The State of Muscovy from 1682. to 1687.

THE Czar Theodore Alexerwich, Son of the Czar Alexis Sancueli­mich dy'd in the 22d year of his Age, leaving no Issue behind him. His Bro­ther John and the Princess Sophia were of the same Venter; Peter, though the Younger, and by another Mother, suc­ceeded him at first, his Elder Brother being uncapable of governing; but soon after, John was Elected, Proclaim'd and Crown'd likewise, by the management of the Princess Sophia his Sister, though he was in the Falling-sickness, and was af­flicted with it every Moon; his Brother Theodore dy'd of it. This Princess being ambitious of the Government, and well foreseeng that she might make her self Absolute Mistress of so great an Empire, because of the Weakness of John, and the Minority of Peter, who wou'd only have the Name and Title of Czars, and She all the Authority; and that She had no­thing to fear but the Officers of the Crown, and the Grandees, who might oppose her Designs, each out of their par­ticular [Page 21] Ambition, or all out of general discontent to see themselves govern'd by a Woman, she prevail'd upon Couvanski to be of her Party, and rais'd the Estreles, a kind of Militia, like the Janisaries of the Port, who under colour of revenging the Death of the Czar Theodore, who they gave out was poisoned, made so cruel a slaughter among the great Lords, that if to appease the Tumult, the Prin­cess Sophia, perceiving they went far­ther than she intended, had not come out of the Imperial Palace and shew'd her self, they would have gone on to cut off the Innocent with the Guilty, and encreas'd the number of the Dead for the sake of plundring them; The Boyars, or Senators, and the Patriarch interpos'd likewise to stop the effusion of more Blood; and the heat of their fury being allay'd, the Czarvuich Peter Alexerwich was crown'd Czar, to the general joy of Russia.

This Prince is graceful and well made, and the acuteness of his Wit gives great hopes of a glorious Reign if he be guided by able Counsellors.

The Princess Sophia did not express much satisfaction upon this Occasion; she wou'd rather have had the Crown up­on [Page 22] the Head of John Alexerwich her Bro­ther by the same Father and Mother, single without a Consort, who was rightful Successor; and her Ambition did not suffer her to conceal her uneasi­ness long, for she publickly withstood the Crowning of Peter, pretending 'twas doing wrong to his Elder Brother; 'twas to no purpose for the Boyars and the Pa­triarch to represent to her the incapacity of John, that he was an infirm Prince, blind, and impotent of Body: to gain her Point, she was resolv'd to make use of the Estreles, of which betwixt 18 and 28000 Regiments usually quarter in Mos­eow for the Czar's Guard; the Boyar Cou­vanski, President of the Chamber of these Soldiers, was her Creature, and so by open force she rais'd this great Body of Troops, Crown'd and proclaim'd John Chief Czar to reign jointly with Peter, and in conclusion by these means, both the Princes being very young, she got the Administration of the Government into her own hands. 'Twas hop'd that now all Troubles were at an end, and that every thing wou'd rest in a perfect Calm; but there were Factions form'd in the Militia, which is compos'd partly of Estreles, and partly of the Citizens, [Page 23] who are most of them rich Merchants, and are fond of listing themselves, and being counted Soldiers; when they mount the Guard they have Coats gi­ven them, which they return again, with this Circumstance, that they receive so many Blows with a Stick over the But­tocks as they have made Spots upon their Cloaths, when they give them in, for these Coats never go out of Moscow except those given to the Estreles, who follow the Czar on Horseback into the Country; the Citizens are allow'd, when 'tis their turn to mount the Guard, to send a Servant in their rooms, they or­dinarily buy off the Blows, by present­ing a new Coat, whereby this Livery is always renew'd and kept neat.

The Court upon advice of some De­sign being on foot, for what reason is not known, but suspecting the Czarian House was in some danger, withdrew from Mos­cow, and retired into Trinity Convent, 12 German Leagues off; a few days after the Militia rose again, and the absence of the Court increasing the Tumult and Dis­order, the Boyar Convanski let loose his Estreles to plunder and murder all that were not of his Party, upon pretence of their being concern'd in the death of the [Page 24] late Czar; the Chief Physician to the Deceas'd Theodore, accus'd of poisoning his Master, was cut in pieces; the Grand Chancellor Ʋrrenimik Delgorouka, and his Son, were assassinated. In a word, so exorbitant was their Licentiousness and Cruelty, that I find no pleasure in relating it. The Princess Sophia hearing what pass'd at Moscow, sent to compli­ment the Boyar Couvanski for the Zeal he had shewn in revenging the death of her Brother, assuring him that she was oblig'd to him for it; this she did out of policy to wheedle a Mad-man, who was to be fear'd with his Sword in his hand; at the same time these. Cajolements were of very ill consequence in the end, and produc'd other Effects than she imagin'd: The Boyar believ'd, that after what he had done for her, and these Expressions of her Friendship and Acknowledgments, he might venture to do any thing, even to take the Crown; the thing appear'd to him very easy and feasible, he saw that the Massacres he had caus'd to be committed of all the most Considerable Noblemen, who had Interest and Power, and consequently might have stood in his way, were approv'd, nay that he was thank'd for his pains; he concluded, not [Page 25] without reason, that the Militia were in­tirely at his devotion, after having in­dulg'd them in their Plundering; he per­suaded himself that not a man of them but wou'd blindly undertake any thing he shou'd put them upon, some out of gratitude, and others in hopes of gain, and of making their Fortunes in a Revo­lution: Moreover he had insinuated in­to them a great contempt of the Czars; of John upon the account of his Infirmities and Incapacity, and of Peter for his want of Years, and that it was to be expected in all likelihood he would be subject to the same Distemper his Brother had, and so there was no hopes of seeing a Prince upon the Throne that wou'd value Cou­rage and Merit, and know how to re­compence them: In fine, he determin'd to push his Fortune, but he consider'd, that to accomplish his Ends with greater decency, 'twas expedient for him to make an Alliance with the Czarian Fa­mily, which wou'd better disguise his Designs, and give some colour to the ex­ecution of them, when he shou'd attempt it. He propos'd then a Marriage between his Son and the Princess Catherine, younger Sister to the Princess Sophia; but his boldness had not that success he [Page 26] expected, the Court was displeas'd at the insolence of the Offer, and reflecting that such an Alliance cou'd not but be preju­dicial to the safety of the young Czars, the Princess Sophia her self found a way to prevent an Inconvenience so dange­rous to the Empire of the Russians; judg­ing wisely that her Authority was in greater hazard from the Ambition of Couvanski, than from all those whom she had caus'd to be murder'd, and was first persuaded that he ought to be di­spatch'd and punish'd for all those Crimes, the greatest part of which she had con­sented to. 'Tis a Custom in Muscovy to celebrate the Birth-days of the Royal Family with great solemnity; the Prince or Princess, whose Birth-day it is, makes a Feast, and receives the Compliments of the Nobility; the Court resolv'd to celebrate in Trinity Convent the Feast of St. Catherine, whose name that Princess bore, which the Boyar Couvanski design'd for his Son: The Princess Sophia gave notice of it to all the Boyars, and in parti­cular invited Couvanski, who continued his Cruelties at Moscow, which the Prin­cess seemingly approv'd of; mean time 'twas contriv'd how to rid themselves of this Aspirer to the Throne, the Prince [Page 27] Boyar Bazile Basilervick Galischin, of whom we shall have occasion to speak further in the Sequel of our Story, ad­vis'd not to delay the matter; and ac­cordingly there was no time lost, for he was way-laid by 200 Horsemen in the Road to Trinity. Convent, was seiz'd and carri'd into a House, where his Sentence was read to him, and both he and his Son beheaded. The Estrels were asto­nish'd when they first heard of it, it stunn'd 'em like a Clap of Thunder, but they soon recover'd out of their Surprize, and grew furious and enrag'd, they ran up and down, and exclaim'd they had lost their Father, and protested solemnly and unanimously they would take Ven­geance upon his Murtherers and all their Adherents of what Quality soever. They possess'd themselves instantly of the Ar­senals and Ammunition, and seem'd to threaten a general Destruction. The Court perceiving the danger the State was in, rais'd the other Forces, who have ever born an implacable hatred to the Estreles, and commanded the German Officers, who are very numerous among 'em, to render themselves without delay at Trinity-Convent. Every one of 'em obey'd their order, left their Wives and [Page 28] Children, to serve their Prince; nor was any man withheld from his duty, through fear of their Families being ill used by the Estreles for their Loyalty to the Czars. At the same time they had reason to be jealous of them; for the Germans dwelt in the Suburbs of Moscow, in that part call'd Kakouvi, and the Estreles really went thither in their first Fury, with de­sign to butcher all they met with; but they were restrain'd by some of their old Comrades, who represented to 'em very prudently, That if they put to the Sword the Germans Wives, their Husbands as soon as they had drawn together their Troops, would think of nothing but Revenge: That they would never rest till they had cut 'em off to the last man with an irreconcilable Enmity; and that there was no hopes of Peace or Pardon, after so bloody an Action. The Estreles considering on't were persuaded to spare them; and now their hearts sinking, and seeing themselves without a Leader, they sought to make their Peace, which they found the Court readily dispos'd to grant, for in truth they had no great Stomach to new Broils. So the Militia first kill'd their Collonels and other Officers, and then sent Messengers to Court to ask Par­don; [Page 29] they obtain'd it without much dif­ficulty, and immediately the Czars came to Moscow, accompanied by the Nobility and the German Officers. The Estreles met them, prostrated themselves upon the ground, and cried for Mercy: The Czars having made a sign that they for­gave them, the Penitent Soldiers rais'd themselves up, conducted the Czars to the Palace, and pour'd out Tears of Joy to see their Princes return'd into their Capital City in so mild a Disposition.

The same day Prince Bazile Basilervick was created Grand Chancellor, and Wre­nimienk, or Temporary Minister of the State, that is, Administrator of the Em­pire during a limited time. This Prince Galischin is, without dispute, one of the Ablest, most Ingenious, and Polite Per­sons that ever was in this Country, which he nobly design'd should make as good a Figure as the rest of Europe. He speaks Latin very correctly, and is migh­tily pleas'd with the Conversation of Fo­reigners, and treats 'em without forcing them to drink to excess; he drinks no Brandy himself, for he delights in Dis­course altogether.

Having little value for the great Lords because of their insufficiency, he regard­ed [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 31] nothing but merit, and preferr'd none but such as he judg'd worthy, and would be faithful to him.

This Chancellor began his Admini­stration with an exact Scrutiny after those Estreles that were culpable, he executed the Ring-Leaders, and banish'd others. Four Regiments were form'd of these Exils, one was sent away to Bialogrod situ­ate upon the Frontiers of Tartary, another to Seberka, upon the Wolga in the King­dom of Cazan, the third to Kourskay, in the Ʋkrain, and the fourth to Sueska in the same Province. This Affair be­ing setled, Prince Galischin seiz'd upon the Offices that were vacant by the Death of those that fell in the Massacre, and among others of the Precasinoy Zemeske, or War-Office, in which are kept the Ac­counts of the Forces that are upon the Foreign Establishment, Foot, Horse, and Dragoons.

