cloath themselves according to the fashions of their own Countries The contempt of any Law is severely punish'd in Muscovy but the observation of this was so much the more difficult in that for want of Taylors it was almost impossible for people to get other cloaths within the time limited by the Ordinance Yet were they forc'd to obey which occasion'd very good sport in that those who were servants to the Great Duke being oblig'd to be every day at the Court and not daring to appear there in Muscovian habits they were forc'd to put on what they could meet withall and to make use of those cloaths which their Grand-fathers and Great-grand-fathers had worn when the Tyrant Iohn Basilouits forc'd them out of Livonia to go and live at Moscou 'T was a strange sight to see them all in cloaths that were either too big or too little as having not been made for them besides that there was no acquaintance at all between Breeches and Doublet or any correspondence between the age wherein they had been made and that they were then worn in Ever since that time every Nation is clad according to their own modes The Muscovites never change their fashion nor can I remember any more than one Lord who took a fancy to the French mode His name is Knez Mikita Iouanouits Romanou very rich and of near kin to the Great Duke who is much taken with his humour and conversation This Lord hath a particular affection for Strangers and goes in the French and Polish modes in his cloaths especially when he goes either into the Country or a-hunting But the Patriarch who dislik'd that feedom in him and was displeased also with another which that Prince took to speak somewhat slightly of their Religion enjoy'd him not to speak any further of Religion Nothing so wretched as the cloathing of the Country people It is of a very coarse Canvase and their shooes of barks of trees which they have the art to sow and interlace like paniers with a miraculous industry There is hardly any Muscovite but is good at this Trade and does exercise it so that it may be said Muscovy hath as many Shoomakers as men or at least that there is no Family but hath its particular Shooemaker It is upon the same accompt said of the Elector of Brandenburg that he hath a Baylywick in the Dutchy of Prussia which is that of Insterbourg where there are above 15000. shooemakers for all the Peasants of that Baylywick make their own shooes If a man consider the natures and manner of life of the Muscovites he will be forc'd to avow there cannot any thing be more barbarous than that people Their boast is that they are desended from the antient Greeks but to do them no injustice there is no more comparison between the brutality of these Barbarians and the civility of the Greeks to whom all other parts of the VVorld are oblig'd for all their literature and civilization than there is between day and night They never learn any Art or Science nor apply themselves to any kind of Study on the contrary they are so ignorant as to think a man cannot make an Almanack unless he be a Sorcerer nor foretell the Revolutions of the Moon and Eclipses unless he have some communication with Devils Upon this accompt it was that the Muscovites generally grumbled when the Great Duke would have entertain'd me into his service in the quality of his Astronomer and Mathematician as we return'd from our Voyage into Persia and rais'd a report that their Prince was going to bring a Magician into his Court This aversion I discover'd in the Muscovites took off that little inclination I sometime had to embrace that employment which was offer'd me not so much upon the accompt of my abilities in Astronomy as to engage me to continue in the Countrey because they knew that I had exactly observ'd and drawn into a Map the whole course of the River Wolga whereof they were unwilling that strangers should have any knowledge When I came to Muscovy upon the affairs of the Duke of Holstein my Master in the year 1643. I shew'd them upon a Wall of an obscure Chamber through a little hole I had made in the shutter of the window by the means of a piece of glass polish'd and cut for Opticks all was done in the street and men walking upon their heads This wrought such an effect in them that they could never after be otherwise perswaded than that I held a correspondence with the Devil They esteem Physicians and Medicine but will not permit that people should make use of the same means as is done elsewhere to gain the perfection of that Science They will not suffer the body to be opened that so the causes of diseases may be found out and they have a strange aversion for Skeletons There is to this purpose a pleasant story of a Dutch Surgeon who liv'd at Moscou some years since His name was Quirin one much favour'd by the Great Duke because of his facetious humour and his experience in the Art he profess'd It happen'd one day that this good man diverting himself
Duke's presence till he himself was troubled with the Gowt and sent for them Among the rest there was one a German who having practised Physick some time in Muscovy had some thoughts of returning into Germany to take the degree of Doctor But the Great Duke desirous to know the occasion upon which he desir'd leave to go understanding that he went thither to be examin'd and so take his Degree which the Faculty gives and confirms by its Letters Patents he told him that having been often eas'd of his pain by his remedies he was satisfy'd of his sufficiency and as to Letters if there were any need of them he would give him such as should be as authentick as any he could get from the Universities of Germany and so he needed not put himself to the trouble and expence of that journey This Physician was one of those who kept out of the way upon the Duke of Holstein's death and imagining the Great Duke would send for him in order to his execution he put on a tatter'd Garment and having his hair negligently hanging down over his eyes and face he came in that posture to the Great Duke's Chamber-door into which he went creeping on all four and coming to his bed-side told him that he was not worthy to live much less be admitted into his Majesties presence since he was so unfortunate as to be out of his favour Upon which one of the Knez who were about the Duke thinking to make his Prince some sport treated him as a Sabak or Dog kick'd him in the head and drew blood of him The Physician perceiving the great Duke look'd favourably on him thought fit to make his advantage of it and with a certain confidence said to him Great Prince I know I am your Slave but be pleas'd to give me leave to tell you that I am only yours I know I have deserv'd death and should think my self happy to receive it from your hands but it troubles me to be affronted by this Knez who is but your Slave as well as my self and I think it is not your desire that any other should have power over me These words and the need the Great Duke stood in of this Physician procur'd him a present of a thousand Crowns his Fellow-Physicians were pardoned and the Bojar had a good cudgelling As for slaves their number is not regulated some Lords have above a hundred of them in their Country-houses and Farms Those they entertain for their service in the City do not diet in their houses but have board-wages their