1

YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

o
DIARY

OF

AN AUSTRIAN SECRETARY OF
LEGATION

COURT OF CZAR PETER THE GREAT.
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN
AND EDITED BY
THE COUNT MAC DONNELL,
K.S. J. J., &c, &c, &c.

IN TWO VOLS.— VOL. II.

LONDON :
BRADBURY & EVANS, n, BOUVERIE STREET.
1863.

LONDON :
PRINTED BY BRADBURY AND EVANS, WHITEFRIARS.

;e Iraqr of

AN AMBASSADOR AT THE COURT
OF MOSCOW.

May i. — We rafted to-day, for the firft time,
the fiih dried in the air, which the Samoieds eat
inftead of bread.
2. — No letters are allowed to leave Azow or
Veroneje for Mofcow; hence there is a dark
rumour that fifty of the Azow rebels were put to
death at Veroneje.
3. — The Czar claims the monopoly of the
fale of brandy.* Some of the lower orders —
* It is ftill a ftate monopoly in Ruffia Proper : not fo in
Ruffian Poland, where the landed proprietors were never de
prived ofthe monopoly of baking, and of that of diftillation and
fale (propinatio) of intoxicating drinks for the vaflals of their re-
fpeclive feignories. Indeed, the fabrication and fale of ftrong
liquors, farmed out ufually to Jews, forms often no fmall propor
tion of the income of a Polifh nobleman's ill-managed eftate.
The ufurious Jews, to whom noble and ferf alike are igno-
minioufly tributary, immorally entice the peafants to drunken-
VOL. II. B

i The Diary of an Ambajfador at
thofe called Jemfkoi — were offering it for fale in
their private houfes, contrary to the exprefs inhi
bition of the Czar. So the Treafurer, Peter
Ivanowicz Proforowfki, wanting to chaftife them,
had fifty foldiers at his orders that he had afked
of General Gordon. Along with thefe he fent a
fcribe, armed with a warrant to feize as contra
band and bring to the Czar's ftores all the brandy
they could find in fuch places. But when they
attempted to put the warrant in execution, a mob
of Jemfkoi afTembled ; and, repelling force by
force, killed three foldiers by running them
through, and wounded feveral. The Jemfkoi,
moreover, threatened fiercer vengeance if fuch
another feizure fhould be attempted. The daring
of this conduct, is fuch, that it keeps the autho
rities of the city in great anxiety whether it is
better to employ force or diflemble.
5- — When one of the footmen belonging to
the Danifh Envoy was going to Sbofeck, a
Ruffian fhouted an opprobrious name at him.

nefs, and cheat them, of courfe. Thefe privileges of feignoriE.1
monopoly, and this miferable fervitude to the ufurious Jews,
both grew up, in times out of mind, under the old national
government of Poland. — Translator.

The Court of Mofcow. 3
The footman at once fprang from his horfe to
ftrike the fellow for the infult : for the word was
a contumelious one that they addrefs to the Ger
mans. But the Ruffian ran away, and called up
the Guard, faying that the German was on the
point of murdering him, and that he was a
robber. The foldiers roufed by this ftory ran
up, arrefted the footman, and brought him as a
robber to the PricafTa ; where, his innocence
being manifeft, he was, on payment of one
griffna, allowed to return home.
Everything is in confufion in Mufcovy. The
Czar, at leaving, commended the fafe keeping
and prefecture of the city to Knes Tzerkafki.
To Gordon he faid : " To thee, meanwhile, I
commit everything: everything is entrufted to
your hands and to your loyalty." But fome
fcribe arrogates to himfelf the fupreme military
direction which belonged to Knes Romado-
nowfki, pretending that it devolved upon him
at the departure of the latter, and confequently
that cognifance of everything is of his com
petency. 6. — Count Bergamini, who had come to Muf
covy at great coft to pay his court to the Czar,

4 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
was actually on his way to Veroneje, when hear
ing that the Czar was no longer there, he came
back at once, and to-day obtained his pafiport to
return to Poland.
7, 8, 9, io, n. — To our very great delight,
the moft clement Imperial letters of recall came
by the poft. About one o'clock at night a great
ftorm arofe — thunder, lightning, rain, and wind
raged with incredible violence throughout the
night. 1 2. — The Calmuck Ambaffador of the Tartars
was honoured with a Czar's entertainment —
flender enough and in fuit with the manners of
the receiver.
At laft, leave is given to the four Francifcan
fathers to go through Perfia to China. The
Czar had indeed given orders that thefe fathers
ftiould be provided with a fhip and all the pro-
vifions they might want as far as the Cafpian Sea,
in the fame way as the Archbifhop of Ancyra
was previoufly furnifhed. But Galizin, the Vice
roy of Caffan and Aftracan, whofe bufinefs this
was, as foon as the Czar had left for Azow would
give them nothing of the kind. Thus it became
incumbent on the Lord Envoy Extraordinary

The Court of Mofcow. e
to make the outlay, and with fignal Chriftian
charity he procured for them as well a fhip as a
fupply of provifions, — wine, beer, brandy, meat,
bread, flour, — with a capital ftore of which they
began their journey.
13, 14. — Notice came by a fure meffenger
that Dumnoi Emilian Ignatowicz Ukrainzow,
whom the Czar has appointed Envoy Extra
ordinary, was about going by the Black Sea to
Conftantinople, and that His Majefty the Czar
would accompany him as far as the Cimmerian
Bofphorus, or the Straits of KafFa. With refer
ence to this miffion, on which the Dumnoi is
fent to ratify the peace which Procop Wofnizin
had haughtily and imprudently neglected, a cer
tain perfon made the following witty remark :
" It feems to me juft like as if a fool had broken
a pane of glafs, and a man of fenfe were obliged
to make it whole again."
Dumnoi Andrew Artemonowicz, whofe father
was thrown by the rebel Strelitz out of a window
of the Caftle of the Kremlin, received upon lances
and murdered, was named Ambaffador in ordi
nary to their High Mightineffes the States of
Holland, and has the Czar's commands to re-

6 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
main there with his wife and children for three
years. Eight fons of Boyars go along with him,
to acquire a knowledge during that time of
feamanfhip and naval matters.
15. — A hundred and fifty veffels, laden with
barley and oats, have come here by the river
Wolga. Three hundred are following them with
cargoes of wheat.
When the Czar was leaving Veroneje for
Azow, and was already on board, that Alex
ander, who is fo confpicuous at court through
the Czar's graces, was whifpering fomething in
his ear, which put the Czar in a fudden paffion,
and he inflicted fome boxes on his importunate
monitor, fo that he lay ftretched at full length,
quite like a dying man at the feet of irate
Majefty. The mutiny of the garrifon of Azow gained
ftrength with its duration. The mutineers de
mand an oath from him whom they fhould
revere as the arbiter of life and death. But
what have treafonable fubjects, after trampling
on the authority of their prince, ever left whole,
untouched, and undared ? It is a folace to thofe
whofe unholy difobedience has thus loft them,

The Court of Mofcow. y
to leave nothing untried, that daring can fug-
geft, which may avail them to conjure the ruin
which they have called down upon themfelves.
Although the Czar faw, with a great fenfe of
grief, his dignity compromifed by treafon, never-
thelefs, he did not reject the condition put to
him, nor the oath which was exacted as its
guarantee ; left, by obftinately upholding His
Majefty, he fhould open the way to peril of
worfe evils. He defcended to make a pact with
his fubjects, and, repeating the words after them,
bound himfelf by his royal truth and dignity,
that all the Strelitz in the city of Azow fhould
go unpunifhed. It remains to be feen whether
he will adhere to this pledge given under com-
pulfion. For what is extorted wrongfully from
princes they often requite by another wrong, nor
do they confider themfelves in juftice bound to
their own injury.
1 6, 17. — Several days of continual rain have
rendered the ftreets in the German Slowoda im-
paffable : carts are lying about everywhere fo
deep in the mud that the horfes were unable to
draw them out.
18. — General de Gordon, and the Colonel,

8 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
his fon ; Colonel Acchenton, Colonel de Grage ;
the two miffionaries — Doctor Carbonari and
Mr. Guafconi — met at the Lord Envoy-Extra
ordinary 's, to confult about keeping up the
Church and the Catholic community. The
care of the money matters of the Church is
committed to General de Gordon and Mr.
Guafconi. 1 9 .- — They celebrated to-day with the greateft
pomp, the feftival of Saint Nicholas, patron of
Mufcovy, which is the grand Brafnick of the
Ruffians. It is quite fhameful — they think it,
in fact, unworthy of them — not to reel with wine
or brandy on this day, for the greater the folem-
nity of the feftival the more correct they confider
it to give themfelves up to drunkennefs and
other gratifications. This night, as the Envoy
of Denmark came back from Veroneje, when
he arrived at the gate, a difpute arofe about
money which the foldiers infifted upon — what
is called das Sper-Geld— for he refufed to pay
for the foldiers that the Czar had given him as
an efcort.
20. — The Envoy of Denmark told among
other ftories the following. That two German

The Court of Mofcow. 9
colonels who were accufed by a Mufcovite of
treafon, imprifoned and fubjected to the worft
tortures of the rack, could not be made to
confefs the crime which the informer had laid
to their charge. Meanwhile the Ruffian had
repented of his falfe accufation, and with the fame
effrontery as he before had accufed thefe innocent
men, he made known to the Czar that the Ger
mans had been wrongfully tortured, and that it
was only his envy that made him accufe innocent
men of fuch a heinous offence. This atrocious
man's malice put the Czar in fuch a heat of
indignation, that he ftruck off his hateful head,
as he richly deferved.
The foldiers of the regiment of Bebrafchentfko
are divided among the fhips. They fay that the
veffel to which none but the Czar and his prin
cipal Boyars put a hand, is unique, and the
handfomeft of his Majefty's fleet.
21, 22. — On account of the lofs of his
palace, which was burnt down in the late fire,
Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin got leave of abfence
from the Czar, and came back to Mofcow from
Veroneje. 23. — The fecretary was fent very early in the

io The Diary of an Ambaffador at
morning to the Boyar, juft named, with the fol
lowing meffage, to fay that the Lord Envoy
Extraordinary congratulated the Boyar on his
happy return from Veroneje, and would be ex
tremely glad to have another interview with him
in his capacity as Prime Minifter of the Mufco-
vites ; that he trufted the letters he had written
to him had reached him fafely, but as he had as
yet no anfwer to them, and fubfequent commands
had arrived meantime from the Moft Auguft the
Emperor, he defired an occafion of conferring
with him in reference to them, and confequently
begged that the Boyar would have the kindnefs
to appoint a convenient time to call upon him.
To thefe points the Boyar replied ; that he re
turned thanks for thefe polite attentions, and with
his reciprocal falutations to the Lord Envoy,
that he had received the letters which notified the
marriage of the King of the Romans, and that
he would take care to appoint a convenient time
for conference. He alfo inquired why the Lord
Envoy would not come to Veroneje, faying that
the Czar's orders to fummon him thither had
been fent to Mofcow, and further that the Czar
had waited fix days for his arrival. But this

The Court of Mofcow. 1 1
appeared paradoxical ; for where were the letters ?
— where had the orders come ? — what courier
brought the letters? — why had there been no
queftion on the fubject ? For the Lord Envoy
had heard nothing of all thefe things. But
another explanation was given that wore a greater
femblance of truth, — that thefe orders had been
fent enclofed to Dumnoi Ukrainzow to inti
mate them properly, and as the letters did not
reach Mofcow until Dumnoi was on the road
to Veroneje, they had been fent thither after
him by another link of the chain of accidents.
The circumftances of the time made it advif-
able to accept, in a ftraightforward credulous
way the excufe alleged, without queftioning its
truth. 24. — The Brandenburgh refident, Timothy
de Zadora Kefielfki, had gone for the purpofe of
fpeaking to Boyar Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin.
After a whole hour's patience, the Boyar at laft
came into the antechamber, where he knew he
was waited for. When he looked at the Refi
dent, as if he wondered at his being there, he
rudely queftioned him with this haughty addrefs :
" What doft thou want ? " To which the Refi-

1 2 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
dent anfwered : " Thou knoweft that I have not
come to beg a cruft of bread from thee : if thou
doft not confider the attention of my vifit an
honour to thee, I fhall difpenfe myfelf in future
of that trouble." The unexpected tartnefs of
the anfwer ftruck the Boyar fo home, that in a
harfh and contemptuous tone he was beginning
to taunt the Refident, faying ; " What durft
thou fay to me, thou petty little Chamberlain? "
Upon which the Refident, with no lefs warmth,
inftantly retorted : " I hold myfelf highly honoured
in being a Chamberlain of my moft Serene Prince.
If the rank I hold be beneath thy ambition, he
that fent me could confer a higher upon me, but
it would be difficult for him to confer any which
the impotency of your ftilted mind would not
defpife as far beneath you."
26. — Sixteen hundred roubles in ready money,
and fixteen hundred more in fable furs, were
delivered to Dumnoi Ukrainzow, for the ex-
penfes of his journey to Conftantinople. At
length the council of Boyars begin to entertain
more practical ideas about the ratification of
peace. The Czar has determined to call upon
the brotherly friendfhip of the Moft Auguft

The Court of Mofcow. 13
Emperor, in order to obtain fair conditions
through his falutary offices.
27, 28, 29. — The miner Urban has at length,
after his long and fqualid imprifonment, been
reftored to liberty once more ; and though an
exprefs mandate of the Czar for his liberation,
which was granted as a favour at the Lord
Envoy's folicitation, commanded that he fhould
be fet free without ranfom, neverthelefs he had
to pay a bribe of fifteen roubles to the Diak and
fcribes for his liberty. Nothing is fafe in Muf-
covy from thefe harpies.
30, 31. — A hundred and fifty Strelitz brought
here from the camp at Azow.
June i. — The Brandenburgh Refident enter
tained the Imperial Lord Envoy and the Dumnoi
of the Siberian Pricaffa, Wignius. The fame day
the Danifh Envoy received at dinner Andrew
Artemonowicz, the Ambaffador Defignate to the
States of Holland.
2. — Half the Lord Envoy's fervants went
with the Miffionary, Mr. John Berula, to the
monaftery called Jerufalem, fix German miles
diftant from Mofcow.

14 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
3. — Mr. John CafTagrande, the Miffionary of
the Venetian Shipbuilders, who was fent from
this to Veroneje, a year ago, along with Baron
de Burcherfdorff, who was then fetting out for
Azow, has died there, and his body, which was
fent back to Mofcow by command of the Czar
himfelf, arrived on the very day of the month
on which he left this city in order to fulfil the
duties and functions of his holy miffion, which
he prefided over fo as to earn everybody's good
word, and give univerfal edification.
4, 5. — The body of the deceafed Miffionary
was interred in the garden of the Imperial Mif-
fionaries, near the Gordon tomb. The Lord
Envoy Extraordinary and all his fuite, befides a
great many other Catholics, were pleafed to attend
the funeral.
6. — Michael-Louis de Buchan, Captain in
Beift's regiment of horfe, was fent to His
Majefty the Czar, from the King of Poland,
and being about to ftart immediately for Azow
with letters of great importance, dined at our
table. Doubtful reports came by letters that the
Czar's Ambaffador Prokop, who lately departed

The Court of Mofcow. 15
with the higheft honours from the Imperial
Court, is either dead on the road, or lying
dangeroufly ill at Konigfberg : peftilent fruit of
an ill weed.*
To-day being the feaft of Pentecoft, branches
and foliage of trees were bleffed by the Ruffian
priefts [a Ruthenorum myfis] ; and this is the
only day on which they pray for God's aid
kneeling ; on every other feftival they fay their
ufual prayers ftanding erect. They account for
it by faying that the Apoftles and all the dif-
ciples of our Redeemer proftrated themfelves
upon the earth at the time of the coming of the
Holy Ghoft — and thence they took a handle to
blefs all the fruits of the earth.
8, 9. — The Lord Envoy Extraordinary drove
out to the Monaftery dedicated to the Moft
Holy Refurrection, diftant fix German miles
from Mofcow. The Bazilian monks took the
moft laudable pains to receive the Lord Envoy
honourably. They ferved up with moft lavifh
politenefs a vaft quantity of frefh fifh out of their
own fifhponds, beer, brandy, and difhes dreffed
* " Make herb* peffimus fruftus." — Orig.

1 6 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
in the Ruffian fafhion. The Czar's minifters
had recommended the monks to fhow all this
civility of polite preparation.
IO> — We were led by a monk through the
monaftery, which is enclofed with huge walls.
The refectories for the whole community were
fhown to us, as were the cells of the monks ;
the latter are feparated by a very thin partition.
The church is a large and very noble pile,
fumptuoufly built by the Patriarch Nichon,
and, carried out exactly on the model of that on
Mount Calvary in Jerufalem, reprefents every
circumftance of Chrift's paffion, in different
chapels. While we were examining the church
at our leifure, Wignius arrived with the Branden-
burgh Refident, in company with whom we had
our dinner here ; at which a Ruffified Pole, who
fpoke good Latin, and two other monks high in
office, were prefent ; after which we fet off to an
eftate of his (Wignius's), that lay fome miles
further on. His houfe, conftructed of brick, is
built with various conveniences. The ftream
that glides paft it, and the wide open fields
around it, afforded a charming view. We firft
amufed ourfelves delightfully boating, and en-.

The Court of Mofcow. 1 7
ticing the unwary fifh into the cunning net, a
diverfion all the more pleafant, when we knew
we fhould have them to fupper, for which it was
delightful to catch them. Our hoft omitted
none of thofe attentions that might denote fincere
affection and truth.
1 1 • — After fowling and dinner duly performed,
and friendly greetings had been mutually ex
changed, the Brandenburgh Refident defired to
return to Mofcow, along with the Imperial Lord
Envoy. At a village called Angeliko, on an
eftate belonging to the monaftery, we paffed
that night.
12. — After accomplifhing four miles, we
reached Mofcow, and the Ambaffadorial Palace,
at about ten in the day. In a grove, an hour
diftant from the city — where the Germans are in
the habit of going to amufe themfelves — there
grew fo hot a quarrel between Captains Erchel
and Printz, that fwords were drawn, and wounds
given on both fides.
13. — The feaft of St. Anthony of Padua
folemnly celebrated.
14. — With unaccuftomed civility Diak Boris
Michalowicz, that was fometime refident at
VOL. II. c

1 8 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
Warfaw, was fent by Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin
to the Lord Envoy to inquire after the ftate of
his health.
15. — Again came Boris Michalowicz to the
Lord Envoy with precifely the fame civil errand
as yefterday. Two Ruffians with a complete
fpecification of the whole fea fleet, deferted to
the Tartars from Banzina. Though it appeared
that no blame for this defertion could be im
puted to the Vice-Commandant (whom they ftyle
Sotik),* neverthelefs by order of the Czar he
was hanged, for not being fharp enough in pre
venting the criminals in their defign. But what
Argus could have eyes enough for the malicious
wiles of traitors ?
16. — Again came Boris Michalowicz, by com
mand of Narefkin, announcing that the time for
the conference folicited, would fhortly be ap
pointed. The Grand Embaffy of the Swedes
halted near the borders of Mofcovy ; hence
orders are defpatched to the Woivodes of the
frontier cities to imprefs 450 potwoda.
17. — Conference had by the Lord Envoy
with Narefkin touching the notification of the
* Sotnik.

The Court of Mofcow. 19
marriage of the Moft Serene King of the
Romans. 18, 19. — General de Gordon received all the
Englifh and Scotch merchants at dinner.
20. — Two houfes in the German Slowoda,
and fome hundreds of dwellings in the city, were
confumed by a moft difaftrous fire.
21, 22, 23, 24. — No time was allowed to the
Venetian fhipwrights to purify their confciences
by facramental confeffion, they are kept working
as hard as they can by the Czar, toiling without
reft at fhipbuilding. Their prieft, as I have
already mentioned, died lately ; but that they
might not be deftitute of the confolation of this
annual devotion, the Imperial Miffionary at
Mofcow, a man of great and moft devoted zeal,
yielded with the greateft readinefs to their en
treaties. When he was about ftarting for Veroneje,
the miniftry granted him four potwoda at the
mediation of the Lord Envoy.
25. — The Lord Envoy honoured the efpoufals
of Captain Rickmann with his prefence.
26. — Major* de Straus celebrated his mar
riage with a coufin of the Danifh Envoy.
* Supremis-Vigiliarum-praefe&us, literally in German, Oberfl-
c 2

20 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
27< — A boy caught in a theft committed
fuicide, out of fear of the penalty that awaited
him. 2,8. — The Lord Envoy vifited Prince* Szere-
metow. It was noifed abroad that Prokop had
arrived, but extremely ill ; fo one of the chief
fcribes was defpatched with an account to the
Czar at Azow.
29, 30. — Mr. Schrader, paftor ofthe Sectaries
of the Confeffion of Augfburg, breathed his laft
between eleven and twelve at night.
July i, 2. — It remained for the Lord En
voy, according to the Imperial injunction and
letters, to announce to His Majefty the Czar, the
marriage contracted under fuch happy aufpices
fome time fince between the Moft Serene the

<wachtmeifter, the title given to an Auftrian major to the prefent
day. — Transl.
* Szeremetow's rank was ftriftly that of Boyar, not Prince.
The frequency of the ufe of the title Prince in this Diary to
perfons not belonging to the families ftriftly entitled to that
rank, leads me to fuppofe that it was thus abufively given in
Mufcovite fociety to fome of the great magnates of the Boyar
elafs. Even now it is frequently ufurped by petty Tartar and
Calmuck and Georgian chieftains' families, fettling or living in
Ruffia. — (See Dolgoruki, Notices des principales families, &c.)—
Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 21
King of the Romans and Hungary, Jofeph I.,
and the Moft Serene Princefs Wilhelmina- Amelia,
Duchefs of Brunfwick and Luneburg.* May
God grant, that thofe whom by his infcrutable
bounty, for the weal of Chriftendom, the fruitful
increafe of the Moft Auguft Houfe of Auftria,
the ineffable confolation of fubject nations, and
the moft ardent prayers of good citizens, auguft
love hath joined, may after the confummation of
the newly begun century, be brought fcathelefs
to old age, to live in the conftant and moft
anxioufly defired fucceffion of moft ferene off-
fpring, among the pofterity of ages hereafter to
come, with immortal fame for ever and aye.
The Czar's Majefty was abfent — his avidity to
acquire glory, which is his inmoft defire, and the
* This princefs was coufin-german to King George I., being
daughter and co-heirefs (with her fifter, who married the Duke
of Modena) of John Frederick, a Catholic, third fon of George,
Duke of Hanover : the fourth fon, Erneft Auguftus, Bifhop of
Ofnaburg, and fubfequently, by creation of the Emperor Leo
pold, Eleclor of Hanover, was father of George I. Her mother
was daughter of Edward, Prince Palatine of the Rhine, brother
of the Eleftrefs Sophia of Hanover, whofe fon George fucceeded
to the throne of England, as the neareft Proteftant, to the exclu-
fion of the nearer Catholic heirs ; the eldeft defcendant of whom
in our days is Francis V., Duke of Modena, as reprefentative of
the Princefs Henrietta of England, fifter of Charles II. and of
Jaines IL— Transl.

22 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
pleafure he takes in new fhips, having fummoned
him with laudable impulfe, nearly three hundred
miles away to the Palus Meotides,* not far from
the Straits of the Cimmerian Bofphorus.f Still
the function demanded a folemnity which the
Prime Minifter, Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin, pre
pared with becoming zeal. There was a fix-horfe
coach of the Czar's for the Lord Envoy, and
horfes from the Czar's ftables adorned with the
cuftomary glittering trappings. When the Lord
Envoy reached the court-yard of the houfe where
the Boyar had appointed to receive the letters of
notification, he was met by two Diaks, who con
ducted him through many ante-chambers to the
apartment deftined for this folemn ceremony, in
the veftibule of which the Boyar flood awaiting
him. The officials of the Lord Envoy, for the
greater dignity of the act, had taken their places
ftanding along with a great crowd of the Czar's
fcribes in that room. But when the Boyar prayed
of the Lord Envoy to be feated and the confer
ence began, all were ordered out except Diak
Bofnikow, the fecretary, and the interpreter.
* The Sea of Azow. — Transl.
f The Straits of Jenikale. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 23
Mutual proteftations enfued, in which affurances
were interchanged that the fincere and fraternal
love of the Moft Clement Lords Principals
fhould be always cultivated and kept up. The
ceremony and polite offices being gone through,
the Lord Envoy was led back by two Diaks to
his coach, and by a prijiaw to the Ambaffadorial
Palace ; and on driving paft the Czar's caftle, the
foldiers on guard faluted with the cuftomary pre-
fenting of arms and waving of colours.
3, 4. — St. John's day celebrated with the
feftive ftrains of the muficians in choir and
ftreet. 5, 6. — A Ruffian merchant claimed a debt of
four roubles from a certain German for goods
bought. When the German denied that he owed
fo much, the Ruffian with much vociferation,
feveral times moft atrocioufly calling on all the
powers celeftial and infernal to witnefs, endea
voured to prove his claim. So the German
appointed the Ruffian arbiter on his proffered
oath; who thereupon entering the neareft church,
falfely made the requifite oath. In a fhort time
after he himfelf confeffed that the German did
not owe him four roubles, but only two ;

24 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
that the other two were due to him by ano
ther, alfo a German, and that he could claim
them in turn. This is refpect for an oath !
this is piety towards God ! the taking of whofe
name in vain is no fcruple of confcience to this
people. 7. — The Lord Envoy received letters written
from the camp at Azow by the Lord Boyar,
Feodor Alexiowicz Golowin, at the command of
the Czar's Majefty, to the effect that His Majefty
had given it in command to his minifter refiding
here to difmifs the Lord Envoy with fuch degree
of honours in the fulleft manner in every refpect,
as had never hitherto fallen to the lot of any
minifter of the fame rank.
8. — The Eve ofthe Holy Apoftles, Peter and
Paul, was celebrated by the Mufcovites with
great feftivities. The Czarewicz had appointed
public prayers for the fafety of His Moft Serene
Father the Czar.
9. — The Mufcovites perform the annual
feftival of the Holy Apoftles, Peter and Paul,
and of the Czar, who was named Peter in
baptifm. The Czar's caftle of Ismailow, laid out moft

The Court of Mofcow. 25
agreeably for a fummer refidence, is furrounded
by a grove of trees, not thickly planted, but
growing to a prodigious height, and affording
an admirable refuge beneath the cool fhade of
their lofty and fpreading branches from the burn
ing heat of fummer. It pleafed the Lord Envoy
to go and fee the delightful neighbourhood of
this wood, to contemplate and enjoy the famous
charms of the place. Muficians followed to aid
the gentle whifperings of the woods and winds
with fweeter harmonies. The Czarine, the
Czarewicz, and the unmarried princeffes, enticed
by the gentle feafon of the year, were then flay
ing at that caftle, and they were fond of rambling
through the denfe thickets to the pleafant glades
of the foreft, and killing time in the fweet dif-
ports and forgetfulnefs of bufy repofe. It fo
happened that they were thus engaged at the
moment when the fweet fymphony of clarions
and reed inftruments gufhed in gentleft meafure
upon their ears, and made them ceafe awhile
from their occupation. The muficians grew
ambitious upon finding themfelves obferved, and
were giving fatisfaction to the obfervers, and
with moft graceful emulation they flrove one

26 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
with another who fhould bear off the palm in
witching with his fweet fkill, thefe ears Moft
Serene to longeft forgetfulnefs. They remained
a quarter of an hour, and praifed exceedingly the
fkill of all the muficians.
io. — A Lithuanian Catholic boy, feduced by
the Mufcovites, fled from our kitchen to a certain
Ruffian prince, to embrace the Ruffian religion,
in the hope of getting a wife, as they had pro-
mifed him upon that condition. Knes Repnin,*
Colonel of the Dragoons, f and his fervants,
ftung by fome gad-fly to frenzy, broke violently
in upon the city guard, and as he was on the
point of fnatching away the colours, the enfign
received him upon his pike in the moft creditable
manner. Several others were wounded in the
flrife on both fides.
n. — In the evening afire broke out not far
from Narefkin's houfe, and reduced to afhes a

* Prince Anikita Repnin, who was a conftant friend of Peter
the Great. He rofe to be a field-marlhal. The family is extinft
in the male line. — Transl.
f The Latin expreffion is, dimacharum prafectus. I fuppofe
the author mult mean dragoons, for dimachae, or Si^axoi, were
foldiers that fought both on foot and on horfeback, as dragoons
originally did. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 27
hundred and thirty houfes between poor and
handfome. 12. — Knes Boris Alexiowicz Galizin has
come back from the frontiers of Cafen and
Aftracan to Mofcow.
13. — The boy that lately ran away was fent
back by the Prime Minifter to the Lord Envoy.
During the Czar's abfence the Prime Minifter
was empowered to give the Czar's re-credentials
in the name and by the authority of His Majefty.
Of the reft of their cuflomary ceremonial hardly
anything was omitted by them. An apartment
was appointed in the Czar's caftle for the per
formance of this ceremonial. There was a
prijiaw, the Czar's Vice-Mafter of the Horfe,
with an interpreter, a fix-horfe coach of the
Czar's ; horfes gorgeoufly decked, as ufual, with
trappings of gold and filver, and a fquadron of
dragoons fwelled the cortege. Guards were
everywhere drawn up in long array, and waved
their colours, and prefented arms. The body
guards filled the court of the caftle, as far as the
veflibule of the firft apartment, Lieutenant-
Colonel de Colom, Meffieurs de Bach and
Erchel as Captains, performing their refpective

28 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
functions. A fon of the Boyar, along with
Diak Bofnikow, received the Lord Envoy at the
threfhold, and conducted him to his father.
When the re-credential letters were delivered, it
was explained what the one wifhed to be an
nounced to the Emperor, and what the other
wifhed to be announced to the Czar, and placing
a laft wreath, the Lord Envoy commended him-
felf, and all his fuite, the Imperial Miffionaries,
and the whole Catholic community to the benig
nity of the Czar. The Czar's good grace being
thereupon promifed to all by the Boyar, Diak
Bofnikow thus began : — " The Czar's Majefty
deigns all his grace to the Lord Envoy, and has
commanded that he fhall not only receive out of
his liberality the ufual letters, but alfo a prijiaw,
an efcort of foldiers, and potwoda, as far as the
confines of Mufcovy and Lithuania, and what
ever elfe he defires to his full fatisfaction. This
being over, the Lord Envoy handed the Czar's
re-credentials to the Secretary, and was led, with
the moft exquifite politenefs, by the Prime
Minifter and his fon, as far as the court, where
the foldiers ftood drawn up in array, and feated
himfelf with the prijiaw in the Czar's coach,

The Court of Mofcow. 29
before which the Secretary rode upon a gorgeous
fteed, bearing the Czar's re-credentials, wrapped
in red filk, brocaded with gold, held in fuch a
way as that everybody could fee them. Be-
fides the Czarewicz, the Dowager Czarine,
and other princeffes of the Czar's court, were
looking curioufly out of their windows, at our
entry into, and our exit from, the Kremlin
caftle. 14. — Came Diak Jacob Nikonow, having
heard of the complaints of fome of our people,
who had been uncivilly affronted lately by the
watch, and after previoufly examining the accufed
dragoons, condemned them all eight, notwith-
ftanding the fplendour of their birth — for they
were noble — to the penalty of the battok. By
order of the Czar the fentence was executed in
the Court of the Ambaffadorial Palace, the
number of blows with which they were to be
chaftifed was left to the arbitrement of thofe
to whom their evil ftars had led them to give
very ill-treatment.
A Czar's banquet, not inferior in opulence
and fplendour to that given to us before, was
carried to the Lord Envoy with the ufual folemn

30 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
ftate and proceffion of two hundred men. After
a fip of brandy, which was brought round in a
cup made of a precious flone, the firft toaft was
to the health of the Moft Auguft Emperor;
the fecond, that of the Moft Serene Czar ; the
third, of the Moft Serene King of the Romans ;
the fourth, the Czarewicz ; the fifth, the Lord
Envoy. The mutual wordy compliments of
the -prijiaw and of the Lord Envoy, confifted in
proteftations of fincere friendfhip.
15. — Thofe who had any part of care or
trouble in yefterday's Imperial banquet, confer
ence, and folemn difmiffal, ftood awaiting with
moft greedy hopes, the largefs of the Lord
Envoy, and received gifts in proportion to their
feveral functions.
16, 17, 18. — The Ruffians celebrated the
feftival of the Bleffed Virgin of Cafan. The
Mufcovites believe that the image which they
venerate under that name had always been fuf-
pended in the clouds, and was feen by the entire
Ruffian army that beleaguered Cafan, during the
whole time of the fiege ; but that after the city
was ftormed, the image fell from the fky to the
ground, and was with the utmoft reverence lifted

The Court of Mofcow. 31
up by the Ruffians, and has ever fince been held
in worfhip.
About evening came the head fcribe of the
Ambaffadorial Chancery, attended by many others
from the fame office, and diftributed the Czar's
prefents, confifting of fable furs, to the Lord
Envoy and the whole of his fuite.
19, 20. — Yefterday and to-day leave-taking
began ; farewell being bidden to all that were
familiar and intimate friends. Full-fize portraits
of their Imperial Majeflies, the Emperor and
Emprefs, of the Moft Serene King of the
Romans, and of the Moft Serene Archduke
Charles, were fent as a prefent to the Prime
Minifter, Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin.
21, 22. — Having performed the laft civility
of farewell vifits in the German Slowoda, we all
prepared for to-morrow's departure. The Lord
Envoy has been feveral times invited by the
Prime Minifter to a feat of his called Filli, fome
werfts diftant from Mofcow.
At four miles diftant from Mofcow the Grand
Swedifh Embaffy lay, awaiting the order for
entering the city. For their fuitable lodging
there- was affigned a houfe formerly inhabited

32 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
by popes, and commonly called das Pfaffen-
Haus.

RETURN OF THE IMPERIAL LEGATION
FROM MUSCOVY TO VIENNA.
July 23. — Although no fuch practice br
cuftom be in force in any European Court, as
accompanying the departure of the Minifters of
foreign Princes with a public folemnity and
extraordinary exhibition of pomp ; fo that for
ages it had come to be confidered a ufelefs ex-
penfe of public honours to wait on their departure
with ftate or fplendour ; neverthelefs the Court
of Ruffia departed in our time by a contrary
ufage from this general fentiment, honouring
Mr. de Printz, Envoy Extraordinary of the
Elector of Brandenburgh (as an efpecial friendly
diftinction, in order to exhibit more abundantly
the fraternal bonds lately confirmed between the
two princes), with the fame ftate ceremonial at
his departure as that with which they received
him on his arrival, and had thought fit to accom
pany his entry into their walls. The like was

The Court of Mofcow. 33
intimated to the Lord Envoy alfo, after the cere
monial of giving him his re-credentials. He
indeed fet himfelf againft this novel and unufual
method of demonftrative friendfhip ; but it was
labour in vain. After his multifarious objec
tions, the commands of His Majefty the Czar
were brought back, directing that the Lord
Envoy fhould be difmiffed with fuch honours as
had never fallen to the lot of any minifter before
him. So after duly providing by folemn proteft,
that the Mufcovites fhould not pretend to make
thefe unufual ceremonies a precedent at the Em
peror's Court, he left it to their own free will to
diftinguifh his departure with whatever honours
they might choofe. Now, it was in no par
ticular different from the handfome ceremonial
which they had appointed for our entry. There
were fquadrons of the new cavalry ; detachments
of the Hght troops, a moft gorgeous coach of the
Czar'i and horfes glittering with new trappings
of gold and filver and gems, awaited the Lord
Envoy;s officials. Along with the Lord Envoy,
their fate in the coach a prijiaw in ordinary, as
well as the interpreter, and they were to conduct
him as far as the place where fifteen months ago
VOL. II. D *

34 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
the ceremonial of reception had been folemnly
gone through.
Through the leading ftreets of the city, every
where befet by a countlefs throng of men, we
reached the banks of the river of Mofcow. The
croffing was not quite exempt from danger, for
the bridge was only in the middle of the ftream,
and did not reach the bank at either fide ; fo that
the afcent and defcent were of no little difficulty.
But the dangers of fuch ill-made bridges feems
little or nothing to the Mufcovites, though they
fwallow up no few people that are deceived by
the unexpected declivity. Jemfka Slowoda (the
coachmen's fuburb) occupies the further bank.
The prijiazv's attendance was limited to the
bounds of this fuburb. Here the coach flopped,
the prijiaw bade farewell, and capped the adopted
ceremonial with the laft compliments. The noble
eftate of the Prime Minifter and Boyar, Lord
Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin, called Filli, is only
feven werfts diftant from Mofcow. He had
fome days previoufly invited the Lord Envoy, at
his departure, to a dinner, which he got up there
in moft fplendid ftyle. Scarcely was the ceremo
nial at an end, when one of the officials of that

The Court of Mofcow. 35
Boyar, who was fent by his mafter to fhow the
way to the eftate, prelented himfelf, politely
begging that the Lord Envoy would deign to
follow him. Thus with the whole train and
baggage, which was carried by ninety potwoda,
he left the high road efcorted by the reprefenta-
tives of foreign minifters and feveral officers of
the Czar's army. So great were the compliments
of the guefls upon entering the place, which was
for the moft part thronged with the principal
Germans, that you might have thought they were
contending for a prize. There was a great and
general ftudioufnefs of friendfhip ; fovereign was
the emulation of many to exprefs with greater
force the integrity of their feelings, till at length
the fummons to the coftly banquet that was
ferved brought back the guefls to themfelves.
Except the Prime Minifter and his kinfman, and
our ufual interpreter, Mr. Schwerenberg, no
Ruffian gueft was there. The Germans, in
numbers, were invited inftead of them. The
following was the order of the feats after the
Lord Envoy : the Envoy of Denmark, General
de Gordon, the Brandenburgh Refident, Adam
Weyd; the Imperial Colonel of Artillery de

36 lhe Diary of an Ambaffador at
Grage, Colonel James Gordon ; Colonel Acchen-
ton ;* the Imperial Miffionary, John Berula ;
the Czar's doctor, Carbonari ; Guafconi, a Ca
tholic merchant ; Wolff, Brand, and Lips, non-
Catholic merchants ; mixed among whom there
alfo fat eight of the Lord Envoy's officials. The
banquet was not inferior to Royal fumptuoufnefs,
nor was it cooked in the Ruffian fafhion, but well
dreffed to the German tafte. The rare profufion
of viands, the coftlinefs of the gold and filver
plate, the variety and exquifitenefs of the bever
ages, befpoke plainly the near blood-relation of
the Czar.f After dinner there was an archery
match : nobody was excufed becaufe of the exer-
cife being ftrange to him, or for his want of fkill
in a matter to which he was unaccuftomed. A
fheet of paper ftuck in the ground was the butt.
The Prime Minifter perforated it feveral times,
amidft general applaufe. As the rain drove us
from this moft pleafant exercife, we retired again
to the apartments of the Boyar. Narefkin,
taking the Lord Envoy by the hand, led him to
* Acchintown, or Auchindown, an ancient caftle and feat of
the Gordons in Scotland.
f Narefkin's fifter was the Czarine, mother of Peter I.

