Mofchi, a people of Colchis, who inhabited near the fource of the river Phafis. And the whole empire is called alfo Ruffia, from the word Roffa, which, in their language fignifies, collected together, becaufe of the diverfity of nations of which it is compofed; or from Rufs, the brother of Lech and Czech, from whom the Poles and Bohemians derive their origin, who was the reputed author of this monarchy, whofe limits were extended by Igor, fon of Rurich; but much more by Suatiflaus, Igor's fon and fucceffor, who pushed his conquefts to the Black Sea, and in all probability would have carried them farther, had not death furprised him in the midft, of his victo ries. Suatiflaus was fucceeded by his natural fon Wolodimer, who cleared his way to the throne by putting to death his brother Jeropolch, &c. obtained the fevereignty of all Ruffia, and affumed the name of Great Duke; married Anne the fifter of Conftantine and Bafil, Emperors of the Eaft, renounced idolatry, and introduced the Chriftian religion after the Grecian rite, in the year 987; and, at his death, divided the provinces of his vaft empire into as many dukedoms as he had fons which divifion, however well intended, had like to have intirely ruined his pofterity; for, the petty Princes quarrelling amongst themselves, the Tartars invaded them, and, amongst other hardships, reduced them to fuch a low degree of obeifance, as to oblige the Ruffian Duke to feed the Cham of Tartary's horfe out of his own cap; and the city of Moscow only to fend him annually a thousand habits made of fine skins. This state of fervitude continued till the year 1500, when John Bafiliowitz I. fhook it off, re-united all Mufcovy under his dominion, and got himself acknowledged fole Monarch of Ruffia; to which dominion his fon Gabriel, otherwife Bafil Juanowitz, added the countries bordering on the frozen fea, the province of Plefkow, and the duchies of Smolensko and Siberia: after which he affumed the title of Czar. Hitherto the will of the Sovereign was the measure of the fubjects obedience: but his fon and fucceffor John Bafiliowitz II, having conquered part of Livonia, the kingdoms of Cafan and Aftracan, and feveral provinces on the frontiers of Perfia, along the Cafpian Sea, compofed a body of laws, and might have been ranked among the greatest of Princes, had he not been fo cruel in his temper, as to procure him the name of Tyrant. He died in 1584, and was fucceeded by his worthlefs fon Theodore, leaving another fon, Demetrius, by a fecond venter, who were both cut off by the intrigues of Boris Godenow, Great Chamberlain of Mufcovy, who had married Theodore's fifter, and could be content with nothing less than the throne of her father; which he at laft afcended by affaffinating Theodore, and poisoning Demetrius, in the year 1597. Boris governed the nation with the greateft art and precaution, but could not efcape the misfortunes that are ufually the lot of ufurpers. His enemies raifed up a counterfeit Demetrius, who acted the part of a Prince fo well, that he engaged feveral neighbouring Princes to fupport his title to the crown of Mufcovy, with a powerful army; which fo terrified the ufurper, that he poifoned himfelf: and, being received into Moscow, feized and ftrangled the widow of Boris, and their fon Fedor, who was fixteen years old, and had been placed by the populace on the throne, upon the death of his father. Demetrius was crowned on the 21ft of July, 1605; and was even acknowledged by the mother of the infant Demetrius that had been poifoned, though fhe knew this to be an impoftor: and, could he have bridled his pride, haughtiness, incontinence, debauchery, and exceffive expences, he, in all probability, would have intailed the Ruffian empire in his family: but his oppreffions, and neglect of the public administration of affairs, making every thing fubfervient to his paffions. paffions, leaving the government to foreign favourites, and attempting to bring in the popifh religion; the principal Kneez and Boyars, headed by Bafil Suifki, defcended from the Great Dukes of Mufcovy by the Dukes of Sufdal, entered his bed-chamber in the night, on May 17, 1606; and Suifki, with his own hand, dispatched the impoftor with a piftol. This revolution caft the lives of 1700 perfons, who had efpoufed the impoftor's intereft. Suiki was immediately proclaimed Emperor, and took poffeffion of the throne on the first day of June. But he was scarcely installed, but the Poles played off another impoftor in the name of Demetrius, pretending that he had escaped, and that it was only a clerk to the Secretary of ftate that had been pistoled by Suifki: and the Poles fupported him fo effectually, that Suiski, after a war of three years continuance, was taken prifoner, deprived of his crown, shut up in a convent, and afterwards confined clofe prifoner in the caftle of Gostynin in Poland, where he died. As for the new impoftor Demetrius, he was affaffinated at Coluga by the Tartars, and his widow and fon were drowned in a river. 