The Right honble Charles Earle of Carlisle vicoâ—â—â— Howard of Morpeth Baron Dacre of Gilsland Lord Lieutenant in the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland and one of the Lords of his Maiesties most Honourable Privy Councell etc. 〈◊〉 fec A Relation Of Three EMBASSIES From his Sacred MAJESTIE Charles II TO THE Great Duke of MUSCOVIE The King of SWEDEN and The King of DENMARK Performed by the Right honble the EARLE of CARLISLE in the Years 1663 1664. Written by an Attendant on the Embassies and published with his L ps Approbation LONDON Printed for John Starkey at the Miter in Fleetstreet near Temple-Barr 1669. To his Excellency the Right Honourable Charles Earle of Carlisle Viscount Howard of Morpeth Baron Dacre of Gillesland Lord Lieutenant in the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland One of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Councel and at this present Ambassador Extraordinary to the King of Sweden My Lord WHen I consider the Perfections and Sublime Qualifications wherewith Nature hath so advantagiously adorned Your Eâ—cellency I cannot but think would be an injury to the Publicâ— should I omit to attempt some deâ—lineation thereof And seeing 〈◊〉 is no new thing for others to bâ— ambitious of describing the Actioâ— of Great Men it is but reasonabâ— that I who for sometime have beeâ— an ocular witness of those of Youâ— Lordships should erect a Monâ—ment for Posterity of the same Upon this account it is that I noâ— publish this Work under Your Excellencies favourable Protection bâ— which it is manifest that Your Excellency hath born the Charactâ—â— of Your Prince thorow three foâ—raign Nations with all imaginabâ—â— Prudence and Honour There is nothing to be seen in the whole Sâ—ries of Your Lordships Conducâ— but what is generous and Noble and in which Your Excellency makes it appear with what Reason and judgement His Majestie made choice of Your Person for the Representation of his own under the Illustrious Title of His AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY Which same Honour being now conferred upon You again is a sufficient Proof of the Verity of my Sentement and without further Enlarging upon Your Lordships Worth I believe the Knowledge alone of Your Lordship is sufficient to render You beloved which yet one cannot do but with a most profound respect For my part my Lord if I have any Ambition in the Publication of this Work of which Your Excellency is both the Subject and Ornament it is onely that I may have the Advantage to testifie to the World with how much Zeal and Devotion I am MY LORD Your Excellencies Most humble and most Faithful servant G. M. The Authors Preface to the Reader IT was the saying of an Antient That the Spirit of Man affects Novelties which is justified by daily Observation For any thing to which a man is accustomed long commonly grows unpleasant whereas Variety delights him and rescues his Imagination from the tediousness of ordinary Objects Hence is the desire men have naturally to Travaile and though it withdraws one from his Relations and Country and exposeth him to several incommodities and perils yet the pleasure of his Voiage preponderates all apprehensions and renders all discouragements contemptible and vain And as there is Pleasure in Travailing so it hath in my judgment its Vtility likewise and its Profit as well as Diversion Of this Homer seems to be sensible when amongst all the Elogies and Encomiums he gives to Ulysses one of the principal was That he had seen several Countries and made Observation of their Fashions and Manners Ever since I understood that the World was not altogether shut up in my own Country I have had a constant inclination to travail and in my travels a curiosity to observe according to my talent what I thought most considerable In the Voiage I had the honour to make with the Right Honourable the Earl of Carlisle during his Embassies to Moscovy Sweden and Denmark I had a particular opportunity to gratify my self And forasmuch as Moscovy is a Country little known saving to its Neighbours I fixt my design there more particularly and resolved to inform my self as exactly as was possible of the nature of that Country and its Inhabitants In the mean time I observed also all the remarkable passages of our Travails but especially the pompous solemnities wherewith the Ambassador was received as I had besides the advantage of being imployed about the Negotiation I neglected nothing of that whereby I might instruct my self of States-business The Voyage being over I put my Memoires in order and framed them into a continued discourse so that afterwards I had the satisfaction now and then to review all what I had seen I communicated what I had done with some of my Friends who found the subject too good to be buried in oblivion and wanted not arguments to invite me to Print it But then I was not yet of that mind being very careful how I exposed my self to the Censure of the World and I took alwaies that enterprize to be too dangerous and bold Nam nulli tacuisse nocet nocet esse locutum Yet seeing at