could never learn He enter'd into an Alliance with Jaroâ—â— Duke of Russia Son to Vlodomirus and 〈◊〉 ry'd his Sister Mary afterwards call'd Doâ—â—neva whose Mother was the Princess 〈◊〉 Sister to Basil and Constantine Emperoun Constantinople He conquer'd the Province of Masoâ—â— where now lies Warsaw and defeated â—â— Army of Maslaus then Duke of that Coâ—â—try who retiring among the neighbourâ—â— Barbarians not long after return'd 〈◊〉 greater Force and ravag'd Masovia â—â— along to the Vistula but was soon met 〈◊〉 overthrown a second time by Casimir whâ—â— flying to his Friends as he thought that 〈◊〉 assisted him they took flea'd and fastned 〈◊〉 to an exceeding high Cross saying That was but just that he should be exalted whose Aâ—â— tion was so boundless Afterwards Casimir beiâ—â— mindful of the Benefits he formerly receivâ—â— in the Abby of Cluny sent thither great Prâ—â—sents and Offerings At length this good King having setled hâ—â— Kingdom in its former Tranquillity dy'd and left three Sons Boleslaus Vladislaus and Miâ—â—cistaus and one Daughter Suentochna He was â—â—y'd at Posnan in the Year 1058. BOLESLAUS II. his Son surnam'd the d succeeded him who reign'd 23 Years n the beginning of his Reign he had Wars â—â—h the Hungarians Bohemians Russians and â—â—ssians all caus'd by the protecting of three â—â—les He vigorously maintain'd the Cause Bela Prince of Hungary who was then marâ—â—d to his Aunt and banish'd by King Anâ—â— Whereupon he dethron'd Andrew and â—â—wn'd Bela King of Hungary notwithstandâ—â— the considerable Succours sent to Andrew â—â— of Germany and Bohemia Afterwards reâ—â—ning into Poland he marry'd Viseslava ughter and Heiress of the Duke of Russia by om he had that Dukedom for a Portion Towards the latter end of his Reign he came very dissolute and lewd oppress'd the â—â—ple with extraordinary and insupportable xes took away publickly Gentlemens dies to satisfy his Lust could not endure â—â— that took notice of his Irregularities â—â—ish'd such as complain'd of his Tyrannical â—â—vernment and at length kill'd Stanislaus â—â—zepanovius Bishop of Cracow for refusing â—â— the Sacrament of the Altar the manner which was thus Boleslaus continuing in enormous Crimes and Extravagancies this od Man earnestly entreated him to amend Life but perceiving his Obstinacy one y he refus'd him the Communion Which s Prince being highly offended at watch'd an opportunity to revenge and a little while after as the Bishop was officiating at Mass he gave him such a blow with his Sabre that he made his Brains fly against the Wall and afterwards his Guards entring cut the good Bishop to pieces Hereupon he was soon pursu'd with Vatican Thunder and consequently render'd odious to his Subjects Wherefore fearing some Conspiracy might be rais'd against him he left his Kingdom and retir'd with his Son Miecislaus which he had by his Queen Viseslava to Ladislaus King of Hungary where 't is reported that out of meer Madness he afterwards kill'd himself This Bishop Stanislaus was Canoniz'd by Pope Gregory VII and has all along from thence been receiv'd for the Patron of Poland The Pope also excommunicated the whole Country and Boleslaus his Successors were for a considerable time depriv'd of the Title of Kings Next came ULADISLAUS HERMANNUS Brother to Boleslaus to be elected who being afraid of the Pope or else fearing his Brother's return would only accept of the Title of Prince He recall'd his Nephew Miecislaus who died in six Years after He built many Churches and Monasteries all which he richly endow'd This Prince also brought over the rebellious Pomeranians and Prussians and defeated likewise the Army of Vratislaus Prince of Bohemia whom the Emperor Henry IV. had dignified with the Character of King giving him moreover a Right over Poland tho he had no Title to dispose of it his Predecessor Otho III. when he crown'd Boleslaus I. King of Poland having renounc'd both for himself and his Successors all Claim to that Kingdom Nay I heard the Poles themselves say that this was rather a piece of Civility in Otho than any Obligation upon them their Country having never been conquer'd by any Foreigner not even by the Romans themselves He married Judith Daughter of Vratislaus King of Bohemia by whom he had Boleslaus III. surnam'd Krivoustus or the Wry-mouth'd and afterwards by a Daughter of the Emperor Henry IV. he had three Daughters He died in the fiftieth Year of his Age was buried at Ploscow and succeeded by his Son BOLESLAUS III. surnam'd Krivoustus or the Wry-mouth'd He was the most warlike and successful Prince that Poland ever had and at length subdu'd his Bastard Brother Sbigneius that rebell'd against him whom at last he was forc'd to cause to be murder'd But of all others his Contest with the Emperor Henry V. is most famous which is as follows This Emperor having declar'd War against Colomannus King of Hungary and engag'd the Bohemians on his side Boleslaus join'd Colomannus and to make a strong Diversion enter'd Bohemia and destroy'd the greatest part of that Country whereupon to be reveng'd on Boleslaus the Emperor surpriz'd the Provinces of Silesia and Marchia which were then in the hands of the Poles and had been absolute Master of them had not Boleslaus speedily marched with an Army to oppose him who finding his Enemies much superiour in number at first thought it better to compose the matter amicably and therefore sent an Ambassador to treat of Peace to which the Emperor thinking he had the Advantage would by no means condescend except upon very dishonourable Terms for the Poles And hereupon leading Scarbicus the Ambassador to see his Treasure he told him that that pointing to his Gold would bring the Poles to what Terms he pleas'd at which Scarbicus being highly affronted took off a Gold Ring from his Finger and throwing it into the Treasury said Whatever be your Imperial Majesty's Opinion I do not question but the Polish Iron meaning their Swords will prove as good Metal as the German Gold Which said he immediately took his leave and returning to his Master acquainted him with his Negotiation which the haughty Pole highly resenting resolv'd to hazard a Battel which he did and by the Bravery of his Army obtain'd a signal Victory in the Dogs-field near Breslaw chief City of Silesia whereupon the Emperor immediately struck up a Peace with him gave him his Sister Adleida in Marriage and his Daughter Christina to his young Son Vladislaus This Prince forc'd the Pomeranians to the Christian Faith which they had often rejected before The Poles all this while were in possession of Silesia but afterwards the Kings of Bohemia conquer'd it and therefore it consequently now is under the Emperor It is reported of this Prince that he had fought forty seven Battels with success except one only with the Red Russians which was meerly lost through the Cowardice of a
besieg'd Friends when meeting with Conrade who came to oppose him near the River Raba he entirely routed him and forc'd him back again into his own Country This hapned about the Year 1285. This Prince dy'd and was bury'd in the Monastery of the Trinity at Cracow Lescus the VI. leaving no Children his Kingdom consequently fell into great Distractions for Vladislaus Locticus his Brother seiz'd on the Palatinate of Siradia and Boleslaus Duke of Ploskow Brother to Conrade Duke of Masovia on the Palatinates of Cracovia and Sendomir but this latter was soon dispossess'd by HENRY Duke of Breslaw surnam'd the Honest of the Family of Piastus in the Year 1290 who was likewise not long after turn'd out by Locticus but soon restor'd and reign'd in quality of King for the space of five Years tho I do not read he was crown'd He appointed Premislus Duke of Great Poland for his Successor being of the Family of Piastus likewise This Premislus also had the Province of Pomerania left him by Miescingus Prince of that Country PREMISLUS in the thirty eighth Year of his Age was crown'd King at Gnesna by James Swinka Archbishop of that City in the Year 1296 which was an Honour that had not been done to any Prince of Poland before for above two hundred Years since Boleslaus the Bold kill'd Stanislaus at the Altar but Premislus did not long enjoy this Title for seven Months after his Coronation he is said to have been murder'd by some Brandenburg Emissaries that Marquess being afraid of this King who was Master of Pomerania which join'd to his Country He was bury'd among his Predecessors at Posnan After the Murder of King Premislus ULADISLAUS LOCTICUS so call'd from the word Lokiec an Ell having