COXe'g TRAVEES IN RUSSIA.

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the fuffrages of thofe perfons in whom the right of nominating the fucceffor wasveiled.

In regard to the fecond pofition, the unanimity of Peter’s election ; Muller, whohas explored the Ruffian archives with a view of afcertaining this point, can fupply uswith no better proofs than the following information * :

“ Soon after the death of Feodor, all the fervants of the court, the officers, andecclefiaftics, who were then at Mofcow, affembled in the palace and ccurt-yard to kitethe hand of the deceafed Monarch ; after which ceremony they alfo kiffed the hands ofthe two Princes Ivan and Peter, the former of whom was fixteen, and (he latter tenyears of age. The ill health of Ivan, the hopeful appearance of Peter, and the well-known' prudence and virtue of his mother f, induced all u’ho were prefent to prefer theyounger to the older brother, and unanimouily to raife Peter to the throne. Theaitoniihing quiet and unanimity with which this important affair was accomplilhed,feems to prove, that it was preconcerted by the Patriarch and principal nobility. ThePatriarch Joachim defcended from a noble family, was at the head of this tranfaftion.1 he principal courtiers, ecclefiaflics, nobles, officers, merchants, and a great Concourfeof people being affembled before the imperial palace, he demanded of them whom theywould nominate Tzar , Ivan or Peter; the queftion was extremely unufual , but, beingjuflified by the circumftances, was anfwered in favour of Peter. Probably the party ofIvan did not forefee that a younger prince, who was a minor, would be preferred to hiselder brother j and were therefore not prepared to make any oppofition to the appiintment qfPeter.

“ Two contradi&ory accounts of this nomination are given in two of the moft> authen-tic records in the archives of Mofcow. The firft. informs us that Ivan, as the eldeftipublicly renounced his right to the crown, before it could be conferred upon Peter; thefecond makes no mention of this renunciation, but afcribes the appointment of Peter tothe general wiffies of the nation.”

The firft record in the office for foreign affairs thus relates the tranfa&ion :

“ And the Patriarch Joachim , and the metropolitans and archbiffiops, and all theclergy, and the Siberian and Kaffimovian princes, and the Boiars and Okolnitfhi, andthe Doumnie-Diaki, and the Stolnics and Straeptffii, and the nobility of Mofcow, andthe Shilitfi, and the nobles from the country, and the foldiers and Gofti, and the mer-chants and people, entreated the Princes, Ivan and Peter, that one of them would pleafeto afcend the hereditary throne of Ruffia,” &c. And the Tzarovitch Ivan faid, “ Itbeing advantageous for the public that my brother the Tzarovitch and Great-dukePeter fhould afcend the throne of Ruffia, becaufe his mother the Tzarina Natalia is aliveI, therefore, the Tzarovitch and Great-duke Ivan, refign the throne to the Tzarovitchand Great-duke Peter. And the Tzar and Great-duke Peter afcended the throne.”

According to the other record, which is in the Journal of Occurrences at court:

“ The Patriarch demands of the perfons affembled for the nomination of the newSovereign, whom they would eleft, Ivan or Peter. And the Stolnics and Straptlhi^andthe Nobles, and the Diaki, and. the Shilitfi, and the Dietiboiralki, and the Gofti, andthe merchants, and the other people of different ranks, anfwered unanimoufly, that thethrone of all the kingdoms of the great Ruffian empire belonged to Peter Alexievitch:then the Patriarch addreffed the Boiars, Okolnitlhi, privy councellors, and principal

* Von Peter’s des Groffen erftern Galangung zum Thron. in Jour Pet. for 1780.

f This Princefs was then fcarcely twenty-four years of age, and had given no proofs of prudence andwifdom. L’Evefque more juftly ftyles her “jeune princeffe qui n’avoit pu fe faire encore aucunereputation,”

perfons

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