and Trust at Court with his own Kindred or Creatures such as he knew wholly to depend on his Fortune He used frequently to get the Young Prince out of the Capital City under preâ—ence of Hunting or some other Divertisements so to beget in him an Aversion to Business whereby the whole Management of Affairs might fall to this share But in order to an entire Establishment of his Fortune he thought nothing more conducing to make sure of the young Princes Favour than if he could get him to chuse a Wife out of such a Family as being absolutely in his Interest and where he himself might engage in an Alliance by Marriage would enage both the Prince and Great Dutchess in his future Preservation The Person he pitch'd upon as most suitable to his Purpose was one 〈◊〉 Danilovits Mioslauski of obscure Genâ—â—â—ty raised by the Death of Grammatine the Chanâ—â—llor of the Ambassadors Office his Uncle by the Mothers side whose Servant he had been formerly This Man was looked upon with a very favourable Eye by Morosou by reason of his constant Attendance on him and his two beautiful Daughters one of which he designed for the Great Duke the other for himself Whilst this Favourite was thus employing all his Cunning to establish his Fortune in the near Alliance with his Sovereign he was upon the Point of having been frustrated in his Hopes if by his Dexterity he had not extâ—icated himself out of that Difficulty which was likely to have rendred his Design abortive For a certain young Lady who was exceedingly beautiful having been brought before the young Great Duke withoutâ— his Knowledge the Czar was 〈◊〉 an instant with so violent a Passion for her that he presented her with a Handkerchief and Ring the usual Present the Czars of Muscovy make to such Ladies as they chuse for their Spouses She was to appear again in Royal Dress in a few days after when according to Custom the young Great Duke was to tye the Crown upon her Head But Morosou having been by this time sufficiently informed of what had passed tho' managed with great Secrecy â— had laid the Plot with the Attire-Women that they should tye up her Hair so hard as to put her in a Swoon which succeedâ—d according to Expectation For whilst she was in the Great Duke's Presence and they were busied in tying the Orown about her Head she fell into a Swoon which was presently by those that were present and most of them Creatures of Boris Morosou construed an Apoplectick Fit So that the poor old Gentleman her Father who believed himself just upon the Point of being exalted to one of the most eminent Stations in the Empire by the Alliance with his Sovereign saw himself not only unexpectedly deceived in his Hopes but being besides accused of 〈◊〉 Treason in pretending to put his Daughter labouring under such a Distemper into the Arms of the Great Duke was forced to undergo the Strapado and was banished into Siberia where he no sooner arrived but he died with Grief leaving his Family in Disgrace The Maid remained a Virgin ever after till her Death and was never known to have had any fit since and the Emperour being conscious of the Wrong done to her and her Father allowed 〈◊〉 a large yearly Pension which made her to be courted by many of the Nobility whom she all refused and kept the Handkerchief and Ring as Pledges of the Injury done to her Family But to return to Morosou who having weathered this Point and relying upon the Fidelity of Ilia Danilovits Miloslauski he took the first favourable Opportunity to speak to the Great Duke concerning him and thence to extoll the Beauty and Deserts of the two Gentlewomen his Daughters These Commendations having raised in the Great Duke a desire to see them he sent to them under pretence of a Visit to be made to the Princesses his Sisters where having taken a full View of â—â—em both he became instantly so enamoured with the Beauty of the Eldest whose Name was Mary that he dispatched one immediately to her Father to bring him the welcom News that the Czar intended to honour him with his Alliance and to marry his eldest Daughter It is easily imagined that as Mâ—iloslauski was not altogether unprepared for it so he received the Message with the most profound Respect and without being in the least discomposed returning his most humble Thanks to his Czarish Majesty for the Honour he intended to do his Family Some days after the Great Duke senâ— Presents of a very great Value to his Bride and having been informed concerning the Circumstances of Miloslauski which being such as that he and his Family could not appear at the Wedding without a present Supply he order'd them a considerable Sum of Money to put them in an Equipage suitable to their Present Condition The Marriage Ceremony was performed in the beginning of the Year 1647 The Young Great Duke 〈◊〉 but very privately for fear of Witchcraft a thing much â—â—eaded among Persons of Quality in Muscovy especially at 〈◊〉 Weddings The Czarissa was a very beautiful Lady besides which her Modest and Religious Behaviour and many Charitable Actions made her afterwards the Darling of the People The next thing Boris Morosou had to do was to petition for Ann the youngest Daughter of Miloslanâ—ki and Sister to the Empress which having been soon granted he married her in eight days after so that his former Interest being now strengthned by this new Alliance his Fortnue was established beyond the reach of his Enemies But his Content at home was not altogether answerable to his great Fortune at Court For he being a Person pretty well advanced in Years and she a brown Buxsome Lass found herself deceived in a great measure in her Expectation so that instead of Children Jealousies were got which produced the ordinary Effects to wit first Contentions and afterwards after the Muscovian way the House-Discipline and some Persons among whom was also an Englishman being suspected to have too free an Access to Boris Morosou's House were by his Instigation banished into Siberia But whatever his Fortune might be at home he was not careless in his Affairs at Court where in Conjunction with Ilia Damilovits-Miloslauski the Great Duke's Father-in-Law they managed every thing to their own Advantage For they not only removed most of the Nobility from Court but by degrees cast off all such old Officers of the Houshold as were yet remaining in whose stead they brought in their own Kindred and Creatures who let sâ—ip no Opportunity to enrich themselves at the Expence of the Publick Among others they had made one Leponti-Steppanovits-Plessou Chief Justice of the Semskoy Duor or Semskoy Pricas a Court instituted for the Judgment of all Civil Causes between the Citizens of Musco where are also paid the Duties arising from Places and Houses that are sold as also the Taxes levied for the Reparation of Bridges Gates Fortresses and
Tzumtzume I declare my self for that Religion but desire that I may die immediately being unwilling to live now without Subjects in a place where I was so powerful before Essi having granted his Request he died instantly and his Sepulchre remains here to be seen to this day under a Tree of an extraordinary bigness next adjoyning to which is a Scaffold erected of ten Foot high and sixteen Square On the other side of the City are to be seen some Thousands of Tombs cover'd with Stones half round Cylinder-wise but exceeding the ordinary Stature of Men haveing all of them Arabick Inscriptions It is reported that in former Ages yet since the Time of Mahomet there was a certain King in Media named Kassan who being engag'd in War against the Tartars of Dagesthan received there a signal Overthrow and caused the Bodies of the Officers killed in this Battle to be buried in these Tombs The Relation seems to be not altogether fictitious there being near the Sea-side at some distance from the rest forty others exceeding the before-mentioned Tombs in bigness and encompass'd with a Wall which having each its Banner are said to be the Sepulchres of so many Lords of the first Rank and other Holy Men that came along with them where the Persians and Tartars of both Sexes come to pay their Devotions by kissing these Sepulchres and laying their Hands upon them while they are at Prayers But it is time to return to the Tartarians under the Grand Czar's Obedience and among them to say something of the Province of Siberia This Province which lies quite Northward from Muscovy Siberia betwixt the Provinces of Obdora and Jugoria bordering towards the North upon the Samojedes is