The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 04
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Two miles on this side Mosco there met the ambassador foure gentlemen of
good account, accompanied with two hundred horse: who after a little
salutation, not familiar, without imbracing, tolde him that they had to say
to him from the Emperor, and would haue had him light on foot to haue heard
it, notwithstanding themselues would still haue sit on horsebacke: which
the ambassador soone refused to doe, and so they stood long vpon termes,
whether both parties should light or not: which afterwards agreed vpon,
there was yet great nicenesse whose foot should not be first on ground.
Their message being deliuered, and after hauing embraced ech other, they
conducted the sayd ambassador to his lodging at Mosco, a house builded of
purpose for him, themselues being placed in the next house to it, as
appointed to furnish him of all prouisions, and to be vsed by him vpon all
other occasions.
The ambassador hauing beene some dayes in Mosco, and hauing in all that
time bene very honorably vsed from the Emperor (for such was his will)
though some of his chiefest counsellors (as is sayd) had another purpose,
and did often times cunningly put it in vse: He was sent for to Court, and
was accompanied thither with about forty gentlemen honorably mounted, and
sumptuously arayed, and in his passage from his lodging to the court, were
set in a ward fiue or sixe thousand shot, that were of the Emperors gard.
At the entry into the court there met him four noble men apparelled in
cloth of gold and rich furres, their caps embroidred with pearle and stone,
who conducted him towards the Emperor; till he was met with foure others of
greater degree then they, who guided him yet further towards the Emperor,
in which passage there stood along the walles, and sate vpon benches and
formes in row, seuen or eight hundred persons, said to be noblemen and
gentlemen, all apparelled in garments of coloured satins and cloth of
golde.
These foure noblemen accompanied him to the Emperors chamber doore, where
met him the Emperors herald, whose office is there held great: and with him
all the great officers of the Emperors chamber, who all conducted him to
the place where the Emperor safe in his state, hauing three crownes
standing by him, viz. of Moscouia, Cazan and Astrakan, and also by him 4
yoong noblemen of about twenty yeres of age, of ech side, twaine, costly
apparelled in white, holding vpon their shoulders ech of them a brode axe,
much like to a Galloglas axe of Ireland, thin and very sharpe, the steale
or handle not past halfe a yard long, and there sate about the chamber vpon
benches and other low seats, aboue an hundred noblemen richly apparrelled
in cloth of golde.
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