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years afterwards a merchant, named Stroganof, who was proprietor of fome faltworks on the confines of Siberia, was curious to gain a farther knowledge of that country, which was likewife inhabited by Tartars, whofe Khan refided in the capital Sibir. Perceiving among the perfons who came to him on affairs of trade, men who belonged to no nation with which he was acquainted, he put feveral inquiries to them concerning the place whence they came, and once fent a few of his people with them back to their country. These people brought with them, at their return from the regions they had now explored, and which proved to be this very Siberia, a great quantity of invaluable furs, and thus opened to their mafter a new road to wealth. However, not so covetous as to wish to keep this treasure to himfelf, he fent information of it to the court, and the attention of government was once more directed to this country. But the conqueft of it, and its conjunction with Ruffia, was referved for an adventurer named Timofeyef Yermak. This Yermak, at the head of a gang of Don Kozaks, had made it his practice to rob and plunder the caravans and paffengers that occafionally frequented the roads, as well as the inhabitants, wherever he came; and was so fortunate as to escape the fearch of the Ruffian troops that had been fent out againft him and his band, which confifted of no fewer than fix thousand men. On their flight, he and his people accidentally came to the dwelling of Stroganof, where, hearing much talk about Siberia, and being perfons who had nothing to lofe, and therefore might put all to the hazard, they soon formed a plan to penetrate farther into that country, and there feek at once their fafety and their fortune. After numerous ftruggles and conflicts with the natives, which greatly reduced their numbers, they at length conquered the capital, and shortly after the whole country. Yermak now presented the fruit of his toilfome and perilous victories to his Tzar Ivan, in hopes of obtaining a pardon for his former depredations, which was granted him accordingly. By the building of feveral towns, and conftructing a number of forts, the poffeffion of this country was foon permanently fecured. The lefs and the greater Kabardèy was alfo

added to Ruffia in the reign of Ivan. This Tzar, however, not only enlarged the circumference of his empire, partly by force of arms and partly by accident, but he refolved to reform his people, to render them more polished, more fkilful, and induftrious; but this he found to be the most arduous enterprife he could poffibly have undertaken. The infuperable impediments which threw themselves in the way of the execution of this grand work, were the principal incitements to those frequent acts of cruelty and defpotifm which have covered his memory with so deep a ftain.

66 1542. He firft began his attempts in this defign by the publication of a new code of laws, in which he collected fuch of the ancient statutes as were still in being, fome of which he improved, and added to their number many new ones; hoping by this means to introduce more order into his empire, and to improve the prosperity of his fubjects. But he prefently perceived that the temper of his Ruffians was not to be altered by laws and regulations, but rather by harsh treatment, fevere punishments, and painful corrections. Even the great men for the most part spent their lives in a torpid indolence of mind, and in a total ignorance of whatever can elevate and improve the human intellect. Ivan, who had learnt, from the foreigners he had drawn into his empire, how far better informed, more accomplished, and intelligent the members of the higher ranks in other countries were, frequently represented these differences to his courtiers: the confequence was, that they became his enemies. By this intercourse with foreigners he was enabled to form some notion of the doctrines and rites of other religious communions, and granted them a general toleration. This incensed the bigoted clergy against him, whom he had already offerded by impofing on them a contribution to the exigencies of the ftate: a requifition which the fpiritual class had always taken much amifs from their governors. Thefe two claffes, the nobility and the clergy, now ftrove by every means in their power to counteract all his efforts for improving the condition of Ruffia; as, either from the love of their habitual indulgences, they would not, or from their dulnefs and stupidity they could

not,

not, perceive the improvement. By this behaviour, however, the Tzar was moved to adopt the refolution of forcing on his fubjects the benefits they were unwilling to accept, and to make away with every one who should oppoft his defigns; in pursuance of which refolution he was often extremely cruel. His punishments were generally indeed exercifed upon the great, whose perverfenefs and obftinacy in refifting his undertakings feemed abfolutely unconquerable. But his acts of vengeance and cruelty increased as well in frequency as in horror from the time he thought he had detected a plot for depriving him of his life, and transferring the empire to the kings of Poland. Beides thefe two caufes, which irritated him fo much, and furnished him with opportunities for perpetually gra tifying that propenfion to cruelty and tortures which was now by long indulgence become to him a fecond nature, and whereby it was now perpetually increafing, what feem particularly to have enraged him were the oppreffion exercised by the great over the bulk of the people, and their rapacity which made them bend the laws for . money, so that the innocent was frequently obliged to fubmit to the more wealthy criminal*; for towards the common people he was, upon the whole, juft and liberal.

