his feather bed, and some block or stone his pillow; and as for his
horse, he is, as it were, a chamber-fellow with his master, faring
both alike. How justly may this barbarous and rude Russian condemn
the daintiness and niceness of our captains, who, living in a soil
and air much more temperate, yet commonly use fur boots and cloaks!
but thus much of the furniture of their common soldiers. But those
that are of higher degrees come into the field a little better
provided. As for the furniture of the Emperor himself, it is then
above all other times most notable. The coverings of his tent for
the most part are all of gold, adorned with stones of great price,
and with the curious workmanship of plumasiers; as often as they are
to skirmish with the enemy, they go forth without any order at all;
they make no wings, nor military divisions of their men, as we do,
but lying for the most part in ambush, do suddenly set upon the
enemy. Their horses can well abstain two whole days from any meat.
They feed upon the barks of trees and the most tender branches in
all the time of war. And this scant and miserable manner of living
both the horse and his master can well endure, sometimes for the
space of two months lusty and in good state of body. If any man
behave himself valiantly in the field to the contentation of the
Emperor, he bestoweth upon him in recompense of his service some
farm or so much ground as he and his may live upon, which,
notwithstanding, after his death returneth again to the Emperor if
he die without a male issue. For although his daughters be never so
many, yet no part of that inheritance comes to them, except,
peradventure, the Emperor of his goodness give some portion of the
land amongst them to bestow them withal. As for the man, whosoever
he be, that is in this sort rewarded by the Emperor's liberality, he
is bound in a great sum to maintain so many soldiers for the war,
when need shall require, as that land in the opinion of the Emperor