This Employment had been formerly manag'd by a Boyar Senator of the Pre­kaz Bialtouski, or Office of the White Roupee, in which the Affairs of the Cosaques and of the Ʋkrain, are commonly deci­ded. The Chancellor pitch'd upon Te­lickelavitau, a Wealthy man, and one of the under Secretaries of State, to be [Page 30] Supreme Judge over the Estreles, which is the next Post to the Boyar Senator. He likewise gave to his Cousin German, the Precaz Casanskir, or Office in which the Affairs of Casan, Dastrakan, and Circassia are treated. To Dominiak Emilian Ve­renxau, the Morafeuski Precaz or Office for the Towns situated upon the Tanais. The [...] or Great Treasury was conferr'd upon the Alkalnik Talakorou of the Duvoski Precaz; that is, the Chamber of the Revenues of the Crown. In short all these Offices formerly held by the Boyar Senators, who were all a­ble to perplex the Chancellor in his undertakings, were fill'd up with Per­sons who would be willing to be his Creatures, and not his Collegues. This procedure drew upon Prince Galischin, the hatred of all the Noble Families, to see themselves excluded from their Pre­rogatives, and oblig'd to make their Court to him more obsequiously than they had done to his Predecessors. But this did not hinder him from exerting his Authority, and ordering every thing as he judg'd most for his advantage. He advis'd the making of a General Peace with the Swedes, whose Ambassadors being then at Moscow, had all their de­mands [Page 32] granted. Some years after the Conclusion of this Treaty▪ the Imperia­lists and Poles were engag'd in a War with the Turks. The first wou'd engage the Muscovites to make a League with them, but their Embassy came to no­thing; the Poles took this occasion to propose a General Peace, and to get the Muscovites to be on their side [...] which end they sent an Em [...] to Moscow, compos'd of three Lords of the Crown, and three of Lithuania; the Palatine of Posnania Grzemontarvick, and the Counts Ptzyemski and Potourski, were those on the part of the Crown; the Grand Chancellor, his Nephew Oquenoki, and Count Sapiha, where those for Lithua­nia, the last was detain'd in Poland by the Death of his Brother; but the other five arriv'd safe at Moscow. After divers Conferences, and even after their Audi­ence of Congè they came to an Accom­modation, the Poles gave up their Pre­tensions to the Ʋkrain, or Country of the Cossacks, to the Dutchy of Smolensko, and other Territories conquer'd by the Muscovites; and the Czars obliged them­selves to make War upon the Precops, and oppose their Incursions into Poland. This Agreement was solemnly ratifi'd, [Page 33] the Ambassadors were treated, and the Czars themselves drank to them by a great Lord, after having laid their hands upon the Cup; an Honour which had never before been conferr'd upon Persons of their Character.

Upon this the Muscovites sent Ambas­sadors to all the Courts in Christendom, to anim [...] them to a General League against the Turks. The Boyar Borice Pietreuvick Cheremitau was sent to Po­land, and thence to Vienna: The Kenas Jacob Seudrewick Dolgoroka, Espalenick or Gentleman of the Czars Bed-Cham­ber was sent into France and Spain; he is of the most Ancient Family in the Countrey; he mightily admir'd the most Christian King, and has declar'd, that tho his Master was affronted in France, he likes that Court better than that of Spain, where the Czar was better treated. His Nephew, whom he left in France to learn the Language, is the only Muscovite that speaks French. There are but Four throughout this vast Countrey that can talk Latin, and they are beholden for it to their Polish Tutors. In short, every Prince in Europe had an Envoy from the Czars upon this occasion. They prepar'd to take the Field in 1687, and enter the [Page 34] Crim: The Choice of their General took up some time; Prince Galischin nomina­ted several Lords fit for that Command; but he was told on all hands, that since he had made up the Peace with Poland, he ought to give himself the trouble of trying whether the Conquest of Precop was so easy as he imagin'd▪ He did all he could to excuse himself fr [...] this Em­ploy; rightly conjecturing he should find great difficulties, and all the ill success would be laid at his door, notwithstand­ing his utmost Precaution and Prudence. That tho the Army he commanded was formidable for Numbers, yet they were but a multitude of raw undisciplin'd Pea­sants, with whom he could never under­take any vigorous Action, and come off with Honour. Being a greater Statesman than Soldier, he foresaw that his Absence might do him more Prejudice than the Conquest of the Crim bring him Glo­ry; and especially seeing he could not raise himself higher by it, nor have a greater Sway in the Government by commanding the Army: He saw besides, that those who insisted most upon his ta­king this Charge, did it only out of the Jealousy they had of him, and with de­sign to ruin him, under a specious shew [Page 35] of honouring him with the Title of Ge­neralissimo.

'Tis true, the Lords that press'd it most, were those that did not consent to the Agreement with the Poles; besides, they understood very well, how difficult such an Invasion of the Crim would prove, and were glad to remove Galischin from Moscow, that his too great Autho­rity might be lessen'd by his Absence. The Majority voted Galischin General, to his great discontent, and so he was bound in Honour to take upon him the Conduct of the Expedition. The Particulars of which take as follows.

The Expedition of the Muscovites into the Crim, from 1687 to 1689.

AFter mature Debates in Council, the Muscovites being determin'd to send a Numerous Army into the Lesser Tartary, chose Prince Galischin Woivode; Bolschoy, or Generalissimo: The Boyar Alexis Simonewich Chein, Woyevode of Novogrodiski, General of the Forces of [Page 36] Cazan: The Domini of Ʋvoranin Irran Georharrich Lerrenteteau Woivode Darta­olski, General of a small Body of Cos­sacks, and other light-arm'd Troops, who always march before the Army, and may properly be call'd the Forlorn Hope. The Akalnick Levanti Romanorrick Pleuvan, Woivode of Serene, General of the For­ces of Serene: And Kencas, or Prince Michael Andrumich Galischin, Vaivode of Bialogrod, General of the Forces of Bia­logrod; he was Cousin German to the great Galischin; he had so great a Love for Foreigners, that when he set out to his Government, he carried with him as many as were willing to accompany him, and among the rest a Frenchman, who taught [...] Language.

All the Forces of the White Russia be­ing thus provided with Leaders, and the Cossacks with their Hettman, 'twas con­sulted how to raise Ammunition and Provisions for them. All the Subjects of the great Empire of the Czars were immediately tax'd at a Rouble a House; and the Value of a Rouble being Five French Livres, we leave the Reader to judge what an immense Sum it amount­ed to.

[Page 37] Prince Galischin obtain'd surther, that his Son should be made his Collegue in the Chancellorship; which was a new Mark of the Princess's Esteem for him.

The General Rendezvouz was ap­pointed in the Ʋkrain, in the Countrey of those Cossacks who are independent of the Hettman, and are commanded by Polkowniks or Collonels. The Forces of Moscow were quarter'd at Arteek; those of Novogrod at Auski; those of Cazan at Rouplauski; those of Serene at Krastena­koust; and those of Bialogrod, who were to remain upon the Frontiers, were post­ed at Bialogrod. The Hettman drew to­gether his Troops at Calitch; and all the Army being order'd to be at their Stati­ons by the first of March, the Soldiers march'd all the Winter of 1686; and the first of May they muster'd, and took the Field 300000 Foot, and 100000 Horse, and encamp'd beyond the River Marle: In a few days they began their March by the way of Poltaw, a Town belonging to the Hettman; and advanc'd as far as Scarsin, upon the River Avit, where they made a halt for some days, to stay for a certain Image of the Virgin, which was reputed to worlk Miracles, by the credu­lous Muscovites. A Monk assur'd the [Page 38] Generals that he had been blessed with a Vision, in which the Virgin told him, That without her their Attempt upon the Crim should be unsuccessful, and therefore they must take her Image with them. The Commanders out of Com­plaisance, and the Soldiers out of Super­stition, to which the Muscovites are ad­dicted the most of any people in the world, tarried here 15 days, and did not set forward till they had receiv'd the mi­raculous Image with all the Ceremonies requisite. June the 15th, they reach'd Samare-Rzeka, which as well as the other Rivers before-mention'd, falls into the Boristhenes; they made Bridges, and the Army passed over it with all Expedition. The 20th they left Samare, keeping the Boristhenes upon their right, and en­camp'd next at Tartarska-Rzeka, or Ri­ver of the Tartars; from Tartarska-Rzeka they march'd to Mouscau-Rzeka; thence to Kaminka, thence to Kouskiorda, and thence to Kerachekesa; whence the Army could pass no further, because of the Drought, which was so great, that for 50 Leagues round they were inform'd the Sun had burnt up the Grass, so that there was no stirring further for want of Forage. The General greatly surpriz'd [Page 39] at this News, was forc'd to alter his Mea­sures; he chang'd the design of ruining the Cham with his 500000 men, to a speedy Retreat; and so he broke up from Kerachekesa, and came and pitch'd upon the Banks of the Boristhenes, both for the convenience of Foraging where the Ri­ver had overflow'd, and likewise to faci­litate hi [...] Return: For 'twas reasonable to suppose that the Tartars would come and fall upon the Army, which indeed was strong enough, but extremely em­barass'd with so prodigious a Train to carry their Baggage, that I have heard the German Officers affirm there were above a Million of Horses; which seems incredible, but yet may be true; for in an Army of 24000 men that the King of Poland led to the Black Sea in 1686, there were 45000 Waggons. 'Tis evi­dent, abundance of Men and Horses must needs perish by the excessive Heats, and want of Forage; the Bloody Flux, and want of Victuals fit to be eaten, swept away great numbers, and rendred more unfit for Service; for the Soldiers were forc'd to feed upon Salt-fish half putri­fi'd, to keep Lent, which the Russians hold in August. Nevertheless a Detach­ment of 30000 men, headed by Levanti [Page 40] [...] [Page 41] [...] [Page 42] [...] [Page 43] [...] [Page 40] Romanorrick, Commander of the Forces of Serene, was order'd to advance as far as Zarparogny, with intent to make the Tartars believe that the Muscovites had none of their Army left. The Hettman Juan Samuelerrick's Son was sent out like­wise with a Body of Cossacks. The rest of the Army march'd back to the River Sa­mare, where the Prince observing the Situation of the Place, projected to build a City there, to bridle the Cossacks, and even the Tartars, tho the last can en­ter Russia on several sides. The next year this City was actually begun, as shall be told in the Sequel. From the River of Samare they removed to the River Marle, where they waited for Or­ders from Moscow to disband the Army. And in the mean time the Prince, to ex­cuse himself at Court for the ill success of his Campaign, left no Stone unturn'd to lay the blame of his Miscarriage upon the Hettman Juan Samuelerrich; and notwithstanding that he was powerful, and commanded all the Ʋkrain, which revolted from the Poles in the Reign of Ladislaus the last of that Name, tho he has 100000 of the Militia always ready to take the Field; yet Galischin, having the Princess on his side, contriv'd to ruin [Page 41] him. He wrote to Court, charg'd the Hettman with being the cause of all that had happen'd, and sollicited an Order to depose him, and chuse another into his Place. This Order being come, Ga­lischin caus'd the Hettman to be seiz'd at midnight by those very Estreles which he had desired for his Guard, because he mistrusted the Cossacks: He was carried bound in Cords to a place within the Main Body of the Army, call'd Chatra, that is to say, the Tent of Justice, which in all the Russian Armies is constantly pitch'd in the General's Quarter: In the Morning Galischin summoned all the Of­ficers and Noblemen to attend him in a Body: The Boyar Generals took their Seats, and the Hettman was brought be­fore them; the Emperor's Order was first read to him; then they confronted him with the principal Cossacks, who were taught their Lesson, and accused him of holding Intelligence with the Cham, and directing him privately to burn up the Forage. The poor General found his Fortune quickly chang'd; in­stead of Vielmozny, or Most Puissant, they saluted him with Scourwecin, or Son of a Whore; nay, his own Servants lost all Respect to him, and one of his Colo­nels, [Page 42] named Dimitrouki, drew out his Sabre to kill him; but Galischin pre­vented the Blow, and told him, the Hettman was there to be Tried Judi­cially, and not to be Butchered. This Council of War being broke up, and the Hettman put under a sure Guard, a Courier was dispatch'd to Le­vanti Romanorrick with Orders for him to secure the Hettman's Son, who was detach'd at the same time with Roma­norrick; but some faithful Cossacks were got thither before him, and warn'd him to save himself. Romanorrick could not easily come at him, for he kept with his Troops perpetually as far off as he could; but the principal Cossacks being acquainted with the Order to seize their Leader, the Compachiks, or the Cavalry, agreed to deliver him up; the Sardou­chiks or Infantry encompass'd his Tent, and would not permit him to be taken; but at length they suffer'd themselves to be prevail'd upon, and so with a general Consent the Hettman's Son was put into Romanorrick's Hands, who be­ing proud of his Prey, and over-joy'd that he had now an opportunity of re­pairing his Credit, which he had lost in a Skirmish with Sultan Naradin, near [Page 43] Kamiston upon the Nieper, return'd with his Prisoner to the Army.

While they were seizing the Son, the Boyar Generals consulted how to punish the Father, and set up another Hett­man. Samuelerrich was sent into Ziberia, and the Cossacks chose one Mazepa, Pi­stazy or Secretary of State, and pro­claim'd him Hettman. This Prince is not comely in his Person, but a very knowing Man, and speaks Latin in per­fection. He is a Cossack born, and was one of King Cazimir's Pages, and after­wards an Officer in his Guards. He is a very good Friend to the Poles.