of a great extent but not very populous being inhabited by Tartars It s Capital City being also the Seat of an Archbishop is Tobol built upon a rising Ground near a small River and except some Muscovites inhabited by Tartars On the Frontiers of the Calmuck Tartars is the City of Daour And far beyond Tobol is Chnesortski the chief place of Commerce in the whole Province for Sables and other sorts of Firrs the Products of this Country The Natives are a poor and wretched sort of People notwithstanding that they have in some Parts good Corn Fields and great Store of Fish But the chief and most precious Commodity of this Country besides other Furrs are the Skins of Sables These Animals they catch either with Traps not unlike to those we catch our Rats with or by spreading of Nets under the Trees where they feed which being cut down they are entangled in the Nets In the Winter they have also a Way of hunting them with Dogs They were formerly Pagans being Govern'd by their own Czar or King till near 150 Years ago they were subdu'd by Czar Jobn Basilovits in the following manner A certain Famous Pirate among the Cosacks living near the River Wolga whose Name was Jormack Timorhof having taken a Ship loaden with Amunition and belonging to the Czar was for fear of being pursued and discovered fled for Shelter into a certain Island near the River Kama which coming from Permia one of the Northern Provinces of Muscovy falls below Casan into the River Wolga This Island belonging then to a certain Muscovian Merchant he proposed to him no less than the Conquest of some of those Tartarian Countreys lying more towards the North and being furnished by him with Arms Ammunition and other Necessaries he with about five or six hundred of his Followers went up the River Tagit and from thence to the River Tura where having possess'd himself of a small Island called Japouchin he march'd from thence to the City of Tumen which he also took without much opposition Being flush'd with this Success he directed his March streight ways to Tobol the Mâ—tropolis of the Province and then the Residence of the Siberian King where having also met with very little Resistance he soon became Master of the Place But being not contented with thiâ— extraordinary Success and proposing to himself no less than the Conquest of the whole Province he lost soon after both his Life and Conquests For having pursued the flying Enemy a great way beyond the City of Tobol all along the River Irtish 300 of his Men whom he had sent out on purpose to Atrack the Enemy at a certain pass being drawn into an Ambush were all kill'd upon the Spot so that Jormack with the rest being about 200 was forced to retire into a small Island there abouts where he Entrench'd himself as well as he could But the Tartars having by their late Victory got new Courage and being informed of what number of Men he had with him Attack'd him by Night where he with all his Followers except 40 who found means to get into Muscovy were either drowned or cut to pieces The remnants of Jormack's Party being at last come to the City of Musco and having given to the Czar a relation of what had past in Siberia it was thought advisable to give them some Forces thereby to enable them to try their Fortune a second time Having therefore obtained 600 Men with Amunition and other Necessaries suitable to such an Expedition they marched directly towards the City of Tobol the Metropolis and Residence of the Prince of Siberia and having a second time possess'd themselves of it without much opposition they took quite other measures to secure their Conquests from what Jormack had done before for they so strongly fortified themselves there that they soon were beyond all apprehension of being Attack'd by the Tartars and being afterwards reinforced with new Supplies of Men and other Necessaries by their frequent Incursions so fatigu'd the Neighbouring Tartars that they were 〈◊〉 to submit themselves under the Czar's Protection tho' it is not altogether improbable but that the Necessity of vending their Sables and other Furrs to the Muscovites might be their Chief Motive of surrendring themselves under the Czar of Muscovy's Subjection Since which time the Muscovites have built in these Parts several Cities fortified after the Russiian Fashion and much impâ—oved others as Narim and the great City of Tooina on the other side of the River Oby The Castle of Comgoscoi upon the River Telta and others Since the Conquest of Siberia it is chiefly to the Muscovites we are beholding for the particular Discovery they have made of that vast Extent of the Northern Countreys that lie betwixt the River Oby which traverses this Province and has been mentioned before and the Famous Chinese Wall which divides that Famous Empire from the Grand Tartary For the Muscovites having once been made sensible of the prodigious Quantities of all Sorts of precious Furrs as the Sables Martins and black Foxes those Countreys afforded and the vast Profit that must needs arise to their own Country by engrossing the Traffick of those Commodities have left no stone unturn'd not only to make the best Discovery they could
of the Current at parting they cross themselves and cry Prosti Farewel Persons of great Fortunes or Quality adorn their Saints with Pearls or precious Stones but these Demy-Gods are so tenacious of what they have once got into their Clutches that they will never part with any of it again to the Owners though never so â—ecessitous There are not wanting Examples that upon a pinch some have made bold to borrow of their Saints against their Will what formerly was their own who have paid for it with the loss of both their Hands If any one is excommunicated his Saint as well as his Person is excluded from the Church The Muscovian Monks and Priests Their Miracles as ignorant as they are in other matters have been cunning enough not to despoil the Saints of the Art of doing Miracles At Archangel there was once a Gang of them who by such Impostures had got a considerable Sum of Money together but falling out among themselves when they were dividing the Spoil the Fraud was discovered and so had a good Whipping for their pains It must be owned there are but few Instances of this nature among the Muscovites they being else too zealous to call in question the Omnipotency of their Saints whom they believe to have at least something of Divinity in them In the Year 1643. an old Image had began to change Colour and to turn a little reddish This was immediately cry'd up not only for a Miracle but rather for an ill Omen or some Bloody Presage to that Degree that the Great Duke and the Patriarch being frightned thereat as well as the People preparations were making for an extrordinary Fast-day and publick Prayers to be made all over the Kingdom but some of the Bojares having thought it convenient to call together all the Painters about the City they brought in their Verdict That they believed there was nothing ominous in the matter forasmuch as they were assured that time having consumed the Paint had only discovered the colour of the Wood which was Red Among others of their miraculous Saints they have two of a late Date the Name of the first was Sudatworets Philip Metropolite he lived in the Reign of that famous Tyrant John Basilovits unto whom he used constantly to make remonstrances of his wicked Life and Cruelties till the Great Duke not able any longer to endure his Reprehensions caused him to be slain by one of his Servants since which time he has been reckoned among their Holy Martyrs and been famous for the Miracles they have attributed to him which were formerly performed at Archangle near which he was Buried in the Isle of Solofka in the White Sea but has been since from thence translated to the City of Musco and placed in the great Church of the Castle where for some time he did most surprising Miracles by healing the Dumb Deaf Blind Agues and Paraliticks But of late Years it seems the Saint is grown Weary of his Profession of Physick though they affirm that his Body remains entire to this day which is not easie to be disproved since it is forbidden upon pain of Death to lift up the Cloath which covers the Body of the Saint The second and the topping Saint of all Muscovy for Miracles is one Sergius whose Residence was in the Monastery of Troitza about threescore Miles distant from the City of Musco This Saint as it seems was in his younger Days a Military Person of a very graceful Aspect