Eight chapters from Herberstein's "Commentaries" are printed in the Elzevir edition of the work, "Russia sive Moscovia." Lugd. Bat. 1630, 16mo., p. 79-100. It only remains for the editor to express his great obligations to his friend William Brenchley Rye, Esq. of the British Museum, both for his obliging contribution of the etching of the grand-prince, which forms the frontispiece of the second volume, and also for most valuable assistance in this introduction, and more especially in the bibliography, which forms so considerable a portion of it. CERTAINE LETTERS IN VERSE, WRITTEN BY MASTER GEORGE TURBERUILE, OUT OF MOSCOUIA, Which went as Secretaire thither with Master Tho. Randolph, her Maisties Embassadour to the Emperour, 1568, to certaine friends of his in London, describing the manners of the countrey and people. (Referred to at p. cxxvii of the Introduction.) TO HIS ESPECIALL FRIEND, MASTER EDWARD DANCIE. My Dancie deere, when I recount within my brest, My London friends, and wonted mates, and thee above the rest: I feele a thousand fittes of deepe and deadly woe, To thinke that I from land to sea, from bliss to bale did goe. I left my native soyle, full like a retchlesse man, And unacquainted of the coast, among the Russies ran : A people passing rude, to vices vile inclinde. Folke fitting to be of Bacchus' trayne, so quaffing is their kinde, Drinke is their whole desire, the pot is all their pride, The sobrest head doeth once a day stand needfull of a guide. If he to banquet bid his friends, he will not shrinke On them at dinner to bestowe a douzen kindes of drinke: Such licour as they have, and as the countrey gives, But chiefly two, one called Kuas, whereby the Mousike lives, Small ware and waterlike, but somewhat tarte in taste, The rest is Meade of honie made, wherewith their lippes they haste. And if he goe unto his neighbour as a guest, He cares for litle meate, if so his drinke be of the best; No wonder though they use such vile and beastly trade, Sith with the hatchet and the hand their chiefest gods be made; 1 Nicholas of Bari. The house that hath no god or paynted saint within, [hand; Their crosses, unto which they crooch, and bless themselves with Devoutly downe they ducke with forehead to the ground, Was neuer more deceit in ragges and greasie garments found. The woman eke, against our use, her trotting horse bestrides: In buskins all, that money haue on buskins to bestoe. Eche woman hanging hath a ring within her eare, Which all of auncient vse, and some of very pride doe weare; Anothers bedde, they make no care their follies to concile; To buy her paynted colours, doth allow his wife a fee, Yea those that honest are, if any such there be Within the land, doe use the like; a man may plainely see May easly be deceiv'd therein, if he doe trust his eyes. I not a little muse, what madnes makes them paint Their faces, waying how they keepe the stoove by meere constraint; A man shall see the dames abroade that are of best aray; To thee, and other of my friendes, which I shall see with sight; Meanewhile I ende my louing lines, and bid thee now farewell. TO SPENCER. If I should now forget, or not remember thee, Thou, Spencer, mightest a foule rebuke and shame impute to mee; For I to open shew did loue thee passing well, And thou wert he at parture whom I loathed to bid farewell; And as I went thy friend, so I continue still, No better proofe thou canst then this desire of true good will. I doe remember well when needes I should away, And that the poste would licence us no longer time to stay; Didst crave of me to send thee newes, and how I liked the land. More waste and woodie grounds there are then closes fit for graine : Yet graine there growing is, which they untimely take, And cut or eare the corne be ripe; they mowe it on a stake; And laying sheafe by sheafe, their haruest so they drie; They make the greater haste for feare the frost the corne destroy. For in the winter time, so glarie is the ground, As neither grass nor other graine in pastures may be found: In coms the cattel then, the sheepe, the colt, the cowe, As it is May before he turne his ground to sowe his wheate; The bodies eke that die, unburied lie they then, Laid up in coffins made of firre, as well the poorest men, As those of greater state; the cause is lightly found, For that in winter time they cannot come to breake the ground; As rich and poor, at time of death, assur'd of coffins stand. The force of colde the bodie binds as hard as any stone, And so they lye in perfect state till next returne of springe. [be; For shape and shewe, but somewhat lesse of bulke and bone they |