Thus Prince Galischin succeeded in his Design; but a great Party of Cossacks, who were not call'd to the Election, express'd their dislike of it; some Towns revolted, and some of the Colonel's Houses were pillag'd in their absence: The new Hettman being minded to quell these Disorders, desir'd some Troops of Galischin, who gave him three thousand Foot of the Forces of Smolensko, and a thousand Horse to attend him to Ba­turin, where the Hettmans usually re­side.

The Order to disband the Army ar­riv'd soon after with a Letter from their [Page 44] Czarish Majesties, which was read in the presence of all the Officers, and ve­ry well pleas'd they were to hear them­selves thank'd for their good Services. Every General had a Golden Medal gi­ven him, having the two Emperors Ef­figies on one side, and the Princess's on the other, fasten'd to a Chain of Gold, the whole worth ten Ducats; every Colonel had a Medal without a Chain, worth a Ducat; each Lieutenant▪Colo­nel and Major, one of half a Ducat; and every Soldier and Estrelle had a Copique of Gold, of about twenty five Pence in value, a Silver Copique is worth no more than one. Prince Galischin by means of these Presents, which he obtain'd of the Czars, or rather of the Princess, to be given to the Army, appeas'd the Murmurs that were rais'd through the Army against him. He likewise gain'd the Chief Noblemen by bestowing Em­ployments upon them that reimburs'd their Expences; insomuch that at his arrival at Moscow he found no body a­gainst him; he was receiv'd by the Princess with all the Marks of Favour he could wish, and took the Manage­ment of the State upon him with as much Authority as ever.

[Page 45] The first thing that Galischin propos'd to the Council, was the Advantages that would arise from building a City upon the River Samare, in which might be stor'd up Ammunitions of all sorts: The matter being approv'd, the Akalnik Le­vanti Romanorrick was ordered to put himself at the Head of 30000 Men, and go and build the City. The Hettman with his Troops had the same Com­mands, and the place being mark'd out by a Dutch Colonel and Ingineer, nam'd Wausale, these Forces met at Niski, and march'd to Samare by the last day of May. In a Months time the City was finish'd, for 'twas little better than an Entrenchment to stop the Incursions of the Tartars and Cossacks, and nam'd Nowobogrodilla, or Town of our Lady the Widow: A Garison was left in it, and the rest re­turn'd; the Akalnik, as a reward for his good Services was made a Boyar; and 'twas found by experience in the Cam­paign of 1689. that this City was of great use in supplying the Army with all Necessaries out of its Magazines.

The Expedition of the Muscovites into the Crim, in 1689.

PRince Galischin perceiving that the Czar Peter's Party grew stronger every day, and fearing their Power would encrease in his Absence, endea­vour'd underhand by all means to get the Command of the Army given to somebody else this Campaign; but find­ing it very difficult to compass his De­sign, he frankly offer'd himself, judg­ing rightly that 'twas more honourable for him to propose it voluntarily, than stay to see himself compell'd to accept of it; and he took such measures as he thought proper to make this Campaign more prosperous than the first; for this Prince was a better Politician than a Captain, and having easily obtain'd what he thought fit to demand, 'twas resolv'd the Army should take the Field sooner than they did in the former Cam­paign; the ill Success of which was owing to the slowness of their Motions; wherefore all the Forces were appointed to be at the Rendezvous on the first of February. Which Order was punctually [Page 47] observed; the Troops began to march from all Parts in December, except those of Ziberia, who because of the War which they maintain against the Inhabitants of Great Tartary, their Neighbours, are ex­cus'd from sending any Soldiers. The Preparations were more formidable than those of the preceding Campaign. But the People were not tax'd higher than before, for they paid but one Rouble per House. The Forces of Moscow had their Quarters at Sont; those of Novo­grod at Riski; those of Cazan at Bago­douka; those of Bialogrod at Kamminski; those of Serene at Kalentar; all which Armies were commanded by the same Lords that serv'd in the first Expediti­on, except that of Bialogrod, which was given to Borice Pitrowick Cherimetau, upon the Death of Michael Andrewich Galischin; they did not lie long in their Quarters, for the General order'd all to march before the Frost was broke, be­yond the River Marle, which was pru­dently order'd, because several Rivers that were to be cross'd in that March, make great Inundations when the Thaw comes. The Foot were encamp'd on the other side of the River at the en­trance of a Wood; the Cavalry was [Page 48] posted in the Towns that are situated on the Banks. After he had staid for the Thaw, the Prince arriv'd and pitch'd his Tent on the further side of the Ri­ver, April the 1st; the Generals did so likewise; and on the 6th they march'd towards the Samare, where all the Forces joyn'd.

The Hettman Mezepa came thither likewise; on the 13th they all pass'd the River without delay, and advanc'd as far as Precop in a Month's time: The Baggage hinder'd 'em from making long Marches in a day, every Soldier carri'd with him Provision for four Months, besides what was distributed to them at Samare, and in the Desarts which they pass'd through; such a quantity of Provision ve­ry much encumber'd 'em in their March; the Artillery consisting of 700 pieces of Cannon, and many Mortars, help'd to delay them the more; at length they arriv'd at Keratchekesa, and there en­camp'd. The Horses were put to graze, for the Grass was too short to be mow'd, and the Troops repos'd themselves till Midnight, at which time they were alarm'd by a great Noise without the Camp, which the Neighing of Horses, and the Cries of Men, made very terri­ble. [Page 49] They believ'd they were surpriz'd by the Tartars; but 'twas discover'd that some Horses which had broke loose, and ran up and down, had caus'd this Dis­order; next day they found that 6000 belonging to the Army of Moscow were run away into the Desart, though their Legs had been tied; whereupon they were oblig'd to halt to give every Man time to look for his Horse, and most of them were brought back to the Camp. Next day they decamp'd, and after some days arriv'd at Kairka upon the Bori­sthenes, where a Party took some Muscovite Tartars, of whom they learn'd that the Cham was not at Precop, but at Budziac, and that they had not the least Suspi­cion of so formidable an Army coming upon them; that indeed they had heard the Troops were upon the March, but thought 'twas only to Build some Place as they had done last Year, and that they themselves were sent by Sultan Kalga, to get Intelligence of the Muscovites designs. From Kairka they march'd to Kairka Meschensa, where Prince Galischin order'd every Waggon to carry some Fascines, Palisades, and some Water, because there was no Wood any further. From thence they left the Boristhenes, [Page 50] and march'd towards Precop, and the Army was two days without Water. May the 13th, they had word brought by their Scouts that the Enemy was at hand; they put themselves in Order to receive them; the Baggage guarded by the Foot, and Artillery march'd on the right, the Horse were posted on the left of every Division. The Forces of Moscow headed by Prince Galischin kept in the middle, the Forces of Novogrod mov'd on the right, the Hettman on the left; on the Hettman's left was Cherre­mitau and Dolga Kourka; and Romanor­rick made up the Rear. The Tartars charg'd the Vanguard of Schein, from thence, after some Skirmishes they wheel'd on a sudden from right to left, and fell upon Cherremitau's Forces, who being over-power'd, were quickly put to the rout: The Horse took to their Heels, the Enemy ran to the Baggage, which had like to have been carried off; but Prince Galischin presently send­ing Succours to Cherremitau, the Tar­tars were forc'd to retire, and leave the Russians a free passage till they got to Thorna d'Oliva, where they encamp'd for the convenience of Water, the place being Marshy, and five Leagues distant [Page 51] from Precop. A small Body of Tartars, under Sultan Garka, advanced to discover their Enemies march; and being desi­rous to know wherein the Weakness and Strength of the Army lay, took several Prisoners, from whom they drew such Information as they wanted. Then they carried them to the Cham, who lay but three Leagues off encamp'd at Kalan­techek, a little River two Leagues from Precop, which rising in the Desart, runs into the Palus Meotides, or Black-Sea. For the Cham hearing the Muscovites had invaded the Crim, was come from Budziac with 4000 Horse to defend his Territories; he got to Katanschek two days before the Muscovites, and pass'd the Boristhenes at Assenan Kirman, a Town seated on that River belonging to the Turks. The 16th the Army de­camp'd and mov'd to Zelona Dolina, a League from Tharn; here the Cham came to meet the Muscovites with all his Forces, which by what we are able to conjecture, might amount to thirty or forty thousand Horse, marching in se­veral little Divisions. The Russians found themselves insensibly surrounded by the Tartars, and were oblig'd to halt.

[Page 52] They star'd upon one another, with­out attempting any thing, though one would have thought the Muscovites should have begun the fight, but they were glad to keep themselves out of harm, fenc'd in with strong Palisades, which were brought in the Waggons. The Foot and Artillery defended the Camp so strenuously, that the Tartars could not break into it. The Horse were not entrench'd, which invited three or four Detachments of Tartars, of 1000 Horse each, to Charge them; they were no sooner attack'd but they fell into disorder, and the Baggage was very serviceable to them, for from thence the Cannon and small Shot gall'd the Tartars, and laid three or four hundred of them upon the Ground, and with them several of the Muscovites. Mean time, on the other side, Sultan Naradin with his Troops charg'd the Cossacks of Sont and Akrerko, who were commanded by Emilian, Everecunau Dominidiak, or Se­cretary of State; he knew little what belong'd to War, and like a true Musco­vite, was so frighted, that he could not stand before the Tartars, who broke in among the Baggage, and killing the Horses, prevented the Muscovites from [Page 53] drawing off their Waggons; the Enemy pierc'd as far as the Center of those Waggons, and carried off twenty Pieces of Cannon, which they found mounted upon Carriages, and Horses harness'd to them. In short, if the Boyar Rouka had not advanc'd with his Troops, the Cossacks had been entirely cut off. Cher­remitau was attack'd at the same time by another Body of Tartars, who broke in as far as his Baggage, but it must be own'd he defended himself much better than Emilian, and forc'd the Tartars to retire. He behav'd himself very hand­somely on this occasion, having a stock of personal Courage, and being a Man of Merit, but a mortal Enemy to Ga­lischin, who would gladly have been rid of him, and he had certainly been lost, but that he was seasonably succour'd. In these Skirmishes the Tartars being repuls'd, though the Advantage and some Plunder fell to them, the Musco­vites mov'd forwards to get to some fresh Water; so the next day they march'd to Kalentchek, and forasmuch as they had found it inconvenient for the Cavalry to keep at a distance from the Baggage, they were order'd to min­gle with the Waggons and Carriages, [Page 54] and all the Army, which till then had been divided, joyn'd into one Body with 200000 Waggons, and made a square Figure, the Baggage as we said before was surrounded with the Cannon and Infantry, who carried their Pallisades upon their Shoulders to be the readier in planting them. As they march'd in this order, the Tartars appear'd again, and having view'd the Army on all sides, and found the Horse had secured themselves, they forbore Action, and were content to keep the Muscovites in fear of them; but they soon withdrew, and went to de­fend Precop, which they thought would be attempted by the numerous Army of the Muscovites. The same day the last encamped at Kalansehck, and next day pass'd the River, and saw no Tar­tars, which encourag'd several Musco­vites to leave the Baggage, and ascend the Hills to discover Precop, which ap­pear'd in Flames; for the Tartars had set Fire to the Suburbs lest the Musco­vites should have possess'd themselves thereof. The 16th they march'd strait on to Prerop, and sat down within Cannon-shot of the Town, having the Black-Sea on their right, and the De­sart on the left: They made no Shot [Page 55] from the Town, because 'twas too far to do Execution, but they fir'd inces­santly from a Tower that stands on the Shore of the Black-Sea. 'Twas about Ten or Eleven a Clock when the Mus­covites arriv'd here, and they thought of attacking Precop in the Night; but in the Evening, when the Officers came for Orders, they wonder'd to hear that they were to return next day. This re­treat being somewhat extraordinary, 'tis worth while to give the Causes of it. The Army being encamp'd pretty nèar the Town, the Nogays and Kalmouchs Tartars, Subjects to the Muscovites, skirmishing often with the Precopians, a Nogay, who serv'd the Cham, saw by chance a Muscovite of his Acquaintance, and call'd out to him: What do we contend for, said he? What occasion is there for us to fight together? Why don't you advise your Boyar to make Peace with our Cham? The Muscovite replied, That if the Boyar believ'd the Cham was that way inclin'd, he might be dispos'd to it likewise; but if the Cham had an earnest. desire for Peace, he should send and treat about it. Very well, says the Precopian Nogay, do you break it to your Boyar or General, and assure him [Page 56] the Cham is willing to come to terms. The Muscovite Nogay goes presently to Galischin, and acquaints him with what the Tartar had said, and found the Ge­neral lik'd the motion, and was very ready to return without coming to blows. Accordingly Galischin caus'd a Letter to be written in the Name of this Muscovite to the Tartar Nogay, to this purpose, I have related to the Boyar Galischin what pass'd between us; he is content to come to an Accommodation; it lies upon you to get some Person to be sent to him with the Cham's Proposals. This Letter being deliver'd to the first Tartar that appear'd, was carri'd to the Cham, who was consulting with his Mul­zaz how to rid himself of so formidable an Enemy. The Cham having read it, sent to ask Galischin, whether 'twas writ­ten by his order; and being answer'd, Yes; he sent Suilech Murza; and the Muscovites a Lord, nam'd Esmeyan, in exchange for Hostages. The Treaty was set on foot. The Muscovites propos'd the five following Conditions: That all the Russian Slaves should be restored. That the Tartars should make no more Inroads into the Czar's Dominions. That they should quit their Claim to 80000 [Page 57] Crowns, annually due to them from the Muscovites; That they should not mo­lest the Poles, nor assist the Turks. The Murza gave some hopes of an agreement, and spun out the Conference to keep 'em in suspence till next day, well know­ing so great a multitude could not long subsist there without Forage and Water: but the next day he answer'd, That the Cham would accept of a Peace upon no other Terms than those he was already engag'd in with the Czar: That he in­sisted upon the Payment of the yearly Tribute, and expected to be paid 240000 Crowns in Arrears for the three last Years. Prince Galischin did not at all like this Answer; and judging it very incommodious to lie longer encamp'd upon the Sandy Plain, resolv'd to retreat. For fear of being pursu'd, he took the Murza along with him as far as Kalant­zek; and from thence sent him back, and receiv'd his own Hostage. This is a short Account of all this Campaign in the Crim.

