before the King where-ever he goes and to take care that all the Court-Officers perform their Duty in their several Stations over whom he has the sole Jurisdiction in criminal Cases If any Person so much as wounds one of his Officers he loses his Head for it by a Law made in the Year 1573. He is moreover the Introducer of all Ambassadors He has an exceeding great Benefit by imposing Prizes on Merchants Wares for they generally make him great Presents and Bribes to augment their Profit Nevertheless his Power is very much lessen'd in the Time of the Election of a King for then he must act in Conjunction with the Grand Marshal of Lithuania He always acts by Assistance of the Court Marshal who is his Deputy in his Absence And when the Court Marshal absents likewise the Duty of that Office is requir'd from the Grand Marshal of Lithuania and in his Absence from his Little Marshal And when all these are absent that Duty is incumbent on the Chancellors and Treasurers in their respective Turns The hundred and twentieth Lay Senator is The grand Marshal or grand Steward of Lithuania His Office is much the same with that of the grand Marshal of Poland The hundred and twenty first Lay Senator is The great Chancellor of the Kingdom The hundred and twenty second Lay Senator is The great Chancellor of the Dutchy The hundred and twenty third Lay Senator is The Vice-Chancellor of the Crown The hundred and twenty fourth Lay Senator is The Vice-Chancellor of the Dutchy The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom must be the one Ecclesiastical and the other Secular by a Law made at Cracow in the Time of Sigismund I. But those of the Great Dutchy are both oblig'd to be Secular tho Hartknoch says there is no Law against a Bishop's being Chancellor there They have each of them two Seals the Chancellor the greater Seal and the Vice-Chancellor the lesser Their Authority is equal except that the former always takes Place of the latter tho' he happens to be a Bishop and that the Vice-Chancellor does not act but in Absence of the Chancellor or at least under him The Chancellor's Office is to take Cognizance of all civil Affairs to see Justice done the Laws observ'd and to render ineffectual the Cabals and Intrigues of foreign Princes in Prejudice of the Liberties and Authority of the Republick They are to seal all the King's Mandates and Grants and to receive and answer all his Letters Their Power also is so great that they can seal several things without the King's Consent and refuse as many where he commands if they are contrary to the Constitution of the State The Chancellor or in his Absence the Vice-Chancellor answer to all Speeches made the King and propose all Matters to be debated in the Senate He of the two that is Ecclesiastical hath a Power over the King's Secretaries Chaplains and Preachers as likewise over all the Ceremonies of the Church which in any wise relate to the King They are the general Chroniclers and Publishers of the Laws and take Cognisance of all Appeals made to the King The Vice-Chancellor generally succeeds the Chancellor tho sometimes in Lithuania it has happen'd otherwise The Ecclesiastical Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor of Poland is for the most part chosen out of the meaner Bishopricks as Culm Premislia Chelm c. They ought to be Persons of great Prudence Learning and Probity their Business being to admonish advise and direct the King in his Administration of the Government The hundred and twenty fifth Lay Senator is The great Treasurer of the Crown The hundred and twenty sixth Lay Senator is The great Treasurer of the Dutchy These Treasurers are Masters and Guardians of the Treasure and Revenue of the Republick which is brought them in by four general Collectors who all keep a true Register of it giving a Copy thereof to the King and another to the Treasurer They also have the keeping of the Regalia as the Crown Scepter Globe Sword of State Robes c. They moreover have in their Custody all the King's Furniture and Records and are to preside in the Office of the Mint They likewise pay all Salaries either of the Military or civil List The Treasurers Privilege is so great that they are not oblig'd to give any Account either to the King or any of his Officers how they perform their Trust but in due Time the Diet appointing Commissioners for that Purpose they are oblig'd faithfully to charge and discharge themselves before them otherwise the Republick may sue them for it and confiscate their Lands Nevertheless the Treasurers who most commonly misemploy the publick Stock by treating the Commissioners well and making them considerable Presents withal often obtain their Discharge without much Difficulty I may here give your Grace an Account of a Passage that happen'd when Count Morstyn was great Treasurer of Poland who having more Regard to his own private Interest than publick Benefit sent all the Riches of the Treasury into France when fearing that the Diet would soon think fit to call him to Account he retir'd privately with all his Effects out of the Kingdom and went to settle in France where he purchas'd the whole County of Chateau-Villain which is worth above an hundred thousand Livres a Year The hundred and twenty seventh Lay Senator is The little or Court Marshal of the Kingdom The hundred and twenty eighth Lay Senator is The little or Court Marshal of the Dutchy These Court Marshals in the Time of Vladislaus VII had a Contest with the Chancellors for Precedence but at length they were order'd to be contented with the last Place in the Senate therefore Starovolscius who in his Colen Edition of the State of Poland places them next to the great Marshals in that of Dantzic puts them last of all It will not be here amiss to acquaint Your Grace that besides these ten Crown-Officers there are three other Sorts of Officers which are not Senators and they are either of the Kingdom and Great Dutchy the King's Court or belonging peculiarly to Palatinates and Districts The Principal of the first Kind are these The two Grand Generals of the Crown and Great Dutchy who are the King 's immediate Substitutes and have a full Power to do whatever his Majesty could were he present Tho this Dignity of Great General be the most considerable and honorable of any in the Republic yet does it not make the Person that enjoys it to be a Senator nor qualifies him to have the least Seat in the Diet unless he be therewithal a Palatin or Castellan as most commonly he is The two great Generals of Poland and Lithuania have equal Power in their respective States and have no Dependance upon each other unless that the Great General of Lithuania always gives Place to him of Poland yet has he the sole Command
of the Cosacks and the last Troubles in Bohemia To these also may be added the Revolutions of our own Nation in the Time of Charles I. when the Fury of the People extended their Rage even to the dipping their Hands in this Prince's Blood Politicians do generally own that the People are a wild Beast which ought rather to be led than left at Liberty and by consequence have pronounced it most Perilous to acquiesce under their Subjection An Anarchy would undoubtedly do more harm in a day than a Tyrant could in all his Reign If he Punishes 't is with some pretence of Justice when nothing can abate the Peoples Rage but an utter Extinction of whatever is placed over their Heâ—ds A mixt Government therefore made out of all these Three is that which has proved most Agreeable to the Polish Nation being a just Medium between the dangerous Extremities of an Absolute Monarchy and those of Aristocracy and Democracy It is this the Poles have pitch'd upon as most proper to preserve the public Liberty and to perpetuate the Happiness of their State being it seems perswaded that a Body Politic resembles a Humane in this that as the one borrows all its Vigour and Health from a Just Temperament of the different Humours that compose it so the other depends absolutely on that of the Three before-mention'd Forms of Government And moreover as the former subsists by the mutual Opposition of contrary Qualities so the King Senate and Gentry of Poland having in some measure different Interests and Inclinations are not only hinder'd from deviating into vicious Extremities but also through a Noble Emulation are excited to labour carefully for the Good of the Public The Republic is divided into Two States the Kingdom of Poland and the Great Dutchy of Lithuania yet both which are but as one Body having the same King the same Parliament the same Laws the same Privileges the same Religion and as the natural result of all these the same Interest These Two States are so very well United that a King cannot be Elected a Law made nor any State-Business done without the mutual Consent of both But My Lord as the King is the Prime and Chief Member of this Republic I will give Your GRACE an Account of his present Power and Prerogatives The Poles are too proud a Nation to agree with those Politicians that measure the Grandeur of a Prince and Happiness of a State by the Despotic Power of him that Governs it and therefore those pernicious Maxims of Tyrants Si Lubet Licet Oderint dum Metuant and the like would be but ill receiv'd among a People that have all along secured their Liberties by their Prudence and Valour This Vassalage would suit well enough with the Slaves of Asia and Africk or with the Moscovites and Turks who all suffer themselves to be govern'd like Beasts and led by the Nose according to the different Caprice or Pleasure of their Prince As for the Kings of Poland they may rest in security in the Bosom of their Country even amidst the Noise of Arms either without or within their Dominions since they have always their Subjects to crowd about them for their Guards thro' indispensable Inclinations For what contributes chiefly to the Happiness of these Princes is the Loyal Observance and voluntary Obedience paid them even by those that are at Liberty to do the contrary I have often heard Monsieur de Polignac the French Ambassador say at Warsaw That he thought a King of Poland more Happy in his Person and Condition than a King of France Nevertheless this Authority of the King of Poland is so alloy'd by the Laws of the Land that it does not exact more Veneration from the Nobles or Gentry than they think he deserves For tho' their Behaviour be generally extraordinary Observant yet do they tacitly seem to call in question the Power they have limited and often refuse that Duty which they have deem'd him worthy of by his Election The Polish Nobility make no Difference between their King 's Right and those of the Senate and Deputies affirming That since these three Members compose but one Body they ought equally to share in the same Benefits and Injuries and consequently ought all either to Reward the one or Revenge the other The small Authority therefore of their Kings and the Impossibility of their Acting by themselves has at all times exposed Poland to the Insults of their Neighbours and the Rage of their own People as may be seen in the Civil Wars of the Cosacks and the Treachery and Sedition of the Confederates which could never have arriv'd at so great height if the King had had but sufficient Power to have suppress'd them Also the Great Marshal of the Crown Lubomirski would never have had the Boldness to have oppos'd King Casimir's Designs openly and to have form'd so many Factions against the Court had he not had some Assurances of remaining Unpunish'd This makes the King of Poland to be stiled a King of Kings and Lord of Lords since he has no better than Companions and Equals for his Subjects We have divers Instances of the Poles love for their Kings and particularly by their once enforcing the Right of Sigismund III. to the Kingdom of Sweden in an obstinate War which they began several times as likewise in supporting afterwards the Pretences of Vladislaus VII to Moscovy To omit divers others of a more ancient Date This Respect of their obliges them frequently to come and spend their Estates at Court thinking to augment their Princes Grandeur by their Prodigality and Magnificence This appears by the mistake made by Gregory King of Bohemia at the Interview between him and Casimir the Great at Glogan which Place the former had demanded to bound the Limits of Silesia when he saluted a Private Gentleman splendidly Cloath'd for the King of Poland The Custom and Inclination of the Poles runs so strong towards Honouring their Prince that all they have or are able to do even to the Destruction of their Lives and Fortunes they are willing to lavish in his Service without expecting any greater Recompence than the Glory of Waiting on His Majesty's Person Insomuch that a King of Poland who is Couragious and Prudent Just and Sober Liberal and Religious one that observes the Laws and Constitutions of his Kingdom and in a word who has no other Interest but the Common Good and Safety of his Subjects is as much Respected and Honour'd and as faithfully Obey'd both in time of Peace and War nay as formidable to all his Enemies as most Princes in Europe As to what relates to War no Monarch has greater Advantages than himself for he is neither at the trouble of raising Forces nor Expence in Maintaining them his Business being only to convene the Diet and they do all these things to his Hand After War is once declar'd he can continue the
