supreme King of the Romans." He then handed it to all the other guests, as well as to those who were otherwise present, using the same words to each. Having received the cups, we drew back a small space, and, bowing our heads towards the prince, drank. When all this was finished, he called me to him, held out his hand, and said, "Now depart."
It is, moreover, the common custom for the prince to invite ambassadors, after their business is concluded, to join him in the amusement of hunting. There is, near Moscow, a place planted with thickets, forming an excellent preserve for hares, in which a very great number of hares are preserved, as in a warren, and no one dare catch them, or cut the plantations, under a very heavy penalty. He also has a great number of chaces and other places for preserving game, and whenever he wishes to enjoy this amusement, he orders hares to be brought from different places; for the more hares he takes, the greater amusement does he think it, and the greater is the honour that he thinks he has gained to himself. Also, when he comes into the field, he sends some of his councillors, together with some of the courtiers or knights, to summon the ambassadors to his presence. When they are brought to him, and approach the prince's presence, they are required, at the suggestion of the councillors, to alight from their horses, and to advance some steps towards the prince. When we were brought to him in this manner, during the hunt, he was sitting on a richly-caparisoned horse, and covered with a splendid robe, and taking off his gloves, but keeping his head covered, he received us condescendingly; and, holding out his bare hand, said, through an interpreter, "We have come out for our amusement; we have summoned you to take part in it, hoping that you may derive pleasure therefrom: mount your horses, therefore, and follow us." He had on his head a cap called a "kolpack", with jewelled ornaments hanging on each side, from back to front, from which rose plates of gold in the form of feathers, moving up and down with
