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
other matter which he is to weare eight dayes and no more and so giueth him authoritie to say and sing in the Church and to administer the Sacraments They are men vtterly vnlearned which is no marueile forasmuch as their makers the Bishops themselues as before was saide are cleere of that qualitie and make no farther vse at al of any kind of learning no not of the scriptures themselues saue to reade and to sing them Their ordinary charge functiō is to say the Leiturgie to administer the Sacraments after their maner to keepe deck their idoles and to doe the other ceremonies vsuall in their Churches Their number is great because their townes are parted into many smal parishes without any descretion for deuiding them into competent numbers of housholds and people for a iust congregation as the manner in all places where the meanes is neglected for increasing of knowledge and instruction towardes God Which cannot well be had where by means of an vnequall partition of the people and parishes there followeth a want and vnequalitie of stipend for a sufficient ministerie For their priests it is lawful to marrie for the first time But if the first wife dye a second hee cannot take but hee must loose his Priesthood and his liuing withall The reason they make out of that place of Saint Paul to Timothie 1. 3. 2. not well vnderstood thinking that to bee spoken of diuers wiues successiuely that the Apostle speaketh of at one and the same time If he will needs marry againe after his first wife is dead hee is no longer called Papa but Rospapa or Priest quondam This maketh the Priestes to make much of their wiues who are accounted as the matrones and of best reputation among the women of the parish For the stipend of the Priest their manner is not to pay him any tenthes of corne or ought els but he must stand at the deuotion of the people of his parish and make vp the incommes towards his maintenance so wel as he can by offerings shriftes marriages burials dirges and prayers for the dead and the liuing which they call Molitua Forbesides their publike seruice within their Churches their manner is for euery priuate man to haue a prayer saide for him by the Priest vpon any occasion of businesse whatsoeuer whether he ride goe saile plough or whatsoeuer els he doeth Which is not framed according to the occasion of his businesse but at randome being some of their ordinarie and vsuall Church-prayers And this is thought to be more holy and effectuall if it be repeated by the Priests mouth rather then by his owne They haue a custome besides to solemnize the Saints day that is patrone to their Church once euery yeere What time al their neighbours of their coūtrey and parishes about come in to haue prayers saide to that Saint for themselues and their friendes and so make an offering to the Priest for his paines This offering may yeeld them some ten poundes a yeere more or lesse as the patrone or Saint of that Church is of credite and estimation among them The manner is on this day which they keep anniuersarie for the priest to hire diuers of his neighbour priestes to helpe him as hauing more dishes to dresse for the Saint then he can wel turne his hand vnto They vse besides to visite their parishioners houses with holy water and perfume commonly once a quarter and so hauing sprinckled and besensed the goodman and his wife with the rest of their houshold and houshold-stuffe they receiue some deuotion more or lesse as the man is of abilitie This and the rest laid altogether may make vp for the priest towardes his maintenaunce about thirtie or fourtie rubbels a yere wherof he payeth the tenth part to the Bishop of the Dioces The Papa or Priest is knowen by his long tufts of haire hanging downe by his eares his gowne with a broad cape and a walking staffe in his hand For the rest of his habite he is apparelled like the common sort When he saith the Leiturgie or seruice within the Church he hath on him his surplesse and sometimes his coape if the day be more solemne They haue besides their Papaes or Priestes their Churnapapaes as they call them that is Blacke Priestes that may keepe their Benefices though they bee admitted Friers withall within some Monasterie They seeme to bee the verie same that were called Regular Priestes in the Popish Church Vnder the Priest is a Deacon in euery Church that doeth nothing but the office of a parish Clearke As for their Protopapaes or Archepriestes and their Archdeacons that are next in election to be their Protopopas they serue onely in the cathedral Churches Of Friers they haue an infinit rabble farre greater thē in any other countrey where popery is professed Euery city good part of the countrey swarmeth ful of them For they haue wrought as the popish Friers did by their superstition and hypocrisie that if any part of the Realme bee better and sweeter then other there standeth a Friery or a monastery dedicated to some Saint The number of them is somuch the greater not onely for that it is augmented by the superstition of the countrey but because the Fryers life is the safest from the oppressions and exactions that fall vpon the Commons Which causeth many to put on the Fryers weede as the best armour to beare off such blowes Besides such as are voluntarie there are diuers that are forced to shire themselues Fryers vpon some displeasure These are for the most part of the chiefe Nobility Diuers take the Monasteries as a place of Sanctuary and there become Friers to auoyde some punishment that they had deserued by the lawes of the Realme For if hee gette a Monastery ouer his head and there put on a coole before hee be attached it is a protection to him for euer against any law for what crime soeuer except it be for treason But this Prouiso goeth withal that no man commeth there except such as are commanded by the Emperour to be receiued but hee giueth them lands or bringeth his stock with him putteth it into the common Treasurie Some bring a 1000 rubbels some more None is admitted vnder 3. or 4. hundred The manner of their admission is after this sort First the Abbot strippeth him of all his secular or ordinarie apparell Then hee putteth vpon him next to his skinne a white flannel shirt with a long garment ouer it down to the ground girded vnto him with a broade leather belt His vppermost garment is a weede of Garras or Say for colour and fashion much like to the vpper weed of a Chimney-sweeper Then is his crown shorne a hand breadth or more close to the very skinne and these or like wordes pronounced by the Abbot whiles hee clippeth his haire As these haires are clipped of taken from thy head so now we take thee and
