AN ACCOUNT OF MUSCOVY, As it was in the Year 1689.  
In which the TROUBLES that happened in that Empire from the Present Czar PETER'S Election to the Throne, to his being firmly settled in it, are particularly related.  
With a Character of Him, and his People.  
By Monsieur DE LA NEUVILLE, Then Residing at Moscow.  
LONDON: Printed for Edward Castle, next Scotland-Yard-Gate, by Whitehall. 1699.   

TO THE KING.  
SIR,  
THE Marquess of Bethune being informed in July, 1689. that the Swedish and Brandenbourg Envoys were gone to Moscow; he judged it necessary for Your Majesty's Service to send some Person thither to discover the purport of the Negotiation of those Envoys; he was pleased to Honour me with this Trust, at which I was startled, having been there formerly, and been apprehensive more than once of being ill used by those Barbarians; but considering 'twas for Your Majesty's Service, I readily obeyed, only reminding the Marquis that no Person was suffered to enter that Kingdom, unless as an Envoy, or a Merchant. He undertook to engage the King of Poland in the business; but that Prince told him 'twas hardly possible but I should be known at Moscow, and either be discovered by the Czar's Minister, or others, that had seen me at his Court, and then I should be treated as a Spy, and sent to end my days in Ziberia; but since His Majesty's Service required my going thither, he would send me in a Post that should secure me, and give me a means of succeeding in my Commission. Accordingly he gave me Letters of Recommendation to the Czars, and Passports, and I set forward with an Equipage suitable to my Character. For by the last Treaty betwixt the Poles, and the Muscovites, 'tis agreed not to defray the Envoys Charges, nor furnish them with Carriages. In fourteen Days I reached the Frontiers, though the distance from Warsaw to Casime, the last Town in Poland, is One hundred and sixty Germane Leagues. I gave notice of my Arrival, and my Commission, to the Palatin of the Duchy of Smolensko, whither I went next day, and was received as I have related in the Account of my Journey; and having tarried ten Days till the Courier came back, whom the Palatin sent to the Court for Orders concerning me; I went thence to Moscow, and was lodged in a House appointed for me by the Prime Minister, One hundred and fifty Paces distant from the City, whither the Pristave Spatarus, a Walachian, came to Compliment me in his Name, and keep me Company. A Week after, he conducted me to the Pretache or Council; after which I had leave to visit the Ministers of Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and Brandènbourg, and some Germane Officers; and was so happy as to discover, that all the business which the Envoys of Sweden and Brandenbourgh came about, was to render the King of Poland's Conduct suspected to the Muscovites, who they alleged was in Your Majesty's Interest, and would make a separate Peace with the Turk, to the prejudice of the League; after which he would make a Diversion into the Ducal Prussia in Your Favour. And the Dutch Envoy to enforce what they said, assured the Muscovites that I was a Frenchman, and was come to Moscow to pry into their Secrets. These Informations made them resolve to confine me within my House for eight Days together; but the Polish Envoy made such loud Complaints of it, as an Injury done to his Master in my Person; that the Council discharged me, and said they had no other design in taking away my Liberty, than to save me from the Insults of the People, who were incensed against me. Upon which I took occasion to declare, That I knew France very well, and that that King with all his Millions would not give a hundred Crowns to discover the Designs of the Czar; and that being the King of Poland's Minister, I did not fear the People. In short, the Ministers of Sweeden being sent back without any success, I gave notice of it to the Marquis of Bethune, desiring him to recall me, well foreseeing the Troubles that were coming on. In the beginning of the Commotions, I was forced, for my Security, to keep within Doors, not daring to stir abroad; where all the Diversion I had, was the Conversation of my Pristave, who had been sent to China, and was come back two Months. The Information I got from him, being pretty curious, and likely to be of use of Your Majesty, showing the easiness of establishing a Commerce with that Country by Land, I have thought fit to relate the Particulars of what I learned. Sometime after my return from Poland, the Marquis de Bethune understanding that the Elector of Saxony, and the Duke of Hanover, were to meet together at Carelstad in Bohemia, he desired the King of Poland to send me to Compliment the Duke of Hanover upon the Death of his Son, which he had just given him advice of, in hopes I might find out the Design of the Interview between these two Princes. I went thither, and gave an Account to the Marquis of Bethune of all that I discovered, which was no more than that some Propositions had passed on both sides about the Duchy of Lavembourg, but they could not come to an Accommodation.  
To conclude, Sir, Your Majesty having acquainted the King of Poland with the Death of Madam the Dauphine, he named Prince Rzarstoeki, now at the Academy at Paris, to pay his Compliment of Condolance to▪ Your Majesty. But the Marquis of Bethune desiring me to accept of that Office, in hopes that under that Character I might with more safety carry the Dispatches which he gave me for Your Majesty, and for Your Minister at Hamburg, as I did, and that passing through some Courts where I was very well known, and had been always well received, I might inform myself what Condition their Affairs were in; I found them all out of Order, and except the Duke of Hanover and his House, all in great need of a Peace with Your Majesty. I have been honoured with the Character of Your Majesty's Envoy; and beseech You, Sir, to accept favourably all that my Zeal for Your Service has made me undertake; and the Account I render, which contains such Particulars as Your Majesty may be Curious to know, when You are at leisure from Your Application to decide the Fate of Europe, which Your Victories, and the Justice of Heaven have put into Your Hands.  
I am, Your Majesty's Most Humble and Faithful Subject and Servant, De la Neuville.   

AN ACCOUNT OF MUSCOVY, As it was in the Year 1689.  
THE King of Poland having honoured me with the Character of his Envoy Extraordinary to Muscovy the first of July 1689. I departed from Warsaw on the 19 th'. of the same Month, and took my way by Smolensko, because the way of Kiovia, which is the shortest, was at that time infested by the Tartars. As soon as the Palatine or Governor of the Province (who is a more polite Man than the Muscovites generally are) heard that I had left Cazine, and was coming to Smolensko, he sent a Pristave, or Gentleman, with an Interpreter to meet me, which they did within half a League of the City, and conducted me into the Suburbs on the other side of the Nieper, carrying me to a House till they knew where the Palatine would appoint me a fit Lodging: Immediately one of them went to him with the news of my arrival; whereupon he sent me his Compliments, and some refreshments, viz. a small Cask of Brandy, another of Sack, and a third of Honey, together with some Fowls, two Sheep, and one Calf, a Cartload of Fish, and another of Oats. He also offered me a House, either within the Town or the Suburbs; I chose to be in the latter, because there is no Gate to it, but the City-Gate is shut up betimes. Next day I made him a Visit at his Castle, where he expected me with the Metropolitan, and some Persons of Quality.  
I shall say nothing of this City, the Buildings being all of Wood here, as well as all the Country over; surrounded with a slight Stone-wall to secure them from the Inroads of the Poles. To do the greater honour to me, or rather to himself, 6000 of the Militia were drawn out, being Peasants of those parts, which are formed into Regiments upon such occasions, and have pretty handsome Coats given them; they are paid by the Czars four Crowns a year, and three Bushels of Salt. All the Boys at six years old are Listed, and receive Pay, so that these Forces are made up of Old Men and Children, for no body is excused from serving till they die. I passed through this noble Body of Soldiers, who stood ranked in two Lines from my House to the Governor's, being in my Coach followed by the Poststarosta, or the King's Lieutenant of Mohilova, and twelve Officers belonging to that Garrison, who were ordered by the King of Poland to accompany me hither; as soon as the Palatine saw me alight before the Castle, he came and received me at the top of the Steps, from whence he led me to his Apartment; where we did not sit down, but after some Compliments on both sides, which were interpreted by Major General Menesius, a Scotchman, who speaks all the European Languages, the Palatine ordered some large Cups of Brandy to be brought in, which were drank off to the King of Poland's and Czars' Health. After which I took my leave of him, and he waited on me back again half way down the Steps, and stood to see me take Coach. I returned in the same order I came, and found General Menesius attending my coming, being ordered by the Palatine to keep me Company, while I continued here. I was very agreeably surprised to find a Man of his merit in so Barbarous a Country; for besides his skill in Languages, which he speaks perfectly well, he is very knowing in the Affairs of the World, and has something in his Story worth relating.  
