that the most difficult part of Military Service is in the right conduct of a Retreat and it may be judged hard measure to deny Zolkievius the Honour of having acquitted himself well in that particular since he had brought it within view of the Harbour but as the Honour of the Success would have been entirely his had he prospered so his Memory must be patient of this Cloud drawn over the lustre of it by the failing of some mean Officer in omitting to give the Signal of his March But here did he fall and was laid upon the Bed of Honour in the extremity of his Age refusing to live when he could not do it gloriously Skinder Bassa either grown uneasie by the accession of this Victory or that some Great Ones at Court were unworthily emulous of his Glory had contracted many Enemies near the Grand Seignior who upon all occasions did him ill offices but finding that Infection to work slowly they corrupted some of his nearest Servants who by the Infusion of Poyson in his Drinks destroyed him suddenly so that he did not long survive the unfortunate Zolkievius being in this more unfortunate that he died in the quality of a Criminal and that no certain account can be given of him but that he died in the year 1620. And having by this digression given the Reader a short survey of this great Action which wanted only one moment more of Success to render it the most glorious that any Age had produced we will return to the continuation of our History where we left which was the condition of the Polish Garrison in the Palace of Musko who being grown weary with their unprofitable strivings had taken a rise from their ill Pay to propose Terms for their dismission Their General Goziowski used all his Arts to quiet them and having the Treasure of the Empire in his possession he resolved to Sacrifice that to their Avarice There was amongst other things in the Treasury a Statue of our SAVIOVR of the bigness of a man weighing C C C lib. of massive Gold which the Souldiers mangled into parcels not making their dividend so exactly by Rule but that every one got what he could Basilius Zuiski in his short Reign had destroyed the Twelve Apostles being composed of the same Mettle and largeness And this part of the Polish Army despairing of relief were become careless of that Representation of Christ which by the practice of the Church of Rome they were used to worship Their General having by this and other dividends out of the Treasury appeased though not satisfied his Army for the present though what by an equal estimate mighâ— have sufficed all they bargained for but aâ— part of their Recompence he was industrious in all his other Contrivances for their satisfaction as well as safety Hâ— caused counterfeit Letters to be broughâ— him from the King of Poland with Promises of a powerful relief in short time and that his Souldiers might not be disused to beat the Muskovites he made frequent advantageous Sallies upon them There was in that part of the City which had been wasted by the fire a house in which the Magazine of Salt had been laid up which having escaped the fury of that merciless Element was become a considerable Commodity to both Parties It lay more under the Command of the Poles than the City but Gariowski because he would have somewhat for his Army to do forbore to bring it in to his Garrison but as he had daily use for it this gave his men constant imployment for what between their own wants and those of the Enemy they had perpetual Skirmishes wherein for the most part they came off with the advantage but that the wasting of their men was an incurable evil for which they had no remedy Gariowski made use of all his Arts and had recourse to yet other Finesses he laid a train for the destruction of Lepanow the Russian General by causing Letters to be dispersed in his name into the several Provinces requiring them to Massacre all the Dunensian Cossacks in their Quarters as designing a Revolt and too passionately promoters of the interest of Demetrius to which they had always adhered One of these Packets being put into Sidorus his hand he was General of the Cossacks so terrified him that believing what he feared and too sensible of the danger he resolv'd to prevent it in order whereto having consulted the Principal Officers in so weighty an affair they all concluded to anticipate their own Fate by Lepanow's fall and immediately thereupon mutined their Souldiers transported with the apprehension of their imaginary peril whereupon Lepanow running to appease the Tumult being no way warned of his own danger was overpowred and slain upon the place The General being thus removed the Muskovites gave the Command of their Army to Trubecius who being more wary of the Artifices of Gaziowski which by this time had taken air caused some of his Emissaries who were found tampering afresh with the Cossacks to be seised upon and to render the cheat more publike had them put to death with exquisite Torments And after the Kings departure from Smolensko applied himself so vigorously in prosecution of the Siege pressing so hard upon the Poles that he shut them up close within their Fortifications And now they were out of all hope of any relief and so closely pent up that they began to want every thing necessary for their subsistance They endured these hardships seven full weeks after which time they were delivered by a Miracle on the 15th of August as one of their Priests had foretold Before they were reduced to this narrow compass they had sent all their Boys and Servants out to the number of betwixt three and four thousand upon a Party for forrage These by the time of their return found all the Avenues shut up At first they were upon thoughts of retiring and shifting for themselves until detained with the shame of abandoning their Masters without attempting their relief they took new courage and resolutions to endeavour to force the Passage Being thus animated having some Souldiers amongst them they drew up into as large a front as they could extending their Wings to a great distance and advancing up within sight of the Leaguer upon that side where the Moska runs put themselves into a posture to pass it which they did without opposition and were received into the Fortress with the acclamations of the Besieged and the congratulations of their Masters The Russians had been surprized with this unexpected relief as they termed it and having had no room left in their apprehensions for the exercise of their courage concluded that the whole force of Poland was at their backs which obliged them to quit their Trenches on that side of the Town and leave an open and uninterrupted Passage for the Boys to enter at The Besieged taking the opportunity of their Enemies fears made a seasonable Sally whereby they