his Name from his low Stature Brother of Lescus the Black was chosen in the Year 1296 and reign'd only four Years He went upon an Expedition against the Silesians that were enclin'd to assist the Bohemians against him who then pretended a Right to the Kingdom of Poland These Locticus subdu'd and having considerably ravag'd their Country return'd home where he afterwards gave himself up to a lewd and debauch'd Life insomuch that he neglected the care of all Publick Business and minded nothing but his own private Pleasures These his intolerable Vices brought upon him the Ill-will of his Subjects insomuch that after three years Reign they pronounc'd him unworthy of the Scepter and resolv'd to elect another Hereupon Locticus being dethron'd they invite WINCESLAUS King of Bohemia to accept their Crown who was marry'd to Rixa Daughter of King Premislus and crown'd King of Poland in the Year 1300 but reign'd only to 1305. After he came to reign he persecuted Locticus who hid himself for some time but was forc'd at last to quit the Kingdom When Winceslaus thus saw himself secure at home by the flight of Locticus and after having put Bohemian Garisons into the several Cities of Poland which seem'd very uneasy to that Nation he thought it high time to go and settle Affairs in Bohemia During this Vladislaus Locticus having a considerable Party in the Kingdom which daily encreas'd on account of discontent against Winceslaus and having got together several Troops out of Hungary he march'd directly towards Poland hearing that the Bohemian Government was somewhat burdensom to that Nation At first Locticus had considerable Advantage over the Bohemians but by the Death of Winceslaus which followed soon after he had all the Success he could desire for the Bohemians who had possession of the Garisons finding themselves in a strange Country and moreover hated and ill thought on by the People were afraid of an Insurrection against 'em and therefore made no great difficulty of surrendring to Locticus all those Cities and Towns they had possession of as Cracow Sendomir c. In the mean time young Winceslaus coming with an Army to dispute his Father's Kingdom with Locticus was murder'd in the Expedition 't is thought by Orders of the Emperour Albert and since his time the Bohemians have ever been govern'd by foreign Princes Winceslaus King of Poland and Bohemia dy'd and was bury'd at Prague in the Year 1305. After the Death both of Winceslaus the Father and Son Vladislaus Locticus was restor'd almost by common Consent in the Year 1305 and reign'd to the Year 1333. And this they did either because they thought he had had time to repent and mend his former Life or by reason they were afraid of Civil Wars if they should elect any other Notwithstanding the Palatinates of Posnania and Kalisch having a fresh Memory of his past dissolute Life would never acknowledg him their King Also the Governour of Pomerania which then belong'd to Poland being brib'd by the Marquess of Brandenburg deliver'd up to him all the Cities of that Province as likewise the City of Dantzic except the Castle which the Governour thereof one Bogussa being truly loyal to his King would by no means surrender In these days the Knights of the Teutonic Order were fully settled in Prussia being both very Strong and very Rich. They were establish'd there by Agreement with Conrade Brother to King Vladislaus Lasconogus for assisting him against the Prussians when he was oppress'd by them They there built some years before the City of Marienburg appointed for Residence of their Great Masters Here Locticus was oblig'd to crave their Aid against the Rebels of Pomerania and Dantzic which they readily granted on condition that half the Garison of the Castle of Dantzic should be of their Troops by which means they soon became Masters of the whole for they afterwards not only turn'd the Poles out of the Castle but both Brandenburghers and Pomeranians out of the City of Dantzic it self and likewise under pretence of assisting the King of Poland conquer'd all Pomerania for themselves when being Masters thereof they offer'd to buy the Title of Locticus for Money which he refus'd Then they offer'd the same Summ to the Marquess of Brandenburg to renounce his Right to that Province which he tho he had no Title to sell yet was wise enough to accept their Prosser The Poles were very sensible of all these Affronts and Injustices offer'd 'em by the Teutonic Order but before they proceeded to Revenge they thought it advisable to acquaint the Pope therewith who liv'd then at Avignon who after four years Delays and Debates order'd the Knights to give due fatisfaction to the Poles but they having had four years respit to fortify themselves and to make strong Alliances with some Neighbouring Princes and besides having a very considerable Army on foot answer'd his Holiness That they had often done great Services for Poland that that Kingdom ow'd them Sums of Money and that they presum'd that not only the Lands they were in possession of in Prussia and Pomerania
were lawfully theirs but that also they thought the Poles oblig'd to give 'em either more Land or more Money to recompense the several Kindnesses they had done them Hereupon the Pope excommunicates this Order and the Poles under command of their King march'd directly against ' em Here Locticus made an eloquent Speech to his Army representing the many Affronts and Injustices they had receiv'd from a little Sect of People to which his Predecessors the Kings of Poland had out of meer Goodness given their Protection when banish'd from their own Country by the Sarazens Then he enlarg'd upon the Covetousness and Ambition of this Order and concluded by encouraging his Men to fight bravely and not suffer those to become their Masters who were at first their Vassals Hereupon the Poles animated by this Speech of their King tho much inferior in Number to their Enemies yet fought so siercely and bravely that they entirely routed the Teutonic Order and kill'd about twenty thousand of their Men tho they themselves have had the presumption to affirm that they did not lose above five or six hundred Among the wounded there was one Florianus Szari Knight of that Order who having his Belly open'd with a Scymiter and his Guts dropping out which he held up with his hands the King passing by pity'd him Whereupon the Knight said to him Sir A Man in his Village suffers more than I do when he has bad Neighbours The King admiring at this dying man's Thought immediately caus'd his Surgeons to take care of him and when he was well gave him Land that had no bad Neighbours about it This Vladislaus it seems not being throughly satisfy'd with Premislus his Right to transmit the Title of King to his Posterity without leave of the Pope sent an Embassador to his Holiness to request a liberty for himself and his Queen Hedwigis to be crown'd which was forthwith granted and the Ceremony perform'd in the Cathedral of Cracow by the Archbishop of Gnesna and other Bishops in the Year 1320. The King long after dy'd and was bury'd at Cracow in the Year 1333. CASIMIR the Great succeeded his Father Locticus being elected in the Year 1333 and reign'd to the Year 1370. He made a Peace with the Teutonic Order that was not at all advantagious or honourable to the Polish Nation the Knights being thereby still to remain in possession of Prussia Dantzic and Pomerania notwithstanding the Threatnings of the Pope and his Bulls of Excommunication This Casimir had no Children He is the last Male of the Family of Piastus Wherefore that the Crown might not go altogether out of his Family before his Death he prevail'd with the Poles to elect Charles King of Hungary his own Sister's Son but he dying before Casimir his Son Lewis was chosen The Poles had several times conquer'd Russia but it was never enjoy'd peaceably till Casimir's time who having had better success than any of his Predecessors annex'd it as a Province to the Crown of Poland The Province of Masovia was likewise conquer'd by him and annex'd to the Crown The Poles had never hitherto any written Laws and but very few made till Casimir began to make Institutions name Judges create Magistrates build Forts and to establish a better Oeconomy in the Kingdom than any Prince before him The Laws and Constitutions of the Teutonic Knights seem'd very rational and political to him having had a sensible Experience of the good Government of this Order for a considerable time Wherefore he introduc'd their Laws into Poland which have continu'd ever since and are