but having taken a Distaste at that Profession and abandoned his vicious course of Life turn'd first Hermite and afterwards got into the Monastery of Troitza which from his Name ever since his Burial there has been called Zergeofski Troitza it being formerly Dedicated to the Trinity where being soon after chosen Abbot he and one of his Disciples called Nikon grew so famous for the many Miracles they performed that they were both Canonized after their Death which hapned in the Year 1563. Their Heads as they say do not only remain entire to this day but also that of Sergius if one may believe them has not lost its Military Operation for when this Monastery was Besieged by the Poles the Head of Sergius only forced them to raise the Siege having caused them to turn their Arms against themselves during the Assault 'T is true this Monastery was Besieged by the Poles under their General John Sapicha who was forced to abandon the Enterpize and thus far the Monks are in the right of it but they were mistaken in the true circumstances of the matter for asmuch as it was not the Head of their Saint or their own Bravery put the Swedish Army that obliged the Poles to raise the Siege But they are not used to examine Miracles with so much nicety here for notwithstanding this the Great Dukes goe thither generally twice a Year to do their Devotion and when they come at two Miles distance from the Monastery alight from their Horses walking the rest of the way on foot Having performed their Devotion they spend some days in Hunting during which time the Abbot entertains the Great Duke and his whole Retinue The Muscovites frequently perform here their Vows of going on Pilgrimage and bestowing their Alms made perhaps in their Travels or Sickness which with the Liberality of the Great Dukes has encreased the Revenues of this Monastery to that Degree that it is accounted one of the Richest and the most Beautiful in all Muscovy and maintains a great number of Monks There is also a Church Dedicated to the Holy Mother of Casan whither many Pilgrimages which are made by the Muscovites as also to Chutina about Eight Miles distant from Novogorod to the Sepulchre of one of their Saints called Werlam who being Born at Novogorod was Buried near the said Monastery of Chutina On the Eve of the Pentecost they perform certain a naual Devotions in Memory of their departed Friends with a great deal of Formality but in a manner very Ridiculous Those of their Churches which are of Stone Their Churches are all round and Vaulted because they say they have thus a nearer resemblance to Heaven which is the Throne of God These have in the midst of four Turrets a Tower form'd at the Top not unlike the Knobs we put on our Bedsteads having upon it a Triple Cross This is to represent our Saviour as the head of the Church and the Cross being the Badge of Christianity they think fit the Church of Christ should be distinguish'd by it from others Within are neither Seats nor Benches because none sit down but all perform their Devotions either standing or prostrating themselves They don't make use of Organs or any other Musical Instruments in their Churches being perswaded that things inanimate cannot glorifie God They believe their Churches profaned by the Entrance of any Stranger that is not of the same Communion wherefore they are not admitted and as soon as Discovered thrust out But if a
at his Death though he had two Sons of his own resigned the whole Dukedom to the hands of the same Basili Basili being thus unexpectedly put into his supposed right was soon attack'd by Andrew and Demetrius the two Sons of George who could not brook the injury received by their Father's last Will and having surprised him they put out his Eyes thinking thereby to render him incapable of entertaining any further hopes of administring the Government but they were mistaken in their Aim for the Bojares and Nobles notwithstanding his Blindness kept stedfast to their Allegiance to the Great Duke who was therefore Sir-named Cziemnok or the blind Duke John Basilovits who began his Reign in the Year 1450 John Basilovits succeeded his Father Basili he was the first that brought the Russian Name out of Obscurity into Renown For after having secured himself at home by putting to Death all such of his Kindred as were likely to contend with him for the Superiority he applied all his thoughts to make himself formidable to his Neighbours Among them he bent his whole Force against the City and Dukedom of Novogorâ—d Veliki with whom he was engaged in a War for Seven Years till at last in the Year 1477. having vanquish'd them in a Battle he forced that Great and Rich City to a Submission and to receive a Russian Governour But afterwards thinking himself not absolute Master of the City and being unwilling to run the hazard of compelling them by force he went thither in Person under pretence of some Religious concerns in behalf of the Greek Religion so that being admitted into the City by the Authority of the Archbishop Theophilus he ransact it and carried away an incredible Booty to Musco with most of the Inhabitants and sent Muscovites thither in their place Having subdued this Potent Dukedom as also those of Tyversky and Plescou and several other petty Principalities bordering upon his Dominions he was the first that united Russia into one considerable Body and consequently laid the first Foundation of its future Greatness He entred into a War with the Livonians for no other cause than to enlarge his bounds and advanced as far as the River Narva where he built the strong Castle of Ivanogorod upon a steepy Rock opposite to the City of Narva which lies on the other side of that River but having received a Signal overthrew in a Battle fought against Guallies de Pletenbergh the Master of the Livonian Order of Knights he was forced to make a Truce with them for Fifty Years He had also some differences with Alexander King of Poland who having married his Daughter had as he pretended forced her to abandon the Greek Religion and to turn Roman Catholick which breaking out at last into a War was carried on for some time with no great advantage on either side nevertheless the Basilovits took Plescou in the Fray from the Luthianians His Wife was the Daughter of the Duke of Tiversky of her he begat John unto whom after he had Married him to the Daughter of Stephen Prince of Moldavia he resign'd the whole Dukedom But John dying soon after left only one Son who was called Demetrius Basilovits by reason of the tender Age of his Grandchild was obliged to reassume the Administration of the Government and soon after Married a second Wife to wit Sophia the Daughter of Thomas Polvologus who is said to have receiv'd her Doury out of the Pope's Treasury under condition that she should endeavour the Convertion of the Duke to the Romish Faith This Princess being of a very Haughty Temper and not able to endure that her Husband should be a Vassal to the Tartars did so effectually encourage him to shake of the Tartarian Yoak that having first dislodged the Tartarian Ambassadors that had their residence in the Castle of Musco and were the Duke's Overseers in State Affairs afterwards by degrees dispossess'd them of all they held in Russia By the perswasion of this Princess he transferred the Dukedom from Demetrius his Grandchild the Son of John deceased to Gabriel his Eldest Son by this Princess Gabriel was no sooner Great Duke Basili Ivanovits but he changed his Name and assum'd that of Basili Ivanowitz he after the example of his Father applied all his care to enlarge his Territories which he did with good success against the Lithuanians and Polanders from whom he recovered great part of Muscovy especially the City of Smoleusko on the River Boristhenes or Nieper in the Year 1514. He also ejected the Duke of Siberi or Severia and united the Province to his Crown he afterwards turned his Arms against the Tartars of Casan whom he defeated in a memorable Battle and made them his Vassals But the Tartars having soon after killed their Governour surprised him with a considerable Army and having forced him to retreat with such Forces as he could get together in hast under Novogorod on the River Occas they took and plundred the City of Musco and forc'd the Castle to a shameful Capitulation by vertue of which the Great Dukes were to be tributaries to the Tartars But the Tartars having soon after broken the Capitulation by Besieging the City of Rhesan and the Weywode or