is a place of English trade from whence a days journey distant but from Saint Nicholas a 100 versts Colmogro stands on the Duina a great Town not wall'd but scatter'd The English have here Lands of their own given them by the Emperour and fair Houses not far beyond Pinega running between Rocks of Alabaster and great Woods meets with Duina From Colmogro to Vstiug are 500 versts or little miles an ancient City upon the Confluence of Iuga and Sucana into Duina which there first receives his name Thence continuing by water to Wologda a great City so nam'd of the River which passes through the midst it hath a Castle wall'd about with Brick and Stone and many wooden Churches two for every Parish the one in Winter to be heated the other us'd in Summer this is a Town of much Traffick a 1000 miles from Saint Nicholas All this way by water no lodging is to be had but under open Sky by the River side and other provision onely what they bring with them From Wologda by Sled they go to Yeraslave on the Volga whose breadth is there at least a mile over and thence runs 2700 versts to the Caspian Sea having his head Spring out of Bealozera which is a Lake amidst whereof is built a strong Tower wherein the Kings of Moscovy reserve their Treasure in time of War From this Town to Rostove then to Pereslave a great Town situate on a fair Lake thence to Mosco Between Yeraslave and Mosco which is 200 miles the Country is so fertile so populous and full of Villages that in a forenoon 7 or 800 Sleds are usually seen coming with Salt Fish or laden back with Corn. Mosco the chief City lying in 55 degrees distant from Saint Nicholas 1500 miles is reputed to be greater than London with the Suburbs but rudely built their Houses and Churches most of Timber few of Stone their Streets unpav'd it hath a fair Castle four-square upon a Hill two miles about with Brick Walls very high and some say 18 foot thick 16 Gates and as many Bulwarks in the Castle are kept the chief Markets and in Winter on the River being then firm Ice This River Moscua on the south-west side encloses the Castle wherein are nine fair Churches with round gilded Towers and the Emperour's Palace which neither within nor without is equal for state to the King's Houses in England but rather like our Buildings of old fashion with small Windows some of Glass some with Latices or Iron Bars They who travail from Mosco to the Caspian go by Water down the Moscua to the River Occa then by certain Castles to Rezan a famous City now ruinate the 10 th day to Nysnovogrod where Occa falls into Volga which the Tartars call Edel. From thence the 11 th day to Cazan a Tartan City of great wealth heretofore now under the Russian wall'd at first with Timber and Earth but since by the Emperour Vasiliwich with free Stone From Cazan to the River Cama falling into Volga from the Province of Permia the People dwelling on the left side are Gentiles and live in Woods without Houses beyond them to Astracan Tartars of Mangat and Nagay on the right side those of Crimme From Mosco to Astracan is about 600 leagues The Town is situate in an Island on a Hill-side wall'd with Earth but the Castle with Earth and Timber the Houses except that of the Governour 's and some few others poor and simple the Ground utterly barren and without Wood they live there on Fish and Sturgeon especially which hanging up to dry in the Streets and Houses brings whole swarms of Flies and infection to the Aire and oft great Pestilence This Island in length 12 leagues 3 in breadth is the Russian limit toward the Caspian which he keeps with a strong Garrison being 20 leagues from that Sea into which Volga falls at 70 mouths From Saint Nicholas or from Mosco to the Caspian they pass in 46 daies and nights most part by Water West-ward from Saint Nicholas 1200 miles is the City Novogrod 58 degrees the greatest Mart-town of all this Dominion and in bigness not inferior to Mosco The way thither is through the western bottom of Saint Nicholas Bay and so along the Shoar full of dangerous Rocks to the Monastery Solofky wherein are at least 200 Monks the People thereabout in a manner Savages yet Tenants to those Monks Thence to the dangerous River Owiga wherein are Waterfalls as steep as from a Mountain and by the violence of their descent kept from freezing so that the Boats are to be carried there a mile over land which the Tenants of that Abby did by command and were guides to the Merchants