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738" COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
you have juft conferred, not only upon me, but what is more, upon your country, in
bringing back him, who by his birth is my fon, and by his actions, the enemy of his
father and of his‘country *.”? «
The wife of Alexéy, Charlotte Chriftina Sophia, was daughter of Louis Rodolph of
Brunfwick Blakenburgh, and fifter of Elizabeth Chriftina, confort of the Emperor
Charles VI. She was born on the 29th of Auguft 1694, efpoufed on the 25th of Otto-
ber 1711, the Tzarovitch Alexéy, and in July of the enfuing year made her entrance
into Peterfburgh fT.
Although this amiable Princefs was the choice of Alexéy, who faw her at her father’s
court, yet he treated her with the utmoft neglect, and devoted himfelf to his favourite
miftrefs Euphrofyne, a Finlandifh girl of the loweft extraction.
It does not indeed appear that the Prince, according to the report of fome writers,
frequently {truck her; for had he been fufficiently brutal, he would have been reftrained
by apprehenfions of his father ; who, as well as Catharine, always exprefled the ftrong-
eft compaffion for her wretched fituation, and fhowed her conftant proofs of his affection.
Her hufband’s unconquerable antipathy was chiefly derived from his fufpicions that
fhe lodged complaints againft him to the Emperor. Unfortunately her domeftic uneafi-
nefs was increafed by Juliana Princefs of Eaft-Friefland, who accompanied her into
Ruffia, and who imprudently fanned the flame inftead of endeavouring to quench it.
The fruits of this ill-afforted union were Natalia, who was born at Peterfburgh in
1714, and died at Mofcow in 1728; anda Prince, afterwards Peter II. who was brought
into the world on the 23d of October, 1715, The confequences of her delivery, and
the melancholy which had long preyed upon her frame, hurried her prematurely to the
grave, on the 2d November, in the twenty-firft year of her age. The approach of’
death was affe€ting to all but her hufband and herfelf; her fpirit was fo much fubdued-
by affliction, that fhe confidered her diffolution asa welcome releafe from all her fuffer-
ings; and faid to her phyficians, “*Do not torment me any more, for I will live no
longer t.”
On the day which preceded her deceafe, fhe ditated a petition to Peter the Great,
which may be confidered as her will: ‘The moft humble and laft entreaties from the
under-written to His Imperial Majefty.. 1. His Imperial Majefty will order my funeral*
as he fhall think proper. I could with, neverthelefs, that my body may be buried in a
place where it may remain undifturbed until the fecond coming of our Saviour. 2. Both
my beloved children I recommend to the care and affection of’ his Imperial Majefty, my
gracious father-in-law, that they may be educated according to their birth and ftation.
3. I leave my jewels and other valuable things in gold and filver to my children ; and a
reafonable part of my clothes and linen to my coufin the Princefs of Eajt-Friefland.
4. I befeech his Imperial Majefty gracioufly to permit thofe perfons who accompanied
me hither to return, and to defray the expence of their journey. 5. On account of the
dearnefs of this place, and becaufe my fervants were ftrangers, I have contracted fome ©
debts, which I intreat his Imperial Majelty to difcharge, that I may be remembered with
honour, and that no unworthy reports may be circulated after my death. The fums
which the crown will fave by my deceafe, may be employed in difcharging thefe debts,
fince it is God’s will that I depart from this world fo prematurely and unexpectedly.
* This note, which has not yet appeared in priat, was communicated to me by a Ruffian nobleman, the
grandfon of Count Romanzef, who favoured me with a tranflation from the original.
+ This account of the Princefs is chiefly taken from Muller’s “ Von der Princeffin von Wolfenbuettel
als vermahlten Ruffifchen Kronprinceffin.”? In Buf, Hilt, Mag, xv. ps 234.
$ Bruce’s Memoirs, p. 143.
6. My
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