call'd the Magdeburg Laws This Casimir was a very lewd Prince but withal exceeding Liberal and Just He kept a Jewish Concubine at whose request he granted great Privileges to that People He gain'd so well the good Opinion and Affection of his Subjects that he was stil'd the Father of the Poor and a great many Germans who were oppress'd by their own Princes in his time came into Poland and have ever since inhabited the Foot of the Carpathian Mountains The Daughter of Boguslaus Duke of Pomerania was then marry'd to the Emperour Charles IV. Casimir celebrated the Nuptials with great Splendor and Magnisicence at Cracow where assisted Lewis King of Hungary Sigismund King of Denmark and Petrua King of Cyprus with the Emperour and many Princes of Germany Poland and other Countries Valachia at that time was a kind of Republick of it self having before had Governours which they call'd Hospodars the last of which being dead and his Children aspiring to the same Dignity Casimir sent an Army to support 'em but by an Ambush of the Valachians plac'd in a Wood was entirely defeated Casimir dy'd soon after this of a Fall from his Horse and was bury'd at Cracow This King reign'd thirty seven Years and liv'd sixty He was surnam'd the Great being the only Person that had had that Title among the Polish Princes not because he had gain'd a great many Victories but by reason of the many beautiful Structures and Fortresses he had built as likewise of the many beneficial Laws and Constituions which he had made Casimir being the last King of the Family of Piastus had caus'd his own Nephew by his Sister LEWIS King of Hungary to be elected for his Successor during his Life-time who was crown'd accordingly in Poland in the Year 1370 and reign'd 12 Years The Poles were not extraordinarily well satisfied with him being a Foreign Prince and therefore oblig'd him before they would crown him to take an Oath not only to maintain their former Privileges but also to enlarge 'em for hitherto the Successors of Piastus had almost had an absolute Power in Poland a great deal more than their present Kings have After some time Lewis was forc'd to return into Hungary to settle some Affairs there when he left the Administration of the Government during his Absence to his Mother Elizabeth His going away occasion'd great Troubles for the Russians rebell'd and the Lithuanians made Incursions into the very Heart of Poland The Poles also were divided among themselves they could not endure to see their Towns in the hands of Hungarian Garisons and besides they were so much displeas'd with their King 's leaving 'em to the Government of his Mother whom they neither lov'd nor esteem'd that they sent to acquaint him that they thought it Honour enough for himself to govern Poland All these Troubles and Distrusts soon oblig'd the King to return into Poland with a strong Army of Hungarians where he first march'd against the Rebel Russians and subdu'd them next against the Lithuanians and oblig'd them to a Peace soon after which he dy'd and was buried at Belgrade in Hungary in the 56th Year of his Age having reigned 12 Years He left two Daughters but no Sons one of which married to Sigismund the Emperor's
then busied in other Wars answer'd he could spare 'em none but gave 'em leave to have recourse to whose Protection they thought fit Some therefore among them put themselves under Eric King of Sweden but the Arch-bishop of Riga and the Great Master of the Teutonic Order with all the Nobility and Gentry requested the Assistance of Sigismund King of Poland who would by no means grant it them unless they would submit themselves entirely to his Obedience and take Oath of Fidelity accordingly next that they should give up all their Towns and Country and lastly annex Livonia for ever to Poland To these Terms the Livonians were neither ready nor willing to submit however at length they thought it better to condescend to these Proposals than be forc'd to accept of worse from the irresistible Fury of the Muscovites and therefore having maturely deliberated on the matter consented that Gothotred Ketler a Gentleman of Westphalia then Great Master and General of their Army should publickly abdicate his Mastership and give up to Nicholas Radzivil Palatin of Vilna deputed for that purpose by the King the City and Citadel of Riga and declare Livonia from thenceforward subject to Poland which was accordingly done and at the same time by Order of the King his Master Radzivil proclaim'd Gothotred Ketler Duke of Curland and Semigallia which are two Provinces of Livonia and next day by further Orders declar'd him Vice-roy and Governour of Livonia These two Provinces of Curland and Semigallia Ketler's Posterity have enjoy'd ever since by Hereditary Succession but still as Vassals to Poland Upon this Agreement the King declares War immediately against the Muscovites who were then very strong having just before taken from the Tartars the Kingdoms of Astracan and Casan nevertheless he defeated their Army upon the Frontiers of Lithuania and forc'd 'em to retire into their own Country but they soon return'd a second time commanded by their Czar John Basilowits tho with as little success as before This Czar is reported to have been a most cruel Tyrant it having been his chief Diversion to invent new ways of torturing insomuch that 't is said that to boil and roast both his own Subjects and the Prisoners he took was the least Punishments he made 'em suffer It would be both tedious and horrid to hear all the Tortures he us'd towards Men Women and Children He was wont to recompense such as invented new ways of Torture but these his inhuman Cruelties did so exasperate his Subjects that Sigismund found no great difficulty to force him to a Peace After this Sigismund sent a small Army into Valachia to support Bogdan in his Intentions to make himself Prince thereof but the Valachians assisted by the Turks soon oblig'd the Poles to return home In this King's Reign the Lutheran Religion got great ground in Poland the cause of which was a Quarrel upon account of a Whore between the Courtiers and Scholars which induc'd the latter to retire into Germany where they first imbib'd these Principles and which upon their return they not a little propagated in their own Country The first Person of note that embrac'd this Religon was Johannes a Lasco Palatin of Lanschet who in the Year 1540 left his Government and went into Holland and England and at his return converted several to that Perswasion All this while the King gave disturbance to none that abjur'd the Roman Faith but rather favour'd them having heard several of their Preachers in his Court particularly two Johannes Cosminis and Laurencius Prasnitius which occasion'd most of the Bishops to be enclin'd to that Belief Here cannot well be omitted a great Escape King Sigismund had at Koningsberg in Ducal Prussia whither being invited by Albert Marquess of Brandenburg and at his Reception saluted with all the Cannon by negligence of a Gunner a Bullet was left in one of them which when fir'd came so near the King as to dash out one Wisnoviec's Brains who march'd just behind him In Sigismund's time flourish'd the jocular Commonwealth of Babina consisting of several merry Gentlemen of Lublin who met together at a place call'd Babin to exercise their Wits upon all occasions This Meeting to procure the greater respect for their Proceedings they modell'd into the form of the Government of the Kingdom electing a King and Senate together with divers Officers and Magistrates As whenever any among them talk'd out of his Sphere and meddled with matters that did no ways belong to him they created him an Arch-bishop or Palatin such a one as made a great many Blunders and delighted in Contradictions they chose for their Speaker or Chancellor and whoever boasted too inordinately of his Valour they prefer'd to be their General passing immediately a Patent for that purpose and which was to be presented to him with a great deal of Submission by the Bragadochios of a Minor Character but if the Person elect refus'd this Command they persecuted him with hissing and hooting till he had accepted it Thus they created several other Senators of different Qualities whence it followed that in short time they became judicious Censurers wary Talkers modest Observers humble Performers and true Relaters of any Exploit Whenever they admitted any of their Society they first enquir'd into his Abilities and requir'd a Specimen of his Parts and this to determine the better what Office or Employment he was