allowance so small that it is as much as they can do to live upon it And this is one of the chiefest causes of the many disorders and mischiefs done at Moscou there passing hardly a night but violences and murthers are committed Great Lords and rich Merchants have a Guard in their Courts who watch all night and are oblig'd to express their vigilance by the noise they make upon boards with a stick much after the manner of playing upon the Timbrels which done they give as many knocks as the Clock hath struck hours But these Guards watching many times more for the advantage of house-breakers than that of their Masters there is none used now and no servant is taken into a house but upon good City-security for his truth This great number of slaves makes it unsafe to walk the streets of Moscou in the night time un-arm'd and without Company We had the experience of it in some of our servants upon several occasions Our Master-Cook who had been employ'd at a person 's of quality where the Ambassadors had Dined was kill'd as he came home in the night which misfortune happen'd also to the Steward belonging to the Suedish Ambassador Spiring The Lieutenant who had commanded our German and Scotch Musketiers in our Voyage into Persia was in like manner kill'd in the night having been with some others at the Wedding of a German Merchants daughter And as there passed no night almost without murther so these disorders increas'd towards great Festivals especially on flesh days which they call Maslouitzo On St. Mastin's Eve we counted fifteen dead bodies in the Court of Semskoy a place where they are expos'd that their kinred and friends may know them and take order for their burial If no body owns them they are dragg'd thence like Carrion and thrown into a Ditch without any Ceremony The insolence of these Villains is so great that they stuck not to set upon the Great Duke's principal Physician in the day time They stopp'd him in the street as he was going home struck him off his horse and would have cut off his finger on which he had a Gold Seal-ring had he not been reliev'd by some sent to his rescue by a Knez of his acquaintance who living near thereabouts had seen him set upon The misery is that no Citizen will so much as look out at his window much less come out of his house to relieve those that are affronted so much are they afraid to come into the same misfortue they see others engag'd in Since our being there some course hath been taken herein Watches being set who stop those who go in the night without Torch or Lanthorn and carry them to the Strelitse priscas where they are punish'd the next day At Hay-making time the road between Moscou and Tuere is very dangerous to travel by reason of the great number of slaves employ'd in that work making their advantage of a Mountain whence they discover those that pass whom they rob and kill without any reparation to be expected from their Masters who not allowing their slaves what to subsist upon are forc'd to connive at their Crimes Masters dispose of their slaves as they do of any other moveable nay a father may sell his son and alienate him for his own advantage But the Muscovites have this piece of vain-glory that not only they seldom come to those extremities but also had rather see their Children starve at home than suffer them to go out any where to service 'T is only debt that sometimes engages them to make over their Children to their Creditors the Boyes at ten the Girls at eight Crowns a year the Children being no less oblig'd to satisfie the debt than their fathers as also to endure that cruel treatment which desperate debtors are to expect or to sell themselves to their Creditors The subjection in which they are born and the gross feeding they have even from their infancy at which time they are taught to be content with any thing makes them very good Souldiers and such as would do very great services under strang Commanders For though the Military Discipline of the Romans allow'd not the listing of slaves in their Legions yet does it not follow but that the Muscovites who are all such may be advantageously employ'd in War this being certain of them that they are excellent good in a besieg'd place
hath the same signification and etymologie Whence it is that they would also imitate the Emperours of Germany in their great seal which had a Spread-Eagle but the wings not so large as the Imperial Eagle's having on the breast in an Escutcheon one on hors-back fighting with a Dragon representing the Archangel St. Michael or rather St. George The three Crowns which are above and between the Eagle's heads signifie Muscovy and the two Kingdoms of Tartary Cassan and Astrachan The Tyrant Iohn Basilouits first used these Arms as willing to be thought descended from the antient Roman Emperours The Great Dukes Interpreters and the Germans who live at Moscou call him in their language Kaysar that is to say Caesar or Emperour But it is certain the word Czaar signifies King which may be seen in their Bible where the Muscovites speaking of David and his Successors Kings of Iudah and Israel they call them Czaars The Great Duke is indeed King in effect since other Princes stick not to treat him with the word Majesty the title of Great Duke being much below what that great Prince deserves Nor accordingly does he take the quality of Great Duke when he assumes that of of Welikoi Knez but that of Grand Seigneur as well as the Emperour of the Turks with whom he may be parallel'd not only in respect of the extent of his Empire but also by reason of the absolute power he hath over his Subjects No people in the World have a greater veneration for their Prince than the Muscovites who from their infancy are taught to speak of the Czaar as of God himself not only in their acts and publick assemblies but also in their entertainments and ordinary discourse Thence proceed their submissive forms of speaking The honour to see the brightness of the eyes of his Czaarick Majesty Only God and the Czaar knows it All they have belong to God and the Czaar The Great Duke Iohn Basilouits reduc'd them to these submissions Now to continue them in this lowness of spirit and to keep them from seeing that liberty which other Nations about them enjoy the Muscovites are upon pain of death prohibited to go out of the Countrey without the Great Duke's express permission Iohn Helmes the Great Duke's Interpreter who died some three years since aged 97. years had got leave to send his son into Germany to study Physick where he afterwards grew famous but the young Gentleman having spent 10. or 12. years up and down Germany and England pleas'd with the sweetness of the climate and liberty would never return into Muscovy Whence it came that when Peter Miklaf a Merchant of Novogorod whom the Great Duke sent into Germany 3 years since in the quality of Poslanick desired his Majesty would permit him to leave his son in Germany neither the Czaar nor Patriarch would by any means consent thereto But indeed this despotical Government seems to be most suitable to their humour and disposition which is insensible of the advantages of Liberty as being unacquainted with it and so not fit to enjoy a happiness which they never heard of Yet are we not to attribute to the present time what may be read in the Baron