After this they march'd for three weeks together to reach Samare; where leaving all the heavy Luggage behind them, they pass'd the River, and in six days more got to the River Marle. But [Page 58] in the mean time Prince Galischin dis­patch'd Couriers to the Czars, and to the King of Poland, boasting that he had beaten the Tartars, and driven them in­to their own Country. The Princess upon this News order'd publick Rejoy­cings throughout the Kingdom, and ac­cording to Custom sent an Akalnik with a Letter of Thanks and Commendations to all the Army, and Golden Ducats for Rewards: In conclusion, Orders for Dis­banding the Army being come, the Boyar Valenski was left at the River Samare with about 5 or 6000 Men. This mighty Success had the Muscovites in their two great Expeditions into the Crim; which far from gaining them any honour or profit, on the contrary produc'd the greatest damage the Nation could ever suffer, in the Ruine of their General, which happen'd soon after his Return. I learn'd all that I have related, from the King of Poland's Ministers, who have re­sided at the Czars Court, and follow'd the Armies ever since the Death of the Czar Theodore, to this present. I shall next give the Particulars of the Troubles that I was an eye-witness of, having of­ten ventur'd in disguise to go about the City, and even to Trinity-Convent.

A Relation of the Troubles in Mos­cow, occasion'd by the Princess So­phia, upon her Brother Peter's be­ing made Czar.

PRince Galischin, at his Return to Mos­cow, found Affairs in quite another posture than he expected; his Enemies had inform'd themselves of the truth of the matter, and render'd him odious to the Czar Peter. He was refus'd Audi­ence, and hardly, through the intercessi­on of the Prncess, cou'd he be admitted to kiss the Czar's Hand; he underwent bitter Reproaches, and could not say any thing that would pass as a justifica­tion of his Conduct. For some days Ga­lischin was left at Quiet, but the Prin­cess's Liberality gave occasion to new Commotions. She had a mind to di­stribute among the Boyars considerable Presents in recompence of the good ser­vice they had done to the Empire; but the Czar oppos'd it, and would enquire first into the Merits of their Services, that their Rewards might be proportionable. The Princess would bear no restraint, but found means to bring the Czar to a [Page 60] compliance with her Desires. She gave then to Prince Galischin 1500 Peasants Houses, in several Villages; to other Commanders in the Army, 300; to o­ther Officers, in proportion to their Sta­tions, and likewise to all the Gentlemen that served in the Expedition, designing to make 'em all of her own Party. Such Gifts had never before been us'd to be bestow'd in Muscovy; the Czar always gave a Royal Vest to those they would honour, but no more.

Galischin govern'd with his usual Pow­er; and being aided by the Princess, un­dertook a bold attempt. Ever since the Hettmans were under the Muscovites Do­minions, they never enter'd Moscow. Ga­lischin, under pretence of doing the Hett­man the honour of presenting him to do homage to the Czar; but having ano­ther end in't, so order'd it, that Mazepa came to Moscow with 500 of his chief Officers, but could not be admitted to see the Czar. I went to him several times disguis'd in the night-time, accompany'd by a German Physician of the Czar's who assur'd him of the King of Poland's Pro­tection. The Czar Peter was then at one of his Country-Houses, call'd Obro­gensko, situate upon the River Yarus, a [Page 61] short League from Moscow, whilst the Princess Sophia and Galischin laid a Plot, which we are going to give an account of. The Princess foresaw all along that the Czar Peter's Life wou'd one day be the ruin of her Authority, and a dange­rous obstacle to her Ambition, in case she did not remove it in time; and now she repented that she had follow'd the wise and moderate Counsels of Galischin; she reflected on the difficulty she met with in procuring him a disgraceful Au­dience; was concern'd at it, and the Reproaches that were made him; and though she had gain'd her Point in get­ting the Czar to consent she should be­stow her Bounty as she pleas'd; yet she could not forget how dear it cost her, and what Oppositions she struggled with. All this she resented the more deeply, because she had rul'd the State without controul, according to her fancy, for se­veral years; she judg'd rightly, that for the future she should not be so Absolute; and that the best she cou'd expect, was to have her Authority lessen'd, as her Brother's encreas'd, and guess'd 'twas upon that account he did not directly deny her; but that in process of time, instead of conferring Favours upon her, [Page 62] they would take pleasure in crossing her Desires, which her Brother's Party would ever be ready to do, and to destroy her Creatures; and after all these Vexations, she should be oblig'd to quit the Court, and retire into her Convent.

These Considerations made this Prin­cess, who is Ambitious and Daring above her Sex, resolve to venture all to main­tain her self in the Post she was in. Du­ring her Regency, she had done what she could to engage all to be her Creatures, and 'twas with the same design that she bestow'd those Presents on the Army, though under colour of rewarding their Services; for she thought they would think themselves more oblig'd to her upon the score of such valuable Gifts, than they could have been to the Czar for a Vest, with which his Predecessors us'd to gratify 'em. She assur'd Prince Galischin he ought to apprehend that their Enemies would not be satisfied with diminishing her Power by degrees, but would proceed further, and force her to return to her Convent; which could not be effected without involving Himself, his Family and Friends, in her Fall.—He was prevail'd upon by these Reasons; and though he was prudent and discreet, [Page 63] and naturally averse to all violent Coun­sels, he no longer oppos'd her design; he desir'd only, before she put it in exe­cution, that he might send his eldest Son into Poland upon a feign'd Embassy, with the greatest part of his Riches, whi­ther he might shelter himself from the storm which he saw coming upon him, and knew not what would be the issue of it. But the impatient Princess over­rul'd him; she represented to him, that they were not to lose a minute; that his precaution was needless, being they were certain of success. After she had taken such measures as she had long before concluded upon, she determin'd at last to give the Blow; and pitch'd upon Theo­dore Thekelavitau for the purpose; he was President of the Chamber of Estreles, and was rais'd by the Princess from a mean Scrivener to be an Akalnik or Sword-bearer, a Dignity next to that of Boyar Senator. This Theodore promis'd to execute the Princess's Order punctu­ally. He drew together at the Castle of the Crim, where the Czar and the Patri­arch usually reside, and in which all the Courts of Judicature are held, 600 E­streles, all trusty Fellows, Commanded by Collonel Rojannau; Theodore put him­self [Page 64] at the head of them, and command­ed them to follow him to Obrogensko; but whilst he was giving out his Orders, two of his Estreles, whose hearts mis­gave them, resolv'd not to stain their hands with their Prince's Blood; and stealing off, they ran and gave notice to the Czar Peter, who in a dreadful Con­sternation leap'd out of bed, sent for his Uncles, his Mother's Brothers, and con­sulted in all haste what was to be done. 'Twas resolv'd to send to the City to en­quire into the certainty of the matter; one of the Czar's Uncles, and Prince Bo­rice, were dispatch'd upon this Errand, who in their way met Thekelavitau at the head of his Estreles; they hid them­selves whilst they pass'd by them, and then hasten'd back to save the Czar▪ Peter had but just time enough to get into his Coach with his Mother, his Wife, and her Sister, and follow'd by some faith­ful Servants, he fled towards Trinity-Convent. The Conspirators being arriv'd, search'd all about for the Czar; but the Estreles of the Prince's Guard knowing nothing of the matter, and amaz'd at his sudden flight, told their President or Judge that his Majesty was gone with all the speed he could.

[Page 65] Thekelavitau having miss'd his aim, next day return'd to the Princess, whom he found no less concern'd than himself at their disappointment. Every body in Moscow was astonish'd at the News of this flight, for none could divine what should be the Cause of it; but towards Evening 'twas known that the Czar Pe­ter had sent to the Princess to reproach her with her Treachery, and that she denied the matter absolutely, and pro­tested they had been deceived in taking those for Conspirators who came only to relieve the Guard, and that they wrong'd her extreamly in thinking she could harbour so black a design as to kill her Brother. This Excuse of Relieving the Guards appear'd a weak one to most people, for they usually reliev'd them in the day-time, and these Estreles came to Obrogensko at night. But be that as it will, the Czar Peter being got safe in­to Trinity-Convent, wrote to all the Boy­ars to render themselves there without delay; he wrote also to all the Gentry, and sent Orders to all the Towns to raise the Militia; and having publish'd through­out the Empire Thekelavitau's Attempt, they came in to him from all Parts, and in less than eight days he had a nume­rous [Page 66] Body of the Gentry about him; immediately he sent Orders to Galischin to attend him at Trinity-Convent, but he excus'd himself upon pretence of being withheld by the Czar John.

Mean time the Princess did all she could to get the Estreles on her side; she call'd together all the Piecestniks and Dieceste­nites, Subaltern-Officers, who on such occasions can prevail more with the Sol­diery than their Colonels; and having order'd them to be planted at the foot of the Stairs, the Czar John and she coming from Mass, stood at the top of the Stairs; whence the Czar spoke to them to this purpose: My Brother is retir'd into Tri­nity-Convent, I know not for what reason; doubtless he designs to disturb the Peace of the State, and, as I am told, has command­ed you to attend him; but we forbid you upon pain of Death to obey his Order.

The Princess reiterated this Prohibi­tion; but the Estreles little heeded it: They march'd to Trinity, and assur'd the Czar Peter of their Fidelity; which the Princess having consider'd, and that most of the Boyars had joyn'd with Peter, she resolv'd to make her Peace with him; to which end she sent to her Brother two of his Aunts, his Father's Sisters, [Page 67] the Princess Ann Michaelwa, and one of her Sisters Marfa Aleyewa.