"Novgorod, which Ivan had already chaftifed, again feverely felt his powert. The archbishop of that place was fuf

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pected of having, in concert with a great part of the inhabitants, framed a plot for delivering the town and its territory into the hands of the king of Poland. Immediately on having intel ligence of this, Ivan marched ftraight to Novgorod, and there held a horribly bloody tribuna!. Whoever had been in any manner implicated in the confpiracy was executed, with various circumftances of cruelty; and this was the lot of five-and-twenty thousand perfons §. The city of Pfcove was menaced with a fimilar vifitation; but Ivan, on their voluntary fubmiffion, contented himself with numerous confifcations and the execution of a few monks." Vol. i. p. 286.

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HIGHLY ESTEEMED BY IVAN II.

"IT was a great and unexpected fatisfaction to this Tzar, that, during his reign, in 1553, fome Englishmen, who had failed on a voyage of difcovery, landed in Ruffia, at the place which is at present the port of Archangel; and Ivan now became acquainted with perfons of that nation, who foon, by their abilities and their deportment, acquired his favour to fuch a degree, that he encouraged the English com. merce by all poffible means, and thus opened a new channel of intercourfe between his Ruffians and a highly polithed people, whereby they obtained a fresh incitement to activity and in

"He frequently caufed, for example, the malefactors to be torn to pieces by bears. For finding out those who were in any degree difaffected to hiin, he employed a body-guard, called opritfchniki, or the elect. Whoever was impeached by thefe, was drawn forth and executed; and his property devolving to the delator, thefe fpies and executioners (for it was they who generally executed the fentence of death) no unfrequently, for the fake of laying hold of the effects of fuch as they pleafed, accufed him though innocent. These opritfchniki were precisely what the company of Marat was fome years ago in France, who drowned or otherwife put to death the royalifts of Nantes. Ivan like wife appointed fimilar drownings; as, when he caufed a number of people to be brought on a frozen river, then had the ice cut round them, on which the poor wretches fell in and perished in the water."

* "Judges, who were convicted of having made the laws yield to money,. were fcourged, or drawn in gaudy clothes about the town in a cart by the hangman's deputies. If y one already punished was caught in the fame wicked practices again, he w. fure of having death for his reward.”

"In the year 1570.”

"The archbishop was shut up in a monastery.-Meeting the Tzar, on his entrance into Mofco, with the crozier in his hand, the Tzar said to him: Thou 'traitor, the staff in thy hand is not a cross to bless me, but a club to knock me 'down. Thou haft combined with the traitorous townfmen. Thou callest thyfelf a fhepherd; but thou art a wolf'."

VOL. V.-No. L.

3 H

duftry.

duftry. His affection for the English FORTY Plates, reprefenting Chefs

in a fhort time proceeded fo far, that he even formed the defign of marrying an English lady; and he had not only the highest esteem for Queen Elizabeth, but repeatedly begged of her to grant him an afylum, if he fhould ever be reduced to the neceffity of fleeing from his fubjects, who were extremely ungrateful to him. He had indeed fo little reliance on his fafety, that he at one time even made preparations for his departure from Ruffia; but on the earneft folicitations of his fubjects, he confented to remain, and terminated, in 1584, in peace and repofe, his life and his reign.

"As his irritable temper impelled him to numberless acts of cruelty, fo he once, for what caufe is not known, even ftruck his eldeft fon fuch a violent blow on the head, with a staff that he happened to have in his hand, as to occafion his death: an inexpreffibly calamitous event for Ivan, who reproached himself with it all the reft of his life, and was productive of a feries of convulfions and troubles in the empire, which only ceafed with the acceffion of a new family to the throne: for though Ivan at his death left behind him two fons, yet the elder of them was infirm both in body and mind ||, and the younger still in his infancy."Vol. i. p. 301.

(To be continued.)

LXXII. The Sports and Paftimes of the People of England: including the rural and domeftic Recreations, May-games, Munimeries, Pageants, Proceffions, and pompous Spectacles, from the earlieft Pericd to the prefent Time: illuftrated by Engravings, felected from ancient Paintings; in which are reprefented most of the popular Diverfions. By JOSEPH STRUTT. Royal 4to. PP. 301. 2l. 12s. 6d. Coloured 51.5s. White.