without taking any reward Thence to the Town Povensa standing within a mile of the famous Lake Onega 320 miles long and in some places 70 at narrowest 25 broad and of great depth Thence by some Monasteries to the River Swire then into the Lake Ladiscay much longer than Onega after which into the River Volhusky which through the midst of Novogrod runs into this Lake and this Lake into the Baltick sound by Narv and Revel Their other Cities toward the western bound are Plesco Smolensko on Vobsco The Emperour exerciseth absolute power if any man die without male issue his Land returns to the Emperour Any rich man who through age or other impotence is unable to serve the Publick being inform'd of is turn'd out of his Estate and forc'd with his Family to live on a small Pension while some other more deserving is by the Duke's authority put into possession The manner of informing the Duke is thus Your Grace saith one hath such a Subject abounding with Riches but for service of the State unmeet and you have others poor and in want but well able to doe their Country good service Immediately the Duke sends forth to enquire and calling the Rich man before him Friend saith he you have too much Living and are unserviceable to your Prince less will serve you and the rest maintain others who deserve more The man thus call'd to impart his Wealth repines not but humbly answers that all he hath is God's and the Duke's as if he made restitution of what more justly was anothers than parted with his own Every Gentleman hath rule and justice over his own Tenants if the Tenants of two Gentlemen agree not they seek to compose it if they cannot each brings his Tenant before the high Judge of that Country They have no Lawyers but every man pleads his own Cause or else by Bill or Answer in writing delivers it with his own hands to the Duke yet Justice by corruption of inferiour Officers is much perverted Where other proof is wanting they may try the matter by personal combat or by champion If a Debtor be poor he becomes bondman to the Duke who
Beast which they call a Morse who seeks his Food on the Rocks climing up with help of his Teeth whereof they make as great account as we of the Elephant's Tooth CHAP. II. Of Samoedia Siberia and other Countries north-east subject to the Muscovites NOrth-east of Russia lieth Samoedia by the River Ob. This Country was first discover'd by Oneke a Russian who first trading privately among them in rich Furrs got great Wealth and the knowledge of their Country then reveal'd his discovery to Boris Protectour to Pheodor shewing how beneficial that Country gain'd would be to the Empire Who sending Ambassadours among them gallantly attir'd by fair means won their subjection to the Empire every Head paying yearly two Skins of richest Sables Those Messengers travailing also 200 leagues beyond Ob east-ward made report of pleasant Countries abounding with Woods and Fountains and People riding on Elks and Loshes others drawn on Sleds by Rain-deer others by Dogs as swift as Deer The Somoeds that came along with those Messengers returning to Mosco admir'd the stateliness of that City and were as much admir'd for excellent Shooters hitting every time the breadth of a penny as far distant as hardly could be discern'd The River Ob is reported by the Russes to be in breadth the sayling of a Summer's day but full of Islands and Shoals having neither Woods nor till of late Inhabitants Out of Ob they turn into the River Tawze The Russians have here since the Samoeds yielded them subjection two Governours with 3 or 400 Gunners have built Villages and some small Castles all which Place they call Mongozey or Molgomzay Further up-land they have also built other Cities of Wood consisting chiefly of Poles Tartars and Russes fugitive or condemned men as Vergateria Siber whence the whole Country is nam'd Tinna thence Tobolsca on this side Ob on the Rivers Irtis and Tobol chief Seat of the Russian Governour above that Zergolta in an Island of Ob where they have a Custom house beyond that on the other side Ob Narim and Tooina now a great City Certain Churches also are erected in those Parts but no man forc'd to Religion beyond Narim eastward on the River Telta is built the Castle of Comgoscoi and all this Plantation began since the year 1590. with many other Towns like these And these are the Countries from whence come all the Sables and rich Furrs The Samoeds have no Towns