1645, and was fucceeded by his fon Alexis, a man of good understanding, and a great warrior; who encountered, at one and the fame time, the Turks, the Tartars, and the Poles, with great fuccefs, and forced them all, except the Turks, to an advantageous peace. He quelled three dangerous rebellions; caufed the Ruffian laws to be collected together and printed; introduced feveral manufactures; augmented his revenue; and, had not death prevented him, he had fome thoughts of building a fleet. He died in 1676, and left two fons, Theodore and John, and three daughters, Sophia, Mary, and Catharine, by his first wife, Mary Ilgenita; and one fon, PETER, the hero of this history, and one daughter, Natalia, by his fecond wife, Natalia Kirilowna, daughter of the Prime Minister Kirili Naraskin. Prince Theodore fucceeded to the throne of his father; and, as far as his capacity and ftrength would permit, he feemed to purfue the real welfare of his people; and for that pur pofe he joined with the Senate in the exclufion of his brother John from the fucceffion, who was too weak of underftanding for the government of fuch dominions,in favour of his half brother The Mufcovites now without a head, Peter, a Prince of a very promifing geand their country invaded by the Poles, nius and ability: yet, notwithstanding who entered Mofcow with perpetrated this fettlement of the government was unheard-of cruelties on the inhabi- feemingly enacted by the confent and tants, elected Michael Federowitz defire of the Czar, and the States of Romanow, fon of the Metropolitan - the nation, death had no fooner taken Roftow, and founder of the prefent Theodore away, than a party started imperial family, to be their Czar. up, and raised violent commotions in oppofition to Peter's election. Czar Michael was proclaimed about the end of the year 1613. His peace was foon interrupted by another impoftor, who called himself the fon of Suiski, and was at firft fo well fupported as to get poffeflion of the city of Plefkow. But his citizens, not able, to bear with his fcandalous exceffes, delivered him up; and he was executed at Moscow, in the great marketplace. After this we hear of no more pretenders to his crown; and he reigned thirty-fix years, much refpected by his fubjects, died fuddenly in July, This faction was raised by Sophia, John's own fifter, who had been fhut up in a monaftery; but, being an artful and ambitious woman, found means to leave her inclosure, and to gain the Strelitzes, or life-guards, a fort of fol diers like to the Turkish Janizaries, to her interest, by engaging their General, &c. to perfuade them that Theodore had been poifoned by his phyficians; and that the Narafkins, the maternal uncles of Peter, had mothered Prince John with a cushion: B and 1 and "There is now a confpiracy, Gentlemen, continued they, against your felves; for certain Boyars have been tampering with us to mix poifon in the liquor, which, according to cuftom, is to be diftributed to you at this folemnity, the funeral of Czar Theodore," when this confpiracy was intended to be executed. This infinuation fucceeded according to the wishes of Sophia and her confpirators. The alarm-bell rung, and the whole city cried out, The Narafkins have murdered Prince John. And though Prince Odewski, for whom the guards had fome refpect, affured them, already drawn up, on the 15th of May, before the palace in order of battle, that they had been impofed upon; that both the Princes were alive, who also fhewed themselves, and exhorted them to retire, and to preferve the peace of the State; the confpirators fo inflamed them with brandy, that they murdered the two phyficians, who had prefcribed to the late Czar; cut in pieces several of the chief Officers of the crown, who were marked out to them for deftruction; and threw others over a balustrade at the top of the imperial palace, upon the foldiers pikes, which they held upright on purpose to receive them. At laft they entered the young Czar's chamber, and maffacred in his prefence all that were fled thither for refuge; and robbed the apartments of the Czarina dowager Natalia, Peter's mother, of all the riches they could find. In like manner they plundered the houses of all thofe who fell by their fword; nor could the infurrection be quelled till Prince John was proclaimed Czar in conjunction with Peter, and Princess Sophia was declared Regent, which was the ftation fhe afpired to: Peter Alexowitz being only ten years old, at his acceffion to the throne, and John in no capacity able to hold the reins of government. Princess Sophia having now gained her ends, and both the Czars being very young, it was hoped all troubles would have ceafed: but