Before we proceed further, 'tis fit the Reader should be told, That the Regen­cy of the Princess had encourag'd seve­ral other Princesses of the Czarian Fa­mily to leave their Convents, and come to the Imperial Palace, where she herself resided, which she tolerated during her Regency, for fear the Reasons and Custom which she could alledge for their Confinement, should be laid to her Charge; and least those who envied her, and were tir'd with her Admini­stration, should make use of them to oblige her to return to her Monastry. Besides these three already nam'd, Ka­therine Sophia, Maria, and Sediassa, are Sisters by Father and Mother of the Czar John Alexerwich, their Mother's Name was Mirasselawka. The Czar Pe­ter, and the Princess Natalia, are by a Second Marriage with a Lady of the Family of Naraskin. The Czar John's Wife is of the House of Salliskau, her Name is Martha, she has had a Daughter by him. The Czar Peter is married to a Lady of the House of Poukin, nam'd Marfia, or Martha. This Princess was so frighted at being forc'd [Page 68] to follow her Husband in his Flight by Night, almost naked, to escape being murder'd, (which had unavoidably hap­pen'd, but for the warning that was given to Young Galischin) that she mis­carried a few days after; but has since brought a Young Prince into the World in February last, which has for ever ruin'd the Princess's Party.

To return to our Story; The two Aunts, and the Princess's Sister, went to Trinity in hopes of reconciling their Nephew and Niece; being come before the Czar, they beseech'd him not to give credit to those Rumours which had frighted him: They assur'd him there was some misunderstanding in the mat­ter; that some were maliciously design­ing to make a Breach between him and his Sister, and that he might come back to Moscow with safety and security. The Czar Peter made answer to these Ladies, That he had not fled in a panick Fear; that there was a plain Conspiracy to Murder his Wife, his Mother, his Un­cles, and himself; and he laid before them so many Circumstances of the At­tempt, that his Aunts could not deny the truth of it. Then the Princesses fell a crying, and protested they were no [Page 69] way concern'd in that horrid Design, and swore they would not return again to Moscow, but would live and die with him.

The Princess Sophia having Intimati­on of the bad Success of her Aunts Ne­gotiation, and not knowing what course to take, appli'd her self to the Patriarch, express'd her Grief to him, and so wrought upon him, that the good Man offer'd himself for a Media­tor: He went that very day to the Czar Peter, told him his Errand, and said all that can be imagin'd to beget a Recon­ciliation betwixt him and his Sister; but he was strangely surpriz'd, when he understood that he himself was to have been taken off; that Ligomede, or the Abbot Sylvester was in the Plot, and was to have been made Patriarch had it suc­ceeded. This News extreamly troubled him, and he judg'd 'twould not be amiss for him to tarry at Trinity-Convent till the Affair was clear'd up, and things better settled; at the same time he pub­lish'd a Proclamation to cause the Trai­tors to be apprehended.

The Princess in a worse plight now than ever, assembled her Creatures, and con­sulted what to do. 'Twas resolv'd that the [Page 70] Akalnik Thekalavitau should be secur'd in the Palace, and that the Abbot Sil­vester should be sav'd; and then she her self, accompani'd by Prince Galischin, and all her Friends, took her way to­wards Trinity-Convent, to endeavour to appeare her Brother, who had sent a second Order to the Estreles to render themselves with all speed at Trinity, and bring the Traitors with them. She was not got half way thither, when the Boyar Trokourau, sent on purpose by Prince Peter to meet her, came and told her, she must go back, for she would not be receiv'd. The Princess being of opinion 'twas dangerous for her to stir any further, and that her Brother would give her a very ill Reception, return'd to Moscow. Next day the Estreles and Germans made their appearance at Tri­nity-Convent; the Boyars met and re­solv'd among themselves, to send and seize the Traitors where ever they might be found. Colonel Sarque with three hun­dred Men, was commanded to execute this Resolution, and immediately parted for Moscow; upon his arrival he march'd directly to the Imperial Palace, and there demanded loudly that Fiska Theke­lavitau should be deliver'd to him; for [Page 71] after the Treason was discover'd, they no longer call'd him Fiedor, or Theodore, but by his Diminutive or Nickname, which among the Russians is a term of Contempt. The Princess made some Resistance at first, but seeing the Colonel resolutely bent to take him, and consi­dering the ill Consequences of her in­terposing too far, she deliver'd up. Fiska and his Adherents. The Criminals load­ed with Chains, were carry'd in ascur­vy Wagon to Trinity. On the other side, Prince Galischin seeing himself up­on the brink of Ruin; yet, not to be wanting to his own Preservation, deter­min'd to go likewise to the Convent: He took with him his Son Alexis his Colleague, Talachanau, Woski the Cham­berlain to the Czars; Riquenski, the Great Treasurer; Romanorrick, the Go­vernor of Serene, his Councellor and Fa­vourite; Esmayan his Creature, who was Commissary-General to the Army; and a particular Friend of his, nam'd Kassantau; but the Gate of the Convent was shut against him and his Friends; and after he had been refus'd Entrance, there were Guards sent back with him and his Followers, with Orders not to let them stir out of their Houses.

[Page 72] As soon as Fiska was brought to Tri­nity, he was carried into a Great Hall, in which the Czar had call'd together the Boyars; he was examin'd for four Hours, and thence conducted to a Tower in the Convent, where he was tortur'd, or rather whipp'd. They call this Pu­nishment Kenouse; the Malefactor is ti'd upon a strong Man's Back, who stands upright, and lays his Hands upon a Benoh as high as his Head. Thus the condemn'd Person receives two or three hundred Lashes, more or less, upon the Back, beginning at the Neck, and so down the whole length of the Back; the Executioner strikes so exactly, that at every lash he fetches off a piece of Flesh as broad as the Whip, which Kills or Lames most that suffer; then they ti'd his Hands behind his Back, and hoisted him up, and the Executioner lash'd him with a Whip as long as a Coachman's, but the Thong is made of a thick and hard Leather, which cuts deep into the Flesh, and put him to exquisite Pain; after he had undergone a few of these Strokes, he confess'd that he was to have kill'd the Czar, his Mother, and her three Bro­thers. Upon this they carri'd him back to Prison, from whence he wrote to the [Page 73] Czar Peter, and acquainted him at large with all the particulars of the Conspi­racy; pleaded that he was over-per­suaded to this cruel Enterprize, and nam'd the Persons that put him upon it. The Czar, though fully satisfi'd of his Sister's Barbarity, would not pub­lickly expose a Princess of the Blood; and Prince Borice Alexewich Galischin, had need of all his Credit with the Czar, to save the Prince, his Cousin, from be­ing executed, to the dishonour of his Family.

After this, several others who were to have been the Assassins, were examin'd. They gave them the Question, or extra­ordinary Torture, which is more severe than the former. They shav'd their Heads, and having tied them fast, they pour'd boiling Water drop by drop upon their Skulls, which put them to such intoler­able Pain, that they immediately ac­knowledged their Crime, and discover'd their Accomplices, as Fiska had done: Two days were spent in consulting how to punish the Criminals. Prince Galis­chin, his Son, and Friends, were con­demn'd to Banishment, and the Sentence was read to them by a Secretary of State at the foot of the Stairs. He stood [Page 74] up to hear it, encompass'd with the Guards, who brought him from his House. And this was the Form of it:

The miserable Prince having bow'd his Head, and only answer'd, That 'twas hard for him to justify himself to his Majesty, retir'd, and was conducted to the place of his Exile by a Colonel. A Secretary of State was dispatch'd to Moscow to seize upon his Palace, and make an Inventory of what was in it. They found there very rich Moveables; a hundred thousand Ducats in a Trunk, buried in a Vault, which were thought to be the Spoils of the Hettman Jean Sa­meuelewick; four hundred Vessels of Sil­ver, weighing forty Pounds each, and some Money. The Wife of this Prince, and his Son's Wife, were banish'd with them; but they were not admitted to [Page 75] take any thing with them; thirty Rou­bles was all that these four Persons were allow'd.

Galischin being dispos'd of, the Boyar Romanorrich, Woywode of Serene, was brought to the foot of the Stairs, and condemn'd to go to Postozora, a Town further North than Karga Poka, there to spend the rest of his Days; his Estate was confiscated likewise. Wedenik An­drewik Esmeyan was charg'd to confine himself at home till further Order. Kas­santau was turn'd out of all his Places, and confin'd to his own House and Lands. Talachanau was made for his Life Woywode of Prziacelavaka, a Town not far from Kiau upon the Nie­per; and the Great Treasurer was made Woywode of Novogrod, upon the River Samare, as long as he liv'd. Next day Fiska had his Head cut off upon a Block; and two Estreles that were to have been the Assassins suffered the same Punish­ment. The Colonel that commanded the Detachment was whipp'd, had his Tongue cut out, and was sent to end his Days in Ziberia, with an allowance of a Penny a day; the five other Estreles had their Tongues cut out likewise, and were sent into Ziberia to kill Sa­bles.

[Page 76] All these Executions being over, the Czar Peter acquainted the Princess with what he had done, and desir'd her to leave the Palace, and retire into a Mo­nastry, which she had built out of Town; but she refus'd to comply with his request, not being able to prevail with her self to enter into a place for Life, from whence she had cunningly deliver'd her self contrary to Custom; she lik'd better to retreat into Poland, of which the Czar being inform'd, he sent Order to the Commander of the Estreles to Conduct her either willingly, or by force, to the Monastry, and set Guards upon all the Avenues, and suf­fer no Person to come to her; which was accordingly done. And two days after the Czar Peter return'd to Moscow, and made his Entry on Horse­back; there was nothing remark­able in it, but 18000 Estreles of his Guards arm'd. A quarter of an Hour after, his Wife and Mother came in a Coach, and all together alighted at the Palace. The Czar John stood to receive his Brother at the top of the Steps; they embrac'd; Peter ask'd John to be Friends; and he that answer'd for him, having assur'd him he was so, each re­tir'd [Page 77] to his Apartment; and since that time no mention has been made of John, but at the beginning of their Acts. Thus ended the Regency of the Princess Sophia, who had been Mistress of the Great Empire of Russia for some Years, but for endeavouring through a bound­less Ambition to get all the Power into her hands, which she held in the Name of her Brothers, and to be absolute and independent, was confin'd and shut up for the rest of her Life, with eight hun­dred Religious Women, whom she had caus'd to come from Kiovia, with de­sign to make her self the more Creatures through their assistance; for they have nothing of Religion in them, but the Name; and not doubting but they would be more in her Interest than in her Brother Peter's, whose Subjects they were made in 1666. when the Palati­nate, and City of Kiovia, were yielded by the Poles to the Muscovites.

The Causes of the Troubles in Moscow.

AFTER having given an ample Re­lation of the Conspiracy against the Czar Peter; it may be proper to shew, That the Troubles that Court has been embroil'd in, and those that may hereafter happen, were and will be ow­ing to the Intrigues of the Princess So­phia, whose Wit and Merit is of another Stamp than her Person; for she is very ugly, being of a monstrous Size, with a Head as big as a Bushel; she has Hair upon her Chin, Tumours upon her Legs, and is at least forty Years old. But though her Shape be deform'd, her Judgment is regular and piercing; and though she never read Machiavel, she has by Nature all his Maxims, and espe­cially this, That they may attempt any thing, and stick at no Crime, who are resolved to Reign: And had she con­tented her self with the Administration of the Government, and had not at­tempted to rid her self of her Brother Peter, no body durst have form'd a Party in Favour of the Czar Peter against [Page 79] her. Towards the end of the Czar Theo­dore's Reign, the Princess Sophia having those Qualifications we have mention'd; and foreseeing that Prince could not live long in his infirm State of Body, she contriv'd how to get out of her Con­vent, notwithstanding the settled Cu­stom which obliges the Female Issue of the Czarian House to pass their Lives in that Confinement unmarried. To which end she pretended an extraordinary kind­ness for her Brother, and complained of her unhappiness that she could not visit a Person whom she loved so ten­derly, and attend him in his Sick­ness; when he was in the Fits of his Distemper, she sent every moment to ask how he did; and at other times she let slip no occasion of testifying her Love for him, and the Grief she felt in being oblig'd to be absent from him. At length, by these Methods having pre­pared a way for her intended Design, she left the Convent under pretence of serving her Brother, and administring to him in his Sickness, which she did, not suffering any body to come near him, nor give him Medicines but her self; for she wisely considere'd, that the more she did for him, the more she [Page 80] should be belov'd, both by the Czar himself, and every body else. Thus she insinuated her self into the good Opini­on of the Grandees, to whom she car­ried her self very obligingly, and won the Peoples hearts by her affable Beha­viour, studying to make all approve her Conduct, and excuse her leaving the Convent. One would have thought she should have been satisfied with being at liberty; but being determin'd never to return to her Confinement, she thought her best way would be to make her self absolute Mistress; which Design being not to be carried on without a consi­derable number of Friends, she pitch'd upon Prince Galischin, as the fittest Per­son to be the chief of her Party.