Muscovite Governor having by a straitagem got into his possession the Great Duke's Original Letters Patents whereby the Conditions made with the Castle of Musco were confirmed as has been related before in the Description of the City of Casan and having at the same time forced the Tartars to raise the Siege of the City and Castle of Rhesan both the People and Great Duke were so encouraged by the sudenness of so lucky an accident that the latter marched against the Tartars and Besieged the City of Casan which he caused to be attack'd with all the Vigour imaginable but these within being conscious of their guilt Fought like desperate Men so that afterâ— much Bloodshed on both sidâ—s the Great Duke was obliged to raise the Siege and to leave the Conquest of this as well as other Tartarian Kingdoms on that side to his Son John Basilovits whom he begat of Helan the Daughter of Knez Glinsky after having Divorced himself from his first Wife John Basilovits being but a Child John Basilovits succeeded his Father under the Tuition of George his Uncle in the Year 1540. But no sooner was he arrived to the Age of Maturity but he gave most evident proofs of his future Greatness Being willing to make himself formidable to his Neighbours by some memorable exploit at the beginning of his Reign he resolved to revenge the affront his Father had received before Casan which City he Besieged in the Year 1552 His Wars And after he had batter'd it very furiously for the space of two Months offered them very honourable conditions which they having refused to accept he ordered the general Assault to be given on the Second Day of July in the same Year and notwithstanding the resolute Defence made
one another when a Body of five thousand Muscovites which were posted in the Front of the left Wing of the Demetrian Army instead of attacking the Enemy ran over to them all in a Body which having put Polutnich and the whole Army into a great Consternation it was thought most advisable to avoid fighting and to retreat to Thula Zuski falling in their Rear cut off a considerable number of them closely pursuing the rest to the Walls of the City which was immediately after surrounded by the whole Army and attacked with all the Fury imaginable The besieged having in their Retreat been forced to leave behind them all their Artillery and Ammunition were very ill provided with such Things as were necessary to sustain a Siege nevertheless trusting in their Courage they defended themselves so valiantly that the Muscovites seeing themselves repulsed with great Slaughter in several Attacks were obliged to enclose the City by making strong Line of Circumvallation round about it in hopes to reduce it by Famine which succeeded according to their Expectation For those within by their sudden Retreat haveing had neither Time or Opportunity to put Provisions in the City were in a little time reduced to the greatest Extremity for want of them Schacopski in the mean while was not a little amaz'd that he received not the least News out of Poland whither he had dispatch'd his Messengers to advertise them of the danger they were in and the Inhabitants of Thula who saw themselves reduced to that Extremity as to be forced to feed upon Cats Dogs Horses and such like Things without hopes of Relief began to be mutinous and to accuse both Schacopski and Polutnich of having betrayed them by their fictitious Insinuations as if their Great Duke Demetrius were alive in Poland which if he had been he would not have fail'd to give them his Assistance in this Extremity Schacopski put the best Countenance he could upon the Matter telling them that they could not expect him to come in Person unless back'd with a Force suitable to the Strength of his Enemies and that if they would but have Patience he did not question but in a few days to hear of his approach in order to come to their Relief Polutnich assur'd them upon his Honour that he himself had seen and spoke with a certain Person of about thirty Years of Age who was in Poland acknowledg'd to be the true Demetrius and from whose Hands he had received his Commission that they should not rely upon his Word alone but that he would advise them to send a trusty Messenger of their own one whom they knew to have seen the Prince Demetrius before into Poland to represent to him the true State of their Affairs and to solicite prompt Succors that at his Return he would be ready to join with them in any thing they should think most advisable for their common Safety The Citizens of Thula having given their Consent to this Proposal and dispatch'd a certain Messenger who by favour of the Night and the Carelesness of the Besiegers got safely thro' their Camp without being discovered they gave fresh Assurance of their Stedfastness to Polutnich till the return of this Emissary Schacopski in the mean while was not a little surprised that he could not hear the least Tidings out of Poland but the true Cause was that the Gentleman whom the Poles had engag'd to personate the true Demetrius haveing understood in what ill a posture his Affairs were in Muscovy after the two last Defeats began to retract his Promise of making himself an Instrument to satisfie the Revenge of the Poles upon the Muscovites and setting before his Eyes the fatal End of the late Demetrius Quia me vestigia terrent after he was in Possession of the Empire he look'd upon the Muscovian Throne like the Fox upon the Lion's Den and therefore wisely resolved rather to enjoy himself upon his plentiful Estate in Poland than to expose himself to danger for the imaginary Lustre of a Crown But the Poles being fully resolved not to acquit Zuski thus of the Barbarities committed against their Countrymen Another Demetrius set up by the Poles were not long before they found out another to supply his Place Muscovy so fertile of Impostors soon furnishing them with One whom they look'd upon as a fit Tool to promote their obstinate Revenge against Zuski this was one Ivan or John a Native of Pocala a City of Russia where he had been a School-Master for some time and being grown weary of his Employment took hold of this Opportunity to meliorate his Condition and if possible to change his School Scepter for that of the Muscovian Empire The first who publickly espoused his Interest was one Micharetski a Man of very eminent Quality in Poland who having gathered a considerable Body of Troops they marched at the Head of them to Puttiwoll where having been received with the greatest demonstrations of Joy and Respect due to their Sovereign they directed their March to the City of Staradub where being reinforced by some Muscovites that upon the Rumor spread abroad of the arrival of their Prince Demetrius flock'd in to them from all Parts it was resolved to march with all possible speed to the Relief of Thula The second counterfeit Demetrius Whilst they were concerting Measures to put their intended Design in execution the Messenger from the Citizens of Thula who for fear of being intercepted by the Enemies Parties that were abroad in great Numbers had been obliged to travel a great way about before he arrived at Staradub was introduced into the presence of this new modell'd Demetrius who tho' having some resemblance to the other Demetrius yet was so far different from him whom this Messenger had seen frequently before that he was not a little startled at the sight of it being scarce able to deliver his Message without confusion Demetrius by the dissatisfaction he observed in his Countenance so on guessing at the true Cause of it judged it not advisable to send back his Resolution of marching to the Relief of the Town by this Messenger who he fear'd might by this Discovery raise a great Prejudice in the Place against his Person and Interest wherefore having ordered him to be secur'd under a good Guard upon some Pretence or other he resolved to detain him till he in Person could march to raise the Siege of the Place This precaution Thula surrendred to Zuski tho' in it self founded upon very weighty Reasons yet proved the occasion of the loss of Thula For both the Garrison and Inhabitants of that City not receiving the least Intelligence concerning their Messenger whom they had dispatch'd into Poland they concluded that he must have fallen into the Hands of the Enemies and being reduc'd to the utmost Extreamity for want of Provisions it was resolved with Joint-consent rather to accept of the advantageous Conditions offer'd to them by Zuski than to perish by Famine