of Hâ—bâ—rstein Paulus Iovius and Guagnin concerning the violent and tyrannical Government of the Great Duke for they writ during the reign of Iohn Basilouits whose Scepter was of Iron and his Government more cruel and violent than that of any Prince mentioned in History But the Great Duke that now is is a very mild Prince one that according to his Father's example instead of impoverishing his Subjects relieves them and allows sums of money out of his Exchequer to set up those whom a bad year or some other misfortune hath ruin'd Nay he hath the goodness to provide for such as are banish'd into Siberia for their Crimes allowing to persons of quality money finding employment for those that are capable of it and disposing Soldiers into some place where they have Pensions or ordinary pay during life So that what is most insupportable to them when they are out of favour is that they have not the honour to see the bright eyes of his Czaarick Majesty For were it no for that this is become so mild a punishment that many have in their exile got that wealth which they could not have hoped before When we said the state of Muscovy was Monarchical we presuppose that the Prince is a Monarch and hath alone all the prerogatives of Soveraignty He is not subject to the Laws he only makes them and all the Muscovites obey him with so great submission that they are so far from opposing his will that they say the Justice and word of their Prince is sacred and inviolable He only creates Magistrates and deposes them ejects them and orders them to be punish'd with such absolute power that we may say of the Great Duke what the Prophet Daniel says of the King of Babylon That he put to death whom he would and saved whom he would He appoints Governours and Lieutenants for the Provinces for the disposal of the antient Demesn and Administration of Justice who have joyned with them a Deak or Secretary and these take Cognizance of all matters give final and absolute judgement in all causes and cause their sentences to be put in execution without any appeal And in this the Great Duke follows the advice of the best Politicians who are so far from allowing a survivancy in Governments that they would have a Soveraign that it might be in his power to punish the miscarriages committed by great ones in their Governments and prevent their making intrigues to settle themselves in the Provinces to change the Governours from three years to three years He alone hath the power to make War and Peace with other Princes For though he takes the advice of his Knez and Bojares yet does he not always follow it but makes them know that notwithstanding the freedom he gives them to advise him he reserves to himself the power of doing what he thinks fit He only confers Honours and rewards the services that are done him with the qualities of Knez Bojares Dukes or Princes and whereas the Muscovites have heard that it is a mark of Soveraignty in Germany to make Doctors the Great Duke meddles with that also and grants Letters Patents to Physicians and Surgeons that are Strangers All the Great Duke's Mony who only hath the power to make any is of Silver of an oval form and little The greatest piece is worth but a peny and is called a Copec or Denaing For though in trading the Muscovites use the words Altin Grif and Rouble whereof the first is worth three the second ten the third a hundred Copecs yet is there no Coins of that kind the words being used only for the convenience of Commerce to avoid the multiplication of Copecs The Poluske is worth half the Mustofske the fourth part of
him over the head with a staff hoop'd with iron at the end so as that within five days after he died of it He had by the last Demetrius and dy'd the 28 of March 1584. feeling at his death some part of those afflictions which an infinite number of innocent persons had suffered through his means Foedor Iuanouits now eldest by his Brother's death was crown'd the last of Iuly the same year He was 22 years of age when he succeeded his Father but had so little understanding that being not fit for affairs the administration thereof with the Regency of the whoâ—e Kingdom was conferr'd on Boris Gudenou High-Steward of Muscovy and Brother in law to the Great Duke Salomon Henning in his Chronicle of Livonia says that this Foedor was so simple that he could find himself no greater divertisement than tolling of the Bells before Service On the contrary Boris Gudenou knew so well how to answer the good opinion conceived of him and to insinuate himself into the affection of the people that some stuck not to say that if God should be pleased to dispose otherwise of the two hereditary Princes it was not to be doubred but they would call in him who gave so many demonstrations of an excellent conduct During the regency Boris perceiving that Demetrius was the more likely to stand in his way resolv'd to remove him out of it This young Prince was but nine years old brought up in the City of Vglits whither a Gentleman belonging to Boris went and kill'd him with his own hands But instead of receiving the great reward he expected for his pains Boris caus'd him and all the Complices to be kill'd as soon as they were return'd to Moscou By this execution of the Murtherers he for some time kept undiscovered the true Author of the murther but to prevent the people from conceiving him any way engag'd in it by giving them a greater cause of affliction he caus'd several houses to be set a-fire and so consum'd a great part of the City while on the other side he ordered the Castle of Vglits to be demolish'd and banish'd the Inhabitants as if they had countenanc'd the murther and sheltred the murtherers The weakness of Foedor Iuanouits sensible though of nothing else yet of his own weakness left the management of all affairs to Boris who was in effect what the other had only the name and appearance of yet did he not think it fit to be over-forward but let some years pass on after which Foedor fell suddenly sick in the year 1597. and died without children having reigned twelve years Boris was presently look'd upon He to divert the popular jealousie was so crafty as in appearance to refuse the Royal Dignity and as we have said before to fly into a Monastery while his Election to the Dukedom was according to his secret instructions press'd by some friends by whose opportunity he seem'd to be overcome and to accept the Crown In the reign of Boris happened a very remarkable thing through the imposture of a Muscovian Monk named Griska Vtropoja born at Gereslau of a Noble house but not very rich one that had been thrust into a Monastery for his debauches and lew'd life He was a very handsome person and had an excellent Wit which qualities an old Monk of the same Monastery made his advantage of to put this Impostor into the World and advance him to the Throne The better to carry on his design he made him leave the Monastery and go into Lithuania where he was entertain'd by a Great Lord named Adam Wesnewetski into whose favour he in a short insinuated himself by his ingenuity and the constancy of his services One day his Master being angry with him call'd him Bledinsin or Son of a Whore and struck him Griska making his advantage of that disgrace fell a weeping and told his Master that if he knew who he was