The glory of England, or A true description of many excellent prerogatiues and remarkeable blessings, whereby she triumpheth ouer all the nations of the world vvith a iustifiable comparison betweene the eminent kingdomes of the earth, and herselfe: plainely manifesting the defects of them all in regard of her sufficiencie and fulnesse of happinesse. By T.G.

CHAP. IX. RVSSIA compared.

ABout the 25. of our famous Queene ELIZABETH Albertus Alasco Vaiuod * 1.1 of Siradia in Poland, came ouer as Em∣bassadour from the King of Poland, and amongst other particulars concerning the estate of his owne Countrey disco∣uered many secrets of Muscouia, or Russia chuse you whether; since when (as before our Mer∣chants had begunne a traphique amongst them) both Em∣bassadours haue come to vs from them, and we haue sent many Agents and gratuities to confirme a peace and en∣tercourse; wherein more especially then in any other Sir Thomas Smith preuailed with honourable welcome and dispatch; so that besides the continuall trauell of our Merchants, and endeauours of many Gentlemen ad∣dicted to curiosity, we haue a kinde of publike authority, and certainty of collections to warrant our discourse, and make manifest the imperfect customes of this great Em∣pire, so contrary to our example and patterne of happi∣nesse, that whereas we looke out for a yoake-fellow with Salomon to draw along the chariot of magnificense and terrestriall prosperity, he cannot come neere the dashings of the wheeles, nor must presume of any thing more then the commaunding of his subiects as slaues, which is ty∣rannie; and the keeping the better sort of women honest by sequestring them from wandring abroad, which is mi∣sery

and wretchednesse. First concerning religion, the maine point and foundation of all goodnesse, in the daies of Salomon they knew not what a groue meant; a strange altar was odious vnto them, and vntill his later falling a∣way from God, which was reuenged with the falling away of 10. Tribes from his sonne, there was no mention made of idolatry, and the very sound was a harsh kinde of discord. In Muscouia they are both ignorantly superstiti∣ous, and ambitiously affected to superiority: for although in that poore knowledge they haue, they euer depended vpon the authority of the Greeke Church, as by their Saints may appeare, which be Saint George, Demetrius, and Nicholay, to whom is consecrated one of the richest Abbies of the world: yet haue they presumed in the as∣sumpting the same to themselues, boasting of a bargaine by commutation, wherein the Patriarch of Constantinople was contented to resigne to the Metropolitane of Mosco all his authority, and supremacy for a great summe of * 1.2 gold. But see the iust iudgement of God, as he returned into Greece, he was robbed of the same, and most treache∣rously murthered. Thus yet doe they presume of the glory of the Church amongst them, and in Russia thinke it sufficient to cry out IESV thou sonne of God: as for the Scriptures, in some places they haue the Greeke Testa∣ment onely, and heare of the Bible a farre off. For preach∣ing or interpreting, they know not what it meanes; and the common people beleeue any thing their Priests tell them, allowing of nothing but some ridiculous ceremo∣nies, strange fasts, and idle feasts. Concerning their Princes, oh how farre are they from the reciprocall duties between themselues and subiects, and those excellent prescriptions which Samuel prescribed to Saul, and Salomon practised to

his eternall honour. For such hath beene the confused and disordred intrusion of these Emperours, that they haue without care of posterity, conscience, or the Com∣mon-wealth shouldred one another from their thrones by treasons, murthers, deuises, and publique hostility. For euer since that old Iuan Vasellowich grew odious to his subiects, horrible stratagemmes haue succeeded, and euen Poland like a neighbour hath feared the burning of his owne house, when the next hath beene on a blaze; especially in the vsurpation of Borris Pheordiwich, who to aspire to the dignity made away Demetrius the second sonne to Vasellowich, and so from other monstrous effects of policy obtained the Diadem, wherein at the first by his bounty and worthy promising demeanor, he in a man∣ner blotted out the print of his former vniust proceedings, and taught them as it were away to forget the wrongs done to their lawfull Princes, till at last growing odious to the subiect, a new search was made, and a further hurli∣burly about another Emperor confounded all estates, and for many yeeres hath turmoiled the Countrey round a∣bout. Concerning the gouernment, there is onely some forme of iustice, & punishing of adultery; but so far from Salomons magnificense, Salomons pallace, Salomons proui∣sion, Salomons nauy, Salomons Nobles, Salomons tranquil∣lity and peace, and Salomons worthines in euery thing, that I am ashamed to name them for Christians. For the com∣mon people, though they lie not with other mens wiues, yet they change their owne as often as they list, and how∣euer the better sorte mainetaine many wiues, yet doe they practise nothing more then gurmondize and incon∣tinency, with Strumpets and Concubines, whom they re∣sorte vnto in certaine stoues or hot houses, as the hotter

Countries haue Balnea's and washing places. Concerning their Citties? in a word both their Citties and townes are subiect to such bestialitie and confusion, that they seeme rather so many smoakie cotages, and Irish cabbines, then hansome dwellings, or conuenient places of aboad; and in Mosco it selfe for all her populousnesse, and large exten∣sion of ground, there is not any thing worthy the admira∣tion or imitation, more then the markets of furres, and some rich ornaments of the skinnes of beasts; as for the Citizens, or Countreymen, I rather resemble them to some scattered troupes of a discomfited army, then men orderly disposed to the managing affaires either for mutu∣all commerce, or noble trade of Merchants. And thus could I runne ouer all other particulars, but that I shall ouer-runne my owne discourse, considering there is no∣thing but a meere disparity betweene them and our ex∣ample.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The de•…•…cts of Russia.
• * 1.2

  1588.