or certain place of abode but up and down where they find Moss for their Deer they live in companies peaceably and are govern'd by some of the Ancientest amongst them but are Idolaters They shoot wondrous cunningly their Arrow heads are sharpned Stones or Fish-bones which latter serve them also for Needles their Thread being the Sinews of certain small Beasts wherewith they sowe the Furrs which cloath them the furry side in Summer outward in Winter inward They have many Wives and their Daughters they sell to him who bids most which if they be not lik't are turn'd back to their Friends the Husband allowing onely to the Father what the marriage Feast stood him in Wives are brought to bed there by their Husbands and the next day go about as before They till not the Ground but live on the Flesh of those Wild Beasts which they hunt They are the onely Guides to such as travaile Iougoria Siberia or any of those north-east parts in Winter being drawn on Sleds with Bucks riding post day and night if it be Moon-light and lodge on the Snow under Tents of Deer Skins in whatever place they find enough of white Moss to feed their Sled Staggs turning them loose to dig it up themselves out of the deep Snow another Samoede stepping to the next Wood brings in store of Firing round about which they lodge within their Tents leaving the top open to vent Smoak in which manner they are as warm as the Stoves in Russia They carry Provision of Meat with them and partake besides of what Fowle or Venison the Samoede kills with shooting by the way their Drink is melted Snow Two Deer being yoak'd to a Sled riding post will draw 200 miles in 24 hours without resting and laden with their Stuff will draw it 30 miles in 12. CHAP. III. Of Tingoesia and the Countries adjoyning eastward as far as Cathay BEyond Narim and Comgoscoi the Souldiers of those Garrisons travailing by appointment of the Russian Governour in the year 1605. found many goodly Countries not inhabited many vast Deserts and Rivers till at the end of ten weeks they spy'd certain Cottages and Herds or companies of People which came to them with reverent behaviour and signify'd to the Samoeds and Tartars which were Guides to the Russian Souldiers that they were call'd Tingoesi that their dwelling was on the great River Ienissey This River is said to be far bigger than Ob distant from the Mouth thereof 4 daies and nights sayling and likewise falls into the Sea of Naramzie it hath high Mountains on the East some of which cast out Fire to the West a plain and fertil Country which in the Spring time it overflowes about 70 leagues all that time the Inhabitants keep them in the Mountains and then return with their Cattel to the Plain The Tingoesi are a very gentle Nation they have great swoln Throats like those in Italy that live under the Alpes at perswasion of the Samoeds they forthwith submitted to the Russian Government and at their request travailing the next year to discover still eastward they came at length to a River which the Savages of that place call'd Pisida somewhat less than Ienissey beyond which hearing ofttimes the towling of Brazen Bells and sometimes the noise of Men and Horses they durst not pass over they saw there certain Sayles afar off square and therefore suppos'd to be like Indian or China Sayles and the rather for that they report that great Guns have been heard shot off from those Vessels In April and May they were much delighted with the fair prospect of that Country replenish't with many rare Trees Plants and Flowers Beasts and Fowle Some think here to be the Borders of Tangut in the north of Cathay Some of those Samoeds about the Year 1610. travail'd so far till they came in view of a White City and heard a great din of Bells and report there came to them Men all arm'd in Iron from head to foot And in the Year 1611. divers out of Cathay and others from Alteen Czar who stiles himself the golden King came and traded at Zergolta or Surgoot on the River Ob bringing with them Plates of Silver Whereupon Michael Pheodorowick the Russian Emperour in the Year 1619. sent certain of his People from Tooma to Alteen and Cathay who return'd with Ambassadours from those Princes These relate that from Tooma in ten daies and a half
