trole or detachment, Inftantly holding council, four of them "difappeared, leaving him with the "other three, who compelled him "to walk on. Scarce a quarter of an hour after, a fecond Ruffian, "guard challenged them anew. "Two of the affaflins then fled, and "the king remained alone with Ko"finfki the chief, both on foot. His "majefty, exhaufted with all the "fatigue which he had undergone, "implored his conductor to ftop, "and fuffer him to take a moment's repofe. Kofinfki refufed it, me"nacing him with his naked fabre;. "and at the fame time informed "him, that beyond the wood they "fhould find a carriage. They " continued their walk, till they "came to the door of the convent "of Bielany. Kofiniki appeared "loft in thought, and fo much agi"tated by his reflections, that the "king perceiving his diforder, and "obferving that he wandered with"out knowing the road, faid to "him, 'I fee you are at a lofs which way to proceed. Let me enter "the convent of Bielany,and do you "provide for your own fafety.' 'No' replied Kofinfki, I have "sworn.' 66 "This reflection plunged him into new uncertainty and embar"rafimen. I give you my word,' "anfwered his majefty, that you "fhall fuffer no harm; but if you "doubt my promife, escape while "there is yet time. I can find my "way to fome place of fecurity; and "I will certainly direct your pur"fuers to take the contrary road to "that which you have chofen.' Ko"finiki could not any longer con-.. "tain himself, but, throwing him"felf at the king's feet, implored 'forgivenefs for the crime he had "committed; and wore to protect. "him against every enemy, rely ng "totally on his generofity for par"don and prefervation. His ma"jetty reiterated to him his affu-. "rances of fafety. Judging, how"ever, that it was prudent to gain. "f me afylum without delay, and. "recollecting that there was a mill "at fome confiderable diftance, he. "immediately made towards it. "proached, and speaking through" by his fatigue; and was stretched " "the broken pane, endeavoured to "perfuade him to admit them un"der his roof, adding, 'If we were "robbers, as you fuppofe, it would "be very eafy for us to break the whole window, inftead one pane of glafs. This argument pre"vailed. They at length opened the door, and admitted his majefty. He immediately wrote a note to General Coccei, colonel "of the foot-guards. It was literally as follows: Par une efpece de miracle je fuis fauvé des mains "des affaflins. Je fuis ici au petit "moulin de Mariemont. Venez "au plutôt me tirer d'ici. Je fuis bleffé, mais pas fort*.' It was "with the greateft difficulty, how"ever, that the king could perfuade "" any one to carry this note to Warsaw, as the people of the mill, imagining that he was a nobleman "who had just been plundered by robbers, were afraid of falling in Iwith the troop. Kofinfki then "offered to reftore every thing he "had taken; but his majetty left him all, except the blue ribbon "of the White Eagle. ་་ on the ground, covered with the "miller's cloak. Coccei immedi "ately threw himself at his majes "ty's feet, calling him his fove"vereign, and kiffing his hand. It " is not easy to paint or defcribe the "aftonishment of the miller and his "family, who inftantly imitated "Coccei's example, by throwing "themfelves on their kneest. The king returned to Warfaw in Ge"neral Coccei's carriage,and reach"ed the palace about five in the "morning. His wound was found "not to be dangerous; and he foon "recovered the bruifes and injuries "which he had fuffered during this "memorable night. So extraordinary an escape is "fcarce to be paralleled in history, "and affords ample matter of won"der and surprise. Scarce could "the nobility or people at Warfaw "credit the evidence of their fenfes, "when they faw him return. Cer"tainly neither the efcape of the "king of France from Damien, or "of the king of Portugal from the confpiracy of the Duke d'Aveiro, were equally amazing or impro"bable, as that of the king of Po"land. I have related it very mi"nutely, and from authorities the "When the melonger arrived "with the note, the attonithment and joy was incredible. Coccei "instantly rode to the mill, follow-"highest and most inconteftible. ed by a detachment of the guards. "He met Kofinfki at the door, with "his fabre drawn, who admitted "him as foon as he knew him. The king had funk into a fleep, caufed ་་ "It is natural to inquire what is " become of Kofiniki, the man who "faved his majefty's life, and the "other confpirators. He was born "in the palatinate of Cracow, and "By a kind of miracle I am escaped from the