Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 2, 1851).djvu/44

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NOTES UPON RUSSIA.

The woods are extremely abundant in squirrel and martins, and also in honey. The people are very warlike, through their constant engagements with the Tartars. Vasiley Ivanovich, however, reduced this principality, like many others, into subjection to himself, in the following manner: Vasiley had two nephews, sons of his brothers, — one surnamed Semetzitz, who possessed the fortress of Novogrodek, while the other held the city of Staradub. At the same time a certain prince named Dimitry possessed Potivlo. Now Vasiley Semetzitz, who was strong in arms, and a terror to the Tartars, was so strongly infected with the lust of power, that he coveted the whole principality for himself, and could not rest until he had brought Vasiley of Staradub to a most abject condition, and then driving him away, he took possession of his province.

After succeeding in this attempt, he attacked Dimitry in a different manner. He traduced him to the prince as one who was plotting treachery. The prince, indignant at this, ordered Vasiley to seize Dimitry by any contrivance, and to send him forthwith to him to Moscow. Vasiley accordingly contrived to have Dimitry waylaid while hunting; and stationed horsemen at the gates of his town to seize him if he should endeavour to flee thither; and being thus captured, Dimitry was taken to Moscow and thrown into prison. His only son, Dimitry, took this injury so much to heart, that he immediately fled to the Tartars, and with the view of effecting a more speedy and heavy revenge for the wrong done to his father, he abjured the Christian faith, was circumcised, and became a Mahometan. During his stay amongst the Tartars, he chanced to fall violently in love with a very beautiful girl, and as he could not gain possession of her by any other means, he privately carried her off without the consent of her parents. The servants who were circumcised with him, made this known to the girl's relations, and they suddenly attacked him one night, and put both him and the

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