Auxiliaries giving out that he would plant the Kingdom with Colonies of strange Nations This fill'd the people with dreadful Apprehensions of his Tyranny and imbarked the Lords in the same prejudice to find themselves neglected in the administration of Justice and the same managed according to the appetite and fancie of the Poles To all this he gave the Jesuites publike Churches and dwellings and to all of that Perswasion the free Exercise of it He had indeed himself been brought up in the Romish Religion which might in some measure have warranted the Profession of it in his own Chappel though Henry the Fourth of France dispensed with his former Faith upon his accession to the Crown endeavouring thereby to cure the Jealousies of the people who are no way so fervently engaged as upon the the account of Conscience But Demetrius his publike despising of the Rites of the Greek Church and his so open endeavours to introduce that of the Latins abhorr'd by the people gave the first shock to their affections and then his Habit Garb and Gesture being wholly Forein the Commonalty who see but the outside and make their judgment by that conclude his Inclinations were so too But what wrought most effectually upon those that understood best was to discern a lightness in his Behaviour bearing no proportion with so exalted a Quality as he bore in the world little Gravity and less Judgment in the manage of publike Affairs measuring concerns of a different nature by the same Standard From this short-sightedness being but newly invested in the Royalty he denounced War against the Swedes and with the same vanity writ to King Sigismund that he would arm against the Turk and Tartar before he knew the Constitution of his own Empire or by what establishment an Army was to be maintained Demetrius being Crowned Emperour his next care was the matter of his Amours those Passions were still alive in him and he had so much of the Constancie of a Lover as to invite Marina to the participation of his Greatness Upon this consideration he dispatcht a splendid Embassy into Poland with a Present of the Jewels of the Crown of an inestimable value The Palatine of Sandomiria had indeed deserved well from him but the Nobility of Muscovy abhorred the thought that the Treasure of their Empire should be havocked away upon that Negotiation which no way quadrated with their Appetite however this concern fell out so far luckily for Demetrius that it respited his fate for the Conspirators having laid their designe to be put in execution some days after the dispatch of this Embassie held it advisable to delay it till that was over lest by quitting their hands of their Great Duke the Jewels of the Crown should fall short and stay in Sandomiria They therefore directed the Embassadors who were also privy to the Confederacie to make secret Articles with George Mniseck the Palatine Marina's Father before they made their Present of the Jewels to her that she should bring them with her for her Ornament to Musko There was at the same time dispatched an Embassador to the King and Commonwealth of Poland Athanasius Rosclovius the Treasurer was made choice of for this Employment who being admitted into the Kings presence did in the Name of his Master the Great Duke present his very hearty acknowledgments to the King and Nobility for the seasonable Aids he had received from them declaring that next under God he derived all his Enjoyments from their Succours and confessed that had he not been vigorously owned by them he must have wandered about the world the pity of his Friends and the scorn of his Enemies whilst an Usurper possessed the Throne due to his Birth and in which by their kindness he was seated in perfect peace And as a Testimony of his further Gratitude he had sent his Embassadors to establish a perfect Friendship and League Offensive and Defensive betwixt the Crowns which was to extend to all the Enemies of either Nation especially the common Enemy the Turk who by the advantage of misunderstandings amongst Christian Princes got ground upon Europe And that he might be the more naturally linked to the Kingdom of Poland than the Ceremony of a League could extend to he desired the Kings permission to Marry a Lady his Vassal the Palatine of Sandomiria's Daughter His Obligations to her Father being of that nature that he knew not by what other means to contrive him a proportionable Recompence He had not only owned and received him in his Exile but engaged his Person and his Fortunes in his Quarrel and he could not stand acquitted to himself if he did not communicate to the Daughter of those Enjoyments which were derived to him by the kindness and Courage of her Father The King having fully heard the Embassador did with much Civility acknowledge the respect of the Great Duke in that Address that he wished him all happiness and did heartily congratulate the success of his Arms in the acquirement of his just rights Adding further that he did highly commend the pious resentments he was pleased to have for the sufferings of the oppressed Christians That he would willingly enter into a League with him against the Infidels but that without the consent of the Senate and Nobility of the Kingdom he could determine nothing of that Nature As to the Proposal of his Marrying the Lady Marina he should not only have his consent but his prayers also that God would render that Marriage auspicious to both Kingdoms by propagating between them a League of everlasting Friendship The King having expressed himself to this effect the Nuptials were within eight days after celebrated at Cracow in the presence of the King and a great number of the Nobility of Poland who were invited to this Royal Solemnity His Majesty delivered the Bride with his own hand to the Embassador exhorting that now she was to be transplanted into another Nation she should retain the Memory of her own Country and her Fathers house That she should do all good Offices betwixt both Nations and above all things that she should adhere to the Catholike Religion wherein she had been educated The Church-Ceremonies being finished his Majesty entertained the Bride at a Royal Feast Prince Vladislaus his Son the Princess of Sweden his Sister the Palatine of Sandomiria the Embassadors of Persia with all the Publike Ministers then at Court were invited to it where at the last Course those Jewels sent by Demetrius to his Marina and the Palatine her Father to the value of two hundred thousand Ducats were served up to the Table instead of Fruit which in so Illustrious an Assembly spoke the Magnificence of the Russ and satisfaction of the Bride to be courted at so valuable a Rate About the end of Jan. 1607 the Bride accompanied with the Embassadors of either Nation the Palatine her Father and Duke Constantine Wisnioweski and many other Persons of Quality and a splendid Train having
