Of the Russe common wealth. Or, Maner of gouernement of the Russe emperour, (commonly called the Emperour of Moskouia) with the manners, and fashions of the people of that countrey.
About this Item
Title
Of the Russe common wealth. Or, Maner of gouernement of the Russe emperour, (commonly called the Emperour of Moskouia) with the manners, and fashions of the people of that countrey.
Author
Fletcher, Giles, 1549?-1611.
Publication
At London :: Printed by T[homas] D[awson] for Thomas Charde,
1591.
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Subject terms
Soviet Union -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"Of the Russe common wealth. Or, Maner of gouernement of the Russe emperour, (commonly called the Emperour of Moskouia) with the manners, and fashions of the people of that countrey." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A00947.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 23, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 20
The State or forme of their
Gouernment.
The 7. Chapter.
THe manner of their gouern∣ment
is much after the Tur∣kish
fashiō: which they seeme
to imitate as neare as the coū∣trie,
and reach of their capa∣cities
in pollitique affayres
will giue them leaue to doo.
The State and forme of their gouernment
is plaine tyrannicall, as applying all to the
behoofe of the Prince, and that after a most
open and barbarous manner: as may ap∣peare
by the Sophismata or secretes of their
gouernment afterwards set downe, aswell
for the keeping of the Nobilitie and Com∣mons
in an vnder proportion, & far vneuen
ballance in their seuerall degrees, as also
in their impositions and exactions, where∣in
they exceede all iust measure without any
regard of Nobilitie or people: farther then
it giueth the Nobilitie a kinde of iniust and
vnmeasured libertie, to commaund and ex∣act
vpon the commons and baser sort of peo∣ple
in all partes of the realme where soeuer
they come, specially in the place where their
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
landes lye, or where they are appoynted
by the Emperonr to gouerne vnder him.
Also to the Commons some small content∣ment,
in that they passe ouer their landes
by discent of inheritance to whither sonne
they will: which commonly they doo after
our Gauillkinde, and dispose of their goods
by gifte or Testament without any control∣ment.
Wherein notwithstanding both No∣bilitie
and Commons are but stoarers for
the Prince, all running in the ende into the
Emperours coffers: as may appeare by the
practise of enriching his treasurie, and the
manner of exactions set downe in the title
of his customes, and reuenues.
Concerning the principall pointes and
matters of State, wherein the Soueraintie
consisteth (as the making and annulling of pu∣blike
Lawes, the making of Magistrates, power
to make warre or league with any forraine State,
to execute or to pardon life, with the right of
appeale in all matters, both ciuill and criminall)
they doo so wholy and absolutely pertaine
to the Emperour, and his Counsell vnder
him, as that hee may be saide to be both
the Soueraine commaunder, and the exe∣cutioner
of all these. For as touching any
Lawe or publique order of the Realme, it
is euer determined of before any publique
assemblie or Parliament bee summoned.
descriptionPage 21
Where besides his Councell, hee hath none
other to consult with him of such matters as
are concluded before hand, but onely a fewe
Bishops, Abbots, and Friers: to no other
end then to make aduantage of the peoples
superstitions, euen against themselues, which
thinke all to bee holy and iust, that passeth
with consent of their Bishops and Cleargie
men, whatsoeuer it be. For which purpose
the Emperours are content to make much
of the corrupt state of the Church, as now it
is among them, and to nourish the same by
extraordinarie fauours, and immunities to
the Bishops seas, Abbeies and Frieries: as
knowing superstition and false religion best
to agree with a tyrannicall state, and to be
a speciall meanes to vphold and mainteyne
the same.
Secondly, as touching the publike offices
and magistracies of the realme, there is none
hereditarie, neither any so great nor so litle
in that countrie, but the bestowing of it is
done immediatly by the Emperour himself.
Insomuch that the very Diacks or clearkes
in euery head towne, are for the most part
assigned by himselfe. Notwithstanding, the
Emperour that now is (the better to entend
his deuotions) referreth al such matters per∣teyning
to the State, wholly to the ordering
of his wiues brother, the L. Borris Federo∣wich
descriptionPage [unnumbered]
Godonoe.
Thirdly, the like is to be said of the iu∣risdiction
concerning matters iudiciall, spe∣cially
such as concerne life and death.
Wherein there is none that hath anie au∣thoritie
or publike iurisdiction that goeth
by discent, or is held by charter, but all at
the appoyntment and pleasure of the Empe∣rour,
and the same practised by the iudges
with such awe and restraint, as that they
dare not determine vpon anie speciall mat∣ter,
but must referre the same wholly, vp
to the Mosko to the Emperours Coun∣cell.
To shewe his Soueraintie ouer the liues
of his subiects, the late Emperour Iuan Vasi∣lowich
in his walkes or progresses, if hee had
misliked the face or person of any man whō
hee met by the way, or that looked vpon
him, would command his head to be strook
off. Which was presently done, and the head
cast before him.
Fourthly, for the soueraigne appeale, and
giuing of pardons in criminall matters to
such as are conuicted, it is wholly at the
pleasure and grace of the Emperour. Wher∣in
also the Empresse that nowe is, being a
woman of great clemencie, and withall de∣lighting
to deale in publike affaires of the
Realme, (the rather to supply the defect of
her husband) doeth behaue her selfe after an
descriptionPage 22
absolute manner, giuing out pardon (spe∣cially
on hir byrth, day and other solemne
times) in her owne name, by open procla∣mation,
without any mention at all of the
Emperour. Some there haue beene of late
of the auncient Nobilitie, that haue held
diuers prouinces by right of inheritaunce,
with an absolute authoritie and iurisdiction
ouer them, to order and determine all mat∣ters
within their owne precinct without all
appeale, or controlment of the Emperour.
But this was all annulled and wrung cleane
from them by Iuan Vasilowich father to this
Emperour.