he would not call him Son of a Whore nor treat him in that manner The curiosity of the Polish Lord was so great as to press Greska to tell him who he was The Impostor made answer that he was lawful Son to the Great Duke Iohn Basilouits that Boris Gudenou would have murther'd him but the misfortune fell upon a Priest's Son very like him whom his friends had substituted in his place while he was convey'd away He thereupon shews a golden Cross beset with precious stones which he said was hung about his neck at his Baptism Adding that the fear of falling into the hands of Boris Gudenou had kept him from discovering himself till then Upon which he casts himself at his Lords feet and intreats him to take him into his protection enlivening his relation with so many circumstances and his actions with so much shew of sincerity that his Master perswaded he spoke nothing but truth immediately furnish'd him with Cloaths Horses and attendance befitting the greatness of a Prince of that quality The noise of it spreads over all the Country finds credit every where and the presumption grows so much the stronger by reason the Great Duke Boris Gudenou proffers a great sum of mony to any that should bring in that counterfeit Demetrius alive or dead His Master not thinking him safe at his house sends him into Poland where he is receiv'd by the Weywode of Sandomira who promises him a sufficient assistance to restore him to his Throne upon condition he would tolerate the Roman Catholick Religion in Muscovy as soon as he had setled himself in the Government thereof Demetrius not only accepted of that condition but being secretly instructed chang'd his Religion and promised to marry the Weywode's Daughter as soon as he should be establish'd The hope of so advantageous an allyance and the zeal the Weywode had for his Religion engag'd him to employ his credit and friends by whose means he got together a considerable Army enter'd Muscovy and declared a War against the Great Duke He took in several Cities debauch'd and corrupted most of the Officers employ'd by Boris against him and grew so prosperous that the grief Boris conceived thereat struck him so to the heart that he died of it Apr. 13. 1605. The Knez and Bojarâ—s who were at Moscou immediately caused his Son Foedor Borissouits to be crowned though very young but reflecting on the continual success of Demetriu's Arms their minds chang'd and deriving from his victories an ill presage against the new Great Duke they concluded that he must be the true Demetrius the lawful Son of Iohn Basilouits and that they did ill to take up arms against their natural Sovereign It was no hard matter to insinuate this into the people who presently cry'd Live Demetrius true Heir of the Kingdom and may his Enemies perish Whereupon they ran to the Castle seis'd upon the young Great Duke imprison'd him ransacked misused and forc'd away all the kindred and friends of Boris Gudenou and at the same time sent to
German the Polish the Suedish the Turkish and the Persian He whom the Great Duke does chiefly make use of in his most important affairs is a Dane and is so generally vers'd in all the Europaean Languages that coming three years since to the Court of Vienna with Iuan Iuanouits Boklakouskoi and Iuan Polycarpousin Michailou the Emperor lik'd him so well that out of his own inclination he made him a Nobleman The Great Duke's Court hath this common with those of other Princes that Vice takes place of Vertue and gets nearer the Throne Those who have the honour to be nearest his person are withall more subtile more deceitful and more insolent than the others that have not They know very well how to make their advantages of the Princes favour and look for the greaest respects and humblest submissions imaginable from those who make their addresses to them which the others render them as much to avoid the mischief they might do them as for the good they expect from them The Great Duke's Council is divided into six Classes or as they call them Courts of Chancery The first is for strangers Affairs the second for War the third for Crown-Lands and the Prince's Revenue The fourth receives the Accompts of Factors and those who manage the Taverns The fifth takes Cognizance of Appeals in Civil Causes and the sixth of those of Criminal Causes We said before that the Bojares are not only employ'd in State-affairs but also in the decision of private differences at which they preside alone or with other Judges according to the nature of those affairs that present themselves They call Pololskie Pricas the place where they regulate the affairs of Ambassadors as also the Posts of the Kingdom and what concerns such Merchants as are strangers Almas Iuanouits is Secretary of the Court In the second Court or Chamber which they call Roseradni Pricas there is a Register kept of the quality and families of the Bojares and all the Gentlemen of Muscovy as also of all exploits of War and the advantages or losses which the Great Duke receives thereby Iuan Ossonassinouits hath the Presidency of it In the Pomiestnoi Pricas which is the third Chamber there is a Register kept of all the Mannors held by homage and the sutes concerning the same are judged There are also received the duties belonging to the Great Duke from the said Mannors under the direction of Foedor Cusmits Iellisariou In the Casanskoy and Siberskoy Pricas that is to say the fourth and fifth Chamber the differences of the Provinces of Casan and Siâ—eria are judged and an accompt is kept of the Skins and Furrs which come from those Provinces to the Great Duke Bojar Knez Alexei Nikiteuits is President of those two Chambers In the Durovoi Pricas are judged the differences between the Great Duke's Servants and what concerns his House under Bojar Basilouits Butterlin The Inasemski Pricas is for such Military Officers as are strangers whose Causes are there try'd and who in times of Peace do there receive their Orders from Ilia Danielouits Miloslauski the Great Duke's Father-in-law who is the President thereof The Reitarskoi Pricas judges the Causes of the Muscovian Cavalry and there in time of Peace they receive their Orders and pay to wit sixty Crowns per an for every Horseman under the presidency of the same Ilia Miloslauski This Cavalry consists for the most of Gentlemen who have very little of Estate yet hold Mannors by homage and fealty In the Boschoi Pricod all the Receivers of the Great Duke's duties give in their accompts once a year The Bojar Knez Michael Petrouits Pronski who is President of this Pricas sets a tax on forein Bread and Wine He hath also the over-sight of Weights and Measures all over the Kingdome It is also his place to pay those Strangers that are in the Great Duke's service The Sudnoy Wolodimirskoy and the Sudnoy Moskauskoy Pricas have for President the Bojar Knez Gregory Simonouits Kurakin who in the former judges the Knez and Bojares in the other the Gentlemen and Officers of the Court The Bojar Knez Boris Alexandrouits Reppenin presides in the Rosboinoy Pricas and judges Robberies upon the High-way Murthers and other criminal causes Peter Tychonouits Trachanistou was President in the Puskarskoy Pricas and had the oversight of Founders Furbishers Canoniers Armourers Smiths and Carpenters who wrought to the Arsenal