again and post on towards Putiwol taking all opportunities by the way to possess the world of Demetrius his being alive and escaped out of the reach of the Conspirators Schacopski being arrived at Putiwol sent his two Poles forwards to Sandomiria with Letters to the Palatine's Lady of what had befaln in Musko and to assure her that the Great Duke her Son-in-law was escaped seasonably and hoped suddenly to be in the head of an Army to revenge upon his rebellious Subjects their Treason Disloyalty Schacopski having made his dispatches to Sandomiria applied himself to the Citizens of Putiwol desiring Audience from them in the Name of the Great Duke Demetrius his Master which being granted and an Assembly called he took the liberty to enlarge upon the unheard-of Barbarities of the Citizens of Musko how they had slaughtered the Inhabitants without regard of quality laying their malice so deep as to attempt the Murther of the Emperour but that he had been preserved by the Providence of God who had always an especial regard on his Sacred Person By whose Impulse having taken some of his best Horses out of his own Stable He with a small but faithful Company under his conduct had withdrawn himself betimes out of the Tumult That he was retired to his Allies in Poland for Aid against his Rebellious Subjects having left him to attend the Affairs of the Empire in his absence with an express direction to apply himself in his Masters Name to that Loyal Town to assure them that he was alive and well and preparing to vindicate the Honour of his Empire out of the hands of the Conspirators Schacopski was not wanting in Arguments to provoke the Zeal of the Citizens to the Service of their Prince how great an Honour it would be to that City to be the only place in that vast Empire to which their Prince durst commit his Person and Interest That he would not fail to stamp upon them particular marks of his Favours and Resentments for their seasonable Loyalty and that it would be their Eternal Glory to bring in their Great Duke and to place him upon his just Throne cleansing the same from the pollutions of Conspiracies and Usurpations His Oratory had that effect as to inflame them upon the place with Resolutions to declare for Demetrius as their Leige-Lord and Sovereign that their Lives and whatever else was dear to them should be at his devotion and that in the mean time till he honoured them with his presence they would submit to his Commissioner the Lord Keeper who having gained this great City failed not to sollicite the Neighbour-Country He dispatched Posts into Tartary inviting all that had the courage in behalf of an injured Prince to repair to Putiwol The Cossacks flock in and in four weeks he had perswaded fourteen Castles in those parts to follow the Example of Putiwol taking a new Oath of Allegeance from them in the name of Demetrius against all his opposers and particularly against the bloody Usurper Zuiski Zuiski alarmed with the Rumour of a new Demetrius and that a considerable party had declared for him under the Command of Isthoma a great Lord made all the speed possible in his Levies to check that growing evil and encountring that Demetrian General was totally defeated Who pressing upon him as Master of the field blocked him up in the Imperial City and sate down with his Army at the distance of about a Mile from it Whilst Isthoma lay incamped there there came up to him an Army of twelve thousand Cossacks under the Command of John Polutnich a Souldier of Name who was come out of Poland and produced a Commission from Demetrius to Command in Chief as General which Isthoma after some disputing was constrained to yield to but apprehended the affront with so great disdain that he resolved not to brook it or after having chased Zuiski out of the the field to truckle under the Command of Polutnich who was about to ravish from him the Palms due to his Victory Hurried on by these Sentiments of scorn he risked the blasting of his Honour by an extraordinary tenderness of it and having debauched 9000 of the Army he went over to Zuiski with them who gave him a reception sutable to the seasonableness of the kindness and much more when Isthoma had assured him that no Demetrius had appeared in Putiwol and that the whole trouble of his Affairs was formed by the contrivance of the subtle Schacopski who to render himself considerable had possessed the people with a suggestion of Demetrius his being alive This Relation from Isthoma was immediately communicated to the people who however were not without their fears and therefore sent out to Polutnich demanding of him to see their Lord Demetrius and they would cast themselves at his feet for pardon and immediately Polutnich returned answer that in truth Demetrius was in Poland that he had there seen and spoke with him and received from his own hand the Commission mission by which he then acted as General Some of the Lords sent again to assure him that the Great Duke Demetrius had been kill'd in Musko in the face of the whole people that if any one assumed that Name he was an Impostor Perswading him further to quit that counterfeit Prince and joyn himself to the Party of the rightful Emperour who would gratifie his Loyalty with Preferments and Honours sutable to the Merits of his Service in preventing the effusion of Christian Blood the harrassing of the Country the guilt whereof would lie heavy at his door if he should not hearken to their wholsome invitation But he rejecting those offers with indignation replied he had taken an Oath of Loyalty to Demetrius which he would preserve inviolable and not like the perfidious â—sthoma betray the trust reposed in him He added that he neither desired nor caâ—ed for Zuiski's favour only required of â—he Citizens that if they would not have â—hat Christian blood which they so much pitied spilt they should forthwith return to their Duty and Obedience they â—wed their lawful Prince deliver the Uâ—urper Zuiski into his hands and lay down their Arms in doing so he would grant them an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion in the Great Dukes Name and promised they should be restored to that rank place which the Loyal City did formerly obtain in the Great Dukes favour On the other side they were to expect nothing but the indignation of an incensed Lord and of an enraged Souldiery This Polutnich was a Muskoviter born but had been brought up amongst the Tartars and Cossacks and being taken prisoner by the Turks had served as a Gally-slave against the Christians till amongst others he happen'd to be released by the Venetians and passing through Poland towards his own Country he met at Sandomiria with this new Demetrius to whom being presented he received conditions from him and engaged himself in his Service as General of his Army upon which