After having seen most parts of Europe, he went into Poland, designing to return from thence to Scotland; but having an Intriegue with a Lithuanian Colonel's Lady, the Husband grew jealous of his frequent Visits, and laid some Servants in wait to kill him; but his Mistress giving him timely notice of it, he found a way to draw the Colonel to a Duel, and killed him; upon which he was forced to fly, but for want of a Guide fell in with a party of Muscovites, who at that time were at War with the Poles; at first they treated him as a Prisoner of War; but upon telling them the cause of his flight, they gave him his choice, either to serve the Czar, or else to go into Ziberia: He took up with the latter, out of an inclination to see those parts. But the Father of the present Czars desiring to see him, and finding him a comely Man, took him into Court, and gave him sixty Peasants, (each Peasant brings in to his Master about Eight Crowns a year.) Besides, he made up a Match between him and the Widow of one Marcellus, who was the first that made Iron in Muscovy, which now brings in to the Czars a Revenue of 100000 Crowns per Annum.  
The same Prince sent him to Rome in the year 1672, to offer Pope Clement a Reunion of the Russian to the Romish Church upon certain conditions; but returning without success, he was made Major-General, and sometime after, the Czar Alexis Samuel Errick, a little before his death, declared him Governor to his Son the young Prince Peter, with whom he continued all along till the beginning of the Reign of the Czar John, when the Princess Sophia and Prince Galischin, not being able to make him abandon the Interest of Prince Peter, obliged him to retire to Smolensko, and make the last Campaign, in hopes to be rid of him. But this Disgrace was the occasion of his present fortune; for having an opportunity to get acquainted with Prince Peter's Uncle on the Mother's side, a Colonel in that Garrison, he took him with him to Moscow, as soon as his Nephew became Master of that City, where he has often treated me very friendly at his House, with the Naraskins Father and Son: The Prime Minister understanding that I was at Smolensko, the Capital of the Duchy of that name, which the King of Poland yielded to the Czars by the Treaty in 1686, sent order to the Palatine that I should be conducted in the usual manner to Lastolistz, which signifies the Court, and is improperly called by us Moscow, which is the name of a River that runs through it. I began my Journey upon the 20 th'. of August, attended by a Pristave, a Captain, and six Soldiers: The first proof of their courage that these Gentlemen gave me, was in our passage through a Wood of twenty Leagues long, having never a House in it. So we made our Lodging as commodious as we could in our Wagons, our Horses Grazing by us. In the Night we had a violent storm, and the Horses broke out of the Tabor, (or Enclosure made by our Wagons) and ran into the Woods for shelter; I bid the Officer send some of his Men for them, and others to cut down Wood for Firing; but the Officer and Soldiers answered unanimously, that they would not stir out of the Tabor for a hundred Ducats a Man, because that seven years before some of their Comrades that were sent on such an Errand, were murdered in this very place; so that we stayed till Morning, and then all the Horses at one Whistle came back to the Tabor.  
From thence I continued my Journey till I arrived in the Suburbs of Lastolistz, which is divided from the City by the River Moscow, which is fordable in that part; the Officer that came with me carried me to a House, and desired me to tarry till he returned from the Prime Minister, whom he went to acquaint with my Arrival. In two hours he came back with Orders to bring me over the River, and conduct me to a House that was appointed for me, where the Pristave Spatarus quickly came to Compliment me in the name of the Prime Minister, who commanded him to continue with me; and likewise according to custom an Officer and six Soldiers were appointed for my Guard, who were strictly charged to admit no person into my House for eight days; at length Prince Galischin sent for me to the Prerarche, which is a spacious Building in form of a square; there are several Halls in it, in each of which particular Councils are held, which before Galischin came into the Ministry, used to meet in Barns; I found him seated at the upper end of a great Table with many Boyars on each side; he caused a Chair to be set for me, and then an Interpreter asked me in Latin for my Letters: I presented him those which the Grand Chancellor of Lithuania directed to him, wherein he informed him, that the King had sent me into Muscovy about his Majesty's Business, and had given me a Letter to the Czars; he answered that he would acquaint the Czar John, who was then at Moscow with it, and that he hoped I should have Audience very speedily; after which he enquired, as the custom is, whether the Chancellor was in good health? forbearing out of respect to ask how the King did. Then I rise up to retire; he rose up too, and wished me the happiness of seeing the Czar in a short time. Some days after, I sent in Civility to desire Audience of him at his House, where I was received as handsomely as if I had been at the Court of some Prince of Italy. During the conversation in Latin, upon the Affairs of Europe, and my thoughts of the War betwixt France and the Confederates, and especially concerning the Revolution in England, He presented me with all sorts of Strong waters and Wine; advising me at the same time with a great deal of Complaisance not to taste of them. He promised to get me my Audience in a few days, which he certainly would have done, had he not fallen into disgrace, which produced such a great change of Affairs, that every moment there was an outcry of Fire and Murder; and if the Czar Peter had not had the courage to seize the leading men of the Princess' Party, his Life and Crown had been lost.  
Such was the face of Affairs for six Weeks together, that one could not tell who to address one's self to; which made me resolve to write a Letter to the Young Galischin, the Czar Peter's Favourite, signifying my surprise, that no Answer was given me in relation to my Audience, and the Letters which I had to deliver; he excused the matter to me on account of the late Troubles, and assured me, that the Czar would soon come to Lastolitz, as indeed he did the first day of November. As soon as I heard of his arrival, I went to see his Favourite, and demanded Audience; he did not carry himself like his Kinsman, but treated me with Brandy, and all the Conversation passed in drinking; all that I could gather from this Drunkard, was, that I should have Audience in three days, after which I might depart when I thought fit; but before that time came about, he fell into disgrace, and I was obliged to take other measures. The Office of Dommith Diak, or Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, was at that juncture given to one Emilian; this Name, which in the Sclavonian Tongue signifies a Claw or Talon, befits him well; for he is very covetous, and lets nothing slip that comes within the reach of his Talons. Though this man was one of the great Galischin's Creatures, and owed his Fortune to him, being originally but a mean Notary, yet he was one of the first to traduce the memory of his Benefactor; and taking a pique against me for not addressing myself to him for leave to depart, but always to Galischin, the Czar Peter's Favourite, as soon as he saw him in disgrace, he refused to execute the Command which Galischin had persuaded the Czar to give him, concerning me; viz. to tell me, That either I must stay for my Audience till Twelfth-day, or (following the King of Poland's Orders, who apprehended the consequence of these Troubles) might be gone when I pleased. Nay, he took occasion to excuse himself to the Czar Peter, by persuading him that I ought to be detained for a while; insinuating that the King of Poland had sent me to Moscow only to negotiate with the Prime Minister, and to assure the Princess and Galischin of his Protection; and as a ground for such a Suspicion, he urged, that contrary to the usual custom in this Country, and the honour of my Character, I had made several private Visits to that Prince. Being informed of all that passed, I bethought myself of an Expedient, viz. To offer some Money underhand to Emilian for leave to depart, which he having promised to give me for 100 Ducats, instead of sending them to him, as had been agreed betwixt him and the Person I had employed, I went under pretence of paying him a visit to carry the Money myself; now my Friend Harthemonerrich, to whom I disclosed the matter, popped in upon him just at the time this Secretary had appointed me to come, and I had the pleasure to tell him my mind very roundly in this young Lord's presence; for I knew what mettle the Moscovites are made of; that they understand nothing of Civility or Honesty, and therefore 'tis in vain to deal with 'em upon those Terms, much less to beg a favour of 'em, because that makes 'em despise one; but they must be handled roughly when a man designs to bring 'em to reason. I told him the Law of Nations was violated in my Person; that I perceived the King of Poland was misinformed, when upon giving me my Commission, he assured me that the Muscovites were no longer Barbarians: That I was so weary of living among 'em, that I could wish I were allowed to buy a permission to return; but forasmuch as I had the honour to be the Minister of a great King, a Neighbour and Ally to the Czars, I could do no otherwise than give him advice, that I was hindered from obeying the Orders he had sent me, No longer to solicit an Audience, but with all expedition to leave the Country.  