The Court of Mofcow. 37
his wife's chamber to falute and be faluted. There
is no higher mark of honour among the Ruffians.
He is honoured in the higheft degree whom the
hufband invites to embrace his wife, and to re
ceive the extreme compliment of a fip of brandy
from her hand. Nor fhould I pafs unmentioned
the liberality which the Boyar exhibited in his gift
of a coftly peliffe of fables to the Lord Envoy.
Yet this munificence was not altogether devoid
of fome thought of his own advantage. For the
Boyar labouredly fought an occafion of moving
difcourfe, and calling to remembrance the honours
of the day, when the Moft Auguft Emperor's
clemency diftinguifhed Bafil Kirilowicz Galizin,
who held the firft place of authority in Mufcovy
fourteen years ago, fending him a coach by Mr.
Kurz. Eager, no doubt, that the Emperor
fhould exhibit equal condefcenfion to him who
ambitioufly occupies the fame place and office at
prefent. Whither tended the atrocious threats
againft Diak Bafil Bofnikow, that there was no
fcarcity of cudgels to chaflife his impertinence
towards him ? Certainly this was meant to
mollify the Lord Envoy, who was querulous
about this Diak's rude manners, and to make fair

38 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
fail for the object of his ambition by the Lord
Envoy's favourable report. But he loft his oil
and his labour, when, after General Gordon
having already occupied the feat of honour, he
invited the Imperial Envoy to get into his coach,
that he might conduct him to another eftate of his
two werfts further on. Yet the man was rather
to be pardoned for his fimplicity than reprehended
for craftinefs ; and fo he was horror- ftricken when
the Lord Envoy faid: "You poftppne the Im
perial Envoy to General Gordon ! " While he
was feeking to remedy this, the Imperial Envoy
got into his own carriage, and fo drove off with
the reft to that eftate. Receiving his guefls there
with much politenefs, the proprietor pointed out
his conveniences for the chafe on an adjacent hill
that was fludded with little thickets, and floped
with a gentle declivity into a valley ; and he
fought to win back the offended fpirit of the Lord
Envoy by the offer of two fporting dogs, which
he warranted capital. After tarrying for a brief
fpace here, thanks were given and farewell bidden
not only to the Boyar, but to all the guefls pre
fent and above-named. Colonel Gordon's main
tafk was to excufe his father of the offence

The Court of Mofcow. 39
received in his perfon from the Boyar. Colonel
de Grage and the Czar's doctor, Carbonari, fol
lowed our tents three werfts further. — Beneath
the open fky, under canvas, we paffed the night.
But as a fcarcity of water was apparent, the Lord
Envoy not unjuftly inveighed againft the Czar's
prijiaw, for it was incumbent on him to have
provided againft fuch circumftances. Although
there was no inn near, flill we were not afflicted
with any fcarcity of eatables or drinkables. Nor
did we ever experience fuch barren days as thofe
eight continuous days that Wickart details in his
"Mufcovite Itinerary," fol. 126. People may
take the blame to themfelves who do not make
provifion of what is neceffary from place to place.
Perhaps in that inftance it was nothing but parfi-
mony, under the cloak of economy, that had
introduced failing.
24. — After folemn leave-taking on both fides,
thofe returned to Mofcow, who, as I have already
faid, accompanied us to the field and to our
tents ; and we too fpeedily flarted on an op-
pofite. route, and came at dinner hour to Pir-
gufcowa, a village belonging to Knes Ivan
Bafilowicz. After dinner, paffing the village of

40 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
Vefonka, which belongs to Prince Boris Alexio
wicz, we went on fome miles further through
rough and broken ways, and over many little
bridges between, to our night's refting place in
the woods. Oats were bought in that village ;
for they are not to be had in every place. This
prince has built at his own coft a handfome
church, at the further fide of the ftream that
flows through the place, which is no mean orna
ment. This prince had fent forward one of his
officials to furnifh all that the Lord Envoy or
his whole fuite might need ; but he did not
meet us becaufe we did not flop there.
25. — By Kuckliza Lararega to Scoloma Brach-
entfka, where we dined. This place belongs to
the Stolnok (that is, noble) Ianow. Here a
furgeon that we brought with us, a great boafter
of his fkill, fhowed himfelf in a difpute with
one of the ferfs, more anxious about oil for the
wheels than about that of rofes. On our even
ing drive through the forefts feveral white hares
were feen — the Lord Envoy fent a ball through
one, a difh for to-morrow's dinner. Not far
from Mofaifko, in a glaffy glade of the foreft,
fupper was prepared, and we flept.

The Court of Mofcow. 41
26. — We arrived early at the city of Mofaifko.*
Saint Nicholas is revered as patron there. For
merly the Mufcovite Czars were in the habit of
coming to this neighbourhood, laying afide the
cares of ftate, and recreating themfelves with
the chafe, efpecially of white hares, of which
there are great quantities hereabouts. But the
prefent Autocrat of Ruffia, never, or hardly
ever, indulges in the chafe, by the various kinds
of which his predeceffors ufed to divide the
feafons of the year. This fortrefs and wooden
town are diftant eighteen German miles from
Mofcow ; and here provifion was made of a
change of potwoda — the fame in number as at
Mofcow. After fifteen werfts we paffed the
night in the foreft.
27. — Dinner in the foreft alfo, clofe to the
village of Oftrofchock ; but our afternoon jour
ney was very difagreeable from the fwamps,
dykes, and little bridges. All the carriages
would flick fo as hardly to be got along, fo that
we had to remain on the road till midnight,

* In the neighbourhood of Mofailk, which is a pretty little
town of 1,500 fouls, was fought in 1812, the great battle of the
Borodino. — Transl.

42 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
for the lightly burdened had been fent on in
advance to look out for a convenient place for
our night halt; and heedlefs of the difficulty
of the road, which they did not feel, they had
gone on too far. Two horfes that fome of
our company would have follow us loofe were
loft in the darknefs of the night ; one that was
fent off to inquire about them only brought
back indications of their having been flolen.
At laft we had fupper in a foreft on the banks
of a ftream.
28. — Paffing through Biala Kabaka, where
capital beer was found, we dined near the vil
lage of Waffeiniz Czariwa, which Wickart calls
Sumiefchne Tzariwa, others pronounce Seg-
meftia Tzariovoa. The founder of this place
was Ivan Bafilowicz,* whofe reign began in
1533, and who, after a tyranny of fifty-one

* Ivan IV., ftyled the Cruel, or, as the Ruffians fometimes
prefer to call him, the Terrible, who was a fuitor in 1579 for the
hand of Queen Elizabeth of England. He eftablilhed in 1 568
the fovereign's body guard, called the Strelitz, which for repeated
feditions and treafonable confpiracies, under Peter the Great, was
abolifhed with the fanguinary vengeance detailed in this Diary ;
and which has no parallel fo ftriking as the maffacre in 1826 of
the Janiflaries, with whom the Strelitz had fo many other points
of refemblance, as has been frequently remarked. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 43
years, perifhed miferably in the year 1584. The
village now belongs to the Boyar Bucchin, by
gift of the Czar. The laft Czar built a new
church here. There are feven bells there that
chime like an organ ; they rang out in honour of
the Lord Envoy when he was paffing through.
Fifteen werfts further on we fupped in the
foreft. 29. — We arrived by an exceffively rough road
to Viafma, a wooden town and caftle of con-
fiderable fize. The then Woivode was one of
the Bucchins ; * he would admit none of our
people into the city ; infifting upon a mandate
of Czar Michael Feodorowicz, that has grown
quite obfolete in the modern ftate of things, or
quite abolifhed. Here was the fecond change
of potwoda, and the firft of the foldiers to whom,
becaufe they belonged to Gordon's regiment,
the Lord Envoy gave fome imperials. The
river Hugra wafhes this city, after croffing which
we paffed the bridge called the Mile-and-half
Bridge. Indeed, almoft the whole way from
Vefonka to the fortrefs of Smolenfko is difficult,
* Bucchin, probably Pouchkin. — Transl.

44 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
on account of the countlefs and exceedingly long
bridges. We fupped in the foreft.
30. — We arrived at Semblowa at dinner hour.
The Ruffians were celebrating the feaft of Saint
Elias. They alleged as the reafon for this fef
tival, that for three years and fix months con-
tinuoufly no rain had fallen in that part of Muf
covy, and that God at length granted it to their
prayers on that day. In the evening arrived
at Tfchowodofelo, which Wickart calls Scho-
bodognia. How inhuman and un tractable the
Mufcovites fhow themfelves at times, the follow
ing occurrence will teach. We had a carriage
broken ; a peafant was called to mend it, and
taking it as an omen of the worft, he jumped
into the water, threatening with his drawn knife
to defend himfelf againft anybody that would
attempt to take him out.
31- — The Lord Envoy's birthday fell out
to-day. Having fuitably performed our con
gratulations — after paffing the Bafilean Monaf-
tery, called Bogdin — we refrefhed ourfelves with
dinner outfide the village of Madilowa, on the
Boryfthenes. Three noble brothers are lords of
this village. They refufed to repair the bridge

The Court of Mofcow. 45
over the Boryfthenes at their own coft until the
Lord Envoy threatened to denounce them to
the Czar's Majefty, and hinted the penalty of
hanging, or knout-flogging, that would be the
infallible confequence. The ferocity of the
brothers vanifhed at hearing of fuch horrid
punifhments, and becoming vaftly mild they
proffered milk, and did all that was in their
power to repair the bridge. We flipped out
fide the city of Drogobufa, which lies on the
bank of the Boryfthenes. The deep river
Hugra rifes not far from this town in a foreft,
and flows into the Occa between Kalouga and
Vorotinfk. This river formerly divided Lithu
ania from Ruffia. One of the return potwoda
(for here we had the third change of potwoda)
Hole a fack of oats and harnefs from another,
but, being caught in the fact, received as the
penalty of his difhonefty an abundant thwacking
of battoks.
August 1. — The prijiaw leaving the ufual
road brought us by a fhort cut. After paffing
the monaftery of Wefukol, fituated upon a
high hill, we prepared dinner in a foreft, and

46 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
flipped clofe by the river Wob, which it took
us till midnight to crofs. The Lord Envoy
received a prefent of fifh from a noble ftaroft of
a neighbouring village.
2. — We halted for dinner in a vaft open
plain at the village of Moeft ; our journey in
the evening was incommoded ,by a thunder-
florm, and we fpread our tents on a beauteous
flat on a lofty hill in the foreft.
3. — We were ferioufly admonifhed by an
indifpofition of the Lord Envoy to ftrike our
tents later than ufual. As we travelled on,
medicines had to be prepared, and the malady
was on the increafe ; when, at dinner-time, we
arrived at Smolenfko. This city, the metropolis
of the Duchy of Smolenfko, feated upon the
bank of the Boryfthenes, poffeffes a citadel built
of oaken timbers, in the midft of which there -is
a. church, dedicated to the Holy Virgin, built
upon a rock. The city itfelf lies in a valley
cinctured on every fide with hills and vaft forefls.
The Lord Envoy was received in the mofl
honourable way outfide the gate by a frefh
prijiaw and two companies of foldiers, who
accompanied his coach to his lodging, for which

The Court of Mofcow. 47
a houfe fuitable to his rank was affigned. After
everybody had inftalled himfelf in his room, the
fecretary was fent to the Woivode Peter Samuelo-
wicz Soltikow to announce our arrival, and per
form the other ceremonies of falutation. He,
in return, fent a moft polite meffage of wifhes
for our health, and faid that he would call to-day
on the Lord Envoy, if he did not believe it
might incommode him, as he had heard he was
rather indifpofed.
4. — But to omit nothing which could be ex
pected from the politefl of men, he deputed his
own fon, eight years old, to make particular
inquiries about the Lord Envoy's ftate of health.
The Lord Envoy, however, having fomewhat
recovered his ftrength, went off to return the
very great civility of this gentleman, with no lefs
promptitude to the Woivode, along with his fon,
to give and receive in turn tokens of true mutual
friendfhip. t. — Here was the fourth change of potwoda.
Cuftomarily another priftaw, too, is appointed ;
but as the Lord Envoy, in anfwer to the Woi-
vode's inquiry, whether he would prefer the
fame priftaw, or a frefh one, faid that he would

48 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
prefer the offices of the former, as he knew him
already ; — he was not changed. His name was
Alexi Michita Lichoni. Everything being ar
ranged we quitted Smolenfko, and paffed that
night in a meadow.
6. — We arrived in the plain before the vil
lage of Dolftihi at dinner hour. One of the
officials was fent forward from this place with
letters for the Governor of Kadzin, to beg he
would have the goodnefs to aid that official in
collecting carters. We flept that night clofe to
Tohufoff. 7. — We arrived at the Mufcovite village,
called by fome Richena, and by others Gre-
gorwfki. Outfide this village, near Kadzin,
a namelefs rivulet marks the frontier between
Lithuania and Mufcovy. When lately, in the
year 1 6 1 4, negotiations for peace were going on
between thefe two moft puiffant nations, a houfe
was built over this rivulet, in which the ambaffa
dor of either country fat within his own territory.
Here the priftaw and the potwoda bade farewell,
and in their ftead we found carters, to whom we
were to pay two imperials for every horfe to
bring our baggage to Mohilow. There were

The Court of Mofcow. 49
twenty of them in all ; fixteen from Richena and
four from Kadzin. The Lord Envoy went by
invitation to the governor of this frontier town,
having fent him a handfome prefent previoufly.
As we were pitching our tents in the fields
outfide of Kadzin, the governor fent us fifh.
8. — The bridges, and the frequency of fteep
hills gave much trouble and labour with the
carts, which were heavily laden. We arrived
outfide the city of Hori about noon ; after
wards, paffing Gratfchma* and Krug Bern (they
call their inns Krug), we flipped in Kirojetfcha.
But ceafelefs rain forced us to abandon our tents,
and betake ourfelves to the fmoky dens of the
nifties. 9. — At Schivanni we refted in the foreft
about noon. Here the Governor of Sclovia,
Mr. John Modlock, a native of Dantzick, re
turning from his eftate to Sclovia, vifited the
Lord Envoy, who flept that night beyond Stano-
wicz, in the fields.
10. — At a mile from Mohilow we had to
* A corruption of Karfzmat, pronounced Karshmat, the local
name for the vile Polifh ale-houfes, the only inns out of the great
towns, and dens of matchlefs filth. — Transl.
vol. ii. F

^o The Diary of an Ambaffador at
crofs the Boryfthenes, the paffing of which occu
pied three hours. Count Bergamini, Captain of
Irregular horfe (equitum defultoriorum magifter),
who had come into Mufcovy in our time, but
to no purpofe, and who had come back to his
foldiers without feeing the Czar, was the firft
to falute the Lord Envoy. A major and a com
pany of foldiers, by command of General de
Beift, received the Lord Envoy with proper
refpect on the farther bank of the river, and
efcorted him all the way to Mohilow.
General de Beift, after our arrival had been
duly notified to him, fent his greetings through
his regimental auditor, announcing that he would
call in perfon. But his vifit was politely de
clined, and the meeting put off on both fides till
the morrow. Meanwhile, a corporal and eight
men were fent for our guard.
n. — Next day we infpected the new Jefuits'
church at Mohilow, and another belonging to
the Carmelites. The Bernardines,* too, have
a monaftery, and the Bafileans an immenfe

* A branch of the Francifcan order is called fo in Poland, as
I am informed. — Transl.

The Court of Mqfcozv. 51
abbey. Of one of the Bernardines who took
occafion to beg an alms of us, the following
flory was told : That this monk was formerly
not a Catholic, that he had long made up his
mind to embrace our orthodox faith, which gave
the evangelicals who were flaying there occafion
to traduce the good man's intentions, that finally
impatient of being teafed any longer he at laft
anfwered fomebody : " I will not become a
Catholic, but a Bernardine ; " as if that order
were not comprehended in the Catholic religion.
The Lord Envoy dined with General de Beift,
and gave him two Aftracan fheep, rare animals
in thefe regions. Eighteen horfes were got
together, for each of which we paid five imperials
for taking us as far as the city of Minfk.
12. — We dined in the town of Knafchiz,
where the Dominicans venerate an image of the
Mother of God, copied after the miraculous
image of Tfceflochov.* In the evening we

* Czenftochow, or Czgftochow, or Czenftochau, in Ruffian
Poland, clofe to the frontiers of Pruflian Silefia. A renowned
place of pilgrimage, where there is an image of the Mother of
God, which was crowned as Queen of Poland, in the 17th cen
tury, by King John Caffimir. — Transl.

$2 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
halted at Halawzi, a village of which General
Slufki is lord.
13. — Travelling through Ceerin, we arrived
at Paulowicz at dinner time. This place be
longs to Oginfki. Some of his domeftics that
were fetting out along with us to Warfaw, with
a great number of dogs, affeverated that they had
taken fifty bears in that diftrict. In the evening
it was raining, when we entered Ilia.
14. — Paffing through the town of Bober, fo
called from the river Bober that flows pafl it,
we refrefhed ourfelves with dinner in Krupke.
The cold to-day was fo great, that fome of our
folk were not afhamed to put on furs.* Paffed
through Nafhot, and flipped in Lofchniz.
15. — We made our midrday halt at Borif-
fowa, where there is a long bridge : the river
Berezina, by the inhabitants called Breifen, cut
ting up the land repeatedly with its windings
and turns. The townsfolk were celebrating the
dedication of the church. Hence, the Secretary,
* The Poles have an old jelling proverb, to the effeft that one
fhould wear fur until St. John's day (24th June), and not put
them off after it : which is tantamount to faying that in their
climate furs muft be worn the whole year round. The Ruffians,
indeed, wear them often travelling, even in fummer. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 53
going to fpeak to the Procurator of the College
of Minfk, who was then there, found feveral
noble guefls of both fexes at the parifh prieft's.
The fame river waters the village of Berwiz,
which we paffed, and we halted that night in
the town of Sodin, which others call Boguflaw.
1 6. — Dinner in Schmolowiz ; thence by a
road, in fome places bad, and in others eafy,
we arrived in Gratfchma Horodziffeze, where
we prepared flipper.
17. — We arrived at the city of Minfk, in
which the Jefuits, the Dominicans, the Fran-
cifcans, the Bernardines, have their colleges and
monafleries. The river Suiflowiz interfects the
city, and flows into the fea at Riga. So defo-
lated by war, and feveral conflagrations, in this
place, that though formerly rich in merchandife,
it has now but few fhops to ftiow.
18. — Here we tarried while the carriages,
which on our journey into the country we were
obliged, on account of the badnefs of the roads,
to leave behind us, with the fathers of the fociety,
were repaired and loaded again. The Superior
of the Jefuits and his focius dined with us by
invitation. Our hoftefs, whofe father was bur-

54 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
gomafter (confulatum tenebat), was honoured in
the fame way.
19. — Setting on the afternoon, we got as far
as Viafen, paffing through Molfchgabiz.
20. — Through the city of Goudanow to Pala-
gniawiz, and after dinner went to Gratfchma
Safiulle. 21. — At Schokobora we croffed the river
Niemen, an arm of which had flooded more than
a mile of the road, and converted the flimy foil
into a fwamp. One of the coachmen plumped
unexpectedly into a hole, upfetting the carriage ;
and it could not be got out for a long time, — fo
that the water got into the trunks and their
precious contents. Afterwards we went on to
Mira, which belongs to Radziwil.
22. — On account of our mifhap in the water
yefterday, we remained here.
23. — We fet out after dinner, and arrived at
the Gratfchma,* or hoftelry, called Wolna.
24. — We comforted ourfelves with dinner in
the city of Stolowiz, a place poffeffing a Loreto
chapel as well as its parifh church. The church
* Recle Karzmatt, the Polifli name for the rude filthy cara-
<vanferais of that country. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 55
is ferved by a Provoft and two Vicars. There
is a yearly fair here after St. Bartholomew's
day. Paffing through Neumofch, we got on
to Poloncka, where there is a Dominican Mo-
naflery, and flopped for the night.
25. — Paffing Gratfchma Takimlowiz, we ar
rived at the city of Slonim : here there are
both Dominicans and Jefuits. After dinner, as
we were going off, we were oppofed by a fwarm
of bees that had fwarmed out on the high road,
and had lately killed a horfe and ftung many
people in the face and hands. They were kept
at bay with fire, and everybody ran paft the place
as faft as he poffibly could. At nightfall we
arrived at Gratfchma Schmelnize. A river
called the Ruida flows paft this inn.
26. — We arrived early at Rofana, and heard
mafs at the Uniat Ruthenians. A fon of General
Sapieha was then refiding at this place, and he
not only fent us a guard of eight foldiers, but
alfo handfomely entertained the Lord Envoy
at dinner. In this city Jew carters were col
lected, with whom we bargained for fix im
perials for each horfe to bring our baggage to
Warfaw.

$6 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
27. — After dinner we ftarted for Lifkowa,
where we remained for the night.
28. — Dinner in the inn at Stoteniki, and fupper
in the village of Jalowka.
29. — Dinner clofe by the river Nareff, in a
town of the fame name. Supped in Klenick.
30. — After getting over a mile of road, we
came to Drefdianka, where the depth of the
water, — the bridge being broken down, — denied
us paffage ; in confequence of which we had to
take the road by Lochniza, and fo we dined in
the royal city of Bilfeck. Bzanifki is ftaroft
for General Sapieha. Befides a monaftery of
Uniat Bafilians there, the Carmelites, too, have
a foundation of forty thoufand Polifh florins :
the Polifh florin is worth fix pfennings.* A
peafant wanted to force one of the Grooms of
the Chamber, who went forward with the Jew
carters, to pay the tolls, though it was no bufinefe
whatever of his ; and the fellow's audacity went
fo far as to try with oftentatious violence to drag
about a horfe and to draw a piftol from the

» The Polifh florin, ftill current in Ruffian Poland, amounts
alfo to fixpence Englifh ; and is about the fourth of the value of
the German florin. — Transl.

The Court of Mofcow. 57
holfter. But when he perceived that the Am
baffador and the reft of the train were coming up,
he tried to fave himfelf^ bv running away. The
blackfmith followed him, and unhorfed him with
his lance, and brought the peafant's horfe with
him into the city, as a piece de convitlion, the
fellow himfelf having got away. The fellow
belonged to a canon, who with the greateft
politenefs begged pardon for the exceeding info-
lence committed by his ferf. When the peafant
was fent to the Lord Envoy for chaftifement, he
pardoned him the outrage, moved by the kind-
nefs of the canon, who interceded for him. At
night we came to the city of Bodki, — others
write Bodfki : a little, winding river of the fame
name runs paft this place.
31. — Half a mile beyond Bodki we entered
the boundaries of Mafbvia. The inhabitants are
a dangerous race, gaping thievifhly at what
belongs to other folk, and notorious for night
marauders and robberies.* Dinner in the inn at
Mironowfki. Towards evening we arrived at
the Buck (Bog), a river of immenfe width,
* "Natio periculofa, alienis furtive inhians, nofturnifque
graffatoribus, et latrociniis nota." — Orig.

58 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
the city of Granada being on the right bank,
and on the left that of Kremeniz, where we
paffed that night, after getting fafely acrofs the
river. September i. — At Semkowa for dinner;
Wenkenow, where we bought oats ; and, after
fording the river Liba, arrived at the town of
that name.
2. — On the road we met the train of General
Carlowiz, who was going to Mofcow again.
He was taking miners with him. Dined in
the town of Dobre. Paffing through Stanif-
lowa we flipped in the inn at Michalowa.
3. — At ten o'clock to-day we reached Praga,
on the Viftula. The width of the river ren
dered the paffage difficult ; it took three hours
to get acrofs. Warfaw, the capital of the Kings
of Poland, flands upon the oppofite bank. All
the Polifh magnates and the ambaffadors of
crowned heads live in palaces in the fuburbs.
We put up at an inn in the ftreet they call
Cracow Street. General Carlowiz called on the
Lord Envoy.
4. — The moft eminent Cardinal Radziowfki,

The Court of Mofcow. 59
and the moft illuftrious lord, Monfignor Avia,
the Nuncio Apoftolic, were notified of our
arrival through the fecretary. It was, more
over, intimated to the former that the Lord
Envoy was the bearer of letters of the King of
Perfia for his Majefty the King, and that in the
King's abfence he would deliver them to his
Eminence, as Primate of this kingdom.* The
Lord Envoy honoured the Apoftolic Nuncio
with the firft vifit ; and he returned it with no
lefs promptitude in the afternoon. The Lord
Envoy was alfo vifited by Baron de Blumberg,
who was formerly affociated with Mr. Zierowfki,
Imperial ambaffador to the Court of Mofcow.
Father Conrad, a Carmelite, about to go back
to Perfia, whence he returned a few years ago,
alfo had the politenefs to call.
5. — The Lord Envoy vifited Baron de Blum
berg and General Carlowiz. He was called
* The Primate of Poland, Archbifhop of Gnefen and Pofen,
was the higheft dignitary of the old Polifh kingdom. He en
joyed the privilege of wearing fcarlet like a Cardinal ; and was,
•virtute officii, Regent of the kingdom, with the title of Inter-
Rex, during vacancies of the throne ; and, during the period of
inter-Regency, laid claim to the ftyle of Moft Serene, which,
however, the kings of France denied even to the crowned kings
of Poland. — Transl,

60 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
away to the moft eminent Cardinal Radziowfky
to give him the Perfian letters. We ftrolled
to amufe ourfelves to the Lubomirfki garden,
the bath of which is much praifed for its beauty
and art. The hermitage there is fo artiftically
conftrufted that I muft not pafs it over in
filence. 6. — The Lord Envoy went to dine at the
Apoftolic Nuncio's. Letters written from Muf
covy fince we left arrived, telling of a great
conflagration that broke out in the city the
fame day as the grand Swedifh Embaffy was
brought in in folemn ftate. The Palace of
the Ambaffadors, that of General Schachin,
Prince Galizin's, with feveral more befides,
and fifteen thoufand houfes, were burnt to
the ground ; and the letters told how amidft
the general difmay the Danifh Envoy had
fled to Mr. Adam Weyd's, how the Swedes
were brought to the late General Lefort's
wooden palace beyond the Taufa, how eight
incendiaries had been caught, and that two of
them, popes, confefs that the Strelitz were the
originators of the fire, and would never be at
reft until all Mofcow lay in alhes. Louis de

The Court of Mofcow. 61
Buchan, who was recently fent to the Czar, came
back to-day from Mufcovy.
7- — The fecretary was fent to the Apoftolic
Nuncio to tell him the news that came yefter-
day of the great fire in Mofcow. The late
King's* body embalmed lay flill provifionally at
the Capuchins ; we went to fee it, and alfo the
rooms which he had built in the monaftery of
thofe fathers, in order to retire there from time
to time from public cares for a brief fpace.
The Mufcovite refident delivered to the Lord
Envoy letters from the Czar to the Emperor.
They announced that a miffion had been fent to
Conftantinople, and requefted of the Emperor
to interpofe his friendly and fraternal offices in the
negotiations for peace that were to be refumed.
8. — Not far from the church dedicated to
the Holy Crofs there is a chapel called the
Mufcovite Chapel, becaufe it was built by two
Czars that were made prifoners in days of yore,
and buried there. About evening the Nuncio
Apoftolic baptifed a fon of Prince Seuterizki.f

* John III., the chivalrous Sobiefki. — Transl.
f Probably the name here difguifed by the old fecretary's odd
orthography fhould be Czartoriski. — Transl.

62 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
A quarrel arofe from fome trifling caufe on the
bank of the Viflula, and the Poles, mobbed
together in countlefs numbers, maffacred three
Saxon foldiers in a pitiable way with ftones and
flicks. 9. — A Jew baptifed at the Church of Holy
Crofs ; the fponfors were Cardinal Radziowfki
and the wife of the Grand Chancellor of Lithu
ania. The neophyte received the name of
Michael. The Nuncio Apoftolic fet out on a
vifitation of the religious houfes in Lithuania.
1 o. — The Mufcovite refident vifited the Lord
Envoy. 11.- — We procured horfes, for which we are to
pay eightpence per mile each. The head carter's
name is Rolant, who being elated beyond what
he ought, was the caufe of our leaving later
than we intended. We halted for the night in
Bulow. 12. — We flopped in Uffudar precifely at
noon, and in the evening in the eity of Amfce-
now. 13. — Dined in the village of Pabfki, and
paffed through the town of Rawa to Kaminfka,
where we flipped.

The Court of Mofcow. 63
14- — Dined in Lafchifka, bought oats in
Velbor, flipped in Petrikow. In Velbor fome
of the fervants fell into a difpute with a Pole ;
but the Pole, being ftruck in the face, ran away
and gave up the conteft.
15. — Dined in Caminfka, flipped in Ra-
dumfki. 16. — Dinner in Zaporowa, flipper in the
city of Jfcheftokow.* The monaftery here is
enclofed with a very ftrong wall, and is always
garrifoned with Polifh troops. Monks of the
order of St. Paul inhabit it. Their provincial,
a man advanced in years, received the Lord
Envoy with extreme politenefs, and, introducing
him to the richly-provided pharmacy of the
monaftery, prefented him with Hungarian wine.
17. — Out of particular devotion to the Mother
of God we performed our devotions here ; for
there is a miraculous image of the Moft Bleffed
Virgin venerated here, which ftill retains fears
and marks upon the face which were made by a
peafant with a whip, and is renowned for numbers

* Czenftochow, near the frontier of Pruffian Silefia, a place of
pilgrimage ftill greatly frequented. — Transl.

64 The Diary of an Ambaffador at
of miracles. It was given by Ladiflaus, Duke of
Oppeln. Afterwards we infpected the treafury
of the church, which is exceedingly rich in relics.
There is a veil (velum) of St. Philip Neri; a
miraculous crofs that belonged to St. Charles
Borromeo, which is very efficacious in cafes of
obfeffion. In our prefence an obfeded woman
bellowed horribly during mafs. Starting again
after dinner we flipped in Caminiza.
18. — We flopped for dinner in Turenberg,
and for flipper in Tarnoberg.
19. — There are two Jefuit miffionaries here ;
and alfo the firft imperial polling flation, of which
the Lord Envoy availed himfelf to go on be
fore us to Vienna. We followed in his track
after dining, and reached Klawiz late that
evening. 20. — In Rauda there is a monaftery of Cif-
tercians. We dined there, and flipped in the
town of Ratibor, which is watered by the Oder,
and half a mile before which there is an unufu-
ally long bridge built over a fwamp.
2 1 • — At dinner hour we arrived in Troppau,
which belongs to Prince Liechtenftein ; and halted
in the evening at Derefchdorff.

The Court of Mofcow. 65
22. — Paffing through the town of Hoft, we
dined in Berna, and flipped in Olmutz.
23. — On account of an eclipfe we did not fet
out until it had ceafed to darken the heavens.
So, as we only left in the afternoon, we halted
at Teifchniza.
24. — Paffed through the town of Wifhau, and
had dinner prepared in the village of Raufniz, a
place belonging to His Excellency the Count von
Kauniz. When dinner was over we prepared
to fet out ; but a dangerous riot that arofe
between our train and the Jews that lived in that
village detained us beyond an hour ; a ftone
thrown by a Jew knocked out the right eye of
one of the grooms of the chamber. Several on
both fides were injured.
25. — That evening the fecretaryfet off to give
a full account of the riot above-mentioned to the
Lord Envoy Extraordinary ; and took the poft
at Nickolburg in order to gain time. But the
reft of the fuite had dinner in that town, and
flipped in Kezelfdorff.
26. — Dined in Wolckerfdorff ; flipped in
Stamerfdorff. 27. — From thence we arrived fafely in Vienna.
VOL. II. F

A COMPENDIOUS DESCRIPTION
OF THE
PERILOUS REVOLT OF THE
STRELITZ IN MUSCOVY.

REVOLT OF THE STRELITZ.
— •»*>¦¦
By a common fport of fortune it very often
happens that when a friend would extinguifh the
houfes of his neighbours which the flames are
devouring, his own is involved in the fame peril.
And fo it is not without reafon that we deplore
a calamity that may befal ourfelves as often as
Ucalegon hard- by is on fire.
Everybody knows that when the Poles were
about to proceed to the vote for the election of a
monarch to the throne of their widowed Republic,
their ftruggles were divided between two candi
dates. Thefe wild gufts burfting beyond the
narrow limits of the Diet, among this fiery
people, burning as they are with fubtle and active
intrigue, menaced a tempeft fraught with univer-
fal danger. The Czar of Mufcovy, roufed by
the proximity of the peril, ordered a ftrong body
of troops under the command of General Knes

7 a Revolt of the Strelitz.
Michael Gregorowicz Romadonowfki, to lie in
obfervation upon the frontiers of Lithuania, fo
as to be able, fhould public diforders arife out of
the ftrife of private individuals, to fettle them
promptly and reprefs with ftrong fuccours the
difturbers of the public peace, and force them
the more efficacioufly into the reverence due to
their lawfully elected king.
But how wonderful are the viciffi tudes of for
tune and of human affairs ! The flood burft in
wild rage upon him, who rafhly thought to brave
the unruly inundation that menaced the quiet
of a neighbouring nation. Four regiments of
Strelitz, which lay upon the frontier of Lithu
ania, had nefarioufly plotted to change the fove-
reignty. The regiment of Theodofia abandoned
Viafma, the Athanafian regiment quitted Pick,
the Ivano-Tzernovio-Wlodomirian left Oflheba,
and the Ticchonian quitted Dorogobufa, in which
places they were in garrifon. They drove away
the loyal officers that happened to be among
them, diftributed military rank among them-
felves, — the feadieft for crime being held the
fitteft for command. At once they menaced
death to all in their next neighbourhood, if they

Revolt of the Strelitz. 7 1
would not freely join their party or fhould refift
their defign.
Many reports fpread through Mofcow about
the danger that was fo near at hand, but what
real truth was in them nobody knew : until at
length the meetings of the Boyars, their confuta
tions repeated day after day, their affembling by
night, and their affiduous conferences might have
proved to any body how grave a bufinefs it was,
and what imminent need there was to prefs on
their conclufions to maturity. The Czar, before
his departure, had chofen the Boyar and Woivode
Alexis Simonowicz Schahin,* generaliffimo of his
land forces. No other than the man whom the
Czar's majefty had already entrufted with the
command-in -chief of the army could be charged
with the execution of the meafures required.
But the orders were not fufficiently decifive,
everybody wifhed to take counfel of events ;
fhould they hold out perfeveringly and refufe to
confefs their fault and crave pardon, it would be
then time enough to take fevere meafures againft
this flagitious mutiny. Schachin agreed to
* Schein.

72 Revolt of the Strelitz.
accept the power they, the Boyars, would en-
truft to him, but upon condition that the decree
approved unanimoufly fhould be alfo confirmed
by all their feals and fignatures. Although what
he required was fair, there was not one among
them all that did not refufe to put his hand to
the refolution. It was hard to fay whether this
was through fear or envy : but the danger was
too near to admit of delay, and the dread was
left the feditious cohorts of the Strelitz fhould
penetrate into Mofcow. Nor was it without
reafon that they were in terror ;of the mixing of
the rebels and the maffes. It appeared more
advifable to march out againft them than to
await an invafion fo fraught with the verieft peril.
The regiments of the guards got notice to
hold themfelves in readinefs to march at an
hour's notice, and that thofe who fhould decline
to act againft the facrilegious violators of the
Majefty of the Crown would be held guilty of
mifprifion of their crime, — that no ties of blood
or kindred held binding when the falvation of
the fovereign and the ftate were at flake, — nay,
that a fon might flay his father if he rofe to ruin
his fatherland. General Gordon ftrenuoufly

Revolt of the Strelitz. 73
executed this Spartan meafure, and exhorted the
troops entrufted to him to perform their noble
tafk, telling them how there could be no more
glorious meed than to have faved the fovereign
and the ftate. Nor was the circumftance of this
expedition againft the mutineers being under
taken on the very feftival of Pentecoft, devoid
of happy omen that the fpirit of truth and juf-
tice would confound the councils of the wicked, —
as the event clearly fhowed. For there was dif-
cord between the three principal chiefs of the
rebellion, which delayed their march for three
days, and fo gave the loyal army time to en
counter the traitor Strelitz at the monaftery
dedicated to the moft Holy Refurrection which
fome call Jerufalem. For the flupendous nature
of their crime, brought dread, delay, and divided
counfels : the concord that is fworn for crime is
feldom indeed lafting. Had the rebels reached
that monaftery but one hour fooner, fafe within
its ftrong defences, they might perhaps have
worn out the loyal troops with fuch long and
fruitlefs labour that they might have loft heart,
and Victory, hoftile to Loyalty, might have fet
her garland upon the brow of Treafon. But

74 Revolt of the Strelitz.
Fortune denied to their turbulent counfels the
object that they fought. A flender ftream not
far diftant waters the rich land hereabouts. On
its hither banks the Czar's troops, and on the
oppofite the rebel columns had begun to appear.
The latter were trying the ford and if they had
been really determined to pafs, the Czar's force
could hardly have hindered them. Fatigued with
a long march, and ftill without fufficient force,
Gordon, fetting wifdom in the place of ftrength,
ftrolled alone to the bank to talk with the Stre
litz. He found them deliberating about croft
ing, and diffuaded them from their undertaking
with words like thefe : " What did they mean
to do ? Whither were they going ? If they were
thinking of Mofcow, the night was too clofe at
hand to admit of their reaching it, — there was
not room for them all on the hither bank, they
would do much better to remain at the other fide
of the river and give the night to thinking
fenfibly of what they ought to do on the morrow.
The feditious multitude could not refift fueh
friendly advice ; they were too much fatigued in
body to have ftomach for a fight where they did
not expect one.

