He promised to （1） uphold and protect the existing creed of
Russia； （2） to keep no memory of injuries inflicted on his
family； to forget and to forgive all past animosities； （3） He
took also the obligation to make no new laws or alter old ones；
and to take no important measure which might contradict the
existing laws； or suspend the legal proceedings of the court of
justice。 （4） He promised as well to begin no wars and to make no
peace by his own will。（8*）
This view of the power of the Sobor is confirmed by the fact
of its quasi…permanent presence at Moscow during the whole reign
of the first Romanov。 The laws and proclamations issued at that
time generally contain the following characteristic expression：
〃According to our order （oukas） and the decision of the whole
land （po vsei zemli prigovorou）。〃 The whole land cannot mean
anything else than the representatives in Parliament assembled。
Many important questions were discussed and settled by the
Sobor。 In the first years of the reign want of money obliged the
Czar more than once to have recourse to forced loans and
benevolences。 These were levied side by side with the regular
taxes on the goods of merchants and peasants （torgovii i soschnii
liudi）； the taxes received the consent of the Sobor； the
benevolences were endorsed by it。 The nomination of a new
Patriarch in 1619 was also their work。 The annals of the time
tell us that the boyars； the dignitaries of the Court； and all
the people of the 〃Moscovite State〃 called on Michael and asked
him to induce his father Philarete to accept the primacy of the
Russian church。 Two years later； in 1621； a new Sobor was
consulted on the question as to whether Russia should go to war
with Poland。 The Estates gave an answer in the affirmative； but
the want of money and soldiers forced the Government to postpone
the execution of this decision。
From 1622 the Sobors lose their character of quasi…constant
assemblies； each remaining in session for several years and begin
to be called only on special occasions； whenever their services
were required for the settlement of important questions of State。
In 1632 war with Poland necessitated the levying of new
subsidies。 The Sobor Was accordingly assembled and gave its
consent to the imposition of a general tax on all the estates of
the empire； on the tradesmen as on the 〃men of service。〃 The
amount of money to be demanded from the latter was not fixed；
each person could pay what he liked。 The sums produced by the tax
were intended for the payment of the army。 During the next two
years we find the Sobor consulting the Czar on matters of war and
taxation； on the relations of the land with Poland and the
Tartars of the Crimea。 The Czar complained of the ill…treatment
to which his envoy was subjected by the Khan。 The superior
clergy； whose answer alone has been preserved； insisted on the
necessity of building fortresses on the Southern boundaries of
the Moscovite empire； in those cities of the Ukraine； which like
Belgorod or Voroneg； remained for centuries the pioneers of
Christianity and culture in the southern steppes of Russia； and
which were periodically plundered by the Tartars。
Two years later the military occupation of Asov by the
Cossacks of the Don and the impending necessity of a war with the
Crimean Tartars for the preservation of the conquest； caused a
new Sobor to be convened。 This Assembly was in favour of war and
accordingly ordered the levy of military forces； 〃even from the
villages belonging to the crown land and the lands of the
clergy。〃 In 1642 matters concerning the fortress of Asov again
became the immediate cause of a new assembling of the Russian
Estates。 As the Turks had no intention of leaving Asov in the
hands of the Cossacks； who were not able to hold it themselves；
the question of annexing it to the Russian state suggested itself
to the Government； though it involved the risk of incurring the
responsibility of a new and almost imminent war。 The Czar finding
it necessary to know the feeling of the nation； summoned one
hundred and ninety…five persons elected by the Estates； besides
the Douma or Privy Council and the superior clergy； to Moscow。
Nearly all classes of society sent representatives； each class
gave its opinion or advice separately on papers bearing the
signatures of all the members of the same Estate； while the
dissentients sent in their opinions on separate and private
papers。
The superior clergy； faithful to their old habits； assured
the Czar that they were quite unable to advise him on the