but his place is bestow'd on the Bojar Knez Iurgi Alexouits Dolgaruskoi not only to judge of differences between them but also to receive their work and pay them their wages The Iamskoy Pricas is for the regulation of Stages and Post-masters and the payment of their Salaries as also to give passes to those that desire them and are to have their carriadge upon the Great Duke's accompt under the Presidency of the Ocolnitza Iuan Andreowits Miloslauski The Diaks Secretaries Clerks Captains of the Gates and Messengers of the several Prica's have their particular Judge who is the Ocolnitza Peter Petrouits Gollowin in the Tziolobitnoi Pricas The Semskoy Duor or Selmskoy Pricas is for the judgement of all other Civil Causes between the Citizens of Moscou There are paid the duties arising from places and houses that are sold as also the rates levied for the reparations of Bridges Gates Fortresses and other publick buildings under the direction of Ocolnitza Bogdan Matheowitz Chitrou The Golops that is to say Slaves have a particular Court where they make their declaration when they are sold and where they take out a Certificate when they redeem themselves or recover their liberty any other way This is called the Choloppi Pricas the President Steppan Iuanouits Isleniou The place where an accompt is kept of all the Stuffs as Brocado Velvet Satin Damask c. which are for the use of the Court and whereof Garments are made for the Great Duke to present to forein Ambassadors and other persons of quality is called the Bolchikasni Pricas Under the Magazine is the Treasury or Exchequer where all the money that remains at the years end is put into the Kings Coffers under the oversight of Ilia Danilouits Miloslauski who is also President of the Chamber where are judged the Causes of the Great Duke's principal Merchants and Factors which is called Casamoi Pricas The Ocolnitza Knez Iuan Federouits Chilkou is the Judge of all Ecclesiastical persons as well Secular Priests as Monks who are oblig'd to submit to the temporal Jurisdiction unless it be in privileg'd Cases in the Monasterski Pricas The Great Duke hath a very vast structure design'd for the Stones Lime Wood and other Materials which are for his own use which place is called the Carmenoi Pricas and there it is that the Duorainin Iacob Iuanouits Sagraiskoi decides the differences between Carpenters Masons and other Workmen and pays them for their work The Revenue of Novogorod and Nisenovogorod is paid in at the Pricas called Novorodkoi Zetwert where the particular receivers of those two Cities give
the late Great Duke's Father was the last that desired confirmation from the Patriarch of Constantinople At present the Patriarch of Muscovy is chosen by the other Prelates who meet in the great Church within the Castle called Sabor and name two or three Prelats of the most eminent for Learning and good Life and present them to the great Duke who after some conference with the Prelats proceeds joyntly with them to the election unless those that are named be all of such eminency that they are at a loss which to make choice of and so forc'd to it by lott which course they took at the Election of this last Patriarch He was a Prelate of the Second Order and hath been named with two other Metropolitans upon the reputation of his good life The lot falling upon him all those of the First Order were discontented thereat so that they put it to the Lot a second time in which also it fell again to him but the ambition of the other Competitors appearing still in their countenances the Great Duke was pleas'd to comply with them and to put it to the Lot a third time which fell in like manner to the same Person upon which all acquiesc'd His name is Nicon and he had been before Metropolitan of Rostou and Iaroslou and is now about 45 years of age He lives within the Palace where he hath built him a house of stone He keeps a good Table and is a person of so pleasant a disposition that he discovers it in those actions that require the greatest gravity For a handsome Gentlewoman being presented to him for his Benediction after she had been re-baptized with several others of her Friends he told her that he was in some doubt whether he should begin with the kiss which is given to Proselites after their Baptism or with the Benediction The Patriarch's authority is so great that he in manner divides the Soveraignty with the Great Duke He is the Supreme Judge of all Ecclesiastical Causes and absolutely disposes of what ever concerns Religion with such power that in things relating to the Political Government he reforms what he conceives prejudicial to Christian simplicity and good manners without giving the Great Duke any accompt of it who without any contestation commands the orders made by the Patriarch to be executed He hath under him four Metropolitans seven Archbishops and one Bishop The Metropolitans are those of Novogorodskoi and Welikoluskoy who lives at Novogorod Rostoufskoy and Iaroslauskoy at Rostof Casanskoi and Swiatskoi at Cassan. And that of Sarskoi and Pondoskoy who lives within the Castle at Moscou The Archbishops are those of Wologdskoi and Weliko Premskoy who lives at Wologda Resanskoi and Moromskoi at Resan Sudalskoi and Torruskoi at Susdal Twerskoi and Cassinskoi at T were Sibirskoi and Tobolskoi at Toboleska Astrachanskoi and Terskoi at Astrachan Pleskouskoi and Sborskoi at Plescou There is but one Bishop in all Muscovy to wit that of Comenskoi and Cassieskoi who lives at Columna The Patriarch hath about him an Arch-Deacon who is as it were his Vicar-General and in the Castle of Sabor he hath a Proto-Deacon The other Ecclesiastical Orders are distinguish'd into Proto-popes Popes or Priests and Deacons Those who make clean the Churches and toll the Bells are called Pannamari In their Monasteries they have Archimandrites Kilari's and Igumeni's who are their Abbots Priors and Guardians The Patriarch Metropolitans Archbishops and Bishops are not to marry but make a Vow of Chastity for the time they shall continue in that Dignity which it seems give them not an indelible Character as it does elsewhere to those that are advanced to it They are forbidden to wear Rings on their fingers They wear no Drawers nor Shirts of Linnen-cloath but of Flannen and do not ly upon Beds Those that enter into any Religious Order eat no flesh nor fresh-Fish and drink neither Wine Aquavitae nor Hydromel but are oblig'd to content themselves with their Quas though when they are out of their Monasteries they dispence with the rigour of that Law and eat of any thing that is given them making use of their time so well that many times they are glad to be carried home The ordinary Habit of the Patriarch as also of the Metropolitans Arch-bishops c. and even of their Monks is a kind of black Cassock over which they have an upper-Garment of the same colour not much different from those of the other Muscovites Their Hoods or covering of the Head is at least an ell and a half diameter having in the midst a round piece as big as a Trencher which hangs on the hinder part of the head When they walk into the City they have in their hands a staff forked at the end after the form of a Right angle which serves them for a Crosier and they call it Posok What a vast number of Priests and â—cclesiasticks