hands of aflaffins, I am now "at the mill of Mariemont. Come as foon as poffible, and take me from hence. "I am wounded, but not dangerously. "I have been at this mill, rendered memorable by fo fingular an event. It "is a wretched Polish hovel, at a diftance from any houfe. The king has re"warded the miller to the extent of his wifhes, in building him a mill upon "the Vistula, and allowing hin a small penfion." " of of mean extraction: having affumed the name of Kofinski *, "which is that of a noble family, to give himself credit. He had been "created an officer in the troops of "the confederates under Pulaski. "It would feem as if Kofinski began to entertain the idea of pre. "ferving the king's life from the "time when Lukawfki and Straw"enfki abandoned him; yet he "had great ftruggles with himself "before he could refolve on this " conduct, after the folemn engage. "ments into which he had entered. "Even after he had conducted the "king back to Wartaw, he expref"ed more than once his doubts of "the propriety of what he had "done, and fome remorfe of having "deceived his employers. "could be more noble and manly "than all Lukawfki's conduct pre"vious to his death. When he was "carried to the place of execution, although his body was almoft ex"tenuated by the feverity of his "confinement, diet, and treatment, "his fpirit, unfubdued, raised him "above the terrors of an infamous "and public execution. He had "not been permitted to fhave his "beard while in prifon,and his dress was fqualid to the greatest degree; yet none of these humiliations "could deprefs his mind. With a "grandeur of foul worthy of a bet"ter caufe, but which it was impof"fible not to admire, he refufed to "fee or embrace the traitor Kofin"ki. When conducted to the scene "of execution, which was about a "mile from Warfaw, he betrayed "no emotions of terror or unmanly "fear. He made a thort harangue "to the multitude affembled upon "the occafion, in which he by no means expreffed any forrow for his paft conduct, or contrition for his attempt on the king, which he By"probably regarded as meritorious "and patriotic. His head was fe"vered from his body. "Lukawiki and Straweniki were "both taken, and feveral of the "other affaffins. At his majesty's "peculiar request and intreaty, the diet remitted the capital punishment of the inferior confpirators, "and condemned thein to work for "life on the fortifications of Kami"niec, where they now are. By "his interceflion likewife with the 66 "Strawentki was beheaded at the "fame time, but he neither haran diet, the horrible punishment and "various modes of torture, which "the laws of Poland decree and "inflict on regicides, were mitigat-"gued the people, nor thewed any ed; and both Lukawiki and Straweniki were only fimply behead“éd. Kofiníki was detained under a very ftrict confinement, and obliged to give evidence againft his "two companions. A perfon of diftinction, who faw them both die, has affured me, that nothing 66 • His real name was John Kutfina. figns of contrition. Pulaiki, who "commanded one of the niany corps "of confederate Poles then in arms, "and who was the great agent and "promoter of the affalination, is "till alive, though an outhw "and an exile. He is faid, even by "the Ruffians his enemies, to polles + After the conclufion of these troubles, Pulafki efcaped from Poland, and repaired to America: he distinguished himself in the American fervice, and was killed in the attempt to force the British lines at the ficge of Savanah, in 1779. H 4 "military military talents of a very fuperior nature; nor were they ever "able to take him prifoner during "the civil war. 66 "To return to Kofinfki, the man "who faved the king's life. About a week after Lukawiki and Stra"wenfki's execution, he was fent by his majef y out of Poland. He now refides at Semigallia in the papal territories, where he enjoys an annual pension from the king. "A circumfiance almoft incredi"ble, and which feems to breathe "all the fanguinary bigotry of the "16th century, I cannot omit. It is that the papal nuntio in Poland, "infpired with a furious zeal against the diflidents, whom he believed "to be protected by the king, not only approved the fcheme for affaffinating his majefty, but bleffed "the weapons of the confpirators at Czetfchokow, previous to their fetting out on their expedition. This is a trait indifputably true, " and fcarcely to be exceeded by any thing under the reign of "Charles IX. of France, and of his "mother Catharine of Medicis." 