Revolt of the Strelitz. 75
Meantime, Gordon having well examined all
the advantages of the ground, occupied an
advantageous height with his troops. Schachin
confenting, he diftributed the polls, and fortified
himfelf, leaving nothing undone that could con
tribute to his own defence and fecurity or to the
detriment and damage of the enemy. With
equal loyalty and refolution the imperial colonel
of artillery, De Grage, bravely performed his
part. He made a lodgement upon the height,
placed his great guns in advantageous pofition,
and diftributed all in fuch excellent order, that
almoft the whole fuccefs that attended the affair
was due to the artillery. At the firft dawn of
day, by command of General Schachin, General
Gordon went again to parley with the Strelitz,
and after blaming fomewhat the difobedience of
the regiments, he difcourfed largely of the Czar's
clemency, telling them, that it was not by fedi-
tion and mobbing together that the defires of
foldiers fhould be made known to the Czar.
Why, contrary to their ufual dutiful behaviour,
contrary to the fanction of difcipline, had they
deferted the places that had been entrufted to
their loyal keeping ? Why fhould they have

76 Revolt of the Strelitz.
driven away their officers, and have broken out
in defigns of violence ? Let them rather pro-
pofe their requefts peaceably, and, mindful of
the loyalty they owed, return to their appointed
ftations, that fhould he fee them yield to their
duty, fhould he hear them beg for it, he would
get them both fatisfaction for their requefts,
and pardon, when they confeffed it, for their
fhameful conduct. But Gordon's fpeech did
not move the now hardened flubbornefs of the
falfe traitors ; and they only faucily anfwered
that they would not go back to their appointed
quarters until they had been allowed to kifs
their darling wives at Mofcow, and had received
the arrears of their pay.
Gordon related to Schachin the perfectly deter
mined wickednefs of the Strelitz. But as the
latter was unwilling to defpair altogether of the
repentance of the criminals, Gordon did not de
cline to try a third time to mollify the fierce paf-
fions of the rebels with offers of payment of their
arrears, and pardon for the crime they were bent
upon. Not only was advice utterly fruitlefs, but
they were in fuch a ftate of exafperation, that
the negotiator was near to have paid dearly for

Revolt of the Strelitz. 77
his pains. Already they loudly upbraided and
rebuked this man of grave authority, their former
general ; they warned him to be off forthwith,
and not to wafle his words to no purpofe, unlefs
he wanted a bullet to chaftise his marvellous
audacity ; that they recognifed no mafter, and
would liften to orders from nobody : that they
would not go back to their quarters ; that they
muft be admitted into Mofcow ; that if they were
forbidden, they would open the road with force
and cold fleel. Their unexpected fiercenefs ftung
Gordon, and he deliberated with Schachin and the
other military officers prefent what was to be
done. There was no difficulty in deciding the
courfe that fhould be adopted againft men that
were predetermined to try the ftrength of their
arms. Everything was made ready, confequently,
for the onfet and the fight, as the ftubborn unani
mity of the traitors forced on that laft refort.
Nor were the Strelitz lefs bufy ; they drew up
their array, pointed their artillery, dreffed their
ranks, and, as if the ftrife in which they were
about to mingle was a ftruggle with a foreign
foe, they preceded it with the cuflomary prayers
and invocation of God. Even malice does not

78 Revolt of the Strelitz.
dare to fhow its head in the face of the world
without difguifing itfelf in the colours of virtue
and righteoufnefs.
Countlefs figns of the crofs being made on
both fides, the attack began on both fides from a
diftance. The firft reports of cannon and fmall
arms proceeded from the lines of General Scha
chin, by whofe command none of the pieces were
loaded with ball ; for he entertained a fecret hope
that the reality of refiftance might terrify them
into a fubmiffive return to obedience. But the
firft volley paffing without wound or flaughter,
only added courage to guilt. Vaftly emboldened,
they refponded by a difcharge, by which fome
were laid lifelefs, and feveral were bloodily
wounded. When death and wounds had given
a fufficient leffon that ftronger remedies muft
be applied, Colonel de Grage was no longer
required to diffemble his ftout will, and allowed
to difcharge his great guns, fraught with deadly
lead and iron. Colonel de Grage had been
anxioufly waiting for this command, and loft
no time in firing with fuch precifion into their
rebel ranks that their furious paffions were
checked, and the ftrife of refiftance and fkir-

Revolt of the Strelitz. 79
mifhing of the mutineers was changed into a
piteous flaughter.
When they faw that fome were ftretched life
lefs, courage and fiercenefs at once deferted the
terror-ftricken Strelitz, who broke in diforder.
Thofe that retained any prefence of mind, endea
voured by the fire of their own artillery to check
and filence that of the Czar ; but all in vain ;
for Colonel de Grage had anticipated that defign,
and directing the fire of his pieces upon the artil
lery of the feditious mob, whenever they would
go to their guns, vomited fuch a perfect hurri
cane upon them, that many fell, numbers fled
away, and none remained daring enough to return
to fire them. Still Colonel Grage did not ceafe
to thunder from the heights into the ranks of the
flying. The Strelitz faw fafety nowhere ; arms
could not protect them ; nothing was more ap
palling to them than the ceafelefs flafh and roar
of the artillery fhowering its deadly bolts upon
them from the German right. And the fame
men who, but an hour before, had fpat upon prof-
ferred pardon, offered in confequence to fur-
render — fo fhort is the interval that feparates
victors from vanquifhed. Suppliant, they fell

80 Revolt of the Strelitz.
proflrate, and begged that the artillery might
ceafe its cruel ravages, offering to do promptly
whatever they were ordered. The fuppliants
were directed to lay down their arms, to quit
their ranks, and obey in everything that would
be enjoined to them. Though they at once
threw down their arms, and proceeded to the
places to which they were ordered ; neverthelefs,
for a little while, the fire of the artillery was kept
up, left with the ceffation of the caufe of their
terror, their rafh daring fhould return, and the
mutinous ftrife be renewed. But when they
were truly and thoroughly frightened, they were
treated with contemptuous impunity. Thou-
fands of men allowed themfelves to be fettered,
who, if they had but rather inftead have tried
their real ftrength, would, beyond the leaft doubt,
have become the victors of thofe that vanquifhed
them. But it is God that fcatters the counfels
of the malignant, that they may not profper in
their undertaking.
When thejerocious arrogance with which they
were fwollen had been made to fubfide com
pletely, in the manner we have juft narrated, and
all the accomplices of the mutiny had been caft

Revolt of the Strelitz. 8 1
into chains, General Schachin inftituted an in
quiry, by way of torture, touching the caufes, the
objects, the inftigators, the chiefs, and the ac
complices of this perilous and impious machina
tion. For there was a very ferious fufpicion
that more exalted people were at the head of it.
Every one of them freely confeffed himfelf de
fending of death ; but to detail the particulars of
the nefarious plot, to lay bare the objects of it,
to betray their accomplices, was what no perfon
could perfuade any of them to do. The rack
was confequently got in readinefs by the execu
tioner, as the only means left to elicit the truth.
The torture that was applied was of unexampled
inhumanity. Scourged moft favagely with the
cat, if that had not the effect of breaking their
flubborn filence, fire was applied to their backs,
all gory and ftreaming, in order that, by flowly
roafting the fkin and tender flefh, the fharp pangs
might penetrate through the very marrow of
their bones, to the utmoft power of painful fen-
fation. Thefe tortures were applied alternately,
over and over again. Horrid tragedies to witnefs
and to hear. In the open field above thirty of
thefe more than funeral pyres blazed at the fame
VOL. II. G

82 Revolt of the Strelitz.
time, and thereat were thefe moft wretched crea
tures under examination roafted amidft their hor
rible howlings. At another fide refounded the
mercilefs ftrokes of the cat, while this moft favage
butchery of men was being done in this very plea-
fant neighbourhood.
After numbers had been proved by the torture,
at laft the obftinacy of a few was found to yield ;
and one of them detailed the following particulars
of this moft perverfe plot. He faid that he was
not unaware how great their fault was, that all
had deferved to lofe their lives, and that perhaps
none would be found that would fhirk death.
That had fortune attended their undertaking they
would have decreed the fame penalty againft the
Boyars, as, now they were vanquifhed, they
expected themfelves ; for that they had the inten
tion to fet on fire, fack and ruin the whole
German fuburb, and when all the Germans,
without exception, had been got rid of by maf
facre, to enter Mofcow by force, to murder all
that would make refiftance, taking the reft with
them to aid in their nefarious deeds ; that they
meant to inflict death upon fome of the Boyars
exile upon others, and to drag them all down

Revolt of the Strelitz. 83
from their offices and dignities, in order the more
eaflly to conciliate to themfelves the fympathies of
the mafles. That fome popes were to carry an
image of the Bleffed Virgin, and another of
Saint Nicholas, before them, in order that it
might appear they had been driven to take up
arms by the neceffity of defending the faith, and
not out of malice. That when they had got
poffeffion of authority they meant to fcatter
papers among the public, to affure the people
that the Czar's majefty, who had gone abroad, in
confequence of the pernicious advice of the Ger
mans, had died beyond feas. But that left the
barque of the State fhould be buffeted at hazard
by the billows to perifh a wreck upon the firft
rock, that Princefs Sophia Alexiowna was to be
raifed to the throne until the Czarewicz fhould
have attained his majority and the ftrength of
manhood. That Bafil Galizin was to have been
recalled from exile, to aid Sophia with prudent
advice. Now, as any one of the points of this con
feffion was of itfelf weighty enough to merit
death, General Schachin had the fentence that
was drawn up againft them, promulgated and

84 Revolt of the Strelitz.
executed. Numbers were condemned to be
hanged and gibbeted; many laid their heads
upon the fatal block and died by the axe ; many
were referved to certain vengeance, and laid in
cuftody in places in the environs. It was con
trary to General Gordon's and Prince Ma-
fatfki's advice that the General proceeded to
execute the rebels ; as in this manner the chiefs
of the revolt may, without fufficient examination,
have been removed, by premature death, from
further inqueft. Hence, he drew upon himfelf,
not undefervedly, the fury of a more wary
avenger, when, amidft the gaieties of a royal
banquet he would have died the death, had not
the ftout arm of General Lefort drawn back
and refrained the hand that was defcending to
the ftroke. But, at the time in queftion,
Schachin was of a different opinion, believing
that timely feverity would have the falutary con-
fequence of reftoring to the minds of numbers
reverence for the monarch and fear of punifh-
ment. And for this reafon — to ftrike terror into
the reft by an example of public vengeance — he
on one day broke feventy, and another ninety,
upon the crofs they fo richly deferved.

Revolt of the Strelitz. 85
How fharp was the pain, how great the indig
nation to which the Czar's Majefty was mightily
moved, when he knew of the rebellion of the Stre
litz, betrayed openly a mind panting for vengeance.
He was ftill tarrying at Vienna, quite full of
the defire of fetting out for Italy ; but, fervid
as was this curiofity of rambling abroad, it was,
neverthelefs, fpeedily extinguifhed on the an
nouncement of the troubles that had broken out
in the bowels of his realm. Going immediately
to Lefort (the only perfon almoft that he con-
defcended to treat with intimate familiarity), he
thus indignantly broke out : " Tell me, Francis,
fon of James, how I can reach Mofcow, by the
fhorteft way, in a brief fpace, fo that I may
wreak vengeance on this great perfidy of my
people, with punifhments worthy of their flagi
tious crime. Not one of them fhall efcape with
impunity.' Around my royal city, of which,
with their impious efforts, they meditated the
deftruction, I will have gibbets and gallows fet
upon the walls and ramparts, and each and every
of them will I put to a direful death." Nor
did he long delay the plan for his juftly excited
wrath ; he took the quick poll, as his ambaffador

86 Revolt of the Strelitz.
fuggefted, and in four weeks time, he had got
over about three hundred miles* without acci
dent, and arrived on the 4th of September, — a
monarch for the well-difpofed, but an avenger
for the wicked. His firft anxiety, after his
arrival, was about the rebellion. In what it
confifted ? What the infurgents meant ? Who
had dared to inftigate fuch a crime? And as
nobody could anfwer accurately upon all points,
and fome pleaded their own ignorance, others
the obftinacy of the Strelitz, he began to have
fufpicions of everybody's loyalty, and began to
cogitate about a frefh inveftigation. The rebels
that were kept in cuftody, in various places in
the environs, were all brought in by four regi
ments of the guards, to a frefh inveftigation and
frefh tortures. Prifon, tribunal, and rack, for
thofe that were brought in, was in Bebralchentfko.
No day, holy or profane, were the inquifitors
idle ; every day was deemed fit and lawful for
torturing. As many as there were accufed there
were knouts, and every inquifitor was a butcher, f

* German miles, each equal to about five Englifh. — Transl.
f "Quot rei tot knuttae, quot qusefitores tot carnifices." —
Orig.

Revolt of the Strelitz. 87
Prince Feodor Jurowicz Romadonowfki fhowed
himfelf by fo much more fitted for his inquiry,
as he furpaffed the reft in cruelty. The very
Grand Duke himfelf, in confequence of the dif-
truft he had conceived of his fubjects, performed
the office of inquifitor. He put the interroga
tories, he examined the criminals, he urged thofe
that were not confeffing, he ordered fuch Strelitz
as were more pertinacioufly filent, to be fub-
jedled to more cruel tortures ; thofe that had
already confeffed about many things were quef-
tioned about more ; thofe who were bereft of
ftrength and reafon, and almoft of their fenfes, by
excefs of torment, were handed over to the fkill
of the doctors, who were compelled to reftore
them to ftrength, in order that they might be
broken down by frefh excruciations. The whole
month of October was fpent in butchering the
backs of the culprits with knout and with flames :
no day were thofe that were left alive exempt
from fcourging or fcorching, or elfe they were
broken upon the wheel, or driven to the gibbet,
or flain with the axe — the penalties which were
inflicted upon them as foon as their confeffions
had fufficiently revealed the heads of the rebellion.

88 Revolt of the Strelitz.

THE CHIEFS OF THE REBELLION.
Major* Karpakow was faid to be as far beyond
the other rebels in treafon *as he was in official
rank. So after being knouted, fire was applied
to roaft his back to fuch a degree that he loft
both fpeech and confcioufnefs ; and then, as it
was feared that death might remove him pre
maturely, he was commended to the fkill of the
Czar's phyfician, Dr. Carbonari, that he might
apply fuch remedies as would have the effect of
reftoring his expiring ftrength, and as foon as he
was in fome degree reftored, he was fubjected to
the queftion anew, and fainted away under the
fharpeft tortures.
Batfka Girin, the infurgent ringleader, after
undergoing four times the moft exquifite tortures,
confeffing nothing, was condemned to be hanged.
But on the very day appointed for his execution,
there was led out of prifon, with the rebel Strelitz,
to the queftion, a certain youth of twenty years
of age, on being confronted with whom, he, of
* Vice-Colonellus locumtenens. — Orig.

Chiefs of the RebeUion. 89
his own accord, broke his ftubborn filence, and
revealed the counfels of the traitors, with all the
circumftances. Now that youth of twenty had
fallen in by chance with thefe rebels near the
borders of Smolenfko, and being forced to wait
on the principal inftigators of the mutiny, they
took no notice of his liftening, nor was his pre-
fence forbidden even when they ufed to deliberate
about the fuccefs of their nefarious enterprife.
When he was dragged along with the rebels
before the tribunal, he, in order to prove his
innocence the more eafily, caft himfelf at the
judge's feet, and with the moft ardent fighs im
plored not to be fubjected to the torture — that
he would confefs all that he knew with the moft
exact truth. Batfka Girin, who was condemned
to the halter, was not hanged before having made
his judicial confeffion ; for he was one of the
prime rebels, and an excellent witnefs of what he
very truly detailed.
Borifka Brofkurad was executed in the camp,
by command of General Schachin.
Takufka, who had been chofen firft Major of
the White Regiment, and two other inferior
officers, among whom, as they were approaching

90 Revolt of the Strelitz.
T
Mofcow, a difpute arofe which occafioned fome
days' delay, were the caufe of their own de-
ftruction, and faved the lives of all well-dif-
pofed people.
Deacon Ivan Gabrielowicz had, fome years
previoufly, courted the Princefs Marpha to yield
to his paffion. The rebels would have this fellow
married to Marpha, to be protector of the Stre
litz or high chancellor ; but in confequence of
the finifter turn of their criminal undertaking,
his funeral and obfequies, inftead of his nuptials,
marked the event.
Certain popes that were connected with the
Strelitz became fharers in their treafon. For
they put up prayers to God to favour the efforts
of treafon, and it was they who carried the images
of the Bleffed Virgin and Saint Nicholas among
armed men, and who had promifed to draw the
people to the fide of the revolt, under the pre
tence of the marked juftice of the caufe, and of
true piety. Hence one of them was hanged by
the Czar's buffoon, near the high church dedi
cated to the moft Holy Trinity ; another, being
firft beheaded with the axe, was fet upon the
wheel near the fame place. Dumnoi Diak

Sophia.

91

Jichon Mofciwicz (whom the Czar calls his
patriarch), was forced to be the butcher of the
latter. SOPHIA.
Wherever ambition has entered into poffeffion
there is no room for juftice. For ambition has
always reafons to allege in its own behalf, and is
unmoved at the gulf that lies between empire
and fubjection. Princefs Sophia has the reputa
tion of having intrigued, for the laft fourteen
years, againft her brother's life, and has already
been the caufe of feveral feditious movements.
She, by her open fchemes and factioufnefs, drove
him, who is at once her fovereign and her
brother, to confult for his own fafety ; efpecially
as the late perils bore ample witnefs that, as long
as fhe was at liberty, there would be nothing
flable in Mufcovy. Shut up on this account in
the monaftery of Nuns, watched daily in the
ftricteft manner, by a guard of the Czar's troops,
neverthelefs the wiles of this moft ambitious
princefs could not be quite guarded againft by
all thofe watchful eyes. She promifed to put
herfelf at the head of a new confpiracy of the

92 Revolt of the Strelitz.
Strelitz, and communicated her advice to them —
fuggefling the manner and the frauds by which
the Strelitz might bring their dark and malig
nant defigns into effect. She was interrogated
by the Czar himfelf, touching thefe attempts,
and it is ftill uncertain what fhe anfwered. But
this much is certain — that in this act the Czar's
Majefty wept for his own lot and Sophia's.
Some will have it the Czar was on the point of
fentencing her to death, and ufed this argument :
" Mary of Scotland was led forth from prifon
to the block, by command of her fifter Eliza
beth, Queen of England — a warning to me to
exercife my power over Sophia." Still once more
the brother pardoned a fitter's crime, and, inftead
of penalty, enjoined that fhe fhould be banifhed
to a greater diftance, in fome monaftery.
It was rather the lull of fating her paffions
than the defire of transferring dominion, that had
entangled Princefs Marpha in the fame rebellious
machinations. She wanted to indulge more at
eafe in her illicit connection with Deacon Ivan
Gabrielowicz,* whom fhe had maintained at her
* Souvarow was his furname. This cleric was the grand
father of the famous Souvarow, and was attached to one of the

Sophia.

93

own coft, for fome years, for that purpofe.
With her head fhaved, fhe has been thruft into a
monaftery and does penance for the paft.
Fiera and Schukowa, the former Sophia's, the
latter Marpha's confidential chamber-woman,
were dragged from the Czar's Caftle to Bebraf-
chentfko — the place of inquifition — and were
both fubjected to the torture. When Fiera,
ftripped naked to the loins, was being fcourged
with what they call the knout, the Czar obferved
that fhe was pregnant ; and on being afked
whether fhe knew the fact, fhe did not deny it,
and, moreover, indicated a certain chorifter as
the caufe of her burden. By this fhe liberated
herfelf from further fcourging, but not from the
penalty of death. For, afterwards, fhe and
Schukowa, who had undergone a long fcourging,
and had confeffed her fliare in the operations of
the traitorous Princefs, both expiated their

churches in the Kremlin. His fon Bafil entered the army as a
common foldier, rofe by his merit to be an officer, and, confe-
quently, noble, afcended ftep by ftep to the rank of full General,
and is faid to have been a well-informed foldier and an upright
man. The fon of General Bafil, the renowned Field-Marfhal
Souvarow, created Prince of Italy (Knes Italinfki) in 1799,
was born in 1729. — Transl.

94 Revolt of the Strelitz.
crimes with their lives. Nothing is yet certain
about the manner of their execution : fome will
have it that they were buried up to the neck
alive ; others, that they were thrown into the
river Ianga that flows juft there.

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF SOPHIA WITH
THE REBELS.
No garrifon is fafe where malice and treafon
have once adopted the idea of upfetting the
fortrefs. Malice is never a moment idle ; ex
amines minutely every fmalleft nook in which fhe
may fafely hide the emiffaries of her nefarious
defigns. It was certainly with no other defign
that fo large a guard of foldiers kept watch and
ward, day after day, without the gates of the
monaftery of Nuns, than to obferve, with all
poffible minutenefs, this dangeroufly ambitious
Princefs, fo that fhe might be unable to plot
anything againft the fafety of the ftate and the
fovereign. Yet all thefe Argus eyes were not
able to hinder her from contriving to raife a truly
great and moft perilous flame of civil war by
means of an abject wretched little mendicant that

Correspondence of Sophia. 95
ufed to frequent the very guard. This was a
little old woman that begged her daily bread.
Sophia took her affections by florm with profufe
liberality and, with promife of higher rewards,
feduced her to forbidden deeds.
When the old hag, full of fuch grand hopes,
promifed to execute to the minuteft detail all
her lady's bidding, Sophia taught her what to
guard againft and what to do, and told her that
flie would pretend to give her a loaf as her ufual
alms, that fhe would bring it to the Strelitz and
fhould wait to fee whether they would entruft her
with any anfwer. There were letters enclofed in
the loaf, in which fhe affured the rebels that fhe
would make ftrong efforts in aid of their laudable
undertakings ; let them only come to the mona
ftery, flay all the guards that would refift ; that
things had come to fuch a pafs, that there was no
happy aufpices for them without fhedding blood.
The rebels in like manner tranfmitted their.
anfwers to Sophia in a loaf. The thing was done
feveral times and the foldiers had no fufpicion of
it — fo ingenious is malice in plotting mifchief.
After all fhe deceived herfelf ; and that loaf of
which they meant to make the bread of death to

a6 Revolt of the Strelitz.
fo many innocent people, led to their own richly-
deferved ruin, and was moft fatal to themfelves,
as will be plainly underftood from the following
fentence.

THE SENTENCE PASSED UPON THE REBELS
ON ioth OCTOBER, 1698.
"Thieves, plunderers, traitors, tramplers on the
Crofs (crucis tranfgreflbres), and rebels of
the regiment of Theodofius Kolpokow,
of the regiment of Athanazius Tzabanow,
of the regiment of Ivan Zornoi, of the
regiment of Tichon Hundertmark, javelin-
cafling Strelitz : The Grand Dominator,
King and Grand Duke Peter Alexiowicz,
Autocrat of Great, Little and White Ruffia,
commands there be told unto them : —
"On the 27th of October laft year, (i.e.
1698*) according to the letters of him the Grand
Dominator and of the Roferati, (the mandate
chanceryf) there were ordered from Storopzo,
* Sic, but properly 1697. — Transl.
f Litteras Roferati (cancellaria mandatoria.) — See Original.

Sentence upon Rebels. 97
with the army of the Senator and General Prince
Michael Gregorowicz Romadonowfki, with his
affociates, his Colonels and Lieutenant- Colonels,
to be at his, the Grand Dominator's, command
in the cities and place appointed.
Theodofius's regiment at Viafma.
Athanafius's regiment at Piella.
Ivan's regiment at Oftheba-Wlodomirowa.
Tichon's regiment at Dorogobufki.
And they, contrary to his, the Grand Domina
tor's mandate, went not into thefe appointed
towns, with the faid colonels and lieutenant-
colonels ; but ordered them and their lieutenant-
colonels and captains forth of their regiments
aforefaid ; and in lieu of the fame did elect into
the faid offices rebels, their brother javelin
throwers ; and with the cannons of the regi
ments did march in arms from Storopzo upon
Mofcow ; and when below the monaftery of the
Refurrection the faid javelin throwers met Alexius
Simonowicz Schachin, with his affociates, and a
felect force along with them ; who, when he fent
from his army to them thrice to abandon their
VOL. II. H

98 Revolt of the Strelitz.
oppofition to the Great Dominator, and go
according to the Dominator's previous commands
to the ftations appointed, they, on the contrary,
fetting themfelves *againft the faid Dominator's -
commands, fo far from going to the ftations
appointed for them, did prepare for a conflict of
their army againft the military fervants of the
faid Dominator, and difcharging cannons and
fmall arms wounded very many, and fome of
thofe wounded did die.
Moreover, as they were about to proceed to
Mofcow, they were to halt in the field called the
Nun's field, in front of the monaftery, to deliver
a petition to Princefs Sophia Alexiowna, to call
upon her to go on directing them as before ;
furthermore the foldiers on guard at that monaf
tery were to be maffacred, and after flaying thefe
they were to have gone on to Mofcow, difperfing
throughout all the black* fuburbs (in omnia nigra
fuburbia) copies of a certain feditious memorial,

* Black : the ferf clafs are in Ruffia called blacks, from their
fuppofed inferiority of blood. The old dynaftic race, whofe
defendants formed and ftill form the nucleus of the haute noblejfe
of Ruffia, fpring from Rurik, of Norfe or Normandie race, who
reigned over that vaft country, according to the common com
putation, from 862 to 878. From him derive no lefs than 34

Sentence upon Rebels. go
and winning over the blacks (nigros), Hating that
the Great Dominator had died beyond fea. They
were thus to raife a feditious movement among
the ferfs, and take them with them to kill the
Boyars, to deftroy utterly the German fuburb,
to flay all foreigners and not to admit the Grand
Dominator into Mofcow. But if the military
regiments fhould not allow them into Mofcow,
they meant to write alfo to the regiments of
javelin throwers now in his, the Grand Domi-
nator's, active fervice, and to be aided by them
againft the faid foldiers; and that vthen the
latter javelin throwers fhould have reached
Mofcow, then that they, united with thofe other
javelin throwers, would call upon the Princefs

exifting princely houfes, all bearing their titles in virtue of their
dynaftic defcent by immemorial prefcription, the fangre blu of
Ruffia. The fair-complexioned Rurik (or Roderic) cannot have
come alone to the country over which he ruled. His fair-
fkinned Norman courtiers, probably, were the progenitors of the
Boyar families, who conftituted the courtiers and mimjleriales of
the princes his defcendants, among whom Ruffia was long par
titioned ; and were the founts of the great untitled lords, infcribed
in the "velvet book," the " book of gold" of the Ruffian arif-
tocracy. Thefe fair-fkinned Northmen doubtlefs gave the con
temptuous name of blacks (Czarni) to the dark aboriginal race,
who became their hewers of wood and drawers of water.—
Transl.

ioo Revolt of the Strelitz.
Sophia to direct them, and would flay the faid
foldiers, murder the Boyars, and would in like
manner deflroy the German fuburb, maffacre the
foreigners, and would not admit the Dominator
into Mofcow. Of all which things aforefaid
thefe men have in the examinations and under
forture confeffed themfelves guilty.
"And the Grand Dominator, on account of
their having taken matters into their own hands,
hath decreed that thefe plunderers, traitors, and
tranfgreffors and rebels, fhall be punifhed with
death, in order that by their example others may
henceforward learn not to take affairs into their
own hands in this manner."
The fentence being thus framed fo as to include
all the Strelitz fo no tardy repentance was attended
with impunity for the crime. , For before the
Czar's Majefty had fet out on his travels a mutiny
of the fame Strelitz had taken place, on the ap
pealing of which they were pardoned on con
dition of never daring to attempt fuch a courfe
again. This condition was recorded in a public
written inftrument, by which they bound them
felves, even if no law were in force for treafon
againft Majefty, to every torment that could be

Firft Execution. 101
thought of, to the moft cruel tortures, and to
the penalty of death itfelf, in cafe by renewed
contumacy towards the Sovereign's weal they
fhould admit of anything contrary to their fworn
allegiance, and their debt of moft humble refpect.
All confirmed this fanction of the Czar with
their own fignature, &c. ; thofe who did not
know how to write marking with a crofs in
token of their approval. This was an aggrava
ting fact which clofed up the avenue of mercy,
and appointed rigorous juftice the avenger of
treafon. THE FIRST EXECUTION.
ioth October, 1698.
To this exhibition of avenging juftice the
Czar's Majefty invited all the ambaffadors of
foreign fovereigns, as it were to affert anew on
his return that fovereign prerogative of life
and death which the rebels had difputed with
him. The barracks in Bebrafchentfko end in a bare
field which rifes to the fummit of a rather fteep
hill. This was the place appointed for the exe-

102 Revolt of the Strelitz.
cutions. Here were planted the gibbet flakes,
on which the foul heads of thefe confeffedly
guilty wretches were to be fet, to protract their
ignominy beyond death. There the firft fcene
of the tragedy lay expofed. The ftrangers that
had gathered to the fpectacle were kept aloof
from too clofe approach ; the whole regiment
of guards was drawn up in array under arms.
A little further off, on a high tumulus in the
area of the place, there was a multitude of Muf
covites, crowded and crufhing together in a denfe
circle. A German Major* was then my com
panion ; he concealed his nationality in a Mufco
vite drefs, befides which he relied upon his
military rank and the. liberty that he might take
in confequence of being entitled by reafon of his
being in the fervice of the Czar to fhare in the
privileges ofthe Mufcovites. He mingled with
the thronging crowd of Mufcovites, and when
he came back announced that five rebel heads
had been cut off in that fpot by an axe that was
fwung by the nobleft arm of all Mufcovy. The

* Supremus-Vigiliarum-prafe&us, i. e., Oberjl-ivachmeijler, or
Major. — Transl.

Firft Execution. 103
river Jaufa flows paft the barracks in Bebrafch-
entfko, and divides them in two.
On the oppofite fide of this ftream there were
a hundred criminals fet upon thofe little Mufco
vite carts which the natives call Sbofek, awaiting
the hour of the death they had to undergo.
There was a cart for every criminal, and a foldier
to guard each. No prieftly office was to be
feen ; as if the condemned were unworthy of
that pious compaffion. But they all bore lighted
tapers in their hands, not to die without light
and crofs. The horrors of impending death
were increafed by the piteous lamentations of
their women, the fobbing on every fide, and the
fhrieks of the dying that rung upon the fad
array. The mother wept for her fon, the
daughter deplored a parent's fate, the wife
lamenting a hufband's lot, bemoaned along with
the others, from whom the various ties of blood
and kindred drew tears of fad farewell. But
when the horfes, urged to a fharp pace, drew
them off to the place of their doom, the wail of
the women rofe into louder fobs and moans. As
they tried to keep up with them, forms of
expreffion like thefe befpoke their grief, as others

1 04 Revolt of the Strelitz.
explained them to me : " Why are you torn
from me fo foon? Why do you defert me?
Is a laft embrace then denied me ? Why am I
hindered from bidding him farewell ? " With
complaints like thefe they tried to follow their
friends when they could not keep up with their
rapid courfe. From a country feat belonging to
General Schachin one hundred and thirty more
Strelitz were led forth to die. At each fide of
all the city gates there was a gibbet erected,
each of which was loaded with fix rebels on that
day. When all were duly brought to the place of
execution, and the half dozens were duly diftri
buted at their feveral gibbets, the Czar's Majefty,
dreffed in a green Polifh cloak, and attended by
a numerous fuite of Mufcovite nobles, came to
the gate where, by his Majefty's command, the
imperial Lord Envoy had flopped in his own
carriage, along with the reprefentatives of Poland
and Denmark. Next them was Major-General
de Carlowiz, who had conducted his Majefty on
his way from Poland, and a great many other
foreigners, among whom the Mufcovites mingled
round about the gate. Then the proclamation

Second Execution.

l°S

of the fentence began, the Czar exhorting all the
byftanders to mark well its tenor. As the
executioner was unable to difpatch fo many
criminals, fome military officers, by command of
the Czar, came under compulfion to aid in this
butcher's tafk. The guilty were neither chained
nor fettered ; but logs were tied to their legs,
which hindered them from walking fall, but ftill
allowed them the ufe of their feet. They ftrove
of their own accord to afcend the ladder, making
the fign of the crofs towards the four quarters
of the world ; they themfelves covered their
eyes and faces with a piece of linen (which is a
national cuftom) ; very many putting their necks
into the halter fprang headlong of themfelves
from the gallows, in order to precipitate their
end. There were counted two hundred and
thirty that expiated their flagitious conduct by
halter and gibbet.

SECOND EXECUTION—
13TH October, 1698.
Although all thofe that were accomplices of
the rebellion were condemned to death, yet the

106 Revolt of the Strelitz.
Czar's Majefty would not difpenfe with ftrict
inveftigation. The more fo as the unripe years
and judgment of many feemed to befpeak mercy,
as they were, as one may fay, rather victims of
error than of deliberate crime. In fuch cafe the
penalty of death was commuted into fome cor
poral infliction — fuch as, for inftance, the cutting
off of their ears and nofes, to mark them with
ignominy for life — a life to be paffed, not as
previoufly, in the heart of the realm, but in
various and barbarous places on the frontiers of
Mufcovy. To fuch places fifty were tranfported
to-day, after being caftigated in the manner
prefcribed. THIRD EXECUTION—
17TH October, 1698.
Only fix were beheaded to-day, who had
the advantage of rank over the others, if
rank be a diftinction of honour in executed
criminals. FOURTH EXECUTION—
21ST October, 1698.
To prove to all the people how holy and

Fifth Execution. 107
inviolable are thofe walls of the city, which the
Strelitz rafhly meditated fcaling in a fudden
affault, beams were run out from all the embra-
fures in the walls near the gates, on each of
which two rebels were hanged. This day beheld
about two hundred and fifty die that death.
There are few cities fortified with as many pali-
fades as Mofcow has given gibbets to her guardian
Strelitz. FIFTH EXECUTION—
23RD October, 1698.
This differed confiderably from thofe that
preceded. The manner of it was quite different,
and hardly credible. Three hundred and thirty
at a time were led out together to the fatal axe's
ftroke, and embrued the whole plain with native
but impious blood : for all the Boyars, Sena
tors of the realm, Dumnoi, Diaks, and fo forth,
that were prefent at the council conftituted againft
the rebel Strelitz, had been fummoned by the
Czar's command to Bebrafchentfko, and enjoined
to take upon themfelves the hangman's office.
Some ftruck the blow unfteadily, and with trem
bling hands affumed this new and unaccuftomed

108 Revolt of the Strelitz.
tafk. The moft unfortunate ftroke among all
the Boyars was given by him* whofe erring
fword ftruck the back inftead of the neck, and
thus chopping the Strelitz almoft in halves,
would have roufed him to defperation with pain,
had not Alexafca reached the unhappy wretch a
furer blow of an axe on the neck.
Prince Romadonowfki, under whofe command
previous to the mutiny thefe four regiments were
to have watched the turbulent gatherings in
Poland on the frontier, beheaded, according to
order, one out of each regiment. Laftly, to
every Boyar a Strelitz was led up, whom he was
to behead. The Czar, in his faddle, looked on
at the whole tragedy.

SEVENTH EXECUTION—
27TH October, 1698.
To-day was affigned for the puniihment of the
popes — that is to fay, of thofe who by carrying
* That this was probably Prince Galizin, feems from the
entry in the Diary under 27 Oct., 1698 ; though there is here a
(light difcrepancy as to the precife day on which the magnates
performed as executeurs des hautes cewvres in this terrific tragedy.
— Transl.

Seventh Execution. 109
images to induce the ferfs to fide with the
Strelitz, had invoked the aid of God with the
holy rites of his altars for the happy fuccefs of
this impious plot. The place felected by the
judge for the execution was the open fpace in
front of the church of the moft Holy Trinity,
which is the high church of Mofcow. The
ignominious gibbet crofs awaited the popes, by
way of reward in fuit with the thoufands of figns
of the crofs they had made, and as their fee for
all the benedictions they had given to the refrac
tory troops. The court jefler, in the mimic
attire of a pope, made the halter ready, and
adjufted it, as it was held to be wrong to fubject
a pope to the hands of the common hangman.
A certain Dumnoi ftruck off the head of another
pope, and fet his corpfe upon the ignominious
wheel. Clofe to the church, too, the halter and
wheel proclaimed the enormity of the crime of
their guilty burden to the paflers by.
The Czar's Majefty looked on from his car
riage while the popes were hurried to execu
tion. To the populace, who flood around in
great numbers, he fpoke a few words touching
the perfidy of the popes, adding the threat,

i io Revolt of the Strelitz.
" Henceforward let no one dare to afk any
pope to pray for fuch an intention." A little
while before the execution of the popes, two
rebels, brothers, having had their thighs .and
other members broken in front of the Caftle of
the Kremlin, were fet alive upon the wheel :
twenty others on whom the axe had done its
office lay lifelefs around thefe wheels. The two
that were bound upon the wheel beheld their
third brother among the dead. Nobody will
eafily believe how lamentable were their cries and
howls, unlefs he has well weighed their excrucia
tions and the greatnefs of their tortures. I faw
their broken thighs tied to the wheel with ropes
ftrained as tightly as poffible, fo that in all that
deluge of torture I do believe none can have
exceeded that of the utter impoffibility of the
leafl movement. Their miferable cries had ftruck
the Czar as he was being driven paft. He went
up to the wheels, and firft promifed fpeedy death,
and afterwards proffered them a free pardon, if
they would confefs fincerely. But when upon
the very wheel he found them more obftinate
than ever, and that they would give no other
anfwer than that they would confefs nothing, and

Laft Execution. 1 1 1
that their penalty was nearly paid in full, the
Czar left them to the agonies of death, and
haftened on to the Monaftery of the Nuns, in
front of which monaftery there were thirty
gibbets erected in a quadrangular fhape, from
which there hung two hundred and thirty Strelitz.
The three principal ringleaders, who prefented a
petition to Sophia, touching the adminiftration of
the realm, were hanged clofe to the windows of
that princefs, prefenting, as it were, the petitions
that were placed in their hands, fo near that
Sophia might with eafe touch them. Perhaps
this was in order to load Sophia with that remorfe
in every way, which I believe drove her to take
the religious habit, in order to pafs to a better
life.

LAST EXECUTION—
31ST October, 1698.
Again, in front of the Kremlin Caftle two
others, whofe thighs and extremities had been
broken, and who were tied alive to the wheel,
with horrid lamentations throughout the after
noon and the following night, clofed their

112 Revolt of the Strelitz.
miferable exiftence in the utmoft agony. One
of them, the younger of the two, furvived amidft
his enduring tortures until noon the following
day. The Czar dined at his eafe (commode) with
the Boyar Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin, all the repre-
fentatives and the Czar's minifters being prefent.
The fucceffive and earneft fupplications of all
prefent induced the monarch, who was long
reluctant, to give command to that Gabriel
who is fo well known at his court that an
end might be put with a ball to the life and
pangs of the criminal that ftill continued
breathing. For the remainder of the rebels, who were ftill
guarded in places round about, their refpective
places of confinement were alfo their places of
execution, left by collecting them all together this
torturing and butchery in the one place of fuch a
multitude of men, fhould fmell of tyranny.
And efpecially left the minds of the citizens,
already terror-ftricken at fo many melancholy
exhibitions of their perifhing fellow men
fhould dread every kind of cruelty from their
fovereign. But confidering the daily perils to which the

Revolt of the Strelitz. 1 13
Czar's Majefty was hitherto expofed, without an
hour's fecurity, and hardly efcaping from many
fnares, he was very naturally always in great
apprehenfion of the exceeding treachery of the
Strelitz, fo that he fairly concluded not to tole
rate a fingle Strelitz in his empire, — to banifh all
of them that remained to the fartheft confines of
Mufcovy after having almoft extirpated the very
name. In the provinces, leave was given to any
that preferred to renounce military fervice for
ever, and with the confent of the Woivodes to
addict themfelves to domeftic fervices. Nor were
they quite innocent : for the officers that were
quartered in the camp at Azow to keep ward
againft the hoftile inroads of the enemy, told
how they were never fecure, and hourly ex
pected an atrocious outbreak of treafon from the
Strelitz ; nor was there any doubt but that they
had very ambiguous fympathies for the fortunes
of the other rebels. All the wives of the Strelitz
were commanded to leave the neighbourhood of
Mofcow, and thus experienced the confequences
of the crimes of their hufbands. It was for
bidden by Ukafe, under penalty of death, for
any perfon to keep any of them or afford them
VOL. II. 1

1 14 Revolt of the Strelitz.
fecret harbour, unlefs they would fend them out
of Mofcow to ferve upon their eftates.
Others have already Hated that the Ruffians
are fprung from the Roxolans, the name being
only flightly altered. More recently the river
Mofkwa, which flows paft the metropolis of
Mufcovy has given rife to their name of Muf
covites. Nor have there been wanting men of
genius to defcribe the times when this race, whom
fome will have it came from beyond feas, grew
to their mighty ftrength from fmall beginnings,
from their firft royal feat in Novogrod to Kiew,
then Wlodomir, and laftly Mofcow. By the
tyranny of Ivan Bafilowicz which ferved him to
fubdue to himfelf fo many vaft neighbouring
regions, the kingdoms of Cafan and Aftracan,
either by the death of their rulers or their imprifon
ment, Mufcovy grew to its prefent immenfity
of empire, the very hugenefs of which has often
already proved a fource of mifery, and the
incurable wounds of which the reftlefs minds of
the people are conftantly tearing open before
they heal.
In the year 1682 civil diffenfions, kept up by
an ambitious woman, wreaked fearful internecine

Revolt of the Strelitz. 1 1 5
cruelties in rapine, and flaughter, and pillage.
They attribute thefe great misfortunes to the
wily machinations of Princefs Sophia. For when
the late Grand Duke Feodor Alexiowicz, feeling
his malady growing worfe every day, forefaw
that death was at hand, he commended the affairs
of the realm of Mufcovy to his elder brother
Ivan Alexiowicz, an exceedingly mild prince,
but one who appeared almoft imbecile, and who,
on account of many other corporal defects was
little fuited to the cares and anxieties of fove-
reignty. But when the Grand Duke was dead the
Czarine Nathalia Kirilowna, a princefs of moft
fubtle tact, fludied very cleverly to perfuade the
Boyars and Magnates of the realm that it would
be better to crown her fon Peter Alexiowicz, the
prefent Czar, paffing over Ivan ; and to appoint
his kinfman Narefkin, his guardian until he fhould
grow to maturity of intellect — alleging, that his
noble nature, the vivid force of his genius, and
the patience of labour that fhone forth in his
tender years, were a fufficient demon ftration of
his greatnefs of foul and his kingly qualities.
Meanwhile, Princefs Sophia, a woman of no
lefs artifice and cunning, having difcovered the

1 1 6 Revolt of the Strelitz.
defign of the Czarine Nathalia, laboured to ex
plode it with countermines. It feemed to her
that a deadly thunderbolt would be to perfuade
the foldiers that the Czar, her own brother, had
fallen a victim to the treafon of the Boyars, and
perifhed by poifon they had brought to him.
To give fupport to her affertion, fhe planned a
more perilous deceit. It was the cuftom time
out of mind to diftribute brandy — a breakfaft of
the Ruffian fafhion — to the foldiers of the guard
who had to be prefent in full numbers at the
funeral and burial fervice for the deceafed Czar.
With this beverage fhe mixed a moft noxious
poifon ; and, by an additional atrocity, contrived
to turn againft the Boyars the odium of the
crime fhe had perpetrated herfelf. She gave
warning to the foldiers not to drink the brandy
that would be diftributed, — for that it was
poifoned and would be deadly to any that would
tafte it, — that the fame dark fate menaced the
foldiers as had befet the Czar ; that all the
Boyars were poifoners ; that the lives of the
foldiers were in imminent danger ; that their
only chance of fafety was in daringly avenging
at once the murder of their fovereign and the

Revolt of the Strelitz. 1 1 7
fchemes laid againft themfelves. The fate of
one Strelitz, who after fwallowing the poifoned
brandy became fwollen up and died, perfuaded
them that Sophia warned them truly and loyally.
Hence they began to mutter dark things againft
the Boyars, and invoke the fpirit of their dead
Czar. It feemed but juft to be angered with
poifoners, and the whole people was filled with
the magnitude of the danger, and was in a ftate
of wrathful fermentation againft the magnates.
Sixty thotifand rioters in the firft outbreak of
their fury feized upon the two perfonal phyficians
of his Majefty the Czar, Doctors Daniel and
Guthbier, and with tortures, the cruelty of which
is utterly beyond defcription, urged them to
confefs the crimes touching which, mifled by
the reprefentations of Sophia, they rather up
braided than interrogated them. One of the
doctors thought to hide himfelf in the German
fuburb until the fury of the populace who thirfted
for his blood fhould have worn itfelf out. But
with the true inftinct of the favage mob they
guefled that the perfons who were concealing
him muft be Germans. Steel, fire, and maffacre
were threatened to all of German blood if they

1 1 8 Revolt of the Strelitz.
fhould dare to afford further harbour to a man
guilty of leze majefty.
The Germans became greatly alarmed that
they would all have to pay the penalty from
which they were endeavouring to fave one : and
left all fhould perifh on his account, the doctor,
difguifed as a beggar, got off into the fields to
free the innocent from the contagion of his evil
fortune. But, being betrayed into the hands of
the ferocious populace, he was fhortly after
hacked to pieces by the fwords of thofe madly
raging men. When the doctors had been mur
dered in this horrible manner, the mob impe-
rioufly demanded that the Boyars who were privy
to the poifoning and to the Czar's death, fhould
be given up to them for punifhment, and that a
fum of 500,000 ducats* fhould be paid to them
for arrears of their pay. The tolling of the
great bell was the flgnal agreed upon for the
commencement of a violent onflaught. They
battered the caftle with cannon, they broke open
the gates, rufhed in, and hurled all the magnates
* The ducats known in Ruffia and Poland, were thofe of
Holland for the moft part, and were equivalent to about ten
fhillings of Englifh money. — Transl.

