The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia — Voltaire — John Shaqi
The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia
Voltaire · en
unworthy of that pardon, by renewing and continuing his former
transgressions, as is fully set forth in his majesty's manifesto of the
3d of February, in this present year, and for not returning voluntarily
and of his own accord.
And although his majesty did, upon the arrival of the czarowitz at
Moscow, and his humbly confessing in writing his crimes, and asking
pardon for them, take pity on him, as is natural for every father to act
towards a son, and at the audience, held in the great hall of the
castle, dated the said 3d day of February, did promise him full pardon
for all his crimes and transgressions, it was only on condition that he
would declare, without reserve or restriction, all his designs, and who
were his counsellors and abettors therein, but that if he concealed any
one person or thing, that in such case the promised pardon should be
null and void, which conditions the czarowitz did at that time accept
and receive, with all outward tokens of gratitude and obedience,
solemnly swearing on the holy cross and the blessed evangelists, and in
the presence of all those assembled at that time and for that purpose in
the cathedral church, that he would faithfully, and without reserve,
declare the whole truth.
His majesty did also the next day confirm to the czarowitz in writing
the said promise, in the interrogatories which hereafter follow, and
which his majesty caused to be delivered to him, having first written at
the begining what follows:
'As you did yesterday receive your pardon, on condition that you would
confess all the circumstances of your flight, and whatever relates
thereto; but if you concealed any part thereof, you should answer for it
with your life; and, as you have already made some confessions, it is
expected of you, for our more full satisfaction, and your own safety, to
commit the same to writing, in such order as shall in the course of your
examination be pointed out to you.'
And at the end, under the seventh question, there was again written,
with his czarish majesty's own hand:
'Declare to us, and discover whatever hath any relation to this affair,
though it be not here expressed, and clear yourself as if it were at
confession; for if you conceal any thing that shall by any other means
be afterwards discovered, do not impute the consequence to us, since you
have been already told, that in such case the pardon granted you should
be null and void.'
Notwithstanding all which, the answers and confessions of the czarowitz
were delivered without any sincerity; he not only concealing many of his
accomplices, but also the capital circumstances relating to his own
transgressions, particularly his rebellious design in usurping the
throne even in the life-time of his father, flattering himself that the
populace would declare in his favour; all which hath since been fully
discovered in the criminal process, after he had refused to make a
discovery himself, as hath appeared by the above presents.