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länded there, and the Proceffion began in the following Order.

1. A Company of Preobrazinski, led by Major General Gollowin. 2. The Cannon on their Carriages that was taken the last Winter near Vafa, by the Lieutenant General Prince Galliczin over the Swedish Major General Arenfeldt. 3. Sixty three Colours or Standards taken in the Action aforefaid, and the last Engagement. 4. Two hundred Swedish Subaltern Sea-Öfficers, Soldiers and Seamen. 5. Two Companies of Preobrazinski. 6. The Swedish Sea-Officers, Prifoners. 7. The Flag of the Rear-Admiral Ehrenfchild. 8. The Swedish Rear-Admiral Ebrenfchild. 9. The Muscovite Rear-Admiral, being the CZAR himfelf, with the rest of the Regiments of Preobrazinski.

As foon as his Majefty came under the Triumphal Arch, all the Senators, Grandees, and Foreign Minifters, repair'd thither to congratulate his Majefty upon his Victory, and the Governor of Moscow, in the Name of the Empire of Muscovy, complimented him on his Bravery, and thank'd him for his good Services. The Triumphal Arch was moft magnificently adorned, and reprefented divers Emblems: Among others was to be feen the Ruffian Eagle feizing an Elephant, with this Infcription; The Ruffian Eagle catches no Flies; [AQUILA NON CAPIT MUSCAS.] alluding to the Name of the Swedish Frigate called the Elephant. In this Order the Victorious and Vanquished proceeded to the Fortrefs, where the Vice-Czar Romadonoffki fitting on a Throne, furrounded by the Senate, caufed the Czar, as Rear-Admiral, to be called before the Affembly, and

received

received at his Hands a Relation in Writing of the Victory obtain'd. The fame being read by Romadonoffki and the Senators, they took it under Confideration, and propofed feveral Quetions to the Ruffian Rear-Admiral; after which, they unanimously declared him ViceAdmiral of Ruffia, in Recompence for his faithful Services done to his native Country, of which Proclamation being made, the whole Room refounded with Sdraftwi Vice Admiral Health to the Vice-Admiral.

The Czar, having returned Thanks, went on board his Sloop, on which he hoifted the Flag of Vice- Admiral, and having received many Compliments and Congratulations, went to Prince Menzikoff's Palace, where a noble Entertainment was prepared. After being rifen from Table, he fhewed particular Marks of Efteem to M. Ehrenfchild, and faid to all the Noble Ruffians ftanding about him; Here you jee a brave and faithful Servant of his Mafter, who has made himself worthy of the higheft Reward at his Hands, and who shall always have my Favour as long as he is with me, though be killed me many a brave Ruffian: I forgive it you, (faid he, turning to the Swede with a Smile) and you may depend on my good Will. Ehrenfebild having thanked the Czar, anfwered; However bonourably I may have acted with regard to my Mafter, I did but my Duty: I fought Death, [he had received feven Wounds] but did not meet it, and it is no fmall Comfort to me in my Misfortune to be a Prifoner of your Majesty, and to be ufed fo favourably, and with fo much Distinction, by fo great a Sea Officer, and now worthily ViceAdmiral. M. Ehren

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M. Ehrenfchild affirmed, that the Ruffians had fought like Lions, and that nothing but his own Experience could have convinced him, that the Czar had made fo good Soldiers of his ftupid Subjects. Such is the Effect of fevere. Difcipline, Time and Prudence. One of the Ships which had a Share in the Victory beforementioned, had been built at Petersburgh, and, launch'd there,, upon which Occafion, the Czar being on board his new Veffel, with feveral old Ruffians fitting about him, addreffed the following Difcourfe to them.

"Brethren, faid he, who is that Man among "you, who thirty Years ago could have had "only the Thought of being employ'd with "me in Ship Carpenter's Work here in the "Baltick; of coming hither in a German Dress "to fettle in these Countries conquered by our "Fatigues and Bravery; of living to fee fo "many brave and victorious Soldiers and Sea"men fprung from Ruffian Blood; to see our "Sons coming home able Men from foreign "Countries; to fee fo many outlandish Artifi"cers and Handicrafts Men fettling in our Do"minions, and to see the remotest Potentates "exprefs fo great an Esteem for us? The "Hiftorians place the ancient Seat of all Sci"ences in Greece, from whence being expell'd

by the Fatality of the Times, they spread "into Italy, and afterwards difperfed themselves "all over Europe, but by the Perverseness of "our Ancestors were hindered from penetra"ting any farther than into Poland; though "the Polanders, as well as the Germans, for"merly groped in the fame Darkness in which

"we

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"we have lived hitherto, but the indefatigable "Care of their Governors open'd their Eyes "at length, that they made themselves Masters "of thofe Arts, Sciences, and Improvements "of Life that formerly Greece boafted of It " is now our Turn, if you will feriously second my Designs, and add to your blind Obedi"ence a voluntary Knowledge, and employ "yourselves to the Enquiry of Good and Evil. "I can compare this Tranfmigration of Sciences " with nothing better than the Circulation of "the Blood in the human Body; and my "Mind almoft gives me, they will, fome Time "or other, quit their Abode in England, France, "and Germany, and come to fettle for fome "Centuries among us, and, perhaps, after"wards return again to their original Home "into Greece. In the mean Time, I earnestly "recommend to your Practice the Latin Say

ing, Ora & Labora, Pray and Work, and "in that Cafe be perfuaded, you may happen, " even in your Life-time, to put other civilized "Nations to the Blush, and to carry the Glory "of the Ruffian Name to the highest Pitch.

The old Ruffians heard this Harangue of their Monarch with a refpectful Silence, often crying out, Je Jeplauda, viz. that is true, adding, that they were all difpofed to follow his Orders, and to fet him before them for an Example; whether they were fincere or not, is another Question: However, this confirms the Judgment made of him, by Rear-Admiral Ehrenfchild, and the Idea that moft Men had of his great Capacity; the Extent of his Genius, and his fine Understanding. Those who had the

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Honour to be about him, could not but own that he was the moft judicious Minister, the most experienced General, Officer, and Soldier, in his Empire; the most learned of all the Ruffian Theologifts or Philofophers; very well verfed in Hiftory and Mechanics; an able Shipbuilder, and a good Sailor: And altho' in all the Arts he practised he had but mean Disciples, obftinate and illiterate, yet he fet them all on a good Foot, and difciplined his Troops in fuch a Manner, and brought them to fuch a Degree of Reputation, efpecially his Infantry, that there were no Troops in the World they would yield to.

The King of Things were in this State, when Charles XII. Sweden returns King of Sweden, return'd to his Dominions, to his Domi- after the most remarkable Action of Bender,

nions.

wherein, as M. Fontenelle fays, he had done more than ever Roman durft feign to do, he was carried Prisoner, by the Sultan's Order, to Adrianople, and kept for fome Time under Confinement in the Borough of Dimotica, 'till, by the Interpofition of the French Ambaffador, the Porte was prevailed on to use him with lefs Rigour. And he was then fent to a Village called Demirtafh, in Hopes the French Ambaffador would be able to difpofe him to leave the Turkib Dominions, and return Home by Sea; but he continued obftinate, and immoveably perfifted in his first Designs, feeding himself with vain Expectations, that, by his Intrigues at the Porte, he fhould be able to kindle a new War between the Czar and the Turk, but finding himself disappointed herein, and even flighted fo much by the Turks, that they paid him no Marks of Refpect, and, at laft, took from him

the