Picqueering and other hostile Braveries The next Morning both Armies impatient of looking upon each other were drawn out in Battalia with all the advantages that the ground would admit or able Officers could contrive the Generals caressing exhorting and encouraging their Souldiers to do well with all their Rhetorick Zuiski fierce in the confidence of his numbers and conduct told his men that now was the time to chastise the hereditary Enemy of their Country the Pole whose malice had been at work to create them those mischiefs under which their Kingdoms had laboured for divers years That this was the second mock Demetrius framed and set up in Poland to be imposed upon them That it would be a reproach to the Glory of their Empire to receive Laws from Strangers who by all Arts conspired their ruine That this Demetrius whom they had now in the head of their Army was one Master John a School-Master of Pocala a Town in Russia Alba as the other was one Grisko notoriously known in Muskovy and his violent death suffered in the face of the whole world in Musko universally acknowledged till the wicked Pole maligning their Greatness had raised another Impostor under whose countenance they proposed to themselves the inslaving of their Country and the rooting out of their Religion That there was no deliverance from all these and thousands more of miseries impending over them but in their Courage That they must resolve to win or die and to lose the day at no other rate than the Ioss of their lives That they must never survive their own happiness and the Glory of their Country and that for his part he would in that days fight give them the Example of a true lover of it Demetrius on the other side especially Rosinski were not wanting to inflame the courage of their Souldiers by all the Arguments of Power to sway them as desire of Empire Revenge and Spoils That the Conquest of Russia depended upon the Points of their Swords and that they had but that days labour to go in and possess that vast Empire In short both Armies joyn with equal hopes and equal courage The Fight proved but short though obstinate and the success doubtful till the Demetrians having before-hand placed their Chariots and Carriages attended with their Servants with Drums Trumpets and Colours at a distance out of sight an usual Polish Stratageme caused them in the heat of the Battle to appear in view with cries and shoutings which was so dreadful an object to the Zuiskians that they began to shrink not daring to trust in their Courage against that fresh Reserve that advanced towards them which the Polish Horse observing seconded their fears with a violent Charge wherewith they put the whole Army to an entire Rout leaving behind them all their Cannon and Baggage upon the place 5000 of the Muskovites saved themselves in Bolchow who after being four days beleaguered rendered themselves and the Town to the mercy of the Conqueror and were for their encouragement disposed and listed amongst his Troops The fame of this Victory opened him a passage into all the Cities and Forts in that Quarter only Mosaise gave him the trouble of drawing before it and then surrendered And now Demetrius being absolute Master of the Field marched by great Journeys towards Musko the Imperial City confident upon the stock of his last signal Victory that the Citizens upon his approach would quit Zuiski and receive him into their Town and questionless the issue had justified his computation but for the new perfidy of those 5000 men who upon the rendition of Bolchow had listed themselves under his Command for these left him again and marched into Musko assuring the Townsmen that the Polish Army was neither so numerous nor so formidable as Fame had rendered them which comfortable Intelligence and Aid giving new life to the heartless Citizens they resolve to adhere to the Fortunes of Zuiski and taking advantage by the delays of Demetrius who instead of improving his Victory as he ought suffered his men to ramble up and down the Country they consented to new Levies for the recruit of their Army wherewith they blocked up the way between them and Severia for the Poles were moved Northward so that no further Supplies out of the adhering Provinces could well joyn with them and many who were ignorant of this obstacle were daily intercepted But the Poles at length grown sensible of their Error drew back their Army to the South-side of the Town and having forced those Troops which interrupted their Passage encamped at Tusin with their whole strength being environed and secured by the two Rivers Moska Tussin From whence by their frequent vigorous Excursions they obliged the Muskovites to keep within their Walls The Citizens seeing themselves thus shut up and that they could not drive away the Enemy by force betake themselves to other shifts they apply themselves to the Polish Embassadors and the Palatine of Sandomiria and propose a Treaty of Peace to them and in the mean time mention a Cessation of Arms as the only means to compass it Their Designe was not so much a Reconciliation as that the Poles otherwise naturally careless and licentious should waste their force and heat in a languishing Truce and that the designed Succours for their relief might be ready against the designed time But the Embassadors and the Palatine who had been detained Prisoners ever since the Massacre desirous of Peace and their liberty send Peter Zbarouski to the Camp to perswade their Countrymen to return into Poland and not disturb that Peace which they were then treating with further hostilities but in vain for the Poles refused all commerce or mention of Peace unless Demetrius from whom they expected the reward of their labours were first restored to his Throne and the Usurper delivered into their hands Rosinski was in the interim preparing for an attempt becoming the greatness of his Quality and Courage for Duke Basilius Masalski a Kinsman of Zuiski's having raised an Army in the adjacent Provinces of 70000 men for the relief of the Town had entrenched himself upon the Banks of the River Chodiunka three Miles from the City Rosinski being resolved to attempt his Quarters drew out his whole Army by favour of the night and marching directly to the Enemies Camp in a manner secure in the greatness of their numbers and nearness of the City broke into it without any very great resistance killed 14000 upon the place took the General prisoner and scattered the whole Army Neither was the Victory cheap or bloodless on the Demetrian side for while they were engaged upon the Pillage being dispersed over the Field to rake up the Spoils the touted Enemy faced about and rallying being further encouraged by a Party come out of the City returned to the Charge and renewing the Fight with much pertinacie made a slaughter amongst the Conquerors of multitudes of their men in so much that they
