Of Mosco the chiefe Citie of the kingdome, and of the Emperour thereof.

It remaineth that a larger discourse be made of Mosco, the principall City
of that Countrey, and of the Prince also, as before we haue promised. The
Empire and gouernment of the king is very large, and his wealth at this
time exceeding great. And because the citie of Mosco is the chiefest of al
the rest, it seemeth of it selfe to challenge the first place in this
discourse. Our men say, that in bignesse it is as great as the Citie of
London, with the suburbes thereof. There are many and great buildings in
it, but for beautie and fairenesse, nothing comparable to ours. There are
many Townes and Villages also, but built out of order, and with no
hansomnesse: their streets and wayes are not paued with stone as ours are:
the walles of their houses are of wood: the roofes for the most part are
couered with shingle boords. There is hard by the Citie a very faire
Castle, strong, and furnished with artillerie, whereunto the Citie is
ioyned directly towards the North, with a bricke wall: the walles also of
the Castle are built with bricke, and are in breadth or thickenesse
eighteene foote. This Castle hath on the one side a drie ditch, on the
other side the riuer Moscua, whereby it is made almost inexpugnable. The
same Moscua trending towards the East doth admit into it the companie of
the riuer Occa.

In the Castle aforesaide, there are in number nine Churches, or Chappells,
not altogether vnhansome, which are vsed and kept by certaine religious
men, ouer whom there is after a sort, a Patriarke, or Gouernour, and with
him other reuerend Fathers all which for the greater part, dwell within the
Castle. As for the kings Court and Palace, it is not of the neatest, onely
in forme it is foure square, and of low building, much surpassed and