b o o k fortrefs, Vaffili Mirovitch, an under-lieutenant in this regi-
. v ' , ment, was the perfon who, by attempting to releafelvan, was
the caufe o f his death. This perfon was grandfon of the
rebel o f the fame name, who followed Mazeppa Hetman o f
the Coflacs, when the latter revolted from Peter the Great,
and joined Charles XII. in his ill-concerted expedition into-
the Ukraine* Mirovitch had applied to the emprefs to re-
ftore the eftates o f his grand-father, which had been eonfxf-
cated after the battle o f Pultava •, but having met with a po-
litive refufal, as well in this as in other applications, he
formed the defperate refolution o f delivering Ivan, in order
to place that prince upon the throne which he had once filled,
and to raife himfelf to a tank and ftation equal to that o f the
firft fubject in the empire. But, as he was a perfon without
fortune or connections, the means he was enabled to adopt
were far from being adequate to the boldnefs of the enter-
prize.
Having formed this daring refolution, he, a few months
before the purpofed time o f execution,- communicated it at
Cafan to a lieutenant in the regiment o f Veliki-JLaki, whofe
name was Apollon Uihakof. Thefe two affociates repaired
to the church of the Virgin Mary, where they took an oath o f
fecrecy and fidelity upon the altar, and, mixing fanatieifm
with treafon, invoked the Almighty to affift and fanctify
their defigns. They alfo joined in drawing up a inanifelto,
which they propofed to diftribute as foon as Ivan fhould be
fet at liberty. The execution o f this enterprize was delayed
until the fnmroer, when it was expended that the emprefs
would be abfent from the capital upon an expedition into
Livonia. Soon afterwards Mirovitch joined his' regiment,
which was quartered at Schluffelburgb ; but his confederate
Uihakof
Uihakof was accidentally drowned, on the 29th o f March, c ^ p-
in his way to Smoleniko, *—
Mirovitch, deprived o f his affociate, does not appear to
have found any other perfon in whom he could repofe equal
confidence. He founded, however, a fervant o f the court,
whofe name was Tikon Cafatkin, and artfully endeavoured
toinfufe, by degrees, into his mind rebellious principles, in
order to make him, at a proper feafon, the inftrument o f his
purpofes. But he was fomewhat more explicit with Semen
Tchevaridfef, lieutenant in the corps of artillery; to whom
he communicated, firft, by dark and obfcure hints, and then
in fomewhat plainer terms, a defign o f releafing Ivan ; and
o f conducting him to that corps ftationed at Peteriburgh ;
hut he mentioned it merely as a projeCt, without fixing any
precife time for attempting it, or naming himfelf as the perfon
who would dare to undertake it.
With fo little management, and no precaution in cafe of
failure, did Mirovitch refolve to carry his defign into execution
; but he was upon duty during a whole week in the
fortrefs without finding any favourable opportunity. He
had obferved, however, and fet a private mark on the door
o f Ivan’s apartment, and had fhewn it to his friend Semen
Tchevaridfef, who came from Peteriburgh to vifit him. At
the clofe of the week his turn o f courfe expired ; but he fo-
licited and obtained, under fome fpecious pretence, the per-
miffion o f being continued upon guard on the evening o f
the 4th of July ffri Probably heconfidered the foldiers, who
were then upon duty, as more eafyto be corrupted than thofe
who hadjuft been relieved. It does not, however, appear
thathehad previoully gained more than onecommon foldier,
whofe name was Jacob P ilk o f: and it was not till about te.u
* 15th, o. s.
G a at