Couvanski, General of the Strelitzes, and the bloody inftrument of Princess Sophia's ambition, continued to let loofe his foldiers to murder and plunder all that were not of his party in Moscow; from whence Prince Boris Galliczin had already conveyed Peter; and the Czarina Natalia followed them to the convent of Troitzki, or Trinity Monastery, for their safety, being about 60 Ruffian miles from that capital; and at laft formed defigns of fixing the imperial crown in his own family, by raifing a contempt of the two Czars among the people, and propofing a marriage between his own fon and Princefs Catharine, Czar John's younger fifter. Princefs Sophia prefently took the alarm; and, feeing through his policy, had him feized by two hundred horfemen, in his way to the forefaid monaftery, to which he had been invited under a pretence to affift at the feaft of St. Catharine. They dragged him into a houfe on the road; and, after his fentence had been read to him, without any manner of examination or delay, both he and his fon were im mediately beheaded. This execution at first threw the Stelitzes into great confufion and amazement; but, having recovered their furprize, they grew enraged and furious, running up and down exclaiming against the government, and folemnly and unanimously protesting that they would take vengeance on the murderers of their General; and, in order thereto, they inftantly poffeffed themfelves of the arfenals and ammunition, and threatened a total deftruction, had not the German Officers, affembled by the Court on this occafion, kept to their allegiance, and intrepidly and effectually oppofed their regular forces to thefe rebels, who, though at all times ripe for civil diforders, were but a rude undifciplined mob: thus they, finding themselves without a leader, made propofals of peace, and, having killed their Colonels and other Officers, in token of their fincerity, fued for and obtained pardon. This happened in the year 1684. All All things feemed now to confpire for the peace of Mufcovy. The two brothers now reigned, in conjunction with Princess Sophia, who had her image ftamped on the coin, together with theirs, and figned all writings, not only in the empire, but to foreign courts. She frequented the Senate diligently, exhorted the members of it to their duty, governed with great prudence, and fhewed a zeal for the welfare of the empire: but her love for her brother John made her take every step she could to the prejudice of Peter. She procured John a wife, notwithstanding his ill state of health; and not only neglected the education of young Peter, but ftrove to ruin him in the opinion of all good men: and to render him incapable of good government, placed about him every object that might fix his attention, ftifle his natural light, corrupt his heart, and debauch his manners; and at last resolved to put the finishing stroke to her politics; and, having engaged Prince Galliczin to put in execution the cruel scheme of murdering her brother Peter, they pitched upon Theodore Thekelavitau, who had fucceeded Couvanski in the post of General over the Strelitzes, to be the principal inftrument of their bloody enterprize. The Czar Peter was, at this time, at Obrogensko, a country palace, about a fhort league from Mofcow. Hither Theodore was marching with 600 Strelitzes, whom he thought he could rely upon; but two of them, fhocked at the thoughts of ftaining their hands in the blood of their Prince, withdrew privately, and arrived time enough to advertize Czar Peter of the confpiracy, and to give him time to efcape. Peter was in bed; but, jump ing out, he immediately fled, with his mother, wife, and fifter; and difappointed the traitors: who, having fearched for the Czar, were informed by the guard, that his Majefty was juft departed with great precipitation from that palace. Peter was now eighteen, and married to Ottokefa Federowna, daughter of the Boyar Fedor Abrahamowitz, intirely against the inclinations of Sophia, and to the great increase of Peter's party, which hitherto had been weakeft; and he, finding himself in a place of fafety, fent letters to the Regent that fame evening, to reproach her with her treacherous intent. She abfolutely denied the fact, pretending that these guards went only to relieve the others then on duty; which was improbable, because foldiers are always relieved in the day-time. Wherefore the Czar published the attempt, ordered the militia to be raised, and fummoned the Boyars, who, in a week's time attended his person in great numbers. Galliczin excufed himself,on a pretence of being reftrained by Czar John; and both he and the Princefs Regent tried to fecure the Strelitzes to their intereft, by infinuating that Peter had fome designs against the peace of the State. But, though they injoined the foldiers not to obey Peter's orders on pain of death, they