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TO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF RUSSIA. AND SIBERIA, 17
and very high: they fay they are eighteen feet thick, but I do not believe it, it doth not
fo feem, notwithftanding I do not certainly know it; for no ftranger may come to view
it. The one fide is ditched, and on the other fide runneth a river called Mofcua, which
rurneth into Tartary, and fo into the fea called Mare Cafpium : and on the north fide
there is a bafe town, the which hath alfo a brick wall about it, and fo it joineth with the
caftle wall. The emperor lieth in the caftle, wherein are nine fair churches, and therein
are religious men. Alfo there is a metropolitan with divers bifhops. I will not ftand
in defcription of their buildings, nor of the {trength thereof, becaufe we have better in
all points in England. They be well furnifhed with ordinance of all forts.
The emperor’s or duke’s houle neither in building, nor in the outward fhew, nor yet
within the houfe, is fo fumptuous as I have feen. It is very low built in eight fquare,
much like the old building of England, with {mall windows, and fo in other points.
Now to declare my coming before his majefty: after 1 had remained twelve days,
the fecretary which hath the hearing of ftrangers did fend for me, advertifing me that
the duke’s pleafure was to have me to come before his majefty, with the king’s my
matter’s letters ; whereof I was right glad, and fo I gave mine attendance. And when
the duke was in his place appointed, the interpreter came for me into the outer cham-
ber, where fat one hundred or more gentlemen, all in cloth of gold, very fumptuous,
and from thence I came into the council-chamber, where fat the duke himfelf with his
nobles, which were a fair company: they fat round about the chamber on high, yet fo
that he himfelf fat much higher than any of his nobles, in a chair gilt, and in a long
garment of beaten gold, with an imperial crown upon his head, and a ftaff of cryftal and
gold in his right hand, and his other hand half leaning on his chair. The chancellor
{tood up with the fecretary before the duke. After my duty done and my letter deli-
vered, he bade me welcome, and enquired of me the health of the king my mafter; and
I anfwered that he was in good health at my departure from his court, and that my truft
was that he was now in the fame. Upon the which he bade me to dinner. The chan=
cellor prefented my prefent unto his grace bareheaded (for before they were all covered),
and when his grace had received my letter, I was required to depart: for I had charge
not to {peak to the duke, but when he fpake to me. So I departed unto the fecretary’s
chamber, where I remained two hours, and then I was fent for again unto another palace
which is called the golden palace, but I faw no caufe why it fhould be fo called; for I
have feen many fairer than it in all points: and fo I came into the hall, which was finall
and not great, as is the king’s majefty’s of England, and the table was covered with a
table-cloth ; and the marfhall fat at the end of the table with a little white rod in his
hand, which board was full of veffels of gold: and on the other fide of the hall did
ftand a fair cupboard of plate. From thenee I came into the dining chamber, where
the duke himfelf fat at his table without cloth of eftate, ina gown of filver, with a crown
imperial on his head ; he fat in a chair fomewhat high: there fat none near him by a
great way. ‘There were long tables fet round about the chamber, which were full fet
with fuch as the duke had at dinner: they were all in white. - Alfo the places where
the tables ftood were higher by two fteps than the reft of the houfe. In the mid{t of
the chamber ftood a table or cupboard to fet plate on; which ftood full of cups of gold:
and amongtt all the reft there {tood four marvellous great pots or crudeaces, as they
call them, of gold and filver: I think they were a good yard and a half high. By the
cupboard ftood two gentlemen with napkins on their fhoulders, and in their hands each
of them had a cup of gold fet with pearls and precious ftones, which were the duke’s
own drinking-cups: when he was difpofed, he drank them eff at a draught. And for
VOL. I. D his
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