fittest to execute in their Commonwealth they having several others of an inferior Rank besides those we have already mention'd As if any one introduc'd an impertinent Discourse of his Hounds or his Hawks him they immediately made either their Huntsinan or their Faulkoner Likewise if a Man run out too much upon Religion he was constituted their Chaplain and where any dealt too much in Matters of Controversy he was forthwith ordain'd their Inquisitor lastly where a Man was too exuberant in his Discourse about Horses or Houshold Affairs him they either promoted to be their Master of the Horse or their Majordomo By these means in a little time they reform'd most of the Abuses and Indecorums crept into the Government of Poland and prov'd than the force of Satyr is of no less benefit than that of Oratory At length this pleasant Constitution came to the King's Ear who was often delighted with hearing of their Transactions and one day enquiring after their dignified Members he ask'd whether they had any King among them to which the Starosta of Babina who was most celebrated for his pleasant Countenance and jocular Humour reply'd Far be it from us most Serene Monarch that we should make choice of any other King while your Majesty is living Which Answer so extreamly pleas'd Sigismund that he laugh'd heartily and was so far from shewing any signs of Dislike that by several Expressions which dropt from him he occasion'd great Mirth in all the Company Afterwards there arising some grave Disputes in this Society
about the Antiquity of the Monarchies of Persia Greece and Rome a certain merry Fellow started up and cry'd What makes you thus boast Gentlemen of the Antiquity and Extent of these Monarchies when ours of Babina is much more antient and of wider Bounds than them all What says David Omnis Homo Mendax all Men are Liars wherefore the whole Earth must consequently have been comprehended within the Limits of our Jurisdiction from all Ages His Opinion was unanimously receiv'd with Applause This Society further boasts of having always had Privileges and Immunities from Emperors and Kings but still such as were too severe in their Reflections were not to be admitted of this Republick The place where this Assembly met the Members term'd Gelda being the word that the Dantzickers use for a Tavern and which the Poles apply to a merry Company of witty Fellows Sigismund died of a Chronical Distemper at Knyssin in the Consines of Lithuania c and left no Children but had two Sisters surviving Catherine and Ann the former of which was first married to John Duke of Finland and then to the King of Sweden she was Mother to Sigismund III. who was afterwards King of Sweden and Poland Ann liv'd a long while a Maid till she was married to Stephen Batori Prince of Transilvania and afterwards King of Poland After this Sigismund's Death the Male Race of the Jagellonic Family was quite extinct I am afraid I have almost tir'd your Lordship's Patience with this prolix Narrative of the second and third Classes of the Kings of Poland yet I can safely aver that I have been as concise as the Subject Matter would hear since I have run through the Course of about 800 Years where your Lordship may observe that tho these Princes could never prevail with their Subjects to declare their Kingdom Hereditary yet they had sometimes Influence sufficient over them to cause them to elect their Children for their Successors while they themselves were yet alive And likewise sometimes the great Service they had render'd their Country oblig'd the Poles in Gratitude to advance their Issue to the Throne after their Deaths Besides the natural Affection which this Country always bore to the Royal Family enclin'd them to elect the next Relation to the deceased King But notwithstanding after Sigismund the Second's Death tho there were several of the Family of Piastus and Jagello remaining alive both in Poland and Silesia yet the Poles for fear so long and so uninterrupted a Succession of Princes of the same Line might subject them to a Despotic Monarchy as they almost were in Sigismund's time resolv'd to choose Kings out of other Families as they effectually did afterwards out of France Transilvania and Sweden which it would be too tedious to give your Lordship a Relation of and therefore to ease your Impatience I will subscribe my self My LORD Your Lordship 's most Obedient Humble Servant B. C. LETTER III. To his Grace WILLIAM Duke of Devonshire Lord Steward of His Majesty's Houshold Of the Succession and Remarkable Actions of the fourth Class of the Kings of Poland consisting of mixt Families from the Year 1574 to 1674. My LORD THE great Esteem and true Respect which your eminent Qualities and gallant Behaviour both beyond Sea and at home command from all those who have heard of your Name made me ambitious to give your Grace in this Account of Poland a Testimony of mine and congratulate my self in the Honour of being known to so great a Person The Subject my Lord I thought most sutable to so great a Mind and Genius as yours is a Relation of Heroic Actions I mean the Lives of the Kings of Poland from the last of the Jagellonick Family to the Election of the late King John Sobieski comprehending the space of a hundred Years By Sigismund the Second's Death the Great and Renown'd Family of Jagello came to be extinct as to Males for he left no Children and had only two Sisters Catherine and Ann. The former was first married to John Duke of Finland and next to John III. King of Sueden having been Mother to Sigismund III. who was afterwards both King of Poland and Sueden The latter Ann liv'd a Maid for a considerable while till Stephen Batori Prince of Transylvania being elected King of Poland marry'd her but had no Issue by her The ABp of Gnesna James Vchanski having notify'd the late King's Death to all the Gentry call'd a Diet after the usual manner to Elect another whereupon several Candidates appearing they all had their different Parties and Friends in the Kingdom The chief Pretenders were Ernest of Austria the Emperour's Son John III. King of Sueden the Great Duke of Muscovy and Henry of Valois Brother to Charles IX of France besides several Natives of the Country After a long deliberation they pitch'd upon HENRY of Valois Duke of Anjou and sent Adam Conarsky Bishop of Posnan and Albert Laski Palatin of Siradia in quality of Ambassadors together with several other Senators into France to bring him into his Kingdom after having agreed to the following Articles to the performance of which both the King of France and his Brother the King of Poland took a solemn Oath The Articles were as follows Imprimis That Henry of Valois should transport all his Effects and Annual Revenues in France into Poland 2. That the King of France should pay Sigismund the late King's Debts with his own Money 3. That the French King should maintain a hundred young Polish Noblemen at his Court and fifty in other Places 4. And lastly That he should build a Fleet in the Baltic Sea and help the Poles to carry on the War against the Muscovites There was another Article the King would by no means consent to till he came into Poland and that was 5. That he should marry the Princess Ann Sister to Sigismund late King of Poland King Henry having thus chiefly satisfy'd the Conditions he set forth from Paris about the beginning of October in the Year 1576 and pass'd through Lorain and Germany directly to Posnan in Poland whence he soon after went and was crown'd at Cracow the 21st of February 1577 but in four Months time after his Coronation receiving Letters from France that the King his Brother was dead without Issue and being begg'd to return to enjoy his Right he communicated those Letters to the Senate acquainting them withal that it was necessary he should return into France to prevent Civil Wars and maintain his Title to that Crown But fearing lest the Poles might have detain'd him as I have often heard them say they would certainly have done on the 18th of March he stole away and rid Post through Silesia and Germany into Italy and thence to France The King being miss'd next morning they sent several Senators after him who overtook him in Silesia and begg'd of him to return and not abandon a Nation so shamefully which