excessive Power and Privileges of the Nobility which they soon effected by being Resolute and more in Number But in Poland it is quite otherwise for there the Clergy and Gentry have a common Interest to keep the King and People in Subjection The Clergy have great Privileges and are very Rich. The Bishops for the most part are Princes or Dukes they are all Senators and sit in the Diet before all the Temporal Lords so that by the great Authority and Veneration which they have procur'd to themselves from the slavish People they can hinder them from making any Insurrection and by the Arbitrary and Free Power which they and the Gentry have hitherto maintain'd to Elect whom they pleas'd for King they will always keep him in such a Dependence for the sake of his Children that he shall hardly ever be able to effect any Design upon their Prerogatives Nay providing he had found any Opportunity to compass such a dangerous Enterprize yet would it not consist with Prudence either to declare or Attempt it for fear of Incurring the Hatred and Displeasure of the People which would not only tend to his own Ruin but likewise Obstruct the Election of any of his Family to the Throne after his Death so that the surest way for a King of Poland to continue the Crown in his Family is never to attempt any Innovation I would not however think the Kings of Poland Unfortunate in not being able to assure the Succession of the Throne to their Children since they are thereby compell'd as it were by a lucky Necessity to breed them up to all Royal Virtues and this to the end that it may render them more Accomplish'd and Worthy to be Elected For where they are satisfied that the Crown is not due to their Blood but to their Merits what will either the Father or Sons omit to obtain it by the most Glorious Means My LORD I have hitherto presented Your GRACE with what relates to the Form of Government in Poland and to the King's Power and Revenues I would now give a particular Account of the King's Court were it not like to that of other Princes as to Splendor and Number of Officers For besides the Great Crown-Officers as the two Great and Little Marshals as many Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors two Generals and two Great and Little Treasurers The King has his Lord-Chamberlain his Court-Marshal or Lord Steward his Master of the Horse his Secretaries of State his Standard-Bearer Chief Huntsman his Gentlemen of the Body answerable to our Lords of the Bed-Chamber his Physicians Chaplains Pensioners Cup-Bearers Sewers Carvers Musicians and Guards The Gentlemen Pensioners always attend the King on Horseback this Body of Gentry consists of the Noblest Youth of the Kingdom whereof many have Court and State-Employments and are all subject to the Jurisdiction of the Court-Marshal There are some of these that attend his Majesty on Foot but in long Journeys they are always carried in Waggons A set number of these keep Guard Day and Night about the King Whenever the King goes in Public these last March every way about him with long Battle-Axes on their Shoulders and Sabres by their Sides but still admitting the Senators and Chief Courtiers to March next him yet when the Queen goes with the King the Senators and other Persons of Quality are to walk before The King's Horse-Guards ought by the Constitutions to be either Poles Lithuanians or Natives of some of the Incorporated Provinces but however this Law has been dispens'd with for the late King admitted both Germans and Hungarians amongst them Their Number by the Law is not to exceed 1200 and their Chief Commander is to be subject to all the Four Marshals The King has the same Number of Court Officers in Lithuania as he has in Poland the Lithuanians being as Ambitious to keep up the ancient Grandeur of their Great Duke as the Poles are for that of their King The King has likewise the Nomination of some Court-Officers in several Provinces as in Prussia Masovia and Russia which had formerly distinct Princes of their own and were afterwards United to the Kingdom of Poland so that the King has the Nomination of as many Court-Officers as any Prince in Europe but most of them are rather Honorary than Beneficial yet the Gentry always make great Interest to get into them Precedence of which they are Ambitious being Regulated according to the Nature and Dignity of the Employment As for the Queen's Court it consists of about Thirty Officers the Chief whereof are her Marshal and Chancellor Their Business is to Preside over Domestic Affairs in the Queen's Court. Her Marshal or Steward is to carry the Staff before her and her Chancellor or Secretary to Write Sign Receive and Answer all her Letters There is her Treasurer who Manages her Revenue her Master of the Horse Cup-Bearers Carvers Sewers Clerk of the Kitchen c. For Women Servants she has her Ladies Maids of Honour Dressers c. When she goes in Public she is always attended by a great number of her own Sex It may not be here amiss to add something of the Court of the Inter-Rex or Primate and so I will conclude While the Archbishop of Gnesna has the Administration of the Government he has much the same Officers with the King but when he has laid down that Authority his Officers are his Marshal spoken of before his Chancellor who Presides in his Courts of Justice his Almoner Master of Requests Cross-Bearer Steward Treasurer Chaplains Library-Keeper Clerk of the Kitchin c. This Archbishop alone as he is the Chief Senator of Poland has Drums beating and Trumpets sounding both within and without Doors before he sits down to Table He also by his Prerogative is not to wait for the King's Commands when he should Visit him but may go when and as often as he pleases Before My Lord I put an end to this Letter permit me to take notice to Your GRACE that the King of Poland does not Name his Privy-Counsellors but all Senators are Counsellors of Course for all of that Dignity that are about the Place where the King Resides have a Right to sit at the Council-Board For fear notwithstanding that there should not be always Senators sufficient for that purpose at Court the Senate always depute four of their Members to attend the King's Person by turns and that not only to give him Advice but likewise to Inspect into his Conduct and to prevent him from Acting contrary to the Laws For the King and Council are accountable to the Diet for any Mismanagement in the Government In short the Genius of the Polish Nation and the whole Frame of their Constitution is entirely bent to Curb the King's Power and to secure their Laws and Prerogatives against the Incroaching Factions of Foreign Princes or of their own Court-Party I might here My Lord add a great many
Severia City Belongs to the Bishop of Cracow 243. Siradia Pal. Its Arms 230. Sendomir Pal. It s Division into Districts 249. Chief Cities and Towns 251. Their several Descriptions ib. c. Sendomir City It s Description 250. Sanoch Town It s Description 273. Sâ—â—â—giâ—ta Province 290. Its Bounds 291. Manners of People ib. Their Superstition 292. Manner of Sacrificing ib. c. Division into Districts 293. Principal Towns ib. Descriptions ib. c. T Teutonic Order Call'd into Poland 43. Establish'd in Prussia 51. Proves troublesome to the Poles ib. Therefore Excommunicated by the Pope 52. Routs the Prussians and Casimir IV. 64. Tartars First Inroad 44. Second Incursions 61. Third Incursion with the Moscovites and Moldavians 71. Turks Take Podhais 170. Thorn City It s Description 261. Its Arms ib. Native Town of Copernicus ib. c. Troki City Built 315. It s Description 329. Troki Pal. Division into Districts 328. Chief Cities and Towns 329. Descriptions ib. c. Its Arms 330. U. Visimirus 10. His Conquests 11. His Death ibid. Venda 13. Her Death ib. Uladislaus I. 30. His Wars ib. His Marriage and Death 31. II. When Elected and how long Reign'd 33. Persecutes his Brothers 34. A Severe Revenge ib. His Flight out of the Kingdom and Death 35. III. Uladislaus Lasconogus 42. Surrenders his Crown ib. IV. Whence so call'd 48. When began his Reign and how long Reign'd 49. His Wars and Vices ib. Is Dethron'd ib Restor'd 50. Meets with Difficulties ib. c. His Speech to his Army 52. Overthrows the Teutonic Order 53. Is Crown'd with his Queen ib. His Death ib. Uladislaus V. Vide Jagello VI. When Elected and how long Reign'd 60. Regents during Minority 61. Crown'd King of Hungary ib. His Wars with the Turks ib. c. Is Complimented on a Victory 62. Kill'd and Routed by the Turks 63. Epitaph upon him ib. His Perfidy awakens the Turks ib. VII Elected Proclaim'd and Crown'd 121. His Marriage and Wars ib. With the Cosacks 122. His Death 123. Ukraina Country of the Cosacks Whence so call'd 93. How divided ib. To whom antiently belong'd ib. Its Inhabitants Vide Cosacks Vielunia Territory It s Division 229. Principal Towns ibid. Arms 230. Uladislaw City It s Description 234. Varmia Bishoprick and Pal. Exempt from Regal Jurisdiction 263. It s Chief Cities and Towns ib. their several Descriptions ib. c. Vinnicza City It s Description 277. Volhynia Province Division into Districts 294. Chief Cities and Towns ib. c. Its Arms 296. Vilna City Built 316. It s Description 325. Its Arms 328. Vilna Pal. Division into Districts 325. It s Chief Cities and Towns ib. Descriptions ib. c. Its Arms 328. Vitebsko Vide Witebsko W. Woievods XII Their Government 12 14. Depos'd ib. Wenceslaus King of Bohemia Crown'd King of Poland and how long Reign'd 49. Goes into Bohemia ib. Loses his Kingdom of Poland and dies 50. Warsaw City It s Description 285 c. Witebsko Pal. Has but one District 335. Chief Cities and Towns ib. Their Descriptions ib. c. Its Arms 336. Witebsko City It s Description 335. Z. Ziemovitus 23. His Wars Character and Death ib. Ziemovistus ib. His Character and Death ib. c. Zulava Island It s Division 263. Zamoisk City It s Description 283. TABLE II. ☞ Note This Second Volume having been put to two Printing-Houses a Second Alphabet was necessary to be made use of Therefore to avoid Mistakes the Reader is desir'd to take notice of this Asterism * after the Folio's for the Distinction of the Second Part. A. ARmenians in Poland Where Inhabit 49. Have peculiar Prelates c. ib. Service in what Language ibid. Acknowledge the See of Rome ib. Associates to Judges 77. Army Polish It s Division 9 * Of the Horse ib. c. * Of the Foot 11 * Manner of Paying the Army 20 * Inferiour Officers of the Army 31 c. * Auxiliaries What 16 * Example ib. * B. Bishopricks Polish How many 36 c. Their several Diocesses 37. Peculiar Jurisdictions ib. Bishops Polish Each has a kind of little Court 46. Have also Suffragans ib. Contest with Lay-Senators for Precedence ib. Have most of them large Revenues 47. Bishop Greek In Premislaw 44. In Kiovia being formerly Primate of Moscovy 45. Burgraves Their Office 80. Baths in Poland Private and Publick with their Effects 199. Burials Order of Procession at them 206. Other Proceedings 207. Particulars of the King and Queen's Interrments ib. C. Commonalty Polish Their Condition 5. Wherefore Enslav'd ib. Incapable of Preferment except some few 167. How first Enslaved 182. Live Satisfied notwithstanding 183. Their present Condition 184. Enrich their Lords ibid. c. How fix'd in a Farm 185. Cosacks A further Account of them 11 c. * Their Councils of War 12 * Way of Fortifying their Camps and Boats ib. * Their Power 13 * Crown of Poland Means to continue it in one Family 26. Vacant four Ways 126. Customs Polish Way of Hunting Wild Oxen 209. Manner of Taking Bears 211. Way of Ordering Cabbage 212. Poles eat but little Bread 215. Customs at Feasts Vide Feasts Manners at Table 217. Way of Taking Tobacco 218. Customs in Travelling Vide Travelling Manners of peculiar Countries 224. Customs in Grinding Corn 227. Rusticks Employments within and without Doors 229. Manners in Husbandry 233. Way of Pruning Trees ib. Manner of Sowing ib. c. Way of Securing and Ordering Corn 234. Peculiar Customs in Prussia ib. Manner of Fishing in Poland 40 * Manner of Electing and Ordaining Priests in Dantzic 47 * Counsellors Privy Who in Poland 31. Four Senators particularly Assign'd 31 35. Castellans What and whence so call'd 35. Names and Precedence from 61 to 67. Their Duty 60. Their Division Qualifications Office and Titles ib. c. Name in Polish 68. Cracow Bishop of His Residence and Precedence 42. Bishoprick and Power ib. How Address'd to 43 Cracow Palatin of Wherefore Preferr'd 55. Cujavia Bishop of His See Precedence and Authority 43. Has several Places of Residence ib. Culm Bishop of His Precedence and See 45. Chelm Bishop of His See Translated and wherefore 45. Caminiec Bishop of Honorary being under the Turk 46. Churches Greek Two Sorts 47. Priests how call'd and Wherefore ib. Calvinists In what Part of Poland 48. King oblig'd to protect them ib. Name in Polish ibid. First Nobleman that became Calvinist ibid. c. Clergy Regular Their Privileges 51. Dissolute Lives ib. Clergy Secular Their Manners 52. Division ib. Churches Polish Fine and well adorn'd 53. A rich Cope at Leopel ib. Chancellors Great and Vice Qualifications of those of the Kingdom 70. Both have Seals and equal Authority 71. Their Office and Power ib. Succeed each other 72. How ought to be qualified ib. Cavalry Polish What requir'd in vain of them 7 * Great Force with Examples 24 c. * Cup-bearers Carvers c. 77. Custom-house Commissioners 78. Chamberlain Vice of District His Office 78. Chamberlains under him ib. Convocation
