COXe’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.

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that Grifka had perfonated Demetrius. As a proof that they were two diftinft perfons,he informs us, that Boris Godunof fent repeated expreffes to his guards on the fron-tiers, to prevent all travellers from quitting the country, even fhould they be providedwith paffports ; for two traitors were endeavouring to efcape into Poland . Margaretadds, Grilka was thirty-five years of age, and Demetrius fcarcely twenty four; Griikaaccompanied the new Tzar to Mofcow, and was feen by many in that city, being a per-fon well known, and having a brother who poffefied an eftate near Galitz ; he wasnotorious before his flight into Poland for drunkennefs, and on account of his mifcon-duft, was banilhed by Demetrius to Yaroflaf. Margaret, moreover, was informed byan Englifh merchant of Yaroflaf, well acquainted with Grifka, that the monk, on re-ceiving the news of the Tzar ’s death, and even after the eledtion of Vaffili Shuifki, fo-leinnly protefted that he, Demetrius, was the real fon of Ivan Vaffilievitch; and that hehimfelf was Grifka Otrepief, who had conduced the Prince into Poland . Soon after-wards Grilka was conveyed to Mofcow by order of Vaffili Shuifki, and difappeared.(Margaret, 152 to 157.)

If this narrative is authentic, even according to the confeffion of Muller, it com-pletely refutes the reprefentation of the oppofite party. In what manner then doesthis ingenious author attempt to difcredit the pofitive teftimony of Margaret ? “ But

how,” fays he, “ can we imagine, that any one could ever hold two perfons to be thefame individual, at a time when the contrary could be eafily proved ?” The contraryindeed could be eafily proved during the reign of Demetrius, when Grifka was atMofcow or at Yaroflaf, and at a time when few Ruffians doubted the faft ; but theaflertion was not fo eafily refuted when Grifka difappeared, and when no perfon durftcontradict the manifefto of Vaffili Shuifki. “ Let us fuppofe,” adds Mr. Muller, “ thatthe oppofite party, in defiance of all truth, firft invented fo groundlefs a fable ; let usfuppofe that Grifka was immediately banifhed, as foon as the enemies of Demetrius madethe latter pafs for that monk; how does it happen that no writer befide Margaret* *, hastaken notice of fo remarkable a circumftance ?” It is generally allowed that one goodevidence ought to outweigh a crowd of prejudiced witneffes ; fo that if Margaret’s cre-dibility is fuperior to that of his opponents, we muft afient to the truth of his account.And who are the writers whole authority is preferred to that of Margaret ? The nativehiftorians, who wrote after the accelfion of Vaffili Shuifki; but their teftimony cannotbe admitted in this cafe ; for could any Ruffian venture to contradict the manifefto of

ineme certain que ce temoin ait exilic? Si les affaffins furent trompes, n’ait-il pas pu I’etre lui mime, etprendre pour le Tzarevitch un enfant du nreme age ! Ne eonvient-on-pas que Boris, &c. Mais Chouifki,mais Clechnin furent envoyes a Ouglitch par Boris; ils virent et reconnurent le corps du Tzarevitch et lui■rendirent les lionneurs funebres. Eh ! fait-on ce qu’ont vu ces deux emilfaires de Boris, ce qu’ils lui outrapporte en fecret ? Le corps meme qu’vls examinerent, defigure par des bleffures, et garde long-tempsfans etre embaumi, devrait etre meconnaiffable. On ignore abfolument ce qu’ils out decouvert, et ce qu’ilsont penfe. S’ils ont dcbite a leur retour une fable concertce entr’eux et le miniftre, ils n’ont pu dans lcfuite faire connaitre la vtrite, fans avouer qu’ils avoient ete des fourbes vendus a un fcelerat,” &c. Vol. iii.p. 227.—In a word, the belief that a child was fubftituted in the place of Demetrius, though liable tomany objeftions, is yet attended with much fewer difficulties, than the notion that the Tzar who reignedunder the name of Demetrius was an impoltor .

* Margaret, however, does not Hand fingle in fuppofing Grilka, and him who palled for Demetrius, tobe dillindt perfons. For among others, Conrad BulTau, who was prefent at Mofcow during the troubles,aflerts, that Demetrius was the natural fon of Stephen Bathori, King of Poland , which is iufficient to Ihovvthat the report prevailed at the time that the Tzar and Grifka were different perfons. S. R. G. vol. v.p. 19 u

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