Companions dead upon the Spot In this Action there were several brave Polish Gentlemen slain Afterwards the King being again ioin'd by the Lithuanians by which his Army amounted to fifteen thousand Men march'd to seek out the Enemy tho by a modest computation they might be reckon'd seven times as many But understanding that the Enemy had besieg'd Podhais he was marching thither to relieve it when by the way he receiv'd Intelligence of its being surrender'd burnt and plunder'd and twelve thousand Persons made Prisoners tho the Garison had expresly capitulated to march out with Bag and Baggage The King was extreamly nettled that so many Christians should be made Slaves and his Territories laid desolate therefore he resolv'd forthwith to remedy it or perish in the Attempt for he march'd the same day towards the Enemy who were then set down before Buozalz but upon notice of his Approaches they rais'd their Siege and retreated with all their Forces to Trembowla which they likewise invested Here they were often repuls'd with great Loss yet continu'd obstinate to pursue their Enterprize till at last happening to intercept a Peasant that was carrying a Letter from the King to the Governour wherein his Majesty assur'd him that he was coming with all speed to his Relief the Terrour of King Sobieski's Name struck such a faintness into the Infidels that they immediately dislodg'd their Cannon from their Batteries which consisted of a hundred Pieces and forthwith march'd towards Caminiec with a great deal of Confusion Nay so great was their Consternation that under the Cannon of Caminiec they thought not themselves sufficiently secure for not daring to stand an Engagement with the Poles they resolv'd to pass the Niester and march towards Valachia Yet this they could not do so speedily but Prince Lubomirski with part of the King's Army fell upon their Rear and slew great Numbers of them The Turks by the Fear they were in of being farther pursu'd re-pass'd the Danube and the Tartars return'd home with great Precipitation by the way of Bialogrod Whereupon the King resolv'd to put his Army into Winter-quarters and so to return home which he did to the Joy and Satisfaction of all his Subjects It being now high time to prepare for the Ceremony of the Coronation January the 17th the Corps of the late King Michael was convey'd from Warsaw in a Herse drawn by eight Horses attended by all the Officers of his Houshold and several Persons of Quality to Cracow where together with the Body of King Casimir likewise brought lately out of France it was honourably interr'd all Decency and Respect being paid to both their Memories This Ceremony being dispatch'd John Sobieski with his Queen Mary were both Crown'd in the Castle of Cracow the 2d of February in the Year 1676 with great Pomp and Magnificence After this the King applying himself to supply the Vacancies as usual made Lubomirski Grand Marshal of the Kingdom the Lord Siniawski Court-Marshal and Prince Demetrius Wisnowiski Palatin of Beltz He likewise bestow'd the Command of General of the Forces of the Kingdom on Jablownowski Palatin of Russia at present Great General of Poland In June following Sultan Nuradin with the two Sons of the Great Cham pass'd the Niester with a great Army having sent out Parties before to ravage the Country At the same time Ibrahim Bassa advanc'd likewise to several Posts about Caminiec Whereupon the King order'd what Troops he could get together near Leopol where they were to rendezvouz and likewise convok'd the Pospolite or Militia for the defence of the Country The same Year his Excellency Mr. Hyde now Earl of Rochester was sent Embassador from his Majesty Charles the IId to the Court of Poland to congratulate the King upon his Accession to the Crown and to stand for his Master Godfather to the young Princess now Electoress of Bavaria He arriv'd at Dantzic in August where meeting with the Queen of Poland who made a Journey thither while the King was in the Field he had Audience of her Majesty there and presented the young Princess her Daughter with a very rich Jewel a Cross of Diamonds of great Value He afterwards set forward for Poland and was received by the King in his Camp near Leopol in Russia with Demonstrations of Respect and Kindness sutable to his Character and Person where his Majesty sent some of his chief Officers to shew him the Army and their way of Encamping The Turks and Tartars began to appear now very formidable and yet at the same time continu'd so sensible of their last Year's Defeats and so dreaded the Name of King Sobieski that they seem'd to desire nothing more than Peace for which purpose the Grand Seignior by the Prince of Moldavia made an Overture for a Treaty which was accepted after a Battle gain'd by the Poles and some other small Mischiefs done on both sides The Peace being thus happily concluded to the Advantage of Poland his Majesty return'd in November to Zulkiew his own Patrimony whither my Lord Rochester waiting upon him had his publick Audience there in a more solemn Manner than before He was first carried in the King's Coach and then received by the Court-Marshal who is in the Nature of a Lord Chamberlain at the Stairs-foot of the Palace and was conducted to his Majesty who receiv'd him standing under a rich Canopy of State and after two Months residing there his Excellency had his Audience of Leave and return'd into England through Silesia Austria and the Empire The Poles enjoy'd this Peace with the Turks till the Year 1683 when they came under the Command of Cara Mustapha their Grand Vizier to besiege Vienna whereof Count Starenberg was Governour The King with his Son Prince James Prince Lubomirski and most of the Polish Grandees came with an Army only as they assur'd me of twenty four thousand Men to relieve it This the King of Poland was oblig'd to by the Alliance sign'd with his Imperial Majesty in 1683. When being join'd by the Imperial Army together with the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony the Duke of Lorain and a great Number of other Princes of the Empire in all amounting to near fifty thousand Men he attack'd the Turks with such Bravery and Conduct that on the 12th of September they tho consisting of 191800 Men as appear'd by a List found in the Grand Vizier's Tent were oblig'd after an entire Defeat to raise the Siege and retire towards Hungary The great Standard and the Horse's Tail were taken by the Poles who obstinately pursu'd the Turks in their flight tho no great way being too much fatigu'd before There was also great Booty found in the Turkish Camp which was wholly plunder'd even to the Tent of the Grand Vizier where they met with great Riches in Gold Silver and other precious things All their Ammunition and Baggage with their Artillery consisting of above a hundred Pieces of Cannon were taken This
Parts of the Body desir'd to know what was properly Death The School Divinity maintains that Death was a Separation of the rational Soul from the Body I own'd indeed that in Death the Soul was actually separated from the Body but I could not allow that that Separation was the cause of Death but that the Death of the Body was the Cessation of the Motion of the Heart of the Blood and of the Spirits which Cessation could not proceed from the Separation of the Soul since these don't at all depend upon it as I proved before but it was occasion'd by some Defects in the Organs and Fluids of the Body which losing their due Disposition and their mutual Correspondence with one another all their Actions cease which Cessation is properly called Death so that the Soul finding them incapable of receiving its Influence and of obeying its Commands quits the Body after it is dead by which it appears that the Separation of the Soul is not properly the Cause of Death but that the Death of the Body is the cause of the Separation The King himself illustrated this Opinion with a familiar Example of an Organ and an Organist While the Organs were in their due order and symetry the Organist play'd upon them but when by length of time they were either broke used too much or any other way quite put out of Tune he leaves off playing on them This Discourse my Lord held from three of the Clock till seven and the Divines were extreamly warm in it and some of them had the boldness to tell the King that his Majesty should not suffer such Heretical Opinions as they called them to be introduc'd before such a great Assembly contrary to the receiv'd Doctrine of the Church This Discourse caused a great many other Matters to be talk'd on of which it would be too long to inform your Lordship By this you may plainly see how fond the Divines are of their old Opinions relying upon the Doctrine of Aristotle whom we can't suppose to be so throughly acquainted with the Structure Springs and Motions of the Humane Body nor indeed