ons 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, Bolg