toâ—e her Hair and Face and thus running into the Streets cryed out like a distracted Creature Either restore me my Husband Demetrius or else take pity of me and let the same Swords that so barbarously murthered him send me also to the Grave After the first Transports were a little over she ran in great Fury with a Dagger in her Hand to the Quarters of the Cosacks and calling to those she knew by their Names Dear Friends said she either revenge the Murther of my dear Lord or at least do not refuse to do an Act of Charity towards me take here cry'd she this Dagger and with it deliver me from that Life which since the fatal End of my Husband cannot but be loathsom and burthensom to me The Cosacks not able to resist the Tears and Prayers of this charming Lady fell with great Fury upon the Tartars whom they massacred wherever they met them in the Streets and very few would have escaped their Fury had they not at last been appeased by the Perswasions of their Leader Zarucki After the Cosacks had sacrificed several Hundreds of the Tartars to the Manes of Demetrius and the just Resentment of Marina A third Demetrius those of Caluga chose and proclaimed the Son of Demetrius and Marina Emperour of Russia and tho' it is most generally believed that Marina was barren and this pretended Son a supposititious Child yet Zarucki the General of the Cosacks being willing to carry on the Imposture in Opposition to the Polish Interest address'd himself to the Russians offering them his Aid with all his Forces if they would engage to aknowledge after the Example of Caluga this Son of Demetrius Great Duke and Emperour of Russia so soon as they should have chased the Roles out of Muscovy Zolkievitski in the mean time perceiving himself slighted by King Sigismund whom he found to have taken quite contrary Measures to what had been agreed on betwixt him and the Muscovites by the King's Order he left the Army under Pretence of going to fetch Prince Vladislaus to Musco and taking his Way by Smolensko to shew his Discontent he only saluted the King and without any further stay retired into Poland The Affairs of Russia having thus for a while hung in Suspence whilst the People were kept under by the apprehension of a double Danger to wit from the Poles within the Gates of their Capital City and the Demetrian Forces at Caluga they began now to change Face and to appear with another Countenance For the Muscovites after the departure of the Polish General finding King Sigismund resolute in not sending his Son Vladislaus into the Empire and in the Continuation of the Siege of Smolensko and seeing that both the Captive Zuski's and their Ambassadors were sent away Prisoners into Poland and that the King took upon him the supream and absolute Administration of Affairs putting such Officers into all Places of Trust as he thought most convenient for his Purpose they began to conceive great Jealousies and being now by the Death of Demetrius delivered from their Fear on that side prepared for an open Revolt in order to prevent their Empire from becoming a Province of Poland which they look'd upon to be the main Design of King Sigismund Whilst he therefore wasted himself at the Siege of Smolensko which he thought ignominious to abandon before it was reduced and thereby let slip the most favourable Opportunity in the World of Establishing his Affairs in that Empire the Muscovites had by his Delays sufficient Leisure given them to reunite themselves and make Provisions for their future Security The first that appeared in Arms towards the beginning of the Spring in the Year 1611 was one Lepanovits a Man of a great and ancient Family in Muscovy he having a great Interest in the Country had made secret Levies and appearing with a Body near Peresla invited and gained most of the Boyars and Nobility of the neighbouring Provinces into his Party He also sent his Messengers into the more remote Parts to represent to his Countrymen the Breach of Faith of the Poles how they had possessed themselves of their Capital City broke the Articles agreed on betwixt both Nations by continuing the Siege of Smolensko and not sending their Prince Vladislaus into Muscovy how that they not only kept the Zuski's but also their Ambassadors Prisoners against the Laws of Nations and in all other Respects treated them not like a free People but as Slaves depending from the Mercy of their Conquerours He exhorted them to shake off this Foreign Yoak and by giving timely Assistance to secure themselves and their Posterity against the Insolencies of their mortal Enemies the Poles This had the desired Effect for the Country flocked in from all Parts so that another great Army was raised near Nisi Novogorod under the Command of Prosowecki a Lord of a very eminent Rank in Muscovy and Zarucki joined his Forces with them under Condition that so soon as they should have cleared their Country from the Poles they should proclaim the Young Demetrius their Great Duke and Emperour which they were very free to promise tho' they had not the least Intention to perform it as Zarucki found afterwards to his Cost The Poles were not unadvertised of the Designs of the Muscovites but the King's Forces before Smolensko being scarce sufficient to carry on the Siege against a strong Garrison he could not spare any to disperse these Levies and the Poles within the City of Musco had enough to do to maintain their Posts and keep that vast Multitude of People in subjection so that these Levies from a small Beginning being improved into a great Bulk the Polish Forces which were quartered up and down in the Country to keep it in Obedience were so far from being able to attack them that they were scarce sufficient to keep on the Defensive The Inhabitants of the City being now encouraged by these Muscovian Lords appearing in Arms thought it now time to throw off the Mask and to give the Poles very sensible Proofs of their Aversion towards them A Design therefore was laid among them upon a Signal given to assemble and massacre all the Poles within the City The City of Musco was at that time much bigger than it ever was before or since by Reason of the vast Confluence of Strangers who during these intestine Commotions were retired thither out of all the neighbouring Provinces for Sanctuary so that it was computed to comprehend in its Circuit above a Hundred and fifty Thousand Houses All this vast Multitude of Inhabitants being enrag'd to the highest Pitch against the Poles were ready to lend a helping Hand to accomplish the Design of the Conspirators they only wanting a Head to lead them on to put it in Execution A thing of this Nature could not be carried on so privately but that Gaziowski who then commanded the Poles in Chief had timely Notice of their projected Design but thinking it
a Present the sooner make their own Peace and obtain Pardon for their Rebellion resolved to seize him and to deliver him up to the Muscovites They were just upon the point of putting their Design in Execution when he mistrusting the Matter clapp'd Spurs to his Horse and would without Question have saved himself by the Swiftness of his Horse if he had not been overtaken by an Arrow out of a Cosacks Bow Is taken and executed which having wounded him in the Shoulder he was taken and being bound Hand and Foot sent to the City of Musco where he was hang'd in a Chain before one of the Gates of that City The Muscovites in the mean while having consulted their own Safety after some Contests among the Nobles at last by the universal Suffrage of the People chose Michael Federovits the fatal Youth so much feared by Zuski their Great Duke who happily maintained himself in the Throne and restored Tranquility to the shatter'd Empire of Muscovy as will appear out of the following Chapter CHAP. IV. Containing the History of the Reigns of Michael Federovits of Alexi Michaelovits his Son and Fedor Alexiovits the Eldest Brother of the present Grand Czar of Muscovy MIchael Federovite was the Son of Fedor Nikitis who being descended from the Race of the Great Duke John Basilovits by one of his Daughtters had during the last Troubles in Muscovy lived a very retired life And at last having forsaken his Wife for God's sakâ— as they call it in Muscovy embraced a Religious Life and soon after was made Patriarch when he changed the Name of Fedor into Philaretes His Son was scarce seventeen years of Age when he was crown'd Great Duke of Russia in the Year 1613 with one of the