After I had delivered myself to this purpose in Latin, which my Friend Harthemonerrick interpreted to him, and had taken off several Cups of Brandy and Sack to the Czar's Health, I took my leave of him, ordering a Polish Gentleman to give him the 100 Ducats, which I intimated were for his under Secretary, but he never durst touch 'em. Upon which I reported abroad how generous he was, being given to understand there was no other means of obtaining my Congé. Mean time the Czar Peter having recalled his Favourite Galischin to Court, I went to visit him, and congratulate his return. He told me, he was much surprised to hear that Emilian had not dispatched my Business according to the directions he had caused to be given him before he left the Court; that he would complain of it to the Czar, who thought I was gone already; and that since I had waited so long to no purpose to kiss His Majesty's Hand, he would take care I should have that honour.  
Two days after, I was well pleased to see two Gentlemen of the Czar's Bedchamber come to my House; the truth on't is, these same Gentlemen have nothing but the Name, they are very inconsiderable People, and have nothing to live upon but a Pension from the Czar of 200 Liures per Ann. After their customary Ceremonies, which are making many Signs of the Cross, and bowing their Heads to some Picture of the Virgin, which is always placed in a Corner, they saluted me, and enquired in the Czar's Name how I did; to which I having answered by Cups of Brandy in abundance, they told me the Czar had a mind to see me, to make me some Present, and defray my Charges since my coming to Moscow, to the day I should leave it; that in the mean time he had sent me his Dinner. I replied, I would not fail to acquaint the King of all the marks of distinction the Czar should honour me with, which was punctually performed. This Dinner consisted of a piece of smoked Beef of 40 pound weight, several Dishes of Fish dressed with Oil of Nuts; half a Pig, a dozen of Pies half baked, made of Meat, Garlic and Saffron, and three great Flagons of Brandy, Sack, and Honey. 'Tis easy to guests from this Bill of Fare, that the best part of the Treat was the honour that was done me in so extraordinary an Entertainment.  
Next day came another Gentleman to give me notice to get ready for my Audience the next day; but instead of the Audience, I was told, the Czars being then going a Pilgrimage together, I could not have the honour of seeing them till they came back. Upon which I went presently to Galischin's House, where I found Harthemonerrick. They both questioned me how I liked the Dinner which the Czar sent me, I made answer, that to my misfortune, the French Cooks had so debauched my Palate, that I could not relish the Russian Dainties. Now they having formerly expressed a desire of tasting a French Ragoust, I invited them to an Entertainment of mine next day, which they accepted of, upon condition none should be there but their Friends, whom I desired 'em to invite themselves; they were the Danish Commissary, and some other Merchants, at whose Houses they now and then go to drink to save their own Wine. They both seemed so well pleased with this Repast, that they sent several Dishes home to their Wives, and carried away with them, without any Ceremony, all the dried Sweetmeats, assuring me they had never fared so well in their lives, and that erelong they would make me amends at their Houses. Three days after, Harthemonerrick invited me to dine with him, and treated me very nobly. 'Twas in their time of Lent, which began the day before; so the Treat was of Fish catcht in the Caspian Sea, and the Wolga. To show me the more honour, he brought in his Lady, and presented her to me; I saluted her after the French Fashion, and she drank to me in a Cup of Brandy, and then gave it me to pledge her. She's the only Woman in the Country that never uses any Paint, and indeed she's pretty handsome.  
Prince Galischin was to have been with us; but the young Czar having sent for him in the Morning, we contented ourselves with drinking his and some other Healths till Midnight. The Guests were the same that were at my House. This young Lord has a great deal of Wit, speaks Latin well, loves Reading, is mightily pleased to hear▪ talk of what is doing in Europe, and has a particular inclination for Foreigners. I persuaded him to learn French, assuring him that being but two and twenty years old, he would easily be Master of it, and then might satisfy with ease his Passion for Books; all good Author's Ancient and Modorn being turned into that Language. He is Son of Athemon, a Lithuanian, and had a Scotch Woman to his Mother. He learned Latin of a Pole, whom his Father was allowed to carry with him in his Exile. He was disgraced by Theodore, whose Prime Minister he was; after the Death of that Prince, being both recalled, he had the grief just after their return from Banishment to see his Father assassinated in the Rebellion raised by Couvanki. The Czars had now been returned from their Pilgrimage three days, and hearing nothing farther, I sent to young Galischin to know what I was to expect; he answered that the Council not judging fit to grant me an Audience before Twelfth-day, I was at my liberty either to go or stay, and that every thing was ready, go when I would. I was not a little surprised at this alteration; but understanding by the Danish Commissary, that the Naraskins taking it ill that I had never paid them a Visit, and being jealous of the Entertainment I gave to Galischin, who began to decline in the Czar's favour, had taken such measures with Emilian, that the Czar had changed his Resolutions which that Favourite had inclined him to in my favour. I gladly accepted of an offer to be dismissed, and the more willingly, for that I had done the business I came into the Country about; little valuing the Audience that was promised me, and even less the Honour they pretended I should receive in seeing the Czars. Besides, I was perfectly tired of the behaviour of these Barbarians, and heartily dissatisfied with having beheld in spite of me so much disorder and mischief as happened while I stayed there, not daring to stir abroad, and having no other Company than my Pristave, who was a man of Sense, 'tis true, and very agreeable in Conversation, and would have diverted me more, and lessened the uneasiness I underwent, had he been more open and free, and had not been restrained through fear, as one may easily judge, from discovering to me many curious Passages which he knew very well, and particularly concerning the Court, which have escaped my knowledge; and I am not a little vexed at it, for they would have been worth inserting into these Memoirs. I declared my Resolution by him to the Ministers, and two days after, being the 16th of December, set out for Poland with the same Attendance that came with me. The 20th, betimes in the Morning I reached Smolensko, and without delay presently went to pay my Respects to the Palatin, from whom I received a thousand Civilities; thence I continued my Journey with the same Pristave, Interpreter and Soldiers, as far as Kasime, from thence to Vilna, and so to Warsaw, where I arrived Jan. 3. 1690. The reason of my making so much expedition, was, because the most convenient Season for travelling in Muscovy is the Winter; for that Country lying the lowest in Europe, and consequently being Marshy, in the Summer one can't go above four or five League's a-day, and often one must cut Wood to make Bridges to pass over the Marshes and Little Streams; for their Causeys, of which some are laid with Wood for 10 or 12 Leagues in length, are very ill kept, and frequently unserviceable; whereas in Winter they travel in Sleds, where a man lies as in a Bed, drawn by a single Horse over the Snow at a good rate; thus one may go Night and Day for 15 or 16 hours, and make a Germane League an hour with ease.  