last that I might doe it under my Lord of Carlisles Protection and with a full Permission I thought nothing could excuse me if I neglected a thing wherein his Excellencies Interest the Publicks and my own perhaps were concerned And accordingly besides the General Description of the Voyage and the manner wherewith the Ambassador was received the Reader will find in the Relation of the first Embassy an exact Description of Moscovy and of all that passed there in his Excellencies Negotiation There I display the naked truth of the business how contrary to the expectations of all Europe his Excellency was treated there after so many effectual testimonies of Friendship the King of great Britain and the Tzar of Moscovy had received from one onother There a man shall see how unworthily some of the Tzars Commissioners dealt with my Lord Ambassador and made such an Embassy fruitless how instead of taking care for the preservation of that Amity which for so long time had continued betwixt the Crowns of England and Moscovy they suffered themselves to be so far transported as to become instrumental in the diminution thereof And this is clear thorough the whole Series of the Negotiation in which on the one side there is nothing to be seen but a just and well grounded deduction of reasons tending only to the reinforcement of the antient Alliance Whereas on the other it is plain their blind interest had prepossessed them and that they were contented to be Friends for the future but upon condition it seems they should be required no more to give any fair and competent testimonies of their being such This is the unexpected humour wherein his Excellency found the Court of Moscovy who causlesly disliking his whole manner of proceeding found fault with those very actions which were generous and honourable in him And indeed why that Court should have
great Dutchess and the young Princes the eldest of which was not above ten years old but this was refused upon this ground that it was not their custome Indeed the Tzars wives live there very retyred and his Sons appear not in publique till they are twelve years old at which age they show them solemnely to the People and the Tzar himself is but rarely to be seen The Eleaventh day being come there were a hundred and thirty persons of the Tzars Guards and threescore sledges sent to carry the Presents from the King the greatest part of which was designed for the Tzar the rest for the two young Princes Knetz Alexcy Alexevitz and Pheodor Alexevitz his Sons But besides the Kings Presents to the great Duke there were Presents also from the Queen to the great Dutchess and some which his Excellence gave the great Duke apart as from himself The whole consisted in Vessels of gold and silver in cloth velvets satins and damaske of divers colours there was also great quantities of stufs and table linnen two gold-watches three clocks two pair of Pistols one gun and two carabins besides six pieces of cast Canon a great quantity of Cornish tynne and a hundred piggs of lead All which was sent before to the pallace the plate being carried by four and twenty men the cloth by threescore ten men carried the Velvets Sattins and Damask six and twenty the stufs and table linning and ten more the Gun the Pistols the Watches and the Clocks and on the sledges they carried the Canon the Tynne and the Lead This being done there were two sledges brought for the Ambassador and my Lord Morpeth and at the same time several white horses for the Gentlemen of his attendance At length we began to sett out about ten a Clock in the morning the Gentlemen on horsback two and two all richly habited their hats covered with fair plumes of feathers which did principally attract the eys of the Moscovits with whom the streets the shops the gates and the windows did swarme at this time There were several English Merchants also who had joyned themselves with the Gentlemen and were fallen into the same Order After them followed my Lord Morpeth in his sledg betwixt the Ambassadors Pristafs who had brought their rich robes along with them to our house and put them on there After my Lord Morpeth the two Trumpets followed after them the six Pages in three ranks and after them the twelve footmen marching in the same Order as at our Entry His Excellence was this day in black having on his haâ— a rich band of Diamonds on either hand he had two of the principal Boyars in their sledges as himself was who had put on their robes also at our house In the Ambassadors sledg there was the Secretary and the chief Interpreter standing and uncovered the Secretarie carrying in his hands upon a yard of red Damaske his Letters of Credence written in parchment whose Superscription contained all the titles of the Tzar in letters of Gold Behind the Ambassador there came none but the Master of the horse on horseback In this manner we past thorow the Tzars Guards who were drawn up in rancks on both sides of us reaching to the very bottom of the staires of the Hall thorow which we were to pass to audience Near the Castlegate we found another regiment of Guards drawn