Revolt of the Strelitz. i 19
they could find out of the windows upon the
lances beneath, and put them to death with the
moft cruel butchery. Nothing was held facred,
no refpect was had to the majefty of the dead
fovereign whofe manes they had refolved to
appeafe with thefe cruel offerings, the apartments
were devaftated, the treafury plundered, every
thing holy profaned, the property of thofe maf-
facred fold to the higheft bidder, the very
monafteries vexed and exhaufted with a moft
iniquitous exaction of feveral millions. Rebel
lion even raifed the ignominious gibbet which
fhould have been its own meed, and here the
maffacred Boyars were regiftered as traitors to
their country — for all the rights of government
were ufurped. They had already come to the
refolution of turning their wrath upon the Ger
mans in the fame way, when one of the Strelitz,
whofe hoary and aged locks had won authority
over them, difcouraged his companions by afking
them: "Why attack the Germans? Why
¦attack innocent people ? It would be a crime
to injure thefe people, for they have done
nothing againft us. Beware ; you will have to
pay dearly for repentance that comes too late.

1 20 Revolt of the Strelitz.
Sweden protects them, and her fierce fword
will avenge their wrongs as if they were her
own." Thefe words converted them to more
wholefome counfels, and they abftained from
the intended maffacre. Many thoufands of
men without diflinction of guilt or innocence
were fwept away in this peftilent outbreak. In
the part of the city called Kitaigorod alone,
five thoufand men who retreated thither to defend
their lives from maffacre, perifhed in various
ways. At length the two princes, Ivan and Peter,
being raifed jointly to the fupreme fway, the dif-
cords of the reft fubfided. Then an edict was
publifhed againft the rebels, penalties decreed
againft them, execution followed, and the igno
minious gibbet that was raifed by unrighteouf-
nefs, was laid proftrate by lawful authority. But
the tranquillity of the realm was not of long
duration. In the year 1688 a fearful florm
fwept fiercely upon the Mufcovites. Several of
the Boyars were put to death, and the rebels
were ravening fqr the blood of the Czars who
had fled to the monaftery of Troycza for fafety.
On that occafion Mr. Lefort, with a very fmall

Revolt of the Strelitz. 1 1 1
band of foldiers whofe loyalty was greater than
their numbers, was the firft to fet out for the
monaftery of Troycza, and thus acquired in the
higheft degree the favour of the Czar, by the
propitious gales of which he rofe rapidly to the
envied rank of General-in-Chief and Admiral,
which had never before been conferred upon a
foreigner, and recently he was the Czar's am
baffador to feveral European crowned heads.
The moft ferene Czar Peter Alexiowicz incurred
feveral other dangers from the perfidy of his
fubjects, but overcame all fnares, treafons, and
frauds with prodigious good fortune. Only a
few days before he left Mofcow, a plot of fome
great perfons was discovered againft his life, a
criminal defign which was very near to have
fucceeded, and when thefe were brought to
punifhment others followed in their footfteps,
who expected to perpetrate evil againft him in
his abfence with greater impunity.

THE CZAR'S GENEALOGY.

He defcends from that moft ancient and noble
flock of the Princes Romanowicz, which was
clofely allied with the line of the Grand Dukes
that became extinct, as is known, in the perfon
of Feodor Ivanowicz the fon of the great tyrant
Ivan Bafilowicz. His great grandfather was
Knez Feodor Nikitiz, a man who had followed
war from his youth, who had been fu.ccefsful and
had won renown and very high general efleem.
When of reverend years he was made patriarch,
exchanging thus the helmet of military glory for
the purple of high priefthood, and took the name
of Philarete Nikitiz. He died in 1633.
His great grandmother was Iconomafia,
daughter of the tyrant Ivan Bafilowicz. The
fon of this marriage, Michael Feodorowicz, was
the grandfather of the prefent Czar ; and, on the
expulfion ofthe falfe Dmitri, in i6i3,fucceeded,
by the fuffrages of the Mufcovites, to the govern
ment of the State. After twenty-three years of

The Czar's Genealogy. 1 23
a profperous reign over the Mufcovites, during
which he earned great applaufe, he died on the
1 2th of July, 1645. He had, by his firft wife,
Iconomafia, two Princes : Alexis Michaelowicz,
born the 17 th of March, 1630, who fucceeded
him upon the throne ; and Ivan Michaelowicz,
born the ift of June, 1631, and who died on
the 8th of January, 1639. By Eudoxia Luka-
nowna, who died within eight days after him,
he left an only daughter, Irene, who was be
trothed to Count Waldemar, natural fon of King
Chriftian IV., of Denmark, but who died before
marriage. Alexis Michaelowicz the very next day after
his father's death, being then in his fixteenth
year, was folemnly inaugurated Grand Duke ;
and fhortly after chofe for his wife Ilia Daniel-
owa, of the noble family of Miloflawfki. She
bore him four Princes and three Princeffes.
The eldeft, born in 1653, was baptized Alexis
Alexiowicz, who, in 1667, when King Cafimir
abdicated the throne of Poland, was propofed,
with great and exceedingly rich offers, as a candi
date for the crown of that country : but he died,
in 1670, before his father. The fecond, Feodor

1 24 The Czar's Genealogy.
Alexiowicz, born in 1657, Succeeded to his
father's fceptre.
The laft-mentioned Prince was twice married.
His firft wife, Euphemia Rutetzki, died in
childbirth together with her infant in 168 1. He
married, fecondly, Maria Euphrofina Marveona,
of the moft noble Polifh family of Lupropin —
an alliance which was hateful to his people, and
which drew upon him the deteftation of the
Boyars, and at laft death by poifon upon both
himfelf and his wife on the 27th of April,
1682. The third fon of Czar Alexis Michaelowicz,
was Michael, who died in 1669.
The fourth was Ivan Alexiowicz, born in
1663, wno was mailed to the throne, jointly
with his brother, in 1682, and died in January,
1696. The eldeft Princefs, Irene, died in 1670.
The fecond, Sophia, is the torch and trumpet
of the many dangerous feditions that have
hitherto taken place in Mufcovy. The third
Princefs was Marina.* Thefe two laft are ftill

* Elfewhere and ufually called by our author, Marpha.-
Transl.

His Majefty the Czar. 125
living, but were forced into a monaftery in
1688, on account of the rebellion they had
raifed. Thofe above named were the iffue of Czar
Alexis Michaelowicz, by his firft marriage. By
his fecond union, with Nathalia Kirilowna, of
the Narefkin family, he had two children : Peter
Alexiowicz, the now happily reigning Czar of
the Mufcovites, born on the 1 1 th of June,
1672 ; and Nathalia, his cherifhed fifter,
who up to this has not been privy to any
plot. Peter and his brother Ivan Alexiowicz fuc
ceeded jointly to the fceptre of Mufcovy, on
the death of their father, in 1682 ; but on
the outbreak of the frefh revolt in 1688, Ivan
Alexiowicz, who was a lover of quiet, ceded of
his own free will the whole fovereign power to
his brother. HIS MAJESTY THE CZAR.
Thofe brilliant gifts of nature and of foul
which have fpread his fame throughout almoft
every realm of the earth, pointed him out from

126 His Majefty the Czar.
his infancy for kingly power and fovereign fway.
A well fet ftature, well proportioned limbs, the
vivacity of his youth, and an addrefs beyond his
years, fo conciliated the affections and good will
of his fubjects, on account of their expectations
of his natural qualifications, that he was openly
preferred by the contending fuffrages of numbers
of people to his brother Ivan Alexiowicz, who
was called to the throne of his progenitors by
that pre-eminence of primogeniture which is
held facred by the nations. Ever felf-reliant, he
contemns death and danger, the apprehenflon of
which terrifies others. Often has he gone quite
alone to traitors and confpirators againft his
life, and either from their reflection on the
greatnefs of their crime, or dread and remorfe
for their divulged treafon alone he has made
them quail by his Majeftic prefence ; and, left
this creeping and dangerous peft fhould fpread,
he has delivered them up to chains and prifon.
In 1694 he failed out of the port of Archangel,
into the North Sea, beyond Cola. A ftorm
arofe and drove the fhips upon the moft perilous
rocks. The feamen were already crying out in
defpair ; the Boyars, who had accompanied their

His Majefty the Czar. 127
fovereign, had betaken themfelves to their
prayers and their devotion of making thoufands
of croffings — no doubt in terror at the contem
plation of fuch an awful fhipwreck. Alone,
amidft the fury of the wild fea, the fearlefs Czar
took the helm with a moft cheerful countenance,
reftored courage to their defpairing fouls, and,
until the fea fubfided, found an afylum for life
and limb on that very rock upon which, in rough
weather, many veffels had been a prey to the
foaming brine.
A few years ago, before his two years' tour,
he told his magnates, at Szeremetow's, at whofe
houfe he was dining, to what Saint, under God's
providence, he afcribed his happy efcape from
that tempeft, " When," faid he, " I was failing
to Slowiczi Monaftir from Archangel, with
feveral of you, I was, as you know, in danger
of fhipwreck. How great was the horror of
death and the dread of what feemed certain
deftruction that befet your minds, I forbear to
record. Now we have efcaped that danger, we
have got through our peril, but I hope you will
think with me, that it is but right to do what I
fwore to do, and fulfil the vow I made to

128 His Majefty the Czar.
heaven. I then proffered a vow to God and to
my holy patron, the Apoftle Peter, that I would
go to Rome to pray at his tomb, lefs out of
anxiety for my own 'fafety than for all yours.
Tell me, Boris Petrowicz," thus he addreffed
Szeremetow, " what are the country and the
towns like ? As you have been in thofe parts
you muft be able to tell all about them." Szere
metow praifed the amenity and beauty of the
country, and the Czar fubjoined : " Some of
you fhall come with me when I am going there ;
when the Turk has been humbled, I will acquit
myfelf of my vow." His late moft ferene
mother tried to difcourage him from this project,
and through her the Ruffians fuggefted many
figments againft the Apoftolic See. His anfwer
to her was : " If you had not been my mother
I could hardly reftrain myfelf. My veneration
for that name pleads your excufe for what you
have dared to fpeak. But know that death is
the penalty that awaits whofoever henceforward
fhall prefume to blame my intention or refift
it." And to Rome affuredly he would have
gone in performance of his vow, had not fuch
preffing dangers fummoned him back to MoA

His Majefty the Czar. 129
cow, on the breaking out of a revolt in his
realm.* With what fpirit, too, he laboured to intro
duce into Mufcovy thofe polite arts that had for
ages been profcribed there, may be eafily gathered
from his having fent into various countries of
Europe, — into Germany, Italy, England, and
Holland, — the more talented children of his
principal fubjects, in order that they might learn,
by intercourfe, the wifdom and arts of the moft

* Von Adelung (Kritifch literdrifche Uberficht der Reifenden
in Ruffland) gives the following very curious extract, with refe
rence to Peter's fuppofed propenfity at that time to Catholicifm,
from the ambaffador von Guarient's fecond report from Mofcow,
dated 12th Auguft, 1698, which remains in MS. in the Vienna
Archives. That report bears the title : " Relation des Kais.
" Gefandten Ignaz von Guarient and Rail iiber die Ankunft des
" Erzbifchofs von Ancyra Petrus Paulus Palma zu Mofcau ;" at
the clofe of which the ambaffador fpeaks of an unfavourable re
port about the war which had got abroad, but doubts its accuracy,
and fays that he heard from well-informed perfons: "das derlei
" Ungliickfnachrichten von dem Minifterium aus fonderer Politik
" darumben auffgefprefigt worden, des Czaren Intention nach
" Italien zu gehen ganz verhindern, und felbigen fich defto ehun-
" der in feinem Reich einfinden mochte, maflen alzugewifs, dafs
" diefe unternehmende rayfs Ruflen, Calviner und Lutheraner in
" groffe Beftiirtzung und noch grofferen Argwohn einerinnerlich-
" gu&f iihrender Propenfion zu dem Catholicifmo taglich mehr
" setzen follte." — (See Von Adelung, Kritifch literdrifche Vber-
ficht der Reifenden in Ruffland. St. Peterfburgh and Leipfic,
1846. Vol. II., pp. 392, et seq.). — Transl.
vol. 11. k

130 His Majefty the Czar.
polifhed nations, and on their return be orna
ments of Mufcovy, and in their turn excite their
juniors to the like deferts. He made known
his reafons for this plan, fome years ago, to his
Boyars, explaining its utility to them. They
all commended the monarch's prudence, but
infinuated that fuch immenfe good, however
defirable it might be, was unattainable. That
the genius of the Mufcovites was unfuited to
fuch purfuits ; that the money expended on it
would be wafted in vain ; and that he would
fatigue himfelf and his fubjects with profitlefs
labour. The Czar was indignant at thefe fay-
ings, which were only worthy of the profound
ignorance of thofe that gave utterance to them.
For they liked their benighted darknefs, and
nothing but fhame at their own deformity was
capable of drawing them into the light. "Are we
then born lefs bleft than other nations," the Czar
continued, " that the divinity fhould have in-
fufed inept minds into our bodies? Have we
not hands ? Have we not eyes ? Have we
not the fame habit of body that fuffices foreign
nations for their internal culture? Why have
we alone degenerate and rude fouls ? Why

Efpoufals of the Czar. 131
fhould we alone be left out as unworthy of the
glory of human fcience ? By Hercules ! we
have the fame minds ; we can do like other folk
if we only will it. For nature has given to all
mankind the fame groundwork and feed of
virtues ; we are all born to all thofe things ;
when the flimulus is applied, all thofe properties
of the foul that have been, as it were, fleeping,
fhall be awakened." The greateft things may
be expected from fuch a Prince. Let the
Mufcovites congratulate themfelves on the
treafure they poffefs in him, for they are now
really fortunate. He chofe his wife in the
family of Lubochin,* and fhe bore him a fon
named Alexis Petrowicz, a youth fplendidly
gifted and adorned with ingenuous virtues, on
whom reft the hopes of his father, and the
fortunes and tranquillity of Mufcovy.
ESPOUSALS OF THE CZAR.
Different times call for different manners. It

* The family of Lapoukine, which ftill flourifhes, is of high
race, infcribed in the velvet book, and dates from the 15th cen
tury. They were created princes in the laft century. — (Notices
des Princip. Fam. de la Ruf/ie. Paris, 1845.)— Transl.

132 Efpmifals of the Czar.
may, indeed, have formerly been the practice in
Ruffia to affemble all the maidens of Mufcovy
that were of comely form and remarkable beauty
when the Czar was thinking of marrying, in
order that he might felect whichever pleafed him
beft. But the cuftom is become obfolete ; and
the marriages of the Czars have of late been
moftly decided by the advice of thofe who by
official rank or favour were raifed to the honour
of Handing befide the throne. Polygamy, too,
has fallen into defuetude, and they hold it to be
finful to fhare the nuptial bed with a number of
felect concubines. But fhould the Czarina be
flerile, then the Czar may fhut her up in a
monaftery, and is at liberty to look out for a
more fruitful union. Befides fterility there are
other caufes of repudiation. We muft believe
that other fovereigns do nothing rafhly, though
we, as it often happens, cannot account for their
motives. Thus, the wife of the prefent Czar,
who, as fhe bore him a prince, could by no
means be faid to be flerile, has neverthelefs been
repudiated — a divorce which, no doubt, is
grounded upon moft grave caufes, the weight of
which we may perhaps conjecture from the fact

Efpoufals of the Czar. 133
that when the Czar was lying outfide of Azow
he refufed to return until he fhould be certain
that his wife's head had been fhaved, and that
fhe had been fhut up in a monaftery called
Suftalfki, about thirty miles diftant from
Mofcow. To feek for a wife among foreign princes has,
up to this, been a perilous experiment for a Czar,
the Boyars and leading people holding out vain
apprehenfions that by foreign marriages foreign
and new-fangled manners would be moft per-
nicioufly fubftituted in their country, that ancient
ufages would become corrupted, the purity of
the religion of their fathers be imperilled, and,
in fhort, all Mufcovy be expofed to the utmoft
danger. And the only reafon they allege for
the poifoning of Czar Feodor Alexiowicz is that
he had chofen a wife out of the Polifh family of
Lupropin. At length fome hope is dawning that
a gentler fpirit is beginning to breathe over
Mufcovy, in order to the perfect development of
which the Czar has taken fome new meafures of
exceeding wifdom, for the purpofe of civilifing
his fubjects by more frequent intercourfe with
foreign nations ; and they may thus come to like

134 Military Power.
what they have hitherto perfecuted with fo much
difguft ! They are beginning to defire marriages
with foreign nations, now that they learn that
there are no holier bonds to conciliate friendfhip
between nations, and to fettle wars — nay, how
often they give laws to the victors. Many
believe that the Czar divorced the wife whom he
has fhut up in a convent with the defign of
marrying a foreigner.

MILITARY POWER.
None but the Tartars fear the armies of the
Czar. Their fucceffes in Poland and Sweden, I
think, muft not be attributed to their valour, but
to a kind of panic fear and the evil flar of the
conquered. It is an eafy matter for them to
call out feveral thoufand men againft the enemy ;
but they are a mere uncouth mob, which, over
come by its own fize, lofes the victory it had but
juft gained. Yet if they were as ftout of heart,
and as well verfed in military fcience, as they are
numerous, ftrong of body, and patient of fatigue,
their neighbours would have caufe to fear. But

Military Power. 13 j
now, from a flothful genius and habits of flavery,
they have neither ftomach for great things, nor
do they achieve them. Count James de la
Garde, general of the Swedifh militia, in the
year 161 1, with 8000 men put 200,000 (Muf
covites to flight. When they firft beleaguered
Azow, a fortrefs of the Perecop Tartars, fituated
at the confluence of the Tanaij, near the Palus
Meotides,* a cat jumping into the Czar's camp,
out of the city, threw many thoufand Mufcovites
with panic terror into a difgraceful flight ; and
having been caught afterwards, and brought
when the expedition was over to Mofcow, is
carefully kept to this day by the Czar's com
mand in Bebrafchentfko. Although in the ftub-
born defence of towns againft great befieging
forces they have fometimes been worthy of praife,
neverthelefs, in the field, againft the Swedes and
the Poles, they were generally defeated, and
often were put to great flaughter. What Cha-
ridemus faw wanting in the camp of Darius, is
not to be found to this day among the Muf
covites — namely, a ftout body of veteran and
* The Sea of Azow.— Transl.

136 The Infantry.
difciplined troops, men and arms, and banners
in regular array, intent upon the word of com
mand of their officers, and drilled to keep their
ranks ; where all obey, like one man, the word
to halt, wheel, charge, change order, and the
men know what they have to do as well as thofe
that command them.

THE INFANTRY.
The Strelitz were all mufqueteers, under the
name of javelin-men, and were the fame to the
Mufcovites as the Janiflaries are to the Turks.
The number of them in pay varied from 1 2,000
to 20,000. They were the moft dexterous of
the Mufcovites, and for that reafon the Czar's
body-guard ; and the guards of his capital were
chofen from them. They prided themfelves on
the fignal privileges and great immunities that
had been conferred upon them, which were
nearly as great as thofe of the old Roman
foldier. Their annual pay was feven roubles
and fhekels and twelve meafures of oats ; but
by the commerce which they were allowed to

The Infantry. 137
exercife they often attained great and envied
riches. In Mofcow their houfes occupied a vaft
fpace in the Czar's own capital ; but after the
late rebellion had led to the condemnation of
many thoufands of Strelitz to death, even thefe
houfes, left they fhould remain a memorial of
this impious faction, were, by the Czar's
commands, uprooted from the foundations and
broken to pieces.
When all the Strelitz had been put to death,
or exiled, he fubftituted in their ftead four regi
ments, after the fyftem of the German armies,
as regards officers and their rank. It is for
bidden to call them Strelitz, as if, by inheriting
the name, they might become alfo the heirs of
the jcrimes that were perpetrated by thofe who
bore it. There are only four of thefe regiments,
but they conftitute a force of 8000 men. The
firft was Gordon's ; the fecond, Lefort's ; the
third Bebrafchentfko ; the fourth, Simonowfki.
That called Bebrafchentfko was lately broken up,
all the men compofing it being drafted by the
Czar into the fea fervice. When they were
about to take the field there were as many
armies as I have enumerated regiments. Thence

138 The Infantry.
it comes that the chief of a regiment is not a
colonel, but a general. For to every general of
thofe regiments a certain territorial diflrict is af-
figned, from which, according as the neceffities
of war may demand, the ferfs are to be driven
from their huts into the ranks, until the requifite
number be filled up ; and thus, what was a regi
ment in garrifon, fwells out of garrifon into an
army in its huge proportions. They are then
broken up into troops of a thoufand each, which
receive the title of regiments, and are ufually put
under the command of German colonels ; for
there are feveral German colonels without regi
ments living in Mofcow on half-pay, unlefs when
on actual fervice. When a campaign has been
decided upon, and preparations are being rnade
to march againft the enemy, thefe officers are
appointed as regimental commandants over a
mob of the loweft and moft uncouth ragamuffins.
When the expedition is over, the commanding
officer has no further authority over his men,
who go back again to the plough, alternate
peafants and foldiers, at one time with arms
in their hands, and next moment driving the
plough.

The Infantry. 139
It cofts but little to oppofe to the enemy an
almoft incredible multitude of this tumultuary
hofting of louts, efpecially as all thofe that are
called upon to ferve are obliged to find their
i^W4Vf>rovifitfnsT Hence commiffariat officers are
quite unknown, and the very name is incompre-
henfible to the Mufcovites, who fay that it is
not the Czar's bufinefs to look after provifions
for private individuals, and that it is a matter
which belongs to each one in his own particular;
yet certain it is that more mifchief than advan
tage refults thence to the ftate. For how many
die of famine — how many towns, villages, and
hamlets, widowed of their inhabitants, degenerate
into a wafte and folitary wildernefs. Befides
which the changing from year to year, accord
ing to the fyftem by which thefe moft wretched
peafants have to ferve in turn, is exceedingly
pernicious to difcipline and the art of war. For
thofe that are under arms this year being freed
from fervice the next, the refult is that the
troops are always frefh, raw, and inept foldiers.
Nor can the fidelity of the recruiting officers be
very great. They will be fure to ftudy their
own pecuniary intereft, and not imprefs the moft

140 The Infantry.
fuitable, but the poorer or clofer-handed, who
either will not, or cannot, purchafe their exemp
tion. A fhady army it is, good footh, and good
fport for an enemy, unlefs by fome chance they
fhould happen to meet with their peers. The
Czar perceived what a ufelefs expenfe this inept
militia was, and moft wifely refolved to correct
the inveterate error of his nation. They were
aflembling in Bialogrod an army of four and
twenty thoufand peafants, whom he abfolved
from their military oath and fent back to till
their fields, hoping for more profit thence ; and
impofing as their fole additional burden that they
fhould pay a poll tax of a rouble per annum to
the Czar. Prince Repnin, Colonel of Dragoons,
fet out for Cafan and Aftracan to levy ten thou
fand men, according to the German fyftem,
which the Ruffians are unaccuftomed to, and
others were fent off by the Czar with a fimilar
commiflion to other regions and localities. He
had made up his mind to raife a Handing army
of 60,000 infantry in his own pay, moft fagely
considering that it is only the veteran foldier
who has been broken in by many years of

The Cavalry. 141
training that is worthy of the glory of real
warfare.*

THE CAVALRY.
The Mufcovite cavalry is compofed of nobles
and thofe whom people of high rank are obliged
to furnifh, and many of the latter clafs are
domeftic fervants. When the Great General, or
the Commander-in-Chief, who is fo called in the
armies of the Czar, is about to march on an
expedition, he caufes proclamation to be made
by a heraldf when the expedition is to take
place, and has it intimated to the nobles to pre
fent themfelves with a proper number of ferfs
fitted out for war. When this is done they all
buckle on their weapons, and, with hearts full of
difmay at the chances that may await them,
haften to the appointed rendezvous. For their
minds are filled with a double fear ; in the firft
place, that of the Czar's indignation if they
fhould be flothful in fulfilling his behefts ; and,
* While thefe regular levies were as yet frefh recruits they
were utterly routed, in 1700, by Charles XII. at Narva. —
Transl. f " Praeconis voce." — Orig.

142 The Cavalry.
in the fecond place, that of the rifk which hangs
over men about to engage in mortal ftrife with
the enemy. Nor do they confider it any dis
grace to purchafe at great coft the permiffion to
live fluggifhly at home and deprecate the perils
of war. Nay, they go the length of contending
that fome Germans of chivalrous mould muft be
demented when they ftrive and labour and
entreat to be allowed to follow the army into the
field, and into all the very manifeft dangers that
attend military fervice. Such Germans as thefe
they confider either to have little wit, or to
entertain fraudulent defigns againft the ftate.
For what can they mean ? What fane thought
could make them of their own accord expofe
themfelves deliberately to danger ? Good footh !
they wot not of that heaven-born fomething
that lies hid within the man whom valour leads,
amidft wounds and death, by praifeworthy ambi
tion to the palm of glory. Their cavalry is
armed with bows and arrows ; their fpears or
lances are fhort ; they are all arranged according
to the Turkifh manner. The dragoons have
been armed for the laft two years with carbines
and piftols. If we may form an eftimate of

Another Kind of Infantry. 143
thefe fellows from the rafh audacity of their
crimes, they are fitter for robbery than for right
ful war.
There is another defcription of infantry who
ufe arms curved in the fhape of a half-moon,
and which they call Bardifch. Thefe men, while
the army is being arrayed, are fent forward as
the ftrength and bulwark of the hoft, and are the
firft to attack the enemy, and are fierce until the
arrows of their opponents begin to fhower deadly
wounds among them. Their defign is either to
make a great impreffion by a fudden fhock or to
fly ; but when they fee their comrades ftruggling
without duly propitious fuccefs, and preffed upon
and being flain, they are quite overcome at the
fight of the others that are perifhing, and fo lofe
heart that, as it were, lifelefs with fear, they caft
away their arms, bid one another farewell, and
without the idea of refiftance, they ftretch out
their necks to make the ftroke of their enemies'
fwords more fure, and concede the victory to the
foe by their cowardice. Should the enemy
purfue them in their flight from battle they fo
abandon themfelves to the victors as not even to
afk for life.

144 Artillery.
As there is ftill no folid fettlement of peace
between the Mufcovites and the Turk, through
the fault of the ambaffador, who, without due
confideration of future contingencies, made a
pact for a mere truce for two years, the Czar is
gathering, with great folicitude, foldiers and
materiel enough to repulfe and overthrow the
enemies' forces. A levy of every tenth ferf
throughout all Mufcovy is being made, and the
Knes, Boyars, and merchants are obliged alfo to
furnifh provifions for every ferf that they fend
from their refpective eftates.
ARTILLERY.
They mount their artillery on the fame defcrip
tion of carriages as thofe which other European
States ufe for battering the walls, demolifhing the
curtains, and breaching the defences of fortifica
tions ; and as the Mufcovites themfelves are not
fkilled in the proper management of artillery,
fcientifically ufed, they entertain foreigners at
great coft for the purpofe, who are fent to
them as a proof of amity from various
countries.

The Czar's Revenue. 145
MILITARY MUSIC.
The found of Ruffian mufic in general is fo
difpleafing to the ear that it is more calculated to
fadden than to roufe valour to martial daring.
It is more like the moan of a funeral wail ; and
they poffefs not the art of inflaming martial
ardour with nobler ftimulants. Their chief
inftruments are fifes (jatumea) and kettle
drums.

THE CZAR'S REVENUE.
Befides the tribute and annual tax which all
the provinces are bound to pay ftrictly in due
proportion, there are many perquifites that flow
in addition into the fovereign's public treafury.
The firft of thefe fources of emolument is the
toll of the ports of Aftracan and Archangel,
from which the Czar is faid to derive ten millions
of imperials per annum.
The fecond in importance are the kakaba or
public inns ; for the Czar has complete mono
poly of the fale of beer, brandy, and hydromel ;
VOL. II. L

146 The Czar's Revenue.
a fource from which above two hundred thou
fand imperials find their way into the treafury.
Any private individual, were he even a magnate,
that fhould without fpecial licenfe from the Czar
expofe for fale hydromel, beer, or brandy, would
be deprived of the merchandife in queftion, and
moreover punifhed with an arbitrary fine ; nor
are inftances wanting of fentences of fharper
penalties being inflicted upon perfons found
defrauding the fovereign of his royalties. They
have been flogged with the knout and tranf-
ported to Siberia, where they are compelled
continually to hunt the fable.
The Germans, however, enjoyed the privilege
of brewing and felling beer among themfelves,
being in other refpects obnoxious to the fame
penalties fhould they fell it to Mufcovites. Now,
however, they have been deprived of that privi
lege. Tichon Nikitowicz Strefnow, whofe office
nearly correfponds to that of lord high fleward,
was of opinion that it would be more judicious
not to deprive the Germans of the right of
brewing ; inafmuch as an eafier method might
be employed to obtain the profit which was
expected from that meafure, — to wit, the impofi-

The Czar's Revenue. 147
tion of a heavier tax upon the licenfes to brew
which they had to take out from the chancery :
and beyond doubt they would prefer paying
this to buying beer brewed by the Mufco
vites. 30. They collect great wealth from fables, of
which the beft are trapped in Siberia.
40. Sturgeon in incredible multitudes frequent
the waters of the Volga, and are taken in great
quantity in fpring and fummer : their eggs form
the flaple of an opulent commerce with foreign
countries ; they are falted and packed in large
veffels and called caviar, — a famous delicacy
with the Italians. One Dutch merchant pays
eighty thoufand imperials per annum to the
Czar, for the right of exporting caviar.
50. A German merchant has in the fame
way the monopoly, which he purchafed from the
Czar, of rhubarb, which the Mufcovites prize
exceedingly. The Englifh paid the Czar, when he was in
England, twelve thoufand pounds fterling, and
eight thoufand more in Holland, for the mono
poly of the fale of tobacco in Mufcovy. Not-
withftanding the Mufcovite clergy have always
L 2

148 Ruftian Money.
hitherto fuperftitioufly held the fmoking and
chewing of that weed to be an impious and dia
bolical cuftom ; nay, even in our time a Ruffian
merchant, to whom the Czar previous to his de
parture had granted the right of felling tobacco
on payment of the fum of fifteen thoufand roubles
per annum, was excommunicated by the Mufco
vite patriarch — himfelf, his wife, his children,
and grandchildren, and curfed all to infinity.

RUSSIAN MONEY.
The Czar has no mines of gold or filver :
they believe, however, that they have difcovered
rich veins at a place called Kameni in Siberia.
Genera] de Carlowitz has juft brought fkilful
miners into Mufcovy, fo that in a fhort time it
may be known for certain whether the earth
affords hope of the difcovery of gold or filver in
quantity. Still the Ruffian money was always
coined out of pure and good filver, though now-
a-days it is fomewhat adulterated and falls much
fhort of the old weight. They give fifty or
fifty-five kopeks in exchange for the imperial
florin (folidum), and coin a hundred and fome-

Ruffian Money. 149
times as much as a hundred and twenty kopeks
out of one imperial, as we experienced there
in our own time by weighing kopeks with an
imperial. Now the kopek or Mufcovite coin
is not round, but of an oblong and oval form,
bearing on one fide the effigy of Saint George
with his lance, and on the other the name of
the Czar and the date. The Mufcovites have
alfo another coin called a denga, two of which
are equal to a kopek. They have no larger
coin : but they ufe different words to exprefs
certain numbers of kopeks ; for inftance, two
kopeks make a penny (denarium), three an altin
(altinum), ten a grifna (grifnam), fifty a poltin
(poltinum), and a hundred a rouble. In our
time there was a report about copper money,
on account of the want of filver, to pay the
foldiers and fupport the coft of the war ; but
when news of the conclufion of peace arrived,
whatever may have been ftruck was carried to
the exchequer to be laid by for future wants. No
perfon is allowed to carry minted money with
him out of Mufcovy ; any perfon detected doing
fo lofes all his goods ; but any perfon may ufe
letters of exchange or employ them to purchafe

150 The Czar's Pharmacy.
merchandife. Marcelius, a Dutch merchant, was
the firft to difcover an iron mine ; his defend
ants poffeffed it for fome time by tenure of
villenage, until the family becoming extinct it
fell to the Czar, who gave it as a fief to Nare
fkin. In the year 1700, money was ftruck after
our fafhion by order of the Czar, and the firft
payment of the foldiers was made in it.
THE CZAR'S PHARMACY.
There are two pharmacies : one in the Kremlin
fortrefs itfelf, the other in the city. They were
eflablifhed by the Czar at the advice of the Ger
mans, and kept up at great expenfe. Formerly
the people ufed to live to a great and reverend
age, ufing nothing except certain well-known
inexpenfive fimples : they now die in more coftly
fafhion, and, as fome complain, much earlier,
nature being debilitated by the ufe of medicines.
This, however, they ought rather to impute to
their inordinate debauchery, and the pernicious
abufe of medicines, rather than to the herbs and
juices prepared with real healing art. Boxes,
glafs veflels, and inftruments catch the eye with

The Czar's Pharmacy. 151
a certain exterior flafh ; but frequently there is
little in them for healing, fince for the moft part
thefe veffels are empty, nor are frefh drugs
bought as they fhould be by thofe whom the
Czar has appointed infpectors or directors. If
we may truft their pharmacopeia, the Czar's phar
macies were never better furnifhed than at the
time when Mr. Vinnius was over them. Like
a man of German race as he was, he was ever
full of forethought and activity ; and when the
phyficians and apothecaries gave him notice, his
only thought was to maintain the neceffary fup-
ply. But now the people who have fucceeded
him in this function are fo proudly ignorant and
flothful, that they will neither liften to the phyfi-
"cians nor buy frefh medicines with due fidelity.
Through their miftakes and careleffnefs things
are fallen into fuch a ftate that as often as there
is a preffing cafe for cure the doctor can hardly
prefcribe the remedy which he thinks beft fuited
to expel the malady, but is obliged to give fome-
thing like an equivalent which he knows may be
had in the pharmacy.
But Prince Feodor Alexiowicz Golowin, when
director, gave an example of greater induftry:

152 The Czar's Pharmacy.
for he fent a certain Ruffian — who, to the great
mortification of numbers, received the doctor's
degree after two years' ftudy — into Holland to
buy up carefully whatever medicines were want
ing. With the exception of this man, almoft all
the phyficians are foreigners and Germans. Mr.
Carbonari de Bifenegg and Doctor Zoppot are
the beft fkilled in the healing art, and have the
largeft practice. But they revere Surgeon Der-
mond like another Efculapius, and fome call him
by the invidious name of Doctor Empiric.
Doctor Blumentroft and Doctor Kellerman alfo
enjoy good repute. There are a great many
apothecaries, all Germans : but they have Muf
covite apprentices a great deal older than the
mafters. They enjoy a falary of two hundred
roubles per annum ; nor are they wearied with
much labour. They take turn about : they are
not in the habit of going to the pharmacy before
eight or nine, and at two in the afternoon they
go home to the German fuburb. Thefe are the
bufinefs hours ; during the reft of the day no
medicine is fold ; nor is it eafy to call thefe apo
thecaries, for Slowoda, the German fuburb, is an
hour's diftance from the city.

