Chancellor, Richard, -1556; Europe -- Description and travel; Russia -- Description and travel; Willoughby, Hugh, Sir, -1554
After this, he hath many more ceremonies—as anointing ears and eyes with
spittle, and making certain crosses with oil upon the back, head, and
breast of the child; then, taking the child in his arms, carrieth it to
the images of St. Nicholas and Our Lady, &c., and speaketh unto the
images, desiring them to take charge of the child, that he may live and
believe as a Christian man or woman ought to do, with many other words.
Then, coming back from the images, he taketh a pair of shears and
clippeth the young and tender hairs of the child’s head in three or four
places; and then delivereth the child, whereunto every of the godfathers
and godmothers lays a hand. Then the priest chargeth them that the child
be brought up in the faith and fear of God or Christ, and that it be
instructed to cling and bow to the images, and so they make an end. Then
one of the godfathers must hang a cross about the neck of the child,
which he must always wear; for that Russian who hath not a cross about
his neck, they esteem as no Christian man; and thereupon they say that we
are no Christians, because we do not wear crosses as they do.
_Of their Matrimony_.
Their matrimony is nothing solemnised, but rather in most points
abominable, and, as near as I can learn, in this wise following:—
First, when there is love between the parties, the man sendeth unto the
woman a small chest or box, wherein is a whip, needles, thread, silk,
linen-cloth, shears, and such necessaries as she shall occupy when she is
a wife; and perhaps sendeth therewithal raisins, figs, or some such
things—giving her to understand that, if she do offend, she must be
beaten with the whip; and by the needles, thread, cloth, &c., that she
should apply herself diligently to sew, and do such things as she could
best do; and by the raisins or fruits he meaneth, if she do well, no good
thing shall be withdrawn from her, nor be too dear for her. And she
sendeth unto him a shirt, handkerchiefs, and some such things of her own
making. And now to the effect.
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