up also in very good order A while after we past thorow another Regiment in one of the Courts of the Castle and in this place we saw a great number of very fair Canon planted on one side and the other with the Canoniers by them and ready in appearance to fire upon us from all parts From thence we passed to another Court filled also with Guards but when we came to the gate of a passage thorow which we were to go all that were in sladdes or on horseback alighted Those who were to go up into the Hall of audience were constraind to leave their swords behind them it being not permitted for any body to pass any further with them by their sides for the prevention of which ceremony his Excellence and my Lord Morpeth carried none with them When we had gone some paces this way which is a way peculiar to Christian Ambassadors those of Infidel Princes being carried another there was a Boyar came to meet the Ambassador complemented him from the great Duke From thence we came to a great stone Galerie where another Boyar received his Excellence with another complement And from thence we came into a Hall thorow which we were to pass in to that of the audience and here it was we saw the Guards of the Tzars body in a most splended Equipage their Vests of velvet being lined with sables their caps richly adorned with pearles and precious stones and their very Partesans covered with gold and silver Neare the door of the Hall of audience the Ambassador received a third Complement from the Tzars own Cousin After which we opened to the right and left and the Ambassador entred first into the Hall after him my Lord Morpeth and then the Gentlemen and the Pages Alexey Michailouitz great Duke of Moscovie Aged xxxiv Yeares 1664 My Lord Ambassador made a low Reverence to his Majestie assoon as he was entred into the Hall the Throne being opposite to the Door then he advanced some paces and stopping at the Pillar in the midst of the Hall he made him a second then being ready to speak made him a third and saluted him in the behalf of his Master the King of England in these words The most Serene and most Puissant Prince Charles the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To You the most High most Potent and most Illustrious Prince Great Lord Emperour and Grand Duke Alexey Michailovitz of all the great and little and white Russia Self-upholder of Moscovie Keavie Volodimerie Nofgorod Emperour of Cazan Emperour of Astracan Emperour of Siberia Lord of Pscove great Duke of Lituania Smolensco Twersco Volinsco Podolsko Vghorsco Permsco Veatsco Bolgarsco c. Lord and Great Duke of Nofgorod in the Lower Countries of Chernigo Resansco Polotsco Rostofsco Yeroslafsco Beloozarsco Oudorsco Obdorsco Condinsco Wetepsco Mâ—stisclaaco and all the Northern parts Lord of the Country of Iversco of the Tzars of Cantalinsco and of Gruzinsco and of the Country of Cabardinsco of the Dukes of Chercasco and Igorsco Lord and Monarch of several other Dominions and Provinces East West and North of which he is Heir from Father to Son by me Charles Earle of Carlisle Vicomte Howard of Morpeth Baron Dacre of Gillesland His Majesties Lieutenant in the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland one of his Majesties most honourable Privy Councel and his Extraordinary Ambassador sendeth greeting and hath commanded me to deliver these Letters being his Letters Patents which he held in his hand to Your Imperial Majestie Which words being
my Master saith he hath one essential Title and which He prizes more than those of all his dominions Defender of the Faith an immemorial indubitable successive Title from his Ancestors and as alwaies heretofore so in His last Letter to his Tzarskoy Majesty He useth it in this Court ever since my coming I think by some inadvertency omitted I desire that in styling his Majesty my Master and in all Letters to Him henceforward it may be inserted according as belongs to Him The nineteenth of March Pronchissof brought to my Lord an answer to his given the 29. of February whereby the Commissioners complain much in the first place that he writ with slighting the honourable orders of his Tzarskoy Majesties forces and with little repute for his Posts Therefore they do not like at all this expression of my Lords where he saies that the nearer one comes to Mosco men are more ignorant of the Roads so that they freely say it was not handsom for him to speak so Moreover they deny the foundation of the Friendship between the two Crowns to be as my Lord said the Grant of the Priviledges but only the mutual Love of both Princes That therefore the Priviledges were taken away by reason of the English Rebellion to his late Majesty and that his present Majesty being in misery his Tzarskoy Majesty comforted Him with Letters and as they are pleased to say furnished him with Bread and Money Whereas His Royal Majesty doth not offer to give their great Lord any assistance against his present Enemies the Pole and the Crim Tartar as had done formerly his Royal Father to his Tzarskoy Majesties Father against Vladislaus King of Poland But besides the wars wherein