Diftinction who had affifted in it; and then their Majefties returned to their Apartments in the fame Order as they came.

This Solemnity over, his Imperial Majefty still pursued his ufual Endeavours to encourage the Commerce of his Subjects, and to advance them in Arts and Sciences; for the Increase of the latter, he caused a strict Search to be made by his exprefs Order, for all the antient Greek Manufcripts, that had been hid for many Ages in the Grecian Convents, by Reafon of the great Ignorance of the Monks. It was found that many of these Grecian Manufcripts had been fent to Petersburgh by Means of the Houfe of Medicis, from whence the late Great-Duke of Tufcany was defcended, in whofe Country many of the learned Greeks, who fled with their best Manufcripts, upon divers Occafions, from the Tyranny of the Turks, were well entertained, and enabled to go from thence to Moscow, where the Faith of the Greek Church was always profeffed.

1724.

Monafteries.

His Majefty made alfo feveral wife and neceffary Regulations, and, as M. Fontenelle fays, DARED to retrench the Churches and Monatteries The Czar rethat were too rich. One of his Regulations trenches the concerning Cloysters confifted of the following Heads: 1. That for the future, no more than fifty Monafteries for Men fhould be allowed throughout all Ruffia. 2. That in each Cloyfter or Monaftry the Number of Monks should not be above fifty, tho' it might be under. 3. That no Monk under forty Years fhould be received into a Cloyster, and that for each of them no more than one Rouble per Week fhould be allowed to fubfift upon. 4. That

those

those Monks who were at prefent under forty Years should immediately go out of the Cloyfters, and be employed in fome publick Affairs. And as there were many hundred Cloysters in Ruffia, the Revenues of which amounted to feveral Millions of Roubles, they should be appropriated to the PUBLICK TREASURY.

At the latter End of the Year his Majesty invited the foreign Minifters, &c. to the Ceremony of betrothing the Princess Anna Petrowna to the Duke of Holstein*. The Emperor himfelf joining the illuftrious Pair, by exchanging the Rings, giving them a Kifs, and wifhing them a long Life; after which the Archbishop of Novogorod gave them his Bleffing in a few Words. The Ceremony was closed with the joyful Acclamations of the whole Affembly, who cried out Vivant, and clapped their Hands. The betrothed Princefs prefented afterwards a Glafs of Wine to both their Majefties, to the Duke her future Spouse, and to the principal Lords and Ladies, from whom fhe then received the Compliments of Congratulation. The Feast prepared on this Occafion was preceded by a curious Firework, and followed with a Ball.

Two Days after the feveral Colleges in Bodies, waited upon his Royal Highness with their Compliments; the foreign Ministers did the fame, and were afterwards entertained at Dinner, together with the High-Admiral

Charles Frederick, born the 29th of April 1700, at Stockholm; his Mother being eldest Sifter to the prefent Queen of Sweden; and his Father Generaliffimo of the Swedish Army, killed at the Battle of Cliffau in Poland, in the Month of July, 1702.

Apraxin,

1724.

fick.

1725.

Apraxin, the Field-Marefchal Prince Repnin, the Attorney-General * Jagufinski, &c. Great Rejoicings were made all over the City of Petersburgh on this Occafion; and his Czarish Majefty purchased the Palace formerly belonging to the Grand-Admiral Apraxin, which was magnificently furnished for the Refidence of the Duke and his future Spouse: But a fudden Damp was put to all this Joy by the Apprehenfions of the greatest Calamity that could befal the Nation, I mean the Lofs of that great Prince, who was truly the Father of his Country; for on the 16th of January, his Majefty was attended with a violent Cold, which brought on him a Fit of The Czar falls the Cholick, and that followed by a Stranguary, occafioned by an Abfcefs in the Neck of his Bladder: He continued in great Mifery for a Week, without being once in Bed, when his Phyficians thought proper to break the Abfcefs with a Probe, which indeed brought out a great deal of Matter, and gave him much Eafe, with Hopes of Recovery; but the Application being made too late, he fuffered moft violent Torture for four Days more, and then expired, Dies. viz. on the 28th of January, 1725; giving all the Tokens of a perfect Refignation to the Will of Heaven, and all along behaving with the fame Courage and Piety that accompanied all his Actions.

Even in the Extremity of thefe painful Diforders, he laid out fome of his Time in providing for the Safety and Welfare of his People,

*This Jagufinski was a great Favourite of the Czar's, and, as a late Author fays, was a Man of great Capacity, whom the Czar had Reason to value for his good Services, and no one could, with Juftice, complain of him.