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TO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF RUSSIA AND SIBERIA» 29
Now while thefe things were a doing, they fecretly fent a meflenger unto the em-
peror, to certify him of the arrival of a ftrange nation, and withal to know his pleafure
concerning them. Which mefiage was very welcome unto him, infomuch that vo-
luntarily he invited them to come to his court. But if by reafon of the tedioufnels of
fo long a journey, they thought it not beft fo to do, then he granted liberty to his fub-
_ jeéts to bargain, and to traffic with them: and further promifed, thatif it would pleafe
them to come to him, he himfelf would bear the whole charges of poft horfes. In the
meantime the governors of the place deferred the matter from day to day, pretending
divers excufes, and faying one while that the confent of all the governors, and ano-
ther while, that the great and weighty affairs of the kingdom compelled them to defer
their anfwer: and this they did of purpofe, fo long to protraét the time, until the mef-
fenger (fent before to the king) did return with relation of his will and pleafure.
But mafter Chancelor, (feeing himfelf held in this fufpenfe with long and vain ex-
pectation, and thinking that of intention to delude him, they pofted the matter off fo
often,) was very inftant with them to perform their promife ; which if they would not
do, he told them that he would depart and proceed in his voyage. So that the Mofco-
vites (although as yet they knew not the mind of their king,) yet fearing the departure
indeed of our men who had fuch wares and commodities as they greatly defired, they
at laft refolved to furnifh our people with all things neceflary, and condué them by
land to the prefence of theirking. And fo mafter Chancelor began his journey, which
was very long and moft troublefome, wherein he had the ufe of certain fleds, which in
that country are very common, for they are carried themfelves upon fleds, and all
their carriages are in the fame fort, the people almoft not knowing any other manner:
of carriage, the caufe whereof is the exceeding hardnefs of the ground congealed in
the winter time by the force of the cold, which in thofe places is very extreme and
horrible, whereof hereafter we will fay fomething.
But now they having pafled the greater part of their journey, met at laft with the:
fleddeman (of whom I fpake before) fent to the king fecretly from the juftices or go-
vernors, who by fome ill hap had loft his way, and had gone to the fea fide, which is
near to the country of the Tartars, thinking there to have found our fhip.. But having
long erred and wandered out of his way, at the laft in his direct return, he met (as he
was coming) our captain on the way. ‘To whom he by and by delivered the emperor’s
letters, which were written to him with all courtefy and in the moft loving manner that
could be: wherein exprefs commandment was given, that poft horfes fhould be gotten
for him and the reft of his company without any money. . Which thing was of all the
Ruffes in the reft of their journey fo willingly done, that they began to quarrel, yea, and
to fight alfo in ftriving and contending which of them fhould put their poft horfes to the
fledde : fo that after much ado and great pains taken in this long and weary journey,
(for they had travelled very near fifteen hundred miles,) mafter Chancelor came at laft
to Mofco the chief city of the kingdom, and the feat of the king : of which city, and
of the emperor himfelf, and of the principal cities of Mofcovy we will fpeak immedi–
ately more at large in this difcourfe..
i
Of Mofcovy, which is alfo called Ruffia.
Mofcovy, which hath the name alfo of Ruffia the White, is a very large and {pacious
country, every way bounded with divers nations. Towards the South and the Fatt, it
is compafled with ‘Tartaria:. the northern fide of it f{tretcheth to the Scythian ocean >
upon:
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