Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 1, 1851).djvu/152

cxxiv him; until Herberstein used a different tone, and threatened to report his conduct to the grand-prince.

The latter part of the journey to Moscow was very dangerous, on account of the great inundations. Most of the bridges were so much damaged, that it was only with the greatest trouble they could get the horses over them. Half-a-mile before reaching Moscow, they were received with great honour by some noblemen, who came on the part of the grand-prince.

The description given by Herberstein of his reception at Moscow, and of the preparations for his first audience, is so similar to that given in the account of his visit in 1517, that it is needless to repeat it here. The audience is thus described:—“When we entered the room,” says he, “where the prince was sitting, directly we made our first obeisance, all the old princes and noblemen sitting around stood up, and only the grand-duke and his brothers remained sitting. Then one of the chief councillors, equal in rank to a marshal, approached the grand-duke, and said: “Great master and king of all the Russians, Count Leonard strikes his forehead before thee for thy great favour.” Then, “Sigismund,” etc., “strikes his forehead before thee.” The seat of the grand-duke as well as his footstool were one palm higher than the rest. He sat all the time uncovered; over him, on the wall, was a picture of an angel or saint. On his right-hand lay his cap, and on his left his staff or possoch, and next to it two ewers and a washhand basin, that he might, after the departure of the