there must be about Moscou may be judg'd by that of the Churches of which not any that ever so little exceed their ordinary Chapels but have three or four or more Priests belonging to them Those who are desirous to embrace that kind of life address themselves to the Patriarch or first Metropolitane they can come to who examins them and if he finds they can make a shift to read and write and sing in the Church he gives them Orders and an Attestation of their being received into the Priesthood At their Consecration they are habited after the manner before mentioned and have the hair cut off on the Crown of their heads on which is put a little Cap like a Callotte which is the only Character of their Priesthood For they never take it off but when they cut their hair and he who fighting with a Priest should make his Callot fall to the ground would be severely punish'd and oblig'd to pay him the Bicestie or a certain muâ—ct imposed upon him whereas otherwise a man may bang or cudgel one of that profession with the same impunity as he may another but to do it without any danger he is only to take off his Callot before he falls to work with him and when he hath sufficiently paid him to be so respectful to him as to put it on again The Protopopes and simple Priests are obliged to marry once but cannot the second or third time unless they quit the Priesthood They allege to this purpose the Text of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3. where the Apostle sayes that a Bishop should be the husband of one wife Which place they understand not of Bishops though the Text expresly mentions them nor yet in the least imagine that the Apostle speaks of one wife in opposition to Polygamy but infer thence that there is a necessity that the Priest should marry that so he may be the husband of one wife This point of the marriage of Priests makes one of the principal differences between the Muscovites with all the Greek
Holstein who had them so well instructed that in the year 1642. they were both baptized having before given a publick accompt of their Faith Our Interpreter for the Turkish Language was also a Tartar-born and had been stoln in his Infancy and carried to Moscou where he had been baptiz'd His relations knew him again and would have redeem'd him but he would not consent thereto protesting he would dy in the profession of the Christian Religion since it was Gods pleasure to bring him to the knowledge thereof But ever after he went not far from the Ambassadors Quarters leâ—t he might have fallen into the hands of his relations who would have dispos'd otherwise of him At this place the Persian Ambassador bought him a Wife She was a Tartar and Sister to a Myrsa who was a prisoner and who sold his Sister for a hundred and twenty Crowns in money and a horse which the Ambassador valued at ten Crowns This Ambassador was at least seventy years of age but very vigorous and us'd much Hemp-seed bak'd in the Embers whereof the Persians eat abundance out of an opinion that it revives Nature yet hinders Conception Sept. 7. we left Astrachan and embark'd upon the Wolga the Ambassadors dividing their retinue and taking each of them a Boat We cast anchor within half a league of the City expecting the Persian Ambassador who came to us the next day with three Boats We gave him a volley at this arrival and set sail together The 10. we pass'd before the Iland of Busan where the Tartars of Crim and Precop are wont to swim over the River which in that place is somewhat narrow The Muscovites to prevent them had set a Guard there of fifty Musketteers who sent to us for some Bread and got a bag of Suchary The 15. we cast anchor before Tzornogar which the Muscovites call also Michailo Novogorod from the Great Duke Michael Federouits who built it within three hundred werstes or sixty German leagues from Astrachan The Weywode sent the Ambassadors a Latin Letter which Alexei Savinouits had left for them and sent one to invite them to come to refresh themselves in the City but they would not lose so much time The 24. we got before Sariza two hundred werstes from Tzornogar The 29. the wind fair we got forty werstes The Muscovites attributed the cause of it to the Great Duke's name whose Feast was celebrated that day being St. Michael's October 2. one of the Persian Ambassadors Boats was a-ground They were so long getting it a-fâ—oat again that the Ambassadors went ashore where they dined together Their people made also acquaintances among themselves and those of Persia took so much Aquavitae that we were forc'd to carry and drag them to the Boats like so many Beasts The Persians must also needs fall out with the Musketteers who guarded them Cudgels and Cymitars were employ'd and the Ambassador himself who was got as drunk as any of his people was going to draw upon them when our Ambassadors came in and reconcil'd all The night following one of the Persian Ambassadors Pages who was sick of a bloody Flux fell into the water yet none perceiv'd it till the next morning The 6. we came before Soratof 350. werstes from Sariza We there heard that a party of Cosaques would have set upon the Caravan but fearing they might come by the worst on 't they only cross'd their march with a great noise and by means of their breeding-Mares got away some Archemagues or Persian horses intended for breed The 14. the wind South-west there rose such a tempest that it scatter'd all our Boats That of the Ambassador Crusius and two of the Persian Ambassador's which carried horses were forc'd upon the shore and immediately sprung such aleak that we had hardly time enough to get out our Baggage the Persians their horses whereof there was one drown'd This Tempest having continued two daies we got our Boats ashore caulk'd them and departed thence the 17. but the Persian Ambassador who had two Boats unserviceable was forc'd to send away his horses by land The 24. we came before the City of Samara seventy leagues from Soratof November the sixt we pass'd by the mouth of the great River Kama and entred with the night into the River Casan in very good time for us in regard the next morning the River Wolga was frozen over The Weywode of the City Iohn Wasilouits Moroson who at the time of our former being at Moscou was Counsellor of State to the Great Duke receiv'd us but very indifferently as well in regard the Ambassadors had not made their acquaintance with him by Presents as by reason of his siding with the Muscovian Merchants who opposed our negotiation and would have prevented the establishment of our Commerce The Ambassadors sent their Steward to him with the Great Duke's pass intreating him they might be assigned Lodgings in the City but he sent him back with this answer that he might return to the Boat and there the Ambassadors should hear further from him The next day he sent to the Ambassador Brugman's Boat a Sinbojar who addressing himself to the Ambassador ask'd him which of the two was the Ambassador which the Merchant Brugman thinking himself affronted by that discourse took him by the arm and said to him Go tell thy Master that if he cannot read let him get one that can and withall may shew him what quality the Great Duke gives us But notwithstanding all this we were forc'd to continue several daies on the River though the