COXe’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.

626

by order of Boris Godunof *. The real circumftances of this aflaffination, being pur-pofely withheld from the public, are varioufly related : and the following particulars arealone unqueftionable. A body, fuppofed to be that of the young Prince, was foundweltering in its blood ; and certain perfons, confidered as the affaffins, were inftantlyput to death by the inhabitants of Uglitz. The account of the cataftrophe being trans-mitted to Mofcow, Boris Godunof, after circulating a report that Demetrius had, in afit of phrenzy, put a period to his own life, difpatched his creatures Vaffili Shuifki andCletchnin to inquire into the circumftances of his death. Plaving examined the body ofthe deceafed, they declared it to be that of Demetrius, and confirmed the report.Maria Feodorofna, accufed of grofs inattention to her fon’s Security, was compelled toaffume the veil, and confined in a convent; many inhabitants of Uglitz, who fpokefreely concerning the murder, were capitally punilhed; Some were imprifoned, and othersbanilhed.

Boris Godunof managed this horrid tranfa&ion with fuch art and fecrecy, that fcarcelyany fufpicions were entertained againft him, until thirteen years afterwards a perfonmade his appearance under the name of Demetrius: he declared that his mother, fuf-picious of the attempts againft her fon’s life, had removed him from Uglitz, and fubfti-tuted another child, who was affaffmated in his place; and that, being educated in aconvent, and concealed from the knowledge of his perfecutors, he had efcaped fromRuffia into Poland . Being there admitted into the Service of Wiefnovitfki, a Pole ofgreat diftin£tion,he discovered himfelf to that nobleman, who warmly efpoufed his cauSe.Boris Godunof, having received intelligence of this unexpe&ed claimant, dilSeminateda report, that the impoftor, who affumed the name of Demetrius, was a monk ftyledGregory or Griika Otrepief; and fpared neither threats nor bribes to obtain poffeffionof his perfon. When thefe expedients failed of fuccefs, he difpatched his emiffaries intoPoland to aflaflinate him. .

Wiefnovitlki, alarmed for the fafety of his fugitive, recommended him to the protec-tion of the fenator George Mnilhek Palatine of Sendomir, a nobleman of great confe-quence in Poland . Demetrius (if I may be allowed to call him by that name) being ac-knowledged by him the rightful heir of the Ruffian throne, was Soon afterwards betrothedin marriage to the Palatine’s daughter Marina, and, in the beginning of 1603, was in-troduced to Sigifmond III. King of Poland . Being admitted to a public audience beforethe diet, he excited the compaffion of the alfembly by the affeding manner in which herelated his adventures; and though Sigifmond and the diet regretted that the fituation oftheir country prevented them from openly Seconding his pretenfions, yet they teftifiedthe moft cordial attachment to his interefts, and laid no prohibition on thofe nobles

* Muller relates from a Ruffian manufcript, that twelve perfons were privy to the murder, amongft■whom were the Prince’s nurfe and her fon, who perpetrated the deed ; that it was committed at mid-dayin the court-yard of the palace, and that a bell-ringer, who was upon the top of an adjoining cathedral,faw the whole tranfattion. Petreus afferts, that the Prince was murdered during the confufion of a fire,purpofely occafioned by one of the affaffins. Margaret and Gravenbuck lay that the affaffin was fon of theTzarina Maria’s fecretary ; and it is generally affirmed, that it happened at midnight—The Ruffian au-thors naturally prefer the firft account, becaufe it was more difficult at mid day to fubftitute a child. Thereis no reafon to be furprifed at thefe contradittory opinions, when it is confidered, as L’Evefque juftlyoh"ferves, *' que Boris fupprima tous Ies details de cet horrible affaire ; qu’il trompa le Tzar et le public. Ee“ public fut doncalors mal inftruit des circonftances de cet everiement, et le temps n’a pu y ajouter que de« nouvelles obfeurites. D’ailleurs, comme le dit Margaret, on obfervait en Ruffle un fecret fi profond fur" toutes les affaires, qu’il etait fort difficile d’apprenare la verite de ce qu’on n’avait pas vu de fes yeux.”Vol. iii. p. 228.