Must always flourish for several Reasons 111. Guards Horse 29. Chief Commander of Guards in the Camp 79. Captain of the Guards against the Incursions 76. Gnesna Archbishop of Vide Primate Genius of Polish Government To what bent 31. Generals Great Power and Authority 74. Duty 75. Present Great Generals ibid. Dignity Successive ibid. Their Power and Duration 29 c. * Generals Lieutenant Their Office 75. Titles and Power 30 c. * Other General-Officers 31 * Governors of Mines 78. Of the Mint ibid. Gun Founders Foreign 28 * Glass Polish Manner of making it 88 * Gardens and Orchards Seldom any in Poland 199. H. Head-Collector of a District 79. High-Podolia Vide in P. Houses in Poland Their Description 198. Furniture 199. Houses of the Rusticks in Lithuania 197. Habitations and Furniture of the Peasants in Prussia 234. Horses Why little in Lithuania 229 c. Hairs Canular 96 * I. Jews in Poland Enjoy their Religion and Privileges 49. Restrain'd from Trading ib. Their Number ibid. Idolaters Where to be found 50. Retain Superstitions ib. Example ib. Judge and Assistant of a District 78. Jurisdiction Military Wholly in the King 's or his General 's Hands 121. Palatins and Castellans likewise exercise their Authority ib. Inns How call'd in Polish 219. Have few Conveniencies 220. Jâ—â— Belli Polish Some few Particulars thereof 32 * K. King of Poland Former Power 2. Advantages thereby 3. Abridg'd by the Gentry 4. King's Happiness 11. Unhappiness ib. c. Modern Power 13. Abroad and at home 14. What his Subjects term him ib. Great respect paid him ib. c. His Titles and Prerogatives 15 c. Pension Household-Officers and Guards 16. Patrimonial Estate and Perquisites ib. late His Riches 17. Power limited in divers respects 19 c. Other Limitations 21. Inconveniences thereby ib. Occasion of Respect 22. Cities present their Keys 23. Why he can make no Levies without consent of the Diet ib. Must not go out of the Kingdom 24. His Legitimate Issue much respected ib. Titles of his Eldest and other Sons and Daughters ib. How lost 25. Examples of the Poles Affection to the Royal Family ib. Illegitimate Issue slighted 26. Impossible to reduce his Subjects to an Arbitrary Power ib. c. King not unhappy because not able to secure Succession to his Family 28. His Interest to Head his Army 75. Where the King suspends his Opinion 97. Ought not to be present at Trials for Treason 99. Has no Regal Authority till Crown'd 153. Goes to receive Homage and Knights Citizens 161 c. Is Proclaim'd 162 c. What follows 163. His Power and Revenues in Dantzic 48 * Kiovia Bishoprick of Honorary 45. Kiovia Palatinate of Honorary 56. L. Leopol City Whence so nam'd 40. Is the Residence of three Bishops ib. Luceoria Bishop of His Diocess 44. Lutherans Abundance in Poland 48. Tolerated and Protected ib. Name in Polish ib. How the Prussians became so ib. Lay-Senators Their Division and Sub-division 54. Laws What requir'd to Establish them 97 Where cannot be Printed 98. Their Origin Progress and present State 121. Lawdifferences decided by the Sword 179. Example 180. Lawyers Their Number and Study 79 c. * Who seldom go to Law 80 * Suppos'd judgment on a Lawyer ib. * Lending and borrowing in Poland The manner of 195. Lithuania Particulars relating thereunto 224. Learning Former 75 * What discourages Learning 81 * Languages Oriental dis-regarded 76 * Present in Poland ib. c. * Hard to Pronounce 77 * Latine Reasons why the Poles affect to speak it 77 * Livonia Its first Bishop 100 * Livonian Order It s several Masters from 101 to 105 * Residence of the Order 105 * Addition concerning this Order 117 * M. Marienburg Pal. a City of Formerly Seat of Teutonic Knights 58. Built 55 * Marshal Great of Poland His Office Power and Authority 69. Duty and Privilege ibid. His Perquisites ibid. c. Who officiate in his Absence 70. Marshal Great of Lithuania His Office 70. Marshals Little Contend for Precedence 73. Mines Their Officers called Zuppars 80. Meetings General of Senators and Deputies 90. Members of the Diet How habited 103. Not to give Reason for Dissent to any Bill 106. Magistrates and Officers of Plebeian Courts 120. Their Profits 121. Marriages Description and Duration 203. Court-Marriages 204. Customs thereat ib. Presents made the Bride 205. Espousals and Ceremonies ib. c. Who can't be Marry'd without Dispensation 206. Qualification for Marriage among the Peasants 230. Mourning The manner in Poland 208. Money Little in Poland and how occasion'd 36 * What Coin most current there ibid. c. * Contributes to Poverty 37 * Other Coins ib. c. * First Coin in Prussia 49 * Present in Dantzic ib. c. * Mittaw City of Curland It s Castle Streets and Houses 120 * How often conquer'd and regain'd 120 * Calvinist-Church there 121 * N. Nuncio's Vide Deputies Nobility Vide Gentry Notaries Chief 77. Notaries Camp 76. Nuncio-Marshal Vide Speaker Naturalization and Manner of Making Noble 100. How far qualified thereby ibid. c. Nobility how acquir'd 188. A Third Way of becoming Noble 189. Ways of Forfeiting Nobility ib. Where restor'd ib. Names Polish What formerly and now 203. O. Officers Crown and Court 28. Court In Lithuania 29. In several Provinces ib. c. Some rather Honorary than Beneficial 30. Ten Crown-Officers where placed in the Diet 68. Who they are ibid. Those of the Kingdom precede ib. Extra-Senatorial Officers 74. Great Officers in the Army 76. Of Districts 78. Some why so call'd 79. Military Officers of Districts ib. Offices By whom Plurality can be held 67. Exceptions ib. Order of Knighthood Instituted in Poland but undervalu'd 179 c. Vide Teutonic Order P. Poland Undergone several Changes 2. How expos'd to Inconveniencies 12. Physick Practice in Poland 89 * Medicines us'd ib. * What Diseases 91 * Venereal how cur'd by a Quack 90 * Odd Method of curing Wounds 88 * Surprising Particulars 91. * Plica Disease its Description ibid. c. * Unaccountableness and Symptoms 92 * Said to be Contagious and Hereditary 93 * Common to Men and Beasts ibid. * Superstition concerning it ibid. c. * Where most common and how cur'd by a Jew 94 * Causes asserted but question'd ibid c. * Another Account of the Plica 95 c. * Poles Their Division 4. Love for their Kings 12. To Extravagance 13. Behaviour at Church 53. Their good Temper and its Effect 181. How occasion'd 182. Their Character 189. Complexion Constitution c. 191. Their Manners ibid. Further Character 192. Education and Learning ibid. To what they generally apply themselves 193. Worst part of their Character ibid c. Genius how inclined 194. Greedy of Money 195. Love to make a Shew ibid. Their great Extravagance 198. Great Admirers of Shew 200. How Attended ib. Not very Rich and why 38 * Primate His Court-Officers as Inter-Rex and Arch-Bishop 30. What peculiar to him 31.
His Power and State 38. Power as Inter-Rex 39. Why he is intrusted so much 40. His See ibid. Who officiates where no Inter-Rex 127. Inter-Rex resigns 162. Physicians Polish Their Abilities 81 * Not allow'd to study till qualify'd ib. * Palatins What 35. Their Number and Precedence from 55 to 59. Duty and Office 59. Palatins Vice How they must be qualified 59 c. Posnan Bishop of Extent of his Diocess 43 c. Plosko Bishop of His Jurisdiction and See 44. Premislaw Bishop of 44. Premislaw City A Greek-Bishop here 44. Here first Maintain'd that Priests might marry ib. c. High Podolia Palatinate of Honorary 57. Protho-Notary of a District 78. Projects in the Diet easily annull'd 107. Punishments in Poland Various and how differ 122. Manner of Chastising Servants ib. c. Pacta-Conventa Articles of Election 144. When taken by Ambassadors 145. By whom drawn and how administer'd 146. The Form ib. Occasional Articles 149. The Oath taken by the King 150. Peasants Polish Their Condition 5 184. Wherefore enslav'd 5. Incapable of Preferment except a few 167. How first enslav'd 182. Live satisfy'd notwithstanding 183. Enrich their Lords 184. How fix'd in a Farm 185. Their Service annex'd thereto ibid. Meet to Reap their Lords Corn 186. Their Customs at Bed and Board 186. Children how taught to go 187. Habits of both Men and Women ibid. Peasants Condition in Lithuania 226. Work on Sundays ibid. c. Pay rigid Duties 227. Their Habits and Carriages 228. Description of the last by a Poet ib. Character of these Rusticks 230. Potables Sorts us'd in Poland 212. Beer of what Quality 213. Mead and Wine ib. What Strong-Waters 214 Brimmers much practis'd 219. Sturdy Drinkers rewarded 231. Drink among the Rusticks of Prussia 235. Prussia Peculiar Customs there Vide Customs Pospolite What 2 * Who oblig'd to serve in the Horse ib. * Who in the Foot 3 * Penalty for Default ib. * Who excus'd ib. * Number great formerly and now 5 * Manner of Raising and Mustering them 6 * Meet at General-Rendezvouz 8 * Pay of Soldiers From what it arises and how is rais'd 26 c. * Provisions and Ammunitions What in the Army 27 * Q. Queen Consort Her Court how maintain'd 16. Artifice 17. Revenues 18. To what Amount ibid. Her Court-Officers 30. Where Crowned and where not 163 c. Place of her Coronation 164. What requir'd to confirm it ib. Cause of J. Casimir's Queen 's Death 207. Queen Dowager Revenue Conditional 18. Excludes Queen Consort while she enjoys it ib. Quartarians What and whence so call'd 17 * R. Republick of Poland Wherefore instituted 4. It s Division 10. Means to support it for ever 177. Revenues Crown What 17. Russian Bishops Why can't Marry 40 c. Their Tenets Ceremonies and Ornaments 41. Religion in Poland and Lithuania Conversion and Persuasions 47. Former Religions ibid c. Roman-Catholick how long continu'd 50. Zeal and Bigotry ib. None but Roman-Catholicks admitted of Senate c. except in Prussia ib. Bishops preside wherefore 51. Other Clergy preferr'd ib. Four Roman Catholick Churches in Dantzic 47 * Religions in Curland 126 * Russia Palatin of Why has the Title of the Province 57. Referendaries Masters of Requests Their Office Power and Qualifications 77. Registers in Chancery 77. Reflection of Hauteville 95 c. Rokosz What and its Proceedings 21 * Example ibid. * Rarities and Observables in Poland Of Wood and Earth 82 * Strange Waters and their Effects 83 * Monstrous Fish 84 * Fowls of odd Qualities ibid. c. * Beasts of strange Kinds 85 * Rarities communicated 86 * Closet of Rarities 87 * Rose Disease What and its Cure 96 * Riga Bishop and Archbishop thereof 100 * S. Senators Polish Who and their Number 5. Sit by what Authority 5 c. By whom made and their Oath 34. To what further bound 35. Not suffer'd to travel ibid. Title annex'd to Dignities ibid. Their Office 36. Who immediately becomes so ibid. Despise other Honours ibid. Their Division and Sub-division ibid. Senate Polish What and its Office 34. Samogitia Dutchy Wherein differs from Lithuania 231. Proof of great Age here 232. Inhabitants more robust ibid. Samogitia Bishop of Likewise Bishop of Curland 45. Has no See ibid. Samogitia Starosta of Why preferr'd and how chosen 56. Smolensko Bishop of Formerly subject to Lithuania and now Honorary 46. Smolensko Palatin of Honorary 57. Socinians When and how often expell'd 48. Steward Great Vide Marshal Great Secretaries Great Their Qualifications and Authority 76 c. Starosta's With Jurisdiction 79. Without 80. Vice-Starosta's 79. Jurisdiction of Starosta's ib. Power and Office 119. Starostaships Revenue from what arises 80. Have been sometimes mortgag'd ibid. Speaker of the Diet How chosen and Heats thereupon 94. Must treat the Gentry ibid. Reason of stickling in his Election ibid. Last Speaker officiates till a new one be chosen 95. Speaker-Elect goes to kiss the King's Hand ibid. His Request for the Deputies 96. His Authority ibid. His Power devolves to Great-Marshal 97. Synods Provincial Aw'd by the Pope 15. That of Leopol subject to the Archbishop of Gnesna ib. Successor Election of a Interest of Foreign Princes to oppose it 151 c. Reasons for and against it 152 c. State Four Things requir'd to defend it 19 c. * Salt Farther Particulars thereof 39 * T. Titles Polish Annex'd to Employments 5. Tartars in Lithuania Their Number and Religion 49. How long continu'd there ib. Upon what Conditions ibid. Troki Castellan of Wherefore preferr'd 56. Treasurers Great Their Office and Authority 72. Remarkable Breach of Trust in one of them 73. Treasurer of Prussia His Office 77. Travelling Customs in Travelling 219. Travellers oblig'd to carry Provisions c. 221. Travelling cheap in other respects ibid. c. Manner of Travelling 222. Incommodities in Travel how remedy'd ibid. c. Disturb'd a Winter-Nights by Boors 223. Danger of losing Noses ib. c. Trade Poles not much inclin'd thereto 35 * Commodities Exported and Imported 35 c. * Particulars of Trade 39 * No Fulling nor Paper-Mills ibid. * Concerning Leather and Fish 40 * Honey and its Produce ibid. c. * Former Trade of Prussia 41 * Teutonic Order Its Origin 53 * Who built their Hospital at Jerusalem 54 * Order confirm'd and by what Title ibid. * Their Removal into Germany and Prussia ibid. c. * Forsake Prussia and wherefore 55 * Their Statutes Habit Number and Manners ibid. c. * Are much favour'd by several Princes 56 * Lives of their Great Masters from 56 to 71 * It s Present State 72 * Tobago Island Discover'd by the Duke of Curland 106 * Is depriv'd of it ibid * Proposes to recover it 107 * A Grant from King Charles the Second 108 * French beg the Island 112. * A Second Letter from King Charles ibid. * Intercepted ibid. * Duke sends Governors 113 * Makes a Contract ib. * Description of the Island ibid. * Necessary
to be in English Hands ibid. * Whence had its Name 114 * U. Vilna Bishop of His Diocess 43. Vilna Castellan of Preferr'd wherefore 55. Varmia Bishop of His Jurisdiction and See 44. Votes Intended Limitation like to produce a bad Effect 104. Who have them in Election of a King 144. Volunteers What in Poland 17 * Examples ib. c. * Selected out of the Gentry 18 * Universities Two in Poland and Lithuania 75 * Chief Studies there ibid. * Have no solid Learning 78 * W. Women Polish Their former and late Fashions 197. Very modest 200. Exception 201. Their Liberty restrain'd ibid. War Two Qualities necessary there 26 * Z. Zuppars What 80. Vide Mines FINIS From the Year 550 to the Year 1698. Former Power of the Kings of Poland A. D. 1574. Advantage thereby Why European Princes Court the Polish Gentry Nobilities Resolves thereupon Abridge the Antient Power of their Princes And Constitute a Republic Division of the People of Poland The Diet. It s Power Motives for a mixt Government A Motive II. Motive III. Motive Advantage of a mixt Government Division of the Republic Kings present Power and Prerogatives His Happiness Unhappiness A great Inconvenience to the State Instances of Poles Affections to their Kings Modern Kings Power Abroad and at Home The great Respect paid him His Titles and other Prerogatives His Pension Houshold-Officers and Guards Queen Consorts Court how maintain'd Kings Patrimonial Estate and Perquisites Late King 's great Riches The Crown Revenues Queens Revenues The King's Power limited in several respects Nobility only capable of Preferment Other Limitations of the Kings Power Inconveniences thereby Why he is paid so great Respect Cities present their Keys upon his Approach Why he can raise no Forces without Consent of the Diet. His Legitimate Issue greatly Respected His Illegitimate as much slighted Means to continue the Crown in one Family Why the K. of Poland can't imitate him of Denmark Not Unhappy because he cannot secure the Succession to his Family Crown and Court Officers Gentlemen Pensioners Horse-Guards Court Officers in Lithuania And in several Provinces Chief Officers of Queen's Court. Principal Officers of Primate's Court. What peculiar to him The Senate and its Office Senators by whom made and their Oath Four to attend the King and wherefore Senators not suffer'd to travel * Vide Sueton. Cap. 42. in vita Jul. Caesar Tacit lib 12. Annal. cap. 23. This Title not bestow'd by its self Senator's Office Extreamly prize their Dignities Their Division and Subdivision Diocesses of Poland Peculiar Jurisdictions of the two Archbishops Ecclesiastical Senator his Power and State His Power as Inter. Rex Why entrusted so much His See Two other Bishops in Leopol Those of the Greek Perswasion Their Tenets Ceremonies and Ornoments His Bishoprick and Power His Residence and Precedence His See Precedence and Authority Several Places of Residence His Diocess His Diocess His Jurisdiction and See His Jurisdiction and See His Diocess Here is a Greek Bishop Likewise Bishop of Curland yet has no See His Precedence and See His See translated and wherefore Honorary A Greek Bishop formerly Primate of Moscovy Honorary Honorary Each Bishop has a Kind of little Court Their Precedence in the Diet and large Revenues Religion in Poland and Lithuania Conversion and several Perswasions of the Poles Socinians expell'd 1658. 