weather were very cold The Weywode indeed sent us word that we might lodge in the City for our money but he issu'd out orders that none should entertain us and commanded the Sentinel who had permitted the Steward to pass and a Boy who had been his guide through the marsh from the River-side to the City to be cudgell'd Nov. 11. the Persian Ambassador made his entrance into the City and was lodg'd in that part of it which is bult of wood He prevail'd so far with the Weywode that he permitted us to land which we did the 13. taking up our Quarters in the Suburbs Nov. 20. the Ambassadors bestow'd the two Boats on the Weywode and made him some other Presents which put him into another humour and made him very much our friend December the 16. the Muscovites celebrated the Festival of their Patron St. Nicholas for the space of eight daies together during which a man could see nothing but perpetual drunkenness and extraordinary bebauchdness in both men and women The Care or Parson of the Parish came one day to my Quarters accompany'd by his Clerk as well to incense the Images as to comfort the Mistress of the house whose husband was put in prison for debt He told us that about forty years before there had been found in the Monastery of Spas which is in the said
of those Grandees who had highly express'd their dissatisfaction with his Administration of the Government and considering with himself that he stood in need of a more powerful Protection made his Applications to Achobar the Mogul or King of Indosthan and intreated him to come in to the relief of his Ward promising to deliver up Amadabath the chief City of the Kingdom into his hands Achobar thought it no prudence to neglect so favourable an occasion and so immediately entred Guzuratta with a powerful Army but instead of contenting himself with the City of Amadabath he became absolute Master of the whole Kingdom and carried away Madofher and his Guardian Prisoners to Agra Madofher being come to thirty years of age and beginning to reflect on the misfortune of his Captivity which he saw must be perpetual combin'd with one of the most considerable Lords of Guzuratta who put him into possession of certain Cities of his Kingdom such as lay at the greatest distance from the Frontiers of the Mogul but they gave him not the time to settle himself therein For Achobar immediately sent an Army thither under the command of Chan-Channa who recovered the whole Kingdom in less then a year prevented Madofher from making his escape and took him prisoner This unfortunate Prince reflecting on the Affronts which would be put upon him at his coming to Agra and fearing that Achobar would put him to death chose rather to prevent him and being got to a certain place alone under pretence of doing some necessities of Nature cut his own throat The Mogul governs the Kingdom of Guzuratta by a Viceroy or Governour General who hath his ordinary Residence at Amadabath in such manner as that all the other Governours are oblig'd to give him an account of their Administration and to receive Orders from him His power is in a manner absolute For though in the judgment of Civil Causes as also when he consults about affairs of Importance he advises with some of the principal Lords of the Country and of his Court yet can it not be said that he hath any settled Council but takes their Proposals rather to discover their Sentiments then to follow them Insomuch that if his imployment were settled for a certain number of years he would have no cause to envy the greatness of the Mogul himself But this Government depends meerly on the Kings pleasure who takes occasion often to change the Governours as on the other side they knowing that the least Order from the Court may dispossess them let slip no occasion of making their advantages and receiving from all hands especially near the time they expect to be recall'd For then they make it their business to get excessive sums of money out of the richest Merchants in the Country especially those of the City of Amadabath who are forc'd to clear themselves of false Accusations which they had not been charged withall but to squeeze them of some part of their Estates inasmuch as the Governour being supreme Judge of all Causes as well Civil as Criminal they must either expect certain destruction or satisfie the Governours avarice There is no King in Europe hath so noble a Court as the Governour of Guzuratta nor any that appears in publick with greater magnificence He never comes abroad but he is attended by a great number of the Nobility and his Guards both Horse and Foot having marching before him a great many Elephants with their covering Cloaths of Brocadoe or Velvet embroidered Banners Drums Trumpets and Timbrels In his Palace he is served as a King and permits not any to come within his Lodgings till they have demanded audience He makes his advantages of all the Levies and Impositions which are made in his Government so that in a short time he becomes Master of incredible wealth especially by means of the third part of all the Arable Lands which belong to the King and are assign'd to the Governour for the maintenance of a body of Horse which he is oblig'd to defray but comâ—s much short of the number it should be of The Revenue of the Kingdom of Guzuratta amounted heretofore to eighteen Millions of Gold not accounting the Customs of Brodra and Broitschia which brought in yearly near eight hundred thousand Crowns This Country hath no Enemy it need stand in feâ—r of but the Mountains of those parts are the retyring places of certain Radias or petty Princes who live only upon rapine and the incursions their Subjects make upon the Mogul's Territories who with all his great power is not able to force them out of those inaccessible places Besides these there are also certain companies of Robbers or Tories who sometimes makes up a body of three or four hundred Men to rob upon the High-way insomuch that travelling cannot be without danger unless so many travel together as can in some measure make their party good against the attempts of those Villains who are so much the more easily defeated by reason of their having no fire-Armes The Couteval is he who judges of Affairs of lesser Consequence but the administration of Justice amongst them is very pleasant in as much as he who complains first most commonly gets the better of it so that it may be truly said among them according to the Proverb that who bears away the blows payes for the bloud-whip Capital crimes are judged by the Governours of the several Cities who cause their Sentences to be put in execution by the Couteval There is in a manner no crime whereof a Man may not avoid the punishment by Money so that it may be said of those parts with greater reason then of any other that Gibbets are set 〈◊〉 only for the unfortunate The Crimes punished with greatest severity are Murther and Adultery especially when it happens to have been committed with a Gentlewoman of any Quality Upon which account it is that they permit Brothel-houses all which pay a certain Tribute to the Couteval who in requital protects them so well that it is not only safe but also honourable for any man to frequent them We have already given a Catalogue of the principal Cities of Guzuratta as Amadabath Cambaya Surat Brodra Broitschia c. All which we passed through in our Travels so that it remains only that we give a short account of the other more inconsiderable places of the Kingdom Goga is a small City or rather a great Village thirty Leagues distant from Cambayâ— at a place where the Gulf is so narrow that it seems to be a kind of a River This place is sufficiently well peopled and most of the Inhabitants are Benjans and live either by their Relation to the Sea or by Weaving It hath neither Gates nor Bulwarks but only a Free-stone Wall towards the Sea-side where the Portuguez Frigats have their Rendezvous in order to the conveying of their Merchant-men to Goa Pattepatane and Mangerol are two great Towns nine