Players, Hunting, Hawking, Archery and Slinging, Wrestling, Games with the Ball, Bat and Ball, the Quintain, Tilting at the Ring, &c. Jufting, Tournament, Jufts, Mummeries, Saxon Gleemen, Dancing, Tumbling, Dancing, Leaping, &c. Balancing, tutored Bears, tutored Animals, Tricks taught to Horfes, Animals imitated, Prize Fighting, Bowling, Kayles, Mufic, Chefs Tables, &c. Cards, Pageantry, Children's Games, Hoodman Blind, Hot Cockles, &c. unknown Games.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Book 1. Rural Exercifes practifed by Perfons of Rank.-Chap. Í. Hunting more ancient than HawkingThe Saxons, Danes, and Normans, expert in Hunting-- Privileges for Hunting-Followed by the ClergyVarious Methods of, and Terms used in Hunting-II. Hawking--Its Origin not well known-A favourite Amufement of the Saxons-—Edward III. partial to Hawking--The Stalking Horse described-Low belling.III. Horfe-racing known to the Saxons-Races in Smithfield—— Charles II. and other Monarchs Encouragers of Horse-racing.

Book II. Rural Exercifes generally practifed.-I. The English famous for their Skill in Archery-Improved by the Normans--The modern Archers inferior to the ancient in long Shooting-The Duke of Shoreditch, why fo called-Hand Guns and other Weapons.-II. Slinging of Stones an ancient Art-Cafting of the Bar and Hammer Of Spears, Quoits, fwinging of dumb Bells, Foot-races, Game of Bafe--Wrestling, Swimming, &c.-III. Hand-ball an ancient Game-Tennis--A famous

"From fome accounts it appears as if the prince had acted on fome occafion, so as to raise fufpicions in his father that he was aiming at the crown."

"It was his principal amusement, while prince, to go and ftrike the bells in the church belfries. (In Ruffia it is the practice to ftrike the bells with a rope tied to the clapper, rather than to ring them.) His father often forbid him but he found fuch delight in this amusement, that he would not leave it off.” Woman

Woman Player-Hand-ball played for Tanfy Cakes-Fives-Foot-ball, Cricket, &c.

EXTRACTS FROM THE INTRO

DUCTION.

"IN order to form a just estimation of the character of any particular people, it is abfolutely neceffary to inveftigate the fports and paftimes moft generally prevalent among them. War, policy, and other contingent circumftances, may effectually place men, at different times, in different points of view; but, when we follow them into their retirements, where no disguise is neceffary, we are most likely to fee them in their true ftate, and may best judge of their natural difpofitions. Unfortunately, all the information that remains refpecting the ancient inhabitants of this ifland is derived from foreign writers, partially acquainted with them as a people, and totally ignorant of their domeftic cuftoms and amufements: the filence, therefore, of the contemporary hiftorians on these important fubjects leaves us without the

Book III. Paftimes usually exercifed in Towns and Cities, or Places adjoining to them.-I. Tournament, a general Name for several Exercises The Quintain, an ancient military Exercife-Running at the Ring--Difference between the Tournament and Jufts-Round Table-Jufts made in Honour of the Fair Sex.-II. Ancient Plays called Miracles-Mysteries and Moralities defcribed-Plays perform ed in Churches--Origin of Puppet Plays.-ILI. British Bards-Northern Scalds Anglo-Saxon Gleemen-The Harp much used by the Saxons -Minftrels.-IV. The Joculator Afiatic Jugglers-Remarkable Story from Froiffart--The King's Joculator, an Officer of Rank.--V. Dancing, Tumbling, and Balancing-power of tracing them with the leaft Various Dances defcribed-Leaping degree of certainty; and as it is my inand Vaulting.-VI. Animals tutored tention, in the following pages, to by the Jugglers-Tricks performed confine myfelf as much as poffible to by Bears, Apes, Monkeys, Horfes, pofitive intelligence, I fhall ftudioully endeavour to avoid all controverfial and Dogs-Mummings and Mafque- and conjectural arguments. I mean rades-Baiting of Bulls, Bears, Horfes, alfo to treat upon fuch paftimes only &c. fashionable Sports--Prize Fight- as have been practifed in this country: ing.- -VII. Ancient Specimens of but, as many of them originated on Bowling Bull Running-Badger the continent, frequent digreffions, by Baiting, Cock Fighting, &c. way of illuftrations, muft neceffarily occur; thefe, however, I shall make it nature of the fubject will permit them my business to render as concife as the

to be.

like people, tenacious of their native liberty, and capable of bearing great fatigue; to which they were probably inured by an early education, and