the Tzar was then engaged and the King 's cold assistance they blame also the English merchants who had lately refused the Tzars Ambassadors in England to lend him money for the war Yet notwithstanding it seemes the Tzar will allow ten English merchants new men such as His Royal Majesty shall think fit to make choice of that should faithfully observe such lawful conditions as should be required of them to drive a free trade after such a time that his Tzarskoy Majesties Warrs cease with John Cassimir King of Poland and the Cham of Crim. Lastly they finde the answer about the Titles to be mighty full of offences and that his Excellency doth much diminish their respect when he saies that they are not fitly grounded Whereas being at Conference with them he called them as they say His Tzarskoy Majesties potent Boyars wise and rightly honourable And that therefore that man is not fit to lay the foundation of things who praises in his words and in his writings dispraises without the truth But as to the first Complaint his Excellency by an answer given in Conference the 22. of March replies that as it is easie to be seen his words are misunderstood and what tended to the honour of all persons that deserve it is by His Commissioners perverted to the slighting of them And whereas they say it was not handsom for him to say that the nearer one comes to Mosco men are more ignorant of the Roads he answers that it seemes they rather undertake to censure him as Judges on the bench than treat with him as Counsellors of his Tzarskoy Majesty That perhaps out of hast to answer his last paper which indeed is a jest put upon them seeing they had been near three weeks about it they had omitted the words As we conceive so that the whole sense would have run thus It was not as we conceive handsome for you to declare At last he still insists upon the satisfaction demanded As for the Reproach which my Lord took very ill of his Tzarskoy Majesties assistance to the King whom their most Wise Prince as they call him furnished with bread his Excellency said he agreed in that with them forasmuch as the Wisest of Princes saith Cast thy bread upon the waters and after many daies thou shalt finde it again as also it hath happened And again he said that only our blessed Saviour could multiply the five loaves That his Majesty hath and will own perpetually that courtesy that he hath in his name declared it and given his thanks in the face of the whole World But this he would minde his Tzarskoy Majesties Boyars and Counsellors that even papers of Obligation are sullied and worn out with too much handling and so is it in regard of the Obligations themselves when men too often repeat their own good actions Concerning the matter of Trade his Excellency tells them that with all becoming thanks for the good intention of his Tzarskoy Majesty he refuses to treat of any such conditions as were in their last proposal having no Commission or Latitude from the King to go less in matter of Trade than the Restitution of the former Priviledges And whereas the Commissioners had pleased to say that his Royal Majesty doth not upon this occasion of wars as his Royal Majesties Father of highly glorious memory who had sent his Collonel Thomas Sanderson with many warlike men to assist his Tzarskoy Majestie Michaelo Phederovich against his Enemy Vladislaus King of Poland his Excellency tells them whether seeing in this and many other expressions they seem to weigh the generous actions of Princes by Salotnicks or ounces they would think it civil in him should he say that his Royal Majesties Father of highly glorious memory lent his Tzarskoy Majesties Father of highly glorious memory besides those men of Sandersons forty thousand Rixdollers and they were repaid even as His present Tzarskoy Majesty lent his present Royal Majesty the same sum and they are repaid And that moreover upon his Tzarskoy Majesties Commission to Sir John Hebdon his present Majestie granted the levying of three thousand horse and foot for his present Tzarskoy Majesty which might have proved as good as either Bread or Treasury and if it were not effected it was not his Royal Majesties fault So that hitherto the obligations are equal As to those offences contained as the Commissioners pretend in the latter part of his Excellencies answer it seemes they fix them all in his saying That they are not well or fitly grounded Which words as oft as they shall have the same occasion to use towards him he doth promise them he shall take it kindly and civilly of them But whereas they say that in Conference with them he called them His Majesties Boyars Velmoshnei wise and rightly honourable his Excellency doth acknowledg that they are indeed wise and rightly honourable but I do not remember saith he that ever I called you Velmoshnei as fearing that it came too near the word Velmoshneshei that is to say most potent one of the proper Titles of his Tzarskoy Majesty Although if according to the custom of this Court it may be given you I shall heartily pay it to you and all other expressions of civility esteem and affection