1673. Lutherans and Calvinists and other Religions in Poland The Roman Catholick prevails and always prefer'd Privileges of Regular Clergy Their dissolute Lives Fasts how observ'd in Poland Manners of the Secular Clergy The Poles Behaviour at Church Their Churches Division and Subdivision of Lay Senators Palatins c. with their Precedence 1. Lay-Senator Preferr'd and wherefore 1130. * Duglossus lib. 4. Annal. Polon p. 369. Preferr'd for what Reasons †Lib. 2 Cap. 3. p. 504. Preferr'd and why Wherefore preferr'd and how chosen Honorary Palatinate Why he has the Title of the Province Honorary Palatinate Honorary Palatinate Formerly Seat of Teutonic Knights Honorary Palatinate Greatest Part Honorary Honorary Palatinate Duty and Office of Palatins * Hartknoch lib. 2. cap. 3. p. 506. c. Vice Palatins and how qualify'd Duty of Castellans Their Division Qualifications Office and Titles Greater Castellans and their Precedence Lay-Senator Honorary Honorary Honorary Honorary Lesser Castellans No enjoying Plurality of Offices Castellans how call'd in Polish The ten Crown-Officers Those of the Kingdom precede Lay-Senator His Office Power and Authority Duty and Privilege His Perquisites Deputy and who officiates in Cases of Absence Qualifications of these of the Kingdom * Lib. 2. Cap. 3. p. 528. Both have Seals and equal Authority Their Office and Power Succeed each other How ought to be Qualified Their Office and Authority A remarkable Breach of Trust Contend for Precedence but refus'd it Extra-Senatorial Officers Great Generals Have equal Authority Their Power and Duty King's Interest to head his Army Present great Generals Dignity successive Lieutenant-Generals and their Office Chief Commander of the Guards Other great Officers in the Army Camp-Notaries Captain of Guards against Incursions Great Secretaries and their Authority Referendaries and their Office Cup-Bearers Carvers Sword-Bearers Court-Treasurers and their Office Treasurer of Prussia Associates to Judges Chief Notaries Registers inChancery Escheator Commissioners of Custom House Governours of Mines Governours of the Mint Court-Officers Civil Officers of Districts Vice-Chamberlain and his Office Chamberlains Judge and Assistant Prothonotary Head Collector Other Officers and why so call'd Military Officers of Districts Starostas with Jurisdiction Vice-Starostas c. Jurisdiction of Starostas Starostas without Jurisdiction Burgraves and their Office Revenue of Starostaships Zuppars what What the Diet is By whom call'd and where and how often meet Manner of calling it and Proceedings thereupon Where the little Diets meet I. In Great Poland * Vide Herburt Voce Comitia p. 92. and in Edit Polon p. 257. Podlachia and Masovia II. In Little-Poland III. In Lithuania IV. In Prussia V. In Russia VI. In Volhynia VII In Samogitia Qualifications for and Manner of voting in little Diets Who and how many chosen Deputies With their Instructions Proceedings in little Diets * Hartknoch lib. 2. cap. 6. p. 682. c. Deputies how chosen †Hartknoch lib. 2. Cap. 6. p. 689. Cannot be Senators Their Salaries When first sent Vide Constitut An. 1581. p. 375. Their general Meetings Diet divides into three Nations Speaker how chosen and Heats thereupon How occasion'd Next Proceeding Further Proceedings Reflection of Hauteville Speakers Request for the Deputies His Authority Proceedings in the lower House Conference s with the Upper and Nuncios Power Confirm'd and encourag'd Their Privilege * Constitut An. 1649. Committees How long sit Upper House how employ'd Manner of breaking up Session in the lower Two Houses join'd Speakers Power devolves to great Marshal Where the King suspends his Opinion What requir'd to establish a Law Where it cannot be printed Session of the Diet limited Wherefore Affairs treated of in the Grand
Frederic Augustus the Present King of POLAND The History of POLAND IN Several LETTERS to Persons of Quality Giving an Account of the Present State of that Kingdom VIZ. Historical Political Physical and Ecclesiastical The Form of Government The King's Power Court and Revenues The Senate Senators and other Officers The Religion Diet and little Diets with other Assemblies and Courts of Justice The Inter-regnum Election and Coronation of a King and Queen with all the Ceremonies The present Condition of the Gentry and Commonalty as likewise The Genius Characters Languages Customs Manners Military Affairs Trade and Riches of the Poles Together with an Account of the City of Dantzic The Origin Progress and Present State of the Teutonic Order and the Successions of all its Great Masters Likewise The Present State of Learning Natural Knowledge Practice of Physick and Diseales in Poland And lastly A Succinct Description of the Dutchy of Curland and the Livonian Order with a Series of the several Dukes and Provincial Masters To this is also added A Table for each Volume And a Sculpture of the Diet in Session With some Memoirs from Baron Blomberg VOL. II. By BERNARD CONNOR M. D. Fellow of the Royal Society and Member of the College of Physicians who in his Travels in that Country Collected these Memoirs from the best Authors and his own Observations Compos'd and Publish'd by â—ir SAVAGE LONDON Printed for Daâ— Brown without Templ-Bar ' and A. Roper and T. Leigh both in Il et-street 1698. D R. CONNOR ' S PREFACE IN my PREFACE to the First Volume of this Historical Relation of POLAND I have mention'd my Incapacity for Matters of this Nature both because I was only Twelve Months in that Kingdom and because I have no Talent or Genius for History I thought Writing it by way of LETTERS in Imitation of some of our Neighbours would be more easie to my self and more acceptable to the Publick I am proud to have this happy Occasion of giving the Honourable Persons I write to so publick a Testimony of my Respects I am sorry in the same time I cannot have Leisure to honour my self in writing to the Noble Persons mention'd in the Second Volume as I have had in the First I follow a Profession so remote from HISTORY particularly a Polish one that it neither allows me Time nor leaves me any Inclination to attend any other Business I hope notwithstanding the Persons I promis'd to write to will be pleas'd to excuse me for not being able to keep my Word to them as I flatter'd my self I could since the ingenious Gentleman I desir'd to undertake this Work will give them the same Satisfaction he having already assisted me in my First Volume and having had all my Memoirs for this Second THE Antient and Present STATE OF POLAND PART II. The Present State LETTER I. To His Grace THOMAS Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Of the Form of the Government in Poland and of the King's Power Court and Revenues My LORD THAT high Station wherewith the King has Recompenc'd Your Merits and the great Trust His Majesty has reposed in Your GRACE during his Absence shews his Confidence in Your Ability as well to Govern the State as the Church Since therefore being lately Invested with a share of the Regal Authority you had occasion to know more intimately Our King's Power and Prerogatives I thought my self oblig'd to give Your GRACE an Account of those of the King of Poland to the end that comparing both together you might more sensibly perceive the Excellency of our Own Constitution which makes the Greatness of the King inseparable from the Interest of the People For when the Executive Power is as vigilant to see our Laws obey'd as the Legislative has been provident in making them England can justly boast of a much greater Happiness than either Poland or any other Kingdom of Europe Having My LORD not been a full Twelve Month at the late King of Poland's Court I cannot pretend to be throughly acquainted with that Kingdom yet I find that like most other Countries it has undergone several Changes in its Constitution since the middle of the VIth Century at which time it began to be a distinct Nation during the Reigns of the two great Houses of Piastus and Jagello Ever since the time of Lechus its Founder the Kings thereof have been Elected to the Crown after an Hereditary manner tho' not by an Hereditary Title They have really been Absolute and their Will went for a Law for then they made Peace and War when they pleas'd Levied as many Troops as they thought fit Punish'd or Pardon'd at Pleasure and Rewarded where they saw Convenient And all the Administration either of Public or Private Affairs was so wholly lodg'd in the King's Hands that I have heard the Poles themselves say That Sigismund II. the last King of the Jagellonic Family was to the full as Absolute as either the King of France or Denmark is now Whilst the Kings of Poland thus maintained a Supream Power over their Subjects they exceedingly enlarged their Dominions were both fear'd Abroad and belov'd at Home Commanded Potent and Numerous Armies into the Field Executed most Enterprizes speedily and were almost always sure of Success and this because they did not then as now depend upon the lingering Determination and tedious Conclusions of a Turbulent Diet. But the Family of Jagello being once Extinct by the Death of Sigismund II. who had resign'd his Kingdom to the Senate and Polish Gentry and given them full Power and Authority to dispose thereof as they thought fit the Crown of Poland was anew declared Elective to the end that all the Princes of Christendom who had due Merits and Qualifications might have a Right to Aspire thereunto This gave occasion to most of the Princes of Europe ever since to Court the Polish Nobility after their King's Death And that either to get the succeeding Election determined in their own Favour or else to have some of their Friends Advanced to that great Dignity but this most commonly rather with regard to their own private Interests than out of any Respect to the Person they desired to Promote as the Houses of Austria and Bourbon have always practis'd The Gentry of Poland therefore observing that several Princes at a time always Aspir'd to their Crown and considering that not one of them had more Right than the rest as likewise that it lay altogether in their Power to choose whom they pleased resolved Unanimously to Elect none but such as should Condescend nay Swear to observe the Terms and Conditions they proposed Hereby the Poles by degrees have clip'd and limited the Antient Power of their Kings and have reduc'd them to the Bounds we now find them to have that is barely to a third Part of the Grand Diet For the Poles knew very well that no Prince would be so Imprudent as to scruple Submitting to
Primate of the Kingdom a Title given him by the Council of Constance and moreover stiles himself the Pope's Legate Born by a Grant of the Council of Lateran All Ecclesiastical Affairs that have been determin'd in the Archbishop of Leopol's or any of the other Bishops Courts may be revers'd or confirm'd in an Appeal to him His Power and Authority is exceeding great and even next to the King 's It is Death to draw a Sword in his Presence or to quarrel in any manner whatsoever before him When he goes to the King or the Diet there is always a golden Cross carry'd before him and when he sits his Chaplain holds it behind his Chair He has his Marshal who is a Castellan and Senator of the Kingdom This Person on Horse-back carries a Staff before his Coach but salutes none with it except the King when the Archbishop and he happen to meet This Marshal has likewise the Honour to carry the like Staff before the King where the other Marshals are absent When the Archbishop comes to wait on the King the great Chamberlain or some other great Officer always receives him at the Stair-Foot and the King afterwards comes out of his Chamber to meet him in the Anti-Chamber He never pays any Visits out of Duty but to the Pope's Nuncio and to him only but once He visits no King's Ambassadors tho' they visit him first After the King's Death he is the supream Regent of the Kingdom till a new one be chosen during which Time he may coin Money in his own Name a Privilege granted him by Boleslaus the Chaste but which nevertheless has not been practis'd no Money having ever been seen of his coining The Revenues also of the Crown belong to him in the Inter-Regnum he convokes the Diet and dissolves it at Pleasure and in case there happens any thing extraordinary the Government assigns him several Senators for his Assistants In short he is Tantum non Rex He only can proclaim the King when elected and crown him afterwards except where he dies as in the following Case which is so very considerable that he is look'd upon by the Ambassadors and Envoys of the Candidates as the only Person upon whom the Success of their Negotiation depends and therefore all of them do their utmost to make him their Friend Hereupon I must acquaint your Grace with a Passage in the Election of the late King of Poland John III. in the Year 1674. when one Czartoreski was Archbishop of Gnesna who being entirely in the Austrian Interest and a great Friend to the Chancellor Patz and by consequence both an Enemy to the French and John Sobieski's Party could by no means be brought to proclaim him but as it happened he dy'd three Days before the Election and that Power devolv'd to Trzebicki Bishop of Cracow who being altogether for the Grand Marshal forthwith proclaim'd him with Joy The Reason why the Republic entrusts this great Authority to a Clergy-Man is for Fear that if it were bestow'd on a secular Senator he might make use of it to advance himself to the Throne This Archbishop's See is at Lowitz a City in the Palatinate of Rava in Lower Poland He is born a Canon of the Church of Plosko The second Ecclesiastical senator is the Archbishop of Leopol the capital City of Red-Russia so nam'd from a sovereign Duke of that Province call'd Leo who was subdu'd by a Castellan of Cracow in the Year 1279 and under the Reign of Lescus VI. This City is the