they wear a Hat Great honours are done to them after their death and after their Corps hath been attended certain dayes they are burnt with Sandale-wood they cast the Ashes into the River and inteâ—r the â—ones near the place they liv'd in Pegu yields no Corn at all but in recompence they have more Rice then they can spend in so much that they can afford some to their Neighbours They have a custom to make a Drug of certain little Fishes which they pound in a Mortar and being so brought to a Paste they lay it in the Sun to putrifie till it be quite corrupted and grows moist and then they use it in their Sauces instead of Oyl or Butter making a dainty of that which it were not possible for us to endure the smell of Sodomy was heretofore so common in those parts that to extirpate this Vice which had near destroy'd the whole Species one of the Queens of Pegu ordain'd by Edict that every Man should carry in his Yard a little Bell which would make it swell in such sort that he should not be able to do Nature any violence And to the end the Women should not be frustrated of their due their Virginity was to be taken away while they were yet very young by means of a Composition of contrary operation to that used by common Women to heighten the pleasures of their Gallants These little Bells are put in betwixt the skin and the flesh and to effect the operation they cast them into a sleep with a certain Drink to make them insensible of the pain they are put to by the Incision whereof notwithstanding they are cur'd in few dayes For their greater aversion from Sodomy they paint the Boyes at seven or eight years of age with a certain blew which extending with the skin as it grows changes into another colour and makes them look most horribly The Women on the contrary do all they can to appear lovely and attract the Men covering their privy parts only with a thin piece of Linnen which sits not so close but the least wind shews all they have All of them in general make their Teeth black and Men when they ride on horseback fill their Mouths with something that puâ—fs out their Checks They who marry buy their Wives of their Parents and when they are cloy'd send them home again but the money belongs to the Wife who on her side is obliged to restitution if shâ— part with her Husband without cause The King is Heir to all that dye without Children and they who have Children can leave them but two thirds of their Estate the rest belongs to the King The best Commodities to be brought to Pegu and which may be sold to greatest profit are Stuffes and Linnen-clothes from Saint Thomas Musulipatam and Bengala Pepper Cinnamon Nutmegs Optum and Sandale-wood c. by reason they have no other Spices then Ginger At Pegu they take in no other Merchandizes then Silver and Rice which they transport to Malacca In bargaining they make no words at all they do no more but give their Hand cover'd with a Handkerchief and in grasping or moving their Fingers they make their meaning known For borrowing of money they stick not to pawn their Wives and Children but if the Creditour enjoyes them carnally during that time he is then paid and the Debtour acquitted Siam one of the most considerable Kingdoms of the Indies lying at eighteen degrees on this side the Line hath on the North the Kingdoms of Pegu and Auva on the West the Gulf of Bengala from the Haven of Martanan to the Town of Tavaga towards the East Patana whence the Coast runs first Northwards to thirteen degrees and a half comprehending in this space the Gulf of Siam And lastly Southward to twelve degrees lying more at a distance from the Sea it joyns Eastward on the Desarts of Cambodia and the Kingdoms of Iangoma Tangou and Lansiaugh to eighteen degrees towards the forementioned Kingdoms of Pegu and Auva making as it were a semi-circle containing near upon four hundred and fifty Leagues The Country in some parts is rough and mountainous in other parts covered with Woods and to the Seawards 't is low and marshy and generally flat good and fertile yielding in abundance all necessaries for livelihood and having on the Gulfes divers Isles Rivers Bayes Harbours and Roads commodious for the transportation of such things as they themselves can spare The River called Menam that is Mother of the waters is one of the greatest India hath The breadth of it is not great but its length such that hitherto no man hath discovered the head of it It sends its Current from North to South passing through the Kingdoms of Pegu and Auva and at last running through Siam by three Streams it falls into the Gulf of Siam One quality it hath common with the Nile and Ganges that it yearly overflows the adjacent Country for the space of five moneths together destroying in that time all Worms and Insects and leaving when it retires a slime or moist soil proper for the increase of Rice That Channel of this River which is most commodious for Barks or Vessels is that which lies most Eastwards at thirteen degrees and a half elevation but what makes it almost useless is that there lies a Shelf a League in length or better at the mouth of the River which at low-water holds not above five or six foot water At high-water it holds fifteen or sixteen foot and in September October and November seventeen or eighteen foot Vessels of greater burthen ordinarily stay in the Road two Leagues from the Shelf where having at no time less then five or six fathom water they ride secure They who venture to come over the Shelf with the Tide may go up along the River to the City of Banckock six Leagues from the Sea and thence may pass by boat in five or six dayes as high as the City of India twenty four Leagues within the Land except in the moneths before mentioned during which season the River is innavigable The Provinces of this vast Kingdom are all very populous though not equally for such as have the Commodity of Rivers and Havens far exceed those that lye more remote It would be very difficult to reckon all the Towns of this great Dominion wherefore we will here give only an account of the principal and most considerable either for greatness or as the most considerable of the several Provinces The chief of the Kingdom is India by some called Odya then Camboya Campaa Sincapura Picelouck Surkelouck Capheng Soucethay Kephinpet Conseywan Pytsyay Pitsedi Lidure Tenou Mormelon Martenoy Lygor Bordelong Tanasserim where the Portuguez drive a good Trade Banckock Pipry Mergy c. Besides which there are many more which rather deserve a place in a Map then in the Relation of a particular Mans Travels The City of India the ordinary Residence