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788 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
Mirovitch returned no anfwer, but ftriking him on the forehead with the butt-end of
his mufket, delivered him a prifoner to fome of his party, and with the remainder ad-
vanced to a wooden gate, which guarded the paflage leading to the Prince’s apartment.
He demanded admittance; but meeting with a refufal from the centinels, ordered his
followers to difcharge their mufkets and force their way; they obeyed, and the centi-
nels returned the fire. The foldiers, deceived by Mirovitch, had expected no oppofi-
tion ; furprized, therefore, and alarmed at the refiftance of the centinels, they retired
with precipitation, notwithftanding all the efforts of thetr leader, and infifted on feeing
the order of the Emprefs. Mirovitch immediately read to them a paper *, which he
had forged, at the bottom of which he had counterfeited the imperial fignature ; and as
it was no difficult matter to deceive ignorant men, few of whom could read, he pre-
vailed upon them by entreaties, promiles, and threats, to make a fecond attempt. Dur-
ing this fhort interval, a cannon was drawn from one of the baftions, which Mirovitch
himfelf pointed againft the paflage leading to the Prince’s apartment, when the door was
fuddenly opened, and the whole party fuffered to enter without oppofition.
On the firft attempt of Mirovitch, Vlafief and Tchekin had difperfed the affailants
by ordering the centinels to fire; but when they returned, and Mirovitch, with his
cannon pointed, feemed determined to force his way, the officers, finding no poflibility
of further refiftance, attacked with their drawn fwords the unfortunate object of this
conteft, who had been awakened by the tumult, and had ftarted out of bed. The
Prince, though without any weapon, and almoft naked, yet, animated with defpair,
made a vigorous defence; he parried their repeated thrults; ‘and, though pierced
through the hand, broke one of their fwords, until overpowered and ftabbed in feveral
places, he was difpatched by a wound in the back. ‘The officers immediately threw
open the door, and, pointing to the body of Ivan, exclaimed, ‘* Here is your Em-
peror!? Mirovitch, beholding the dead body, ftarted back in an agony of furprize ;
foon, however, recollecting himfelf, he made no other attempt; but returned with
perfect compofure to the Governor, and delivering up his fword, calmly faid, ** lam
how your prifonert.”
On the following day, the body of Ivan was expofed in a fhirt and a pair of drawers
before the guard-houfe in the fortrefs, whither an immenfe concourfe of people flocked
* It is difficult, at this diftance of time, to find out the contents of this paper; but it appeared, from
the examination of Mirovitch and his affociates, to have been obfcurely drawn up. Ashe afferted that what
he read to them iffued from the Emprefs, he could not lay open his detign of releafing Ivan; and probably
the paper contained only an order to take the Prince from the cuftody of Vlafief and Tchekin, who might
be reprefented as betraying their truft: this fuppofition is confirmed by the violent abufe which the foldiers,
on their return to the fecond attack, threw out againft thefe two officers. Nikita Lebedef, the next m
command to Mirovitch, was the only perfon who perceived that the order was counterfeited, and, though
he did not affilt Mirovitch, he wa’ afterwards punithed for not difcovering the impofition to the mifguided
foldiers.
+ Such was the account of this tranfa€tion, which I received from the governor; but 1 deem it a duty
to infert a note from the Earl of Buckinghamfhire to the Earl of Hardwicke, which relates more circum-
flantially the behaviour of Mirovitch.
July 26th, 1764.
«< The officer then (after having ftabbed Ivan) produced the body to the Lieutenant and his foldiers, and
told them they might now do with their Emperor what they thought proper. Mirvitz carried the corps
to the foot of the guard, and covered it with the colours, and then, with all his foldiers, proftrated himfelf
before it, and kifled the hands; then taking off his own gorget, fafh, and f{word, laid them by the body,
and addrefling himfelf to the Colonel of Korgalow, who was then arrived, and pointing to the body, told
him, There is your Emperor, you may do as you pleafe. Adverfe fortune has blafted my defign. I
mourn not for my own fate, but for the mifery of my poor fellow foldiers, the innocent victims of my
undertaking.’ He then embraced the under officers, and furrendered himfelf and his foldiers.””
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