question； it was not； they said； their custom to do So； for it
was the Business of the Czar and his Douma； their sole duty was
to invoke God's blessing on the Czar's undertakings。 Should the
Czar； however； want military aid； they declared themselves ready
to make the necessary sacrifices in order to pay the soldiers；
and that according to their means。 The majority of the Moscovite
nobility expressed themselves in favour of annexation。 The Czar
ought to hold the newly acquired fortress； but he should merely
order the Cossacks to continue their occupation of it。 Volunteers
alone ought to be necessary to give help and assistance。 Some
advised that soldiers should Be sent to Asov； not only from the
cities of the Ukraine； but even from Moscow。 All sorts of men；
with the exception of serfs and such as had lost their liberty
through not having paid their debts； ought to be selected for
that purpose。 If money were wanted； each Estate ought to nominate
two or three persons whom the Czar might authorise to levy
subsidies from all persons and goods； from officers （prikasnii）
and the Czar's suite； from widows and orphans； from 〃hosts〃 and
merchants； and from each and every person not engaged in military
service。
Some of the nobility； amongst others those of Vladimir；
simply promised to obey the Czar's orders； pointing at the same
time to the miserable state of their cities and country； which
they said was wellknown to the Czar and to the boyars of his
Douma。 Much more peremptory was the advice given by the local
nobility of certain larger cities； such as Sousdal； Juriev （the
modern Dorpat）； Novgorod； and Rostov。 They were of opinion that
the surrender of Asov would bring down the wrath of God： 〃The
Czar cannot leave in the hands of the infidels；〃 said they； 〃the
holy images of John the Baptist and of St。 Nicholas。〃 If the army
wanted victuals they might be taken out of the magazines
belonging to the cities of the Ukraine。 Military aid could be
given from Moscow and the expenses for the victualling of the
army ought to be laid upon the whole land； without exception。
Complaining of the great quantity of land given in benefices to
the boyars and of the large amount of money got by bribes and
extortions by the officers of the State （prikasnii）； who
afterwards invested it in vast buildings and palaces； the
burgesses insisted on the necessity of laying part of the burden
of the future war on the shoulders of that class； and of obliging
them to arm the soldiers； they maintained； moreover； that their
fortunes should be taxed like those of all other classes of the
State。 The same measures ought also to be taken with the clergy；
the bishops and abbots being equally called on to equip warriors；
according to the number of serfs they possessed。 The Czar ought
to issue an ukase； stating the number of serfs a soldier ought to
possess； or rather the proportion existing between the number of
his serfs and the service required of him。 This proportion should
be strictly maintained in future； and those who had not serfs
enough ought to receive new gifts of serfs from the government。
Money for purposes of war； they also insisted； might be taken out
of the treasuries of the Patriarch and the monasteries。
The lower nobility； or what is the same thing； the men…of…war
of the cities of Toula； Kolomna； Serpouchov； Riazan； Kalouga；
etc。； were even more precise in their demands that the proportion
of military service should tally with the number of serfs which
each man…of…war or knight possessed。 Those who had over fifty
serfs ought to serve without pay； and also contribute to the
expenses of the war by supplying food to the army； whist those
who had not more than fifty ought to be free from the latter
obligation。
If we turn our attention to the 〃written opinions〃 given in
by the members of the third estate； we find them complaining of
the miserable state into which they had recently fallen； partly
because all the commerce of Moscow was in the hands of
foreigners； and partly because of the oppression of the voivodes；
or Governors of provinces； who had superseded the freely elected
heads of districts （the goubnii starosti of the sixteenth
century）。 The delegates of the hosts and merchants of Moscow
nevertheless insist on the necessity of holding Asov； pointing
out at the same time that they receive no lands from the Crown；
and have more trouble than profit in the levying of taxes and
excise duties； and generally suggesting to the Czar the
impossibility of increasing their payments。
The 〃memorial〃 of the hundredmen and headmen of the black
hund