Seat of three Bishops viz. the Roman-Catholick Archbishop the Armenian-Catholick Archbishop and a Russian Greek Schismatic Bishop These two Archbishops have the same Belief and Religion only the Armenian have some particular Ceremonies wherein they differ and the Women are separated from the Men in the Church The Russian or Greek-Schismatic Bishops cannot Marry because they must of necessity be chosen out of the Order of Fryars of St. Basil who all make a Vow of Chastity Nevertheless the Parish Priests are not oblig'd to live in Coelibacy that is if they were admitted into Orders after their Marriage for they cannot be constrain'd to leave their Wives but however when their Wives dye they cannot Marry again unless they have a mind to relinquish their Priesthood Their Liturgy is in the Russian Language being as the Polish a Dialect of the Sclavovian Their Tenets are that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father by the Son and that the Pope is not Head of all the Church but only the first of the two Patriarchs whereof theirs of Constantinople is the second and independent of the first In other Articles of Belief they agree with the Roman Church Their Ceremonies and Ornaments differ from the Roman and Armenian They pray standing tho' they make frequent Genuflexions They receive the Communion in both Kinds after this manner The Priest consecrates several little Pieces of Bread made with Leaven after which he receives himself and then breaks the Bread in divers little Pieces which done he puts 'em into the Chalice with the consecrated Wine and then with a little Silver Spoon made for that purpose he communicates to the People who all stand with their Arms across upon their Breasts when they receive This done the Communicants follow the Priest thrice about the Altar with folded Arms who all the while advises and charges them to make good Cheer for seven Days together and to fast the next seven Days after that The Russians likewise make their Children communicate tho' never so young When they have all taken the Sacramenâ—â— the Priest consumes the rest at his Pleasure This Digression being curious I thought it not amiss to insert it but now I must proceed to The Third Ecclesiastical Senator who is the Bishop of Cracow the capital City of the Kingdom lying in High or Little Poland This was first an Archbishoprick establish'd by Miecislaus I. in the Year 964. immediately after he had embrac'd the Christian Faith but was afterwards lost by means of one Lampert who being made Archbishop and valuing himself too much on his Birth neglected to send to Rome for Consecration whereupon the Pope order'd it for the future to remain only a Bishoprick What is remarkable in this Bishoprick is that the Archbishoprick and that have frequently been held by the same Person This Bishop stiles himself Duke of Severia in which all the People are subject both to his Ecclesiastical and Temporal Jurisdiction His usual Residence is either at Bozentium a small Town at the Bottom of the Bald Mountain or else at Kielsk in the same Palatinate of Sendomir He has in his Diocess 1018. Churches of which thirteen are Collegiate His Seat in the Senate is on the left Hand of the King and next to the Archbishop of Leopol tho it ought to be on the right he being the first Bishop in the Kingdom This Bishoprick was formerly join'd to
Gnesna An Address to this Bishop is commonly Admodum Reverendo when others have only Reverendo The fourth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Cujavia and Pomerania the See of whose Bishoprick is at Vladislaw upon the Vistula four Leagues below Thorn in Low Poland His Seat in the Senate is on the right hand of the Archbishop of Gnesna whose Place he officiates in an Inter-regnum as your GRACE may have observed before His Bishoprick was formerly call'd the Bishoprick of Cruswick because he had a Cathedral Church there but that being translated to Vladislaw at this Day it has sometimes the Name of the Bishoprick of Vladislaw His usual Residence when in Poland is either at Wolboria in the Palatinate of Lanschet or Lagovia in the Palatinate of Sendomir and when in Prussia is chiefly at Sobkovia The fifth Ecclesiastial Senator is the Bishop of Vilna the capital City of the great Dutchy of Lithuania on the River Vilia which discharges it self into the River Niemen below Cowno His Diocess extends it self thro' Lithuania and White-Russia even to the Borders of Moscovy The sixth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Posnan a City in Low or Great Poland situate on the River Varta There are the Tombs of several Kings of Poland in the Cathedral Church of this City all which are very Magnificent His Diocess not only extends thro' the Province of Posnania but also thro' some part of the Palatinate of Masovia as Warsaw c. The seventh Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Plosko a small City in Masovia on the River Vistula five Leagues above Vladislaw He has the same Jurisdiction over the Territory of Pultausk as the Bishop of Cracow has over the Dutchy of Severia and wherein there lies no Appeal to the King His Episcopal See is at Pultausk in Masovia upon the River Narew which runs into the Bug two Leagues below The eighth Eclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Varmia in Royal Prussia which Bishoprick is so divided that the Bishop has two Parts and the Chapter the third and in which they have a free Jurisdiction over the Gentry exempt from the Regal Power His Episcopal See is at Frawenberg a little Town near Frisc-haff The ninth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Luceoria or Lucko which is the capital City of High Volhynia His Diocess contains part of the Palatinate of Masovia Podlachia and Briescia or Polesia in the great Dutchy of Lithuania The tenth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Premislia or Premislaw a City of Red-Russia on the River San six Leagues above Jeroslaw and twelve from Leopol In this City there is a Greek-schismatic Bishop It was here that a Canon of the Cathedral Church nam'd Orikowski in the Beginning of Lutheranism maintain'd the first that Priests might Marry and who Marry'd afterwards himself in the Year 1549. under the Reign of Sigismund II. The eleventh Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Samogitia who obtain'd from Pope Vrban VIII that he might likewise be Bishop of Curland This Bishop has no particular See appointed but sometimes resides at Midnich one of the chief Towns in that Province The twelfth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Culm a City of Royal Prussia on the River Vistula six Leagues above the City of Thorn This Bishop formerly preceded the Bishop of Varmia His Episcopal See is at Lubavia as likewise at Stargardie which the Germans call Althousen The thirteenth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Chelm in Red-Russia There is besides in this City a Greek-Schismatick Bishop The Bishop of Chelm has for some time translated his See to Kranostaw a Town in the same Palatinate of Chelm built upon a great Lake thro which runs the River Nieper This Translation was occasion'd by the frequent Irruptions of the Tartars and Cosaks and who have altogether destroy'd the City of Chelm The fourteenth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Kiovia capital City of Low Volhynia and of all Vkraina Here is moreover a Greek-Schismatick Bishop formerly Primate of all Russia or Moscovy The Inhabitants of this City are all of the Greek Perswasion and at present are subject to the Great Czar The fifteenth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Caminiec Capital of Podolia which is now under the Turk The sixteenth Ecclesiastical Senator is the Bishop of Smolensko upon the River Vistula Capital of the Dutchy of the same Name This Dutchy was formerly subject to Lithuania but now is also subdu'd by the Moscovite Every one of these Bishops has a great Retinue and a kind of little Court having several Ecclesiastical and Secular Officers about him The greatest Part of them also have Suffragans because they believe themselves chiefly made Bishops to have a Right to sit in the Senate and not to be troubled with the Duties of their Office and therefore allow these a small Pension to perform all Episcopal Functions for them Guagnini says that in the Year 1506. there was a great Contest in the Diet held at Lublin between the Ecclesiastical and Lay Senators for the latter pretended to have a Right to sit next the King on his left Hand but which at length the Bishops over-power'd them in and thereby retain'd their ancient Privilege Krzistanowic in his State of Poland says that such was the Piety of the Poles that immediately after they became Christians they prefer'd their Clergy to their Laity and allow'd them many Noble Immunities and Privileges which they enjoy to this Day Most of the Bishops have very large Revenues wherewith they may not only live splendidly and comfortably themselves but also be assistant to the inferiour Clergy and charitable to the Poor Here I must beg leave to give Your GRACE by way of Digression some Account of the present State of Religion both in Poland and Lithnania together with a few historical Circumstances relating as well to modern as more remote Times and wherein I shall all along endeavour to be as concise and comprehensive as the several Particulars I have to go thro' will admit Your GRACE may first be inform'd that the Poles became Christians under the Reign of Miecislaus I. in the Year 964. as may be observ'd in the Life of that King The first Tenets they embrac'd were those of the Church of Rome But however the Russians entertain'd the Greek Perswasion which they continue in many Places of that Province to this Day They are utterly averse to the Roman Catholick Religion and term its Professors by way of Contempt Latins their Service being in that Language There are two Sorts of Greek Churches in this Kingdom the Schismaticks and the Vniats whereof the latter differ only from the Roman Catholicks in that their Devotion is all in the Greek Language The Priests of both these Churches are call'd Popi the Word Pop in Polish signifying a
a Town in the Palatinate of Kalisch The seventy eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Srzdo or Sremsk a Town in the Palatinate of Posnania The seventy ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Zarnow a Town in the Palatinate of Sendomir The eightieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Malagost or Malogsch a Town in the same The eighty first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Vielunia a Territory in the Palatinate of Siradia The eighty second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Praemislaw a District in the Palatinate of Russia The eighty third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Halicz a District in the same Palatinate The eighty fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Sanoch a District in the same Palatinate The eighty fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Chelm The eighty sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Drohiczin a District of the Province of Podlachia The eighty seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Poloviec a Town in the Palatinate of Sendomir The eighty eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Premecz or Primen a Town in the Palatinate of Posnania The eighty ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kriven a Town in the same Palatinate The ninetieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Czekow a Town in the Palatinate of Sendomir The ninety first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Nakel or Naklo a Town in the Palatinate of Kalisch The ninety second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Rosprza a Town in the Palatinate of Siradia The ninety third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Biechovia a Town in the Palatinate of Lanschet The ninety fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Bidgotz a District and Town in the Palatinate of Inowlocz The ninety fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Brezini a District and Town in the Palatinate of Lanschet The ninety sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kruswick a District and City in the Palatinate of Bresty The ninety seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Oswieczin a Dutchy and City in the Palatinate of Cracovia The ninety eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kamin a Town in the Palatinate of Kalisch The ninety ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Spicimiria or Rizepice a District and Town in the Palatinate of Siradia The hundredth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Inowlocz The hundred and first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kowalow a Town in the Palatinate of Bresty The hundred and second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Zandoc a Town in the Palatinate of Posnania The hundred and third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Sochazovia a District and Town in the Palatinate of Rava The hundred and fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Warsaw a District and famous City in the Province of Masovia The hundred and fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Gostinin a District and capital City in the Palatinate of Rava The hundred and sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Wisna a District and Town in the Palatinate of Masovia The hundred and seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Radzanow a Town in the Palatinate of Plosko The hundred and eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Sieprcz or Siepez a Town in the same Palatinate The hundred and ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Wissegrod a District and Town in the Palatinate of Masovia The hundred and tenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Ripin a District and Town in the Palatinate of Dobrina The hundred and eleventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Zacrol a District and Town in the Palatinate of Masovia The hundred and twelfth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Cickanow a District and Town in the same Palatinate The hundred and thirteenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Liw or Liwo a District and Town