together, they shoulde agree but in fewe poynts. They haue the Sacrament of
the Lords Supper in both kindes, and more ceremonies then wee haue. They
present them in a dish in both kindes together, and carrie them rounde
about the Church vpon the Priestes head, and so doe minister at all such
times as any shall require. They be great offerers of Candles, and
sometimes of money, which wee call in England, Soule pense, with more
ceremonies then I am able to declare. They haue foure Lents in the yeere,
whereof our Lent is the greatest. Looke as we doe begin on the Wednesday,
so they doe on the Munday before: And the weeke before that they call The
Butter weeke: And in that weeke they eate nothing but Butter and milke.
Howbeit I beleeue there bee in no other countrey the like people for
drunkennesse. The next Lent is called Saint Peters Lent, and beginneth
alwayes the Munday next after Trinitie sunday, and endeth on Saint Peters
euen. If they should breake that fast, their beliefe is, that they should
not come in at heauen gates. And when any of them die, they haue a
testimoniall with them in the Coffin, that when the soule commeth to heauen
gates it may deliuer the same to Saint Peter, which declareth that the
partie is a true and holy Russian. The third Lent beginneth fifteene dayes
before the later Lady day, and endeth on our Lady Eeuen. The fourth Lent
beginneth on Saint Martin's day, and endeth on Christmas Eeuen: which Lent
is fasted for Saint Philip, Saint Peter, Saint Nicholas, and Saint Clement.
For they foure be the principall arid greatest Saints in that Countrey. In
these Lents they eate neither Butter, Egges, Milke, or Cheese; but they are
very straitely kept with Fish, Cabbages, and Rootes. And out of their
Lents, they obserue truely the Wednesdayes and Fridayes throughout the
yeere: and on the Saturday they doe eate flesh. Furthermore they haue a
great number of Religious men: which are blacke Monks, and they eate no
flesh throughout the yeere, but fish, milke and Butter. By their order they
should eate no fresh-fish, and in their Lents they eate nothing but
Coleworts, Cabbages, salt Cowcumbers, with other rootes, as Radish and such