The State of Muscovy from 1682. to 1687.  
THE Czar Theodore Alexerwich, Son of the Czar Alexis Sancuelimich died in the 22d year of his Age, leaving no Issue behind him. His Brother John and the Princess Sophia were of the same Venture; 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, Proclaimed and Crowned 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 died of it. This Princess being ambitious of the Government, and well foreseeng that she might make herself Absolute Mistress of so great an Empire, because of the Weakness of John, and the Minority of Peter, who would 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 Ambition, or all out of general discontent to see themselves governed by a Woman, she prevailed upon Couvanski to be of her Party, and raised the Estreles, a kind of Militia, like the Janissaries 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 showed herself, they would have gone on to cut off the Innocent with the Guilty, and increased the number of the Dead for the sake of plundering them; The Boyars, or Senators, and the Patriarch interposed likewise to stop the effusion of more Blood; and the heat of their fury being allayed, the Czarvuich Peter Alexerwich was crowned 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 would rather have had the Crown upon 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 publicly 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 resolved 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, Precedent of the Chamber of these Soldiers, was her Creature, and so by open force she raised this great Body of Troops, Crowned and proclaimed 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 hoped that now all Troubles were at an end, and that every thing would rest in a perfect Calm; but there were Factions formed in the Militia, which is composed partly of Estreles, and partly of the Citizens, 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 clothes, 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 allowed, 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 renewed 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 Germane 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 lose his Estreles to plunder and murder all that were not of his Party, upon pretence of their being concerned in the death of the late Czar; the Chief Physician to the Deceased Theodore, accused of poisoning his Master, was cut in pieces; the Grand Chancellor Vrrenimik 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 passed at Moscow, sent to compliment the Boyar Couvanski for the Zeal he had shown in revenging the death of her Brother, assuring him that she was obliged to him for it; this she did out of policy to wheedle a Madman, who was to be feared with his Sword in his hand; at the same time these. Cajolements were of very ill consequence in the end, and produced other Effects than she imagined: The Boyar believed, that after what he had done for her, and these Expressions of her Friendship and Acknowledgements, he might venture to do any thing, even to take the Crown; the thing appeared to him very easy and feasible, he saw that the Massacres he had caused to be committed of all the most Considerable Noblemen, who had Interest and Power, and consequently might have stood in his way, were approved, nay that he was thanked for his pains; he concluded, not without reason, that the Militia were entirely at his devotion, after having indulged them in their Plundering; he persuaded himself that not a man of them but would blindly undertake any thing he should 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 would value Courage and Merit, and know how to recompense them: In fine, he determined to push his Fortune, but he considered, that to accomplish his Ends with greater decency, 'twas expedient for him to make an Alliance with the Czarian Family, which would better disguise his Designs, and give some colour to the execution of them, when he should attempt it. He proposed then a Marriage between his Son and the Princess Catherine, younger Sister to the Princess Sophia; but his boldness had not that success he expected, the Court was displeased at the insolence of the Offer, and reflecting that such an Alliance could not but be prejudicial to the safety of the young Czars, the Princess Sophia herself 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 caused to be murdered, and was first persuaded that he ought to be dispatched and punished 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 Birthday it is, makes a Feast, and receives the Compliments of the Nobility; the Court resolved to celebrate in Trinity Convent the Feast of St. Catherine, whose name that Princess bore, which the Boyar Couvanski designed 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 approved of; mean time 'twas contrived how to rid themselves of this Aspirer to the Throne, the Prince Boyar Bazile Basilervick Galischin, of whom we shall have occasion to speak further in the Sequel of our Story, advised not to delay the matter; and accordingly there was no time lost, for he was waylaid by 200 Horsemen in the Road to Trinity. Convent, was seized and carried into a House, where his Sentence was read to him, and both he and his Son beheaded. The Estrels were astonished when they first heard of it, it stunned 'em like a Clap of Thunder, but they soon recovered out of their Surprise, and grew furious and enraged, they ran up and down, and exclaimed they had lost their Father, and protested solemnly and unanimously they would take Vengeance upon his Murderers and all their Adherents of what Quality soever. They possessed themselves instantly of the Arsenals and Ammunition, and seemed to threaten a general Destruction. The Court perceiving the danger the State was in, raised the other Forces, who have ever born an implacable hatred to the Estreles, and commanded the Germane Officers, who are very numerous among 'em, to render themselves without delay at Trinity-Convent. Every one of 'em obeyed their order, left their Wives and 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 dwelled in the Suburbs of Moscow, in that part called Kakouvi, and the Estreles really went thither in their first Fury, with design to butcher all they met with; but they were restrained 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 disposed to grant, for in truth they had no great Stomach to new Broils. So the Militia first killed their Colonels and other Officers, and then sent Messengers to Court to ask Pardon; they obtained it without much difficulty, and immediately the Czars came to Moscow, accompanied by the Nobility and the Germane 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 raised themselves up, conducted the Czars to the Palace, and poured out Tears of Joy to see their Princes returned 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 designed should make as good a Figure as the rest of Europe. He speaks Latin very correctly, and is mightily pleased 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 nothing but merit, and preferred none but such as he judged 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 Ringleaders, and banished others. Four Regiments were formed 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 ukrain, and the fourth to Sueska in the same Province. This Affair being settled, Prince Galischin seized 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 managed by a Boyar Senator of the Prekaz Bialtouski, or Office of the White Roupee, in which the Affairs of the Cosaques and of the ukrain, are commonly decided. The Chancellor pitched upon Telickelavitau, a Wealthy man, and one of the under Secretaries of State, to be 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 conferred 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 undertake, were filled up with Persons who would be willing to be his Creatures, and not his Colleagues. This procedure drew upon Prince Galischin, the hatred of all the Noble Families, to see themselves excluded from their Prerogatives, and obliged 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 judged most for his advantage. He advised the making of a General Peace with the Swedes, whose Ambassadors being then at Moscow, had all their demands granted. Some years after the Conclusion of this Treaty▪ the Imperialists and Poles were engaged in a War with the Turks. The first would 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, composed 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 detained in Poland by the Death of his Brother; but the other five arrived 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 ukrain, or Country of the Cossacks, to the Duchy of Smolensko, and other Territories conquered by the Muscovites; and the Czars obliged themselves to make War upon the Precops, and oppose their Incursions into Poland. This Agreement was solemnly ratified, 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 conferred 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' Bedchamber was sent into France and Spain; he is of the most Ancient Family in the Country; he mightily admired the most Christian King, and has declared, that though 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 Country 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 prepared to take the Field in 1687, and enter the 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 imagined▪ 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 though the Army he commanded was formidable for Numbers, yet they were but a multitude of raw undisciplined 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 show of honouring him with the Title of Generalissimo.  