He was a Man of great Quality, de­scended from the last Duke of Lithuania, of the House of Jagelon: The Courtiers at first seem'd well enough pleas'd with this Choice, imagining he would only have the Name of Chief Minister, and they should share the Power with him; but the Prince having more cunning than all the Muscovites put together, easily managed them during the Reign of Theodore, who dying suddenly, Cou­vanski, a bold Man, and a declar'd Ene­my [Page 81] of Galischin's, made an Insurrection, and cut off all the great Men that he thought would oppose his Design of ma­king himself Czar, under pretence of re­venging his Master's Death upon those, who as he gave out, poyson'd him. When thinking himself sure of the Crown, and fearing no body, he was taken and punish'd for his Temerity and Cruelties; as we have related at large already.

The Death of this Rebel, gave rise to the Princess's Regency, who conferr'd the Office of Grand Chancellor upon her Favourite Galischin, in which Post never any Man in this Country govern'd with so great Authority.

The Princess Sophia thinking now she might do any thing; for the ease of her Conscience, she was minded to change her scandalous Familiarity with this Favou­rite into a Marriage; all the difficulty lay in getting rid of Galischin's Wife, whom the Prince was loath to part with, as well out of a Natural Principle of Ho­nour, as because he had a great Estate and Children by her, and did not love the Princess but upon the Account of his Fortune.

[Page 82] But Women being ingenious in such Affairs, she found means to make him persuade his Wife to go into a Mona­stry; in which Case, according to the Religion of the Muscovites, the Husband being of too Sanguine a Constitution to live unmarried, obtain'd leave of the Pa­triarch to Marry again; the good Lady having consented to it, the Princess no longer doubted of succeeding in her De­sign, that that most troubled Galischin was the Murder of the two Czars, which she had absolutely resolv'd, to secure the Crown intirely to her self. The Prince more Politick than Amorous, laid be­fore her the Barbarity of such a Design, in which should she succeed, she would infallibly draw upon her the hatred of all Men; and which, though never so secretly hid, might one day be disco­ver'd, and give occasion to some Male­content to raise such a Sedition as Cou­vanski had done, under Colour of re­venging their Deaths, and indanger the Crown. But he advised her to take a Course less bloody, yet in all likelihood as proper to effect her Designs, which was to Marry the Czar John, and give his Wife a Gallant to supply his Impo­tence, which the Lady might be more [Page 83] readily inclin'd to comply with, for that her Heirs would succeed to the Empire, that when the Czar John should have a Son, the Czar Peter would loose all his Friends and Interest, and then they might Marry; and to give a better Grace to their Marriage, they would get chosen for Patriarch, Father Silvester, a Polish Monk of the Greek Church, who should immediately propose by an Embassy to Rome, the Re-union of the two Churches; which being brought about, would pro­cure them a general Esteem, and then they would compel Peter to go into Orders; or else they might find means to dispatch him out of the way more easily, and with less Odium, than she could propose to do it now. And then they would make John complain of his Wives Incontinence, and shew that the Children that she had could not be his; which would be easy for them to prove, who were themselves in the Secret, whence would follow a Divorce, and the Wife be confin'd to a Convent; after which they would get a permission to Marry him again to one who they would take care should bring him no Children. Thus without fear or danger, or even of be­ing suspected of foul play, they should [Page 84] Rule the State during the Life of John, and after his Death succeed him for want of Heirs Male in the Czarian Fa­mily.

The Princess liked this Project well, and left the Conduct of it to Galischin; it never entered into her head that this Prince had further Designs, since by re­uniting Muscovy to the Romish Church, provided (as he hoped) the Princess should die before him; He did not doubt to prevail with the Pope to make his own Legitimate Son Heir to the Em­pire, instead of any he should have by the Princess during the Life of his Wife.

He began then with marrying John; and whereas the Czars never Match with Foreigners, they publish an Order for all the handsomest Maids in all Russia to be brought to Court, who are visi­ted by the Czar's Mothers, Sisters, and Kinswomen, with the Physicians and Surgeons, and she is chosen that is best lik'd; it was not difficult to find one that was proper for their Designs, whom they provided with an Italian Surgeon for her Gallant, who soon got her with Child, but as ill fortune would have it, prov'd a Girl; mean time Peter's Friends [Page 85] being acquainted with the roguery, cast about how to Counter-plot them; but finding they wanted sufficient power, they engaged on their side another Prince Galischin, Cousin to this, who was despised by him for his Drunkenness, and made him the Young Czar's Favourite; then under pretence of honouring him, they obliged the Great Galischin to take upon him the Command of the Army a second time, and in his Absence married Prince Peter in spight of the Princess. This bold Stroke increas'd Peter's Party; all the Young Men, whose Fathers affected to follow the Princess, declared for Pe­ter. Galischin upon his Return seeing his Measures broken by the Marriage of the Young Czar, whose Wife was with Child, he agreed at last to take off the Czar Peter; but the Plot miscarrying, as we have before related, he thought it high time to fly, which he might have done, had not the Princess opposed it, who assured him all along, that no bo­dy durst call to Account a Person of his Authority. His design was to send his eldest Son Ambassador to Poland, with his younger Son, his Grandson, and all his Riches, and to follow himself, if the Conspiracy did not succed to his wish, [Page 86] hoping to engage the King of Poland to protect him, upon promising him to raise some Troops in his Kingdom, with which he design'd to go over to the Cossacks and Tartars, and then he would undertake that by Force, which he could not effect by Policy. 'Tis probable this Design might have succeeded, he having great Interest in those Parts: But the Princess not being able to part with him, hindered his Retreat till the very Night before his Disgrace, when he might still have saved himself, having all the Seals in his own Hands, and having but forty German Leagues from Moscow to the nearest Town in Poland: And I am persuaded he would then have fled if he had done what he projected; but seeing the Precipitation and Violence of the Princess Sophia had prevented him, he chose rather to suffer the utmost Stroke of Fortune, and even Death it self, rather than by his Flight to expose his Family that he must leave behind, to all the Outrages which his malicious Enemies could invent; and to see him­self reduc'd from such a height of For­tune, to be a poor wandering Fugitive in a Foreign Country.

The Present State of Muscovy.

WHEN Galischin was gone into Banishment, Naraskin, the Czar Peter's Uncle by the Mother's side, found but one Obstacle to his Design of succeeding his Nephew, viz. The Young Galischin, Prince Peter's Favou­rite, whom he could not easily destroy, because he himself had been the cause of his rise; but young Peter and his Favourite being little read in Politicks, this old Fox insinuated into his Ne­phew, that his Favourite must needs have been concerned with the Great Galischin, as might be judged from the zealous Endeavours he had made to save his Life; but the Czar represent­ing to him how hard it was for him to suspect a Man that had saved his Life three times, Naraskin accompani'd by his Daughter and Sons with Tears in their Eyes, declared to Peter, That if he did not remove that Favourite, he might even as well recal the Great Ga­lischin. A Prince of more understanding than he, would have been shock'd at least with this; but he readily promi­sed [Page 88] to confine his Favourite to live upon his own Lands; whither that Prince being advertised of the matter, was already gone without staying for Or­ders.

As soon as the Czar heard of it, he sent to him Courier after Courier, to ask the Cause of his Retirement: To whom he gave no other Answer, Than that seeing his past Conduct could not convince His Majesty of his Fidelity, he would never more come to Court. The Czar Peter was so sensibly affected with this, that he sent two Boyars to visit him; and some days after impatient to see him, he sent two others to desire him to return, which he presently did. The Czar Peter carest him extreamly upon his return, which so alarm'd the Naraskins, and their Party, that they resolved to endeavour to be Friends with him; for a little while he made a great Figure by the Favours that he conferr'd upon his Friends; but at last, this Prince, who had nothing of the Merit of his Cousin in him, began to follow his Maxims, in causing the Grandees to be disgrac'd, and their Places given to such Drunkards as himself; but he soon [Page 89] fell into Disgrace himself; for his Oppo­nents making as if they would restore the Princess, partly wrought so far up­on Peter, that in the end he resolved to give the Place of the Great Galis­chin, which his Cousin expected, and which till then had been managed by Commissioners, to Naraskin, his Mother's Father. This Action, at a time when 'twas least expected, determin'd all Peo­ple to follow the Party of the Naras­kins, whose Sons were soon put into Places of the greatest Trust; among the rest, his Eldest Son was made Great Chamberlain, and Young Galischin turn'd out of that place; which so incensed him, that he could not forbear expres­sing his Resentment, by charging the Czar with Weakness. His Enemies made their advantage of this Conduct, and determin'd the Czar, who has no other Merit than Cruelty, to Banish this Fa­vourite ignominiously; and he has since given Orders to put both the exil'd Ga­lischins to Death. Those that rejoyc'd most at the fall of the Great Galischin, are now sensible of the loss of him; for the Naraskins that Govern now, are Ignorant and Bruitish, and begin to de­stroy, contrary to all Policy and good [Page 90] Sense, all that that Great Man had done with so much prudence for the Glory and Advantage of the Nation, and would gladly recommend themselves by reviving their ancient barbarous Cu­stoms.

These Brutes have already forbid Strangers to come into their Country, and have forbid the Exercise of the Catholick Religion: The Envoy of Po­land is allowed a Chappel indeed, but he obtain'd it with a great deal of dif­ficulty. Nay, it is thought that ere long they will oblige the Muscovites to learn only to Read and Write as for­merly, that in that as well as in other things their Government may be abso­lutely Tyrannical, which will make the loss of Galischin the more lamen­ted.

For he built a very noble College of Stone, and put into it twenty Grecian Doctors, and a great many Books; he advised the Noblemen to give their Chil­dren learning: obtained leave for them to send some of their Sons to the Latin Colleges in Poland, and to send for Po­lish Tutors to those they would Edu­cate [Page 91] at home, and permitted Strangers to come into, or go out of the King­dom, which before his time was never allow'd. 'He would also have the No­bility travel abroad, and learn the Art of War in Foreign Countries; his de­sign being to lay aside those Legions of Peasants, whose Lands were left uncul­tivated when they went to the Wars; and instead of that useless Charge upon the People, to lay a reasonable Tax up­on every House. He advised that Mini­sters should be sent to reside in all the chief Courts of Europe, and to give a Liberty of Conscienc [...] [...]hroughout the Country.

He had already receiv'd the Jesuits into Moscow, with whom he very often converst; but the next day after his Disgrace, they were all sent away with a Declaration from the Czars to the Emperor, and King of Poland, who had sent them, that they would never again let any come into the Country. Accordingly, in March 1690. they refused to let the King of Poland's Envoy (who requested it in his Master's Name) to pass through their Domini­ons; and likewise Father Grimaldi from [Page 92] the Emperor, who is now in Poland for the Emperor of China. If I should set down all that I have learnt concerning this Prince, I should never have done. 'Tis sufficient to say, That he design'd to people Desarts, to enrich Beggars, to make Men of Brutes, good Soldiers of Cowards, and Palaces of Cottages; all which advantages Muscovy has lost by the fall of that Prince. His own Pa­lace is one of the most Magnificent in Europe; 'tis cover'd with Copper, and hung within with rich Tapestries, and noble Paintings; and during his Mini­stry, three th [...]nd Houses were built of Stone in Moscow, which will not be thought strange by those that know there are five hundred thousand Inhabitants in that City, and that it is composed of three Towns, one within another, each surrounded by a great Wall, and a Ditch full of Water to defend them from the Incursions of the Tartars; the first is call'd Kzim; the second Bialo­grod, or the White Town; and the third Novogrod, or the New Town.

The greatest Curiosity in it to a Stran­ger, is to see in December two thousand Wooden-houses set up for the Eastern [Page 93] and European Merchants. Prince Galis­chin also built upon the River Moscow, which runs into the Occa, a Stone-bridge of twelve Arches, and of a pro­digious height, because of the Floods; 'tis the only Stone-bridge in all Mus­covy, and was contriv'd by a Polish Monk.