three daies whereof over a Lake where Rubies and Saphirs grow they came to the Alteen King or King of Alty through his Land in five weeks they pass'd into the Country of Sheromugaly or Mugalla where reigned a Queen call'd Manchika whence in four daies they came to the Borders of Cathay fenc't with a stone Wall 15 fathom high along the side of which having on the other hand many pretty Towns belonging to Queen Manchika they travail'd ten daies without seeing any on the Wall till they came to the Gate Where they saw very great Ordnance lying and 3000 men in watch They traffick with other Nations at the Gate and very few at once are suffered to enter They were travailing from Tooma to this Gate 12 weeks and from thence to the great City of Cathay ten daies Where being conducted to the House of Ambassadours within a few daies there came a Secretary from King Tambur with 200 Men well apparell'd and riding on Asses to feast them with divers sorts of Wine and to demand their Message but having brought no Presents with them they could not be admitted to his sight onely with his Letter to the Emperour they return'd as is aforesaid to Tobolsca They report that the Land of Mugalla reaches from Boghar to the north Sea and hath many Castles built of Stone four-square with Towers at the Corners cover'd with glazed Tiles and on the Gates Alarum-Bells or Watch-Bells twenty pound weight of Metal their Houses built also of Stone the Seelings cunningly painted with Flowers of all Colours The People are Idolaters the Country exceeding fruitfull They have Asses and Mules but no Horses The People of Cathay say that this great Wall stretches from Boghar to the north Sea four months journey with continual Towers a flight-shot distant from each other and Beacons on every Tower and that this Wall is the bound between Mugalla and Cathay In which are but five Gates those narrow and so low that a Horse-man sitting upright cannot ride in Next to the Wall is the City Shirokalga it hath a Castle well furnish't with short Ordnance and small Shot which they who keep watch on the Gates Towers and Walls duly at Sun set and rising discharge thrice over The City abounds with rich Merchandize Velvets Damasks Cloth of Gold and Tissue with many sorts of Sugars Like to this is the City Tara their Markets smell odoriferously with Spices and Tayth more rich than that Shirooan yet more magnificent half a day's journey through and exceeding populous From hence to Cathaia the imperial City is two daies journey built of White-stone four-square in circuit four daies going corner'd with four White Towers very high and great and others very fair along the Wall white intermingl'd with blew and Loop-holes furnisht with Ordnance In midst of this White City stands a Castle built of Magnet where the King dwels in a sumptuous Palace the top whereof is overlaid with Gold The City stands on even ground encompass'd with the River Youga 7 daies journey from the Sea The People are very fair but not warlike delighting most in rich Traffick These Relations are referr'd hither because we have them from Russians who report also that there is a Sea beyond Ob so warm that all kind of Sea-Fowl live thereabout as well in Winter as in Summer Thus much briefly of the Sea and Lands between Russia and Cathay CHAP. IV. The Succession of Moscovia Dukes and Emperours taken out of their Chronicles by a Polack with some later Additions THE great Dukes of Muscovy derive their Pedegree though without ground from Augustus Caesar whom they fable to have sent certain of his Kindred to be Governours over many remote Provinces and among them Prussus over Prussia him to have had his Seat on the eastern Baltick Shoar by the River Wixel of whom Rurek Sinaus and Truuor descended by the Fourth Generation were by the Russians living then without Civil Government sent for in the Year 573. to bear rule over them at the perswasion of Gostomislius chief Citizen of Novogrod They therefore taking with them Olechus their Kinsman divided those Countries among themselves and each in his Province taught them Civil Government Ivorson of Rurek the rest dying without Issue became Successour to them all being left in nonage under the protection of Olechus He took to wife Olha Daughter to a Citizen of Plesco of whom he begat Stoslaus but after that being slain by his Enemies Olha his Wife went to Constantinople and was there baptiz'd Helena Stoslaus fought many Battails with his Enemies but was at length by them slain who made a Cup of his Scull engrav'n with this Sentence in Gold Seeking after other Mens he lost his own His Sons were Teropolchus