Treafures. 153
TREASURES.
Thefe confift of the regalia, the crown en
riched with coftly gems and ftones. Secondly,
in a huge quantity of coined fpecie, which moft
people believed was exhaufted at this time by the
great coft of arming fuch an extremely numerous
fleet, the very name of which is terrible. But
the Czar will never want as long as he knows of
his fubjects having any gold and filver remaining.
For their riches and private valuables are his only
mines of gold and filver. This abfolute mafter
ufes his fubjects at his will, and their wealth in
what fhare he pleafes. He arrogates to himfelf
what part he likes of the fpoils of the hunter ;
he fells their furs or makes prefents of them at
will. Air-dried fifh are his munitions. At
market nobody can fell unlefs the Sovereign's
merchandife has been firft fold. He rather dic
tates than bargains the prices of what belongs
to him ; and meafures out for himfelf and takes
whatever there is either good or precious in his
dominions. Grand Duke Ivan defpoiled almoft
all Livonia of chalices, reliquaries, croffes, and
filver ; and it is never allowed to take gold or

154 The Czar's Court.
filver of any defcription out of Mufcovy, unlefs
for the redemption of captives loft in war, or of
fuch as are carried off in the daily raids of the
Tartars. But the Mufcovites are in the habit
of difplaying their wealth in plate whenever the
ambaffadors of foreign princes are, according to
the national cuftom, fumptuoufly received at a
princely and regal banquet. It is needlefs to
fpeak of the large proportion which a variety of
furs of almoft ineftimable price bear among the
general wealth of the Czars.
THE CZAR'S COURT.
The former Grand Dukes made ufe of inefti-
i mable parade in their apparel and adornment, the
majefty of the Pontiff being fuperadded to that
of the King. On the head they wore a mitre,
glittering with pearls and pricelefs gems ; in the
right hand they bore an exceedingly rich paftoral
ftaff; their fingers were covered with rings of
gold ; and above the throne upon which they fat
there was fixed, to the right, an image of Chrift,
and to the left one of the moft Holy Virgin
Mother. The prefence and ante-chambers were

The Czar's Court.

lSS

thronged with men clad in golden vefture and
other precious infignia to the very feet.
But the prefent Czar, a great contemner of all
pomp and oftentation about his own perfon,
rarely makes ufe of that fuperfluous multitude
of attendants. Nor do the Boyars or nobles
about the court ufe the proud old garb, having
learnt by the example of the Grand Duke that
luxury in drefs is an empty thing, and that living
in fine houfes does not conftitute wifdom. The
Czar himfelf, when going through his capital, is
often accompanied by two, and at moft three or
four, of his more intimate attendants ; feeling,
even in the perilous time of the military revolt,
a confidence in the fimple refpect of his fubjects
for majefty.1 For in former times the Mufco
vites obeyed their fovereign lefs like fubjects.
than bought flaves, looking upon him more in
the light of a god than a fovereign ; fo that
one often ufed to hear among the Mufcovites
(what the vulgar ftill continually fay,) " God only
and the Grand Duke know that : everything that
we have of health and comfort proceeds from the
Grand Duke." This reverence of his people
recalled Ivan Bafilowicz to the throne of his

156 The Czar's Court.
forefathers, when, after unheard-of atrocities, he
had, out of fear of juft vengeance, betaken him
felf to the retirement of a monaftery ; whether it
be that refpect for the royal name which thofe
who live under monarchy revere as fomething
facred, or innate veneration for their fovereign,
or their truft in one who had held the reins of
government already, drove thefe men, born for
fubjection, into loyal obedience.
Sedition was almoft utterly unknown in Muf
covy of old ; now you would think the rebel
lions muft be chained one to another. Hydra's
head did not fprout fafter than frefh rebellions
fpring out of the very graves of traitors. Hercu
les thoroughly fubdued Hydra by fire ; but the
reftlefs audacity of the Mufcovites feeds upon
flames like a Salamander. Is it the iron age
that has banifhed olden fidelitv and affection,
J x
and reverence for their fovereign, even from
among the dregs of the populace ? Yet the
cuftom ftill exifts of proftrating themfelves on
the ground in worfhip of the Czar, as if his
place were nearly as exalted in power as God's.
As for the reft, a throng of nobles — Sin-Boya-
ren, as they call them (that is, fons of Boyars),

The Czar's Court. 157
— perform the daily miniftrations. But there is
nothing feemly in the fervice, no cleanlinefs
among the fervers ; fo that the mere rudenefs of
their unpolifhed manners and their filthy fervice
would fuffice to diftinguifh this from every other
court in Europe.
When the table is being laid for the Czar, no
flourifh of trumpets fummons the courtiers to
their functions ; but one of them cries out in a
flentorian voice, " Gofudar Cufchinum, Gofudar
Cufchinum" (that is, " The Grand Duke wants
to eat"). The cups in which drink is prefented
to the Czar are made of gold and filver, in
footh, but fo coated with filth that it is hard
to difcover which precious metal lies hidden
beneath the dirt. There is no order in the
arrangements of the viands ; they are thrown
higgledy-piggledy ; and they are generally torn
afunder, not carved. There was a reverential
old cuftom which forbade the admiffion of any
perfon to the table of former Czars. They
ufed to dine alone ; but they were accuftomed
to fend fome difhes from their table to any of
the Boyars that they wifhed to honour with an
efpecial mark of favour. The prefent Czar, on

158 The Czar's Refidence.
the other hand, confiders it a decided affront to
kings that they fhould be repelled from the
pleafures of private fociety, arguing why fhould
a barbarous and inhuman law be enacted againft
kings alone, to prevent them enjoying the
fociety of anybody ? So that, neglecting the
proud folitude of his own table, he is fond of
converting and dining with his advifers, with
the German officers, with merchants, and even
with the ambaffadors of foreign princes. Though
this be fovereignly difpleafing to the Mufcovites,
yet, as they muft needs obey, they had to adopt
the fame fafhions, and often exhibit a fmiling
countenance upon compulfion.
THE CZAR'S RESIDENCE.
It is called the Kremlin — is furrounded with a
ftone wall two miles and nine hundred paces in
circumference, and comprifes feveral very hand
fome ftructures belonging to the nobleffe within
the ambit of its enclofure, feveral bazaars, feveral
churches — as, for example, the Church of the
Archangel Michael, which contains the royal
tombs. Blagavefine, or the Church of the

The Czar's Rejidence. 150
Annunciation, is remarkable for its nine towers,
the roofs of which, as well as the whole church,
are covered with gilt copper, and the higheft
tower thereof is furmounted with a crofs of pure
gold, of immenfe value. Ivan Velifkoy, or the
Church of Saint John, the tower roof of which
is gilt, has a number of bells, one of which, the
largeft in the world, weighs two thoufand two
hundred poods, or fixty-fix thoufand pounds of
our* weight. Within the fame regal precinct,
pre-eminent among the other chanceries, ftands
that called the Pofoljki Pricas, or Ambaffadorial
Chancery, wherein all affairs concerning the con
dition of the ftate and negotiations with foreign
princes are expedited. All ftrangers, too, are
dependent thereon. The chambers and apart
ments intended for the monarch's dwelling are
ordained with fumptuous pomp of decoration
and hangings, and for fize and fplendour yield
in nothing to the chief palaces in Europe.
In another part of the fortrefs there is a ftud
of various breeds of blood horfes, a kind of little
Sybarite army, as it were. Horfes, to be prized
* 66,000 Viennefe weight. — Transl.

160 The Czar's Refidence.
by the Mufcovites, muft be tall and fhowy.
They like thofe of Arabia and Altenburgh.
Mufcovy poffeffes a native breed of horfes
exceedingly commendable for their fleetnefs ;
they call them pachmaten. The Czar's pre-
deceffors ufed to appoint chafes of different
kinds in the various diftricts of their dominions,
the monarch referving hawking for his own
pleafure. The reigning fovereign, on the con
trary, is attracted by other matters — the art of
war, fireworks, the roar of artillery, fhipbuild
ing, the dangers of the fea, and fets the arduous
purfuit of glory above all pleafures and amufe-
ments. He went through the military functions
from the very loweft rank, and would not afcend
the throne of his anceftors, and mount the pin
nacle of fovereign power, before he had paffed
through all the grades of military rank to the
higheft, that of General-in-Chief (Campi ducis),
fo glorious 4o% he efteem it to have merited
dignity before poffeffing it.

Mufcovite Precautions. 161
WHAT THE MUSCOVITES PRINCIPALLY GUARD
AGAINST.
Firft. Left the religion of their forefathers
fhould be changed, for they believe that three
figns have been predicted as prognoftics of the
ruin of Mufcovy by one of their faints, whom
the fupernal powers permitted to caft a glance
far into the dark bofom of futurity.
Second. Change of drefs. Third. Of money.
They formerly wore the fame drefs as the Tar
tars ; then they adopted the more elegant coftume
of Polifh fafhion ; now they imitate the Hun
garian garb. For the moft part they ftill
obferve with tenacious fuperftition the prin
cipal points of the fchifm by which they fepa-
rated themfelves from the univerfal body of the
Church. The true mode of making the fign of
the crofs was changed in a council of the Greek
patriarchs, called at great coft at Mofcow ; for
in former times there was no diftinction in the
way in which clergy and laity made the fign of
the crofs. All Ruffians were taught to form it
with three fingers in honour of the moft Holy
Trinity ; but after the council in queftion the
VOL. II. M

1 62 Mufcovite Precautions.
ancient mode was allowed to priefts only, and all
laymen were enjoined by a public law to give
up that moft ancient cuftom, and form the crofs
with only two fingers held up. How much of
innocent, noble and illuftrious blood was fhed on
account of that change the numerous wounds
ftill unhealed fadly fhow.
The old-fafhioned money was ftill in ufe in
our time, except that the public current value
was occafionally fomewhat diminifhed by wear
and tear ; yet it is certain that copper money,
which was coined to meet the excefs of war
expenditure, is referved in the Treafury, and the
laft letters brought hither out of Mufcovy
acquaint us that the coinage there has been
debafed. Nor has the authority of the clergy
remained intact ; for formerly they occupied
without difpute the firft places of honour in all
public affemblies, but now their dignity has
grown fo vile that they are feldom, or at leaft
only like laymen, admitted to table. Methinks
fome old hag belonging to the popes muft have
dreamt thefe things inftinctively, for they are in
dread, and not without reafon, of being fhaken
from the -axis of their fortune, and left they

Mufcovite Precautions. 163
fhall reign no longer than they can fucceed in
keeping the populace and nation, by means of
fuperftitious doctrine or contempt for fcience, in
ignorance and benighted error ; whilft it has
ever been the fpirit of fhining virtue to ftruggle
glorioufly to more arduous and better things.
Another thing of which they ftudioufly take
care, is to guard their frontier towns and for-
treffes with ftrong garrifons, that they may be
prepared for the event of peace or war, and left
fome chance of fortune fhould expofe everything
to the intrigues of their enemies and the inteftine
treafon of citizens.
Third. Left any of the magnates fhould rife
to dangerous wealth and power, to the peril of
the fovereign. He that boafts of his riches, or
makes difplay of his wealth, runs the rifk of his
life ; for perfons of formidable wealth are com
monly punifhed by being dragged to prifon upon
a trumped-up charge of peculation, their goods
are handed over to the Treafury, and they them
felves to exile or death.
Fourth. None of the provincial offices are
perpetual ; governorfhips laft only a few years
the duration of power being at the utmoft th re

164 Mufcovite Precautions.
years. They pretend that the fhort duration of
honours is a great advantage to the country, for
that governors who know that they will be
ftripped of their authority in a year's time do
not readily abufe their magiftrature, nor do the
people grow too much attached to them, or
dread a Prefident whofe authority will come to a
fpeedy end. The powers of Feodor Madveowicz
Apraxin, as Woivode of the port of Archangel,
have been prolonged by the Czar for three years
more, becaufe at the time when the Czar was
flaying there, to make a cruife on the White Sea,
over and above the fidelity with which it was feen
he had exercifed his functions, he went liberally
to great expenfe to receive his Majefty with
becoming honour.
Fifth. Formerly Mufcovites were not allowed
to crofs the limits of their fovereign's dominions,
left by beholding the happinefs of a foreign
empire they fhould be excited to daring afpira-
tions of innovation; but under the prefent Czar's
reign it is required of them to vifit foreign
countries, under the femblance of acquiring
knowledge ; and they are weakened in purpofe
and power by this impofed neceffity of foreign

Mufcovite Precautions. 165
travel. Still, without the Czar's fpecial per-
miffion and command, nobody dare fet foot with
impunity out of Mufcovy.
Sixth. Thofe whom the requirements of com
merce compel to crofs the frontiers for a time,
are punifhed with confifcation of goods, the
knout and exile, fhould they fail to return home
within the time prefcribed.
Seventh. The Coffacks are a great element of
ftrength for the Czars. The Mufcovites con
ciliate them with annual gifts, and ftudy to keep
them faithful with the fatteft promifes, left they
fhould take it into their heads to pafs over to
the Poles, and by their defection draw off
the whole ftrength of the military power of
Ruffia; for this ftout race excels the Mufco
vites, both in the art of war and in bravery of
foul. Eighth. In like manner, with civility, promifes,
largeffes, and multiplied artifice, they retain under
their afcendency their neighbours the Tartars,
Circaffians, Nogai, Samoieds, and Tingoes ; for
they fcarcely burden them with any tribute —
nay, thefe people rather expect an annual gift,
the delay of which beyond the ufual time, in

1 66 The Royal City of the Czars.
our day, made Ajuka, the Prince of the Cal-
muck Tartars, defert with 20,000 to the
Turks. Ninth. It is an old habit of the Czars to fow
and fofter difcords among their very magnates,
whom they find it eafier to opprefs each and all
with more fecurity and under a greater mafk of
equity, when they are divided by mutual hate,
and ftriving in favage plots to get the better of
one another ; in accordance with the old faw —
divide et impera.
Tenth. The Czar when upon his departure
from Mofcow puts feveral perfons at the head
of affairs, taking care to choofe thofe that he
knows to be by natural antipathy in difcord
with one another : left any one fhould abufe
the power entrufted to him or arm it againft his
prince. OF THE ROYAL CITY OF THE CZARS.
Mofcow is the metropolis of Mufcovy, and it
takes its name from the river Mofkwa that flows
through it. The city is almoft circular, and is
divided into four parts each furrounded with its

The Royal City of the Czars. 1 6 7
own walls, or a vallum. The innermoft part, or
as it were marrow of the city, is called Kytaygorod ;
next this lies the caftle or royal refidence, feparated
from the former by walls, and is called Kremelina
gorod. Thefe two parts are furrounded with a
ftone wall. The part which encompafles thefe
on the eaft, north, and weft, is called Czargorod,
which means the royal city, and this is encom-
paffed with a wall built of white ftone and a
rampart of earth. The part round this outfide
is named Skoroda, and is only encompaffed with
hedges. The fouthern part bears the alias name
of Strelitza Slowoda, becaufe it was inhabited by
the foldiers or praetorians of the Grand Duke.
But as all the houfes of the Strelitz have been
torn down and razed to the earth fince the late
rebellion, and the Czar wifhes the very name of
Strelitz to be buried in oblivion, I believe that
quarter will foon have a new name and deftination
allotted to it. As for the reft, moft of the
private houfes are built of wood, a very few of
brick, and none but people of rank and opulent
merchants live in houfes of ftone. Hence thofe
frequent fires that often deftroy houfes by
thoufands.

1 68 The Royal City of the Czars.
This city is three German miles in circum
ference, is grandly adorned and fair to behold,
with its more than two hundred goodly churches,
and a multitudinous variety of towers, for every
church has its five towers. The high church is
that of the moft Holy Trinity, into which in
days of yore, on Palm Sunday, the patriarch
feated upon an afs ufed to be led by the
Czar : but ceremonies of this kind in the pre
fent Czar's time are either abandoned or are
neglected and going out of ufe. The merchants,
according to the nature of their wares, have
different and feparate marts, and places, and
fpaces, in which alone they may expofe their
wares for fale.
Firft, in front of the Kremlin Caftle there is a
feries of ambulatories round about, with ftalls
behind ; for there is neither room nor allowance
here to put up regular fhops.
The fecond mart is that in which filk and
everything made of filk is fold.
In the third, all kinds of cloth are expofed for
fale. The fourth is for the goldfmiths ; the fifth,
for the furriers ; the fixth, for the fhoemakers ;
the feventh, for linen tiffues ; the eighth, for

The Royal City of the Czars. 169
pictures ; the ninth they call the loufe market,
from the number of barbers' ftalls there, where
the Mufcovites go to have their locks clipped,
and where the hair is thrown out into the ftreet ;
in the tenth, garments of all defcriptions are on
fale ; the eleventh is the fruit market ; the
twelfth, the fifh market ; the thirteenth, the bird
market. Befides thefe there is a public building
which they call the Gaft-Hoff, near the palace of
the Ambaffadors, in which Perfians, Armenians,
and other foreigners, for the moft part expofe
their wares. Independent of which there are
many other feparate marts, according as the claf-
fification of merchandife requires ; and everything
is arranged fo diftinctly and with fo much order
as to be eafy of accefs and paffage from one to
the other. There are cellars too for the fale of
wine, which is brought by fea to Archangel and
thence to Mofcow.
In the part of the city which as has been faid
they call Czargorod, there are certain open fpaces
called Pogganabrut : in thefe are fold wheat, meal,
flefh, cattle, beer, hydromel, and brandy. The city
is in a moft flourilhing ftate in refpect ofthe variety
of trades in which its inhabitants are engaged.

1 70 Commodities for Trade.
It is indeed clofed with gates ; but not duly
provided againft the attacks of an affailing
force. Nearly all that the natives make ufe of, or
that is fuitable for trade, is comprifed in the
following enumeration : —
i°. The fkins of various animals, which ferve
to protect the natives from the extreme rigour of
the climate, and which are fold in great quantities
to foreign merchants. Of thefe fkins the moft
prized are fables, the fineft of which are furnifhed
by the province of Petchora, upon which the
female fafhion of our day has fet fuch an extra
vagant value in Europe. The others are black
and red fox, in which Siberia abounds, and alfo
white marten, beaver, the charming little ermine
fkins, wolf, lynx, and fo forth. 20. Such a
quantity of wax, that in fome years as much as
two myriad pounds are faid to have been
exported. The greateft amount ufually comes
from Plefcow, though other provinces alfo abound
in wax. 30. Such a profufion of honey, that
though a great quantity be confumed by the
natives in drink, a confiderable amount is
exported every year into the neighbouring

Commodities for Trade. 171
countries. 40. Jaroflaw and Wologda furnifh
tallow. 50. The whole country produces hides
of oxen and deer. 6°. Oil produced by boiling
down the carcafes of feals. 70. Caviar, of which
a vaft quantity is prepared on the banks of the
Volga, the roe of the fturgeon and other*
defcriptions of fifh, and in which a lucrative
export trade is carried on with foreign countries,
efpecially Italy. 8°. Flax and hemp are produced
in great abundance and of excellent quality ; the
former in the province of Volfko, and the neigh
bouring regions ; the latter in Smolenfko, Doro-
gobufa, and Viafma. 90. Comes fait, the greater
part of which is gathered from fait fprings in
Stara-Ruffa, and elfewhere ; but near Aftracan it
is caft on fhore in high floods. 10°. Tar, a vaft
quantity of which from the province of Carelia,
and on the banks of the Dwina, towards the
North Sea, exudes from the rock. They call
what they ufe, inftead of glafs, ftude ; it is what
is commonly ufed for lanterns under the name of
Ruffian glafs, and alfo Marien glafs. n°. Iron,
for of other metals Ruffia is almoft barren.
* " Belh-uginae, ihirionls, feveriga," for the firft and third of
which I have not found the Englifh name. — Transl.

172 Of the Ruffian Religion.
They think, however, that they will find a vein
of a different metal in Siberia.

OF THE RUSSIAN RELIGION.
Touching the alteration in the manner of
making the fign of the crofs I have already
fpoken. Who could imagine it to be of fo great
moment for the worfhip of the true faith whether
one fhould make the fign of the crofs with two
or three fingers, or with the whole hand raifed.
Neverthelefs, the Ruffian patriarch's doubt about
the manner of making the fign of the crofs
feemed a matter of fuch weight to the Mufco
vites, that at great coft they invited the Patriarch
of Conftantinople, and two others from Alexan
dria to Mofcow, to decide the queftion. True,
indeed, the Mufcovites make the main part of
their religion, and their only means of faving
their fouls, confift in the mere fign of the crofs ;
for it is extremely rare to find any among them
that know by heart the two ordinary little
prayers, the Our Father and Hail Mary. Nor
have they fchools where thofe points are taught
which it is becoming and neceffary for an adult

Of the Ruffian Religion. 1 73
to know, as effential to falvation. But I cannot
imagine, nor will, or can, the Mufcovites when
queftioned upon the fubject, fay what motive
chiefly induced the above-mentioned fpiritual-
rulers to abrogate, contrary to the exprefs wifh of
the people, and prohibit under the fanction of fuch
a cruel penalty the ancient mode of forming the fign
of the crofs, which had been in ufe and allowed for
centuries. The lower orders thought that heaven
and eternal glory was torn from them by that
prohibition, and that thenceforward none but the
popes would enjoy the blifs of heaven, as they
alfo were allowed to make the fign of the crofs
with three fingers. Many ftruggled againft the
patriarch's law, as impious and irreverent towards
the Almighty ; and numbers preferred to fall
beneath the axe of the executioner, rather than
abandon the ancient way of forming that facred
fign. It would have been far more ufeful and
far more wholefome labour to organife fchools,
to appoint mafters for the inftruction of the
youth, to teach the ignorant, to lead back the
erring to the right road to falvation. But as
they are, to the laft degree, unfkilled in divinity,
and haughtily defpife all learning from abroad,

1 74 Of the Rufjian Religion.
they envy that enlightenment to thofe that are
to come after them, into which they them
felves are afhamed to emerge out of their
benightednefs. BAPTISM.
The Ruffians deny that perfons are truly
baptifed who are regenerated, according to the
Roman rite by the mere fprinkling with water in
the name of the moft Holy Trinity ; but con
tend, with moft obftinate fuperftition, that
baptifm fhould be performed by immerfion ; that
the old man muft be drowned (sujfocari) in the
water, which is to be done by immerfion, and
not by afperfion. Infilling pertinacioufly upon
this error, they admit reiteration of baptifm,
and baptife anew, either by immerfion or, as the
present ufage is, by pouring water over the
whole body from head to foot, any perfons, no
matter what religion they may have previoufly
belonged to, who embrace the Ruffian fchifm,
either of their own free will, or, as is generally
the cafe, upon compulfion. And becaufe there
are three perfons in the Godhead, fo they re
quire a triple immerfion.

Of the Ruffian Religion. 175
SACRIFICE.
They celebrate according to the Greek rite ;
they ufe leavened bread and red wine ; they dif
tribute the confecrated bread and wine together
out of the chalice with a fpoon. Though they
commonly make ufe of red wine for the facrifice,
yet if it is not to be had, they do not deny that
white wine may be confecrated.
They hardly or with difficulty permit ftrangers
or thofe that are not of their religion to enter
their churches. For Catholics, however, they
are lefs particular than for Lutherans and Cal-
vinifts. Perhaps becaufe they are aware that
we venerate the images and relics of faints, and
that the others fpurn them.
OF IMAGES.
They venerate only painted images, and not
fuch as are fculptured or wrought in any other
manner ; for they will have it that it is forbidden
by the commandment of God in the Decalogue
to adore any graven thing, which precept, how
ever, in the way in which adoration ought to be

176 Of the Ruffian Religion.
underftood, equally prohibits the painted and the
graven. SERMONS.
The Ruffians, up to the prefent, have always
condemned the function of preachers, faying
that profeffed preachers affect rather a ufelefs
elegance of language than earneftnefs in pro
claiming the word of God. Yet in the prefent
age the practice of expounding the Gofpel has
met with the approval of the Ruffians. For
there are even fome to be found among them
who, confident of their own learning, are not
content with merely reading the Gofpel or holy
Scripture aloud in the church (which was the
old fafhion), but prefer a polifhed and rhetori
cally laboured difcourfe of their own compofi-
tion.

THEIR VENERATION FOR THE MOTHER OF
GOD.
They venerate the Mother of God with the
moft devout piety, and they hold it to be right

Of the Ruffian Religion. 177
and ufeful to reverence God's faints. They
hold Saint Nicholas in principal veneration and
honour, on which account they celebrate that
faint's feftival twice a year.

PURGATORY.
They believe in a third place, wherein all are
detained until the Day of Judgment, holding
that nobody is admitted into heaven unlefs upon
fentence paffed in that public and final tribunal
which has to decide upon thofe that are worthy
of the reward of heaven. They fay that fuf-
frages are beneficial to fouls in this condition,
and for that reafon efteem it very profitable and
very meritorious to pray or perform good works
for the faithful departed.
THE PATRIARCH.
He is the vifible head of the Ruffian church.
Under him he has metropolites, archbifhops,
bifhops, and archimandrites. The cuftom pre
vails of carrying the paftoral and crofs before
thefe dignitaries wherever they go. None of
VOL. II. N

178 Of the Ruffian Religion.
them can marry, for they are all felected out of
the monafteries.

MONASTERIES.
They have monks and nuns who, in aufterity
of life, in frequency of fafts, in rigour and
poverty, exceed the difcipline of our religious
in feverity, but not in piety. For in the feafon
of their fafts they macerate the flefh to fuch
a degree that it is held finful to give even
medicine to the fick ; but when the time of the
fall is over, they make ufe of every licenfe ; and,
more like debauchees than monks, they are ram
pant drunk in the public places ; and, devoid of
all fhame, they are often found in lafcivioufnefs
in the open ftreets. They wear a 'ong black
gown, with a cowl at the neck. They are all
meanly dreffed, except thofe that bear the higher
offices in the monafteries, who are more expen-
fively clothed. They alfo make the three vows
of chaftity, poverty, and obedience. They are
not imbued with letters. Sometimes Poles,
deferting to their fchifm, are mixed up in thefe
monafteries. Such a one I found in the mona-

Of the Ruffian Religion. 179
ftery called Jerufalem, which lies fix miles diftant
from Mofcow.

THE POPES OR PRIESTS.
Orders are conferred by the impofition of
hands. Round the head of the new ordained
they bind a vitta, or, as they call it, a Jkuffia,
which is bleffed by the patriarch, and muft be
kept with the greateft care ; for whoever fhould
happen to lofe it, even by accident, would be
deemed unworthy of the facerdotal office. If a
layman fhould chance to get into a row with a
pope, he muft beware not to fully the vitta. If
he is going to beat the pope, he muft remove it
from his head with due refpect, and in the mean
time lay it afide in a decent place, after which he
may ftrike the prieft with impunity as much as
he pleafes. No law, no penalty or excommuni
cation can take hold of him, provided that after
the blows and buffets he replace the vitta with
due veneration on the head from which he re
moved it. Thus the character of the honoured
vitta is faved ; nor does he ftrike at the inftigation
of the devil, who venerates the prieftly dignity in

180 Oj the Ruffian Religion.
that manner, and only avenges his quarrel on the
perfon ofthe man. All popes muft have wives;
and the prieftly function is not allowed to be
exercifed by one that is not bound in wedlock.
But he muft marry a maiden or the widow of
fome pope. Should he marry any other widow
he would be rendered irregular and incapable,*
ipfo faclo. A pope may not marry again when
his wife dies, nor is he capable f of celebrating
or enjoying a facerdotal benefice without a wife :
he may fing vefpers, indeed, and perform other
minor ecclefiaftical acts, but may not offer at the
altar. So that a wife is a fubftantial requifite
for the exercife of the priefthood at prefent in
the Ruffian Church : fave for monks, whofe rule
it is to live in folitude and companionlefs. To
the latter may be added the patriarch, metropo-
lites, archbifhops, bifhops, archimandrites, and
others, who are all chofen from among the
monks. The popes may, however, marry a
fecond time, provided they renounce the prieft
hood. So that it often happens that the fame

* " Irregularis et inhabilis," &c. — Orig.
f " Idoneus," 8cc.—Orig.

Of the Ruffian Religion. 181
men whom you revere one year as popes/
you fee next year as fhoemakers, tailors, and
butchers. When the common people meet the popes in
the public highways they afk for their crofs and
their bleffing, which the popes, ambitious of the
fanctity of their character, publicly impart to
thofe that folicit it. Yet they are fcarcely betteK
behaved than the populace ; for they often/
flagger drunk through the thoroughfares of the
city, worfe than thofe whom they are bound, in
virtue of their ftate of life, to excite, by their
example, to virtue and piety. They are in the
habit of carrying a crofs with them everywhere :
how often that all-precious badge of our Re
deemer, which thefe moft bafe fcoundrels carry
about, muft be rolled in the gutter when they
are helplefs and ftaggering, after drinking brandy
to excefs at fupper. I do believe that there is
no people that fhines fo much in outward figns,
that counterfeit real piety, and in fuch fpecious
mafks of uprightnefs of heart, as this race which,
neverthelefs, in diffimulation, fraud, falfehood,
and in the moft unbridled audacity in the com-
miffion of every crime, furpaffes far and wide

1 82 Of the Ruffian Religion.
s ail, other nations of the univerfe. Nor is this
affertion made out of hatred, but from true and
genuine experience ; as any perfon fhall infallibly
come to underftand, who may happen to have
the opportunity of frequent dealings with them.
There are as many as four thoufand popes in the
metropolis of Mufcovy, who can all live decently
upon their revenues.

FESTIVAL DAYS.
There are almoft as many feftivals in Ruffia
as there are days in the year : but the feftivals
alternate between the different quarters of the
city ; fo that while one quarter is keeping holi
day, the other is working. But the major
feftivals of the Nativity, the Refurrection, the
Afcenfion, &c, they all keep holy together,
which they indicate by a continual and annoyin
jangling of a bell. If bell-ringing and the out
ward piety of making --the fign of the crofs be
fufficient to conftitute true Chriftian devotion,
Mufcovy, at this prefent day, can prefent us
with multitudes of exceedingly Chriftian folk.
On feftival days they only reft from labour in

Of the Ruffian Religion. 183
the forenoon ; at a very early hour in the
morning, generally before daybreak, they get
through their facred functions in the dark, and
the day itfelf they confecrate, if not to work, at
leafl to debauchery : fo that one muft always
be in fear of a conflagration as often as the
Ruffians celebrate a feftival, or, as they call it,
brafnick. BURIAL.
They ufe a number of ceremonies in the
burial of their dead. They bring fuperftitious
and profane women for thofe occafions, who
follow the funeral with mercenary fobs. In the
coffin they hide letters of recommendation to
Saint Nicholas, whom they believe to be the
doorkeeper of heaven: and in thefe letters the
Patriarch affeverates that the deceafed led the
life of a Chriftian, and at length died with praife-
worthy conftancy in the orthodox Ruffian faith.
When the corpfe is laid in the grave, a pope,
after a fhort fermon upon the neceflity of dying,
throws in the firft burial earth. Befides the
prayers for the dead after the bodies have been

184 Of the Ruffian Religion.
committed to the ground, they have women at
the grave, who fet up a loud howling and wail,
and afk the deceafed, with mighty vociferation,
after the manner of the pagans, " Why did they
dies' Why did they fo foon defert their dear
fweet wives ? — their darling offspring ? What
did they want for ? Meat ? Drink ? " Finally,
they place upon the grave various defcriptions of
food, to be divided among the poor who are in
the habit of gathering in crowds there. This
they often repeat during the year, out of affection
and charity towards the departed.

MASLANIZA.
The Italians call it Carnevale ; the Latins, Bac
chanalia; our Germans, in Mufcovy, die Butter-
wochen (butter* week) : becaufe during that week
it is forbidden to eat flefh, but it is ftill allowed
to eat butter : for during the reft of the lenten
faft they ufe only linfeed oil.

* This is alfo the fenfe of the Ruffian word Maftaniza from
the Sclavic root maflo, butter. — Transl.

Of the Ruffian Religion. 185

ABSTINENCE AND FASTING.
j They abftain from flefh on Wednefdays and
Fridays. They have, moreover, four other fafts
during the year. The firft, from Quadragefima
Sunday to Eafter ; the fecond, from the Sunday
after Pentecoft to the feaft of the Holy Apoftles
Peter and Paul; the third, from the firft of
Auguft to the feftival of the Affumption of the
Bleffed Virgin ; the fourth, from the tenth of
November until Chriftmas. The firft of all is
the ftricteft, and, from its lafting longer than the
others, they call it the long faft. In fafting-
time it is not allowed to eat eggs, or butter, or
cheefe. No exception is made in favour of age
or ill-health : they deem it better to die of fail
ing than preferve life by eating eggs or flefh.
Nay, the very phyficians, before they are ad
mitted to practice, have to bind themfelves, by
oath, never to employ any medicines in falling
time for fick Mufcovites, for the diluting of
which eggs, flefh, milk, or butter might be
neceffary, even though they may clearly forefee
that the fick perfon muft fpeedily die without

1 86 Public Government.
the help and ufe of fuch a medicine, j From
which aufterity and indifcreet obfervance of the
precept of falling, I juftly take occafion to pro
nounce the Ruffian Church not to be a true
and genuine mother, but a flepmother and an
adulterefs.

PUBLIC GOVERNMENT.
The cities are not under the jurifdiction of
mayors or the worthieft of their citizens ; but a
diak is appointed by the Czar to adminifter the
law. With his ftaff of fcribes he conftitutes a
Pricas, or chancery, and cafes of every defcription
are tried by this tribunal. Except a little index
upon which are the judicial forms, and fome
legal axioms that have the force of precedent,
they have no written law, the will of the monarch
and the ukafe of the fenate being the fupreme
law. They fay, indeed, that one of the diaks has
compiled a book of the rights, ftatutes, decrees,
fentences, decifions, and the cuftoms which he
found to be obferved in Mufcovy from a very
remote period. But that collection of laws has
not, fo far, legal force and weight, nor are the

Law Suits. 187
judges called upon to pronounce in accordance
with it. In the year 1647, Grand Duke Alexis
Michalowicz had the laws collected and reduced
to order by his councillors, in a book they call
Soborna Ulaftenia.* But each new monarch
makes new laws ; for in a country governed
defpotically, nothing but the fovereign's pleafure
has force of law.
They begin their law-fuits nearly in this
manner : the plaintiff fets forth by petition by
whom and to what extent he has been injured-;
and having obtained leave by wepis, which is an
indult of the judge, he has an apparitor (prifta-
Kllis) fent to fummon the accufed, who is obliged
to promife on his fealty to appear on the ap
pointed day, otherwife the apparitor has power to
detain him by every means in his power. Now,
both plaintiff and accufed plead their own cafe,
without the affiftance of either attorneys or
advocates. If the cafe cannot be cleared up by
evidence, it is terminated by fwearing. For
when the judge cannot clearly fee which party is
* Thefe laws may be found tranflated into Latin by the
Baron de Mayerburg, in his narrative of his Embaffy in Ruffia.
They occupy 126 ofthe folio pages of that work. — Transl.

1 88 Law Suits.
in the right, it is ufual for him to afk one of the
parties if he be willing to fwear upon the crofs
that he alleges the truth. If he confents to this,
he is forthwith conducted to church, and gains his
caufe by kiffing the crofs. This crofs -kiffing
they call Chreftinam Cheloveniam, and confider it
the fame as an oath. Hence they call traitors,
perjurers, and thofe that break treaties, tranfgref-
fors of the crofs. Should both be prepared to
fwear, they decide the cafe by lot. Should the
lofing party not fatisfy his creditor forthwith, he
is led into the public fquare, where condemned
perfons of this category are fuftigated in a deplo
rable way, every morning from eight o'clock to
eleven. But if after being thus fuftigated for the
fpace of a year, they are not paying, they muft
fell their wives and children until the creditor
has been paid back to the laft farthing.
The complainant who firft gains the ear of the
judge is in general triumphant, even though his
fuit be unjuft, for there is no favourable confide
ration for the accufed ; in fact, there is no great
difference between an accufation and a condem
nation. Whatever the accufed may fet forth in
his own defence is feldom believed, or meets with

Law Suits. 189
no attention. Their cuftom is to prove their
ftatement by witneffes, whom they bribe at a
trifling rate ; and, moreover, he is confidered to
have the better cafe who has a ftronger body of
witneffes than his adverfary. Prefents, too, and
gifts, and largeffes, are a great help to a fuit :
nothing is expedited in a Pricas, unlefs the diaks
and fcribes have firft been put in good humour
with gold or filver. They beat the Harpies
hollow in rapacioufnefs ; and by a moft corrupt
ufage, nobody can contrive to extort his annual
falary unlefs he firft propitiates all the officials
in the Pricaffa, from the diak down to the
vileft of the fcribes, by a percentage upon it.
He that has not the means of bribing wit
neffes, or gaining the diaks and fcribes with
gold, has the worft of ill-luck to be at law : the
caufe of juftice is oppreffed, and the iniquity of
corrupt judges can eaflly make white black and
black white.
Debt is proved by writing fignature and feal,
and not by witneffes. If a dilatory debtor fhould
defer payment of the fum lent, the creditor pre
fents himfelf before the Pricas to the jurifdic-
tion of which the debtor is fubject, as the com-

190 Law Suits.
petent tribunal, and by petition, addreffed to the
Prefident of the Pricas, prays that his debtor
may be cited. If he appear upon citation, he
is coerced by the efficacious legal remedy to pay
at once the debt which his creditor has legally
proved ; but if he do not appear on citation, he
is feized wherever he may be found, and hurried
by force before the tribunal. He who is the
more liberal in his prefents has the beft cafe at
law ; juftice and injuftice are up at auction ; as
there is no fixed price, they are ufually bought
by the higheft bidder. Wretched is the debtor's
lot if the points of his defence be not gilded
with plenty of money. Money, not argument,
conftitutes the proof ; when that falls fhort, he
is condemned to fomething nearly as bad as
death. His knees tingle with the moft exqui-
fite pain under the ftrokes of flender little canes
(tenuibus baculis), in a tower which is the prifon
for dilatory debtors. The beating is often re
peated every day until he pays or gives fecurity;
but when he cannot afford to do either, he is
often adjudged to his creditor, along with his
wife and children, after he has undergone an
abundant amount of beating proportionate to

Punijhments. 1 9 1
the amount of his debt — for the flavery laws are
ftill unrepealed in Ruffia.
Pecuniary mulcts, battoks, and knouting, are
the punifhments and penalties in civil cafes.
The money fines, unlefs when defined by cuftom
or ukafe, vary according to the judge's choice,
and are often greater or lefs. Battoks are two
flender flicks, wherewith the condemned perfon
is often flogged to death ; for his coat is taken
off, he is thrown down on the ground with only
his fhirt on ; one fits upon his head, another on
his feet, fo that his body may not move ; and
then, thus ftretched out on the ground, they
flog him, until the official Handing by, by word
or fign, puts an end to the blows. The knout
is a fcourge fo favage that at the firft ftroke on
the naked fkin the blood ftarts forth, and it
leaves a wound of the breadth of a finger in
depth. This punifhment, when applied to a
perfon in a civil cafe, they call the Czar's grace
(Tzaream gratiam vacant), and he that has
been thus caftigated is bound to return thanks
for his paftime, nor does he lie under any
note of ignominy, fo that any perfon that
dares at any time to upbraid one with having

192 Manners and Cuftoms.
been fo caftigated becomes liable himfelf to the
fame penalty. But the punifhment is penal and
criminal, if the perfon flogged be tranfported to
Siberia. Thofe accufed of libel have to pay Biszeftia —
that is, to redeem the injury they have done to
the perfon's reputation by a pecuniary mulct.
Every rank has its ree aide, or fixed fum, efta-
blifhed by tariff, which the libeller has to pay. He
that ufes libellous language to a boyar, a colonel,
or a phyfician, is liable to a fine of 2000 impe
rials ; for the honour of all thefe three claffes is
protected with precifely the fame occlade, though
the authority of neither colonels nor phyficians
is always maintained fcathelefs. The defamer of
the wife of a Boyar is condemned to twice the
ufual penalty. One ufing opprobrious language
to children expiates his crime with half the fine
which the laws have appointed to guard the fair
fame of their parents.
OF THE MANNERS OF THE MUSCOVITES.
The whole Ruffian race is rather in a ftate of
flavery than of freedom. All, no matter what

Manners oj the Mufcovites. 1 93
their rank may be, without any refpect of perfons,
are oppreffed witfTtRe~harfheft flavery. Thofe
that are admitted to the dignity of the privy
council, affume the lofty name of magnates, and
come next in rank after their fovereign, have
merely more fplendid bonds of flavery ; they are
chained in golden fetters, being liable to all the
more bitternefs in that they ftrike the eye more
infolently, and by their very flafli upbraid the
vilenefs of the lot in which they are held up
before the world.
He that fhould happen to fubfcribe his name
in the pofitive degree to petitions or letters to the
Czar would be publicly tried for treafon. Dimi
nutives muft be ufed. Thus, for example, one
whofe name may be James, fhould write himfelf
little James (Jacobulum). For they deem it
greatly derogatory to the fupreme rank of ma
jefty not to revere their fovereign with all refpect
by thefe humble diminutives of name. This
was a crime imputed to the military engineer
Laval, by which the Minifters contended that he
had deferved the Czar's hatred ; for that he ought
to write and flyle himfelf the Grand Duke's
cholop, or moft abject and vileft flave, and ac-
VOL. 11. 0

194 Manners of the Mufcovites.
knowledge that all the goods and chattels he
poffeffed were not his, but the monarch's. And
in this opinion they have a capital practical hand
in their fovereign, who ufes his native country
and its inhabitants (patrid civibusque) as if power
abfolute, unbounded, uncircumfcribed by any law,
lay openly with him to difpofe as freely of the
property of private individuals, as if nature had
produced everything for his fake alone. Let him
trample upon thefe fouls born for flavery, and let
the Ruffians bear the lot that the gods have
appointed. The people are rude of letters, and wanting in
that virtuous difcipline by which the mind is cul
tivated. Few ftudy polite manners or imitate
them. John Barclay, in his " Mirror of Souls,"
defcribes at length how this race, born for flavery,
becomes ferocious at the leaft trace of liberty ;
placid if oppreffed, and not refufing the yoke,
they of their own accord confefs themfelves
flaves of their prince. He has a right to their
wealth, their bodies, and their lives. Humility
more fordidly crouching the very Turks enter
tain not for their Ottoman fceptre. They efteem
other races as well by their own character.

