Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 2, 1851).djvu/118

and in this hope he was not altogether mistaken, for after taking counsel with him, he a second time laid siege to Smolensko, one of the chief principalities of Lithuania, not so much by the strength of his forces, as by the perseverance of this one man, for the very presence of Michael alone took away from the soldiers who formed the garrison all hope of defending the city; and he prevailed on them, through the combined agency of their fears and his promises, to surrender the fortress. He did this the more boldly, and with greater zeal, because Vasiley had promised him that if, by any means, he could succeed in taking Smolensko, he would make a grant to him in perpetuity of the fortress, together with the adjacent province. These promises, however, he afterwards broke; and when Michael appealed to him on the score of his covenant, he did nothing but delude and cajole him with vain hopes. Michael becoming seriously offended at this conduct, and not having yet forgotten King Sigismund, whose favour he hoped he might easily gain through the medium of some friends of his who dwelt at the court of that sovereign, sent one of his confidential servants to the king, promising that if he would pardon any offence that he might have committed against him, he would return into his service. This message was very acceptable to the king, and he ordered that the letters of safeguard which Michael requested, should be immediately sent to him by a messenger. As, however, Michael did not place implicit confidence in the king's letters, and in order that he might return with the greater security, he petitioned that similar letters should be sent him from Georg Pisbeck and Johann von Rechenberg, who were German knights and councillors of the king, and whom Michael knew to have such authority over him, that they could compel the king against his will to keep his promise. This request was granted him; but as it happened that the messenger who was sent upon this business fell into the hands of the sentinels of the prince of Muscovy, and was