lecture iv-第7部分

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councillors；　the　rank　of　〃doumn　iboyars；〃　or　boyars　of　the
Council。
　　　　A　certain　number　of　the　old　Moscovite　nobility　were　allowed
to　retain　their　original　rank；　but　the　rest　of　the　nobles　were　by
degrees　lowered　to　that　of　persons　whose　only　distinction　was　to
be　〃the　children　of　ancient　boyars。〃　The　documents　of　the　time
speak　of　them　in　precisely　these　terms；　calling　them　〃boiarski
dieti；〃　children　of　the　boyars。
　　　　The　second　rank　among　the　members　of　the　Douma　was　occupied
by　those　known　under　the　name　of　〃ocolnichii；〃　or　persons　living
immediately　about　the　Duke。　This　rank　in　the　Douma　belonged；　as　a
rule；　to　members　of　the　old　Moscovite　nobility；　as　well　as　to
some　of　the　smaller　princely　families。　The　Duke　had　the　right　to
confer　on　his　〃ocolnichy〃　the　higher　title　of　boyar　as　a
recompense　for　his　services。　The　rest　of　the　knightly　class　were
either　entirely　unconnected　with　the　Council　or　were　simply
summoned　to　be　present　at　some　of　its　sittings。　They　were　known
under　the　general　name　of　〃noblemen　belonging　to　the　Douma；〃
〃dumnii　dvoriani；〃　and　formed　the　third　rank　of　Councillors。
　　　　The　fourth　or　lowest　rank　in　the　Council　was　composed　of
those　members　of　the　knightly　class　who　condescended　to　hold
second…rate　posts　in　the　different　executive　bodies　of　the　duchy；
such　as　the　Foreign　Office　（〃Posolsky　prikaz〃）；　or　the　board
presiding　over　temporary　or　life　grants　of　land　（Pomesini
prikaz）。　These　second…rate　bureaucrats；　known　under　the　name　of
secretaries；　diaki；　were　regularly　admitted　to　the　sittings　of
the　Council；　where　they　formed　the　lowest　but　by　no　means　the
least　influential　order。
　　　　From　what　has　been　said　it　will　be　seen　that　autocratic　power
in　Russia　had　to　deal　with　certain　counterpoises　and　moderating
influences　in　the　political　constitution　of　the　country　even
after　the　fall　of　the　ancient　folkmotes。　These　checks　and
restraints　had　their　roots　in　the　old　political　rights　exercised
by　the　chiefs　of　the　almost　independent　principalities　which
constituted　the　unorganised　federacy　of　Russian　states。　Whilst
submitting　to　the　power　of　the　Moscovite　prince；　these　once
independent　chiefs　insisted　on　the　recognition　of　their　privilege
to　be　next　after　the　Tzar；　the　principal　ruler　of　the　country。
The　so…called　mestnichestvo　was；　therefore；　a　sort　of　unwritten
constitution；　recognising　in　each　of　the　members　of　the　higher
nobility　his　distinct　right　to　a　place　in　the　machinery　of　the
State。　The　lover　classes　alone　had　no　part　in　the　conduct　of
public　affairs。　An　end　was　put　to　this　anomalous　situation　by　the
convocation　of　the　States…General。　The　origin　of　these
States…General；　or　Sobors；　and　their　further　development；　will
form　the　subject　of　our　next　lecture。

NOTES：

1。　Herbord；　ii。　15…30。

2。　〃Complete　Collection　of　Russian　Chronicles；〃　vi。　213。

3。　Compare　Diakonov；　〃The　Supreme　Power　of　the　Moscovite　Tsars；〃
Petersburg；　1889。

4。　This　subject　has　been　very　ably　discussed　by　Professor
Kluchovsky。