Book IV. Domeftic Amusements of various Kinds, and Paftimes appropriated to particular Seafons.-I. Secular Mufic fafhionable-Ballad Singers "We learn, from the imperfect --Origin of Vauxhall, Ranelagh, hints of ancient hiftory, that, when the Sadler's Wells, &c.-Burlesque Mu- Romans firft invaded Britain, her inhafic-Anecdote of Prince Henry-bitants were a bold, active, and warBilliards-Swinging, &c.-II. Sedentary Games-Dice Playing Chefs-Draughts-Backgammon Card Playing, &c.-III. The Lord of Mifrule-Mafter of the King's Revels-The Festival of Fools-May Games-Waffails-Harvest HomeWakes Bonfires, &c.-IV. Paftimes of Men imitated by Children Amusements mentioned by different Writers, but not described. Appendix.-An Account of the Manufcripts from which the Subjects

of the Plates are taken.

beft fuited the profeflion of a foldier; conftant purfuit of fuch amufements as including bunting, running, leaping, fwimming, and other exertions requir ing ftrength and agility of body. Perhaps the skill which the natives of Devonshire and Cornwall retain to the prefent day in burling and wrestling may properly be confidered as a veftige of British activity. After the Romans had conquered Britain, they impressed fuch of the young men as were able to bear 3 H 2

bear arms for foreign fervice, and enervated the spirit of the people by the importation of their own luxurious manners and habits; fo that the latter part of the British hiftory exhibits to our view a flothful and effeminate race of mer, totally divefted of that martial difpofition, and love of freedom, which fo ftrongly marked the character of their progenitors; and their amufements, no doubt, partook of the fame weakness and puerility.

"The arrival of the Saxons forms a new epoch in the annals of this country. Thefe military mercenaries came profeffedly to affift the Britons againft their inceffant tormentors the Picts and Caledonians; but no fooner had they established their footing in the land, than they invited more of their countrymen to join them, and, turning their arms against their wretched employers, became their moft dangerous and moft inexorable enemies, and in procefs of time obtained full poffeffion of the largest and beft part of the island; whence arofe a total change in the form of government, laws, manners, cuftoms, and habits of the people.

"The sportive exercises and paftimes practifed by the Saxons appear to have been fuch as were common among the ancient northern nations; and moft of them confifted of robust exercises. In an old chronicle of Norway, we find it recorded of Olaf Tryggefon, a king of that country, that he was ftronger and more nimble than any man in his dominions. He could climb up the rock Smalferhorn, and fix his fhield upon the top of it; he could walk round the outfide of a boat upon the oars, while the men were rowing; he could play with three darts, alternately throwing them in the air, and always kept two of them up, while he held the third in one of his hands; he was ambidexter, and could caft two darts at once; he excelled all the men of his time in fhooting with the bow; and he had no equal in fwimming. Another northern hero, whofe name was Kolfon, boafts of nine accomplishments in which he was well skilled: "I know,'

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fays he, how to play at chefs; I can engrave Runic letters; I am expert at my book; I know how to handle 'the tools of the fmith: I can traverse the fnow on fcates of wood; I excel in fhooting with the bow; I use the oar with facility; I can fing to the harp; and I compofe verfes,' The reader will, I doubt not, anticipate me in my obfervation, that the acquirements of Kolfon indicate a much more liberal education than those of the Norwegian monarch: it muft, how. ever, be obferved that Kolfon lived in an age pofterior to him; and also, that he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land; which may probably account in great measure for his literary quali fications. Yet, we are well afsured that learning did not form any promi nent feature in the education of a young nobleman during the Saxon government: it is notorious, that Ælfred the Great was twelve years of age before he learned to read; and that he owed his knowledge of letters to accident, rather than to the intention of his tutors *.

"Indeed, it is not by any means furprifing, under the Saxon government, when the times were generally very turbulent, and the existence of peace exceedingly precarious, and when the perfonal exertions of the opulent were fo often neceffary for the prefervation of their lives and property, that fuch exercifes as inured the body to fatigue, and biaffed the mind to military purfuits, fhould have conftituted the chief part of a young nobleman's education: accordingly, we find that bunting, hawking, leaping, running, wrestling, cafting of darts, and other paftimes which neceffarily required great exertions of bodily ftrength, were taught them in their adolefcence. Thefe amufements engroffed the whole of their attention, every one ftriving to excel his fellow; for, hardiness, ftrength, and valour, cutbalanced, in the public eftimation, the accomplishments of the mind; and therefore literature, which flourishes beft in tranquillity and retirement, was confidered as a purfuit

* "He faw by chance a book adorned with paintings in the hands of his mother, that attracted his notice; and he expressed his defire to have it. She promised to comply with his requeft, on condition that he learned to read it; which it feems he did: and this trifling incident laid the groundwork of his future scholarship. Affer. in Vit. Ælfredi.”

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