with all other Natural Causes as the Modern Physicians are yet it is the Policy of the Divines not only in Poland but in Spain Italy and in most other Countries where their Power is very great not to let any Opinions creep in among them that would seem to contradict those of Aristotle for having built their Systems of Divinity upon the Principles of this Pagan Philosopher they are justly afraid that if Experience and Reason should shake the Foundation the Superstructure would fall to the Ground as doubtless it would for the most part This King built several fine Houses both in Russia and other parts of the Kingdom particularly three Miles from Warsaw a neat Country House call'd Villa Nova very richly furnished He has had several Natural Children but took no care of any of them for it is not customary in Poland to have that Consideration for them as there is in other Countries but he left vast Riches to his Lawful Children and made a Motion in the Diet five or six Years before he died to settle the Succession on one of them He told the Assembly of the Disorders that usually happened in Elections after the King's Death that the Turks and the Tartars took then Opportunities to make Inroads into the Country and ravage all before them that the Nobility of the Kingdom were generally divided headed by Factions and biass'd by Self-interest against the publick Good of their Country and that he himself would be glad to prevent all those dangerous Broils before he died out of the Love he bore to his Country and Subjects But the Diet finding that his private Design was to get one of his Sons elected answered That they hoped that his Majesty would live yet a long while that it was necessary to take a long time to consider of a Matter of that great moment which the King seeing it was a civil way of refusing to enter upon that Subject never after intimated any thing to them like it but took all possible care to enrich his Children in case none of them should be elected after his Death It was exactly computed to me that he laid up every Year for above twenty Years 100000 l. Sterl which he left partly in Bankers Hands at Dantzick Hamburgh and Amsterdam and put the rest into the hands of the Jews who are very numerous in that Kingdom to trade with it besides he bought great Territories in the Kingdom tho it is against the Constitution so that his three Sons James Alexander and Constantino if they manage their Affairs right may be worth each above 50000 l. Sterling per Annum for it is the Law in Poland to divide equally the Estate among the Children The Queen was but ten or twelve Years of Age when she together with the present Duke of Gordon's Aunt afterwards married to Count Morstin great Treasurer of Poland came from France into this Kingdom with Ladislaus King of Poland's Queen who made them both her Maids of Honour and took great care of Madamoiselle d' Arquien being very ingenious and beautiful She got her married first to Prince Zamoiski who soon left her a Widow with a Jointure of about 2000 l. a Year she was afterwards married in Casimir's Reign to John Sobieski then Captain of the Guards who was not very willing to marry her until the King promis'd that he would give him considerable Places which he accordingly did by the Instigation of the Queen for he made him Great Marshal and Great General of Poland which gave him Authority and Interest enough to make himself afterwards King and her Queen so that this Marriage was the occasion of his Rise in the World which he was so sensible of that he refus'd to be divorced from her as the Diet would have perswaded him to do after his Election The Queen is now about fifty four Years of Age tho she appears not to be forty she goes in the French Dress as all the Polish Ladies do she speaks almost naturally the Polish Tongue which with lier sweet Temper refin'd Sense and majestick Air gain'd her such Affection with the Poles such Influence over the King and such Interest always in the Diet that she manag'd all with a great deal of Prudence and that to the advantage of her native Country France whose Interest she generally espous'd upon most occasions during the King's Life which was believ'd to be the Cause that he did not carry on the War with vigour these late years against the Turks and Tartars She maintain'd at her Court her Father Cardinal D' Arquien and her Brother Count Maligny who had but a very small Estate of their own She has two Sisters one is the Widow of the late Count Bethune who was Ambassador from France in Poland and afterwards dy'd in his Embassy in
presents amounted to the value of 100000 Rix Dollars The Hospodar of Moldavia sent her a pair of Pendants of a considerable Value This Custom of making Presents to the Bride is not only for Kings Daughters but for every one else according to their Quality and the Gentlemens Daughters do not so much reckon upon the Portion their Fathers give them as upon their Number of Relations and Friends who are to make them Presents and the Husband is as diligent to know how many Relations she has as how much her Father will give her Upon the day of Marriage Prince James the young Bride's Brother took upon him by the King and the Elector of Bavaria's Consent the Quality of Embassador for that day by reason that the Court would not receive as was secretly whilsper'd Embassadors from the Duke of Bavaria as being not an absolute Prince He went three Miles out of Town in the Morning and about two of the Clock in the Afternoon made a most solemn Entry on Horse-back having his Brothers Prince Alexander on his Right-hand and Prince Constantine on his Left preceded by a great Number of Coaches with six Horses and a noble Cavalcade of the Polish Gentry who went two by two Thus he march'd through the City to the Palace where he was receiv'd by the King and Queen and after half an hour the great Officers of the Crown the Palatins and other Senators with an incredible Number of Gentry began to march from the Palace on Foot two by two upon Scarlet Cloth spread all along to St. John's Church being about three hundred Paces after them Prince James led the Bride the French Embassador Monsieur de Polignae led the Queen and the King came last alone with a grave majestick Countenance The Ceremony of the Marriage was perform'd by Cardinal Radziouski the present Primate who was the King's Relation Afterwards they returned to the Palace where they were nobly entertain'd for four days together with Feasts Balls Fire-works and an Italian Pastoral in nature of an Opera made upon this occasion by the Secretary of the Pope's Nuncio After the Ceremony was over a splendid Equipage was prepar'd for the Princess's Journey from Warsaw to Brussels The Bishop of Ploskow was named Embassador and the Palatine of Vilna's Lady Prince Czartoriski's Daughter was appointed Embassadress Monsieur Zalowski the Bishop's Brother and his Lady were likewise nam'd besides abundance of Gentlemen and about forty of the King's Life-guard to attend her Electoral Highness The Embassador represented to their Majesties that in such a long Journey of near 1000 Miles and in frosty Weather it was necessary to send a Physician with the Princess for fear of any Accident or Distemper by the way one Signior Revelli an Italian and several other Physicians made Interest for this place but the Queen would by no means employ any of them having no Opinion of their Skill Hereupon my Lord I spoke to Mr. Alberti your Brother Minister there from the Republick of Venice who had great Interest with the King and Queen and desir'd him to get me imploy'd in that Journey for I longed to be out of that remote Country tho I had not been a twelve Month in it to come for England for tho the King and Queen had a great deal of Kindness for me and Prince James whom the Court Party look'd upon to be the King's Successor promis'd me a considerable Pension after the King's Death yet seeing that the King then being sixty four Years of Age very corpulent and labouring under several Distempers as the Dropsy Gout Rheumatism and Oppression of the Lungs could not live long and that Prince James was not beloved and besides having never had any mind to engage my self to live in any Foreign Country I resolv'd to come out of that Kingdom Their Majesties not knowing my private Resolution of coming for England did me the Honour to name me Physician to wait upon the Princess in her Journey which I was very ready to comply with tho to outward appearance I did not seem much desirous of it this my Lord gave me opportunity to come out of that