This Minister knowing his Master’s ambitious Temper, propos’d no less to him than dethroning the _Czar_. The young Monarch full of Zeal and Courage did not imagine how impossible it was to dethrone a Prince who was retir’d behind Provinces quite deserted, and where the Snow lay so deep that ’twas difficult to distinguish whether they walk’d upon Land or Rivers. He march’d out of the Electorate of _Saxony_ at the Head of his Troops about the end of the Year 1707. Never had People juster Reasons for giving public Marks of their Joy, than the _Saxons_ had to see the _Swedish_ Monarch turn his Back to them. His Troops had committed excessive Outrages in the Electorate; all the flat Country of _Saxony_ was intirely ruin’d, and, except some great Towns such as _Leipsic_, where they generously enough spent part of the Money they had extorted from the poor _Saxon_ Peasant, there was not a Hamlet but was laid waste to such a degree, that there were no hopes of its being restor’d to its original Condition one while. Yet if the Misfortunes of an Enemy can in any measure compensate the Losses he has occasion’d, the _Saxons_ had all the reason in the World to be pleas’d in the Sequel. The _Swedish_ Troops gave way every where to the _Muscovites_, who flush’d with former Victories, beat them to nothing. The greatest Loss the King of _Sweden_ sustain’d was near _Pultowa_. This Prince, who was more ambitious than prudent, being got too far into _Muscovy_, did not perceive his error till it was too late to retrieve it. The _Czar_ had the Precaution, as he retir’d a little before into his own Dominions, to burn above forty Leagues of Country thro’ which the King of _Sweden_ was to pass to him; so that this Prince soon found himself in a very sad situation, not being able to stay in a place where there was no manner of Provision, and forc’d to engage with an Army well intrench’d and far superior to his own. But there was no avoiding it, and a Battle was fought the 8th of _July_ 1709, when the _Swedes_ were all either cut in pieces or taken Prisoners by the _Muscovites_. The King who was oblig’d by a Wound in his Heel to be carry’d in a Litter had like to have been kill’d, for one Cannon-Ball kill’d one of his Horses, and a second demolish’d his Litter. The whole Army was in pain for the King’s Life; but the Officers who were near his Person snatch’d him out of danger, and advis’d him to provide for his safety. This Prince was very loth to comply with such a resolution, but finding himself oblig’d to yield to Force, retir’d to _Bender_, a little Town at the entrance of _Moldavia_, which belongs to the _Turkish_ Empire. The King of _Sweden_ was no sooner safe, but the Remains of his Army with their Generals at their head submitted to the Conqueror. This, Madame, was the Success of the Battle of _Pultowa_; a Battle glorious to the _Muscovites_, but so fatal to the King of _Sweden_ that he could never recover it: For after this Defeat this