1718. affembled, they ordered, that fuitable Autho¬ rities fhould be fought out of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, the Conftitutions of the Empire, and the Military Laws, which might be applied to the present Cafe, to judge what Punishments thefe Tranfgreffions had deferved. EXTRACTS from the Old Teftament. Levit. Chap. xx. ND the Lord fpake unto Mofes, fay Aing, Thus fhalt thou lay unto the Chil "dren of Ifrael; Every one that curfeth his Father, or his Mother, fhall furely be put "to Death, his Blood fhall be upon him." Deut. Chap. xxi. "If a Man have a ftubborn and a rebellious "Son, which will not obey the Voice of his "Father, or the Voice of his Mother, and "that, when they have chaftened him, will "not hearken unto them, then fhall his Father "and his Mother lay hold on him, and bring "him out unto the Elders of his City, and un"to the Gate of his Place, and they fhall fay "unto the Elders of his City, This our Son is "stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our "Voice, he is a Glutton, and a Drunkard; " and all the Men of his City shall stone him "with Stones that he die, so shalt thou put away "Evil from among you, and all Ifrael fhall "hear and fear. EXTRACTS from the New Teftament. Matth. Chap. xv. Ver. 1. HEN came to Jefus Scribes and Pha Trifees which were of Jerufalem, saying Why do thy Difciples tranfgrefs the Tradi"tion of the Elders, for they wash not their "Hands when they eat Bread? But he answer"ed and faid unto them, Why do you also tranfgrefs the Commandments of God by your Tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy Father and Mother, and he "that curfeth Father or Mother, let him die the "Death. 66 Matth. Chap. vii. Ver. 9. "And he faid unto them, Full well ye reject the Commandment of God, that ye may "keep your own Tradition; for Mofes faid, "Honour thy Father and Mother, and whofo "curfeth Father, or Mother, let him die the "Death: But ye fay, if a Man fhall fay to his "Father, or Mother, it is Corban, that is to fay, a Gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he fhall be free; and ye fuf"fer him no more to do aught for his Father "and Mother." Rom. Chap. i. Ver. 28. "And even as they did not like to retain "God in their Knowledge, God gave them 66 over to a reprobate Mind, to do thofe Things "which are not convenient; being filled with "all Unrighteoufnefs, Fornication, Wicked"nefs, Covetoufnefs, Malicioufnefs, full of 1718. 1718. "Envy, Murder, Debate, Deceit, Malignity; Whisperers, Backbiters, Haters of God, "Defpiteful, Proud, Boafters, Inventors of "Evil Things, difobedient to Parents, with"out Understanding, Covenant-Breakers, with"out natural Affection, Implacable, Un"merciful; who knowing the Judgment of "God, that they which commit fuch Things "are worthy of Death, not only do the fame, "but have Pleafure in them that do them. Ephef. Chap. vi. ver. 1. "Children obey your Parents in the Lord, "for this is right; Honour thy Father and "Mother, which is the firft Commandment "with Promife, that it may be well with "thee, and thou may'ft live long on the Earth. In the CONSTITUTIONS of Ruffia. Fany Chap. I. Stat. I. Perfon forms any Attempt against the Health of the Czar, or does any Thing to his Prejudice, and is found inclined to execute his pernicious Designs, let him be put to Death after he is convicted of it. Stat. 2. In like Manner, if any one during the Reign of his Czarian Majefty, through a Defire to reign in the Empire of Muscovy, and to put the Czar to Death, fhall begin to raise Troops with this pernicious View; or if any one shall form an Alliance with the Enemies of his Czarian Majefty, or entertain a Correfpondence with them, them, or aid them with their Affiftance to arrive at the Government, or raise any other Disorder; if any one declares it, and the Truth be found out upon thefe Declarations, let the Traytor fuffer Death upon Conviction of the Treason. In the Military Laws of his Czarian Majesty, Chap. 3. Article 19. any Subject raises Men, or takes Arms Fany Czarian Majefty, or if any one forms a Defign of taking his Majesty Prisoner, or killing him; or if he offers any Violence to him; he, and all his Adherents and Abettors fhall be quarter'd, as guilty of Treason, and their Goods confifcated. The Explanation of the Article. Those alfo fhall be punish'd with the fame Punishment, who though they have not been. able to execute their Crime, fhall be convicted of having had the Inclination and Defire to commit it, as also those who have not discover'd it, when it has come to their Knowledge. Chap. 16. Article 27. He who forms a Defign of committing any Treason, or any other Matter of the like Nature, fhall notwithstanding be punished with the fame Capital Punishments, as if he had executed his Defign. 1718. The 1718. The EXTRACTS from the Divine, Civil, and I' T was refolved with one Confent, before the Sentence was pronounced, the Ministers and Senate fhould call the Judges appointed for this Tribunal, one after another, and hear every Man's Opinion from his own Mouth. Which having been done, the Ministers in like Manner declared each their Sentiment; which tho' feparately given, amounted notwithstanding unanimously, and without Contradiction, to one and the fame Judgment; declaring by Oath, and upon their Confcience, that according to the Laws, Divine, Civil, and Military, related above, the Czarewitz was worthy of Death for the Crimes alledged and proved against him. Upon the above-mentioned Confeffion of the Czarewitz concerning Bleyer's Letter, Abraham Lopukin was examined on the 19th of June, before the Minifters and the Senators, and at first he denied all with folemn Oaths; but being brought into the Chamber of the Torture, he owned and declared as follows: That he never defired the Refident Bleyer to come to him, nor was he ever with the Refident; but that meeting together after Autumn, he does not certainly remember at what Time, except that it was before the Arrival of his Czarian Majefty, going from Trinity Port to that of Baron Schaffiroff; he the faid Lopukin demanded of the Refident, Where is the Czarewitz at present? Is there any News of him? And that Bleyer an fwered, |