there was anything which we wanted, to intimate it to them. They afterwards paid us a visit nearly every day, always making inquiry respecting our necessities. They have one fixed allowance of provisions appointed for German ambassadors, another for Lithuanian ambassadors, and another for the ambassadors from other countries. The appointed caterers, I say, have a certain number attached to each person, with instructions as to how much bread, drink, meat, straw, hay, and other things they shall give to each according to his number. They know how much wood they have to allow for the kitchen, and also how much for heating the stoves, as well as how much salt, pepper, oil, onions, and other minor things they have to supply for each day. The same calculation is to be observed by the caterers who accompany ambassadors into and out of Moscow; but although they used to provide us with a superfluity both of meat and drink, they would give us in exchange nearly everything which we desired. They always brought us five different kinds of drink, namely, three sorts of mead, and two of beer. I had sometimes sent to the market to purchase certain articles with my own money, especially live fish, but this they took as a great affront, stating that their master would be greatly offended at it. I also intimated to the caterer, that I wished to provide beds for the noblemen whom I had with me, five in number; but he immediately replied, that it was not the custom to provide beds for anybody : to which I answered, that I did not ask for them, but wished to buy them, and that I made the remark to him that I might not again offend him as I had previously done. On the following day he returned to me, and said, "I have made a report to the councillors of my master respecting the subjects upon which we were conversing yesterday. They have ordered me to tell you not to spend your money for beds, for they promise that they will treat you in the same manner as you have treated our people who have visited your country."