Manners of the Mufcovites. 195
Foreigners whom chance or choice has led into
Mufcovy they condemn to the fame yoke, and
will have them be flaves of their monarch.
Should they catch and bring back any of them
departing furtively, they punifh them as runa
gates (ut fugitivos). As for the magnates,
though they be flaves themfelves, towards their
inferiors and the plebeians, whom they ufually
call, out of fcorn, black men and Chriftians, their
arrogance is intolerable, and the vulgar dread
their frown extremely.
Devoid of honeft education, they efteem deceit
to be the height o"f wifdom. They have no
fhame of lying, no blufh for a detected fraud :
to fuch a degree are the feeds of true virtue pro-
fcribed from that region, that vice itfelf obtains
the reputation of virtue. Yet I would not have
you underftand that all the inhabitants of that
monarchy, without any exception, are alike igno
rant and proud in their eftimation of virtue.
Among fuch a quantity of tares fome wholefome
plants do grow ; and the rofe that ftruggles into
bloflbm among this rank crop of fetid leeks,
blufhes all the more fair, and fheds a perfume all
the more grateful. Few indeed are they that juft

196 Manners of the Mufcovites.
Jupiter hath loved, or fhining virtue raifed to the
fkies : but thofe few really ftand fo pre-eminent
that thefe rare torches can remain unremarked
only by the inexperienced, or fuch as are crufhed
beneath a mountain of vices. The reft are of
an incult, flow, and ftupid difpofition, fo ab-
forbed fometimes in flaring at ftrangers, that
with their jaws and eyes wide open they quite
forget themfelves. Among thefe, however, are
not to be reckoned fuch as are fmoothed
down by the tranfaction of affairs, or bufinefs,
or that have learnt by recent travel that the
fun is not fhut up within the mere frontiers of
Mufcovy. In their fchools pofitively the only labour of
the fchoolmafters is to teach the children how to
write and fhape their letters. The height of
learning confifts in committing to memory fome
articles of their creed.
f They defpife liberal arts as ufelefs torments of
youth, they prohibit philofophy, and they have
1 often publicly outraged aftronomy with the
opprobrious name of magic. It is criminal to
introduce the calendar of Vogt the aftronomer
into Mufcovy, becaufe in this general propo-

Manners of the Mufcovites. 197
fition, Moscau wird feinem Ungluck auch nicht
entgehen (neither will Mofcow efcape her ill-for
tune), he prefaged rebellion to the Mufcovites.
They fay that evil fpirits, at whofe fuggeftion and
ihowing aftronomers may fometimes guefs about
the future what is beyond mortal ken, muft have
helped him in this black art. r*The Czar is
endeavouring, by means of various arts and
fciences, to frame a better ftate of things in his
kingdom. If fuccefs fhould crown the prudent
efforts of good counfel, people fhall fhortly be
aftonifhed at the fair edifice that will ftand where
¦ there was nothing but huts before ;junlefs fome
misfortune fhould happen or a defection of the
people, or perhaps even Amply the very barbarity
of their inclinations fhould render them incapable
of bearing their own good fortune, or fhould
make them grudge to their pofterity a lot fo
happy, and envy the labours of the prefent for
the profit of future generations. It is but a
fhort time ago that an enterprifing Pole fet up
the firft printing prefs among them, but they
only print in the Ruffian language. The Ruffian
characters are not very diffimilar from thofe of
the Greeks, by whom they were taught to

198 Manners of the Mufcovites.
read and write. Their grammar and idiomaticaf
conftruction too are not unlike the Greek.
In the fame houfe with the printing prefs,
fome Greek priefts are maintained at the Czar's
expenfe, who teach Italian to any that wifh to
learn it.
They add and fubtract numbers differently
from other people : they have a board, with
feveral different defcriptions of beads, by means
of which they calculate accurately, with fur-
prifing quicknefs — juft like the markers that
other nations make ufe of : they indicate various
numbers by the mode of collocation.
Though they are themfelves unfkilled in mufic,
they are fond of its harmonies. They have
foreign muficians, whom they pet while they
are finging, but as foon as they are fated with
their ftrains, their ftinginefs returns, and they
are difcontent to be at a yearly charge for a few
hours' gratification. Nor are the exercifes to
which the nobility of European Courts addict
themfelves in ufe in Mofcow : they take no
delight in the manly exercifes of horfemanfhip
or boxing ; they take no pride in dancing, nor in
any other art that prevails in this age among.

Manners of the Mufcovites. 199
nations that are capable of a generous ardour
for praife.
They tolerate no Jews in Mufcovy, unlefs
they be baptifed :* for it feems abfurd to Muf
covites that men fhould differ from them in
religion, whofe ideas, whofe craft, and whofe ex
ceedingly fubtle arts of deceit, they put in practice
with equal fuccefs.
Plurimum utuntur thermis et caldariis ; cum
Turcis enim contractam ex concubitu maculam
balneo abftergere confueverunt. Hasc hyemi
inferviunt; asftivis menfibus fceminis immixti
mares fluminibus innatant toto corpore nudi,
nulla, fexus verecundia, nulla fenii, aut inno-
centis astatis diftinctione habita.f Eadem impu-
dentia, nulla fubucula tecti, ex aquis in gramina
profiliunt, neminis afpectum veriti : quin ipfas
* In thofe parts of the Eaft of Europe where there is a large
Jewifh populace, you rarely hear a converted Jew called a
Chriftian. A belief that, even after baptifm, they continue
fecret practices of Judaifrn, and diflike for their fordid nature,
ftamps them with the name of baptifed Jews, or Neophites; and
thefe names remain as a ftigma for generations attached to a
family. — Transl.
f Not merely in Ruffia, but in Ruffian Poland in the heat of
fummer, fuch fhamelefs promifcuous bathing ftill occurs in the
ftreams and ponds along the very highways ; as the paffing
traveller may have had to remark.

200 Manners of the Mufcovites.
etiam puellae nudi corporis fpeciem fine fronte
prastereuntibus objectant, non mediocre libidinis
incitamentum. Merito porro ambigitur, utrum
major fit eorum fasvitia, an luxuria et impro-
bitas : nam fcortationes, adulteria et ejufmodi
facinora omnem fuperant modum ; cum vix
poena ulla legibus conftituta fit in ejufmodi
delinquentes. Inde Capitaneum quendam ob
nefarium cum filia sua octenni commercium
ad capitis pcenam damnatum, hifce Campi
Dux objurgavit : " Cur libidinem tuam non
in alias exercuifti ? Cum tot fcorta et mere-
trices habere potuiffes, quot kopicas aut altinos
exfolviffes." The flavery laws are in vigour among the
Mufcovites. Some become flaves by captivity,
others are fo by birth, many from being fold by
their fathers, or by themfelves : for if they be
manumitted by their dying mafters, fo accuf-
tomed are they to flavery, that they make them
felves over as flaves to other mafters, or bind
themfelves flaves for a fum of money. Even
freemen that ferve mafters for regular wages
cannot leave their mafter's fervice at will; for
fhould fuch a one quit without his mafter's con-

Manners of the Mufcovites. 201
fent, no other will take him into his fervice,
unlefs his former mailer or one of his friends
recommend him, and anfwer for his being truft-
worthy. Paternal authority is ample enough alfo,
and preffes very feverely upon the fon, for the
father has the right of felling him four times
over. Thus, if after being once fold, he fhould
recover his liberty in any way, or be manu
mitted by his mailer, the paternal rights entitle
his father to fell him over and over again ; but
after the fourth fale his father is allowed no
further power over him. However, in the
actual pofition of affairs, now that Mufcovy pof-
feffes a monarch whofe intellect is fo highly
gifted by nature, and who is urged on by the
wonderful ftimulus of glory, people opine that a
milder ftatute will be fubftituted for this very
crude authority of parents over their fons.
Though, in truth, the nation itfelf has fuch
a diflike of liberty, that it feems to exclaim
againft a happinefs for which it was not
created, and is fo inured to its flavifh con
dition that it will fcarcely endure the prudent
and kindly folicitude of the Prince for his

202 Manners of the Mufcovites.
dominions and his fubjects to be carried out to
the full extent.
What they tell of the unconquerable flubborn-
nefs of this race under the moft exquifite tortures
is fcarcely within the bounds of credibility. Be
fore the Czar's travels abroad, one ofthe accom
plices of the revolt of 1696 had already four
times borne tortures of the moft exquifite agony
without the leaft confeffion of guilt; and the
Czar, perceiving that tortures were of no avail,
turned to enticements, and having kiffed the
perfon under the queftion (ofculo inquifito data)
thus fpoke to him — " It is no fecret to me that
thou haft knowledge of the treafon attempted
againft me. Thou haft been punifhed enough ;
now confefs of thy own accord out of the love
that thou oweft to thy Prince ; and by that God,
by whofe lingular grace I am thy Czar and Prince,
I fwear, not alone wholly to pardon thy guilt,
but moreover, as a fpecial teftimony of my cle
mency, to make thee a colonel." This ftrange
friendlinefs of fuch a mighty Prince bent the
fierce nature of that iron man ; and taking the
freedom of returning the Czar's embrace, he
thus began — " For me this is the greateft of all

Manners of the Mufcovites. 203
tortures; by no other fhouldft thou have ever
vanquifhed my determination," and thereupon
he proceeded to unfold at great length the whole
feries ofthe treafon.
The Czar, carried away with wonder, that a
man who had remained filent under fuch awfully
cruel tortures, fhould be fo foftened with one
little kindnefs, having afked him how he could
have borne fb many ftrokes of the knout and the
dreadful torture of fire applied to his back, he
began another and more ftupendous tale. He
ftated that he and his accomplices had founded a
kind of affociation ; that nobody was admitted
into it without being previoufly tortured ; that
he that was found capable of bearing the moft
pain was afterwards decreed higher honours by
the others ; that a perfon who was only once
tortured was a fimple affociate and participator
in the common advantages ; that anybody who
afpired to the higher grades of diftinction was
not to receive them until he had undergone
frefh tortures, and had proved that he could bear
more in proportion to the eminence of the
dignity ; that he had been tortured himfelf fix
times, and was the prefident of the whole fociety ;

•204 Manners of the Mufcovites.
that the knout was a mere nothing; that the
roafting of the flefh after knouting was nothing ;
that he had had to go through far more cruel
pains among his affociates: "for," continued
he, " the fharpeft pain of all is when a burning
coal is placed in the ear ; nor is it lefs painful
when the head is fhaved, and extremely cold
water is let to fall flowly drop by drop upon it
from a height of two ells." He faid that in all
thefe things he had furpaffed himfelf and his
affociates ; and that thofe who, after being afpi-
rants for memberfhip, were found unable to go
through the firft tortures, were made away with
by poifon, or in fome other way, for fear they
fhould betray. That as far as he could remem
ber, at leaft four hundred fuch inapt candidates
had been killed by himfelf and his comrades.
Thus this fellow bore ten times the moft unheard
of tortures ; fix times from his affociates, and
four times in the inquiry before the Czar. He
is ftill living, and, as I have fet down above, is
now by the Czar's clemency a colonel and away
in Siberia.
A cafe of fimilar flubbornnefs occurred when
the Czar was returning to Mofcow from Vienna.

Manners of the Mufcovites. 205
He had already paffed Smolenfko and was
approaching his capital, when one of his fuite,
terrified at having committed fome flagrant act,
fought fafety in flight. The inquirers could find
no indication of the direction or road he had
taken : when at length a peafant from the next
hamlet came and faid that indeed he knew no
particulars about the fugitive, but that he had
feen a horfe in a neighbour's houfe. The Czar
detained the informer, and fent off Mr. Adam
Weyd to the houfe defignated, to obtain more
pofitive information. He faw the horfe, and on
his return confirmed the peafant's ftory to the
Czar. So the owner of the cottage was brought
up, and the Czar inquired civilly of him about
the man and the horfe. But the hind denied
any knowledge of a horfe being at his houfe.
The Czar repeated the queftion in a grave tone :
but the fellow perfifted in his denial. The Czar
urged him to remember that he was fpeaking to
his fovereign, the lord of his limbs, in whofe
power were life and death. But the thick-
fkulled clown was not in the leaft moved by the
threat. The Czar in confequence commanded
him to be thrown down on the ground and

206 Manners of the Mufcovites.
dreadfully beaten from head to foot with a great
knotty flick. When on further interrogation he
ftill would confefs nothing, he was again moft
violently thrafhed from top to toe. Still the
fellow remained contumacioufly filent. They
rolled him over again and almoft beat him to a
mummy. But ftill at every invitation of the
knotty club, the mangled ruftic lay like a block
and ftubbornly denied. To fuch obftinate ftub-
bornnefs are the fouls of thefe Mufcovites
hardened, that no torments — nay, not the very
prefence of their fovereign — can bend them to
confefs the moft manifeft truth. For it was
found out fhortly after by true and indubitable
proof, that this very ruftic had kept the horfe,
and had fent off the fugitive, with his brother
as guide, by fecret paths beyond Smolenfko.
OF FEMALE LUXURY.
The women of Mufcovy are graceful in figure,
and fair and comely of feature : but fpoil their
beauty with needlefs fhams. Their fhapes, unim-
prifoned by flays, are free to grow as nature bids,
and are not of fo neat and trim figure as thofe of

The Habits and Treatment of Women. 207
other Europeans. They wear chemifes inter
woven with gold all through, the fleeves of which
are plaited up in a marvellous way, being eight
and fometimes ten ells in length, and their pretty
concatenation of little plaits extends down to the
hands, and is confined with handfome and coftly
bracelets. Their outer garments refemble thofe
of Eaftern women : they wear a cloak over their
tunic. They often drefs in handfome filks and
furs, and earrings and rings are in general fafhion
among them. Matrons and widows cover the
head with furs of price : maidens only wear a
rich band round their forehead and go bare
headed, with their locks floating upon their
fhoulders, and arranged with great elegance in
artificial knots.
Thofe of any dignity or honourable condition
are not urged to be prefent at banquets, nor do
they even fit at the ordinary table of their
hufbahds. They may be feen, neverthelefs, at
prefent when they go to church or drive out to
vifit their friends; for there has been a great
relaxation of the jealous old rule which required
women only to go out in carriages fo clofed up,
that the very ufe of eyefight was denied to thefe

208 The Habits and Treatment of Women.
creatures made bond-flaves to a mafter. More
over, they hold it among the greateft honours
that can be paid if a hufband admits his gueft to
fee his wife or daughters, who prefent a glafs of
brandy, and expect a kifs from the favoured gueft ;
and, according to the manner of this people, duly
propitiated with this, they withdraw in filence, as
they came. They exercife no authority in their
houfeholds. When the mafter is abfent from
home, the fervants have full charge of the ma
nagement of the affairs of the houfe, according
to their honefty or caprice, without afking or
acquainting the wife about anything. But the
more wealthy maintain great crowds of hand
maidens, who do fcarcely any work, except what
trifling things the wife may require of them ;
meantime, they are kept fhut up in the houfe,
and fpin and weave linen. With fuch a lazy life
one cannot blame the cuftom which condemned
the poor creatures to fuch frequent ufe of the
bath, fo that their idlenefs may be at leaft varied
from time to time with another defcription of
floth. Whenever the wife of a man of the higher
claffes is delivered of a child, they fignify it

The Habits and Treatment of Women. 209
without delay to the employes and tradefmen,
with rather a beggarly kind of civility. Thofe
who dread the hufband's power, or are ambitious
of his patronage, on receiving notice of the new
birth, come to offer their congratulations in
return ; and giving a kifs to the mother, they
prefent fome offering as a token for the new
born babe. They had better beware not to give
lefs than a gold piece, for that would be a kind
of vilipending ; but everybody is free to be more
generous in his gift. He that is found to be
the moft liberal will be deemed the beft friend.
What the poet fang of the populace, I apply
with greater juftice to the Mufcovites — the Muf
covite tefts friendfhip by its utility. It is a fable
that they value the affection of their hufbands
for them by the amount of blows they receive
from them ; for they know how to diftinguifh
between ferocious and gentle characters better
than words can tell. If any perfon of weight
were to make a beginning of abandoning the old
ufage, they would certainly ftruggle from be
neath that moft vile bondage in which they are
held towards their hufbands.
The Mufcovites hold it finful to marry a
VOL. II. P

210 The Habits and Treatment of Women.
fourth wife ; in confequence of which the third
is in general treated famoufly, although her two
predeceffors are treated like bond-flaves ; for
the thoughts of a new wife, and their inordinate
defires, induce them to wifh for their fpeedy
death, and render the charms of the firft loath-
fome, perhaps even within the brief fpace of a
year. It is quite a proverb, that a pope may
have one and a layman a third wife. Becaufe
when thefe die it is unlawful for them to marry
again, and the Mufcovites treat thefe with true
marital affection, as they never can expect to
marry again when thefe die. Neverthelefs, fome
ofthe more powerful extort a difpenfation from the
Patriarch to marry a fourth time ; and the Patri
arch, even though he does not refufe it, ftill blames
them as facrilegious nuptials, that are null in virtue
of the immutable authority of the prohibitive
law. The Don Coffacks have another cuftom.
They may repudiate women ad libitum, provided
it be in the circle of the whole community, which
affembly they call a Krug. In prefence of the
Atamann* and the entire community the man
* "Coram Ottomanno" i.e., the Hetmann. — Transl.

The Habits and Treatment of Women. i\\
leads his wife into the middle of the circle, and
proclaims that fhe pleafes him no longer ; this
faid, he twirls his wife round about, and letting
her go, pronounces her free from his marital
authority. The byftander who takes hold of the
difcarded woman is compelled to keep her as a
wife, and protect and maintain her until the
next affembly day. Still the laws of thefe bar
barians have eftabliihed rules for repudiations ;
fo that they are not valid, except in circle and
with the whole community as witneffes.
Thefe cuftoms differ but flightly from that
whereby men of free condition, in Turkey, join
in wedlock with their female flaves before the
Woivode : an affociation of man and woman
which is the next thing to concubinage : for the
bond may be diffolved at the man's caprice.
One intending to take a wife in this way goes
before the Woivode and acquaints him with his
intention. The latter, when about to join thefe
perfons, afks them for a belt (cingulum) and a
little chaplet of flowers (ftrophiolum) from the
woman, and the propofal being made to the
woman, and a certain dowry promifed, — for
example, fifty imperials, — he gives the belt to

iiz Of Mufcovite Marriages.
the woman and the chaplet to the man, then
takes note of the date and what takes place, and
writes down fome particular marks of the parties.
When the man becomes tired of the woman, he
has to call again on the Woivode, before whom
the affair muft be laid again ; and he, for a fee
of two or three imperials — having firft exacted
the promifed dowry for the woman — demands
back from the man the chaplet he formerly
received, and the belt from the woman, and,
returning the belt to the man and the chaplet
to the woman, he diffolves the marriage, and
pronounces both free.
OF MARRIAGES.
The fafhion of their marriage differs in no
flight degree from the mode which a long feries
of ages has fanctioned in other countries. For
among them the men are not accuftomed to fee
or fpeak to the girl they want to marry ; the
queftion is popped through the mother, or fome
other old woman, when the parents, without
whofe confent they confider marriage to be illicit,
have agreed about the dowry, which is fometimes

Of Mufcovite Marriages. 213
proportioned to the wealth of the old people.
For it is not ufual among them for the hufband
to promife anything, nor have they any word to
exprefs a donation on account of marriage. But
if the hufband die without iffue of the marriage,
the widow receives as much as fhe brought,
provided the hufband has left property to that
amount. If, however, fhe has had children by
him, fhe takes the third part of the goods, or
more, according to her hufband's will. Finally,
they draw up the marriage articles, in which the
girl's parents warrant her undefiled ; whence
many lawfuits arife, if the hufband fhould have
the leaft fufpicion that fhe was previoufly feduced.
When thefe are completed, the betrothed girl
fends the firft gift to her intended, which he
reciprocates. Still, they are neither allowed to
fee nor fpeak to one anotfier. When the promife
of marriage has been given, the father fummons
his daughter, who comes covered with a linen
veil into his prefence ; and afking her whether
fhe be ftill minded to marry, he takes up a new
rod, which has been kept ready for the purpofe, and
ftrikes his daughter lightly once or twice, faying,
" Lo ! my darling daughter, this is the laft that

214 Oj Mufcovite Marriages.
fhall admonifh thee of thy father's authority,
beneath whofe rule thou haft lived until now.
Now thou art free from me. Remember that
thou haft not fo much efcaped from fway, as
rather paffed beneath that of another. Shouldft
thou behave not as thou oughtefl towards thy
hufband, he in my ftead fhall admonifh thee with
this rod." With this the father, concluding his
fpeech, ftretches at the fame time the whip to
the bridegroom, who, excufing himfelf briefly,
according to cuftom, fays that he " believes he
fhall have no need of this whip ;" but he is bound
to accept it, and put it up under his belt, like a
valuable prefent.
Now, towards the evening which precedes the
folemn nuptials, the bride is conducted by her
mother and other matrons in a carriage, or, if it
be winter, in a fledge, with her marriage trouffeau
and a nuptial bed, elegantly appareled, to the
bridegroom's houfe, and there fhe is guarded
over-night, fo that fhe may not be feen by her
hufband. Early in the morning of the day
appointed for the marriage ceremony the bride,
with a linen veil which covers her from the head
to below the middle, is conducted to church by

Of Mufcovite Marriages. 215
her parents and friends ; the bridegroom, on his
part, being accompanied by his friends ; even
poor men ufing horfes, though the church may
be clofe to their door. The ceremonies and
words which the prieft makes ufe of hardly differ
from thofe ufed among other Chriftians. It is
with a ring that the pledge of fidelity is ratified,
and the hand of the bride is put into the hand
of the bridegroom, which done, the bride falls to
the bridegroom's feet and touches his fhoes with
her forehead, in token of fubjection ; and the
bridegroom, in his turn, puts his tunic over her,
in teftimony that he undertakes to protect her.
Then the kinsfolk and friends bow to both bride
groom and bride, as a pledge of mutual willing-
nefs to oblige and of friendfhip to be cherifhed.
Finally, the bridegroom's father prefents a loaf
to the prieft, who forthwith hands it to the
bride's father, begging him to pay the dowry he
has promifed to the bridegroom on the day
appointed, and henceforward to maintain invio
late friendfhip with him and his friends. In like
manner, too, he breaks the bride's loaf into
many pieces, and diftributes a bit to each of the
relations and connections prefent, to fignify that

216 Of Mufcovite Marriages.
they fhould henceforward be kneaded together
like a loaf.
Thefe ceremonies being at an end, the bride
groom leads the bride by the hand to the church
porch, and pours out a cup of hydromel for her,
which fhe fips beneath her veil, and thus both
return with their friends to the houfe of the
parents — Ubi fub ingreffum farre afperguntur in
fignum fcecunditatis et opulentiae. Hofpitibus
convivantibus, neonuptos confumare oportet:
poftquam duabus, aut tribus circiter horis foli in
Iecto acquieverint, ex convivarum numero aliqui
ad eos delegantur, ut fcifitentur ex fponfo, num
fponfam adhuc incorruptam invenerit ; fi fponfus
affirmat exuberenti hofpitum gaudio, multis que
tripudiis neonupti ad caldarium deducuntur, di-
verfis floribus, herbifque odoriferis exornatum.
Ex quo ad fufficientem amcenitatem loti re-
ducuntur ad templum continuanda; benedictionis
uberiorem cumulum percepturi. Si vero ante
vitiatam fuiffe" fponfus conqueratur, ad parentes
fponfa remittitur repudiata. Quo judicio pro-
betur virginitas, addere non' patitur temporis
noftri caftitas.

Soil, Climate, &c. 217

THE QUALITIES OF THE SOIL AND CLIMATE :
FERTILITY AND RIVERS.
The foil of this region is for the moft part
light and fandy : the proportion of fand being,
however, more or lefs according to the different
provinces. The region to the north, towards
Siberia and the Samoieds, is nearly barren ; the
extent of the forefts, and the extreme rigour of
the cpld, condemning the land to flerility. The
foil along the banks of the Volga is commend
able for its grateful fertility ; but as the country
there is obnoxious to the conftant inroads of the
Crim Tartars, the land lies unfilled, and that
region is almoft quite uninhabited. All the
regions fouthward are pleafant and fertile : rich
paftures and corn lands lie there, and are watered
by feveral rivers. The face of the country is
the fame from Refon to Grate Novogrod ; nor is
that which lies between Mofcow and Smolenfko
very different, though frequent and denfe forefts
give it a peculiar character. But the feafbn of
the year makes a vaft difference in the appear
ance of all thefe provinces; for in the winter

218 Soil, Climate, &c.
months they are covered with exceedingly deep
fnow, efpecially northwards ; all the rivers are
imprifoned in very thick ice, and that for feveral
months together — generally during five— begin
ning with the month of November, and lafting
until the end of March, and often of April ;
for then the fnows firft begin to melt, and the
ice to thaw.
The climate during thofe months is cold
beyond imagination, fo that drops of water
thrown upwards congeal before they fall.
They remember a cold fo penetrating, that
many in the very markets, and all who were
out in the fields, either utterly perifhed, or
hardly efcaped with the lofs of their extremities.
We did not experience fuch extremely fevere
cold in our time ; and, therefore, I only affirm
what was ftated by others, the length of whofe
flay in Mufcovy fhould, I think, obtain for
them fomewhat of authority and credence.
Such is the real ftate of thefe regions in winter.
When fpring commences again, a change fo rapid
takes place, that fuddenly the woods are green
again, the grafs burfts forth, the flowers bloffom,
the crops germinate, the birds, particularly night-

Soil, Climate, &c. i\y
ingales, fing everywhere fo fweetly that it feems
as if nothing could be added to fuch magic
enchantment. The earth of thefe regions is confidered to
derive a kind of advantage from the fnows,
which are exceedingly deep, and cover the earth
like a garment that protects it from being
parched up with the froft ; and again, on the
other hand, at the beginning of fpring, thefe
fnows are diffolved and liquefied in a very brief
fpace, and the foil, which, as we have faid, is
light and fandy, imbibes the humidity largely
and very fpeedily, and when ftruck by the fun's
rays, fends up every defcription of vegetation
with great rapidity. Moreover, in proportion
as the cold of the winter months is intenfe, fo
the heat of the fummer in June, July, and
Auguft, is beyond meafure ; fo that the fruits of
the earth are by that means brought to maturity
very rapidly. Moreover, the greater part of
Ruffia abounds in fprings, and is watered with
rivulets, lakes, and ftreams.
In fine, an advantage of the country refulting
from its being permeated by vaft and very deep
rivers, has been that Ruffia is rendered apt for

220 The Rivers of Ruffia.
commerce even into the depths of her moft re
mote provinces. The principal of thefe rivers are
— I ft, the Volga, anciently called the Rha, and
by the Tartars named the Edel, which rife's forty
German miles above Jaroflaw out of lake Volgo,
and after receiving a great many tributary ftreams
from either fide, fpreads to a mile in width at
Jaroflaw, and after having moreover received
the river Occa at Nifinovogorod, rolls itfelf,
by many huge mouths, into the Cafpian Sea.
2^nd, the Boryfthenes, now the Neper, or Dneper,
which, rifing not far from the metropolis of
Mufcovy, clofe to the hamlet of Dneperfko,
feparates Ruffia from Lithuania, near Oczakow,
a town belonging to the Perecop Tartars, and
difcharges itfelf into the Black Sea. 3rd, the
Tanais, commonly called the Don, the ancient
boundary between Alia and Europe, which,
rifing in Refan Ofera, takes a ftraight eafterly
courfe at firft through the lands of the Perecop
Tartars, and falls, not far from the river Volga,
into the Palus Meotides, near Azow, after being
fwollen by fome tributary ftreams. By this river
they go by water from the city of Mofcow to
Conftantinople, defcending by the river Mofkwa

The Rivers of Ruffia. 221
into the Occa, the veffel being dragged acrofs
a narrow ifthmus, and again fet afloat upon the
latter ftream. 4th, the Dwina, which has its
fource in the province of Vologda, takes a great
bend, defcends right towards Aretum (Aretum
verfus), and lofes itfelf by fix mouths in the
gulf of Saint Nicholas; it is formed by the
junction of two ftreams, the Jug, and the
Suchana, whence its name of Dwina, which
means double in Ruffian. 5th, the Duna, which
rifes in the province of Novogrod, flows through
Livonia, and falls by Riga into the Baltic Sea.
6th, the Onega. 7th, the Suchana. 8 th, the
Ocka. 9th, the Mofkwa. 10th, the Wichida,
befides feveral leffer ftreams, whofe beds are of
vaft extent, divide various provinces of Mufcovy.
Out of thefe rivers they bring to Mofcow a
vaft quantity of the fineft fifh, and of the kinds
that are moft rare elfewhere ; and there for the
mereft trifle are fold, the fifh of which I have
already mentioned the names. Partridge, wild
duck, and other wild fowl, which the luxury of
numbers of people render exceedingly coftly in
other countries, are here fold for almoft nothing ;
a partridge can be bought for two or three

222 Their Edible Produblions.
kopeks — one kopek being the equivalent of two
kreuzers — and other birds are cheap in propor
tion. The Mufcovites confider hares to be
unclean, fo that they cannot eat them them
felves ; but they fell them to the Germans for
three or four kopeks ; and venifon is quite as
cheap. An ox may be fometimes had for four or
five imperials ; a calf for ten or twelve kopeks.
They have learnt from Germans how to fow,
cultivate, and propagate lettuce, cabbages, and
feveral other garden products. Aftracan pro
duces melons ; Kiow, nuts and grapes ; and
Mufcovy produces in profufion moft beautiful
tranfparent apples, which many of the warmeft
countries might envy, and which they call Nolivas.
Although in our time there was fome fcarcity of
bread in the remoter provinces of Mufcovy, ftill,
fo great is the plenty in ordinary feafons, that
there is more than is wanted for confumption.
The land is naturally fertile enough, if it were
not left in uncultivated fterility by the lazinefs of
the people.

Of the Foreign Refident s. 223

o

OF THE GERMAN OFFICERS AND MERCHANTS
THAT LIVE IN MOSCOW.
The moft illuftrious lord* Francis, Jacobeides
Lefort, is the firft general and admiral of the fleet.
Of the reformed religion in Mufcovy, a native
of Geneva, he came along with two or three
companions more than twenty years ago, by way
of the White Sea, into Mufcovy, to feek his
fortune ; and he found what he fought. For in
the year '88, on the outbreak of a revolt, their
Czarifh Majefties had betaken themfelves to a
monaftery, called Droyza, as a place of fecurity,
in confequence of the open and fanguinary in-
fanity of the archers, otherwife called Strelitz,
which was not only raging againft the Boyars
with a blind and promifcuous cruelty, without
the leaft confideration for perfonal worth, but
was alfo athirft for the blood of their youthful
princes. In this day of peril, when the loyalty of a
great many was fhaken, and deliberating which
* Illuftriffimus Dominus Francifcus Jacobeides Lefort, i.e.,
Francis, fon of fames, according to the Ruffian fafhion of adding
the father's- Chriftian name. — Transl.

224 Of the Foreign Refident s.
fide to take, for the ftorm menaced an uncertain
iffue, — while fortune was, fo to fpeak, in doubt to
whom thofe vaft dominions were due, — in that
hour of direful danger, this Mr. Lefort ftarted
for Droyza, with a very fmall number of his
foldiers, marching refolutely in advance of for
tune's decree, and not lagging behind it. This
loyalty, that never flinched for an inftant in the
very face of peril, raifed him to that high place
in the Czar's affection which even perverfe envy
cannot deny he deferved. Often hath fortune
fhaken off from her wheel, in the long run,
many a one that long flourifhed in royal favour.
The flormy waves have fometimes reached this
man too ; but ftill we faw the Czar's attachment
to him live through them, unaltered by the fates,
to the envy of all the natives. Four years
before his death he fent his only fon to Geneva
to receive a polite education. The Grand Duke
himfelf was pleafed, along with his chief minif
ters, to accompany this youth fome miles on his
way. When Lefort's nephew was coming into
Mufcovy, his majefty went three miles out to
meet him, and gave him a valuable drefs of his
own. Perhaps he would have preferred to ex-

General Lefort. 225
perience the greatnefs of the Czar's love and
affection for him by fome other kind of proof,
but he could not have defired a more certain one
than that which he received. He exhibited his
real merit towards the Czar, when, notwithftand-
ing the refiftance of the entire council of the
Boyars, he quickened his foul with the ftimulus
of glory to warlike virtue. Hence it was by the
Czar's aufpices, and not by the general's, that
Azow, that ftronghold of the Pahs Meotides, was
wrefted from the Perecop Tartars. For though
General Lefort, out of a horror of danger, never
went near the works of the foldiers himfelf
during the fiege, ftill he judged contempt of
danger to be the ftamp of a great foul. It was
he that was the caufe of the recent grand embaffy
of the Czar, and he began it at a happy moment ;
for it was a great matter for Mufcovy to conclude
a league with the moft auguft Emperor, which
was an ample fecurity againft foreign enemies.
The Perecop Tartars would affuredly have been
driven as exiles out of their peninfula, and have
been caft out of the Crimea, without a place to
pafture their flocks, and the Mufcovite arms,
after the ftorming of the fortrefs of Oczakow,
VOL. II. o

226 General Lefort.
might have carried terror with a victorious fleet
beneath the very walls of the Conftantinopolitan
Porte, if at the opportune moment of the league
they had attacked the enemy with force equal to
their fame. No Mufcovite can deny that the
public fervice and the advantage of his prince
were always his foremoft anxiety.
Freedom of coming and going was formerly
denied to foreigners by a rude law, but has been
allowed at his fuggeftion by the prefent Czar.
He marvelloufly promoted the interefts of com
merce to the no fmall increafe of the public
wealth; nor is it lefs to his praife, that foreigners,
whom they were in years gone by in the habit
of coercing to embrace their religion, often with
hunger and imprifonment, threats and tortures,
are now left free in their own religion ; on
account of faith being a gift of God, which the
Almighty beftows, and which force cannot incul
cate. What will be the confequence of this fend
ing of youth into foreign countries? If by
their idlenefs they do not cheat the hopes pre-
concevied of them, they will adorn the greatnefs
of Mufcovy with their counfels, will add to it
by their experience, will guard her with their

General Gordon. 227
prudence and fortitude. How ftoutly he bore
the anger of his prince when ftorming againft him,
thofe who were prefent at what happened at
Pilaw and Konigfberg are never tired of pro
claiming. Attached to the reformed religion, he
could not conceal his inborn hatred of the ortho
dox, indulging even in feverity towards his own
wife on that account, until the Czar, with the
greateft and moft praifeworthy good temper fet
bounds to the cruelties which he exercifed towards
her. Stumpf, the pallor of thofe of the reformed
opinions, publicly inveighed from the pulpit
againft his inordinate defires. In other refpects,
conciliating the good will of his prince by his
loyalty, his equals by his obligingnefs, and all
by his courteoufnefs, he ufed with moderation
the authority to which he had attained. When
he died, of an inflammatory fever, the regrets
of numbers, and the tears of Majefty followed
him to the grave. His annual falary was a
thoufand roubles.
The moft illuftrious Sir Patrick de Gordon, a
fcion of an exceedingly noble flock in Scotland,
ferved firft in the Swedifh and afterwards in the
Polifh armies. Taken prifoner by the adverfe
s *

228 General Gordon.
fate of war, he confented, on being preffed, to
ferve under the Mufcovite ftandard, and gave
fuch noble proof of his valour, that he was raifed
to the fupreme military command, and flood long
without a rival. At length, the envy of Bafil
Galizin burft out againft him — the fame Galizin
who was the minifter of Sophia's ambition when
fhe trampled on the tender years of the Czar
by a haughty ufurpation of the fovereign power,
and who now, punifhed as he deferved, pays the
penalty of his attempts upon authority, in Sibe
rian exile. He would have driven Gordon from
the very apex of military rank down to the laft
grade of a non-commiffioned officer ; but, try
ing his envious bite upon the very fharp knotted
club of Hercules, he only gored his own jaws.
For being convicted of an illegal correfpondence
with the lily-bearing folk,* againft the ftate
interefts of Mufcovy, he would, beyond all
hope, have loft both life and fortune at one
blow, if the Czar, who was then about laying
the foundations of his power and his clemency
together, had not fent the convict into exile.
* The French : from the Bourbon fleur- de-lis. — Transl.

General Gordon. 229
Galizin found out how eafy is the way from
home into banifhment ; while Gordon, on the
other hand, who had bravely borne for a while
his undeferved lot, and the fevere oppreffion of
envy, being reftored by the Czar's clemency to
his former rank as General, learnt, to his profit,
that many are raifed by emulation above others,
and that envy makes the fortune of many. He
performed his military duties with prudence ;
nor will the Mufcovites deny him, when dead,
the honour they owed him living. Always
cautious, he] had the care and welfare of his
prince fo much at heart, and with fuch circum-
fpect fidelity, that he never could be reproached
with a rafh act. Still, Mufcovy liked his counfel
better than his perfon ; ufing the man's fagacity
as often as they had in hand any matter of
peculiar difficulty to decide upon. He is faid
to be the originator of the fcheme, when his
prince was going to travel for awhile abroad, of
dividing the authority of the Regency between
three rivals, fo that through the ardour of mutual
rivalry they fhould adminifter everything per
taining to the tranquillity of the ftate with the
more loyalty, and that none fhould reach that

230 General Gordon.
power of which all were ambitious. Nor would
the honour of the Crofs of Malta have been
purchafed at fuch coft,* if the popular favour,
inclining too much towards a certain perfon, had
not given rife to a fufpicion of danger, fuch as
often transferred kingdoms ; for fometimes it
has been rather a punifhment than an honour to
be fent on foreign embaffies and into ftrange
countries. What, for example, is more common
than to banifh from a capital, under the deceitful
mafk of honour, thofe whofe power or popularity
gives grounds for apprehenflon ? Simple, in
deed, but ftill, fhould a fortunate occafion offer,
ready to dare ; prudence of counfel, ripenefs of
judgment, and a folicitude that prepared before
hand for every contingency, adorned Gordon.
He had fo won the Mufcovites, who are by
nature hoftile to ftrangers, and hate a. dif-
tinguifhed foreigner, by his heedleffnefs of his
own renown, and his charming fociability, that
when an inteftine tumult arofe, his houfe afforded
a fafe and fecure afylum to the very natives.
Often called Father by his fovereign, honoured
* Szeremetow.

