Thould write to him in thefe Terms; "That "I had fafely paffed Dantzick, and without "Danger from the Confederates; and that I purfued my Journey. Write no more, says he, we fhall understand this very well."

66

66

I followed his Directions, and wrote to them from Stargard; but to remove all Sufpicion from him, I wrote alfo to others, who knew nothing of my Designs concerted with Kikin, nor of my Efcape; particularly I wrote to Nicephorus Vafenski; to Theodore Dubrofsky; to the Czarewitz Siberien, and to John Naraskin, and all in the fame Terms I had written to John; that in Cafe my Letters were intercepted, no Sufpicion might be formed from them, as they were all alike.

None of the Perfons mentioned knew any Thing of my Flight except Kikin and John.

Thefe Letters were fent to Riga, to Peter Galitzin, that he might difpatch them for Petersburgh; and after this I wrote no more Letters into Ruffia, except from Courland and Livonia, at my own House, upon private Affairs; and farther, I wrote to Dubrofski concerning certain Books which belonged to me, that he formerly had in his Hands; as also certain other Moveables that were in his Keeping.

This was all that paffed then.

Prince Peter Galitzin knew nothing of my Escape.

Farther, I know not whether the Letters in Question were received or not, because no Body wrote to me from Ruffia.

KIKIN farther faid, If your Father fends any one to perfuade you to return, don't do it; he'll caufe you to be beheaded. I then faid, I am

glad

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glad you have found out a Place for me; but if my Father had not written to me to come to him, how should I have got off. He answer'd, You should have made as if you had faid that you would go to him of yourself, and by this Means you might have escaped.

IV.

Did you receive any Letters during your Abfence, or hold any Correfpondence with any Ruffian, directly or indirectly? or have you converfed any other Way, and in what Manner? Had you no News at all from Ruffia, nor did you know any Thing of the Affairs of the Country, fo far as they relate to you and me?

ANSWER.

I had no News whilft I was upon the Road during my Flight, neither from Ruffia nor elfewhere; neither by Writing, nor Word of Mouth, directly, nor indirectly; nor by any other Ways, either of the Affairs here, or of any Thing elfe, except that I received Advice from the Count of Schonborn at Ehrenberg:

First, that Notice was given that I was amongst them, and that I ought to live private and keep my felf concealed.

The fecond Time, when Wefelowski spoke of me at Vienna.

I don't exactly call to Mind to which of thefe two Letters there was joined the Copy of another from Bleyer, importing in Subftance, that certain Enquiries had been made after my Departure, among my Domefticks; and that there was a Mutiny in the Army which is in

Meck

Mecklenbourg, and particularly in the Regiment of Guards, which are, for the most Part, made up of the Nobility; that they had a Defign upon the Life of the Czar; and talked of fending the Czarina, with her Son, into the Place where the old Czarina was, in order to bring her to Moscow, and place her Son upon the Throne, when he should be found, it not being known what was become of him.

This Letter was left behind with my other Papers.

I also received another Letter from the Count of Schonborn, upon the Subject of my Journey from Naples.

I never wrote to any Body in Cyphers during my Abfence, nor did I ever receive any News, except what I mentioned, and the printed Gazettes.

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V.

When, where, and why was the Greek Priest with you?

ANSWER.

There was no Greek Prieft with me at any Time fince my Departure from Petersburgh, till the Arrival of Meffieurs Tolstoi and Rumanzow at Naples.

VI.

Tell at least the Subftance of the Letter the Imperialifts forced you to write upon this Affair, tho' you can't repeat it Word for Word; and which of the Imperialifts obliged you to write it; when, and where; who of your Followers had any Knowledge of it; to whom VOL. III.

D

you

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you deliver'd it; whether you did not take Minutes of it; and if it is true, that the Imperialists forced you to do it?

ANSWER.

The Secretary of Count Schonborn, whose Name was Kiel, forced me to write Letters to the Senate, and to the Archbishops, when he conducted me to Naples, into the Quarter of the Viceroy; Wingarten's Secretary faying, that I ought to write into Ruffia to the faid Perfons, because, he faid, they had Advice that I was dead; and others told them that I was taken and carried into Siberia: Either therefore, fays he, write to them, or we will keep you no longer.

And indeed he did not go out of my Chamber till I had written; and upon this Conftraint of the Secretary I wrote to the Senate, and the two Archbishops of Roftou and Kouditz, to the Effect following; for I knew very little of them.

"I believe that you, and every one else, "have been much furprized at my Departure, "unknown to all the World. The ill "Treatment I have received, even to the De

fign of being confined in a Convent, has "obliged me to it; but God has procured me "the Opportunity of retiring to a Distance. "I am under the Protection of an eminent Per"fon, (I was not permitted to name him) 'till "the Time it fhall pleafe God to recal me. "In the mean Time, I beg of you not to for"get me, and if any of thofe who are defirous "to wipe me out of the Memory of Men,

fhall fpread a Report that I am dead, or

" raise

raise any other injurious Rumour, give no "Credit to it, and difabufe others: For I both 66 live, and am in good Health, Thanks be to "God, and my Benefactors who protect me, "and who have alfo promifed not to forfake me, and to affift me in all my Neceffities. " I am, whilst I live, full of all good Wishes "for you, and the whole Country."

This was the Subftance of the Letter, but I do not exactly remember it Word for Word. As they would not fuffer me to take a Copyof it, I have only the Letter as I begun to write it; but it was not finifhed on that Paper, because it was ill written. This Paper was all I had, instead of a foul Copy. It is not written in the fame Terms, but it is the fame in Effect; it is alfo with my other Papers.

When I had written this Letter, I gave it to the Secretary I fpoke of, who carried it with him, without my knowing whither he went. He only told me he was going to Vienna, and I was put into the Caftle of St. Elme.

Upon my Arrival at Vienna, I addreffed myfelf to the Count de Schonborn, to demand Protection. He told me he would go the Emperor, and know his Will; but take care, fays he, that Wefelowski does not fee you.

Upon his Return from the Emperor, he faid he was not come to any Refolution, but that he had ordered him to talk with Prince Eugene, and Count Staremberg, upon this Subject.

After this Conference it was refolved to take me into Protection, and fend me to fome Fortrefs; the Count faying to me, What will you do at Vienna? You will be known there, and especially by Wefelowski. The Emperor will

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