'Tis true, the Lords that pressed 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 lessened 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 determined 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 Cazan: The Domini of Woranin Irran Georharrich Lerrenteteau Woivode Dartaolski, General of a small Body of Cossacks, and other light-armed Troops, who always march before the Army, and may properly be called 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 taxed 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.  
Prince Galischin obtained further, that his Son should be made his Colleague in the Chancellorship; which was a new Mark of the Princess' Esteem for him.  
The General Rendezvouz was appointed in the ukrain, in the Country of those Cossacks who are independent of the Hettman, and are commanded by Polkowniks or Colonels. The Forces of Moscow were quartered 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 ordered to be at their Stations by the first of March, the Soldiers marched all the Winter of 1686; and the first of May they mustered, and took the Field 300000 Foot, and 100000 Horse, and encamped beyond the River Marle: In a few days they began their March by the way of Poltaw, a Town belonging to the Hettman; and advanced 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 assured the 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 received the miraculous Image with all the Ceremonies requisite. June the 15th, they reached Samare-Rzeka, which as well as the other Rivers beforementioned, 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 encamped next at Tartarska-Rzeka, or River of the Tartars; from Tartarska-Rzeka they marched 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 informed the Sun had burnt up the Grass, so that there was no stirring further for want of Forage. The General greatly surprised at this News, was forced to alter his Measures; he changed the design of ruining the Cham with his 500000 men, to a speedy Retreat; and so he broke up from Kerachekesa, and came and pitched upon the Banks of the Boristhenes, both for the convenience of Foraging where the River had overflowed, 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 embarassed with so prodigious a Train to carry their Baggage, that I have heard the Germane 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 Wagons. '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 rendered more unfit for Service; for the Soldiers were forced to feed upon Saltfish half putrified, to keep Lent, which the Russians hold in August. Nevertheless a Detachment of 30000 men, headed by Levanti Romanorrick, Commander of the Forces of Serene, was ordered 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 marched 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, though 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 unturned to lay the blame of his Miscarriage upon the Hettman Juan Samuelerrich; and notwithstanding that he was powerful, and commanded all the ukrain, which revolted from the Poles in the Reign of Ladislaus the last of that Name, though he has 100000 of the Militia always ready to take the Field; yet Galischin, having the Princess on his side, contrived to ruin him. He wrote to Court, charged the Hettman with being the cause of all that had happened, and solicited an Order to depose him, and choose another into his Place. This Order being come, Galischin caused the Hettman to be seized 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, called Chatra, that is to say, the Tent of Justice, which in all the Russian Armies is constantly pitched 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 changed; 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, 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 dispatched to Levanti Romanorrick with Orders for him to secure the Hettman's Son, who was detached at the same time with Romanorrick; but some faithful Cossacks were got thither before him, and warned 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 encompassed his Tent, and would not permit him to be taken; but at length they suffered themselves to be prevailed upon, and so with a general Consent the Hettman's Son was put into Romanorrick's Hands, who being proud of his Prey, and overjoyed that he had now an opportunity of repairing his Credit, which he had lost in a Skirmish with Sultan Naradin, near Kamiston upon the Nieper, returned 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 proclaimed 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 called to the Election, expressed their dislike of it; some Towns revolted, and some of the Colonel's Houses were pillaged in their absence: The new Hettman being minded to quell these Disorders, desired 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 Hettmen usually reside.  
The Order to disband the Army arrived soon after with a Letter from their Czarish Majesties, which was read in the presence of all the Officers, and very well pleased they were to hear themselves thanked for their good Services. Every General had a Golden Medal given him, having the two Emperors Effigies on one side, and the Princess' on the other, fastened 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 obtained of the Czars, or rather of the Princess, to be given to the Army, appeased the Murmurs that were raised through the Army against him. He likewise gained the Chief Noblemen by bestowing Employments upon them that reimbursed their Expenses; insomuch that at his arrival at Moscow he found no body against him; he was received 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.  
The first thing that Galischin proposed to the Council, was the Advantages that would arise from building a City upon the River Samare, in which might be stored up Ammunitions of all sorts: The matter being approved, 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 marked out by a Dutch Colonel and Engineer, named Wausale, these Forces met at Niski, and marched to Samare by the last day of May. In a Month's time the City was finished, for 'twas little better than an Entrenchment to stop the Incursions of the Tartars and Cossacks, and named Nowobogrodilla, or Town of our Lady the Widow: A Garrison was left in it, and the rest returned; 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 increase in his Absence, endeavoured 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 offered himself, judging rightly that 'twas more honourable for him to propose it voluntarily, than stay to see himself compelled 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 obtained what he thought fit to demand, 'twas resolved 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 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 excused from sending any Soldiers. The Preparations were more formidable than those of the preceding Campaign. But the People were not taxed 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 served 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 ordered all to march before the Frost was broke, beyond the River Marle, which was prudently ordered, because several Rivers that were to be crossed in that March, make great Inundations when the Thaw comes. The Foot were encamped on the other side of the River at the entrance of a Wood; the Cavalry was posted in the Towns that are situated on the Banks. After he had stayed for the Thaw, the Prince arrived and pitched his Tent on the further side of the River, April the 1st; the Generals did so likewise; and on the 6th they marched towards the Samare, where all the Forces joined.  
The Hettman Mezepa came thither likewise; on the 13th they all passed the River without delay, and advanced as far as Precop in a Month's time: The Baggage hindered 'em from making long Marches in a day, every Soldier carried with him Provision for four Months, besides what was distributed to them at Samare, and in the Deserts which they passed through; such a quantity of Provision very much encumbered 'em in their March; the Artillery consisting of 700 pieces of Cannon, and many Mortars, helped to delay them the more; at length they arrived at Keratchekesa, and there encamped. The Horses were put to graze, for the Grass was too short to be mowed, and the Troops reposed themselves till Midnight, at which time they were alarmed by a great Noise without the Camp, which the Neighing of Horses, and the Cries of Men, made very terrible. They believed they were surprised by the Tartars; but 'twas discovered that some Horses which had broke loose, and ran up and down, had caused this Disorder; next day they found that 6000 belonging to the Army of Moscow were run away into the Desert, though their Legs had been tied; whereupon they were obliged 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 decamped, and after some days arrived at Kairka upon the Boristhenes, where a Party took some Muscovite Tartars, of whom they learned 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 marched to Kairka Meschensa, where Prince Galischin ordered every Wagon to carry some Fascines, Palisades, and some Water, because there was no Wood any further. From thence they left the Boristhenes, and marched 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 marched 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 moved 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 charged the Vanguard of Schein, from thence, after some Skirmishes they wheeled on a sudden from right to left, and fell upon Cherremitau's Forces, who being overpowered, 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 forced to retire, and leave the Russians a free passage till they got to Thorna d'Oliva, where they encamped for the convenience of Water, the place being Marshy, and five Leagues distant 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 encamped at Kalantechek, a little River two Leagues from Precop, which rising in the Desert, 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 passed the Boristhenes at Assenan Kirman, a Town seated on that River belonging to the Turks. The 16th the Army decamped and moved 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 obliged to halt.  
