Bn°K Boris Godtmof managed this horrid tranfattion with fuch
1 » ‘ ^t*t and iecrecy, that icarcely any fufpicions were entertained
agairrft him, until thirteen years afterwards a perfon made
his appearance who' declared himfelf to be Demetrius ; he
gave out that his mother, fufpicious of the attempts againft
her fon’s life, had taken the precaution to remove him from
Uglitz, and to fubftitute another child, who was aflaffinated
in his place; and that, being educated in a convent, and
concealed from the knowledge of his perfecutors, he had
eicaped from Ruffia into Poland. Being there admitted into
the fervice of Wiefnovitiki, a Pile of great diftinCtion, he
difcovered himfelf to that nobleman ; who, convinced, or
pretending to be fo,that he was the fen of I van Vaffilie vitch II.
warmly eipouied his cauie. Boris Godunof, having received
intelligence of this unexpected claimant of his throne, di 1-
feminated a report, that the impoftor who aflumed the name
of Demetrius, was a monk ftyled Gregory or Griika Otrepief;
and fpared neither threats nor bribes to obtain polfeffion of
his perfon; but, when thefe expedients failed of fuccefs he
difpatched his emiffaries into Poland to aflaffinate him.
Wiefnovitiki, alarmed for the fafety of his fugitive, recommended
him to the protection of the. fenator George
Mniihek palatine of Sendomir, a nobleman o f the larged
eftate and greateft confequence of Poland. Demetrius (if I
may be allowed to call him. by that name) being acknowledged
by him as the rightful heir of the Ruffian throne,
foon afterwards betrothed himfelf in marriage to the palatine’s
daughter Maria; and, in the beginning of the year 1603,
was introduced to Sigifmond III. king of Poland. Being admitted
to a public audience before the diet, he excited the
compaffion of that aflembly by the affefting manner in
which
twhich he related his extraordinary adventures; and though chap-
Sigifmond and the diet regretted that the lituation of their - - *
country prevented them from openly feconding his preten-
iions, yet they teftified the moft cordial attachment to his in-
terefts, and laid no prohibition on thofe nobles who might
be dilpofed to engage in his fupport. By the affiftance of
his two patrons, Wiefnovitijti and the palatine of Sendomir,
Demetrius entered Ruffia in the month of Auguft, 1604, at
the head of about 4000 Poles, and being foon joined by
many Ruffians, particularly by the Caffacs of the Don, advanced
almoft without oppolition to Novogorod Severikoi,
routed in December an army of 40,000 men ; but was himfelf
not long afterwards defeated, with great {laughter, by
prince Vaffili Shuiiki general o f Boris Godunof. Eight
thoufand of his followers were either killed or taken pri-
foners ; all his artillery and colours fell into the hands of
the enemy; his horfe was wounded under him, and he
himfelf eicaped with difficulty.
This overthrow-occafioned the almofl: total defection of
the Poliili troops ; and Demetrius himfelf was fo .difmayed
with his lofs, that, he would have retreated precipitately into
Poland, i f he had not been dilfuaded by the importunities
of his Ruffian adherents, many of whom believed him to be
the true Demetrius, and all dreaded the vengeance of Boris
Godunof. Overcome by their fug.geftians, he continued
his march, and, notwithftanding his late difcomfiture, foon
faw himfelf at the head of a numerous army of .Ruffians,
who flocked to his ftandard from all quarters. Not only the
populace, ever prone to credulity, but even men of the high-
eft birth and quality, gave credit to his preteniions :
his caufe was fupported not only by the diftant provinces,
but the people rofe even at Mofcow, and publickly proclaimed
Vol. I. B b b in