False Dmitriy I
In 1566, Vasili Yakovlevich took part in the "Zemsky Sobor". A year later, he was sent by Ivan the Terrible to sign a peace treaty with Sigismund II of Poland. Later on, Vasili Shchelkalov was put in charge of the "Razboyny Prikaz" (prosecution and court hearings) in the 1560s, "Razryadny Prikaz" (1576-1594), "Chetvertnoy Prikaz" of Nizhny Novgorod (1570-1601), "Kazansky Prikaz", and "Streletsky Prikaz". He was then appointed head of the "Posolsky Prikaz" in the mid-1594 and tsar's stamp bearer in 1595. In 1601, Vasili Yakovlevich fell into disgrace for his willfulness and retired. He was rehabilitated during the reign of False Dmitriy I, who made him his "okolnichiy" (event manager).