his vast military forces, the barbaric splendours
of his Court, the Oriental submissiveness of the
people and their oddities of dress and manners,
the peculiarities of the Greek Religion, the great
resources of Russia, and the obstructions yet existing
in the way of trade with her, had all become topics
of English gossip. But, in fact, Alexis had
become a considerable personage in general European
politics. By wars with Poland, and other populations
about him, he had greatly enlarged his territories,
adopting new titles of sovereignty to signify the
same; and in the general imbroglio of North-Eastern
Europe, involving Sweden, Denmark, Poland, the United
Provinces, and even Germany, he had come to be a
power whose movements and embassies commanded attention.
It had been resolved, therefore, by the Protector
and his Council to send a more special envoy to
“the Great Duke of Muscovia”; and, on the
12th of March 1656-7, RICHARD BRADSHAW, ESQ., so
long Resident for the Commonwealth at Hamburg, was
recommended by the Council to his Highness as the
proper person.[2] The present letter of Milton, accordingly,
is the Letter of Credence which Bradshaw was to take
with him.—The Letter is addressed to his
Russian Majesty, as punctually as possible, by all
his chaos of titles, thus: “Oliver, Protector
of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, Ireland,
&c., to the Most Serene and most powerful Prince
and Lord, the Emperor and Great Duke of all Russia,
Lord of Volodomeria, Moscow, and Novgorod, King
of Kazan, Astracan, and Siberia, Lord of Vobscow,
Great Duke of Smolensk, Tuerscow, and other places,
Lord and Great Duke of Novograda, and of the lower
countries of Czernigow, Rezanscow, &c., Lord of
all the Northern Clime, and also Lord of Everscow,
Cartalinska, and many other lands."[3] After referring
to the old commercial intercourse between Russia
and England, the Protector says he is moved to seek
closer communication, with his most august Imperial
Majesty by that extraordinary worth, far outshining
that of all his ancestors, by which he has won himself
so good an opinion among all neighbouring Princes,
Then he introduces and highly recommends BRADSHAW,
who will duly reveal his instructions.
[Footnote 1: Thurloe, II. 562.]
[Footnote 2: Council Order Book of date.]
[Footnote 3: Compare this address with that which
the Envoy of the United Provinces was instructed by
the States-General to be most punctual in using in
his addresses to his Czarish Majesty nearly six years
before (Aug. 1651: see Thurloe, I. 196):—“Most
illustrious, most potent great Lord, Czar and Grand
Duke Alexey Michaelowitz, Autocrator of all both the
Greater and Lesser Russia, Czar of Kiof, Wolodomiria,
Novgorod, Czar of Kazan, Czar of Astracan, Czar of
Siberia, Lord of Plescow, and Grand Duke of Smolensko,
Tweer, Jugonia, Permia, Weatka, Bolgaria, Lord and
Grand-Duke of Novagrada and the low lands of Zenigow,
Resan, Polotzko, Rostof, Yareslav, Belooseria, Udoria,