Diadems which they found among the Rapines of the Poles notwithstanding which he governed the Russian Empire with a great deal of Prudence taking the Advice of his ablest Counsellors but especially of his Father in all Matters of any Moment The first thing he did after his Coronation was to recompence the Services of Prosowecki Boris Sicin and the General of the Dunensian Cosacks who had not only signaliz'd themselves by their Zeal in driving the Poles out of Muscovy Truce begun beâ—wixt the new Great Duke and the Poles but also had been very instrumental in his Election Those he constituted Generals of his Armies and by their Valour obliged the Poles to emancipate them from the Oath which the Muscovites had sworn to Vladislaus their Prince who was forced to make a Truce with this new Great Duke for fourteen Years yet under these Conditions That the Poles should keep in the mean time in their Possession the Dukedoms of Severia Zeâ—ikow and Smolensko which they had taken during the late Troubles in Muscovy He also renewed the Antient Alliances with the other neighbouring Princes and as he was of a very good Nature so by the Mildness of his Government he abolished the Memory of his Predecessors Cruelties that it is granted the Muscovites never enjoyed a more peaceable and happy Government for many Ages before His Father for whom he had always expressed so much Respect as not only to admit him to all Publick Audiences and Ceremonies where he gave him Precedence died in the Year 1633. Which had almost proved fatal to his Affairs by the unfortunate Siege of Smolensko if by a seasonable Peace he had not prevented the ill Consequences of so signal a Disgrace For the Truce with the Poles being expired some Years before and Michael Eederovits being resolved to remove these troublesome Neighbours at some further Distance from his Frontiers and to draw out the Thorn which stuck so close in his Flesh meditated the Siege of Smolensko For which purpose he had brought together an Army of above anâ— Hundred thousand Men among whom were several Thousand Germans and several Muscovian Regiments exercised according to the German Discipline and commanded by foreign Officers 〈…〉 and a great Train of Artillery consisting of three hundred Pieces of Cannon and all other things requisite to carry on the Siege with the utmost Vigour under the Command of one Herman Shein a Polander who by his changing Religion had gained him the Affection and Favour of the New Patriarch The Reduction of the Place seemed to be so much the easier in that the City is encompassed with Hills and only one single Wall built after the old Fashion without any Out-works or Ditch and that the Polish Garrison was not very numerous The new Great Duke besieges Smoâ—ensko For which Reason the Great Duke having ordered to attack it with all imaginable Vigour the Place was closely besieged in the Year 1633. The Germans soon made a large Breach in the Wall on their side and were resolved to give the Assault which was opposed by the General saying That it would be a Reproach to the whole Muscovite Army that a Handful of Germans should carry away the Honour of the Siege but these being encouraged by the rest of the Foreign Officers of several Nations mounted the Breach and were in a manner Masters of it when they received positive Orders from the General to retreat and that in case of Refusal he would turn his Cannon upon them So that not daring to make any further Attempt the whole Army continued the Siege without doing any thing worth taking Notice of Vladistaus the New King of Poland had in the mean while Leisure given him to get together a Body of Troops and being encouraged by the Divisions among the Officers in the Muscovite Camp or invited on purpose as some will have it by the Muscovian General Herman Shein marched to the Relief of the Place The City of Smolensko is surrounded with Hills and vast Woods which gave sufficient Opportunity to the Poles to possess themselves of those few Avenues that led to the Muscovian Camp Disgrace received before Smolensko and by which they received their Provisions so as that in a little time the Muscovites were reduced to such Straights for want of all manner of Necessaries that the General to prevent their being starved was forced to capitulate with the Poles to surrender the whole Army and Artillery at Discretion which was to be ransomed by the Great Duke The Loss of so great an Army put the whole Empire under a great Consternation and things began to look with a very ill Face especially when the People began to murmur openly and some of the great ones were suspected to have a Finger in the Treason King Vladislaus sent an Ambassador to the Great Duke immediately after this Defeat of the Muscovites who by his Insolent Behaviour sufficiently exprest the Sense the Poles had of the present turbulent State of the Russian Empire He caused the Muscovite Pristafs to alight and to uncover themselves first which they refuse to all other Nations declaring publickly that he was not come there to do the Muscovites any Honour but to receive
the Chief whereof was a certain Ocolnitza called Bonis Ivanovits Puskia And in regard that it was 32 Years since the Accounts had been cleared betwixt the two Nations it was Agreed by certain Articles made at that time That for the first Thirty Years there should be a Liquidation of all Accounts but that in regard there were more Swedes now in Muscovy than there were Muscovites in Sweden by which the first remain'd considerably Indebted to the last the Great Duke should pay to the Crown of Sweden 190000 Rubles which amounts to Ninety odd Thousand Pounds Sterling of English Money whereof 300000 Crowns were to be paid in ready Cash and the rest in Rye and the whole Payment to be at the beginning of the next following Year which was but a few Months after the Conclusion of the Treatise Pursuant to this Agreement the Queen of Sweden had sent one John Rhodes in Quality of her Commissioner into Muscovy who received the above-named 300000 Crowns in Ducats and as to what related to the Rye he was ordered to receive it from one Fedor Amilianou a Muscovian Merchant in the City of Pleskou This Merchant having been Impowered by the Great Duke to buy up thereabouts so much Rye for his Use as would answer the remaining part of the Debt which amounted to 90000 Crowns made use of this opportunity to enrich himself at the cost of his poor fellow Subjects For having under the Cover of the Great Duke's Authority caus'd all the Rye thereabouts to be seis'd and not permitting any body either to buy or to sell any without his leave he Engrossed the whole Commodity for his own use selling it at his own Rate which was so excessive that a great many poor people were droven to the greatest extremity for want of it The Inhabitants of Pleskoa as they wâ—â—e most â—eaâ—â—y concerned in this Abuse so they were the first that openly murmured against this Oppression chaâ—ging not â—â—â—y the Sâ—edes with Aâ—â—â—â—â—â— but 〈…〉 exclaiming against Puskin the Muscovian Ambassador in Sweden whom they charged with Prevarication in his Employment and Perfideousness to his Prince They did not spare Morosou who they said preferred the Interest of Strangers before the Welfare of the Natives They were not wanting to draw the City of Novogorod Veliki and other adjacent Parts into their Party and being perswaded that this Negotiation had been carried on without the Knowledge and contrary to the Intention of the Great Duke every thing seem'd to tend to a general Insurrection in those parts if the Weywode or Governour of Novogorod by his prudent Conduct had not kept those under his Jurisdiction in Obedience yet could not hinder their taking a Resolution to stop the Money as it should come their way in order to be carried into Sweden Those of Pleskou absolutely refus'd that such a quantity of Rye the transportation of which in all likelihood must starve them should be exported into Sweden And the better to be satisfied whether the said Treaty was set on foot and executed by the Great Duke's Order they sent three Deputies of their own to Court to wit a Merchant of that City a Cosack and a Strelits to inform themselves concerning the truth of the matter and to desire Redress of their Grievances But they were no sooner arrived at Novogorod but the Weywode of that City caused them to be clapt in Irons and thus Fetter'd sent them to Court where at the same time arrived the Weywode of Pleskou