Olega and Volodimir Volodimir having slain the other two made himself sole Lord of Russia yet after that fact enclining to Christian Religion had to wife Anna Sister of Basilius and Constantine Greek Emperours and with all his People in the Year 988. was baptiz'd and call'd Basilius Howbeit Zonaras reporteth that before that time Basilius the Greek Emperour sent a Bishop to them at whose preaching they not being mov'd but requiring a Miracle he after devout Prayers taking the Book of Gospel into his hands threw it before them all into the Fire which remaining there unconsum'd they were converted Volodimir had eleven Sons among whom he divided his Kingdom Boristus and Glebus for their holy Life register'd Saints and their Feast kept every year in November with great solemnity The rest through contention to have the sole Government ruin'd each other leaving onely Iaroslaus inheritour of all Volodimir Son of Iaroslaus kept his Residence in the ancient City Kiow upon the River Boristenes And after many conflicts with the Sons of his Uncles and having subdu'd all was call'd Monomachus He made war with Constantine the Greek Emperour wasted Thracia and returning home with great spoils to prepare new war was appeas'd by Constantine who sent Neophytus Bishop of Ephesus and Eustathius Abbot of Ierusalem to present him with part of our Saviour's Cross and other rich Gifts and to salute him by the name of Czar or Caesar with whom he thenceforth enter'd into league and amity After him in order of descent Vuszevolodus George Demetrius Then George his Son who in the Year 1237. was slain in battail by the Tartar Prince Bathy who subdu'd Muscovia and made it tributary From that time the Tartarians made such Dukes of Russia as they thought would be most pliable to their ends of whom they requir'd as oft as Ambassadours came to him out of Tartary to go out and meet them and in his own Court to stand bare-headed while they sate and deliver'd their Message At which time the Tartars wasted also Polonia Silesia and Hungaria till Pope Innocent the Fourth obtain'd peace of them for 5 years This Bathy say the Russians was the Father of Tamerlan whom they call
Temirkutla Then succeeded Iaroslaus the Brother of George then Alexander his Son Daniel the Son of Alexander was he who first made the City of Mosco his Royal Seat builded the Castle and took on him the Title of great Duke Iohn the Son of Daniel was sirnamed Kaleta that word signifying a Scrip out of which continually carried about with him he was wont to deal his Almes His Son Simeon dying without Issue left the Kingdom to Iohn his next Brother and he to his Son Demetrius who left two Sons Basilius and George Basilius reigning had a Son of his own name but doubting lest not of his own Body through the suspicion he had of his Wife's Chastity him he disinherits and gives the Dukedom to his Brother George George putting his Nephew Basilius in prison reigns yet at his death either through remorse or other cause surrenders him the Dukedom Basilius unexpectedly thus attaining his supposed right enjoy'd it not long in quiet for Andrew and Demetrius the two Sons of George counting it injury not to succeed their Father made war upon him and surprizing him on a suddain put out his Eyes Notwithstanding which the Boiarens or Nobles kept their allegiance to the Duke though blind whom therefore they call'd Cziemnox Iohn Vasiliwich his Son was the first who brought the Russian Name out of obscurity into renown To secure his own Estate he put to death as many of his kindred as were likely to pretend and stil'd himself great Duke of Wolodimiria Muscovia Novogardia Czar of all Russia He won Plesco the onely walled City in all Muscovy and Novogrod the richest from the Lituanians to whom they had been subject 50 years before and from the latter carried home 300 Waggons laden with Treasure He had war with Alexander King of Poland and with the Livonians with him on pretence of withdrawing his Daughter Helena whom he had to wife from the Greek Church to the Romish with the Livonians for no other cause but to enlarge his Bounds though he were often foyl'd by Plettebergius great Master of the Prussian Knights His Wife was Daughter to the Duke of Tyversky of her he begat Iohn and to him resigned his Dukedom giving him to wife the Daughter of Steven Palatine of Moldavia by whom he had Issue Demetrius and deceas'd soon after Vasiliwich therefore reassuming