in the same Palatinate The hundred and fourteenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Slonsk a District and Town in the Palatinate of Dobrina The hundred and fifteenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Lubazow a Town in Royal Prussia The hundred and sixteenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Konarzew a Town in the Palatinate of Siradia The hundred and seventeenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Konarzew in the Palatinate of Lanschet The hundred and eighteenth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Konarzew in the Territory of Cujavia Having thus gone thro' the several Precedencies of the Bishops Palatins and Castellans in the Senate Your GRACE may please to observe that a Palatin cannot be a Castellan of the same Place whereof he is Palatin Nor can either of them two be a Starosta or any other Officer in the same Palatinate or Castellany except some few and all those of Lithuania and Prussia where the Palatins govern wholly by Martial Law Neither can a Palatin Castellan or Starosta have two Commands either of the same Kind or any other at the same time It is likewise to be observ'd that no Castellan can be Burgrave of the Castle of Cracow or any other Castle whilst he is Castellan In the Polish Tongue the Castellans are call'd Lords of a Place by adding only the Termination of Ki or Ski to it as Pan Poznanski Lord of Posnan c. Last of all the Lay Senators come the ten Crown-Officers who stand about the Throne on each Side of the King Their Degrees are as follow viz. The great Marshal or great Steward of Poland The great Marshal or great Steward of Lithuania The great Chancellor of the Kingdom The great Chancellor of the Dutchy The Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom The Vice-Chancellor of the Dutchy The great Treasurer of the Crown The great Treasurer of the Dutchy The little Marshal or Court-Marshal of the Kingdom The little Marshal or Court-Marshal of the Dutchy Here it is to be observ'd that the five Senator-Officers of Lithuania have the same Dignity and Power with those of the Kingdom except that they give place to the Former But first for The hundred and nineteenth Lay-Senator who is The great Marshal or great Steward of Poland His Office is to prepare every thing for the general Diet either by Command of the King or the Primate to assign Stations for the several Members to exclude such as are none and to provide Lodgings for foreign Ministers and moreover to take care that all be safe where that general Assembly of the States is to convene Likewise to set Prizes upon all Vendibles and to moderate publick Shows He may punish Offenders and seditious Persons even with Death without being subject to an Appeal unless it be in a Matter of very great Consequence He has the Authority to impose Silence and to give Liberty to speak He has a Power to admonish a Senator or Deputy if he exceeds the Bounds of Modesty in his Harangue His Business is to promulgate the Acts of the Senate and to put in Execution the King's Decrees either in Cases of Infamy or Death His Duty is also to carry a Staff erected
of the great Dutchy's Army and receives no manner of Orders from the Crown-General except where both are jointly engag'd in a Battle These great Generals in the King's Absence have the greatest Power in the Kingdom for they have then a supreme Command in the Army They give Battle and besiege Towns without the King's Participation and settle Winter-Quarters where and upon what Lands they think fit This Power of theirs is so extraordinary considerable that a great General is formidable to all the Nobility Their Duty is to keep good Order and Discipline in the Army to punish mutinous and seditious Officers and Soldiers to settle the Prizes of all Commodities and Provisions brought into the Camp to give Command or necessary Orders for a Charge or Retreat and in fine to do any thing that his Majesty could were he present It is therefore the Interest of a King of Poland always to head his Army himself to have his Sons with him in the Field and to give them Opportunity to gain Reputation and Credit by their Valour and Conduct for the more the King encreases his own Fame or that of his Sons the more he diminishes the Credit and Power of his Generals who are the only Persons in the Kingdom that are most to be fear'd and who have the greatest Power and Influence over the Gentry in the Election of a King The present great General of Poland is the Count Jablonowski of the French Faction and of Lithuania Prince Sapieha suppos'd to be of the Austrian Faction When the Office of great General is vacant the little or Lieutenant-General has a Right to succeed him The two Lieutenant-Generals of Poland and Lithuania are to preside in all Court-Marshals and to take care that Guard be strictly kept throughout the Camp Also they are to observe that all Spies and Scouts be sent out as often as Occasion requires and lastly to see that foreign Soldiers be duly paid The Business of the chief Commander of the King's Guards in the Camp is to command solely those Soldiers who are assign'd to guard his Majesty's Person in the Camp but upon the Kings Departure this Officer's Power ceases There are several other Officers of Note in the Army the most considerable of which are the great Ensign or Standard-Bearer the great Master of the Artillery the Camp Notaries and Commander of the Guards against Incursions of which two last I shall only speak here Camp-Notaries are Pay-Masters General for the Army both of the Kingdom and great Dutchy The chief Commander of the Guards against the Incursions of the Tartars c. This Officer is posted on the Confines of the Kingdom towards Crim-Tartary c. and is to give Notice of all the Motions of the Enemy For the civil State-Officers there are the two great Secretaries of the Kingdom and Dutchy They have a Power to enter into the Privy-Council and to take Cognizance of what the Chancellors and Vice Chancellors do They must both be Ecclesiasticks and their Office is a great Step to the Chancellor's Dignity They have the keeping of the King's Signet and are qualify'd for the highest Episcopal Honours and have Precedence before most Officers of the Court or Kingdom The Masters of Requests or Referendaries of the Kingdom and the great Dutchy Their Business is to receive Petitions made to the King and to give his Majesty's Answer They have a Place in any of the King's Courts of Justice These are in all four one Ecclesiastical and one Civil for the Kingdom and the like for the great Dutchy Two Cup-Bearers for each Nation for the same Two Carvers and Two Sword-Bearers The Treasurers of the Court in the Kingdom and the great Dutchy These supply either the Absence or Vacancy of the Office of the great Treasurers The Treasurer of Prussia whose Business is to take all Accounts of the Collectors of Revenue in that Province and to transmit them to the great Treasurers Associates to Judges which are generally such as reside in the King's Court viz. the Masters of Requests Vice-Chancellors c. Two chief Notaries of the Courts of Justice for civil Causes either of the Kingdom or the great Dutchy Two Registers in the Chancery of both Nations An Officer that looks after the Escheats call'd by us Escheator He can either sue for or seize any such Lands or Goods as fall to the Crown The Commissioners of the Custom-Houses who give in their Accounts as often as the great Treasurers require them The Governours of the Silver Lead and Salt Mines They exercise Jurisdiction over the Workmen there but must nevertheless admit of Appeals to Court The Governours or Wardens of the Mint which are for the most part the Treasurers of the Kingdom Their Business is to take care that the Mony there coin'd be of Weight and Value The chief Officers of the King's Court are treated of before in the Letter to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury The Officers of Districts may be divided into two Sorts Civil and Military The civil are The Vice-Chamberlain whose Office is to decide all Differences within his District about the Bounds of Land c. to which he is sworn He has several Deputies under him call'd Chamberlains whom he chooses out of the Gentry of his Jurisdiction and to whom he gives an Oath to be true and faithful in the Execution of their Office It is at his Pleasure to displace these as often as he thinks fit The Judge who together with his Assistant determines all civil Causes and Controversies The Prothonotary who in those Courts has likewise a Power of giving his Opinion The head Collector of the publick Revenue who is accountable above The other Officers are less considerable being Sewers Carvers Cup-Bearers Sword-Bearers c. The Reason of there being such Officers in every Palatinate is because formerly each Province of Poland was a Sovereignty and had its peculiar Princes who had all their Court-Officers But now tho these Offices remain yet it is only with Honorary Titles and some few Privileges the chiefest of which are that when the King comes into their Palatinate his Court-Officers must leave to them the Honour of serving him at Table bearing the Sword before him c. The Military Officers of a District are Starostas with and without Jurisdiction Starostas with Jurisdiction are Governours of Castles and Royal Cities who sit and hear private Causes of small Moment once a Fortnight and those of greater concern every six Weeks if nothing intervene to prevent them These have Vice Starostas Judges Clerks and Servants in the Nature of Sheriffs Officers to enforce Justice in Cases of Resistance The Jurisdiction of these Starostas extends not only over the Commonalty but likewise over the Gentry They have also a Care of the
which is the Reason that he is often brib'd either by the King Foreign Princes or some great Men of the Kingdom On the Day prefix'd for the Meeting of the Diet the King with all the Senators and Nuncios goes to hear a Sermon which being ended he retires into the Senate where he is severally saluted by the Members thereof And the Nuncios retiring likewise into their House call'd by the Poles Izba Poselska confer together about electing a Speaker during which the last Speaker or Marshal officiates till a new one be chosen and then is oblig'd to resign his Staff to the Marshal elect who is to take an Oath to be true and faithful before he enters upon his Office When the Marshal or Speaker is elected he with all the Deputies of the Province goes to kiss the King's Hand in the Diet-Chamber where his Majesty sits on a Throne erected for that Purpose Then the Chancellor in the King's Name proposes all the Points to be debated in the Diet and desires the Senators and Nobility to take them into Consideration whereupon the King immediately leaves them lest his Presence might be an Awe upon them and then the Senators retiring into their Room by themselves and the Nuncios into theirs by them call'd Izba Poselska they forthwith set about deliberating on the Articles propos'd Here SIR I may remark a pleasant Reflection of Hauteville in his Account of Poland where he says That the Poles employ more Time in drinking and feasting than in debating Matters of State for that they never think on that Work till they begin to want Money to buy Hungarian Wine After the Chancellor has thus propos'd to the Diet in the King's Name all the Articles they are to go upon the Marshal of the Nuncios likwise on the Part of the Deputies presents to the King what they desire of his Majesty which is 1. To make void all Intrenchments either upon the State or the People And 2. To bestow all vacant Offices upon Persons of Worth and Merit This Marshal of the Deputies has a great Authority over them in the Diet for he it is that commands Silence among 'em and who transmits all their Requests to the King or Senate and seeing that by his Power he can either animate or moderate them it is not to be wonder'd at if he be a Person of no ordinary Esteem and that the Court always endeavours by various Favours to secure him for their Friend The Manner of Proceedings in the Nuncios House is much the same as in the Little Diets No body offers his Opinion there till having first ask'd Leave of the Marshal who alone introduces all Messengers from the King Senators Army or Foreign Princes and answers them all in the Name of the House If any Disserences arise among the Nuncios or other Tumults are rais'd by the Spectators he causes Silence immediately by striking his Staff against the Ground The two Orders being thus separated there are nevertheless frequent Intercourses between them as are between our two most Honourable Houses The Nuncios have a Power of impeaching all Magistrates and Officers for Male Administration and to put the King in mind as often as they think fit of his Coronation-Oath Moreover the Nuncios Power and Authority appears the greater in that no Constitution or Law is of any Validity or Force that was not first begun in their House Nay their Marshal is to be the first Starter of all Laws and when concluded upon it is his Office only to read them before the Senate For this Reason in the Year 1668. the Marshal protested against a certain Law because it was first concerted in the Senate But what is more to be admir'd than all this is that the Dissent of one single Nuncio is sufficient to annul the whole Proceedings and to occasion the Diet to be dissolv'd To confirm this Authority and for the futher Security of the Nuncios Sigismund I. in the Year 1510. ordain'd that it should be High Treason to Injure any Member of the Diet tho he afterwards in the Year 1539. restrain'd this Law to the Royal Person but which notwithstanding John Casimir in some measure renew'd in the Year 1649. If one of these Nuncios commits any Crime he is to be try'd only by his Fellow-Members This Privilege of the Nuncios begins a Month before and lasts as long after the Diet. Upon some Occasions the Marshal assigns Committees of these Nuncios who are to transact a-part such Matters as are intrusted to them The Nuncios remain in their House till the fifth Day before the Conclusion of the Diet when they are all to go to the Senate Et sic Comitia ad Patres transferre dicuntur But if within the Time assign'd by the Laws they find they are not able to finish their Business they humbly petition the King that the Diet may be prorogu'd Whilst the Nuncios are thus providing for the publick Good in their House the King and Senate do not pass their Time idly in theirs for after the Chancellor has given the Charge to the lower House and they are retir'd he together with the Senators tries criminal Causes for a whole Week which being ended there are several other Matters assign'd for certain Days until the lower House bring up Bills to be debated Near the Conclusion of the Diet and before the Senators and Nuncios are join'd the Marshal of the lower House in a set Speech gives Thanks to the Deputies for the Honour and Favour they have conferr'd upon him and is answer'd by one of the Nuncios in the Name of the rest who returns him their Acknowledgments for his faithful Execution of his Office When the Nuncios are come to the upper House their Marshal or Speaker sits on a Form below the Senator Marshals and the rest of the Deputies stand behind the other Senators who are seated all in their Order Being thus join'd they proceed to confirm create or abrogate Laws No body speaks here without having first obtain'd leave of the great Marshal In this Meeting the Nuncio-Marshal's Power is at an End his Office being then officiated by the great Marshal either of Poland or Lithuania or in their Absence by some other of the Senator Officers The great Marshal has Authority not only to check a Nuncio but also a Senator in speaking if he exceeds his Bounds He also in case of great Disorders imposes Silence by striking his Staff on the Ground In Cases of Controversy the King always suspends his Opinion till the Differences are reconcil'd This the Kings Henry and Stephen promis'd faithfully to observe as may appear by the Book of their Laws Page 254. To establish a Law or Constitution in the Diet the Deputies must first propose it by their Marshal and then the King and Senate are to approve of it but however before it
