cliv
CERTAINE LETTERS
And during all the time he lets his locks to grow,
Dares no man for his life to him a face of friendship show.
Theyr garments be not gay, nor handsome to the eye,
A cap aloft theyr heads they haue that standeth very hye,
Which colpacke they do terme. They weare no ruffes at all;
The best haue collers set with pearle, which they rubasca call;
Theyr shirts in Russie long, they worke them downe before,
And on the sleuees with coulered silks two inches good and more.
Aloft theyr shirts they weare, a garment iacket wise,
Hight onoriadka, and about his burlie waste he tyes
His portkies, which in stead of better breeches bee:
Of linnen cloth that garment is, no codpiece is to see.
A payre of yarnen stocks to keep the colde away,
Within his boots the Russie weares, the heeles they underlay
With clouting clamps of steele sharp-pointed at the toes,
And ouer all a suba furd, and thus the Russies goes.
Well butned is the sube according to his state,
Some silke, of silver other some, but those of poorest rate
Do weare no subes at all, but grosser gowns to sight,
That reacheth downe beneath the calfe, and that armacha hight:
These are the Russies robes. The richest vse to ride
From place to place, his seruant runnes, and followes by his side;
The Cassacke beares his felt to force away the raine:
Their bridles are not very braue, their saddles are but plaine,
No bits, but snaffles all, of birch their saddles bee,
Much fashioned like the Scotish seats, broad flacks to keepe the knee
From sweating of the horse, the pannels larger farre,
And broader be then ours, they use short stirrups for the warre;
For when the Russie is pursued by cruell foe,
He rides away, and suddenly betakes him to his boe,
And bends me but about in saddle as he sits,
And therewithall amids his race his following foe he hits.
Theyr bowes are very short, like Turkie bowes outright,
Of sinowes made with birchen barke, in cunning maner dight;
Small arrowes, cruel heads, that fell and forked bee,
Which being shot from out those bowes, a cruell way will flee:
They seldome vse to shoo their horse, vnlesse they ride
In post vpon the frozen fluds, then cause they shall not slide
He sets a slender calke, and so he rides his way.
The horses of the countrey go good fourscore versts a day,
Dares no man for his life to him a face of friendship show.
Theyr garments be not gay, nor handsome to the eye,
A cap aloft theyr heads they haue that standeth very hye,
Which colpacke they do terme. They weare no ruffes at all;
The best haue collers set with pearle, which they rubasca call;
Theyr shirts in Russie long, they worke them downe before,
And on the sleuees with coulered silks two inches good and more.
Aloft theyr shirts they weare, a garment iacket wise,
Hight onoriadka, and about his burlie waste he tyes
His portkies, which in stead of better breeches bee:
Of linnen cloth that garment is, no codpiece is to see.
A payre of yarnen stocks to keep the colde away,
Within his boots the Russie weares, the heeles they underlay
With clouting clamps of steele sharp-pointed at the toes,
And ouer all a suba furd, and thus the Russies goes.
Well butned is the sube according to his state,
Some silke, of silver other some, but those of poorest rate
Do weare no subes at all, but grosser gowns to sight,
That reacheth downe beneath the calfe, and that armacha hight:
These are the Russies robes. The richest vse to ride
From place to place, his seruant runnes, and followes by his side;
The Cassacke beares his felt to force away the raine:
Their bridles are not very braue, their saddles are but plaine,
No bits, but snaffles all, of birch their saddles bee,
Much fashioned like the Scotish seats, broad flacks to keepe the knee
From sweating of the horse, the pannels larger farre,
And broader be then ours, they use short stirrups for the warre;
For when the Russie is pursued by cruell foe,
He rides away, and suddenly betakes him to his boe,
And bends me but about in saddle as he sits,
And therewithall amids his race his following foe he hits.
Theyr bowes are very short, like Turkie bowes outright,
Of sinowes made with birchen barke, in cunning maner dight;
Small arrowes, cruel heads, that fell and forked bee,
Which being shot from out those bowes, a cruell way will flee:
They seldome vse to shoo their horse, vnlesse they ride
In post vpon the frozen fluds, then cause they shall not slide
He sets a slender calke, and so he rides his way.
The horses of the countrey go good fourscore versts a day,
