Sophia wrote to the _Streltsui_--"You suffer--but you will suffer more.

Why do you wait?
March on Moscow.
There is no news of the Tsar." The army was told that he was dead, and that the _boyars_ were scheming to kill his infant son Alexis and then get into power again.

Thousands of revolted troops from Azof began to pour into Moscow, then there was a rumor that the foreigners and the Germans--who were introducing the smoking of tobacco and shaving, to the utter destruction of the holy faith--were planning to seize the town.

Peter returned to find Moscow the prey to wild disorder, in the hands of scheming revolutionists and mutineers.

He concluded it was the right time to give a lesson which would never be forgotten.