of the Kingdom their Duke must abjure the Romish Profession and declare himself for the Greek Rites The King having received their Message and not ignorant of the wiliness and reserves of that subtle Nation was not wanting in a return sutable to the occasion He told them that he did receive this Honour conferred upon his Son with great satisfaction which should oblige him at all times to serve their Country with his best Aids and Counsels And as to the Treaty relating to its particulars he did purpose to give Zolkievius then upon the place full Instructions for the compleating of it at their own homes The Embassadors after this Answer and having been sumptuously feasted by the Prime Officers of the Court with great and mutual professions of kindnesses in so much as they seemed to be but one people were dismissed The King having by this fully weighed the state of his Affairs gathered to himself many reasons not to believe the reality of the Moscovites for else why did they elect his Son and not him but that they should be able when he had withdrawn his Forces out of their Land to practise upon the unexperience of his Son by reason of his youth and to justle him out of the Throne to which they had raised him out of necessity not choice And on the other side if the King should forbear to send him to them till he were of Age they would take occasion from this delay to transfer their Suffrage upon another He took a further Umbrage of their Designes from the refusal of the Garrison of Smolensko to surrender their City in the name of Prince Vladislaws though he were declared and proclaimed Great Duke with the usual Ceremonies their excuse was that they could not own him by so publike an Act till he had been received in the Capital City Crowned and Sworn to the maintenance of their Laws and their Protection Zolkievius had many ill-willers about the King who were not wanting to cherish these apprehensions of prejudice contracted by him against the Russians and having gained the Kings ear they instill'd new Counsels into him That this Election of his Son was an affront and an imposing upon his Majesty instead of receiving Law from him That he had by his Arms reduced them to those distresses that they must suddenly lay themselves that they must suddenly lay themselves at his feet whereas now they addressed to him by their Embassadors with Conditions not only inglorious but inconsistent with the state of his Affairs and impossible for him to subscribe to And that upon the reducing of Smolensko he might consider himself as a Conqueror and Rule that false People by such Laws as he should judge sutable to his Honour and Safety But there were others of his Council that advised the preserving of that Faith which Zolkievius had Sworn to them in his Name and by his Approbation That by confirming of that he would in one day render himself Master of a vast Empire which it might cost him some years besides a great expence of Blood and Treasure to reduce And they being an obstinate people might fall upon new Counsels and close with Demetrius whose Title would give him a trouble to resist as well upon the account of Reason as the power of his Arms. For it was upon the pretence of aiding Demetrius that he invaded their land who being restored to the Throne the King could have no more a fair colour to stay in it That his Army might by this means be paid all their Arrears as the Souldiers of Vladislaws the Great Duke out of the Treasures of Russia whereas the Kingdom of Poland if it fell to them to pay it would grow uneasie under so intolerable a burthen That the practises of the Russians might easily be eluded by seating Vladislaws upon the Throne with an able Council about him who should immediately provide pay for the Army which they would not refuse upon his first reception and while it lay in their Chief City And as to the Articles they might be well enough evaded and delayed while more Recruits were coming out of Poland But the King's mind being prepossessed as if carried on by an irresistible Fate adhered to the more violent Counsels of such as blew him up with a Punctilio of Honour not to rise from before Smolensko before he had reduced it having cost him already above a years Siege and was now upon the point of a rendition or being forced The King had raised a Battery against it but did not prosecute his matters with that quickness but that they within had time to make a deep Ditch and to raise new Ramparts in opposition to the Battery after which the Cannon began to play which indeed laid flat a great part of the Wall with two Flankers that stood next it the Assault was made but in vain they being repulsed with great loss The Russians in the mean time clamoured at this breach of the Treaty which had been celebrated with the Solemnity of an Oath and that contrary to the Law of Nations their Embassadors were detained Which the King justified upon this Reason that they refused to give order to the Governour of Smolensko to surrender the Town in their Great Dukes Name and which they excused as not within their Instructions The Affairs of Russia hung thus in suspence for some time the people not daring to do more than mutter while Zolkievius and his Army lay enquartered in their Chief City Demetrius also began to look up again having sheltered himself in Caluga while he was reinforcing his Party which was much countenanced by the return of Zarucki and Prince Kazimowski to him whose reception by King Sigismund bearing no proportion with what they proposed to themselves left him and returned again to the Service of their old Lord. But Zolkievius disdaining to be thus treated by the King contracted violent discontents in so much that taking the pretence of going to fetch the Prince to Musko he left the Army and passing by Smolensko where he but saluted the King he retired into Poland The Russians after the Generals departure understanding that the King had refused sending his Son at his intercession that the captive Zuiskius's together with their Embassadors were sent away Prisoners into Poland and that the King took upon him the Administration of the Affairs of the Empire putting new Officers into all the great places and refusing to own them as a State prepared for a Revolt to which the death of Demetrius did very effectually contribute He had a little before upon some apprehensions of infidelity in Kasimouski against him caused him to be thrown into the River Occa and drowned there which the Tartars of his Guard so far resented as to study a revenge He was of late time used to divert his Melancholy with drinking drowning at least steeping his cares in liquor and having been one day a hunting he retired himself with some of his particular
