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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA, 609
of Jerufalem, built and endowed by himfelf. On his arrival he re-affumed his reclufe
way of life, and practifed the moft rigid mortifications. The hermitage he inhabited is
thus defcribed by an author *, who vifited the fpot in the beginning of this century :
<A winding {ftair-cafe, fo narrow that one man could hardly pafs, leads to the little
chapel of about a fathom in the fquare, in which the Patriarch ufed to perform his foli-
tary worfhip. The room in which he lived was not much larger; in it hung a broad
iron plate, with a crofs of brafs fixed to a heavy chain, weighing above twenty pounds,
all which the faid Patriarch wore about his neck for twenty years together. His bed
was a {quare ftone two ells in length, and fcarcely one in breadth, over which was fpread
nothing but a cover of rufhes. Below in the houfe was a {mall chimney, in which the
Patriarch ufed to drefs his own victuals.”
Nicon, however, did not wafte his whole time in the performance of ufelefs aufteri-
ties ; but employed himfelf in compiling a regular feries of Ruffian annalifts from Nef-
tor, the earlieft hiftorian of this country, to the reign of Alexey Michaelovitch. He
purfued this plan with his accuftomed zeal. After comparing and collating numerous
manufcripts, he digefted the whole collection in chronological order into a work, which
is called fometimes, from its author, the Chronical of Nicon, and fometimes from the
place where it was begun and depofited, the Chronicle of the Convent of Jerufalem.
This compilation, the labour of twenty years, is juftly efteemed, by the beft Ruffian
hiftorians, a work of the greateft authority ; and was confidered, by the venerable au-
‘thor, of fuch importance to the hiftory of his country, that, in the true fpirit of enthu-
fiafm, he begins the performance by anathematizing all thofe who fhould attempt to
alter the minuteft expreflion.
The innocent manner in which he paffed his time could not protect him from the per-
fecutions of his enemies, who were apprehenfive that while he retained the name of
Patriarch, he might be reinftated in his former dignity. Repeated complaints were
urged againft him; every difturbance, occafioned by the old believers, was made a
matter of ferious accufation; not only his former conduct was arraigned, but new crimes
were invented to render him {till more obnoxious. He was accufed of difrefpectful ex-
preflions relating to the Tzar, ina letter to the Patriarch of Conftantinople, of holding
a treafonable correfpondence, and receiving bribes from the King of Poland.
The Tzar, continually befet by the Patriarch’s enemies, was prevailed on to proceed
to the moft violent extremeties. He convened, in 1666, a general council of the Greek
and Ruffian clergy at Mofcow, who, after a fhort deliberation, formally depofed Nicon
from the patriarchal fee, and banifhed him to a diftant convent. The principal caufe
affigned for this depofition was, that Nicon, having by a voluntary abdication meanly
deferted his flock, was unworthy to fill the patriarchal chair. This futile allegation is a
fufficient proof that the other crimes were malicioufly circulated to prejudice the ’T’zar,
and to influence the judges. In conformity to his fentence, Nicon was degraded to the
condition of a common monk, and imprifoned in the convent of Therapont, in the go-
vernment of Bielozero. His confinement was for fome time extremely rigorous; be-
caufe, confcious of his own integrity, he perfifted in a denial of guilt, and refufed to ac-
cept a pardon for crimes he had never committed. Upon the death of Alexéy, in 1676,
Feodor, probably at the inftigation of his prime minifter, Prince Galitzin, the patron
and friend of genius, permitted Nicon to remove to the convent of St. Cyril, where he
enjoyed perfect liberty.
* Perry’s State of Ruffia. vol. i. p. 140.
VOL. VI. 41 Nicon
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