b o o k plied Menzikof, “ is a moment of fuch importance to the
Ij ' . “ good of the empire, and requires the moft mature .delibe-
“ ration, your majefty will permit us to confer without re-
« ftraint, that this whole affair may be tranfa&ed without
4 reproach, as well in the opinion of the prefent age, as in
: “ that of pofterity.”— “ Acting as J do,”anfwered Catharine,.
“ more for the publick good than for my own advantage, I
“ am not afraid to fubmit ail my concerns to the judgement
“ of fuch an enlightened aftembly; you have not only my
. “ permifiion to confer with freedom, but I lay my. commands
“ upon you all, to deliberate maturely on this important
“ fubjeCt; and promife to adopt whatever may be the refult
“ of your decifions.” At the condufion of thefe words the
affembly retired into another apartment, and the doors were
docked.
It was previoufly fettled by Menzikof and his party that
Catharine ihould be emprefs; and the guards, who fur-
rounded the palace with drums beating and cojpurs flyings
efteftually vanquiihed all oppoiition.. The only circum—
ftance, therefore, which remained,.was to-give ajuft colour to*
her title, by perfaading the affembly that Peter intended to-
have nanied her his focceflbr.. For this pnrpofe Menzikof.
demanded of that emperor’s fecretary, whether his late mafter
had left any written declaration of his intentions». The fer
cretary replied, “ T-hat a little before his laft journey to-
“ Mofcow he had deiiroycd a .will ;• and that he had fre—
“ quently exprefied his delign of making: another,. But had’,
“ always been prevented by the reflexion,, that if he thought;
“ his people,, whom he had raifed. from a Llate o f barbarifm •
“ to an high degree of power and glory, could be ungrate-
**■ ful, he would not expofe his final inclinations to the infuk
V-‘ of a refufal; and that if they recollected; what they owed:
“ to.
** to his labours,, they would regulate their conduit by his c h a p .
intentions,, which he had difclofed with more folemnity
“ than.could-be manifefted by any writing,” An altercation
now began in, the aftembly, and fome of the nobles- having
the.couragetooppofe the acceffion of Catharine, Theophanes,,
archbiihop of Plefcof, called to their recollection the oath
which they had all taken in 17 2 2 , to acknowledge the fuc-
Gelior appointed by Peter; and added,, that the fentiments-
o f that emperor delivered, by the fecretar-y were in effect
an appointment of Catharine. The oppolite party,, however,,
denied thefe fentiments to be fo clear as the fecretary chofe to .
infinuate; and infilled,, that as their late monarch had failed'
to nominate his heir, the. election of the new fovereign ihould
revert to the fiate- Upon.this the archbiihop further teftified,,
that, the evening before the coronation of the emprefs at-
Mofcow,.Peter had declared in the houfe of an Englilh- merchant,
that he. Ihould place the crown upon her head with no<
other view than to leave her miftrefs of the empire after
his deceafe., This atteftation. being confirmed by many per—
foils-prefent, Menzikof cried, out, “ What need have we o f
“ any teftament!' A- refufal to conform to the inclination of
“ our great fovereign, thus authenticated, would be' both
“ unjuft. antl criminal. Long, live the emprefs Catharine
Thefe, words being inftantaneouily repeated by the greateft,
part of thole who were prefent,.Menzikof, faluting.Catharine -
by the title of emprefs,.,paklhis firft obeifance by killing hers
hand;, and-his example was followed by'the whole aftembly.,. .¡if
She- next prefented, herfelf at! the .window, to the guards, and
to the people, who ihouted acclamations of “ Long live Ca-
“ tharine,” 'while Menzikof.fcattered among.them handfuls;
of. money i!L. Thus,.fays-a., cotemporary,., the emprefs wasraifed!
account. o f. the election o f Catharine-- is ch'cfl.,- cttiact. ii frt m. Bafiim t z ; .
who >