the Clergy first by obliging the Bishops because they bear great Sway in the Diet and next the Priests and Fryars they having no less Influence and Authority over the People But however Presents are not to be made them in gross but by little and little lest they fly off when they expect no farther Recompence for the Poles generally think themselves oblig'd to serve you not for what they have already receiv'd but because they are still in Hopes of receiving more They are all likewise apt to neglect your Interest and will sometimes take Money from another Prince or his Embassador to vote against you The late King is accus'd of taking Money of the Emperor the Duke of Lorrain and of the Duke of Newbourg to employ it in their several Interests in the Election but however he did more wisely to make use of it himself to get to be elected in which we find he had good Success After the Embassadors have thus had Audience and that all other Matters are settled in the Republick they proceed to the Election of a King but first they implore the Assistance of the Holy Ghost by singing the Veni Creator Then they proceed to give their Votes and communicate them to each other when if they are unanimous for one Candidate the Archbishop of Gnesna or Bishop that presides in his Place demands thrice if the Grievances and Exorbitancies are redress'd which being answer'd in the Affirmative he immediately proclaims the King Elect which is likewise done at the same Time by the Marshals of the Crown and the Great Dutchy and then they all joyn in the singing of Te Deum Here it may not be amiss to give your Lordship farther Particulars of the manner of Election which is this Assoon as the Anthem is ended the Senators and Deputies remove from their Places and divide themselves into their several Palatinates making so many peculiar Rota's the Archbishop of Gnesna only still keeping his Seat The Orders being thus divided the first Senator of every Palatinate numbers their Votes which afterwards are transmitted into a Roll and delivered under their several Hands to the Nuncio-Marshal All these Suffrages are then reckon'd together by the Senate in the Szopa where if there be a Majority for any one Candidate they labour what they can partly by Perswasion and partly by Promises to bring the Electors to be unanimous for till then no King can be lawfully Proclaim'd yet when there is a Division in the Diet as most commonly it happens the strongest Party still carries it as it appear'd in Stephen Batori's Cafe and that of Sigismund III. which last coming soonest into Poland was Crown'd King at Cracow notwithstanding that Maximilian was proclaim'd at Warsaw by Cardinal Radzvil It may be observ'd that the House of Austria has been put by the Crown of Poland no less than thrice First in the Person of Ernest by the Election of Henry of Valois and Secondly and Thirdly by the Exclusion of this Maximilian And this because the Poles have a Maxim never to Elect any Powerful Neighbouring Prince for fear of being subdu'd and brought under an Arbitrary Power The Day after the Election all the Senators and Deputies meet either in the Rota Equestris or the Castle of Warsaw and draw up the Decree of Election subscribing it with their several Hands which is immediately afterwards sent to the Press to be Printed To the Election of a King of Poland not only all the Gentry of the Kingdom and Great Dutchy but likewise a great Number of Strangers from all adjacent Countries come yet notwithstanding that People come from all Parts of Poland the Senators and Deputies only have a lawful Vote in the Election Nevertheless the other Gentry Interest themselves either in favouring the Senators or the Factions of the Deputies and sometimes fall out among themselves about it so that it is the absolute Interest of the Candidate to treat and present not only the individual Members of the Diet but also these Nobles altho they have no actual Voices in the Election for their great Number can easily favour and carry on a Faction by threatning the Senators and Deputies in Case they do not elect such a Prince as they propose This was confirm'd in the Election of Michael Wiesnowiski where none of the Electors thought of choosing a Piasto and much less such a weak poor unexperienc'd Prince as this Duke was yet the turbulent Mob of Polish Gentry soon forc'd them to elect and proclaim him King notwithstanding this being no free Election they never paid him any great Deference but undervalu'd and were so displeas'd with him that some say after four Years Reign he was poison'd by the Contrivance of the Great Men. Thus it is palpably more safe and creditable for a Candidate to purchase himself a strong Party in the Diet and to support and back them by procuring the Affection and good Will of the rest of the Gentry than to rely barely on the inconstant and tumultuous Suffrage of a senseless turbulent Mob as the late King sufficiently experienc'd before his Election There are several Conditions requir'd in a Candidate that aspires to the Crown of Poland which are now past as Constitutions of the Kingdom for he must not be a Native which Hartknoch says he may and which he proves by a great many Persons nor marry'd nor present at the Election but must be rich and no absolute or neighbouring Prince And as for his Religion he must either actually be or promise to become a Roman Catholick before he can be crown'd All this after the Death of King Michael the late Elector of Brandenburg and Duke Ernest of Brunswick promis'd being not willing it seems to lose a Crown for an exteriour Show of a Piece of Religious Ceremony The Gentry of Poland think themselves so great and so equal in Respect to each other that they do not willingly consent to elect a Piasto or Native to a Crown which their Birth gave them a parallel Right to They besides think it a great Advantage to their Nation to choose a forreign and rich Prince that they may make more Alliances abroad and oblige such Kings to bring all their Effects with them to enrich the Kingdom They are for an unmarry'd Prince that they may have the Opportunity of matching him and so to strengthen their Alliances that Way They care not to elect a neighbouring Prince for fear he should become absolute by his adjoyning Force But however these like their other Constitutions have not been always observ'd for the only Maxim they have hitherto kept inviolable is not to elect any Prince but a Roman Catholick for the late King was both a Piasto and marry'd before he was elected 'T is true they would have had his Queen divorc'd from him that they might have marry'd him to King Michael's Queen Dowager Eleonora at present Dutchess Dowager of Lorrain but the Affection
have one very great Grievance which is that they are oblig'd to serve in the Pospolite Ruszanie or General Muster of the Militia at their own Charges How the Polish Gentry came by all these Privileges it may not be here improper to enquire since it is certain that formerly they were not much better than Slaves For to pass by many other Examples Cromerus says they were once oblig'd to keep the King's Dogs The first Glimpse of their Liberty may reasonably be ascrib'd to the Privileges granted the Clergy by Boleslaus the Chast but afterwards when Poland began to be harrass'd by Civil Wars the Gentry obtain'd many larger Privileges from their Kings and which they have since always taken Care to get augmented at every new Election All the Gentry of Poland are equal by Birth notwithstanding some of the meaner Sort send their Children to serve the Great Men as other Servants and this principally to learn Breeding and to be kept in Awe yet may that very same Servant have as good a Vote in the Diet as his Master They neither value nor care for Titles of Honour for they think the greatest they can have is to be a Noble Pole or Gentleman of Poland Neither the King nor Republick gives any Title of Prince Duke Marquess Count Vicount Baron or Knight to any of the free-born of the Nation thinking I suppose that none can be any ways rais'd above another by a bare exteriour Denomination which argues more the Favour of the Prince than Merit of the Person preferr'd but rather by their Services in the Offices and Employments which they enjoy There are no Princes of the Kingdom but those which are of the Royal Family for altho some of the Poles have been made Princes of the Empire by the Emperour as Prince Lubomirski c. Yet it gives them no Precedence in Poland but rather renders them odious and despis'd by the rest of the Gentry who cannot endure that any should pretend to any Superiority among them especially by a Title which is not annex'd to some Employment in the Nation King Sigismund III. thought of establishing an Order of Knighthood of the Immaculate Conception in Poland and had effectually created several Knights thereof allowing them certain Privileges and a Superiority above others but these were so despis'd and undervalu'd by the rest of the Gentry that scarce any one afterwards car'd for that up-start Honour whereupon that Order soon dwindled into nothing The Poles have a Proverb to prove their Equality which is That they are measur'd like a Bushel of Corn that is whenever any one pretends to rise but a Grain above the Level he is immediately struck off and ridicul'd There are some Gentlemen in Poland that have had Dutchies time out of mind annex'd to their Estates as Duke Radzivil in Lithuania c. But there are no Dutchies or Counties created by the King Tho the Poles in their own Country have no Honorary Titles above a Gentleman yet several have been known to have usurp'd them when they have travell'd into France Italy and Germany for they there frequently assume those of Counts to themselves in like manner as the Germans in foreign Countries do those of Barons for nothing is more common than Monsieur le Conte Malakowski Il Signior Conde Potoski Mynheer Graff Jablonowski c. And this they do to be the more easily admitted into Company especially in Germany where 't is scarce thought that any body can be a Gentleman under a Baron and consequently not fit for Conversation Dr. Connor likewise says he has known some of our English Gentry in these Countries that have not scrupul'd to call themselves Lords to procure them the greater Respect since they saw that the Title of Gentleman alone was not regarded there The Gentry of Poland make and defend their own Laws and Liberties elect their King with all manner of Freedom give him the Crown and Scepter appoint Ministers to counsel and instruct him and their Number far exceeding that of the Senate they easily keep the King and Senators in their Duty and threaten both very often especially in the Diet where each Member has a Liberty to speak what he thinks and to think what he pleases 'T is they that despute the Nuncios out of themselves for every Province to meet and sit in the General Diet with full Instructions and absolute Power not to consent to any Proceedings which should in the least entrench on their Privileges or if such Deputies should happen to be brib'd to act contrary to their Instructions then have the Gentry of the Province whence they were sent a free Authority to punish them for so doing Not only these excessive Privileges make the Polish Gentry Powerful and Great but likewise the vast Territories which a great Number of them enjoy with a Despotick Power over their Subjects for some possess Five some Ten some Fifteen some Twenty nay some Thirty Leagues of Land out right whereon they have always their several Pod-Starostas or Gentlemen-Stewards residing who are to take Account of their Revenues to sell some things and to send the rest to their Masters Houses to defray the Exigencies of the Family Some also are Hereditary Sovereigns of Cities which the King has nothing to do with and one of the Princes Lubomirski possesses above Four Thousand Cities Towns and Villages Moreover some can raise an Army of Five Six Eight and Ten Thousand Men and maintain them at their own Charges when they have done Dr. Connor says Prince Lubomirski had actually Seven Thousand Horse Foot and Dragoons in Pay when he was in Poland All the Gentry of Note live most splendidly They have all their Horse and Foot Guards which keep Centry Night and Day at the Gates of their Houses they call them Courts and in their Anti-Chambers These Guards go before and after their Masters Coaches in the Streets But above all these Noblemen make an extraordinary Figure at the General Diets where some have Three Hundred some Five and some a Thousand Guards always attending them Nay Hauteville says that formerly some Great Persons have been known to come to the Diet with above Ten Thousand Men. They esteem themselves not only equal but also above the Princes of Germany especially such among them as are Senators 'T is certain they want nothing to be as so many Sovereign Princes except the Liberty of coining Money which the Republick has reserv'd wholly to it self The Doctor says he has no where seen Subjects live with such excessive Grandeur and Splendour for these Great Men when they go to Dinner or Supper have always their Trumpets sounding and a great Number of Gentry to wait on them at Table some whereof carve some give to drink others reach Plates and all serve with extraordinary Respect and Submission for tho all the Gentry in Poland are equal and have all their free Votes in the Diet yet
