the human Species: Nor indeed have many of the Tyrants of the North done Honour to it, till the Time of PETER the Great. This Bell ufed alfo to be truck upon formerly when the Czar went to Bed to the GreatDutchefs, to warn the People to pray for the Conception of a Prince, for they made but little Account of a Daughter.

But to finish the Defcription of Moscow, the great Church of Saboor, is 96 Feet in Length, the Dome is fupported by four large Pillars, and here they fhew a Picture pretended to be painted by St. Luke, and alfo Chrift's Garment upon which the Soldiers caft Lots, concerning which, they relate several idle Miracles. It would be endlefs to defcribe every Church, among which, one was looked upon as fo magnificent a Structure by John Bafilowitz, the Tyrant, that he ordered the Eyes of the Architect, who built it, to be put out, that he might never contrive such another. If the City of Mofcow hath in it a furprizing Number of Churches, it abounds.no lefs in Brandy fhops, there being at least 4000 Cabucs, or Houfes where that, with Wine and other Krong Liquors are fold.

As to the Religion, Cuftoms, Manners and Trade of the Muscovites; I fhall mention them hereafter, when I come to speak of the great Reformation made in those and all other Matters in the Ruffian Empire.

The Hiftory of this extenfive Country, which was a great Part of the antient Sarmatia Europea, and Sarmatia Afiatica, is fo clouded with fabulous Relations, and fo deeply buried under the Ruins of Antiquity, and the

profound

profound Ignorance of its People, in Times paft, who fcarce held any Commerce with the other Parts of the World, nay, were forbad, on Pain of Death, to go out of their own Country or even converfe with Foreigners, without Leave of their Prince or Patriarch, that it is almoft impoffible to arrive at any Certainty with regard to the antient State of it. Let it fuffice, that they were formerly under the Government of feveral diftinct Princes, as the Kings of Aftracan, Cafan, Siberia, &c. and many petty Dukes, till reduced to the Obedience of one Monarch, at firft ftiled the Great Duke, afterwards Czar, and then Emperor.

Imperial Fa

Not being to write the Hiftory of the Coun- The prefent try, but of one great Prince only, I fhall gomily. no farther back for an Account of the prefent Imperial Family of Mufcovy, named Romanoff. than to the Grand-father of the Czar Peter I. and Great Grand-father of her prefent Czarian Majefty. His Name was Michael Feodo~ rowitz, (or Theodorowitz) Romanoff, being the Son of Feodore, (or Theodore) Nikititz. Romanoff, Patriarch of Mufcovy, who was marry'd to a near Relation of John Bafilowitz the Tyrant, by whom he had this Son proclaimed. Czar, in the Year 1613, who reigned 32 Years, and dying Anno 1645, was fucceeded by his Son Alexis Michaelowitz, Father to the Prince, whofe Life I have undertaken to give the Publick, feeing it hath been fo long, but vainly expected from the Pens of others, who might have been more equal to the Talks

Peter

1672

Peter the Great was born on the 11th of June 1672, of Natalia Carilowna Narafkin, The Birth fecond Wife to the aforefaid Alexis MichaeloPeter L.. witz, who a little before his Death, which was when Peter had fcarce arrived at five Years of Age, declared General Menefius, a Scotch-man, his Governor, a Perfon well qualified for that Employment, being thoroughly acquainted with all the Affairs of Europe, and fpeaking perfectly well all the European Languages; but the Commotions raifed, a few Years after, by the Princefs Sophia, who not being able to make Menefius abandon the Intereft of this her half Brother Peter, forced him to retire, and that Prince was thereby deprived of the Benefit he might have received from fò able a Preceptor: Yet we fhall fee, in the Course of these Sheets, that from the Strength of his own natural Genius, unaffifted by Letters, or any of thofe artificial Accomplishments, which other Princes acquire by Education, he was able to furpass them all; to: conquer foreign Countries, and, what is ftill greater, to new form his own, and unpolished as he was at first himself, to polish others, that were but one Degree removed from Savages.

M. Fontenelle tells us, "that the Inclination of this young Prince to military Exercifes began to fhew itself very early; he was pleafed, in his Infancy,, with beating the "Drum, and, what was much observed, he *would not amufe himself, as a Child, with

66.

a vain Noife, but to learn one of the Functions of a Soldier, it was that which he en❝deavoured to render familiar to him, which

he

he did effectually, in fo much, as fometimes to give Leffons to others.

Alexis Michaelowitz left, at his Death, Anno 1676 1676, two Sons, Theodore and John, and four Daughters, viz. Sophia, before-mentioned, Catharine, Mary and Sediaffa, by his first Wife; and one Son and one Daughter, viz. Peter and Natalia Alexowna, by a fecond Venter. Theodore, his eldest Son, fucceeded him; but he being of a very weak Conftitution, and foon falling into great Disorders in his Body, every one believed his Reign and his Life would have but a short Period. The Princess Sophia, a Lady of a Masculine Spirit and great Penetration, forefeeing this, contrived Means: how to get out of the Convent in which the was placed, notwithstanding the fettled Cufrom, at that Time, which obliged the Female Iffue of the Czarian Houfe to pass their Lives unmarried in fuch Confinement. To obtain her Ends, fhe pretended a more than. ordinary Affection for her Brother, and complained vehemently of her Unhappiness, in being reftrained from vifiting a Perfon whom fhe loved fo tenderly, and of not having the Liberty to attend him in his Sickness: When he was in the Fits of his Diftemper, the fent: every Moment to enquire how he did; and let no Occafion flip of teftifying her Love for him, and the great Grief the felt in being obliged to be abfent from him.

By thefe Methods, at length, having prepared the Way for what the defigned, the left her Convent under Pretence of ferving her: Brother, and adminiftring to him in his Sicknefs,, which he did conftantly with great Af

fiduity

Prince Gal

hePrincess's

fiduity, and feeming Tenderness, fuffering no one to come near him, or give him any Medicines but herself; for fhe wifely confidered the more she did for him, the more the fhould gain the Efteem not only of the Czar himfelf, but of every one about him.

Thus fhe infinuated herself into the good Opinion of the Grandees, whom the treated in a moft obliging Manner; and won the Hearts of the People by her affable Behaviour, studying to make her Conduct approved, and excuse her leaving the Convent. It might be supposed she would have contented herfelf with her Liberty, but, being refolved never more to return to Confinement, fhe concluded the best Way would be to make herself abfolute Mistress, which Design not being to be carried on without a confiderable Number of Friends to fupport her Interefts and Authority, fhe pitched upon Prince Bafil Bafilerwick Galliczin, as the fitteft Perfon to be the Chief of her Party.

Prince Galliczin was a Man of great Qualiiczin chofen ty, defcended from the laft Duke of Lithuania Favourite. of the Houfe of Jagelon: The Courtiers at first feemed well enough pleased with her Choice, imagining that he would only have the Name of Chief Minister, but share the Power with them; but this Prince, who was as artful as his Protectress, and had more Cunning than half the Nobility of Mufcovy put together, The Death found Ways to manage all Affairs as he pleased, of the Czar during the Reign of Theodore, who dying fudTheodore Pe- denly, in the 22d Year of his Age, Anno Brother. 1682, and leaving no Iffue behind him, 1682 named Peter, his youngest Brother, altho' by

ter's elder