The Manners and Religion of the Muscovites.

THE Muscovites, to speak proper­ly, are Barbarians, Suspicious and Mistrustful, Cruel, Sodomites, Glut­tons, Covetous, Beggars, and Cowards; all Slaves except three Families of Fo­reigners; Prince Sirkache, formerly Lord of the Country of that Name, who is vastly rich; Galischin, and Harthemo­nerrich. Besides, they are so dull and brutish, that were it not for the Ger­mans, who are very numerous in Mos­cow, they could do nothing well. They are very nasty, though they often Bathe themselves in places built on purpose, and made so excessive hot, that no [Page 94] body but they could support it. Men and Women mingle together in those Bagnio's which usually stand upon the Water-side, that those who Sweat may jump into the cold Water, which they do as well in Winter as Summer; but though they are very hardy, yet they are more sensible of Cold than the Poles. They Eat and Drink very ill; their usual Food is only Cucum­bers and Melons of Astrakan, which they pickle in Summer, in Water, Flower, and Salt. They eat no Veal out of a scruple, too infamous to be nam'd; nor Pigeon out of Superstition, because the Holy Ghost is represented to us under that Figure. The Men are cloath'd much like the Poles; those that are Rich, in Winter wear Cloath-Gowns brought from Holland, lin'd with fine Furs, and Jewels, or little Pearls, that are com­mon in their Country, in their Caps: In Summer, Persian and Chinese Stuffs and Silks.

The Women are drest like the Turks; the poorest of 'em are proud of having a Cap of Persian Stuff, more or less Rich, such as they can purchase. The richest garnish 'em with Pearls and Pre­cious [Page 95] Stones. Their Gowns or Sulta­naes in Winter are made of Stuffs flow­er'd with Gold, lin'd with Sables, and in Summer of Chinese Damask. They wear no Hair in their Head-dresses. They walk very uneasily, for their Shooes are made like Sandals, and too big for their Feet. They paint their Faces, shave their Eye-brows and co­lour 'em as they fancy. Are very fond of Strangers, little scrupulous about the Nearness of Blood; and de­spise their Husbands above all things. The Muscovites love to go abroad, and are always in haste; their Equi­page is very pitiful, most of 'em ride about Town upon a scrubbed Horse, with their Footmen running barehead­ed before 'em: In Winter this Beast is harness'd to a Sledge, and this is all their Carriage. As for the Women, they have most of 'em a scurvy kind of a Coach made like a Litter, drawn commonly by a single Horse; they go 5 or 6 together in't, and sit squat down, for there's neither Seat nor Cushion in it. Though there are Five or Six hundred thousand Inhabitans in Moscow, there are no more than Three hundred of these Coaches, but above [Page 96] a Thousand little Chariots with one Horse, which for a small matter carry people from one place to another.

Some of the Richest have Coaches made after the French fashion, brought from Holland and Dantzick. Those of the Czars are very old; the reason is, they never buy any, hoping to have 'em presented by foreign Princes or Ambassadors. The best they have are made after the Mode of the Coun­try, some with Boots, and others like Litters. Their Sleds are very fine; those that are open, are made of Gild­ed Wood lin'd within with Velvet, and broad Galoons: They are drawn by Six Horses, whose Harness is cover'd with Velvet. Those Sleds that are cover'd, are made like a Coach with Glasses, cover'd on the outside with Red Cloth, and within with Sables: They lye down and sleep in them when they travel, which they commonly do in the Night­time in Winter.

When the Czars go through the City either in Coach or Sled, they change their best Equipages for such as they use in the Country. They [Page 97] have several Wooden Houses about Moscow, which they improperly term Pleasure-houses, for there's neither Gar­dens nor Walks, they are only sur­rounded with Walls, for fear of being carried off by the Poles or Tartars, which often happen'd fifty years ago.

The Czar▪ Peter is very tall, and pretty well shap'd, and has a Come­ly Face; his Eyes are large, but un­steady, which makes it no pleasant thing for any body to look upon him; his Head shakes continually, though he is but Twenty Years old. His diversion is to make his Favou­rites shoot at one another, and some­times they kill one another to ingra­tiate themselves with him. In Winter he causes great holes to be made in the Ice, and forces his fattest Lords to pass over 'em in Sleds; they fall in and are drown'd sometimes, when the holes are not froze over again hard enough to bear 'em. Now and then he cau­ses the Great Bell to be toll'd, and no­thing pleases him better than to see houses on fire; which happens very often in Moscow, for they never take pains to put out the fire till there are [Page 98] four or five hundred burnt. The truth on't is, there's seldom much damage done, for these houses are little better than our Hogsties in France or Ger­many: They are bought in the Mar­ket ready built. In 1688 there were Three thousand burnt; and within four Months last Year I saw three fires, in each of which five or six hundred houses at least were burnt. These fires are occasion'd by their per­petual Drunkenness, and their negli­gence to put out the many Tapers that they stick about the Pictures in their Chambers. They prepare them­selves for Lent by a Carnival of as many days, during which the disorder is so great, that the Foreigners who live in the Suburbs dare hardly venture into the City, for they butcher one ano­ther like Wild Beasts, and make them­selves drunk with Brandy and other Liquors, so strong and yet so abomi­nable, that no body but they can drink 'em; so that 'tis no wonder they lose the little reason they have natu­rally, and stab one another with great Knives like Bayonets. A fellow shall kill his best Friend and Comrade there, if he hopes to rob him of a [Page 99] Penny. All they do to hinder or at least lessen these outrages, is to rein­force the Guards; but the Soldiers, who are no soberer than the rest, ne­ver come in till the mischief's done; and provided they have their share of the Plunder, the Criminal is sure to escape; insomuch that no body's con­cern'd in this Countrey to see peo­ple murder'd daily in the streets. They eat so greedily, that they are forc'd to sleep three hours at least after din­ner, and go to bed as soon as they've supp'd; but they make amends by rising betimes in the morning. Nay, they live thus in the Army, and eve­ry private Soldier takes a Nap at noon. In the Summer they strip themselves naked, and bathe, and so they lye down to sleep. They can't endure Rain, and 'tis very rare in these parts. They all wear little Caps, and when they meet their Friends they make a sign of the Cross, and shake hands. This they do, I suppose, to call God to witness to their Infidelity, for cheat­ing's one of their Virtues.

The Religion of the Muscovites is that of the Greeks, and may be call'd [Page 100] Archischismatical, for 'tis so full of horrible Superstitions, which their Ig­norance has introduc'd into it, that they may pass for half Idolaters. They have kept up the Sacerdotal Order among 'em, but they treat their Priests and Monks with very little respect; for they make no scruple when they catch 'em out of their Churches, to take off their Caps, and when they have thresh'd 'em sufficiently, to put 'em upon their heads again very or­derly.

The Patriarch of Muscovy resided formerly at Kiovia, but the Muscovites have obtain'd since that City surren­der'd to 'em, that his Seat should be transferr'd to Moscow. This Patriarch is usually chosen from among the Me­tropolitans, and confirm'd by the Czar. He cannot be depos'd but by those of Constantinople and Antioch. In the Reign of the Czar Theodore, one was sent thi­ther at the Czar's Charge; he died last year, and was chosen at first purely for his handsome Beard. The Patriarch and Metropolitans always wear their Pontifical Habits, and go abroad in them either in a Coach or [Page 101] on Horseback. Their Cross is carri'd before them by a Footman, who al­ways is bareheaded; for let the Wea­ther be as 'twill, the Servants that ac­cording to custom walk before their Masters, are never cover'd. Their Copes differ from those of our Bishops in this particular, that they have lit­tle Bells hung all round 'em. The Prelates carry their Beads in their hands, which reach down to the ground, and are always mumbling over 'em. Their chief Devotion is in Processions, which are perform'd in the following manner. All the Cler­gy in magnificent Copes, most of them edg'd with Pearls, come out of some Church, but all in a Crowd without any order, to go to another where the Solemn Service is to be held. Every Priest carries something in his hand, some a Book, others a Cross, and others a Crosier. Those that march next to the Metropolitan or Patriarch, carry great Pictures of the Virgin richly adorn'd with Gold, Jewels, and Chaplets or Bead-rolls of Pearls, others great Crosses richly a­dorn'd likewise, and so heavy, that some are carri'd by four Priests. Then [Page 102] come those that carry the Gospels, which without dispute are the most magnificent in Europe, for a single Leaf costs betwixt Twenty five and Thirty thousand Crowns. I have seen one which the Czar Peter had made for him by a French Jeweller, on each side set with five Emeralds, the least of which is worth Ten thousand Crowns, and enchas'd in four Pound of Gold, for these people value no Work but what is weighty. After these come the Abbots, follow'd by the Metropolitans, and last of all at some distance comes the Patriarch, having his Bonnet on, thick set with Pearls, and fashion'd, excepting the Three Crowns, like the Pope's Tiara. He ought to be supported by the Czars, but they having more occasion when they walk, to be led themselves, nominate some Lords to do that Of­fice. These Processions are preceded by about a hundred men, some with Brooms to sweep the way, and others to strew Sand upon it. Before Prince Galischin's Ministry they were oblig'd to march sometimes through the dirt, which he remedied by causing all the Streets to be plank'd, for there's no [Page 103] paving in Muscovy; but since his dis­grace they have kept none but the great Streets in repair. All the De­votion of the Muscovites lies in assist­ing at Mass, which their Priests begin at Midnight; though their Service is very long, they never sit down at Church, nor ever pray but in Medi­tation, for most of them can neither write nor read, and not one of 'em, no not among their Priests, under­stands Greek. They have abundance of Holidays, which they observe no otherwise than in ringing all the Bells from the Eve before the Festival to the Morning after it, and they work up­on all the days in the year indifferent­ly. They are likewise very fond of making Pilgrimages: The Czar John, though he be so Paralytick, spends his Life in them, though 'twould be more to his Credit not to shew himself a­broad so often, but keep within his Palace, for he is a frightful sight, so very ugly, that 'tis irksome to look upon him, tho he is but Twenty eight years old. When they arrive at the place, they begin their Devoti­on by kissing the Earth, making ma­ny signs of the Cross, and bowing to [Page 104] some Images, or places where they ought to be. Their Priests are mar­ried, but must not lye with their Wives the Night before their Festi­vals. The Bishops and Abbots are oblig'd to live single. When a Roman-Catholick turns to their Religion they baptize him anew, and if he be mar­ried, and his Wife won't turn too, he may marry another. They keep Lent three times a year; the first is ours, the second six Weeks before Christmas, and the third fifteen days before our Lady's day in September. They dress their Fish in Oyl, which next to themselves is certainly the filthiest stuff in the world: This kills most of the Soldiers, for the Fish they use being dried in the Sun, and in a man­ner putrified, breeds great distempers among 'em; and so does their com­mon Drink, which is nothing but Wa­ter and Flower.

They love to build Churches; and whenever a Nobleman builds a House, he erects a Chappel, and maintains in it as many Monks as he can af­ford. There are in Moscow Twelve hundred Churches built of Stone, [Page 105] which have every one five Turrets with Bells in them, and at top of each Turret is a Cross, the least of which is four Foot high. The most magnificent Churches are those of the Virgin, and St. Michael, which stand near the Czar's Palace, the Dome and Turrets are cover'd with Copper gilt, and the Crosses are painted Red. The Inside of these Churches is painted like Mosaic Work, over-against them is a great Steeple, in which hang se­veral great Bells, among the rest one that is twenty Foot in Diameter, for­ty in heighth, and a Foot and a half thick; they have shav'd forty thousand Weight of Metal out of it, to make it sound well. They never ring it out but on Twelfth-day, which is kept very solemnly by the Muscovites: And they strike upon it when the Czar lies with the Great Dutchess, to warn the people to pray for the Concepti­on of a Prince, for they make little account of a Daughter. Half the Lands in Muscovy belong to the Monks, because the great Piety of the Musco­vites consists in building Cloysters, se­veral of which hold a hundred Reli­gious, who live in great Plenty and [Page 106] perfect Ignorance. There are likewise many Convents for Nuns. All sorts of Religions are permitted in Musco­vy, except the Catholick, which they look upon as the only good one next to their own. If a Foreigner of any Religion soever goes into their Churches, they make him turn Russian, because formerly those that look'd in, us'd to laugh at their Ceremonies and sing­ing, which is very like the humming of dumb People.

