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626 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
by order of Boris Godunof*. The real circumftances of this affaffination, being pur-
pofely withheld from the public, are varioufly related: and the following particulars are
alone unqueftionable. A body, fuppofed to be that of the young Prince, was found
weltering in its blood; and certain perfons, confidered as the affaffins, were inftantly
put to death by the inhabitants of Ughtz. The account of the cataftrophe being tranf-
mitted to Mofcow, Boris Godunof, after circulating a report that Demetrius had, in a
fit of phrenzy, put a period to his own life, difpaiched his creatures Vaflili Shuifki and
Cletchnin to inquire into the circumftances of his death. Having examined the body of
the deceafed, they declared it to be that of Demetrius, and confirmed the report.
Maria Feodorofna, accufed of grofs inattention to her fon’s fecurity, was compelled to
affume the veil, and confined in a convent; many inhabitants of Uglitz, who fpoke
freely concerning the murder, were capitally punifhed; fome were imprifoned, and others
banifhed.
Boris Godunof managed this horrid tranfaction with fuch art and fecrecy, that fcarcely
any fufpicions were entertained again{t him, unul thirteen years afterwards a perfon
made his appearance under the name of Demetrius: he declared that his mother, fuf-
picious of the attempts againft her fon’s lite, had removed him from Uglitz, and fubfti-
tuted another child, who was affaffinated in his place; and that, being educated in a,
convent, and concealed from the knowledge of his perfecutors, he had efcaped from
Ruflia into Poland. Being there admitted into the fervice of Wiefnovitfki, a Pole of
great diftinétion,he difcovered himfelf to that nobleman, who warmly efpoufed his caufe.
Boris Godunof, having received intelligence of this unexpected claimant, difleminated
a report, that the impoftor, who affumed the name of Demetrius, was a monk ftyled
Gregory or Grifka Otrepief; and fpared neither threats nor bribes to obtain poffeflion
of his perfon. When thefe expedients failed of {uccefs, he difpatched his emiflaries into
Poland to aflaffinate him.
Wiefnovitfki, alarmed for the fafety of his fugitive, recommended him to the protec-
tion of the fenator George Mnifhek Palatine of Sendomir, a nobleman of great confe-
quence in Poland. Demetrius (if I may be allowed to call him by that name) being ac-
knowledged by him the rightful heir of the Ruffian throne, was foon afterwards betrothed
in marriage to the Palatine’s daughter Marina, and, in the beginning of 1603, was in-
troduced to Sigifmond III. King of Poland. Being admitted to a public audience before
the diet, he excited the compaffion of the aflembly by the affecting manner in which he
related his adventures; and though Sigifmond and the diet regretted that the fituation of
their country prevented them from openly feconding his pretenfions, yet they teftified
the moft cordial attachment to his interefts, and laid no prohibition on thofe nobles
* Muller relates from a Ruffian manufcript, that twelve perfons were privy to the murder, amongtft
whom were the Prince’s nurfe and her fon, who perpetrated the deed ; that it was committed at mid-day
in the court-yard of the palace, and thata bell-ringer, who was upon the top of an adjoining cathedral,
faw the whole tranfeGtion. Petreus afferts, that the Prince was murdered during the confufion of a fire,
purpofely occafioned by one of the affaffins. Margaret and Gravenbuck fay that the affaflin was fon of the
Tzarina Maria’s fecretary ; and it is generally affirmed, that it happened at midnight —The Ruffian au- -
thors naturally prefer the firft account, becaufe it was more difficult at mid-day to fabftiiturea child. There
is no reafon to be furprifed at thefe contradi€tory opinions, when it is confidered, as L?vefque juftly ob-
ferves, que Boris fupprima tous les détails de cet horrible affaire ; qu’il trompa le V’zar et Ie public. Le
* public fut donc alors mal inftruit des circanftances de cet €venement, et le temps n’a pu y ajotiter que de
* nouvelles obfcurités. D’ailleurs, comme le dit Margaret, on obfervait en Ruffic un fecret fi profond fur
‘« toutes les affaires, qu’il etait fort difficile d’apprendre la vérité de ce qu’on n’avait pas vu de fes yeux.”
Vol. ui, p. 228. ;
who
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