General Gordon. 231
by the Boyars, worfhipped by the Dumnoi, dear
to the nobles, and loved by the people, he
gained fuch authority with them all, as a native
could hardly have afpired to. A great artift
in pretexts and diffimulation, conformably to
Ariftotle's admonition, faying nothing to the
ruler of Mufcovy except what he knew would
pleafe, left, while he ftudied the advantage
of others, he fhould damage himfelf and his
family. My aftonifhment knew no bounds when, upon
my complaint of fervants of the Imperial Lord
Envoy having been infulted by foldiers, and
demanding fatisfaction in the Lord Envoy's
name, when I touched upon the immunity of
ambaffadors, which is fanctioned by the common
law of nations, he replied that an ambaffador
was not free in Mufcovy, and that delinquents
might be carried off to punifhment from the
ambaffador's court by lictors. No cafe, however,
occurred in our time to afford us experience of
what truth there may be in this. What hap
pened to the Swedifh marfhal was limited by
peculiar circumftances ; nor am I of opinion that
that immunity of ambaffadors, which is every-

232 General Gordon.
where maintained with fo much jealoufy by thofe
who are fent abroad in that dignified capacity, is
abrogated by any pofitive decifion to the contrary
in Ruffia; for if fo, the natural confequence
would be that the Ruffians would place them
felves beyond the pale of other nations by a law
fo barbarous and uncivilifed.
In fine, Gordon, who was a man advanced in
years, died moft devoutly at eight o'clock in the
morning of the 9th of December, 1699, a^ter
our departure from Mufcovy, on which occafion
he had accompanied us as far as Filli. His
Majefty the Czar vifited him five times during
his laft illnefs, and on the laft night was with
him twice, and with his own hands clofed his
eyes after his fpirit had fled. His Majefty the
Czar knew how great was the lofs of fuch a
man to him, and therefore gave orders that the
funeral of General Gordon fhould be conducted
with the fame pomp as had been appointed for
General Lefort. Three regiments of the Guards
accompanied it in mourning, the trumpets and
drums refounding fadly, the Czar occupying his
ufual place in the regiment; four-and-twenty
great guns were fired, giving a character of grief

General Gordon. 233
or applaufe to the funeral. The fervice, facrifice,
and fermon were duly performed by the Imperial
miffionary, Mr. John Berula, by command of
the Czar. The Czarewicz and the Czar's favou
rite fifter, Nathalia, were prefent at the devotions
in the Catholic church, the day before. Gor
don's annual ftipend was alfo fixed at a thoufand
roubles.* * " Patrick Gordon, of Achleuris," fays Von Adelung (Kri-
tifche-Liter. Ueberjicht der Reifenden in RuJJland,\o\.x\.), "a fcion
" of a diftinguifhed Scottifh family in the county of Aberdeen,
"was bom on the 31st May, 1635. In the year 1651 he was
"fent to Braunfberg, to complete his education in the Jefuits1
' ' College there. But after three years he ran away fecretly from
" that inftitution to return home to his own country. Arrived in
" Hamburgh he was induced to enter the Swedifh fervice, and then
"began that feries of martial adventures in which five diftinct
" times he was a prifoner of war, paffed into Polifh and Bran-
" denburg fervices, and finally, in 1661, into Ruffia; where he
" entered as major into the fervice of Alexis Michaelowicz. In
" 1667 he was fent on a miffion to England, returned in the
' ' following year back to Ruffia, and from that time until his death
" remained in the home of his adoption. Peter the Great had
" learnt to value and efteem the brave and clear-fighted warrior,
"and bellowed upon him his entire truft. On' the 9th of
"December, 1699, Gordon died General-in-Chief, in Mofcow,
" where Peter the Great vifited him feveral times during his ill—
" nefs, and was with him at the moment when his foul departed
" from its mortal coil."
"Gordon left him," adds Von Adelung, "an autograph
"journal in the Englifh language, wherein he wrote his life from
" the time of his birth until the year 1 699, and which is preferred
"in MS., in fix quarto volumes, which are in the Imperial

234 Adam Weyd.
Adam Weyd, born in Mufcovy of German
parents, difliking the profeffion of phyfic, entered
the army. By his own induftry he learnt fo well
from books the art of conftructing mines, that he
became known and efteemed by his fovereign. But
all his fedulous labour in conftructing mines, at the
fiege of Azow, with the confent of his prince,
" archives at Mofcow. A copy, in five quarto volumes, belongs
"to the Imperial Hermitage, and one volume has been trans-
" lated into Ruffian by Herr von Kohler, junior. Miiller has
" printed feveral extracts from this MS. journal in the fecond
"volume of his Samml. Rufs. Gefch. ; and among others, the
" narrative of Gordon's campaign againft the Tartars in the
"year 1687." (See Bd, IL, pp. 441—178).
" Gordon left three fons and one daughter who later was mar-
" ried fecondly to Major-General Alexander Gordon. The laft-
" mentioned is author of an account of Peter the Great, which
"was printed under the following title : —
" 'The Hiftory of Peter the Great, Emperor of Ruffia, to
" ' which is prefixed a fhort General Hiftory of the Country from
'"the rife of that Monarchy. By Alexander Gordon, of Achin-
" 'toul, Aberdeen. 1755. 2 vols. 8 vo.'"
A German tranflation of this work, by C. A. Wichmann, was
publifhed in 1765. 2 vols. 8vo.
Gordon's Biography may be found in Dr. Benj. Beckmann's
Peter der Groffe, als Menfch und Regent. Mittau, 1830. B.
vi. pp. 175 — 185 ; alfo in Neues St. Peterfb. Journ. 1778. Bd.
iv. April ; Korbs Diarium, p. 214 ; Beckmann's Lit. der Altern
Reifen. Bd. ii. p. 387; Miiller's Samml. Rufs. Gefch. Bd. ii.
p. 141, &c.
What an interefting publication would not Gordon's journal
be at this moment ! How many curious details muft be locked
up in thofe fix quarto volumes of MS. which he left behind him ?
— Transl.

Adam Weyd. 235
turned out fo unfortunately, that inftead of
hurting the enemy, againft whom they were
directed, they only proved damaging to the
Czar's foldiers, blowing fome hundreds of them
that were on guard in the trenches into the air.
He had the rank of Major when he was fent to
announce the late grand Mufcovite embaffy to
the Emperor's court. He was in the Imperial
camp and accompanied the expedition when the
moft auguft Emperor's General, the moft Serene
Prince Eugene of Savoy routed the Turks with
fuch dire flaughter at Zenta near the Theifs. He
is never tired of acknowledging what an amount
of experience of the art of war he drew from
that paleftra of fo many heroes and moft gallant
men. He piques himfelf on the moft Serene
Prince Eugene of Savoy's having, with that
innate politenefs which he fhows to everybody,
even afked his advice. While we were ftill in
Mofcow he folicited the title of brigadier-
general, which is about the equivalent of major-
general. They fay that now the two Generals,
Lefort and Gordon, are dead, he afpires to the
higheft military rank. He has felt the light
nings of wrathful Jupiter, nor will he ever forget

236 Foreigners in Ruffian Service.
the giddy and infecure freak that fortune played
him at Veronaifch to teach him equanimity in
adverfity as well as in fuccefs.
General Mengden has a falary of 600 roubles.
The two brothers Riman are alfo Generals in
Mufcovy ; one of them, Charles, was flogged
almoft to death ($ene ad mortem cafus est) for
refufing to give up a German coat that he had,
for theatricals.
There are a great number of colonels in
Ruffia. Of thefe, Cafimir de Grage, a Catholic,
an Imperial colonel of artillery, was fent by the
moft auguft Emperor, about four years ago, to
ferve the Czar. Next in rank to him are thofe
who command the four regiments which they
call the Guards : Baron de Blumberg, a member
of the Courland nobility, of the confeffion of
Augfburg ; James Gordon, fon of General
Gordon, a Catholic ; Lima, a Catholic, whofe
annual pay is two hundred roubles ; Schambers
(Chambers ?*) is ofthe confeffion of Augfburg.
There are feveral other colonels, but without

* Chambers was, I believe, a Scotch gentleman of the Cham
bers or Chalmers, Lairds of Balnacraig. — Transl.

Foreigners in Ruffian Service. 237
regiments ; in time of peace, or when not actu
ally engaged in war, they merely bear the name
of colonels, fatisfled to live on half-pay as long
as they may live idly in Mofcow. Of this
number are Acchentowel,* from Scotland, a
Catholic ; Palck de Werden, Meus, Briifs
[Bruce'], Junckmann, Jungers, Werner, Weft-
hof, Angler, Lefort, de Delden, Cimbier, Toubin.
Thefe are all fectaries of the reformed or of the
Anglican confeffion. The laft-named, Toubin,
a man decrepit with age, fpent thirteen years
miferably in Siberia ; his annual pay was not
above a hundred roubles, to which quite lately
twenty more have been added.
LIEUTENANT-COLONELS.
Of Germans f in the Mufcovite fervice are :
Colom, Duprez, Levingfton \Livingfton\, Bord-
wig [Borthwick], Rosfurm, Bogowfki, Salm,
* Alexander Gordon, of Achintoul, afterwards rofe to the
rank of Major-General, and left a hiftory of Peter the Great,.
which was printed at Aberdeen in two volumes 8vo. in 1755. —
Transl.
+ As the reader has probably already remarked, our author
ufes the wofd German for all foreigners in Mufcovy. This pro
bably arifes from the faft, that the Ruffians commonly ufe the
fameword to exprefs a German and a foreigner. — Transl.

238 Foreigners in Ruffian Service.
Briifs '[Bruce], Delden, Lipfdorf, Clemenz,
Schlippenbach, Ronard. MAJORS.
Menefius [Menzies], Taurlaville, Straus, Schil
ling, Kleim, Niz, Oftoja, Holft, Goft, Weber.
CAPTAINS.
Rickman, Gummert, Erckel, Baccho, Prinz,
Gordon, Liman, Soes, Bock, Funck, Bordwig
[Borthwick], Sawanfki, Frobes [Forbes], Weyd,
Holft, Polft, Rosfurm, Kaldberner, Breyer,
Grob, Zege de Manteifel, Wefthof, Meus, Goft,
Brand, Prinek, Hambel [Campbell ?], Pablowfki,
Berner, Winter, Engels, Robert, who was flain
by the foldiers that he led to the nuns' monaftery,
two Mullers, Oftrowfki, Fadenreich, Hochenrein,
Edenbach, Elinhaufen, Kellinghaufen.
SEA CAPTAINS.
Bamberg, Kiehn, Meier, Reis, who alfo acts
as paymafter. LIEUTENANTS.
Prigen, who, for afking for his difcharge,

Foreigners in Ruffian Service. 239
underwent the battok by order of Galizin, and is
banifhed to Cafan, Phograd [Fogarty ?], Lizkin,
Wud [Wood?], Leiko, Faftman, Junger, Rick-
man ; the reft are Mufcovites.
Several of thefe officers are of Courland and
Livonian families. They come to Mufcovy
from thofe remote regions, and traverfe that
long and perilous route, induced to undertake
that long pilgrimage by the idea of fhaking off
the yoke of the Swedes, which they complain of
as intolerable and growing every day more op-
preffive. One of them, in familiar difcourfe
confidentially avowed to me that he had come to
Ruffia to find out whether the Grand Duke was
powerful enough and in a pofition to protect the
Livonians and defend them againft the violence
of the Swedes. He faid that there were others
for the fame purpofe of exploration in Poland :
for that Livonia wanted to throw off the yoke of
Sweden and transfer her allegiance to fome other
powerful neighbour, becaufe the king of Sweden
deprives the inhabitants of Livonia of all their
advantages, and every day burdens and oppreffes
them more and more with an almoft intolerable
amount of taxes and contributions. The fame

•240 Foreigners in Ruffian Service.
officer added, that after being a year and a
half in Mufcovy he was unable to difcover
that any help could be hoped for from the
Mufcovites. When his Majefty the Czar made war upon
the Turks and Tartars, and deflgned to caft
them out of their ftronghold, he wrote friendly
letters to the Imperial Court and fome other
German powers, to afk for perfons fkilled in
military engineering and the conftruction of
mines. Thereupon, the following perfons were
fent to him by the moft auguft Emperor of the
Romans : —

Cafimer de Garge,* Colonel of Artillery ;
Baron de Borgsdorff,f \
Laval, I,,.,. . . , . r
„ , ., ) Military engineers in chief;
Laurence Schmid, / J °
Laurence Urban, J

and likewife fix miners with their non-commif-
fioned officers.

* Sic, though elfewhere our author writes the fame officer's
name De Grage. — Transl.
t Sic, though in other places throughout the book his name
is written De Burckerfdorff, and De Burgfdorff. — Transl.

Foreigners in Ruffia. 241
The moft ferene the Elector of Brandenburgh
in like manner fent him : —
Holtfman, } Military engineers ;
Johann-Jacob Schufter,1)
Elias Kober,
c 1 tt 1 ^Artillerymen.
Samuel Hack, '
Guftaf Gifewetter,
The moft puiffant the States of Holland fent
the following individuals to Mufcovy : —
De Stamm,
Goufki,Gordes [Gorges ?~\,
Schnid,
Sperreuther.
The merchants that live for the fake of trade
at Mofcow, are moftly Englifhmen and Dutch.
One Italian only has come to Mofcow, and ftill
remains, Anthony Gufconi, a Catholic, from the
dominions of the Grand Duke of Tufcany.
There are a great many non- Catholics, fuch as
Minder, Goll, Wolff, Brandt, Lipps, Popp,
Leiden, Hackenbrandt, Ifenbrandt, Kannen-
gieffer. VOL. II. R

242 Ruffian Officials.

OF THE BOYARS AND PRINCIPAL STATESMEN
OF MUSCOVY.
Knes Bazil Galizin * was viceroy of the king
doms of the Cafan and Aftracan, minifter of
foreign affairs,t and keeper of the Czar's feal.
A prime minifter indeed, and one whofe reputa
tion for prudence and fortitude gave him fo
complete a fway over the minds of the youthful
Czars,J that he might be faid to reign in their
name. He combined political and military func
tions, contending with an exceeding powerful
army againft the barbarians, and fought to de-
ferve the fovereignty of Ruffia by counfel and
deed. Fortune flattered a hope fo impious, but
* The family of the Princes Galizin is ancient, very illuftrious
and ftill numerous in Ruffia. They are not, however, defcended
from Rurik, the grand progenitor of the old reigning dynafty of
Mofcow and its agnates, the majority. of the prefent and extinft
princely families of the Ruffian empire. The Galizins, in com
mon with the princely Polifh families of Wifzniowiecki, Czarto-
rifki, and Sapieha, trace their origin to Guedemin, Grand Duke
of Lithuania, the anceftor of the Jagellon dynafty in Poland. —
(Vide Notices des Principales Fam. de la Ruffie. Paris, 1845).
— Transl.
f " Negotiorum legatoriorum admini/irator." — Orig.
% The brothers Ivan and Peter, who for a time reigned jointly.
The feeble Ivan refigned his fhare of authority to Peter in 1688,
and died in 1696. — Transl.

Ruffian Officials. 243
failed him at laft, when he daringly attempted
what was unlawful and tOo lofty, when coveting
that fovereign rank which he approached fo
nearly, and growing dizzy with the fatal defire
of poffefling himfelf of the fceptre itfelf, he was
hurled by a fall moft grievous down to the
lowlieft lot of man in exile. Then were detected
the dangerous machinations of Horne, and the
peftilent counfels that had fo long been fold under
the pretence of the greateft friendfhip. This peft
was raging with irreparable damage at the time
when Bafil Galizin marched with an army againft
the Tartars. The Crimea contains a defert of
feveral hundred miles in extent by continual
devaftations ; Galizin fet fire to the grafs of this
defert, under pretext of depriving the Tartars
of forage ; but in reality, in order to celebrate
the obfequies of his troops amidft thofe moft
fatal pyres. For prefently, feigning that the
Tartars were rapidly approaching, he urged his
whole army to flight athwart the burning herb
age. Many thoufands perifhed moft miferably,
ftifled in the black and peftilent fmoke. The
author of this immenfe difafter was foon clearly
known, and the councillor was found ftampedR 2

244 Ruffian Officials.
upon the gold pieces which were difcovered to
be the commoneft coin among Galizin's treafures.
He confeffed himfelf that he was the fomenter
of that dreadful treafon, and was ftripped of all
that he poffeffed, and fent at firft to trap fables
in Siberia. At prefent, through his prince's
indulgence and the commiferation of fome great
perfonages, he has had a refidence nearer to
Mofcow affigned to him, and his daily mainte
nance, which in exile was fixed at one altin, is
now increafed to feveral. He has another folace
in the company of his wife, the companion
of his misfortune, as fhe was of his pro-
fperity. His functions are now divided between
two. Leo Kirilowicz Narefkin obtained the admi
niftration of foreign affairs. His ftepping-ftone
to this eminent pofition was his fifter, Nathalia
Kirilowna, the mother of the prefent Czar.
There are fome that envy him the name of
prime minifter, becaufe, though young, he has
been fet over the ambitious counfels of fome
older men. But the eminence of the functions
which he performs, when compared with the
condition of his predeceffors in that dignity,

Ruffian Officials. 245
feems to fettle the whole difpute. Always of an
even temper, this man knows well the preroga
tive of the office which he bears, except when
he happens to give ear to an evil counfellor.
Ukrainzow is a man of confiderable craft. Diak
Bofnikow, too fevere upon many. Narefkin
reckons ten thoufand ferfs upon his property.
The fupreme adminiftration of the kingdom
of Cafan and Aftracan was given to Prince Boris
Alexiowicz Galizin* upon the banifhment of his
brother Bafil, in confequence of his being found
perfectly innocent of his brother's crime. Thefe
two great men, between whom the fortune ot
unhappy Bafil is divided, burning with mutual
rivalry, cordially purfue one another with hatred,
fometimes without any difguife. Each pretends
that the other's office is an acceffory of his own.
Up to the prefent the Czar has not cared to give
his attention to put an end to this ftate of things,
by taking his decifion as mafter about their difpu-
tations and quarrels — which are fometimes flan-

* The Narifckhins, who had then but juft emerged from utter
obfavrity, attained importance by marriage with the imperial
houfe ; the mother of Czar Peter being of that family, and fifter
of the prime minifter fo often mentioned in this Diary. — Transl.

246 Ruffian Officials.
derous. This Galizin has a faying that he efteems
"the faith ofthe Ruffian, the prudence of the Ger
man, and the fidelity of the Turk." He is a moft
vehement zealot for the Ruffian religion : he has
earned the name of John the Baptift among the
vulgar, for having induced fo many foreigners
to allow themfelves to be baptifed again. De-
fcended of a moft ancient princely family, which
traces its origin from a Polifh flock, he keeps up
a flately court, worthy of the exalted rank of his
houfe. He maintains Italian architects in his
fervice, and has got them to build two moft
beautiful churches in his villages of Dobrowiza
and Vefo'mba, everlafting monuments to his re
nown and his prudence. Skilled in the Latin
tongue himfelf, he has given his fons Polifh pre
ceptors to teach it to them, confcious of what
advantage it will be to thofe deftined to have
intercourfe with foreign nations.
Tichon Nikitowicz Strefnow was the Czar's
guardian during his minority. He is now pre
fident of the Chancery of Ukafes (Cancellaria
ordinatoria), and all ukafes, decrees, orders, and
commands concerning the ftate of Mufcovy and
political government, depend on him. Under the

Ruffian Officials. 247
name of Rofferade, he is the competent judge of
all cafes reflecting the nobles— a kind of function,
perhaps, not unlike that of Grand Conftable.
He is a man of fuch fpotlefs loyalty, that often
at public banquets, when toafts are drunk, his
name is the type under which all true men to
the Czar are comprehended, and the words
Tichon Nikitowicz mean the moft trufty of
minifters .
Knes Michael Lehugowicz* Tzerkafki is a
man of fober years and manners, whofe blame-
lefs probity of life and honoured hoary locks
have gained the affections of everybody. In our
time, when the Czar was going to Azow, he
appointed him his vicar, and gave him authority
at Mofcow fecond only to his own.
Knes Feodor Inrowicz Romadonowfki, Boyar
and Generaliffimo of the four regiments of the
Guards, has the fupreme jurifdiction in civil and
criminal cafes. During the Czar's flay abroad
he held the reins of power, with title of Viceroy
* The family of Tcherkafky, though long in Ruffia, and
intermarried with the imperial houfe, is not of Ruffian but of
Circaffian origin, having come originally into Ruffia from Grand
Cubardia, where one of its branches ftill reigns. — (fide Notices
des Principales Families de la RuJJie. Paris: 1845.)— Transl.

248 Ruffian Officials.
d Governor-General (pro Regis et guber-

an

natoris nomine). The antiquity of his family,
of which he is the head, adds to his confide
ration. Knes Peter Ivanowicz Profarowfki, Boyar, and
Treafurer of his Majefty the Czar, is of a dif-
tinguifhed family, but more remarkable among
his countrymen for the fanctity of the life which
he leads. He never opens a door, for fear of
contaminating his hand by the contact of what
perhaps the touch of an unclean perion^ or of a
foreigner, — all of whom he believes to be here
tics, — may have fullied.
Befides thefe, the perfons of greateft rank are
— Alexis Simonowicz Schahin, Boyar, General-
in-Chief of the armies of his Majefty the Czar ;
Feodor Alexiowicz Golowin, Boyar,* Admiral of
the Czar's fleet, and Governor of Siberia, who
has laudably performed the functions of governor
and of ambaffador, firft to the Chinefe, and

* Golowine. This family traces its origin to the Crimea,
from whence it emigrated in 1488. It reckons thus among the
illuftrious houfes of Ruffia, without being originally of Ruffian
flock. Golowin was created a Count of the Holy Roman Em
pire in 1702, a title which his defcendants ftill enjoy. — (Vide No
tices des Principales Families de la RuJJie. Paris: 1845.)

Ruffian Officials. 249
lately, with M. Lefort, to divers European
princes. On the 20th of March the Czar con
ferred upon him the firft crofs of knighthood of
the Order of Saint Andrew, which he had infti-
tuted. Artemon Alexiowicz Golowin, General
of the regiment of Bebrafchentfko. Boris
Petrowicz Szeremetow,* Boyar, and General of
the army of Bialogrod. In the year 1695, in
conjunction with Ivan Mofeppa, chief of the
Coffacks, he invefted the ifland of Tawan and
the Tartar city of Kirikirmini. He brought
home rich booty after its furrender, though fome
affert that he had bound himfelf by oath, after
the Ruffian manner, by placing his hands upon
the crofs and kiffing images, to allow liberty to
every one to retire with as much goods as they
could carry off without carts. He was at one
time ambaffador at the Imperial Court. He
lately vifited Italy and the fleet of the Knights
of Malta, and purchafed thus, at great coft, the
crofs of Malta. Vehement in council, and ftout
of hand, he is the terror of the Tartars — a main

* The family of Sheremetow is illuftrious in Ruffia, tracing
its origin up to the fourteenth century. — ( Vide Notices des Prin
cipales Families de la Ruffie. Paris: 1845.)

250 Ruffian Officials.
ornament of Ruffia. Feodor Madreowicz Ap-
razen, Boyar, and ex-Governor of the port of
Archangel. General Ivan Ivanowicz Butterlin.*
General Knes Dolgorugoy,t who was fome years
ago ambaffador in France. Knes Ivan Ivano
wicz Tzerkafki. Knes Andreas Michaelowicz
Tzerkafki. Feodor Fedrowicz Plefceow Tzarei-
wicz Melitinfki. Two Lubochins,J brothers of
the Czarine, one a lieutenant, the other a non-
commiffioned officer. Troikurow, prefident of
the Chancery of the Strelitz. Boris Bovifowicz
Galizin. Maduei Brodawicz. Few of thefe
Boyars are fummoned to the meetings of
Council; the others retain nothing but the hono
rary name, I do not mean that all the Boyars
are enumerated above, for there are feveral others
away from the Czar's court as governors of
provinces.

* The family of Bouterlin is very ancient and famous in
Ruffia. They were originally entitled Boyars, but in the laft
century they were created Counts. — (Vide Notices des Principales
Families de la Ruffie Paris: 1845.)
f The family of Dolgorouki, which is of princely degree, and
one of the agnate lines of the original reigning family of Ruffia,
is both illuftrious and important. — (Vide Notices des Principales
Families de la RuJJie. Paris : 1845.)
% Lapouchin.

Ruffian Officials. 251
The Referendaries are next in rank to the
Boyars. Some of them are Dumnoi-Diaks, and
are in reality fecretaries of ftate (in time Cancel-
larii). The moft important of thefe are the
following : Procop Bogdanowicz Wofnizin ;
Emilian Ignatowicz Ukrainzow; Andrew An-
dreowicz Wignius, Artemonowicz.
Procop Bogdanowicz Wofnizin has filled
feveral embaffies. Long ago he was ambaffador
to the Turkifh Sultan, the Shah of Perfia, the
King of the Poles, and to the illuftrious re
public of Venice in the years 1697 and 1698.
He was joined with General Lefort and Boyar
Golowin in the magnificent embaffy that went to
the Elector of Brandenburg, the moft puiffant
the States of Holland, and the moft auguft
Emperor of the Romans. He was prefent as
plenipotentiary at the negotiations for peace
with the Turks which were held at Carlowitz,
where he managed the affairs of his prince
wonderfully, if he can manage to explain away
the fault of the two years' armiftice. Yet he
feems " to be quite pardoned for his fault, inas
much as he has not only obtained the prefecture
of the Czar's Apotheca, which it is not cuftomary

252 Ruffian Officials.
to beftow upon any perfon whofe merits and
loyalty are not clear, but moreover has been
lately honoured with a new diplomatic miffion,
being appointed to go to the Swedes.
Emelian Ignatowicz Ukrainzow Dumnoi-
Diak, of the Ambaffadorial Chancery,* Privy
Councillor and Secretary of State, Lord Lieu
tenant of Cargopol, and Envoy Extraordinary
to the Ottoman Porte, has been brought up
from his youth among public affairs. He was
formerly ambaffador to the States of Holland,
and has left behind him everywhere veftiges of
Angular prudence, arid tranfacted his bufinefs fo
fuccefsfully and in fuch a praifeworthy manner,
that he acquired fo much reputation as to pro
voke the envy of his rivals. Often was he
brought into danger of lofing his life by the
perverfe flanders which certain people told to his
prince, but he was faved from their fnares by the
mercy of God, and reconciled to his prince by
demonftrating the purity of his actions, hatred
of which had raifed him up enemies. Of all
men in Mufcovy he was deemed the beft calcu-
* Foreign Office.

Ruffian Officials. 253
lated to redeem by his more wary folicitude the
error of the two years' armiftice of Carlowitz,
which another had committed. What the newf-
papers have afferted with their ufual mendacious
liberty, about his arrival in Conftantinople, the
infolent falute of artillery, his captivity, and the
Sultan's indignation, is contrary to the truth.
He himfelf is a much more truftworthy autho
rity touching the whole of his journey to the
Sublime Porte, and of his treatment, an account
of which he wrote to the Lord Aulic Councillor
of War, ex- ambaffador to Mufcovy, M. de
Guarient. Andrew Andreowicz Wignius, Privy Coun
cillor of his Majefty the Czar, and Chancellor of
the kingdom of Siberia, was born of a German
father, and, treading in his father's footfteps,
embraced the Ruffian religion. He has filled
feveral foreign embaffies and different offices in
Mufcovy. Afk not with what fpirit everywhere
he gave proofs of his prudence and his extraction.
As Dumnoi of the Chancery of Siberia, not only
he enjoys no falary, but even pays a thoufand
roubles per annum to the Czar upon the con
dition that all the Woivodes of Siberia fhall be

254 Ruffian Officials.
dependent on him : and he creates none of them
without a profitable confideration. He is of a
cultivated mind, and exceedingly crafty. He
governs the Woivodes by the dread they have
of him, and deters them from rapine. For
he queftions the merchants who have come from
China through Siberia, what they paid for toll to
the Woivodes. When he learns that there has
been either too much paid or too difhoneft a
deficit, he threatens the Woivodes, by letter, with
the knout, confifcation, death, and all manner of
direful things, unlefs they refrain ; that he will
fuborn fecret fpies who will acquaint him with
every fingle act they do. Without making
mention of the merchants, he feigns that other
perfons have given information, left on their
return through Siberia the Woivodes, athirft for
revenge, fhould be ftill fharper on them. It is
not two years fince he appointed a Woivode to a
place where preceding Woivodes had been in the
habit of collecting only fix hundred roubles per
annum for the Czar, while this newly appointed
man, driven to be more faithful by the. dread of
punifhment, and by conftant comminations, wrote
fome time fince to his patron Wignius that he

Ruffian Officials. 255
had in hand ten thoufand roubles for the Czar
for one year's revenue : fo advantageous to the
ftate is it, that truftworthy men fhould be fet to
prefide over the public offices.
The very Viceroy of Siberia, the richeft of
the Mufcovite princes, the head of the Tzerkafki
family, was convicted upon being impeached by
Dumnoi Wignius. The Czar had appointed
that prince to be governor-in-chief of all Siberia,
from a belief that a man rolling in private wealth
would not covet his neighbours' goods, and would
be proud of attending faithfully to the interefts
of his fovereign. But thofe that have drunk
deepeft are the moft thirfty for water. Never
was there a man more rapacious, but not without
devices to efcape being accufed of direct rob
bery. He exacted nothing from the merchants :
he fubftituted his diligent domeftics for that pur
pofe. Thefe fellows, like harpies, let nothing
efcape intact. Whatever was commendable for
coftlinefs, rarity, or beauty that the merchants
had brought with them, this horde of fervants
drove and compelled them to leave behind, to
their great lofs, unpaid for in Siberia. If there
ftill happened to remain anything among their

256 Ruffian Officials.
wares, the fatal beauty of which was pleafing to
the Woivode, accefs, hearing, and leave to depart
were denied — the Woivode indeed being, as he
ufed to pretend, ignorant of the whole affair ; but,
in reality, being himfelf the author, and fuggeft-
ing every mode of frefh exaction. Accufed there
fore of breach of truft, the Czar fummoned him to
Mofcow, and when he could not wipe out the crime
objected to him, he was condemned to be hanged,
and he deferved it. The convict had actually
mounted the gibbet, which was fet up in front
of the Chancery, in the citadel, and had the halter
about his neck, when he was gracioufly reprieved
from the penalty of death, and dragged off to
another; being compelled to bear more than a
hundred ftripes of the knout at the hands of the
executioner, previous to paffing the reft of his
wretched days on board the Czar's galleys — a
miferable warning of the exact fidelity with
which the fovereign's affairs are to be performed.
Artemonowicz, Dumnoi-Diak, appointed am
baffador in ordinary to the moft potent States of
Holland, has taken his wife and children along
with him, and is to flay for three years. Eight
fons of Boyars follow him, at the Czar's prefling

Ruffian Officials. 257
command, to acquire fkill in navigation, and
matters connected with feafaring during that
period. He is well acquainted with the Latin
tongue, and ufes it more fluently than the others ;
he has won the Czar's good graces by his repu
tation for extraordinary prudence, is certainly
polite, and of a fociable and refined character for
a Mufcovite. The fortrefs of Riga, through
which he lately paffed on his way to Holland,
faw a fample of the eftimation that he fets upon
honours. Upon his arrival and entry within the
walls he was faluted with a difcharge of great
guns, which is one of the higheft marks of
refpect in European courts ; but to Artemono-
wicz it appeared an impertinence. " What
means that bellowing," cried he, ccif my hungry
ftomach is barking :" fetting more fiore of ho
nour in wine, brandy, and comeftibles, than thofe
marks of refpect that were paid to him.
The Diaks, a title which they interpret cancel-
lift a, but who in reality, if we confider their
function, are fecretaries of the ambaffadorial
chancery, are two in number — Bafil Bofnizin and
Boris Michalowicz, who have earned refpect by
the miffions which they filled abroad.

258 Inftr utlions to Envoys.
What cautions and precepts to be obferved
they are in the habit of giving their agents upon
foreign miffions, let this one inftruction given to
the Marfhal of the great Mufcovite embaffy,
which I here fet forth at full length, ftand as an
example : —
"In our year 1698: by command of the
great Lord the Czar, and Grand Duke
Peter Alexiowicz of all Great, Little,
and White Ruffia, Autocrat, to Godfrey
Briftaff.
" You have written letters from Nimvegen to
the grand ambaffadors, that you were obliged to
pay tolls that were exacted in divers places in
Holland ; but that you went from Nimveguen as
far as Cleves by water, or by fea. That potwoda,
pofthorfes, and forage for your own horfes was
very dear ; that the money given to you in ready
imperials will hardly be fufficient, and that it will
confequently be neceflary to fend you an order
for more.
" As foon, therefore, as thefe orders fhall
reach you, you fhall with all poflible diligence go
on by the route which has already been recom-

Inftrutlions to Envoys. 259
mended to you ; proceeding without delay or
ufelefs floppage as far as the frontiers of the
empire.* If, as you admonifh us, the imperials
are infufficient for you, you fhall, in cafe of
neceffity, command that there be delivered to you
by the fcribe and the mafter of the fables, five
hundred ducats out of the treafure ; however, if
a greater and extreme neceffity prefs you, you
fhall caufe a thoufand ducats to be configned
into your hands ; but of the careful cuftody and
ufeful employment of both fums, the imperials
as well as the ducats, you fhall render an accu
rate account. Moreover, fhould provifions be
cheaper in places there, you fhall diminifh the
allowances, but fhall give as much as you think
neceffary left there fhould be any unfeemly want.
Take care that all abftain from drunkennefs ;
pay lefs to thofe that get drunk.
" Wherever fovereigns give rations, or money
inftead of them, to your company, you fhall
totally withhold the ufual allowance. Moreover,
from whatever city you may now be at, or fhall
arrive at henceforward, always advife thence the
* The Germanic empire. The original has "fines Caesareos."
— Transl.

260 Inftrublions to Envoys.
Grand Plenipotentiary Ambaffadors at Amfter-
dam, or wherever elfe they may be, touching the
progrefs of your journey. "Dumnoi Diak,
" Procop Wosnizin."
"In the year 1698, 25 March. By com
mand of the Great Lord and Grand
Duke Peter Alexiowicz, of all Great,
Little, and White Ruffia, Autocrat ; and
by directions of the Grand and Pleni
potentiary Ambaffadors, General and
Admiral and Governor of Novogrod,
Francis Jocowicz Lefort ; Commiffary
General of the War Department, and
Governor of Siberia, Feodor Alexiowicz
Golowin ; and Chancellor and Governor
of Bochowia, Procop, Bogdanowicz,
Wofnizin : it is enjoined upon the
Chamberlain (aulico) Godfrey Brif-
taff:—
" To fet out from Amfterdam, through Hol
land, to Nimveguen ; through the Brandenburg
cities, Cleves, Wefel, Lippftadt, Miinden, Hild-
efheim, Acherleben, and Hall ; through the

InftrucHons to Envoys. 261
Electoral Saxon cities to Leipfic, and thence
through Bohemia to Prague, or by whatever
fhorter and more convenient road there may be,
or the Electoral Saxon and Brandenburg com-
miffaries and guides fhall lead you, as far as
the Emperor's frontiers. With him are fent
the court (aulici) fervants and domeftics of the
Grand Embaffy. With him alfo is fent the
Great Lord's money, his treafure of fables, the
cloths, plate, and furniture of all kinds of the
ambaffadors, for the more fecure and fafe con
duct whereof letters of paffport have been de
livered to him under the fignatures and feals of
the grand ambaffadors. Before his departure
the grand ambaffadors wrote to requeft the moft
auguft the Emperor, the moft ferene the King
of Poland, Elector of Saxony, and the moft
ferene the Elector of Brandenburg, to receive
in a friendly manner at their coming, the fer
vants fent on in advance, and to grant them
potwoda, provifions, and the other neceffary aids
and furtherance on the road. When Briftaff
himfelf fhall reach Cleves, he fhall requeft a
commiffary, provifions, and guides, and fhall,
with all precaution and circumfpection, go on by

262 Inftr uclions to Envoys.
the road indicated to the frontiers of Saxony ;
and he fhall be careful to do in like manner
when he fhall have croffed the limits of Saxony
and entered thofe of the Emperor. But at the
Imperial frontier he fhall await the arrival of the
grand and plenipotentiary ambaffadors.
"If in any cities potwoda and rations fhould
be refufed, he fhall hire horfes, and according to
the fcale inferred in this inftruction fhall diftri
bute an allowance in money among his company.
For the neceffaries of potwoda, provifions, and
other expenfes, in order to meet any extraor
dinary cafe, we have confided to the fcribe of the
ambaffadorial chancery, Nikiphor Ivanow, the
fum of four thoufand imperial dollars (fblidonum
imperialium*) to be employed only in cafe of
abfolute neceffity. He fhall fet forth in detail
in his book of accounts the Aims expended and
the purpofes for which they were laid out, and
* I am not quite certain that the old dollar, or crown impe
rial is the coin meant. He has told us elfewhere that the Ruffian
kopek of his day was worth about two kreuzers j and, again in
another place, fpeaking of a new currency regulation which took
place while he was in Ruffia, he fays that the Ruffian treafury
received thefe imperial folidi at fifty-five kopeks, and made an
enormous profit by coining them into one hundred and ten
kopeks immediately after. — See Antea. — Transl.'

Inftruclions to Envoys. 263
fhall exhibit his account book, together with the
remaining money, to the grand and plenipoten
tiary ambaffadors ; but fhall, neither by himfelf
or in the name of others, incur any fuperfluous
outlay. He fhall make anfwer to thofe that afk
queftions about the flay of the grand and pleni
potentiary ambaffadors, that they are ftill de
tained at Amfterdam about weighty affairs of his
Majefty the Czar ; but that they will fhortly
follow. To fuch, however, as may inquire touch
ing matters of greater moment, which it is
the bufinefs of the ambaffadors to give anfwers
about, he fhall reply that he is a foldier, and
ignorant of affairs of that nature. He fhall
enjoin upon the domeftics of the ambaffadors to
comport themfelves with modefty and compofure,
to go nowhere without leave, to abftain from
excefs in drink, not to difgrace themfelves by
brawls or altercations, or in any other way fhow
themfelves uncivil. He fhall take great care of
thefe particulars : thofe who, contravening this
mandate, fhall frowardly ramble or gorge them
felves with wine, he fhall punifh according as he
may fee fit ; but the clowns of the viler kind he
fhall order to be chaftifed with battok and caning.

264 Foreign Minifters at Mofcow.
The fcribe Nikiphor Ivanow and Theodore
Bulaew, fhall never quit the money and trea
fure of fables for an inftant, and fhall have the
affiftance of three of the Hayduks, turn about
for twenty-four hours ; and he fhall take heed
with the fcribes, that the latter remain with the
treafure and guard it with careful vigilance.
Finally, Briftaff himfelf fhall from every city at
which he arrives certify the grand and pleni
potentiary ambaffadors touching his flay and the
progrefs of his journey, left they fhould not
know where they are, to what cities they are
going, and what day they may be about proceed
ing further."