66 the Red Ribband, was created by the fame fovereign, but never conferred until the reign of Catharine 1. in 1725 +. The order of St. Anne of Holftein was inftituted, in 1735, by Charles Frederick duke of Holstein, in memory of his wife Anne, daughter of Peter the Great, and introduced into Ruffia by her fon Peter III. It is in the difpofal of the greatduke, as fovereign of Holftein. The knights wear a red ribband bordered with yellow. The military order of St. George, called alfo the order of Merit, and which has the precedence over that of St. Anne, was created by the prefent emprefs in 1769. It is appropriated to perfons ferving by land or by fea, and is never bestowed in time of peace. The knights wear a ribband with black and orange ftripes. This order is divided into four claffes; The knights of the first clafs, called the Great Crofs, wear the ribband over the right shoulder, and the ftar upon the left fide. Each receives an annual falary of 700 rubles 140. The knights of the fecond clafs wear the star upon their left breaft, the ribband with the cros pendant round their neck. Each receives 400 roubles = £80 per ann. The knights of the third clafs wear the fmall crofs pendant round their neck. Each receives zoo roubles, or 40 £ per ann. This clafs admits 50. The knights of the fourth clafs wear the fmall crofs faftened by a ribband to the button-hole, like the French Croix de St. Louis Each receives 100 roubles, or £20 per ann. The fund of this order, affigned • Webber's Ver. Ruff. Part III, p. 161. + Ibid. p. 38. by 1 C by the emprefs for the payment of their falaries and other expences is 40,000 roubles=£8,000 per ann. Of this 1680 is deftined for the firft class; and 200o for each of the emaining three. The number of knights is unlimited. In 1778, the firft clafs, which is confined to commanders in chief, contained only four, namely, Marshal Romanzof, for his victories over the Turks; Count Alexéy Orlof, for burning the Turkish fleet at Tchefme; Count Panin, for the taking of Bender; and Prince Dolgorucki, for his conquefts in the Crimea. The fecond clafs com. prifed only eight knights; the third 48; and the fourth 237. No perfon can obtain this order without having performed fome gallant exploit, or having ferved with credit in the rank of officer 25 years by land, cr 18 by fea*. There is also the order of St. Catharine, appropriated to the ladies: it was inftituted in 1714 by Peter, in honour of his wife Catharine. The motto of "Love and fidelity" was intended to commemorate the difplay of thofe virtues in her behaviour on the banks of the Pruth. This order is extremely honourable, as, befide the emprefs, the greatduchefs, and a few foreign prin ceffes, only five Ruffian ladies were decorated with it. The order of St Andrew is the first and most diftinguithed of thefe, which, befide the fovereign princes and foreigners, comprifed, in 1778, 26 Ruffians; that of St. Alexander Neviki 109; and that of St. Anne 208. The emprefs may alfo be faid to have the difpofal of the Polish orders of the White Eagle and of St. Stanislaus. Since our departure from Ruffia her majefty inftituted, on the 4th of October, 1782, a new order, called St. Vladimir, in favour of those who ferve in civil employments; and it is nearly on the fame footing as that of St. George with refpect to the falaries annexed to the different claffes. There are to be ten great croffes, twenty of the fecond clafs, thirty of the third, and fixty of the fourth, befide a fifth for those who have ferved 35 years, which gives them a right to wear it." "A feparate edifice of brick ftuccoed white, called the Hermitage, communicates with the pa-, lace by means of a covered gallery. It takes its appellation from its be ing the fcene of Imperial retirement, but bears no other refemblance to an hermitage, except in its name, the apartments being extremely fpacious, and decorated in a fuperb ftyle of regal magnificence. To this favourite ipot the emprefs ufually repairs for an hour or two every day; and on a Thurfday evening the gives a private ball and fupper to the principal perfons who form her court; foreign minitters and foreign noblemen being feldom invited. At this entertainment all ceremony is faid to be banished, as far as is confiftent with that refpec which is paid to a great fovereign. The attendance of fervants is excluded, while the fupper and various refreshments are prefented on fmall tables, which emerge through trap-doors. Many directions for the regulation of this fele&t fociety are difpofed in the various apart See Ukafe ueber die Stiftung des St. Georg's-Ordens, in Schmidts Beytrage. ments |