Country sooner than I could have decently done till the King was dead which I must owe intirely to the Friendship and Interest of Mr. Alberti who is a great Lover of the English Nation The Princess set forward on the 11 th of November following with a Retinue of about two hundred Persons all which came to Brussels with her besides abundance of the Nobility who waited upon her Highness to the Frontiers of Brandenburg The Palatins of the Provinces receiv'd and entertain'd her in all the Towns she pass'd through with a great deal of Splendor and Expence our first Reception was at Lowitz the Cardinal Primate's Castle here the Princess lay one Night and was most magnificently entertain'd The next was at Posnan a considerable City in the Province of Posnania where she lay two Nights the Palatin and the City made her a Present entertain'd all her Retinue and got Fire-works ready for her Reception From thence we went to Frankfurt upon the Oder in the E. of Brandenburgh's Country where his Electoral Highness sent his chief Officers to attend and compliment her from thence we went to Berlin where the Elector and Electoress came two Miles out of Town with a numerous Attendance to receive her they took her into their own Coach and march'd in order to the Palace giving her with roaring of Cannons and ringing of Bells all Demonstrations of Respect Here she lay two Nights the Court appear'd most splendid and very numerous and the Elector got some Fire-works which represented the King and Queen of Poland and the Elector and Electoress of Bavaria's Names there were Balls both Nights and English Country-Dances which the Electoress of Brandenburg being descended from the Blood-Royal of England delighted extreamly in it was the first time the Princess of Poland had seen any and therefore was extreamly pleas'd I was glad to see some of our English Gentlemen who travell'd in Italy in my time as Mr. Archer Mr. Ward Mr. Duncomb and the late deceased Mr. Tent made so much of at this Court and behave themselves so handsomly at the Balls The Princess of Poland made Presents to the Electoress of Brandenburg and to most of the chief Officers of the Court and the Electoress of Brandenburg likewise made her a rich Present of a Poesie set with Diamonds and to the rest of her chief Officers other Presents Afterwards we set forwards on our Journey and were entertain'd for twelve days together in the Elector's Country it 's usual with him to defray the Charges of all Princes while they are within the limits of the Marquisate of Brandenburg But when the Princess of Poland went out of it into the other Territories of his Electoral Highness she bore her own Expences the chief Towns notwithstanding as Magdeburgh and Menden entertain'd her as
and is divided into two Districts Viz. The Districts of Chelm and Crasnistaw In both which are these Cities and Towns Viz. Chelm Bish Cap. Crasnistaw Zamoisk Ratno Lynbowlya Rozana Vlodavia Scebresin Turobin Tamogrod Tomasow and Ctesow The Capital of all which is Chelm a small City defended with a Castle the Outworks whereof are made of Wood. It lies about ten Miles from Lublin to the East twenty four from Premistaw to the North and twelve from Belsko It has been sack'd and burnt by the Muscovites and Tartars during the late Wars which occasion'd the Residence of its Bishop to be translated to Crasnistaw Nevertheless an Oriental or Russian Bishop still resides there Crasnistaw a wall'd Town upon the River Vepre where the Bishop of Chelm at present has his Residence in a Palace of modern Architecture Near this place the Arch-Duke Maximilian when he came with an Army to seize the Crown of Poland was shamefully repuls'd by John Zamoiski who immediately afterwards built a Town in that Neighbourhood calling it after his own Name Zamoisk well defended by high Walls deep Ditches and other strong Fortifications after the modern Manner He likewise built a fair Cathedral here and enrich'd it with all manner of Necessaries also a noble Academy furnish'd with Learned Masters from the famous University of Cracow This Person was so great a favourer of Learning that not only Zamoisk but also several other Places of the Province of Russia found the Effects of his Bounty Ratno a wooden Town built among the Marshes with a Castle wash'd by the River Perepet on one side and defended on the other by a Bog and the Niester It lies bout twenty four Miles from Chelm Lynbowlya a Town upon the Bug with a tolerably fortify'd Castle The Senators of this Palatinate are The Bishop and Castellan of Chelm The Standard or Arms of this Palatinate are a Bear Argent passant between three Trees proper in a Field Or. The Fifth PROVINCE of this Kingdom is Masovia situate almost in the Heart of the Kingdom of Poland and bounded on the North by Prussia on the East by Lithuania on the South by Upper Poland and on the West by Lower Poland It was formerly govern'd by its own Princes but in the Year 1526 by the Death of its Dukes John and Stanislaus that Dutchy fell to the Kings of Poland The Inhabitants hereof are generally Warlike They speak the same Language with the Poles only they differ in some few guttural Accents Their Manners Habits and Religion are much the same This Province is divided into three Palatinates which are The Palatinates of Masovia properly so call'd Ploczkow and Dobrina The first Palatinate of this Province is that of Masovia properly so call'd which in spiritual Matters is subject only to the Bishop of Posnan but in Temporal is divided into twelve Districts viz. The Districts of Warsaw Wisna Cyrna Zembrow Nuren Wissegrod Zakrow Cickanow Lombze Rozan Makow and Liw In all which the principal Cities and Towns are those of the same Name with the Districts adding moreover these following viz. Pultovia Czerniensk Czersko Akroczim Varka Blonye Pultowsko Tarcin Grodzyec Prasniz Garvolinia Vengrovia Stanislanovia Broc Viskow and Seroicz The chief City of all which and Metropolis of the Province is Warsaw defended with a Castle Wall and Ditch seated in a Plain in the very Center of the Kingdom and therefore pitch'd upon for the convening of the Diet. It lies upon the River Vistula in the 43 d degree of Longitude and 52 of Latitude and is divided into four Parts viz. The Old and New Town with The Suburbs of Cracow and Prag This City is adorn'd with divers stately Piles of Buildings particularly a spacious four-square Palace founded by Sigismund III. and much improv'd by his Successors where the Kings of Poland most commonly reside Opposite to this on the other side of the River stands another Royal Palace in the middle of delightful Groves and Gardens built by Vladislaus VII and call'd by the Name of Viasdow where the States or Diet of Poland formerly us'd to sit and debate the most important Affairs of the Kingdom There is moreover the Palace of King John Casimir as likewise a very stately one built by Count Morstin Great Treasurer of Poland Also a League from this City King John Sobieski built a neat Country Palace by the Name of Villa Nova The other Publick Edifices are no less remarkable being the Church of St. John Baptist where Secular Canons officiate the Arsenal Castle Market-place c. Divers kinds of Merchandizes are convey'd hither along a River from the neighbouring Provinces and from hence carried to Dantzic to be transported into Foreign Countries In the Suburbs of Cracow is a small Chappel built on purpose for the Burial of John Demetrius Suski Great Duke of Muscovy who died Prisoner in the Castle of Gostinin together with his two Brothers This City was taken by the Swedes in the Year 1655 and is scarce three Polish Miles distant from Lesser Poland about twenty four from Lanschet as many North-East of Lublin twenty nine South-East of Thorn thirty to the North from Sendomir thirty three West of Gnesna and forty to the North-East from Cracow and Posnan Wisna a Town in a Plain near the River Narew with a Castle upon an adjoining Hill Wissegrod a Wooden Town built in a Plain near the Vistula with a considerable Castle It lies about twelve Miles from Warsaw Ciekanow about the same distance from Warsaw being a Town built in a Plain likewise with a Castle among the Marshes Lombze a large City upon the navigable River Narew consisting of fair Buildings and about twenty Miles from Warsaw Rozan a Town built in a Plain near the River Narew Liw a Timber-built Town with a Castle founded on the Banks of the River Liwijecz Pultovia famous for being the Residence of the Bishop of Plosko It is a Town built with Brick with a good Castle and some other tolerable Edifices Czerniensk a large Wooden Town built on the Vistula Akroczim a Wooden Town likewise seated on the Vistula with a Castle It is about eight Miles from Warsaw Varka a large Town built in a Plain near the River Pilza and about eight Miles from Warsaw another way Blonye a Town about four Miles from Warsaw Pultowsko a Wall'd Town with a Castle situate on the River Narew Tarcin a Timber-built Town about five Miles from Warsaw Grodzyec about seven Miles from Warsaw and two from Tarcin Prasniz a large Town intermix'd with a great many fair Stone Edifices The Senators of this Palatinate are The Palatine of Masovia The Castellans of Cyrna Warsaw Wisna Wissegrod Zakrow Ciekanow and Liw The Arms or Standard of this Palatinate are an Eagle expanded Argent in a Field