Sambore and Grodners provided they would not oppose him in his Conquest of the Empire sending him this answer That the King should deliver Cracovie to Demetrius and he might in return receive Warsovie from his Great Duke But she is now overwhelmed in another Deluge besides that of her grief And the brave though unconstant Zarucki who had adhered to her Fortunes falling likewise into the hands of the Great Duke was impalled shutting up the Tragedy of his Mistress by his own death And now the Competitorship upon the accompt of the Blood Royal seemed to have extinguished but as if to be Demetrius were to be immortal and that he had not been slain but rescued yet again an inconsiderable Scrivener by what inducement sway'd to it is unknown gave himself out to be Demetrius the Son of John Basilius and that besides his deliverance at Vglecz and Musko he had yet this farther Miracle of his preservation at Caluga The Fellow being of a ready Tongue and subtle got together some hundreds of men such whom the War had indisposed to any thing of labour And to these there flocked all the Vagabonds Bandites and idle persons the excrements of their late Dissentions that proposed to themselves any advantage from Rapine and Plunder His numbers being by this means increased to the bulk of a considerable Party he caused a Manifest to be published of his Birth and several Deliverances invited all his Loyal Subjects as he stiled them to that Obedience which they owed to him as Great Duke of Muskovy the only surviving Issue of John Basilius And to put the more countenance upon his Imposture he marched with his Force to Novogrod from thence to Jama and on to Iwanogrod where he was by the giddy multitude received honoured and owned as the undoubted Demetrius Great Duke of Muskovy Having proceeded successfully in this great Attempt he assumed yet more state and to give a becoming Reputation to his pretensions he dispatched an Embassy to Sweden to sollicite aids against the Treachery and ill-dealing of his Subjects who contrary to all Law Humane and Divine had set up another upon his Throne King Charles surprized with this Address could not satisfie his Wonder not ceasing to admire how that Demetrius who had been so often slain should now survive to demand his assistance But resolving not to be abused or imposed upon he dispatched Petreius as his Embassador to Iwanogrod with Letters of Credence and Power to conclude but first exactly to inform himself of the truth of all things And if he found this Person to be that real Demetrius who had been acknowledged Crowned and Sworn to at Musko then to give him all encouragement of Supplies for the regaining of his Rights and bringing his Subjects to their due Obedience Petreius being arrived at Iwanogrod could get no Audience from this new Duke for he being advertised that the Embassador had formerly seen the murthered Demetrius both in Poland and Musko would by no means admit of him into his Presence but pretending an indisposition in point of health referred him to his Council to treat with him and that he himself hoping he might in a few days be fit for business would ratifie the Treaty in Person The Swedish Embassador answered that the King his Master desired to enter into a strict League with the Great Duke and had therefore given him some particular Commands which he was to communicate to his Highness in Person but since it was not consistent with his health to receive him into his presence he being restrained by his Instructions not to entrust his Masters Secrets to any other would return for Sweden not doubting but if the Great Duke should think fit to send his Embassador thither but that the King his Master would be ready to comply with all his Honorable Designes and Desires And thus Petreius having ended his Negotiation left the place gathering from the refusal of Demetrius to admit him into his Presence and from other Observations made by him that he was only a fictitious Person who had assumed a Name and Title wherewith he had nothing to do But he having by this time got together a Force which might well enough bear the reputation of an Army took the Field and upon the 24th of June faced Pleschow a considerable place which being summoned in the Name of the Great Duke Demetrius was upon the point of surrendring when the Muskovitish Army advancing he made a hasty retreat leaving behind him his Cannon and most of his Baggage and being followed by them he hardly escaped to Iwanogrod The Russians having with so much ease and without a blow dispersed this new Army careless of prosecuting the success further retired Whereupon the Inhabitants of Plescow dispatched their Deputies to Iwanogrod with an humble offer to this Pseudo-Demetrius of their Town and Services as their Prince and Sovereign He over-joy'd with this unexpected Success went immediately away for Plescow with the Embassadors where he was received with all the imaginable demonstrations of Joy Honor and Obedience He transported with this Progress in his Affairs and not capable of improving the same to his advantage gave himself up to all manner of licentiousness and lust violating many of the Prime Citizens Wives and Daughters and proceeding from one degree of Debauchery to another he let loose the Reins to his Party who by his Example committed all manner of Insolencies and Villanies upon the people The Plescovites tired out and provoked with the barbarous behaviour of their Prince took Arms beat his Guards and forced him to fly the City for his safety The Cossacks seeing him thus forsaken of all resolved also to leave him but some of them more advised considered of seizing upon his Person whereby they might the better make their own peace He advertised of this Designe being well mounted clapped Spurs to his Horse and had undoubtedly escaped their hands but that he was overtaken by an Arrow out of a Cossack-Bowe which wounded him in the shoulder Hereupon he was taken and being bound hand and foot was sent to Pleskow and from thence to Musko where he was tied by a great Chain to one of the Gates remaining there an object of scorn and reproach to all the world until the Coronation of Michael Federowicz by whose Command this last Pseudo-Demetrius the fictitious Son of Jo. Basilius was hanged in publick This Mushrome after it had but peeped up expiring with shame and infamy THE END