An Account of a Way by Land through Muscovy to China, and of the Commerce betwixt them and the Muscovites.

THE Trade of Furs is of long standing in Muscovy, but is al­ter'd now from what it was; the Sa­bles were little known there formerly, and they dealt only in ordinary Furs, except Ermins, which they exchang'd for such Goods as they wanted. But the Grandfather of the present Czars, Basile Bazillewik, Sirnam'd the Tyrant, (he was justly so call'd, for he took pleasure in spilling the Blood of his Subjects, and particularly once made his Coachman drive the Coach in which was his Wife, over a Lake that was thinly frozen within a quarter of a League of Moscow, in which she, and all that were with her were drown'd); having conquer'd the Kingdoms of A­strakan and Cazan, discover'd at length part of that vast Country, since call'd Ziberia, which in the Sclavonian Tongue signifies a Prison, because that Cruel [Page 108] and Barbarous Prince sent into that Country, which had then no Name, those that displeased him; to whom is owing the Discovery of the Sables, or Zibelin Martins; and also of a Way to China through those vast Desarts, co­ver'd with impassable and unknown Woods, which probably stretch as far as the frozen Sea, by advancing still forward, and penetrating further in chace of these Creatures, Black Foxes, Wolves, and other Wild Beasts, with which these uninhabited Forests abound, and whose Skins are so valuable.

After the Death of this Tyrant, his Son succeeding him, studied how to make an Advantage of his Power, by permitting Foreign Merchants to come and Trade in the Country. The Dutch were the first that attempted to pass by Sea to Muscovy; but not being able to succeed in it, the English adventur'd with success, and arriv'd at Arch-Angel, a Port situated in the Sea or Gulf of St. Nicholas. The Czar hearing of it, granted them large Priviledges, viz. To pay no Custom inwards and outwards, to engage them to settle a Trade. The Dutch being piqu'd at this Discovery, [Page 109] endeavour'd all they could to break off this Agreement; but the Czar fearing the Establishment of Commerce with the English would be delay'd by such a proceeding, forbid the Dutch to enter into the Port. And so the English re­main'd sole Masters of this Trade, till the Death of King Charles I. of which this Prince, though a Barbarian, being inform'd, took away from the English out of Policy, though he term'd it a Punishment for beheading their King, all their Priviledges, and gave leave to the Dutch to come into the Port, upon Condition to pay 15 per Cent. for all that they imported and exported; and they have since carried this Trade on so advantagiously, that at present they maintain above two hundred Fa­ctors in the Country; of whom the greatest part come and Winter at Mos­cow, because of the excessive Cold. It was upon this occasion that Money was first brought into Muscovy, which is now as common there as in Poland; for there are in the Suburbs of Moscow above a thousand Merchants, English, Dutch, Hamburghers, Flemings, and Ita­lians; these Trade in Russia Leather and Cavear, which are Sturgeons Eggs, [Page 110] which they make up in Cakes, as thick as ones Finger, and as broad as ones Hand, and salt and dry them in the Sun; it is a Commodity to be had here in great Quantities, for there is an in­credible number of Sturgeons taken at the Mouth of the Wolga, and other Rivers, that fall into the Caspian-Sea; they are brought up by Water to Mos­cow, and from thence are distributed all over Muscovy, and the Neighbouring Countries, as Herrings are among us; and is of great support to the Musco­vites in their three Lents, which they keep very regularly. The English and Dutch truck their Cloth and Spices for Corn, Hemp, Rosin, and Pot-Ashes. The Flemings and Hamburghers deal with them for Wax and Iron. The Ships of these Nations come to Arch-Angel in July, and depart in September; they that stay longer, run the hazard to be lost. The passage from Bergen to Arch-Angel, is commonly perform'd in fifteen or twenty Days, either going or coming. This Commerce is very considerable, yet there does not come above thirty Ships a year into that Port. The Per­sians come from Hispa [...]n cross the Caspian-Sea to Astrakan at the end of [Page 111] October, thence they Travel in Sleds to Moscow at the Czar's Charge in five Weeks; when they go back, they go down the Wolga in thirty or forty Days. The Dutch got leave of the Great Ga­lischin to send some of their own Car­penters and Pilots to Astrakan, where they built two Frigots, and cross'd over the Caspian-Sea to Chemakay, the first Town in Persia, and traded with the Persians; but the Tartars having burnt them about eighteen Months ago, the present Ministers have forbid the building any more, which will be very pernicious in the consequence, for the Muscovite Vessels are very incom­modious. The Design of this Prince was to make this State like the rest in Europe; he procured Memoirs of all their Methods of Government; he de­sign'd to begin with giving the Pea­sants their Liberty, and the Lands they cultivate now for the Czars profit, pay­ing an Annual Tribute; by which, as he computed the Czar's Revenues would be increased one half, which does not amount to less than seven or eight Mil­lions of French Livers in ready Money; for as to the Commodities that make up the rest of his Revenue, it is very [Page 112] hard to compute their Value. He de­sign'd the same thing in Relation to their Drinking-Houses, and other Cal­lings, thinking by these means to make the People Laborious and In­dustrious, in hopes of inriching them­selves.

As to the Hunting of Sables, he made no Alteration in it; that is car­ried on by Criminals, who are banish'd into Ziberia; and Soldiers who are sent thither in Regiments, Command­ed by a Collonel, and stay there com­monly seven Years; they are all obli­ged to bring in a certain Quantity of Furs weekly; they must take particular care that the fine Furs have no Holes in them, nor stain'd with Blood; and especially the Sables, which they say spoils them; and therefore they are bea­ten if they commit any such Fault; this makes them very dextrous at Shooting them, which they always do in the Head with a single Ball. The success of this Hunting depends upon much Patience and Assiduity; wherefore they allow the Officers to encourage the Soldiers by sharing with them the over­plus of what they must kill weekly [Page 113] for the Czar, which makes this Imploy­ment very considerable, for a Colonel may get in Seven Years by this Service Four thousand Crowns, the Subalterns in proportion; but a Common Soldier never makes more than Six or seven hundred Crowns, and they must have good Friends to get that; for a Gen­tleman at Moscow has nothing in the World to live upon, but a thousand Crowns a Year, half of which is paid in Sables, valued ordinarily at more than they are worth: A Colonel has Four hundred Crowns a Year, and Sub­alterns proportionably, paid the same way. Galischin's design for the Czar's, and his Officers Profit, was to defray the Charge of the State in Money, and for that end sent such as he could Trust into Foreign Countries, with Sables and Furs, either to sell or truck them for such Goods as might be sold again for the Czar's Profit. What he did to settle a Commerce with China by Land through Ziberia and Tartary, deserves to be particularly related.

Spatarus, a Walachian, was banish'd out of his own Country, after having had his Nose cut off, for discovering to the [Page 114] Grand Seignior, a Secret Treaty that the Hospodar of Walachia, his Kinsman, had made with the King of Poland, and which was the occasion of the Hospo­dar's being deposed, who is kept by the King of Poland now in his Court. He retir'd first to the Elector of Bran­denburgh, who receiv'd him very kindly, because he was very Ingenious, and spoke Latin, Greek, and Italian, very well; but the King of Poland informing the Elector of his Infidelity, he was forced to fly from thence; and not knowing what to do, went into Muscovy; Galis­chin receiv'd him, and gave him Subsi­stence; some time after he sent him to China, to discover by what means to establish a Trade by Land betwixt that Country and Muscovy; he spent two Years in this Journey, and met with great difficulties; but he took such Observation of the Places he passed through, that at his return he put Ga­lischin in hopes, that in a second Voy­age he would take such a Method, that the way should be made as easy as through any part of Europe. Galischin, upon his Assurances, began to think of some commodious short Road, and having pitched upon it, he contrived [Page 115] how to settle convenient Carriages, viz. to build from Moscow to Tobolk, the Ca­pital of Ziberia, some Wooden Houses every Ten Leagues, to put Peasants into them, and to allow them some Lands, upon condition they should maintain in every House Three Horses, he giving them the Three first; who should have a Right to demand of Passengers to and from Ziberia upon their own business 3 d. per Horse for every Ten Mile: He likewise planted Posts upon this Road, as upon all the rest in Muscovy, to mark the Way and the Miles; and in those Parts where the Snow is so deep that Horses cannot travel in it, he built some Hou­ses, which he bestowed upon some peo­ple who were condemned to perpetual Exile, and furnished them with Money, Victuals, and great Dogs to draw the Sleds over the Snow, and so to Tobolk, which stands upon the great River Ir­stik. He had erected some Magazines, and laid up Provisions in 'em; he built several great Barks to go up that River as far as Ketilbas, a Lake at the foot of the Mountains Pragog, where he had provided necessary Carriage for the rest of the Voyage. Spatarus assur'd me he went his last Journey in five Months, [Page 116] with as much ease as he could have tra­vell'd in our parts of Europe. I earnest­ly desir'd to learn all particulars, as the Names of Rivers, Mountains, and Pro­vinces through which he went; but I found him very shy and reserv'd, and that he durst not communicate himself freely to me, for fear it should come to be known that he had discover'd a thing to me that the Czars would have kept secret; and lest his Complaisance to me in telling me all I desir'd, should cost him a drubbing; for the Czars never ex­empt any one whom they have a mind to give that Correction to, from the Boyar to the Peasant. He told me how­ever, that he did not question to find an easier and shorter Way the next time he went. But the Hollanders being always jealous of their Neighbours (as they have shewn by all their Establishments in the East) and designing to get into their hands the Trade of all the world, and exclude every body else if they could, oblig'd the Muscovites, after the disgrace of Galischin, to forbid all other Foreign­ers to come into the Countrey; fearing lest if that Road should once be known, and easy to be travell'd, the French would attempt it; who carrying thither [Page 117] so many curious sorts of Work as they make, which the Chinese and Tartars mightily esteem, and for which in return they might bring back the richest and most valuable Merchandizes, in time might damage their Commerce to the Cape of Good Hope, Batavia, Malaca, and other places in the East-Indies, which they took from the Portuguese and English; and foreseeing that the Com­modiousness of this Way by Land being once settled, all other Merchants would chuse it, rather than venture all the Tempests, Distempers, and other ill Ac­cidents that happen at Sea, besides the tediousness of the Voyage; and that thus a great Trade would one day be carried on, which they don't apprehend from the Muscovites, who they know want understanding to make any thing considerable of it, and that they are too poor to buy the rich Commodities of those Kingdoms, and could bring away nothing but a few Silks, Tea, Wooden Ware, and such like Baubles; so that they have nothing to fear from them, who can never do 'em much harm, nor disturb their Trade. Some time after the King of Poland made Complaints by his Envoy at Moscow against this Prohi­bition [Page 118] which is directly contrary to the Treaty of 1686, in which 'tis expresly said, That his Subjects might go and come through Muscovy to China: But all the Answer he could get, was, That the Czars had so order'd it. They gave the same Reply to the King of Sweden, whose Ambassador Fabricius made the like Agreement with 'em in 1686. They thought they did a great deal in suffering the King of Poland's Envoys to pass through their Dominions to Astrakan at their Charge, who from thence went to Persia.

The King of Poland inserted this Arti­cle in the Treaty of 1686, at the request of the Jesuits, who hop'd to go by Land to China; but Galischin with all his Inte­rest could not get leave for those to go, whom Count Siri, Envoy from Poland to Persia, brought with him to Moscow in 1688, with Order from his Master to facilitate their Journey to China; be­cause the Dutch Resident hinder'd it un­derhand, by informing the Muscovites, that among the Twelve Jesuits were Fa­ther Avril and Beuvolier, Frenchmen, which the Most Christian King had sent thither to discover the way by Land to China. This made these Brutes declare [Page 119] to the Polish Envoy, That he might take His Master's Subjects with him into Persia; but for the French, whose King had lately affronted the Czar's Ambassa­dor, they could shew 'em no other Fa­vour, than send them back the way they came: At their Return the King of Poland took care to convey them safe to Constantinople; but in all likelihood, when the King of France has made a Peace, he will force the Muscovites to suffer his Subjects to pass through their Country, and settle a Trade that way to China.