the Dukedom married a second Wife Sophia Daughter to Thomas Palaeologus who is said to have receiv'd her Dowry out of the Pope's Treasury upon promise of the Duke to become Romish This Princess of a haughty mind often complaining that she was married to the Tartars Vassal at length by continual perswasions and by a wile found means to ease her Husband and his Country of that Yoke For whereas till then the Tartar had his Procurators who dwelt in the very Castle of Mosco to oversee State-affairs she fain'd that from Heaven she had been warn'd to build a Temple to Saint Nicholas on the same place where the Tartar Agents had their House Being therefore delivered of a Son she made it her request to the Prince of Tartary whom she had invited to the baptizing that he would give her that House which obtaining she raz'd to the ground and remov'd those Overseers out of the Castle and so by degrees dispossess'd them of all which they held in Russia She prevail'd also with her Husband to transfer the Dukedom from Demetrius the Son of Iohn deceas'd to Gabriel his eldest by her Gabriel no sooner Duke but chang'd his name to Basilius and set his mind to doe nobly he recover'd great part of Muscovy from Vitoldus Duke of Lituania and on the Boristhenes won Smolensko and many other Cities in the Year 1514. He divorc'd his first Wife and of Helena Daughter to Duke Glinsky begat Iuan Vasiliwich Iuan Vasiliwich being left a Child was committed to George his Unkle and Protector at 25 years of age he vanquish'd the Tartars of Cazan and Astracan bringing home with him their Princes captive made cruel war in Livonia pretending right of inheritance He seem'd exceedingly devout and whereas the Russians in their Churches use out of zeal and reverence to knock their Heads against the ground his Forehead was seldom free of swellings and bruzes and very often seen to bleed The cause of his rigour in government he alledg'd to be the malice and treachery of his Subjects But some of the Nobles incited by his cruelty call'd in the Crim Tartar who in the Year 1571. broke into Russia burnt Mosco to the ground he reigned 54 years had three Sons of which the eldest being strook on a time by his Father with grief thereof dy'd his other Sons were Pheodor and Demetrius in the time of Iuan Vasiliwich the English came first by Sea into the north parts of Russia Pheodor Iuanowick being under age was left to the protection of Boris Brother to the young Empress and third Son by adoption in the Emperour 's Will. After 40 daies of mourning the appointed time of Coronation being come the Emperour issuing out of his Palace the whole Clergy before him enter'd with his Nobility the Church of Blaueshina or blessedness whence after Service to the Church of Michael then to our Lady Church being the Cathedral In midst whereof a Chair of Majesty was plac'd and most unvaluable Garments put upon him there also was the imperial Crown set on his Head by the Metropolitan who out of a small Book in his hand read Exhortations to the Emperour of justice and peaceable government After this rising from his Chair he was invested with an upper Robe so thick with Orient Pearls and Stones as weigh'd 200 pounds the Train born up by 6 Dukes his Staff imperial was of a Unicorn's Horn three foot and a half long beset with rich Stones his Globe and six Crowns carried before him by Princes of the Bloud his Horse at the Church door stood ready with a Covering of imbroidered Pearl Saddle and all suitable to the value of 300 thousand Marks There was a kind of Bridge made three waies 150 fathom long three foot high two fathom broad whereon the Emperour with his Train went from one Church to another above the infinite throng of People making loud Acclamations At the Emperour's returning from those Churches they were spread under-foot with Cloth of Gold the Porches with Red Velvet the Bridges with Scarlet and Stammel-cloth all which as the Emperour pass'd by were cut and snatch't by them that stood next besides new minted Coines of Gold and Silver cast among the People The Empress in her Palace was plac't before a great open Window in rich and shining Robes among her Ladies After this the Emperour came into Parliament where he had a Banquet serv'd by his Nobles in princely order two standing on either side his Chair with Battel-axes of Gold three of the next Roomes great and large being set round with Plate of Gold and Silver from the