They stared 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, fenced in with strong Palisades, which were brought in the Wagons. The Foot and Artillery defended the Camp so strenuously, that the Tartars could not break into it. The Horse were not entrenched, which invited three or four Detachments of Tartars, of 1000 Horse each, to Charge them; they were no sooner attacked but they fell into disorder, and the Baggage was very serviceable to them, for from thence the Cannon and small Shot galled 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 charged the Cossacks of Sont and Akrerko, who were commanded by Emilian, Everecunau Dominidiak, or Secretary of State; he knew little what belonged 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 drawing off their Wagons; the Enemy pierced as far as the Centre of those Wagons, and carried off twenty Pieces of Cannon, which they found mounted upon Carriages, and Horses harnessed to them. In short, if the Boyar Rouka had not advanced with his Troops, the Cossacks had been entirely cut off. Cherremitau was attacked at the same time by another Body of Tartars, who broke in as far as his Baggage, but it must be owned he defended himself much better than Emilian, and forced the Tartars to retire. He behaved 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 succoured. In these Skirmishes the Tartars being repulsed, though the Advantage and some Plunder fell to them, the Muscovites moved forwards to get to some fresh Water; so the next day they marched to Kalentchek, and forasmuch as they had found it inconvenient for the Cavalry to keep at a distance from the Baggage, they were ordered to mingle with the Wagons and Carriages, and all the Army, which till then had been divided, joined into one Body with 200000 Wagons, 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 marched in this order, the Tartars appeared again, and having viewed 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 passed the River, and saw no Tartars, which encouraged several Muscovites to leave the Baggage, and ascend the Hills to discover Precop, which appeared in Flames; for the Tartars had set Fire to the Suburbs lest the Muscovites should have possessed themselves thereof. The 16th they marched straight on to Prerop, and sat down within Canonshot of the Town, having the Black-Sea on their right, and the Desert on the left: They made no Shot from the Town, because 'twas too far to do Execution, but they fired incessantly from a Tower that stands on the Shore of the Black-Sea. 'Twas about Ten or Eleven a Clock when the Muscovites arrived here, and they thought of attacking Precop in the Night; but in the Evening, when the Officers came for Orders, they wondered 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 encamped pretty nèar the Town, the Nogays and Kalmouches Tartars, Subjects to the Muscovites, skirmishing often with the Precopians, a Nogay, who served the Cham, saw by chance a Muscovite of his Acquaintance, and called 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 believed the Cham was that way inclined, he might be disposed 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 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 liked the motion, and was very ready to return without coming to blows. Accordingly Galischin caused 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 passed 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 delivered to the first Tartar that appeared, was carried 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 answered, Yes; he sent Suilech Murza; and the Muscovites a Lord, named Esmeyan, in exchange for Hostages. The Treaty was set on foot. The Muscovites proposed 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 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 suspense till next day, well knowing so great a multitude could not long subsist there without Forage and Water: but the next day he answered, That the Cham would accept of a Peace upon no other Terms than those he was already engaged 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 encamped upon the Sandy Plain, resolved to retreat. For fear of being pursued, he took the Murza along with him as far as Kalantzek; and from thence sent him back, and received his own Hostage. This is a short Account of all this Campaign in the Crim.  
After this they marched for three weeks together to reach Samare; where leaving all the heavy Luggage behind them, they passed the River, and in six days more got to the River Marle. But in the mean time Prince Galischin dispatched 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 ordered public rejoicings 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 produced the greatest damage the Nation could ever suffer, in the Ruin of their General, which happened soon after his Return. I learned all that I have related, from the King of Poland's Ministers, who have resided at the Czars' Court, and followed 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 ventured in disguise to go about the City, and even to Trinity-Convent.   

A Relation of the Troubles in Moscow, occasioned 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 informed themselves of the truth of the matter, and rendered him odious to the Czar Peter. He was refused Audience, and hardly, through the intercession of the Prncess, could 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' Liberality gave occasion to new Commotions. She had a mind to distribute among the Boyars considerable Presents in recompense of the good service they had done to the Empire; but the Czar opposed it, and would inquire 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 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 used to be bestowed in Muscovy; the Czar always gave a Royal Vest to those they would honour, but no more.  
Galischin governed with his usual Power; and being aided by the Princess, undertook a bold attempt. Ever since the Hettmen were under the Muscovites Dominions, they never entered 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 ordered 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 disguised in the nighttime, accompanied by a Germane Physician of the Czar's who assured him of the King of Poland's Protection. The Czar Peter was then at one of his Country-Houses, called Obrogensko, situate upon the River Yarus, a 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 would 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 followed the wise and moderate Counsels of Galischin; she reflected on the difficulty she met with in procuring him a disgraceful Audience; was concerned at it, and the Reproaches that were made him; and though she had gained her Point in getting the Czar to consent she should bestow her Bounty as she pleased; 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 ruled the State without control, according to her fancy, for several years; she judged rightly, that for the future she should not be so Absolute; and that the best she could expect, was to have her Authority lessened, as her Brother's increased, and guessed 'twas upon that account he did not directly deny her; but that in process of time, instead of conferring Favours upon her, 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 obliged 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 herself 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 bestowed those Presents on the Army, though under colour of rewarding their Services; for she thought they would think themselves more obliged to her upon the score of such valuable Gifts, than they could have been to the Czar for a Vest, with which his Predecessors used to gratify 'em. She assured 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 prevailed upon by these Reasons; and though he was prudent and discreet, and naturally averse to all violent Counsels, he no longer opposed her design; he desired only, before she put it in execution, that he might send his eldest Son into Poland upon a feigned 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 overruled 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 determined at last to give the Blow; and pitched upon Theodore Thekelavitau for the purpose; he was Precedent of the Chamber of Estreles, and was raised by the Princess from a mean Scrivener to be an Akalnik or Sword-bearer, a Dignity next to that of Boyar Senator. This Theodore promised to execute the Princess' 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 Colonel Rojannau; Theodore put himself 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, resolved not to slain their hands with their Prince's Blood; and stealing off, they ran and gave notice to the Czar Peter, who in a dreadful Consternation leaped out of bed, sent for his Uncles, his Mother's Brothers, and consulted in all haste what was to be done. 'Twas resolved to send to the City to inquire into the certainty of the matter; one of the Czar's Uncles, and Prince Borice, were dispatched upon this Errand, who in their way met Thekelavitau at the head of his Estreles; they hid themselves whilst they passed by them, and then hastened 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 followed by some faithful Servants, he fled towards Trinity-Convent. The Conspirators being arrived, searched all about for the Czar; but the Estreles of the Prince's Guard knowing nothing of the matter, and amazed at his sudden flight, told their Precedent or Judge that his Majesty was gone with all the speed he could.  
Thekelavitau having missed his aim, next day returned to the Princess, whom he found no less concerned than himself at their disappointment. Every body in Moscow was astonished 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 wronged her extremely in thinking she could harbour so black a design as to kill her Brother. This Excuse of Relieving the Guards appeared a weak one to most people, for they usually relieved them in the daytime, 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 published throughout the Empire Thekelavitau's Attempt, they came in to him from all Parts, and in less than eight days he had a numerous Body of the Gentry about him; immediately he sent Orders to Galischin to attend him at Trinity-Convent, but he excused 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 called together all the Piecestniks and Diecestenites, Subaltern-Officers, who on such occasions can prevail more with the Soldiery than their Colonels; and having ordered 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 retired 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 marched to Trinity, and assured the Czar Peter of their Fidelity; which the Princess having considered, and that most of the Boyars had joined with Peter, she resolved to make her Peace with him; to which end she sent to her Brother two of his Aunts, his Father's Sisters, 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 encouraged 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 allege for their Confinement, should be laid to her Charge; and lest those who envied her, and were tired with her Administration, should make use of them to oblige her to return to her Monastery. Besides these three already named, 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, named Marfia, or Martha. This Princess was so frighted at being forced to follow her Husband in his Flight by Night, almost naked, to escape being murdered, (which had unavoidably happened, 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 ruined the Princess' Party.  
