Sir Thomas Smithes voiage and entertainment in Rushia With the tragicall ends of two emperors, and one empresse, within one moneth during his being there: and the miraculous preseruation of the now raigning emperor, esteemed dead for 18. yeares.

The state of Rushia when Borris Pheodorvvich came to be Emperour.

OVr Voyage is ended, yet must I now intreate your immaginations to be carried backe a∣gaine into Rushia, where you shall receiue so much and such perfect Newes, as will make vp the precedent matter into a pleasing History.

Vnderstand therefore, that the old Emperor E∣uan Vassiliwich, dying, left two Sonnes behind him, (Viz) Pheodor Euannowich the eldest, (vvho suc∣ceeded the father in his Empire) and Demetrie the yongest (an infant.) Pheador being giuen to deuo∣tion, and neglecting the State and dignity due to a Prince, was held but simple, insomuch that by the secret workings of Bodan Belskey, (who was chiefe Minion to the olde Emperour Euan Vassiliwich) in hope of honours and preferment, procured Boris (who was brother to the then Empresse) to be crea∣ted Protector ouer Pheador, who vpon his present•• comming to the Crowne, sent his mother in Law, with her father and mother (defending of the house of the Nagayes) and his yong brother Demetre, to a place called Ouglets, where he was to bee Nursed. Pheadors raigne beeing expired, and his brother vnfit to rule (being but an infant) Boris set vp such ladders, that from a protector he was aduanct to be Emper. Bodan Belskey afore named, Andrea Shul∣can, and Andrea Clyskenine, being his there instru∣ments that wrought for him. But Boris growing wea¦ry

of their presence, by whom he was mounted so hie, and thinking that he must euer holde himselfe bound vnto them, laid plots in his braines howe to be rid of such creditors, which he did, by throwing discontents vpon one of them and a slightly-regar∣ding of the other.

Whereupon Bodan Belskey left the Courte. But the other two prying into Borris his actions, signi∣fied from time to time, all matters to Bodan, who (knowing the ambitious thirst of Borris to extir∣pate the race of Euan Vassiliwich himselfe now but an Vsurper) took deliberation with the old Empresse (mother to Demetre) for the preseruation of the child. And seeing a farre off, arrowes aimed at his life, which could very hardly be kept off, it was deui¦sed to exchange Demetre for the child of a church∣man (in yeares and proportion somewhat resem∣bling him) whilst the other (by this meanes) might liue safe, though obsure.

This counterfet Churchmans sonne being then taken for the lawful Prince, was attended on and as∣sociated according to his State: with whome one day, another child, (that was appointed to bee his play-fellow) disporting themselues, finding faulte that the collor which the supposed Demetre wore about his necke (as the fashion of the Countrey is) stoode awry, preparing to mende it, with a sharpe knif (prouided as seems of purpose) cut his throat.

The report of this arriued presently at court: the Vsurper makes shew of much lamentation, yet to sa¦tisfiy the people & seat himself faster in his throne,

the dead body was openly showne three daies, to the eyes of all men. Many arguments were drawne to make the world beleeue, that Boris sonne sought the death, of this his brother in lawes childe, and to weane the peoples loues and hopes they had from him, as first to haue it spred abrod, that Demetre was like to proue like his father, thats to say, a Tyrant because, euen in his childhood, he tooke delighte to see Hennes and Chickens kilde, and to bath his hands in the blood: adde vnto this, the poisoning of his Nurse: besides, it was forbidden to haue him praied for, as the rest of the Emperors children wer because hee should be vtterly forgotten. To con∣clude an old ouer-worne law buried long in for∣getfulnes was now againe freshly reuiued, and that was, That the child of a sixt wife was not to inherit. (yet the murder beeing acted) Boris the vsurper, to blind the eies of the world, and to weare a cunning maske ouer his owne, Sent a noble man with di∣uers others to take strict examination of each par∣ticular circumstance, and to imprison all those that had the guardiaunce of him, yea to put some of them to tortures and to death, which was done ac∣cordingly. But heauen protected the lawfull, to be an instrument for the Vsurpers confusion. Obscure∣ly liude this wronged Prince, the changing of him being made priuate to none but his owne mother (Sister as is said before to Boris) who is now liuing, and to Bodan Belskey: but vpon what wheele his va∣rious fortunes haue bin turned, (which of necessi∣tye

must needs be strange) came not within the rech of our knowledge being there.

Onely thus much was receiued as currant, that the king of Poland sent word to the Vsurper, that such a Prince of Rushia was abiding in his court, descri∣bing him by name and other perticular notes to be sonne to their olde Emperour: vppon receipte of which Newes (which went but coldly to the heart of Borris) an Ambassadour was presently dispatcht into Poland, one that had been Godfather vnto De∣metre, because he should bring certaine knowledge of the truth: whoe at his comming was presented with a Counterfait (Princely attyred) but afterward with true Demetrius, whom (by the ayde of the Po∣lack) the Rushians within short time after receiued for their Emperour, and now raigneth ouer them.

FINJS.