b o o k feveral important trufts, both civil and military, he fuccef-
. lively filled the higheft polls in the army and Hate. He
was created marihal by the emprefs Anne, and placed at the
head o f the war department; he obtained the command o f
the army againft the Turks, and proved his military talents
by his fuccefies in the campaigns o f 17 3 7 and 1738.
Soon after the death of the emprefs, he advifed, planned,
and executed the arreft o f Biren ; and was rewarded by the
regent Anne with the office o f prime-minifter. But as he
was difcontented at not being appointed generaliffimo,and as
his power and ambition gave umbrage to the court, he re-
queited permiffion to refign his employments, and was afto-
niihed at the readinefs with which his requeit was granted.
Initead o f repairing to the Pruffian court, to which he was
ftrongly invited, he imprudently remained in Ruffia, flattering
himfelf with the hopes of being reinilated in his former
dignity; and was arrefted on the 6th o f December, 1 7 4 1 ,
by order o f Elizabeth. The ofteniible reafon of his diigrace
was, that he had perfuaded the emprefs Anne to nominate
Ivan her fucceflor ; but the real caufe, as I was informed by
a perfon o f veracity who received it from count Munich himfelf,
was that, by order o f that emprefs, he had taken into
cuftody one o f Elizabeth’s favourites.
Munich was brought before a committee appointed to examine
the ftate-prifoners ; being fatigued with repeated
queftions, and perceiving that his judges were determined to
find him guilty, he faid to them, “ Didtate- the anfwers
which you wifh me to make, and I will fign them.” T h e
judges immediately wrote down a confeffion o f feveral
charges, which being fubfcribed by Munich, his mock-trial
was concluded. Being thus without further ceremony con-
7 vidled
vidled of high treafon, he was condemned to be quartered ; c h a p .
but his fentence was changed by Elizabeth to perpetual im - . / ■
prifonment. During that emprefles reign, namely, for the
fpace o f twenty years, he was confined at Pelim in Siberia, in
an oftrog, or prifon furrounded with palifadoes, o f which,
according to Manftein, he had himfelf drawn the plan, and
ordered to be conftructed for the reception o f Biren. T h e
place o f his imprifonment was an area enclofed with high
palifadoes about 170 feet fquare; within which was a
wooden-houfe, inhabited by himfelf, his wife, and a few
fervants; jand a fmall garden, which he cultivated with his-
own hands. He received a daily allowance o f 12s. for
the maintenance o f himfelf, his wife, and domeiticks ;
which little pittance he increafed by keeping cows and felling
part o f their milk, and by occafionally initrudling youth
in geometry and engineering. He behaved, during his long
confinement, with the utmoil refignation, tranquillity, and
even cheerfulnefs. He was accuftomed every day at dinner
to drink to his wife “ a happy return to Peterfburgh.” He
had prayers twice a day, from eleven to twelve in the
morning, and from fix to feven in the evening: they were
read in the German tongue by his chaplain Martens; and,
after his death, which happened in 174 9, the count himfelf
performed the fervice. Befide the culture o f his garden,
and the hours he pafled in giving inftruction, he found fuf-
ficient leifure for compofing hymns, for tranflating feveral
pfalms and prayers into German verfe, and for writing a trea-
tife upon the art o f war : the latter he propofed, i f ever he
ihould be releafed from his confinement, to prefent to the
king of Pruffia. In the lall; year o f his imprifonment, a
centinel informing againft Munich’s fervants for fupplying
him