To return to our Story; The two Aunts, and the Princess' Sister, went to Trinity in hopes of reconciling their Nephew and Niece; being come before the Czar, they beseeched him not to give credit to those Rumours which had frighted him: They assured 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 panic 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 way concerned 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 Aunt's Negotiation, and not knowing what course to take, applied herself to the Patriarch, expressed her Grief to him, and so wrought upon him, that the good Man offered himself for a Mediator: He went that very day to the Czar Peter, told him his Errand, and said all that can be imagined to beget a Reconciliation betwixt him and his Sister; but he was strangely surprised, 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 extremely troubled him, and he judged 'twould not be amiss for him to tarry at Trinity-Convent till the Affair was cleared up, and things better settled; at the same time he published 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 resolved that the Akalnik Thekalavitau should be secured in the Palace, and that the Abbot Silvester should be saved; and then she herself, accompanied by Prince Galischin, and all her Friends, took her way towards Trinity-Convent, to endeavour to appear 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 received. The Princess being of opinion 'twas dangerous for her to stir any further, and that her Brother would give her a very ill Reception, returned to Moscow. Next day the Estreles and Germane made their appearance at Trinity-Convent; the Boyars met and resolved 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 marched directly to the Imperial Palace, and there demanded loudly that Fiska Thekelavitau should be delivered to him; for after the Treason was discovered, they no longer called 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 bend to take him, and considering the ill Consequences of her interposing too far, she delivered up. Fiska and his Adherents. The Criminals loaded with Chains, were carried 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, determined 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 Councillor and Favourite; Esmayan his Creature, who was Commissary-General to the Army; and a particular Friend of his, named Kassantau; but the Gate of the Convent was shut against him and his Friends; and after he had been refused Entrance, there were Guards sent back with him and his Followers, with Orders not to let them stir out of their Houses.  
As soon as Fiska was brought to Trinity, he was carried into a Great Hall, in which the Czar had called together the Boyars; he was examined for four Hours, and thence conducted to a Tower in the Convent, where he was tortured, or rather whipped. They call this Punishment Kenouse; the Malefactor is tied upon a strong Man's Back, who stands upright, and lays his Hands upon a Benoh as high as his Head. Thus the condemned 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 lame most that suffer; then they tied his Hands behind his Back, and hoist him up, and the Executioner lashed 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 confessed that he was to have killed the Czar, his Mother, and her three Brothers. Upon this they carried him back to Prison, from whence he wrote to the Czar Peter, and acquainted him at large with all the particulars of the Conspiracy; pleaded that he was overpersuaded to this cruel Enterprise, and named the Persons that put him upon it. The Czar, though fully satisfied of his Sister's Barbarity, would not publicly 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 examined. They gave them the Question, or extraordinary Torture, which is more severe than the former. They shaved their Heads, and having tied them fast, they poured boiling Water drop by drop upon their Skulls, which put them to such intolerable Pain, that they immediately acknowledged their Crime, and discovered their Accomplices, as Fiska had done: Two days were spent in consulting how to punish the Criminals. Prince Galischin, his Son, and Friends, were condemned to Banishment, and the Sentence was read to them by a Secretary of State at the foot of the Stairs. He stood up to hear it, encompassed with the Guards, who brought him from his House. And this was the Form of it:  
You are ordered by the Czar to go to Karga, a Town under the Pole, and remain there as long as you live, removed from, and in Disgrace with his Majesty; whose Goodness nevertheless is such, that he allows you Three Pence a day for Subsistence. His Justice ordains that all your Goods be forfeited to his Treasury.  
The miserable Prince having bowed his Head, and only answered, That 'twas hard for him to justify himself to his Majesty, retired, and was conducted to the place of his Exile by a Colonel. A Secretary of State was dispatched to Moscow to seize upon his Palace, and make an Inventory of what was in it. They found there very rich Movables; a hundred thousand Ducats in a Trunk, buried in a Vault, which were thought to be the Spoils of the Hettman Jean Samevelewick; four hundred Vessels of Silver, weighing forty Pounds each, and some Money. The Wife of this Prince, and his Son's Wife, were banished with them; but they were not admitted to take any thing with them; thirty Roubles was all that these four Persons were allowed.  
Galischin being disposed of, the Boyar Romanorrich, Woywode of Serene, was brought to the foot of the Stairs, and condemned 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 charged to confine himself at home till further Order. Kassantau was turned out of all his Places, and confined 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 lived. 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 whipped, 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.  
All these Executions being over, the Czar Peter acquainted the Princess with what he had done, and desired her to leave the Palace, and retire into a Monastery, which she had built out of Town; but she refused to comply with his request, not being able to prevail with herself to enter into a place for Life, from whence she had cunningly delivered herself contrary to Custom; she liked better to retreat into Poland, of which the Czar being informed, he sent Order to the Commander of the Estreles to Conduct her either willingly, or by force, to the Monastery, 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 returned to Moscow, and made his Entry on Horseback; there was nothing remarkable in it, but 18000 Estreles of his Guards armed. 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 embraced; Peter asked John to be Friends; and he that answered for him, having assured him he was so, each retired 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 confined and shut up for the rest of her Life, with eight hundred Religious Women, whom she had caused to come from Kiovia, with design to make herself 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 show, That the Troubles that Court has been embroiled 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, tumors upon her Legs, and is at least forty Years old. But though her Shape be deformed, her Judgement is regular and piercing; and though she never read Machiavelli, 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 herself with the Administration of the Government, and had not attempted to rid herself of her Brother Peter, no body durst have formed a Party in Favour of the Czar Peter against her. Towards the end of the Czar Theodore's Reign, the Princess Sophia having those Qualifications we have mentioned; and foreseeing that Prince could not live long in his infirm State of Body, she contrived 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 obliged 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 administering to him in his Sickness, which she did, not suffering any body to come near him, nor give him Medicines but herself; for she wisely considereed, that the more she did for him, the more she should be beloved, both by the Czar himself, and every body else. Thus she insinuated herself into the good Opinion of the Grandees, to whom she carried herself very obligingly, and won the People's 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 determined never to return to her Confinement, she thought her best way would be to make herself absolute Mistress; which Design being not to be carried on without a considerable number of Friends, she pitched 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 seemed well enough pleased 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 declared Enemy 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, poisoned him. When thinking himself sure of the Crown, and fearing no body, he was taken and punished for his Temerity and Cruelties; as we have related at large already.  
The Death of this Rebel, gave rise to the Princess' Regency, who conferred the Office of Grand Chancellor upon her Favourite Galischin, in which Post never any Man in this Country governed 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.  