he took the freedom to mind him that he himself came into the World a Son of sorrows being born in the noysomeness of a Prison and was at last by various Fortunes conducted to a Crown That therefore he would please to reflect upon the mutability of humane affairs and upon the sufferings of an injured Prince whose Restauration depended upon his Aids wherein he would perform a double Act of Justice to chastise the Usurper and to establish the rightful Heir upon the Throne of his Fathers The King received his Address with much respect and compassion and being instructed by his own former hardships to sympathize with those of others he gave him permission or rather connivance to make his leavies of Voluntiers within his Dominions Demetrius having thus improved the Credit of his extraction by the powerfull countenance of the King of Poland which gained him a reputation too in the esteem of other Princes failed not by the fame of his preparations to fill his own countries with irresolutions which being seconded by secret Emissaries imployed into those parts the people whose nature is to affect novelty did with greediness swallow those seditious Pamphlets scattered abroad by him against that bloody Usurper To all this he added the Courtship of invitations to the people to depart from that hated Murtherer lest they should be overwhelmed in the vengeance prepared by God for him fortifying the whole by promises not only of indemnity for what was past but of rewards and honours to such as by their example should instruct others to the duty of their obedience Having thus plained his way by infecting the minds of his Countrymen and corrupting some person of Eminencie of Muskovy he judged it seasonable to gratifie their expectation by rendering himself upon the Stage of Action whereby not onely to give life but security to his party whose correspondencie might be discovered to their Ruine He therefore treated more particularly with the Palatine descending to Articles the substance whereof were That in consideration of his Supplies and Aids Demetrius should upon the regaining of his Crown repay him his full charges Marry the Lady Marina and introduce the Roman faith into his Dominions These Articles being Signed and Ratified though kept secret the Palatine applied himself vigourously to the work raised an Army being under-hand supplied by the King But Duke Constantine Wisnioweski did publikely own the Quarrel by whose example many prime men of Russia presented themselves unto him upon the Borders in the head of considerable Troops raised at their own charges Being thus strengthened by fresh supplies which signified more in their reputation than in their numbers the Palatine with Demetrius in his company marched with his Army into Muskovy the Winter being far advanced sending before him the terror of his Arms and filled with hopes of Conquest This Engagement was the Fountain from whence did spring those many changes which we have since seen in that Empire and may possibly be the effect of that Blazing-Star which appeared on the 3 of October 1614. in the 7th degree of Sagittarius portending peradventure those more than Civil discords which tore and distracted the States of Muskovy and Poland Demetrius had no sooner entred into Muskovy but that 8000 Cossacks disposed to it by the perswasions of the crafty Monk Ranked themselves under his Colours and being strengthened with this considerable supply they passed the River Boristhenes at Kiow without opposition and sate down with their whole Army before the walls of Eeringow The place surrendred upon summons the Governour Tackmenno having taken this opportunity to revenge some disgraces formerly placed upon him by Boris the Emperour Puttiwol a great and populous City followed the example of Eeringow induced to it by the Volgodensian Cossacks there in Garrison whose Governour Michaelowitz Soltekowski was swayed by the temptations of Corelos General of the Demetrian Cossacks and who had the reputation amongst his own Troops of being skilled in the art Magick Some other places but of less importance followed these Examples the rising Sun of Demetrius his hope shining strong in their eyes Boris received the tidings of these Successes with Astonishment he vowed vengeance against these Revolters after such a manner that the whole World should dread the like Infidelity and Treason In the mean time he prepares to oppose the Invasion with a force proportionable and having drawn together an Army of 100000 brave and choyce Souldiers he placed Fedw in the head of them a their General commanding him to march with all speed to the relief of Novogrodâ— straightly beleaguered by Demetrius but as courageously defended by the Valour of Bosmanno the Governour Boris in the mean time was not wanting to himself in contriving what was most suitable to the present occasions and considering that those of his Subjects who had run into Demetrius upon no provocation but that of Novelty would when their Appetite was served be as apt to repent and come back He prepared Declarations of Impunity to publish amongst them besides which he dispatched several Agents into Poland and Lituania to undeceive such as seemed enclined to the Aids of an Heretick and Impostor and having found out one Smyrna Otropeia Unkle to Hrisko he directed him to repair to his Nephew and to convince his adherents of the fallacie he had put upon them But the Palatine who was too far advanced to look back would not permit Otropeia to come into his presence seeming to despise those Artifices as weak shifts to a declining Cause and that he doubted not but he was prepared by the Usurper to lay a blemish upon the Title of Demetrius by owning him for his Nephew But those Arts were too feeble to divert them from exacting a severe account from him for his murther of Theodorus and placing himself upon the Throne of Demetrius the present Emperour Boris finding no Success from these kind of little attempts as it were from behind the Curtain resolved upon the dispatch of a solemn Embassy to the King and Commonwealth of Poland in order to expostulate with them the reason of this Invasion The Embassador being arrived at the Court of King Sigismond and pressing for a speedy audience it was granted him he complained highly against the violation of the Truce lately confirmed between both Nations for twenty years by this unexpected Invasion of his Dominions sacking his Towns and killing his Subjects and all upon no provocation or so much as the pretence of any He added that his Master hoped the King and Commonwealth of Poland would not only be more just but better advised too than lay themselves under the reproach of perjury by imbroyling them and their Allies in a new War by violating a League sworn to by them with all the Solemnities in the World He therefore proposed they would not only recal their Troops out of his Masters Country but that Commissioners might be appointed to consider of the damages sustained from them and