deferted her intereft. This difconcerted all her treafons, and reduced the ambitious Sophia to disguise her treachery with moft humble follicitations and declarations of her innocence, by the mediation of two of Peter's aunts, &c. But Peter was not any more to be deceived by weak excufes, and fair promises; and having convinced his relations of her guilt, and that there was a real attempt to murder him, and to cut off all his fa. mily, he published a proclamation to apprehend the traitors. So there was now no means left to work upon the mercy of the incenfed Monarch, but to caft themselves at his feet. Accordingly Sophia fet out for the Troitzski, with that intent: but Czar Peter ordered her to be stopped on the road, and carried back to Mofcow, and thence to Dewitz, a convent of her own foundation; where he was confined the remainder of her life, which was fifteen years, from 1689, to 1704. Galliczin and his fon, and feveral of his friends, were banished to Karga, a town in the north of Siberia, for B 2 life, life, at an allowance of three pence per day. As for the General Theodore, after a fevere examination by torture, and the punishment of the Knout; by which he was wrought upon to confefs that he was appointed to kill the Czar, his mother, and her three brothers, and to discover his principals; he was beheaded. Several others, who had accepted of the commiffion to affift in the affaffination, had their heads fhaved, were tie dfaft to a stake, and had boiling water poured drop by drop on their skulls, which put them to fuch exquifite and intolerable pain, that they immediately acknowledged their crime, and difcovered their accomplices alfo, and were feverally punished with death, banishment, &c. according to the will of the incenfed Czar Peter; who, two days after thefe executions were over, returned to Mofcow, and made his entry on horfeback, attended by 18,000 Strelitzes for his guard. His wife and mother followed soon after in a coach. The Czar John ftood to receive his brother at the fteps entering into the palace: they embraced; and Peter afking John to be friends, who anfwering, that he was willing to be reconciled, and that he had acted no part in the plots of his fifter, but under constraint, they each retired to their respective apartments. And thus ended the regency of the Princess Sophia. From this time, Czar Peter reigned almaft abfolute; his brother John's name being seldom mentioned but in the public acts; and though he, at this time, gave no prefages of being that great Prince he afterwards appeared to be, taking delight in very idle and cruel diverfions, and having but little of the politician in him, he was fo happy in the choice of a favourite, that from thence may be properly dated the foundation of the true Ruffian grandeur and from him the Czar imbibed fuch notions of virtue and propriety as made him afterwards one of the moft illuftrious Princes that ever reigned. The favourite was M. Le Fort, the fon of a reputable family at Geneva; who, according to M. de la Motraye, having finished his ftudies at college, was placed with M. Franconis, a confiderable merchant at Amfterdam, to learn the mysteries of trade, tho' his inclination was ftrongly inclined to a military life. An inclination, which, though for the prefent it gave way to the duties of a compting-house, foon revived at the fight of the Danish troops, on his arrival at Copenhagen, whither his mafter had fent him in quality of a fupercargo. Here young Le Fort discharged his commiffion with great advantage to his mafter; and his good air, and perfonal merit, gained him access to perfons of the best diftinction; and, in particular, to the Ambaffador that was nominated to go to the court of Moscow, who, charmed with his person and address, offered to admit him among his pages; which offer he accepted of with great pleafure, having first obtained his father's and his master's confent. ད In this ambaffage M. Le Fort foon acquired the Ruffian tongue and the German fo perfectly, that he became qualified to be his mafter's interpreter. It was in this capacity the Czar first took notice of him, one day as he dined with his Excellency; when, being pleafed with his addrefs, his readinefs in fpeaking the language of the country, and the anfwers he made to feveral queftions, his Czarish Majesty afked him if he was willing to enter into his fervice? To which M. Le Fort, in the 'moft refpectful manner, replied, That, whatever ambition he might have to ferve fo great a Monarch, yet the duty and gratitude he owed to his mater, would not allow him to promife any thing without his confent. But, faid the Czar, if I have your mafter's confent, will you then be willing? Yes, replied our adventurer; but I beg your Majesty would ask by fome other interpreter. than myfelf. The Czar then, by one of his own interpreters, took notice |