But Women being ingenious in such Affairs, she found means to make him persuade his Wife to go into a Monastery; in which Case, according to the Religion of the Muscovites, the Husband being of too Sanguine a Constitution to live unmarried, obtained 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 resolved, to secure the Crown entirely to herself. The Prince more Politic 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 discovered, and give occasion to some Malcontent to raise such a Sedition as Couvanski had done, under Colour of revenging their Deaths, and endanger 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 readily inclined 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 lose 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 Reunion 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 Wife's Incontinence, and show 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 confined 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 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 liked; 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, proved a Girl; mean time Peter's Friends being acquainted with the roguery, cast about how to Counterplot 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 spite of the Princess. This bold Stroke increased 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 succeed to his wish, hoping to engage the King of Poland to protect him, upon promising him to raise some Troops in his Kingdom, with which he designed 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 Germane 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 itself, 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 reduced 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 Politics, 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 accompanied 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 recall the Great Galischin. A Prince of more understanding than he, would have been shocked at least with this; but he readily promised 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 extremely upon his return, which so alarmed 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 conferred 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 disgraced, and their Places given to such Drunkards as himself; but he soon 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 lest expected, determined 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 turned 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 determined the Czar, who has no other Merit than Cruelty, to Banish this Favourite ignominiously; and he has since given Orders to put both the exiled Galischins to Death. Those that rejoiced 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 Brutish, and begin to destroy, contrary to all Policy and good 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 Catholic Religion: The Envoy of Poland is allowed a Chapel indeed, but he obtained 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 at home, and permitted Strangers to come into, or go out of the Kingdom, which before his time was never allowed. ' 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 received the Jesuits into Moscow, with whom he very often conversed; 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 the Emperor, who is now in Poland for the Emperor of China. If I should set down all that I have learned concerning this Prince, I should never have done. 'Tis sufficient to say, That he designed to people Deserts, 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 covered 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 called 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 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 contrived 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 bath themselves in places built on purpose, and made so excessive hot, that no body but they could support it. Men and Women mingle together in those Bagnio's which usually stand upon the Waterside, 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 named; nor Pigeon out of Superstition, because the Holy Ghost is represented to us under that Figure. The Men are clothed much like the Poles; those that are Rich, in Winter wear Cloath-Gowns brought from Holland, lined 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 dressed 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 Stones. Their Gowns or Sultanaes' in Winter are made of Stuffs flowered with Gold, lined with Sables, and in Summer of Chinese Damask. They wear no Hair in their Head-dresses. They walk very uneasily, for their Shoes are made like Sandals, and too big for their Feet. They paint their Faces, shave their Eyebrows 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 harnessed 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 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 lined within with Velvet, and broad Galoons: They are drawn by Six Horses, whose Harness is covered with Velvet. Those Sleds that are covered, are made like a Coach with Glasses, covered on the outside with Red Cloth, and within with Sables: They lie 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 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 happened fifty years ago.  
The Czar▪ Peter is very tall, and pretty well shaped, 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 drowned sometimes, when the holes are not froze over again hard enough to bear 'em. Now and then he causes the Great Bell to be tolled, 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 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 occasioned 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 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 concerned in this Country to see people murdered daily in the streets. They eat so greedily, that they are forced to sleep three hours at least after dinner, and go to bed as soon as they've supped; 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 lie 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 called Archischismatical, for 'tis so full of horrible Superstitions, which their Ignorance has introduced 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 threshed 'em sufficiently, to put 'em upon their heads again very orderly.  
The Patriarch of Muscovy resided formerly at Kiovia, but the Muscovites have obtained since that City surrendered to 'em, that his Seat should be transferred to Moscow. This Patriarch is usually chosen from among the Metropolitans, and confirmed by the Czar. He cannot be deposed 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 on Horseback. Their Cross is carried before them by a Footman, who always is bareheaded; for let the Wether be as 'twill, the Servants that according to custom walk before their Masters, are never covered. 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 performed in the following manner. All the Clergy in magnificent Copes, most of them edged 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 adorned with Gold, Jewels, and Chaplets or Bead-rolls of Pearls, others great Crosses richly adorned likewise, and so heavy, that some are carried by four Priests. Then 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 enchased in four Pound of Gold, for these people value no Work but what is weighty. After these come the Abbots, followed by the Metropolitans, and last of all at some distance comes the Patriarch, having his Bonnet on, thick set with Pearls, and fashioned, 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 obliged to march sometimes through the dirt, which he remedied by causing all the Streets to be planked, for there's no 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 Paralytic, spends his Life in them, though 'twould be more to his Credit not to show 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, though 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 some Images, or places where they ought to be. Their Priests are married, but must not lie with their Wives the Night before their Festivals. The Bishops and Abbots are obliged to live single. When a Roman-Catholick turns to their Religion they baptise 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 Oil, 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 Chapel, and maintains in it as many Monks as he can afford. There are in Moscow Twelve hundred Churches built of Stone, 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 covered 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 height, and a Foot and a half thick; they have shaved 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 Duchess, 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 Cloisters, several of which hold a hundred Religious, who live in great Plenty and perfect Ignorance. There are likewise many Convents for Nuns. All sorts of Religions are permitted in Muscovy, except the Catholic, 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 looked in, used 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 altered now from what it was; the Sables were little known there formerly, and they dealt only in ordinary Furs, except Ermines, which they exchanged for such Goods as they wanted. But the Grandfather of the present Czars, Basile Bazillewik, Surnamed the Tyrant, (he was justly so called, 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 drowned); having conquered the Kingdoms of Astrakan and Cazan, discovered at length part of that vast Country, since called Ziberia, which in the Sclavonian Tongue signifies a Prison, because that Cruel 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 Martin's; and also of a Way to China through those vast Deserts, covered with impassable and unknown Woods, which probably stretch as far as the frozen Sea, by advancing still forward, and penetrating further in chase 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 adventured with success, and arrived at Archangel, a Port situated in the Sea or Gulf of St. Nicholas. The Czar hearing of it, granted them large Privileges, viz. To pay no Custom inwards and outwards, to engage them to settle a Trade. The Dutch being piqued at this Discovery, endeavoured all they could to break off this Agreement; but the Czar fearing the Establishment of Commerce with the English would be delayed by such a proceeding, forbid the Dutch to enter into the Port. And so the English remained sole Masters of this Trade, till the Death of King Charles I. of which this Prince, though a Barbarian, being informed, took away from the English out of Policy, though he termed it a Punishment for beheading their King, all their Privileges, 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 advantageously, 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 Caviar, which are Sturgeons Eggs, which they make up in Cakes, as thick as ones Finger, and as broad as one's 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 Archangel in July, and depart in September; they that stay longer, run the hazard to be lost. The passage from Bergen to Archangel, is commonly performed 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 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 Frigates, and crossed 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 designed 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 hard to compute their Value. He designed 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 enriching themselves.  
As to the Hunting of Sables, he made no Alteration in it; that is carried on by Criminals, who are banished into Ziberia; and Soldiers who are sent thither in Regiments, Commanded by a Colonel, 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 stained 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 for the Czar, which makes this Employment 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 banished out of his own Country, after having had his Nose cut off, for discovering to the Grand Signior, 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 retired first to the Elector of Brandenburg, who received 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 received 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 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 assured me he went his last Journey in five Months, with as much ease as he could have travelled in our parts of Europe. I earnestly desired to learn all particulars, as the Names of Rivers, Mountains, and Provinces through which he went; but I found him very shy and reserved, and that he durst not communicate himself freely to me, for fear it should come to be known that he had discovered a thing to me that the Czars would have kept secret; and lest his Complaisance to me in telling me all I desired, 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 shown 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, obliged the Muscovites, after the disgrace of Galischin, to forbid all other Foreigners to come into the Country; fearing lest if that Road should once be known, and easy to be travelled, the French would attempt it; who carrying thither 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 choose 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 which is directly contrary to the Treaty of 1686, in which 'tis expressly 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 ordered 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 hoped 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 hindered it underhand, by informing the Muscovites, that among the Twelve Jesuits were Father Auril and Beuvolier, Frenchmen, which the Most Christian King had sent thither to discover the way by Land to China. This made these Brutes declare 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 show '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.  
FINIS.