that that Impostor might be forthwith delivered into the Great Duke his Masters hands whom he would unmask and render him to the World in his native Complexion a mean Creature set up by the Malice of a discontented Priest And then concluded that in case the King and Kingdom of Poland shall decline those equitable demands they would create to them an Enemy one of the greatest Princes of the World And thus having sprinkled his desires with a mixture of some Threats he added Rich Presents which were distributed amongst the Ministers of State and indeed most of those in Credit about the King with an open hand so that there were very few but tasted of Muskovitish Bounty But all this state and charge amounted to nothing the Interest of the Jesuites added to the Authority of the Pope had rendered the King and his Council deaf to the applications of the Embassador It was therefore resolved that Demetrius should be assisted with fresh supplies in order to his Restauration which was considered as the only Basis upon which to lay the Foundation of a perpetual League between both Crowns and the only means to root out that Schism in Religion which hitherto had fomented their Quarrels their affection being swayed by their faith These Resolutions were kept secret as the Arcana Imperii for they did not judge it fit to come to an open Rupture till they saw what was like to be the Success of Demetrius his Arms. Their Answer therefore was that the King and State of Poland knew nothing at least took no notice of what was done in Muskovy and that those Tumults raised by Demetrius a Muskovian born and Aided by Muskovians or any other Voluntiers engaged in his designes did not at all infringe or so much as trench upon the League which they should be always ready to observe towards that Crown and Empire The Embassador being dismissed with this general Answer without effecting what he came for In the mean time the Armies in Muskovy were drawn within sight of each other equal in hopes and desires though not in numbers Demetrius upon the Enemies advance raised his Siege and having chosen his ground with respect to the number of his men wherein he was inferiour to Boris he was not without some hopes that some part of the Enemies Army would upon the closing come over to him having held an intelligence with some of their Officers to that purpose But there appearing so formidable a power of the Muskovites and but a handful of men with Demetrius those who had made him a promise of coming over to his side judged it more adviseable to adhere to their own The Armies were now drawn so neer each other that it was impossible to part without Engaging Demetrius therefore and the Palatine judging their safety depended upon their Courage received the Enemies Charge as men resolved to conquer or lie by it not onely sustaining but resisting the fury of their Enemies The Success was a while disputed with doubtful hopes till at last the Victory began to declare it self for the more numerous Force which powring in fresh supplies the Polonian was forced to shrink under the impressions of the multitude after they had given testimonies of great resolutions having fought it out with so great a pertinacie that the Victory cost Boris the loss of many of his men His General received several wounds and it was with much difficulty that the Enemy quitted the ground at last they were disordered and broke saving themselves by flight Demetrius having rallied some few of his Troops retreated to Ribscum and the Palatine returned into Poland to raise new Forces having left 8000 of his men upon the place with all his Cannon and Baggage The tidings of this Victory was carried to Boris the Great Duke by Bosmanno the Governour of Novogrod whom Boris received as his better Angel and the General having rendered him with an advantagious character caused him to be presented with a great Bason of pure Gold filled with Ducats of the same Mettal and all the Officers of the Army with Medals and increase of Pay The Borisians shewed more Courage in gaining this Victory than Conduct in improving it to their advantage wasting their time at the Siege of Krom whilst the Enemy had room without interruption to gather together their scattered Troops who had they been chased while their fears had been upon them must necessarily have fallen into the hands of the Conquerours and then the Garrisons had followed their Fate But the Great Dukes Army being fate down bâ—â—â—re Krom the place was defended againse them with so great a Courage that they despaired of taking it whereupon the greater part of the Army being reinforced with fresh men marched towards Ribscum in order to the scattering of Demetrius his Forces and the interrupting of his Levies He upon this defeat found the experience of those friends which had been made with his Successes not himself Many who had run in upon the fame of his prosperous March ran now from him as from a falling house that would in its own ruine involve those within it Yet was not he wanting to himself having his Courage cherished by two Cistercian Monks and two Jesuites who attended him especially the latter in all his adventures These inflame him to a perseverance with promises that the Issue would be Crowned with Success to him and confusion to his Enemies In the mean time the Borisians advanced towards him upon intelligence whereof he sent out his Horse to face them while he was drawing up his Foot Who had seen the great disproportion between both Armies the one of a vast Body of Horse and Foot fleshed with Victory a great Train of Artillery Carriages the other not exceeding 5000 effective men those abounding with wants most of them Raw and Undisciplined and the rest the remnant of a defeated Army might reasonably have guessed at the Success But the power of Fortune or rather of Providence in this juncture appeared beyond humane expectation Demetrius was in a strange Country no Counsel about him unknowing in Discipline preposterous in his Orders and not so much as a temptation left him to hope his Horse being advanced were opposed by those of the Enemy of whom upon the Charge they killed about 1000 which discouraging the rest they shrink and being pressed on by the Demetrians had not time to rally but were in disorder forced upon their own Foot breaking their Ranks and doing for Demetrius what his Army could never have effected He pursuing his Success had the slaughter of that great Body which not being able to make Head were cut down without any resistance And thus what began but in a light Skirmish ended in an intire Victory The Demetrians laden with spoils the whole Camp and Train falling into their hands returned in Triumph to Puttiwol where the Fame of this signal Victory spreading it self to their advantage Five good Towns with their Forts rendered