and the Merchant Amilianou who had been forced to quit the City for fear of the Populace For the first having endeavoured to prevent those Disorders which were daily committed by the Mob they forced him with his Guards out of the Town and Amilianou not thinking himself safe without the Governour 's assistance accompanied him to the City of Mâ—sco to make his Complaints to the Great Duke Nor was he mistaken in his Judgment for no sooner had he left the City Another 〈◊〉 at Plâ—skoâ— but the Citizens of Pleskou without expecting the Return of their Deputies or before they had the least Notice of the Treatment they had receiv'd at Novogorod ransack'd Amilianus's House and tortured his Wife in a most cruel and barbarous manner to make her confess where her Husband had hid his Money The same Game they plaid with several Swedish Merchants living among them whom they robb'd plunder'd and abus'd in their Persons This done they published their Manifesto against Monopolies and Patentees inviting the Neighbouring Cities to join with them in the Defence of their Privileges The Court having soon received Intelligence of these Insolencies they were not a little surprized especially when they got notice that this mutinous Spirit began to spread it self in some of the other Cities in the Northern Provinces bordering upon Sweden and thinking it therefore most advisable to try whether by gentle Means they could suppress and prevent any further Tumults it was resolved to send back the Weywode of Pleskou and with him a Boyar who in the Great Duke's Name should endeavour to quiet those restless Spirits Those of Plesko were for a considerable time debating whether they should open their Gates to them or not but the first being at last resolved upon they gave them Admittance but it was to put the Weywode in Prison and to affront the Boyar who having spoken to them in the Great Duke's Name with more Authority than they thought becoming him in his present Station they fell upon him with Cudgels and beat him so severely that he was fain to seek for Refuge in a Monastery where he laid for some time half dead every one despairing of his Recovery The Great Duke having received Infoâ—mation in what manner his Ministers had been treated by the Pleskovites who had shut their Gatâ—s and put themselve in a poâ—â—ure of defence and fearing â—ot without reason that some of the neighbouring Cities encouraged by their Example might tread their Footsteps if by a severe Chastisement they were not deterr'd from such like Undertakings against his Authority for the future it was resolved to prosecute the rebellious Pleskovites with the utmost Rigour In order to which the Great Duke commanded Ivan Nikitovits Gavenski to assemble the Nobility and standing Militia of the neighbouring Provinces and to join with them several Regiments of the foreign Forces commanded by the Collonels Kormichel Hamilton and others to besiege the City of Pleskou and not to stir from thence till they had reduced it to Obedience Plesko bâ—sieged The Inhabitants at first seemed not at all startled at this Resolution and were so far from making their Submission to their Prince that they resolved unanimously to stand it out to the last and accordingly put themselves and their City in a posture of Defence They shewed at the first approach of the Czar's Army no less Bravery than they had shewed Resolution in their Counsels For they made several furious Sallies upon the Besiegers with
not advisable to be the first Aggressor he dissembled his Notice and contented himself with fortifying the two Quarters of the City called Catangorod or the Mid-City and Czargorod or the City-Royal which being surrounded with good Stone-Walls and containing the Castle with the Royal Palace all the Magazines and great Houses of the Nobility and Merchants he proposed to himself as a safe Retreat upon all Occasions The Polish General Gaziouski had scarce finished his Works before the Russians finding by the Precautions used by the Poles that their Design had taken vent resolved to put it in Execution trusting more in their Number than their Conduct and having on the third day after Palm-Sunday drawn together an incredible Number of People by the Ringing of the Bells they attack'd the Poles with a Fury past all Belief as Men resolv'd either to accomplish their Design or to die in the Attempt The Poles The Poles attacked in the City of Musco on the other Hand being surrounded and attack'd on all sides animated by Despair and having the Advantage of a well regulated Discipline against a confused Multitude repulsed their Enemies with great Vigour who tho most obstinate and furious in their reiterated Assaults were nevertheless at last forced to give way to the Bravery of the Poles who made them retreat with the Loss of near Ten thousand Men on their side No sooner had the Poles removed them from their Works but they sallied out with some thousand Men and having prosecuted their Victoâ—y and slain a great Number of them at a great distance from their Quarters they see all the circumjacent Parts of the City on fire which destroyed not only a prodigious Number of Houses but also of Women Children and other helpless Persons The next day the Polish General having received Intelligence that most of the Inhabitants of Musco were retired to the Suburbs called Strelitza Slavoda which lies South of Cataygorod or the Mid-City on the opposite Shore of the River Moska where they were disputing the Passage to Strusius who with a good Body was come from Malsaisko upon the first News of the Tumult to the Relief of his Countrymen he made a strong Sally and having caused the said Suburbs to be set on fire in several parts The City of Musco burnt by the Poles he burnt it quite to the Ground thereby facilitating the Passage of the Poles who came to his Assistance and securing to himself a free Communication which stood him in great stead afterwards upon several Occasions It is computed that a Hundred and twenty Thousand Houses were laid in Ashes by that raging Element and that by the Fire and Sword there fell near Two hundred Thousand of the Inhabitants of all Sorts besides an incredible Quantity of Stores and Merchandices The Remainders of the Inhabitants seeing their City thus laid in Ashes and themselves sufficiently tamed by the Sword implored the Mercy of the conquering Poles rejecting as it is usual in such Cases the Fault upon a few of their Ringleaders who had paid for it with their Lives The Poles knowing themselves not in a Capacity to do any further Mischief and being glad to have reduced them to ask Quarter granted it without Difficulty But as it was owing to the utmost necessity of their Affairs so this Truce so earnestly sued for by the Musâ—ovites lasted not long For the Inhabitants of Musco having invited Lepanovits Prosowecki Zarucki and the rest of the Leaders of the Army we mentioned before to come to their Assistance they advanced with a Hundred thousand Men towards the City upon whose Approach having joined with their Forces they forced the Poles into their Works where they were so closely besieg'd that they had but one Passage left open for their Communication with the Country which was that part on the other side of the River Moska where not long before had stood the Suburbs called Strelitza Slavoda and which they kept open a long time for the Conveniency of their Provisions and other Supplies and made frequent Sallies with great Success on their side till at last by the ill Conduct of King Sigismund they were forced to abandon that Post and soon after the whole City to the irreparable detriment of the said King For whilst the brave Poles were hardly pressed upon by their Enemies he lay immovable at the Siege of Smolensko where his Affairs began to look with a very ill Face For the Soldiers tired with the long Continuance of the Siege grew very uneasie for want of Pay and their Clamours were now risen to that height that the King began to dread every day a Mutiny having not wherewithal to satisfie their just Demands nor any other Means now left to raise Money unless by calling together a Dyet which at last was resolved on and a Convention of the Estates appointed against the September next following This Remedy tho' somewhat slow to satisfie the greedy Appetite of the Soldiers yet were they in Hopes oâ— a happy Success of that Assembly thereby appeased for that time The King in the mean time considering with himself that the Measures he had taken