man speaketh nor speaketh any thing himselfe worthie to be beleeued These qualities make theÌ„ very odious to all their neighbours specially to the Tartars that account themselues to be honest and iust in comparision of the Russe It is supposed by some that doe well consider of the state of both countries that the offence they take at the Russe gouernment and their maner of behauiour hath beene a great cause to keepe the Tartar still Heathenish and to mislike as he doeth of the Christian profession FINIS Strabo in his 7. booke of â—â—ogr Gen. 10. Ioseph l. 1. cap. 14. The borders of Russia The shires of Russia The Prouinces or countries got by conquest The bredth and length of the countrie The cold of Russia The chief riuers of Russia The fruites and graine of Russia The chiefe commodities of the countrie 1. Furres 2. Waxe 3. Hony 4. Tallow 5. Hide 6. Trane oyle The manner of hunting the Seal fish Ickary 9 8. Hempe and flaxe 9. Salt 10. Tarre 11. Ribazuba 12. Slude 13. Saltpeeâ—â—r brimstone 4. Iron The straÌ„ge â—â—â—sts fish foâ—le c. that breed in Russia Mosko Nouograde Iaruslaue The manner of Russe buylding The house Beala not naturall Russe The aduoncement of the house of Beala The Russe gouernment tyrannicall The States of Parliament The order of the summons or assembling Their discourse at ParliameÌ„t The Vdelney Knazey chiefe of the Nobilitie The factioÌ„ of Oppressini Zempskey deuised by the Emperour Names of the greatest houses of the Russe Nobilitie The 2. degree of Nobilitie The 3. sort of Nobilitie The second degree of persons The third degree The foure Chetfirds The Commission of the Dukes or Presidents of Shires The Gouernment of Mosko An harde matter to alter the State of Russia The nuÌ„ber and names of the CouÌ„sellours of State Foure Secretaries The offices of receipt The Steward receiuer of the crowne laÌ„d rentes The office of Chetfird Tagla and Podat The office of Bulcha Prechod or great income The Emperours custome The whole receipt of the Bulsha Prechod or great income Rents out of the iudicial offices The Emperours treasure house within his castle of Mosko The summe of the Emperours reÌ„t money A strange practise to get money The seruile and miserable estate of the Russe people The tyranny and oppression ouer their very minds and wits The ielousie of the Emperour concerning his state Courts of ciuill iustice three The Dukes and Diacks Court The high Court of Mosko Their maÌ„ner of procedeing in Ciuill matters Ending of controuersies by kissing the Crosse Iudgement by lotte The forme of Russe bils or bonds Proceeding in criminall matters Souldiers by birth inheritaÌ„ce Degrees of horsemen 1. Praetoriaenior such as attend the Emperours person 15000. Two other troupes to the number of 65000. Horsemen in coÌ„tinuall pay 80000. Footmen in continuall pay 12000. Strangers mercenaries in pay 4300. The chiefe captaines or leaders 1. The Voiauod or Generall 2. Liefetenant generall 3. Marshals of the field foure Foure marshals deputies 8. Fiue Cotonels vnder Captaines Sixe Masters of the Artillerie The waking Captaine Their order for mustering The horsemans furniture The footemans furniture Prouision of victuall Horsemens drummes The horsemans manner of charging The footemans charge The walking Castle Reward for valure Lituania Narue Permia and Pechora Meanes of holding his chiefe townes Meanes of holding the countries of Pechora Permia and Siberia The Polonians called Laches by the Russe The Chrim Tartar The firing of Mosko by the Chrim Tartar in the yeare 1571. Homage done by the Russe to the Chrim Tartar The manner of the Tartars fight and armour The subtiltie of the Tartar The Tartar religion The Tartar Nobilitie The Tartar dyet The Tartars dwelling The Nagay Tartar the cruellest The Chircasce the ciuilest Tartar The Cheremissen Tartar The Mordwite Tartar the most barbarous of the rest The Permans The Samoites The Samoites religion Slata Baba or the golden Hag. The Samoits habite and behauiour The Lappes The church officers The Patriarch The translation of the Patriarchicall sea from Constantinople or Sio to Mosko The Patriarchship of Constantinople translated to Mosko The Patriarches iurisdiction The Metropolites Archbishops Bishops Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction Their Gentlemen coÌ„missaries The church reuenues The habite of their clergy men The electioÌ„ of Bishops The learning exercise of the Russe Clergie Priests The Russe Priests can marry but once The priests maintenance The priests attire Friers Their maner of shiring Friers The Friers learning Nunneries Eremites Basileo the Eremite Nicôla the Eremite Their morning Seruice Their Euening seruice The manner of the Russe baptisme Rebaptizing The administring of the Lords supper The Russe errours 1. Their disallowing of certeine parts of the Canonicall scriptures 2. Traditions equall to the holy Scripture 3. The Church to haue soueraigne authoritie in interpreting the Scriptures 4. The holy Ghost to proceed froÌ„ the Father onely 5. Christ not sole mediator of intercessioÌ„ 6. Iustification by workes 7. Saluation vncerteine 8. Auricular confession 9. Three SacrameÌ„ts 10. All daÌ„ned that die without baptisme 11. Anabaptisme 12. Difference of meates 13. Marriage for some persons vnlawfull The manner of indowment for wiues Ceremonies in mariages The signe of the crosse Holywater Hallowing of riuers Drinking of holy water Brewing with holy water Palmsunday Fasts Vigils Burials Moneths mindes His priuate prayer The Emperour giueth presence euery morning The Emperours seruice at his Table Maister of the Horse The L. Steward The L. Tresurer Controller Chamberlaine Tasters HarbeÌ„gers Gentlemen of the chaÌ„ber The Gard. Grooms Constitution of their bodies Their diet The Noble mans attire The Gentlemans apparell The Noble womans attire The Mousicks or coÌ„mon mans attire Their wits and capacities Crueltie of the Russe people Intemperancie