the Little and Poorer Sort think it no Disgrace to serve them that can maintain them 'T is true the Gentleman they serve is commonly very civil to them for the eldest of them generally eats with him at Table with his Cap off and every one of them has a Peasant-Boy to wait on him which the Master maintains yet if any one of these Gentlemen-Servants neglects his Duty his Master punishes him severely tho' he has no Power to take away his Life because he is a Gentleman but he may get him whipt naked with a certain Formality which I have mention'd before It may not be here amiss to observe to your Lordship some few Maxims whereby the Republick of Poland might always subsist and the Gentry retain their ancient Privileges First By reducing all the Gentry of the Kingdom to an equal Authority in the Election of a King and other publick Deliberations by which the King or Senate would be depriv'd of a Power of raising any considerable Factions and the Grandees be discourag'd from affecting and hunting after Foreign Titles which commonly ensnare them to the Prejudice of their Country Secondly By keeping up the free Choice of their Nuncios which would disable the Court and Senate from getting their Creatures elected to the utter abrogating of the Privileges of the Gentry wherein the Poles now follows the prudent Example of the Roman Common-wealth Thirdly By preserving the Custom of the Gentries appearing in great Numbers at the Diet which animates both the Senate and Deputies in the Prosecution of Affairs for the Good of the Kingdom and deters them from being biass'd by any sinister Means Fourthly By obliging both Senators and Deputies to give an Account of their Proceedings which must needs encline them to act with a great deal of Precaution Fifthly By prohibiting the Army to come near the great Assembly of the States for Rome never enjoy'd so great Happiness as when the Gown had Preference of the Sword Sixthly To maintain the Law of Equality in Matters of Descent whereby the Gentry would be kept at an even Lay and hinder'd from disturbing the Government by too great a Power Seventhly Never to prefer any Native to the Crown because of the great Disorders it might in all Likelyhood occasion Eighthly To maintaim the Authority of their Democracy establish'd for so many Ages by the Prudence of their Ancestors and all along continu'd with no small Hazards and Trouble And Ninthly Never to permit any Foreign Princes to intermeddle with their Affairs There is no Country where Embassadors are oblig'd to make so great a Figure as in Poland especially if they have any Interest of the Prince their Master to maintain or carry on in the Diet or among the Gentry for the Great Men there generally despise all such as either do not or cannot make the same Figure with themselves which is so excessive that an Embassador must have three remarkable Qualities to keep up with it For first he must have a great Train of Coaches and Servants proportionable next keep a plentiful and open House continually to Treat and Fuddle the Gentry and where he must be very humble and familiar with them they being generally very civil and easie in their Conversation And lastly which is the surest way to gain their Affection and Suffrages he must give 'em ever now and then a little Money and he still promising them more for Reasons I have mention'd before When the Great Men of Poland have any Suit at Law or other Difference to be determin'd the Justice of the Kingdom is commonly too weak for them for tho' the Diet or other Tribunals had decided the Matter in Favour of one of the two Parties yet the Execution of their Judgment must be left to the Power of the strongest Sword for these Grandees generally think it beneath them to submit to the Sentence of a Company of Judges without a Field-Battle Sometimes they will raise five or six Thousand of a Side plunder and burn one anothers Towns and Cities and besiege each others Castles and Forts and after a great deal of Blood-shed Fatigue and Expence the unjuster Cause shall commonly get the upper Hand Dr. Connor says When he was in Poland there was a Quarrel between Duke Raazivil and Prince Sapieha about whether of the two should be Guardian to the young Princess of Newbourg Neece to the present Empress for her Mother was Dutchess Radzivil of Lithuania and Heiress of the greatest Estate in the Kingdom Both Parties had their Troops in the Field and had some Skirmishes but it was thought that Prince Sapieha being Great General of the Forces of Lithuania would get the better tho' it seems Duke Radzivil as being her Mother's Relation had more Right to the Guardianship of her All this while the King never concern'd himself in the Quarrel nor declar'd for either Party As to Matters of Descent The Father's Estate is always equally divided among his Children in like manner as in Italy Germany and most Foreign Countries but when the Father is dead the Mother can enjoy all his Estate for Life and it is absolutely in her Breast to allot every one of the Children their Quota or to keep all the Estate to her own Use during her Life Some Mothers Marry after the Husbands Deaths and so spend their first Childrens Fortunes with their second Husbands This makes the Children more than ordinary obedient to their Mothers especially during their Widdowhood Altho Estates in Poland are equally divided among the Children which one would think should absolutely weaken or ruin their Families yet do they generally find Means to support and keep them up for most commonly some of the Brothers turn Monks and so get to be made Abbots or Bishops whose Revenues are here sufficient to enrich any Family and the rest look after State-Employments which are likewise considerable Some of the Daughters also many times become Nuns so that being in the Church Service they are oblig'd to live in Celibacy and consequently leaving no Heirs all their Goods or Estates fall to their Marry'd Brothers or Sisters or to their Children In this Country the Daughters always walk before their Mothers as in Italy and the unmarry'd Sisters before the marry'd I cannot but admire at the honest and good Temper of the Polish Gentry for tho' their Liberty is extraordinary tho' they have Power of Life and Death over their Subjects tho' they are in a manner above their own Laws and tho' Justice is administer'd in Poland more slightly than in any other Country yet Dr. Connor says that all the while that he was in that Kingdom he neither saw nor heard of any Murther or Slaughter or of any Barbarity or Cruelty committed by the Gentry on their Subjects nor what is a greater Wonder of any High-way Robbers but always observ'd the Poles in general to be good humour'd harmless and generous When it is certain had
former of these Qualities yet they are a little wanting in the latter especially before they come into the Field the causes of which may be the want of sufficient Authority in the Prince or the slow and defective Supplies of Money which has always been justly esteem'd the Sinews of War The insufficiency of the Princes Power may appear all along in the reading of this History and the defect in supplies of Money is apparent by the bad Paying and Providing for the Army for the Soldiers that are to receive Pay are never paid above once in half a Year and oftentimes not at all but are forced to subsist upon Plunder or upon what they can find in the Woods nay Hauteville says they have sometimes been reduced to eat Horse-flesh As for the Officers they receive no Pay above once a Year and sometimes but once in two The manner of Paying them is particular and therefore it may not be improper to present your GRACE with an account of it Commissioners deputed by the Diet for this purpose are ordered to meet at a place that is a good way off from Court to the end the King may not concern himself in it tho' every thing there be done in his Name Then they proceed to allot every Officer his quota but they commonly retrench part of their due especially where they are Foreigners and which may the better be tolerated because the Officers are generally at no charge to subsist and recruit their Companies and yet their Commission runs as if they had taken care of them so that however the Soldiers suffer the Officers have no reason to complain By the Armies being so seldom paid and sometimes not at all for want of Money the Soldiers frequently Confederate together and Mutiny the manner whereof is commonly this The Officers after they have found that their repeated complaints both to Court and the Diet prove fruitless are wont to Assemble and make a Rokosz which in the Polish Language implys a forsaking their Generals The Subaltern Officers being thus Assembled Elect two among them one for their Marshal and another for their Lieutenant which last they term their Substitute both these they immediately make to Swear That they will use their utmost endeavours to procure their Pay from the Republick After this the said Marshal forthwith takes upon him the Office of General the sequel of which may be easily conjectur'd to be nothing but Ruin and Desolation for then the Army instead of Marching against the Enemy or securing the Frontiers minds nothing else but Plunder Rapine and Destruction An Example of this kind happen'd under the Reign of John Casimir when one Swiderski was Marshal and one Borzecki his Lieutenant or Substitute This Confederacy which was not easily quell'd by the King was thought to have been occasion'd more by the influence of some Male-contents who hop'd to effect their Designs in such a Confusion than for any great omission in paying the Army There are other inconveniencies which introduce Confusion and Disorder into the Polish Army and consequently Oppression of the people and these flow chiefly from the Officers and first from the General 's being perpetual the King being often oblig'd to give that great Charge to a rich Nobleman that knows little or nothing of Warlike matters yet when he has once bestow'd it he cannot recall his Grant tho' he foresee never so many ill Consequences that attend it so that it is no wonder if Poland often makes false steps in Martial Affairs when it has frequently so unexperienc'd a Guide On the contrary if this high Command were only conferr'd on and continu'd to Merit what wonders might not the Polish Cavalry be able to perform for being so vast a number of Horse they might easily hem in and Cut off the greatest Body of Foot of which the Armies of their Enemies chiefly Consist Another inconvenience proceeds from the ill Conduct and Remissness of the under Officers the greatest whereof is that especially those of the Gentry seldom come to the place of Rendezvouz till a Month or six Weeks after the time appointed and this neither the King nor General dares offer to remedy for fear of disobliging that serviceable Body In like manner the Gentry are sometimes accustom'd to leave the Army a Month before the Campaign is ended which grievance is also not to be redress'd without danger The cause of their being so tardy in appearing is in a great measure to be Attributed to the defective Orders given them for when the Officers are Commanded to March to such or such a place in the Kingdom neither the time they are to march in nor the Towns they are to pass through are comprehended so that by these means they are at liberty to delay on account of their own private Business as much as they please or else to wander all over the Kingdom either for their Profit or Pleasure whereby the Country they March through is not a little damag'd and the best laid Designs of the Army frustrated by their Absence Another Inconvenience arising from the Officers is That they employ so much Money in fitting themselves out with costly Arms and splendid Equipage that for want of timely Pay they have seldom any thing left in a little time to support their Necessities Which Defect they are wont to make up by oppressing the People after an unreasonable manner From this Extravagance of theirs proceeds another Inconvenience to the State For after they have thus exhausted their Pockets they usually lay the Occasion of their Misbehaviour either on the Court or the Government which in the succeeding Diet oftentimes produces great Heats and Disturbances When any new Levies are to be made in Poland the Officers not only excuse for Money what Places they think sit but also as I observ'd before seldom pay the Soldiers the Rates that they are allow'd for them so that these latter are in a manner forc'd to pillage and plunder even their own Country without their Officers being able to hinder them by reason that they have first set them Examples for so doing To avoid most of these Inconveniences some discerning Politicians have propos'd to the Diet to keep the Soldiers always Encamped to the end that they might be made more subject to Discipline by disabling them from pillaging the Country and by keeping them together they might be always at hand to oppose the sudden Inroads of an Enemy By these Means also the People being deliver'd from Oppression would be the better able to pay their Taxes which would remove that fatal Inconvenience of the Army 's being ill paid This Advice some approv'd of and argu'd for But others vigorously oppos'd it alledging that it might be of very ill Consequence to intrust so great a Power in the Hands of one Person their General and to confide it to more than one would probably through Emulation occasion no less Disorder and Danger to the