in Muscovy contrary to the Advice of the Senate and his Council having proved abortive would not be very agreeable to the Convention he resolved to make another Attempt for the Gaining of Smolensko not questioning but that if he could appear at the next Dyet as a Conquerour it would in a great measure take off the Blemish of his former Conduct in the Muscovian War A general Assault being therefore resolved on to be made on the 13th day of June the Soldiers encouraged by the Hopes of the Booty of so vast and rich a City shewed a great Eagerness to attack the Place The Assault was made on the East side by the Palatine of Braclow and on the West where then was the King's Quarters Smolensko stormed by General Wyer who commanded the Germans The Soldiers had found means before break of day to raise Ladders in several places upon the Walls unperceived by the Enemy so that at the Signal given the Germans first mounted and got up to the Top of the Walls as did also not long after the Poles under the Command of the Palatine without much Opposition from the Enemy who being thus attack'd upon a sudden when they least expected it those Forces that were left for the Guard of the Walls were not sufficient to stop the furious Assault of the Poles But the Descent from the Wall into the City being very steep and the whole Garrison having by this time taken the Alarm came flocking in great Numbers to the defence of their Walls the Combat grew very hot the Poles pushing forward with great Bravery to maintain the Advantage they had got and the Garrison armed with Despair fighting like Men either resolved to vanquish or die so that the Dispute remained very doubtful and perhaps would have ended to the Disadvantage of the Poles if
could in any wise contribute to overcome his Obstinacy and induce him to an ingenuous Confession one John Plessou who had been his intimate Friend and with whom he had left his Son before he retired into Poland with several others of his Fellow-Officers at the Tavern-Office were brought before him who each in their turn endeavouring to convince him of his Error and representing to him the Danger wherein he put his Soul in the Condition he was in exhorting him to pull off the Mask which he had made use of for some Years past to cheat the World and to create new Disturbances and infinite Miseries to his Native Country That the whole Mistery of his Impostures being revealed to the World by so many undeniable Witnesses there present he should not rely any longer upon these vain Elusions but consult the eternal Welfare of his Soul and not draw any further the weight of God's Vengeance upon himself He seemed to be moved at their Discourse but continued so obstinate in his former Resolution that he would not speak one Word afterwards The next day he was again put to the Torture which he endured with the same Resolution not vouchsafing to speak one Word Being searched and found circumcised he was immediately carried to the Great Market-place before the Castle where Sentence was pronounced against him and put in Execution First they cut off with an Ax his Right Arm below the Elbow Is execuâ—ed then his left Leg below the Knee next the Left Arm and Right Leg in the same manner all which he endured with an unparalell'd Constancy and without as much as a Groan Last of all the Head being severed from his Body and the Members being set upon Stakes in the Market-place and the Trunck left upon the Ground the last was in the Night devoured by the Dogs and the next morning the Executioner's Servants dragg'd the Members to the place where all the City-Dirt is thrown It is to be observed that some time before a Polish Ambassador was arrived in the City of Muscoâ— And the Muscovites who still bore a Grudge to the Poles on the Account of the Miseries they had endured in their last Civil Dissentions occasioned by the Contrivances of the several Impostors encouraged by the Poles had so well timed it as to give Audience to the Ambassador the same day that Timoska was put to death and to lead him in State through the Market-place just at the very Hour of his Execution where under some pretence or other contrived for that purpose they make a Halt that he might be an Eye-Witness and be able to give an Account in Poland of the tragical Exit of that Imposter whom they had looked upon there as Son to the Great Duke Basili Zuski Kostkaâ— the Servant of Timoska whom we mentioned before to have been carried loaden with Irons out of Sweden into Muscovy having made an ingenuous Confession of the whole Matter was pardoned as to his Life and his Punishment changed into that of losing three Fingers of his Right Hand But the Religion of the Muscovites obliging them to make the Sign of the Cross with their Right Hand thâ—s Punishment was again by the Intercession of the Patriarch moderated so that the same was executed upon his Left Hand after which he was banished into Siberia We said before that the Great Duke Michael Fâ—derovits died in the Year 1645. The next day being the 13th of July the Knez and Boyars theâ— present Alex is Michaâ—lovits crowned resolved unanimously to hasten the Coronation of Alexis Michaelovits his Son who was then not full sixteen Years of Age He was born in the Year 1630 on the 17th of March and had been by his Father committed to the Carâ— of Knez Boris Ivanovâ—s Morosou a Person of very high Extraction and extraordinary Ability It is beyond our Scope to relate here the Rise of the Family of the Romanow's from whence the Family of the present Czar derives its Origin one of the most Antient in Muscovy who first assumed the Name of Czar from whence descended Basil the Father of that Famous Tyrant John Basilovits who reduced most of the neighbouring Princes under the Obedience of the Russian Empire But the Muscovites relate a Story of the Father of this Boris Ivancvits Morosou which may not be beyond our purpose to be inserted here It seems he was a Favorite of the Tyrant John Basilovits and being a Widower presumed so much upon his Interest with the Great Duke that he begged a certain handsom Lady which had been the Tyrant's Mistress for a Wife The Great Duke granted his Request without the least Difficulty but whether it was that he repented himself of what was done or meerly to gratifie his cruel Temper he having got notice that the said Morosou and his new married Lady were at their amorous Sports one Afternoon in a withdrawing Room behind the Bath-stove he got secretly two wild Bears conveyed into the Room who immediately fell upon them and devoured them both This Morosou left two Sons Boris and Câ—leab who being very young were educated by the said Tyrant the eldest of which having improved the Advantages of his high Birth and Education above the ordinary Degree during the intestine Commotions in the Russian Empire was as I said before constituted by Czar Michael Federovits Governour over his Son Alexis Michaelovits whom he used frequently to charge to follow his Advice in all Affairs of Moment Knez Boris Ivanovits Morosou fearing that his Enemies might take Advantage of the Princes tender Years had the Coronation Ceremony performed a few days after his Father's Death who was according to the Russian Fashion deposited in the Church of S. Michael wherein are the Sepulchers of the Great Dukes the next Night after his Decease which was not performed with all the usual Pomp they wanting time to send for all those who are obliged to be present at this Solemnity After the Coronation was over Morosou changed the Quality of Governour into that of Protector exercising during the Princes Minority the same Power in the disposing of his Affairs as he had done over his Person during his Father's Life Knowing the young Great Duke to entertain 〈◊〉 most profound Reverence for the Dutchess Dowager his Mother he bestowed great Employments upon all her Kindred whom he preferred to the best Governments in the Empire but at 〈◊〉 stance from Court as made them incapable of opposing his Interest The same Method he made use of in regard of the Antient Nobility and such as had had the chief Administration of Affairs in the late Great Duke s Reign whom he sent away from the Princes Peâ—sâ—â— to far distant Countries â— Thus he did with the 〈◊〉 Rippine and Corakin the first of whom he constituted Governour of Nisi Novogorod the last of Caâ—an Having thus removed from the Princes Person all such as he thought might any way oppose his Greatness and filled all Places of Profit