conducted, the archbishop recommended bishop Burnet to gratify his
curiosity in this respect; and to give him all the information, of
which none was more capable, that he might require on ecclesiastical
matters. From this dignitary of the church we have some information
respecting the manner and appearance of this extraordinary character.

The bishop says he wrought much with his own hands, and made all about
him work at the models of ships. Who he had with him, besides
Menzikoff and Golownin, does not anywhere appear, but the
_Postman_[12] of the 29th March says, "The Tzar of Muscovy is returned
from Portsmouth to Deptford, where his second ambassador is arrived
from Holland." The two principal Russian workmen in Holland, of rank,
were Menzikoff and the Prince Siberski, the latter of whom is said to
have been able to rig a ship from top to bottom. The object in
remaining at Deptford would appear to have been, as before stated,
chiefly to gain instruction how to lay off the lines of ships, and cut
out the moulds; though it is said, on the testimony of an old man, a
workman of Deptford yard some forty years ago, that he had heard his
father[13] say, the Tzar of Muscovy worked with his own hands as hard
as any man in the yard. If so, it could only have been for a very
short time, and probably for no other purpose than to show the
builders, that he knew how to handle the adze as well as themselves.

[12] No. 442.

[13] Mr. James Sibbon, who was a journeyman shipwright in
Deptford yard when the Tzar was there; he died in 1769,
aged 105 years.--_Annual Register_ for 1769.

When residing at Deptford he requested to see the celebrated Dr.