OF THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN PRINCES WHO
IN OUR TIME WERE AT MOSCOW.
The moft Illuftrious and* moft Reverend
Friar Peter-Paul Palma de Artefia, Archbifhop
of Ancyra and Vicar Apoftolic in' the kingdoms
of the Great Mogul, Golgonda and Idalkan,
expofed to His Majefty the Czar, who was then
in Holland, the route he was under the neceffity
of taking, and by his humble entreaty obtained

Foreign Minifters at Mofcow. 265
from His Majefty a mandate to Knes Boris
Alexiowicz Galizin, Viceroy of the kingdoms of
Cazan and Aftracan, not only enjoining him to
receive the Archbifhop with proper kindnefs on
his arrival at Mofcow, but further ordering that
he fhould be conducted in fafety to the frontiers
of Perfia, free maintenance being by fpecial grace
granted to him as long as he fhould be paffing
through the kingdoms and provinces belonging
to His Majefty the Czar.
On the 6th of July, 1698, the Archbifhop,
accompanied by two priefts, Captain Molino, a
doctor, a watchmaker, and fome other perfons,
arrived in Mofcow. A houfe in Slowoda was at
firft appointed for his lodging ; but on the third
day after his arrival, Knes Galizin, to fulfil the
Czar's command, affigned a part of his own
palace to the accommodation of the Archbifhop,
his horfes, and conveyances, for as long as he
fhould flay in Mofcow. On the 10th of July
he honoured the feftivity of the Octave of
Corpus Chrifti with his prefence. On the 16th
of the fame month, he fortified in the faith fifty
Catholics with the facrament of Confirmation.
Meantime, Knes Galizin had a fhip ftored with

266 Foreign Minifters at Mofcow.
a variety of provifions, fitted out, on board
which the Archbifhop, provided with the Czar's
credentials, proceeded on his way down the Ocka
and Wolga, and fo on by the Cafpian Sea into
Perfia. The moft illuftrious Sir John Staniflaus
Boghia, Starof of Troki, Chamberlain of the
moft Serene the King of Poland, and his envoy
extraordinary at the Court of his Majefty the
Czar. When the rebellious bands of the Sapieha
faction, ravaging in every direction, were exciting
great tumult throughout all Lithuania, he was
fent in quality of envoy to the Autocrat of Ruffia
to announce the election of the new king, and
his fubfequent coronation. He was alfo charged
to examine accurately the numbers and ftrength
of the Czar's troops that were lying upon the
confines of Lithuania, and to report the precife
truth about them as foon as poffible.
In confequence of the pillages of the Sapiehas,
and the manner in which the roads were every
where waylaid, it was by no means fafe to travel
with a becoming fuite, fplendid furniture, and the
magnificence becoming his dignified character,
for had the matter been difcovered, he would

Foreign Minifters at Mofcow. 267
have loft both his life and all his goods. So,
more fagely, attended by a fingle fervant, unen
cumbered with any baggage, he efcaped through
the fnares of the enemy, and fortunately reached
the frontiers of Mufcovy. Knes Michael Gre-
gorowicz Romadonowfki commanded the Strelitz
towards Lithuania. The envoy could not affert
the prerogative of his office to that prince, except
by exhibiting his paffport and credentials, ex-
cufing himfelf from prefenting himfelf at the
frontiers of Mufcovy without a proper fuite, by
alleging the diforders in Lithuania. Romado
nowfki, commiferating the envoy's lot, furnifhed
him, at his requeft, with a fufficient fuite, horfes
and conveyances, to continue his journey to
Mofcow, the Czar's capital. Admitted, intro
duced, and accepted by the miniftry, he took
pofleffion of the lodging that was affigned to
him in the Palace of the Ambaffadors. He
complained greatly of the dangerous craft of the
Mufcovite miniftry, he very often bemoaned how
he had given up his paffport and credentials to
them, and how he had been captioufly circum
vented by them. When he was dining, on the
1 ft of July, 1698, with Boyar Leo Kirilowicz,

' 268 Foreign Minifters at Mofcow.
he fhowed him letters which he had received'from
his moft fupreme king, lauding the dexterity of
the imperial envoy, and cenfuring his too eafy
mode of proceeding, and his giving up the
letters of credence. He fell into fome nonfenfe
and contentions with a certain Knes Dolgorugoi,
and is faid to have challenged him to a duel, and,
Dolgorugoi not coming to the ground, to have
fired a piftol into his window.
The Mufcovites were fo mortified at this,
that from that moment out they were to a man
againft the Lord Envoy in everything, and left
hardly any ftone unturned by which they might
increafe his annoyance and difguft. Detefting,
moreover, this excellent man, having given him
an anfwer touching his credentials, they were
trying to get rid of him, and this gave rife to a
frefh altercation. For the Pole refufed to go
until he had feen the fovereign to whom he had
principally been fent. The matter being in con
fequence laid before the Czar, who at the time
happened to be flaying in Holland, his Majefty,
whofe lingular prudence and moft laudable equa
nimity fhines forth in everything, wrote back in
favour ofthe Pole to the following effect : — " The

Foreign Minifters at Mofcozu. 269
envoy is fent to me, not to you : let him remain
therefore until I return. Meantime do you fur-
nifh him with a becoming maintenance." On
account of fome rather fharp words which re
flected on his dignity, he, horrible to tell, ordered
a certain interpreter of the Ambaffadorial Chan
cery to be chaftifed with a fcourging, to the in
citement of frefh hatred ; — the Mufcovite miniftry
bearing it ill, that, without their leave afked,
their fubjects fhould be beaten by foreigners,
their minds were every day more eftranged from
the envoy ; fo that the declarations of the Dumnoi
and others moft flatly pronounced him to be no
envoy, that he had brought doubtful credentials
— no certain name being expreffed in them. Oil
was poured on the fire when letters came from
the Mufcovite Refident at Warfaw, to the effect
that the Poles knew nothing of, and would have
nothing to do with, the envoy fent to the Czar.
To this the envoy ufed to reply, that he had
no doubt that fome of the Poles, who were his
private enemies, either knew nothing about the
matter, or pretended that they did not ; that he
was fent by the king and the republic ; that he
was not folicitous about the knowledge, igno-

270 Foreign Minifters at Mofcow.
ranee, or malevolence of private individuals, but
that the character with which he was clothed was
known well enough to the Mufcovites ; for that,
though his name was not expreffed in one letter
of credence, it was to be found in another ; that
he had brought feveral letters of credence ; that
the obloquy was aimed at his moft ferene king,
and that he was purfuing infults addreffed to his
king, and not his own. And, to fay the truth,
even had he brought no credentials whatever, I
have myfelf no hefitation in thinking that he was
quite right, and that the ufual entertainments
and honours of an ambaffador were due to him
from the very fact that the Mufcovites had not
hefitated to receive him folemnly in the character
of envoy ; for it cannot be open to their caprice
that the fame perfon be an ambaffador at one
moment, and the next not. Neverthelefs, the
Mufcovites, almoft totally averfe to him, refufed
thenceforward to allow him the free maintenance
cuftomary in thofe countries, and, ftriving with
might and main to annoy him in every inftance
they could, they imputed all to his faftidious ambi
tion ; by all which he could not help fometimes
beingjuftly excited. The Danifh Envoy pretended

Foreign Minifters at Mofcow. 271
to precedence over the Pole, becaufe, as he ufed
to fay, " My king was born to the fceptre, but he
of the Poles is only called to that eminence by
free fuffrages ; " — difputes of which the Mufco
vites difapproved, as out of place. They tacitly
took the fide of the Pole, and if the greater or lefs
fplendour with which the envoys were honoured
was not a matter of accident, it pronounced for
the Pole. But they hated the man. He was
difmiffed, without any ceremony, on the 2nd of
November. On the 6 th of December, when he was about
to ftart for Veroneje, to the Czar, the Miniftry
Hopped him, on the grounds of his being already
fully difmiffed, and that without frefh letters of
credence there was nothing further to treat of.
Still, he protefted, when Major-General de Car-
lowicz, in confequence of frefh Lithuanian dif-
turbances that were apprehended, folicited. the
Czar to fend 20,000 troops, as foon as poflible,
to the frontier, and gave warning, moreover,
that it would feem to him more judicious if His
Majefty the Czar, inftead of this perilous often-
tation of ftrength, fhould complain to the re
public of thefe infulting internal plots, as if it

272 Foreign Minifters at Moscow.
turned to his own difparagement that after the
election and coronation of a new king had juft
been announced to him, they fhould wifh to
proceed to another choice. Meantime, the Muf
covites, to whom the envoy's long delay after his
difmiffal was difpleafing, gave him notice that he
muft quit his apartments within the fpace of
three weeks, and leave Mofcow, and make room
for the Envoy Extraordinary of the Elector of
Brandenburg. But when they perceived that
he was not making the flighteft preparation to
go, fifteen potwoda were fent, on the 1 1 th of
January, to the Court of the Ambaffadors for his
ufe, to accelerate his departure and the fpeed of
his journey.
The moft illuftrious Sir Paul Heins, Envoy
Extraordinary of the moft ferene the King of
Denmark to the Czar's court, made it his prin
cipal ftudy to preferve the friendly relations
exifting between his King and his Majefty the
Czar, and to draw them clofer and more intimate
by the fanction of a treaty of alliance. Con
tending with the Envoy of Poland touching
precedency, he fet hereditary kingdoms above
elective. On the 9th of October, 1698, the

Foreign Minifters at Mofcow. 273
Czar's Majefty, out of fpecial condefcenfion,
ftood godfather to a fon of his. On the ill of
the following November, he went in chafe of
greater honours, when at an early hour in the
morning he went to the Danifh commiffioner
Baudenand's, where the Czar was known to have
paffed the night. But the ferenity of the morn
ing was overcaft by fome clouds in the courfe of
the day : thofe clouds being gathered on the
Czar's countenance by a too free contradiction.
In like manner he was near conjuring up a
tempefl on the 15 th of January of the year
1699. Under the pretext of bufinefs, having
obtained leave to follow the Czar to Veroneje,
he took his way thither on the 4th of March,
along with the envoy of Brandenburgh, on which
occafion his arrival faved a courier of the Czar's
half dead from the fury of an affembled mob of
nifties, and the pillaging clowns fled in terror at
the fight of the new comers ; while he denounced
a Woivode that was flow in furnifhing him with
potwoda with fuch effect, that the man was cited
to Veroneje and flogged with the knout. On the
29th May, he returned to Mofcow, on the Czar's
departure from Veroneje to Azow for a cruife.
VOL. II. t

274 Foreign Minifters at Mofcow.
The moft illuftrious Sir Marquard de Prinz,
envoy extraordinary of Electoral Brandenburg,
who, when his Majefty the Czar was in the
Brandenburg States with his ambaffadors, had
acted as his commiffary, made his folemn entry
into Mofcow on the 24th of January of the
year 1699, having come to congratulate the
Czar on his return to his own ftates and pro
vinces. On the 4th of March he ftarted, along
with the Danifh envoy, to Veroneje, where he
received a prefent of the Czar's portrait, en
riched with gems and precious ftones ; returned
thence on the 16th; and, laftly, on the 26th,
took his departure in ftate, the Mufcovites
accompanying him with a folemn cavalcade
beyond the gates. On leaving he appointed
Sir Timothy de Zadora Kefielfki as Refident,
to attend diligently to the interefts of the Moft
Serene the Elector.
Denmark and Sweden have commiffaries
here, of whofe fervices the ambaffadors of thofe
countries not unfrequently avail themfelves.
The Swedifh is named Knipper ; the Danifh,
Baudenand. And thefe things I was able to obferve amidft

Foreign Minifters at Mofcow. 2j$
the diffraction of more weighty affairs during
the time of the embaffy ; the which, as well to
feed the curioflty of the learned, as to give fome
idea of this nation to perfons going into Muf
covy, have been committed to type. Be indul
gent, gentle reader, and if fome over-plain
fpeech fhould haply offend thy eyes, I intreat
of thee to be perfuaded that the ftyle of writing
adopted lays no pretentions to be hiftorical, but
is merely familiar. And fhould fome errors,
beyond thofe that have been noticed and cor
rected, have efcaped the pen, unlefs thou ap-
proacheft with a cenforious fpirit, thou canft
eafily amend them.

APPENDIX,

APPENDIX OF ADDITIONAL NOTES.

NOTE TO THE NAME KINSKY.
[See Vol. I., p. 3. J
Kinsky, of the well-known great Bohemian
family (born 1634, died 27th January, 1699),
firft diftinguifhed himfelf in an Embaffy to
Poland in 1664. He was Chancellor of
Bohemia when the Turks invaded Auftria in
1683. He fubfequently contributed greatly to
the elevation of the Elector of Saxony to the
Polifh throne, which had taken place juft before
the date of our Diary. — Transl.

NOTE TO THE NAME OF THE VENETIAN
AMBASSADOR RUZINI.
[See Vol. I., p. 4.]
Carlo Ruzini, a noble Venetian, fon of a Pro-
curatore di San Marco, was the moft illuftrious

280 Appendix.
member of an ancient family, to which fome
afcribe an ancient Roman origin; but which
others with more probability believe to have come
from Conftantinople to Venice between the
twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Carlo was born
in 1653. His father Marco was an illuftrious
fenator of the Republic, and died in 171 1. His
mother was Catherina Zeno : fhe died in 1704.
Carlo was ambaffador in various courts, and was
knighted. In 1692 he was ambaffador to the
Spanifh court, and made a pompous entry ; in
1695 he paffed as ambaffador to Vienna; in
1697 he was plenipotentiary and ambaffador ex
traordinary at the Congrefs with the Turk, held
in Carlowitz ; in 1701 he was fent as ambaffador
extraordinary to congratulate Philip V., of Spain,
in Milan ; then he was fent to Conftantinople; and
while there, was in 1703 created aProcuratore di
San Marco, from which time he was continually
employed in diftinguifhed internal offices of the
Republic until 171 2, when he was fent ambaf
fador to the Congrefs of Utrecht. Upon his
return thence he was again occupied in high
domeftic employments, being chofen in 1715 a
Sage of the Council. Finally, after other dig
nities, he was in 1732 elected Doge of Venice,
and died, aged 81, in 1734. He was a patron of

Appendix. 28 i
the painter, Longhi. — (Capellari : II Campidoglio
Veneto. MS. in the Library oj S. Marco,
Venice.) — Transl.

NOTE TO THE NAME OF LESCZYNSKI.
[See Vol. I., p. 19.J
Raphael Lefczynfki, Grand-General of the
Crown of Poland, was the father of Staniflaus
Lefczynfki, who was elected King of Poland in
1704, after a civil war, in which the Swedes
turned the balance in his favour. After a few
years King Staniflaus was again by civil diffen-
fions driven out, and the Saxon, Auguftus the
Strong, reftored. Staniflaus retired to Nancy,
where he was the centre of an accomplifhed
circle. His daughter Marie was the virtuous
Queen of Louis XV. of France. — Transl.

NOTE TO THE NAME OF SAPIEHA.
[See Vol. I., p. 42.]
In 1695 the Bifhop of Wilna, irritated at the
ravages which Sapieha had caufed his foldiers to
commit in the diocefe, launched an excommuni
cation againft him, which Sapieha caufed to be
burnt by the executioner. Some years later the

282 Appendix.
Pope arranged thefe differences. Sapieha, after
the death of the heroic John Sobiefki, King of
Poland, had great quarrels with the family of
Oginfki and other Lithuanian nobles, who accufed
him of arrogating royal authority, of having
laid wafte the eftates of the nobles, of levying
contributions, of having feized on the perfons of
the deputies fent by the States of Lithuania to
King Auguftus, and having countenanced the
licentioufnefs of his foldiers. From that time
Sapieha never went to diet or affembly without a
ftrong and numerous efcort. In 1 700 the two
parties came to a pitched battle, where Sapieha's
faction was utterly routed. The whole Sapieha
family was profcribed by the States of Lithuania,
and their poffeffions confifcated. In 1702 they
were reconciled with the States through the inter
vention of King Auguftus; and, neverthelefs,
the turbulent chief of the family, who had been
created a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire
in 1702, joined that King's enemy, Charles XII.
of Sweden. In 17 11 he was fortunate enough
again to make his peace with King Auguftus.
The princely family of Sapieha defcends from an
Agnate of the Jagellon dynafty ; and ftill
fubfifts in Poland. — Transl.

Appendix. 283
NOTE TO THE NAME OF CAPTAIN MOLINO.
[See Vol. I., p. 129.]
More correctly Da Molino. The family is
one of the moft illuftrious of Venice ; fome fay
it came from Ptolemais ; fome fay from Man
tua. It was famous among the Crufaders.
Malfatti fays of them : <c furono huomini grandi
di perfona, un poco cuffi, molto cattoliei, ele-
mofinieri e di buona qualita, gran maeftri di
edificij, e maffime di edificare Molini." They
bore a mill wheel for arms. They built fump-
tuous chapels in the Church of S. Giovanni
e Paolo, and the Churches of S. Andrew and
S. Agnes in their native city. The moft dif
tinguifhed of this patrician flock, Francefco
da Molino, was elected Doge in 1645, anc^ died
in 1655. Perhaps the member of this family
mentioned in this Diary as having accompanied
the Archbifhop of Ancyra on his way to the
realms of the Great Mogul, was Philip (fon of
Mark) da Molino, who, in 1684, went with
the Venetian Ambaffador, Morofini, to Poland,
and who died a Senatore di Pregadi in 17 14,
aged 50. — (Capellari : II Campidoglio Veneto.
MS. in the Library of S. Marco, Venice.) —
Transl.

284 Appendix.
NOTE ON THE RUSSIAN NOBILITY, ITS ORIGIN,
HISTORY, AND CLASSIFICATION.
In virtue of a law promulgated in 1682, all
Ruffian nobles are in modern times entitled to
equal rights, whatfoever may be their titles or
origin. But in a merely honorary fenfe the
Ruffian nobility is divided into five claffes, viz.,
i ft, the Princes of the Ruffian Empire ; 2nd,
the Counts of the Ruffian Empire; 3rd, the
Barons of the Ruffian Empire ; 4th, the untitled
gentry whofe nobility dates back beyond the
reign of Peter the Great: 5th, the untitled
gentry whofe nobleffe is pofterior to that
reign. In the category of untitled gentry whofe
nobleffe is anterior to Peter I., there are families,
whofe antiquity and hiftorical luftre place them
far above moft of the houfes of Counts of the
Ruffian Empire. Such* are the Boutourlins,
the Szeremetews, the Saltykows, the Samarins,
Some branches of the families here mentioned have, how
ever, been from time to time dignified with the title of Count :
a. line of Boutourlins, for example, created Counts in 1760 -
of Szeremetew, created Counts in 1 706 ; a line of Saltykows are
Counts fince 1732, and raifed to the rank of Princes in 1790 ; a
line of Pouchkins are Counts fince 1797 ; a line of the Golovins,
created Counts of the Germanic Empire in 1707, were aggre
gated to the Counts of Ruffia in 1709.

Appendix. 285
the Pouchkins, the Sabourows, the Golovins, and
others. The eldeft line of the Saltykows, for
example is untitled; the fecond line, Counts
Soltyk of Poland ; the third line, Counts Salty-
kow fince 1 732 ; the fourth and youngeft that of
the Princes Salty kow, created in 1790.
The nucleus of the great Ruffian nobility
confifts of the princely families defcended in the
male line directly and legitimately from Rurik,
the firft fovereign of Ruffia ; and from Guede-
min, Grand- duke of Lithuania, anceftor of the
Jagellon dynafty of Polifh kings.
Rurik, a heathen, who was of Norman origin,
reigned according to the ufual computation from
862 to 879. His great-grandfon St. Wladimir
(who, having lived before the final feparation of
the Greek and Latin Churches, is recognifed as a
faint in both), converted all Ruffia to Chriftianity
in 988 ; and died in 1015, dividing Ruffia into
twelve principalities among his eleven fons and a
nephew. For four centuries this fatal divifion
weakened Ruffia, was the fource of conftant
internal difcords, opened the way to the Mogul
conqueft (1 236-1 240), anddirew the civilifation
of the whole country for centuries behind
the reft of Europe. At length, however, the
Grand Dukes of Mofcow (defcendants of Rurik)

286 Appendix.
having, towards the clofe of the fifteenth cen
tury, attained fupremacy, the other branches
of the fame race fell into comparative political
infignificance. The Agnates were compelled to
exchange their ancient fovereign appanages for
rich private domains. Thofe who refufed to do
fo were defpoiled of all, and caft into dungeons.
The fubjugation of the Agnates accomplifhed,
the fuccefsful houfe fought to confound them
with the Mufcovite ariftocracy. With this view
two meafures were adopted under Ivan the
Great (HI.), who afcended the throne in 1462.
Firft a genealogical record (Rofdoftovnaia Kniga)
was compiled, in which fide by fide with the old
ex-fovereign princely Agnates, were infcribed the
Boyar families of Mofcow ; to wit, the Roma-
nows (who became fubfequently the reigning
family), the Szeremetews, the Saltykows, the
Boutourlins, the Sabourows, the Pleftcheiews,
the Samarins, the Kalitchews, &c. &c. This
book was recopied under Ivan IV., and two
families only — viz. the Adafchews, and the
Golovins— were added to it on that occafion.
The fecond meafure taken under Ivan III. ftruck
ftill more rudely than the firft at the political
pofition of the defcendants of Rurik and of
Guedemin. It eftablifhed that thenceforth poli-

Appendix. 287
tical rank fhould be determined by the Court
dignities held by the father, grandfather, and
great-grandfather of each perfonage. This rule,
which was in force until 1682, rendered the rank
of Boyar hereditary de facto, if not de jure, and
completed the fufion of the old princely Agnates
with the Boyar families. Thus the defcendants
of Rurik and Guedemin found themfelves on a
level at Court with thofe of the old fervants of
their kindred princes of Mofcow. The inftitu-
tion which had its fountain in this law was called
the Mejnitcheftvo. When the Mejnitcheftvo was
abolifhed in 1682, a complete equality of all
nobles before the law was introduced was eftab-
lifhed ; and, at the fame time, the ancient genea
logical book was copied for the laft time. The
copy being bound in red velvet, was called, and
retains the name ofthe Velvet Book (Barhatnaia
Kniga). This " Book of Gold" of the Ruffian
nobility is depofited in the Heraldic Chamber of
the Senate of St. Peterfburgh. Notwithftanding
many intrigues, no new Boyar family fucceeded in
obtaining a place in it : not even the Narifch-
khins, ftrong in their recent intermarriage with
the Houfe of the Czars.
Until the reign of Peter the Great, the title of
Prince (Knes, Kniaz), was, if we may truft to

288 Appendix.
Prince Dolgoruki, borne in Ruffia by families of
fovereign origin only.* Peter I. introduced the
practice of creating princes, counts, and barons
— thefe laft two titles totally foreign to Ruffia
up to the eighteenth century. The firft created
Prince was Alexander Mentfchikow (fo often
mentioned in this Diary), the paftry-cook's boy,
who became fucceffively Czar Peter's valet,
favourite, and prime minifter. He was created
a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire by the
Emperor Leopold of Germany in 1705 ; and
two years later Peter made him a Ruffian Prince.
The two firft Counts were the fame Mentfchi
kow, and High- Admiral, Field-Marfhal Golovin,

* It has ftruck the tranflator, however, that Kord fometimes
fpeaks of individuals, like Szeremetew, of illuftrious but Boyar
rank, by the style of Prince, which properly fhould only be the
equivalent of the Slavic title Knez. It has occurred to him that
the title Knez may then have been occafionally more loofely but
improperly given focially, if not officially, to the greater mag
nates. The Ruffians now invariably tranflate their word Knez
by that of Prince. Moldo-Wallachian Boyars not unfrequently
affume the higher title. Certainly, in the f'outhern Slavic coun
tries, the title Knez was not always confidered ftrictly as the
prerogative of princely dignity. It was frequently both given
to, and ufed by, magnates like the great extinft Zrini and
Frangipani of Croatia, as an equivalent of their Hungarian title
of Count : a fail of which the tranflator of this Diary convinced
himfelf by an examination and comparifon of contemporaneous
Slavic and Latin original charters in private archives in Croatia.
— Transl.

Appendix. 289
on whom the Emperor Leopold conferred the
rank of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire in
1702. The firft Count of the Ruffian Mon
archy was Field-Marfhal Szeremetew (the diftin
guifhed and dignified Boyar, fo often mentioned
in this Diary as a Knight of Malta), whofe title
of Count dates from 1706. The firft Baron of
Ruffia was created in 17 10, in the perfon ofthe
Vice-Chancellor Schafirow. The title of Baron
of the Ruffian Empire confers but flender focial
advantages. It was fo little efteemed, as to be once
conferred upon a Court dwarf (in 1726, Baron
Titschinin). There are only eight families now
extant in Ruffia with the rank of Ruffian Baron.
Eight more are extinct. The pofterity of one
Ruffian Baron exift however in England, the
Dimfdales, defcended from Dr. Thomas Dimf-
dale, an Englifh phyfician to the Ruffian Court,
who was created a Baron of Ruffia in 1769.
Among his achievements was vaccinating the
Emprefs Catherine and the Grand Duke Paul,
afterwards Emperor.
In 1722, Peter the Great promulgated a law,
by virtue of which hereditary nobility was acquired
down to a few years ago (and ftill with flight
reftriction), as of right, by all civil fervants of a
certain rank in the fcale of public employes ; and
TOL. II. u

290 Appendix.
by all officers of the land and fea fervice without
exception. Thus every Ruffian foldier may
hope to bequeath hereditary nobility to his de
fcendants. Under the operation of this law the
rank of noble is more eaflly attainable in Ruffia
than anywhere elfe in the world. A flight
reftriction was however confequently introduced
of late years, requiring higher rank in the civil
and military fervices for the acquifition ipfo facto
of the right to hereditary nobleffe. The great
Souvarow, who died a Prince and a Field-
Marfhal, began life as a common foldier. The
late diftinguifhed Field-Marfhal Prince Pafkie-
wicz, Viceroy of Poland, was the fon of a man
who had earned his nobility in the army.
The Ruffian nobleffe of princely degree is con-
ftituted as follows : — I. There are thirty-one
fubfifting houfes of the male legitimate race of
Rurik. II. One princely family reprefenting
by a female line a branch of his defcendants.
III. Two defcending illegitimately from him,
but in the male line. IV. Four that defcend in
the male legitimate line from Guedemin, Grand
Duke of Lithuania, who was the progenitor of
the Jagellon dynafty of Polifh Kings. V. Ten
houfes of foreign princely origin who have been
admitted as Ruffian princes. VI. Eleven

Appendix. 291
families of created princes — all of courfe made
fince Peter the Great's time.
Befides the above there is the category of
families of princely origin that are fettlers in
Ruffia ; and again, many Georgian, Armenian,
Tartar, and Calmuck families who have affumed
and bear with impunity the title of Prince.
The rank of Count, unknown to Ruffia before
the time of Peter the Great, was conferred upon
— I. Sixty families that are ftill extant ; and
four more that are already extinct. II. Befides
which there are three families of Counts of the
Holy Roman Empire, who are not Counts of
the Ruffian Empire, though of Ruffian race.
With reference to Boyar families : There are,
I. Forty- three extant Ruffian families of un
titled nobility, infcribed in the Velvet Book;
II. Three fuch families not recorded in the
Velvet Book.
Of Polifh Princes in the Ruffian Empire
there are fifteen families ; the lateft creation
being one by the Emperor Alexander I. in
1820. There are eleven foreign families fettled in
Ruffia, who are of illuftrious princely rank.
Thefe, as well as families having foreign titles
of Prince, Count, &c, fettled in the Empire,

292 Appendix.
are recognifed as fuch and allowed to enjoy their
titles : but unlefs they be princes, &c, of
Ruffia, in the official armorial of the Ruffian
Empire, they are ranked only among untitled
nobles. — [See Dolgoruki, Notices des principales
Families de la Ruffie, &c] — Transl.

NOTE ON SZEREMETEW AND HIS FAMILY.
[See Vol. I., p. 274.]
The family of Scheremetew, as their com
patriot Dolgoruki writes their name, is one of
the beft, moft hiftorical, and moft national houfes
in all Ruffia. Its authentic derivation may be
traced to the fourteenth century. Its founder
was Andrew Kabyla (or as others have it Kam-
byla), from whom are likewife fprung the houfes
of Kalytchew, Nepluiew, Barbarykine, Lady-
ghine, Konovtfyne, and, foremoft of all, the
Romanows (whofe real name is Romanow-
Youriew), that illuftrious Boyar houfe called to
the throne of Ruffia by the voice of the nation
in 1 6 13. Among the Boyars of the Houfe of
Szeremetew, feveral diftinguifhed themfelves in
the wars of the fixteenth century. Boyar Theo
dore was eminent for his talents as a ftatef-
man, his valour and his uprightnefs. He was

Appendix. 293
married to a coufin-german of Czar Michael
Romanow, and to him the Houfe of Romanow
mainly owed their elevation to the throne of
Ruffia. Boyar Bafil was Commander-in-Chief
of the Forces under Czar Alexis, was made
prifoner at the Battle of Tchoudnovo, and fpent
thirty years of his life in harfh flavery in the
depths of the Crimea. His nephew Boyar and
Field-Marfhal Count Boris was the Szeremetew
fo often mentioned in this Diary as an honorary
Knight of Malta. He was one of the moft
remarkable perfonages ever produced by this
family, fo fruitful of eminent men. He con
quered Livonia and Efthonia, and was Com
mander-in-Chief at the Battle of Poltawa, where
the army of Charles XII. was deftroyed. We
have feen how he was created an honorary Knight
of the Hofpital of St. John of Jerufalem.
Peter I. created him a Ruffian Count in 1706.
Count Boris was as eftimable for the qualities
of his character, as for his eminent talents for
command. Noble, upright, beneficent, his
death, which took place in 1719, was deplored
as a calamity alike by the Ruffian army, which
during twenty years he had led to victory, and
by the poor of St. Peterfburgh and Mofcow,
who faid : " We have now loft our adopted

294 Appendix.
" father." Such is the character given by Prince
Dolgoruki, of this true Knight.
Field-Marfhal Szeremetew's daughter, Natha
lia, was the wife of Prince Ivan Dolgoruki, he
to whofe fifter was betrothed the young Emperor
Peter II. , who died on the very day appointed
for the celebration of the marriage.
The Emprefs Anne then afcended the throne ;
power paffed into the hands of her favourite
the ferocious Biren, Duke of Courland ; and
Prince Ivan Dolgoruki was exiled with all his
family to Siberia. His heroic and gifted wife
Nathalia Szeremetew accompanied him thither ;
and when nine years later her hufband was
brought back from Siberia to Novogorod, and
cut into quarters, fhe returned to Ruffia and
took the veil at Kiew. The day before pro
nouncing her vows, fhe went to the fleep bank
of the Dniepr, and caft into that broad fair river
which flows paft Kiew's walls the nuptial ring
from her finger. This conftant woman lived
thirty years afterwards as a nun, and died in
1 77 1. — [See Dolgoruki, Notices des principales
Families, art. Dolgoruki.] — Transl.

Appendix. 295
NOTE ON THE CZAR'S FAVOURITE, GENERAL
LEFORT.
[See Vol. I., p. 162.]
Lefort was a native of Geneva, where he was
born of a patrician family on the 2nd January,
1656. He entered the Swifs guards in the
French fervice at the age of fourteen. Thence
he went to the Netherlands, where he was at the
fieges of Grave, 1674, and Oudenarde, 1675,
under the Prince of Courland, who loft his whole
regiment in thefe two fieges ; and Lefort, em-
barraffed by the lofs of his equipment and bag
gage, accepted a Lieutenancy in the Czar's
fervice, which he entered upon in the fummer of
1675, in his nineteenth year. He was hand
fome, bold and enterprifing, generous and difin-
terefted, fpoke four or five languages well, and
foon became advantageoufly known to the Danifh
refident, De Horn, and to feveral Princes and
Boyars. Early in 1677 ne Eot tne command of
a company of infantry; and with a view of
fettling in the country, married the daughter of
Colonel Souhay. In 1683 he became Major, in
the following year Lieutenant-Colonel, and then
was placed in command of troops and artillery
for a confiderable expedition. In 1696 he con-

296 Appendix.
ducted the fiege of Azow; and there fhowed
fuch military fkill, that he became the Czar's
favourite. He was entrufted with the greateft
affairs, made Commander-in-Chief by land and
fea, Viceroy of Novogorod, and firft minifter of
State, with the rank of ambaffador and plenipo
tentiary to all foreign courts. At his death, in
1699, he left an only fon, Henry, then abfent,
who became Captain of the firft company of the
Czar's guards, and died aged about twenty, in
1703, at Mofcow. The general's nephew, Peter
Lefort, who entered the Ruffian fervice in 1 694,
became a Lieutenant-General in Czar Peter's
fervice. He married, firft, in 1713, a daughter
of General Weiden; and fecond, in 17 17, a
daughter of M. de Boerner, of a principal family
in Mecklenburg. He was the fon of Ami
Lefort, who was created a Knight of the Holy
Roman Empire, by Leopold I. in 1698, and
filled the principal offices of his native republic
of Geneva till his death, aged 77, in 17 19.
John, another nephew (often mentioned in this
Diary) of General Francis Lefort, was Pruffian
Chamberlain, and a Councillor of the Czar, and
was accredited as Ruffian Envoy to the Court of
France in 17 17, where he regulated the cere
monial for the Czar's reception. Later, he was

Appendix. 297
accredited to Poland, and was decorated with the
grand cordon of Alexander Newfki. — Transl.

NOTE ON THE FAMILY OF NATHALIA
KIRYLIOWNA NARISHKIN.
[See Vol. IL, p. 125.]
She was the fifter of the Prime Minifter, Leo
Narifhkin, fo often mentioned in this Diary.
The family, according to Dolgoruki (Notices des
princip. Fam. de la Ruffie) was of recent low ex
traction, defcended from a Bohemian or Sile-
fian boor ; and, Dolgoruki adduces as a pfoof
how jealoufly pure the official roll of the ancient
nobleffe of Mufcovy was kept, by adducing the
fact, that when the Velvet Book — the book of
gold of the Mufcovite nobility — was laft tran-
fcribed in Czar Peter's time, the Narifhkins,
notwithftanding their clofe parentage with the
autocrat, were unable with all their efforts to get
admiffion to its pages. — Transl.
NOTE ON THE FAMILY OF PETER'S CZARINE.
[See Vol. II., p. 132.J
Eudoxia, or Ottokefa Feodorowna, was
daughter of the Boyar Feodor Abramowitz La-
poukhin. Peter was married to her in his fix-

298 Appendix.
teenth year, on the 29th of January, 1691. It
was upon the birth of his fon next year, that the
turbulent Princefs Sophia, feconded by Boris
Galitzin, fought Czar Peter's life, exciting the
Strelitz to a treafonable mutiny, from which
Peter found fafety in flight to the ftrong con
vent of the Trinity called Droicza, fome miles
from Mofcow. The infurgents and their leader
were racked alive ; Galitzin was banifhed by
the counfels of the Narifhkins, and Czar Peter
named his own uncle Leo Kirilowitz Narifhkin,
fo often mentioned in this Diary, to be his prime
minifter. — Transl.
NOTES ON SOME RUSSIAN EMBASSIES TO
LONDON.
Evelyn makes mention of three Ruffian Etn-
baffies that he faw in London. The firft of
thefe was in 1663, when he jots down in his
Diary :
"27th Dec. — Went to London to fee the
" entrance of the Ruffian Ambaffador, whom
" his Majefty ordered to be received with much
" ftate, the Emperor not only having been kind
" to his Majefty in his diftrefs, but banifhing
" all commerce with our nation during the
a rebellion.

Appendix. 299
" Firft, the city companies and trained bands
" were all in their ftations : his Majefty's army
" and guards in great order. His Excellency
,c came in a very rich coach, with fome of his
cc chief attendants ; many of the reft on horfe-
" back, clad in their veils, after the Eaftern
" manner, rich furs, caps, and carrying the
cc prefents, fome carrying hawks, furs, teeth,
" bows, &c. It was a very magnificent
" fhow." Two days later Evelyn notes :
" 29th. — Saw the audience of the Muscovy
" Ambaffador, which was with extraordinary
" ftate, his retinue being numerous, all clad in
" veils of feveral colours, with bufkins after the
" Eaftern manner ; their caps of fur ; tunics
" richly embroidered with gold and pearls, made
" a glorious fhow. The King being feated under
" a canopy in the Banqueting Houfe, the Secre-
" tary of the Embaffy went before the Ambaf-
" fador in a grave march, holding up his mailer's
" letters of credence in a crimfon taffeta fcarf
" before his forehead. The Ambaffador then
" delivered it with a profound reverence to the
" King, who gave it to our Secretary of State :
Cc it was written in a long and lofty ftyle. Then
" came in the prefents, borne by 165 of his

300 Appendix.
" retinue, confifting of mantles, and other large
" pieces lined with fable, black fox and ermine ;
" Per flan carpets, the ground cloth of gold and
"velvet; hawks, fuch as they faid never came
" the like ; horfes faid to be Perfian ; bows and
" arrows, &c. Thefe, borne by fo long a train,
" rendered it very extraordinary. Wind mufic
" played all the while in the galleries above.
" This finifhed, the Ambaffador was conveyed
" by the mafter of the ceremonies to York
" Houfe, where he was treated with a banquet,
" which coft 200/., as I was affured."
On the 30th of May following, Evelyn faw
"the Ambaffador take leave of their Majefties
'c with great folemnity."
This was the Embaffy fent by the Czar to
congratulate Charles II. on his reftoration :
" The Czar of Mufcovy fent an Ambaffador
" to compliment King Charles II. on his reftora-
" tion. The King fent the Earl of Cariifle as his
"Ambaffador to Mofcow, to defire the re-eftab-
" lifhment of the ancient privileges ofthe Englifh
<c merchants at Archangel, which had been taken
" away by the Czar, who, abhorring the murder
" of the King's father, accufed them as favourers
" of it. But, by the means of the Czar's mini-
" fters, his Lordfhip was very ill received, and met

Appendix. 301
" with what he deemed affronts, and had no fuccefs
cc as to his demands, fo that at coming away he
" refufed the prefents fent him by the Czar. The
" Czar fent an Ambaffador to England to com-
" plain of Lord Carlifle's conduct ; but his Lord-
" fhip vindicated himfelf fo well, that the King
" told the Ambaffador he faw no reafon to con-
" demn his Lordfhip's conduct." — [Relation ofthe
Embaffy by G. M., authenticated by Lord Carlifte,
printed 16 69. J
Again, in 1667, Evelyn faw a Ruffian Em
baffy at Court, of which he thus fpeaks in his
Diary on the 28th Auguft of that year :
" In the afternoon ... to the audience
" of a Ruffian Envoy in the Queen's Prefence-
ie Chamber, introduced with much ftate, the
"foldiers, penfioners, and guards in their order.
" His letters of credence brought by his fecretary
"in a fcarf of farfenet, their veils fumptuous,
" much embroidered with pearls. He delivered
"his fpeech in the Rufs language, but without
" the leaft action or motion of his body, which
" was immediately interpreted aloud by a German
" that fpake good Englifh ; half of it confifled
" in repetition of the Czar's titles, which were
"very haughty and Oriental: the fubftance of
"the reft was, that he was only fent to fee the

302 Appendix.
" King and Queen and know how they did, with
" much compliment and frothy language."
Ofthe third Ruffian Embaffy in England which
Evelyn witneffed he thus fpeaks, a.d. 1682 :
' ' 24th [November]. — I was at the audience
"of the Ruffian Ambaffador before both their
" Majefties in the Banqueting Houfe. The
" prefents were carried before him, held up by
" his followers in two ranks, before the King's
" ftate, and confifted of tapeftry (one fuite of
" which was doubtlefsly brought from France
"as being of that fabric, the Ambaffador having
" paffed through that kingdom as he came out
"of Spain), a large Perfian carpet, furs of fable
"and ermine, &c. ; but nothing was fo fplendid
" and exotic as the Ambaffador who came foon
"after the King's reftoration. This prefent
" Ambaffador was exceedingly offended that his
" coach was not permitted to come into the
" Court, till, being told that no King's Ambaf-
"fador did, he was pacified, yet requiring an
" atteftation of it under the hand of Sir Charles
" Cotterell, the Mafter of the Ceremonies ; being,
" it feems, afraid he fhould offend his mafter if he
" omitted the leaft punctilio. It was reported he
" condemned his fon to lofe his head for fhaving
"off his beard, and putting himfelf in the

Appendix. 303
" French mode at Paris, and that he would
" have executed it had not the French King
"interceded — but query of this."
At the fame time with this laft-mentioned
Ruffian Embaffy there were alfo in London an
Envoy from Morocco, with whofe appearance,
manners, and deportment, Evelyn was much
ftruck. He defcribes him as a handfome perfon,
well featured, of a wife look, fubtle, and ex
tremely civil. It was he that brought as prefents
oftriches and lions ; which provoked the witty
monarch to laugh, and fay " he knew nothing
" more proper to fend by way of return than a
"flock of geefe." Evelyn tells how he was "at
" the entertainment of the Morocco Ambaffador
" at the Duchefs of Portfmouth's glorious apart-
" ments at Whitehall, where there was a great
"banquet of fweetmeats and mufic; but at
" which both the Ambaffador and his retinue
" behaved themfelves with extraordinary modera-
" tion and modefty, though placed about a long
" table, a lady between two Moors, and amongft
"thefe were the king's natural children, namely,
"Lady Lichfield and Suffex, the Duchefs of
" Portfmouth, Nelly, &c, concubines, and
" cattle of that fort, as fplendid as jewels and
" excefs of bravery could make them ; the

304 Appendix.
"Moors neither admiring, nor feeming to re-
" gard anything, furniture or the like, with any
" earneftnefs, and but decently tailing of the
"banquet ... did not look about or flare
" on the ladies, or exprefs the leaft furprife, but
" with a courtly negligence in face, countenance,
"and whole behaviour, anfwering only to fuch
" queftions as were afked with a great deal of
" wit and gallantry." He tells further, how
the Moor "went fometimes to the theatres,
" where, upon any foolifh or fantaftical action,
" he could not forbear laughing, but he endea-
'" voured to hide it with extraordinary modefty
" and gravity. In a word, the Ruffian Ambaf-
"fador, ftill at Court, behaved himfelf like a
"clown compared to this civil heathen." —
Transl.

THE END..

BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.