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made by a Secretary of the Chancery into the Papers of the Refident in his House, for the better Discovery of this dangerous Affair. And when the Minifters of his Czarifh Majefty had clearly proved to the Refident, all his evil Practices, he could not deny them.

He confeffed that he had written fuch Letters, faying, that he had relied upon the Intimations and Advices of fome Perfons; fome whereof he named, but it appeared he concealed the Principal.

But in the mean time, he had engaged his Word of Honour, and his Confcience, that he would tell the Truth upon all the Points in Queftion, which his Majefty fhould propofe to him; fo that although he has merited to be kept in Cuftody, till fuch Time as he had accomplished his Promife, he was nevertheless immediately fet at Liberty, to return to his House,where even he may live without any Guard fet upon him. And on the contrary, Liberty is given to him and all his Family, and every Body that have Occafion to come to him, to go out and in at their Pleasure.

The Minifters of his Majefty fent the next Day, a Secretary of the Chancery to the faid Refident, according to what had been agreed with him, upon Questions drawn up in Articles, and extracted from Letters he had written, and from what he had declared by word of Mouth.

The Copy of the Anfwers which he made upon thofe Demands by Articles, has been fent to the above-mentioned Ambaffador.

The Refident has acknowledged all, except his Communications, whereof he would declare

nothing,

nothing, alledging only, that he wrote his Reports without any evil Intention.

His Czarish Majefty thinks he has had important Reasons to proceed against him more rigorously, and to detain him in Confinement, in Example of what happened laft Year in England; where, upon the like Sufpicion of a Revolt, Count Gyllembourg, Envoy Extraordinary of the King of Sweden, was arrested, put under Guard, and had all his Papers feized: And the Example of their High Mightineffes, who arrefted the Plenipotentiary Minister of the King of Sweden, Baron Gortz, with the Secretary of the Embaffy, Gyllembourg, who were feized with all their Papers, and held a long Time in Cuftody under a strong Guard.

But through the Defire his Majefty has to maintain a good Friendship with their High Mightineffes, he has ordered their Refident to be treated with Moderation. And he having engaged his Word of Honour to discover the Perfons from whom he has received his Advices, his Majefty has left him upon that Condition at Liberty, and has ordered to demand of him once more the Names of those Perfons, the Refufal whereof has given his Majefty juft Occafion of Sufpicion; and if he perfifts in his Refufal, his Majefty will be obliged, contrary to his Defire, to put him under Arreft, till fuch Time as the Answer of their High Mightineffes fhall arrive; for there is too much Danger in letting Affairs of that Nature fall, without fearching into the Bottom of them.

His Majesty orders, for the reft, to affure their High Mightineffes of the unalterable I 3 Friend

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Friendship that he will conftantly maintain with this State as formerly, and that what has paffed fhall be no prejudice to them, the Refident having drawn upon himself thefe Affairs by his ill Conduct, which ought to destroy the Privileges attach'd to his Character.

At the fame Time, the faid Ambaffador is ordered to demand of their High Mightineffes, not only the Recal of the faid Refident from the Court of his Czarish Majefty, but alfo Satisfaction for his Conduct, which has been entirely culpable, and to fend, if they think fit, another Perfon of Honour and Confidence in his Place, which his Majefty will take kindly, not being able to admit the said Refident any longer to his Court.

The following are QUESTIONS put to M. de Bie, the Dutch Refident at Petersburgh, and his ANSWERS to them.

Question I.

W

WHAT gave Occafion to the Refident to write from Mofcow, that the Degradation of Prince Alexis gives a Profpect of very bad Confequences? Moreover, What Grounds had he for writing that every Thing was tending towards a Revolt in the Czar's Dominions, of which nobody has obferved the leaft Appearance hitherto; and therefore it is demanded of him from whom he had fuch Advice, and with what Circumftance ?

Anfwer. It being reported every where, that Prince Alexis was beloved by the Common People, I own, that I was afraid of the Confequence.

Quest.

Quest. II. What Authority had he for writing to fome of his Friends, that he dreaded what was to come, and that this Empire is in a very bad Condition; that the fudden Death of Prince Alexis caufed great Uneafinefs and Alarms among the People, who would not believe he died a natural Death; that he believed there would fhortly be a Rebellion, and for that Reason, that he might be out of Danger, he had defired to be recalled? It is therefore afked from whom he had all thofe Advices, both as to the Rebellion, which he faid he feared, and the Circumftances of the Prince's Death; for he mention'd fome Friends who had given him fuch Notices?

Anf. I did not doubt of the Death of the Prince, as his Excellency the Vice Chancellor told it to the Envoy, M. Weftphale, on the Anniversary of the Victory of Pultowa; yet it is but too true, that the Common People thought quite otherwise.

Queft. III. Upon what Foundation he wrote, as if there was a Marriage on Foot betwixt Princess Anne, Daughter to his Czarish Majefty, and the Duke of Holstein, and that the Affair was countenanced by her Majefty the Czarina, with a View to procure herself a Place of Retreat, in cafe of Need, as his Letter bears exprefly?

Anf. It appeared to me very likely, that her Majefty the Czarina, would not be against a Match betwixt the Princefs Anne and the Duke of Holstein And I own again, that I was fo weak, as to fear dangerous Times, if Prince Alexis could have put his ill Designs in Execu I 4

tion,

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tion, or if his Majefty the Czar (whom God long preferve) fhould have died.

Quest. IV. What Reafon he had to believe that his Majefty, the Czar, has no Subjects who are faithful, and attach'd to him, but Prince Menzikoff, and fome of the common People?

Anf. God forbid that ever I should have thought that his Czarish Majefty had no other faithful Servants than Prince Menzikoff; but I was afraid, that in cafe of a Rebellion, many would have abandon'd his Czarish Majefty, and that Prince Alexis's Adherents would have increased.

Quest. V. Who was it that gave him Advice of the Hereditary Prince's bad State of Health and Diftemper?

Anf. During the Time while his Czarifh Majefty was in Foreign Countries, and at his Return, I heard often that the State of the Hereditary Prince's Health was very uncertain; and Madam Blunnerofe, in particular, told my Wife, by way of Difcourfe, that his Highnes was very weakly: This was confirm'd to me by Dr. Urbi, who expreffed his Fear that the faid Prince, if God did not prevent it, would fall into a Confumption.

Quest. VI. Since the Refident himself told the Minifters that Mr. Gooy, Surgeon of the Navy, acquainted him prefently with the Death of Prince Alexis, there is Reafon to judge that it was the fame Person who gave him the other Advices which the Refident mentions, and boafts of in thefe Terms, that he had them of a good Friend?

Anf. It is true, that Mr. Gooy, the Surgeon, fent me word the 7th of this Month, about