considerable an Army and that chiefly of Horse as any Christian Prince He has ever had a great Reputation with the Eastern Princes and considering their History I find as remarkable Transactions and Exploits in the Lives of the Kings of Poland as in any other History whatever I must confess the Poles have not been such refin'd Politicians nor so prudently manag'd their own Interest as some of their Neighbours have done for by their ill Conduct and supine Negligence they have lost the best Part of their Antient Dominions which yet has hapned to them neither on account of their Deficiency in Courage or Bravery but at present the Poles beginning to enquire into the State of Foreign Countries and into their Maxims of Government they are become more Vigilant and Political and are likely under the Command of their present King as well to retrieve their Honour as recover their lost Dominions I would my Lord have presented you with a great many other entertaining Matters relating to the Geography and Natural History of this Country had I either seen them my self or been secure of the Relation of others but I would rather chuse to be deficient in this Account than to give your Lordship just reason to believe that I were too credulous I am My LORD Your Lordship 's most obedient humble Servant B. C. LETTER VI. To GEORGE STEPNEY Esq late Envoy Extraordinary from his Majesty to the Electors and Princes of the Empire Of the Origin and Extent of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania with the Succession of its Great Dukes and Description of its chief Towns and Provinces SIR THE Zeal you have shew'd for his Majesty's Service in your Ministry at the Courts of the Empire and the Reputation I found you left behind you in those Places to the Honour of so great a Master deserve not only the repeated Proofs of his usual Bounty and the Choice he wisely made of you a second time to represent his Royal Person but likewise the Esteem of all those that are acquainted with your Merits To pretend to inform you of the Constitution of any State in Europe would not be only the calling in question your Experience in Foreign Affairs and your undoubted Knowledg in Politicks but likewise exposing my own Judgment to the just Censure of the World Wherefore Sir thinking by our late Discourse about Poland that nothing could be new to you but what was either very remote or very antient I will endeavour only to give what I know of the Origin and Extent of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania which is that vast Tract of Land that lies between the Kingdom of Poland and the Frontiers of Moscovy The Great Dutchy of LITHUANIA call'd by the Inhabitants Litwa tho subject to the King of Poland as Scotland to the King of England yet is a distinct Nation from this Kingdom having different Customs a different Dialect and particular Privileges tho one Diet serves them both It lies between Moscovy on the East Livonia the Baltic Sea and part of Moscovy to the North Samogitia Prussia and Podlachia to the West and Russia Volhynia and Podolia towards the South It extends near ninety German Miles in length that is from the Borders of the Palatinate of Lublin to the Confines of Livonia and about eighty in breadth from the River Niemen to the Nieper In the time of its Great Duke Vitoldus it was of much larger Extent for then it reached from the Euxine Sea to almost all along the Baltic This Province is a flat and Champain Country formerly all over-run with Woods and of which a great Number still remain Yet what with the Industry of the Inhabitants and the Peace they have enjoy'd ever since Sigismund the First 's time it is now very fruitful and produces all sorts of Grain as likewise affords great quantities of Honey Pitch Tar and Timber with good store of Fish and Flesh Nevertheless the Air is generally unhealthy which occasions many places to be little inhabited and some quite Desert This great Dutchy was only begun to be united to Poland by Jagello in the Year 1386 for tho that Union was afterwards renew'd at Grodno in the Year 1413 yet Lithuania still retain'd its own proper Dukes till the Year 1501 when the great Duke Albert was chosen King of Poland by whose means this Country became absolutely under the Dominion of that Crown and which was afterwards confirm'd by a Diet held at Lublin in 1569 under the Reign of Sigismundus Augustus where it was agreed that Lithuania should enjoy its own peculiar Laws and Privileges and be constituted a part of the Polish Common-wealth insomuch that nothing of Importance was for the future to be transacted therein without the voluntary Concurrence of these States This Country consists of two Parts viz. 1. Lithuania properly so call'd and 2. Lithuanic or White Russia Both which are divided into several Palatinates and those again into Districts and all of them may be properly term'd Dutchies each having formerly had its peculiar Duke The Arms or Standard of Lithuania are Party per Pale Gules and Azure In the former a Horse in full career Argent with a Warrior insiding Proper brandishing a Sword over his head And in the second the Virgin Mary with our Saviour in her Arms surrounded by a Glory Before I proceed to a Topographical Description of this State I hope a short Account of the Origin of Lithuania with the Lives and most remarkable Actions of the several Dukes and Great Dukes of that Dutchy Samogitia c. may not be unacceptable which are as follows Lithuania as Guagnini thinks took its Name from this Occasion When the first Prince thereof Palaemon left Italy on account of Nero's Tyranny he together with several of his Countrymen fled by a long Voyage into these Parts Where after some time having been saluted Prince by the Inhabitants thereof he call'd their Country after the Name of his own La Italia which in process of time by mixing with the Idiom of those Barbarians might as he says have degenerated into Lithuania Others will have it to be so nam'd from the Latin word Littus a Shoar because say they this Prince settled along the Shoar of the Baltic Sea before he descended into Lithuania To confirm this Prince's Expedition into this Country there are several Italian and Latin words intermixt with its present Language As likewise most of the Noble Families have great similitude with the Roman Names tho the Vulgar sort are altogether Sclavonian Notwithstanding this Assertion Hartknoch with several others positively affirm that this Country had its Name from Littuo one of the Alani a certain Duke therefore long before Palaemon's Voyage So that from Littuo Alanus they call'd his Country Littualania which afterwards was contracted to Lithuania Palaemon first Duke of Lithuania being descended from the Roman Patricii after having undergon great Dangers and
effected many glorious Enterprizes died peaceably leaving three Nephews Borcus Cunossus and Spera all which separately succeeded him in his Dominions Borcus took for his Share part of Samogitia where he built a Castle on the River Juria a Branch of the Niemen and call'd it after his own Name and that of the River whereon it stood Jurburg which continues even at this day Cunossus extending his Dominion a different way built Kunossow another Castle calling it after his own Name and which remains to this day Spera likewise built a Castle near the River Swenta where he began his Reign At length Borcus and Spera dying Cunossus seiz'd on both their Dominions but soon after di'd also and left two Sons Kyernus and Gybutus whereof Kyernus settled in Lithuania and built the Castle Kyernow which he made the Place of his Residence and Gybutus resided in Samogitia which he likewise govern'd Both these Brother 's joining together made huge Devastations in Russia and carried away great Booty but upon their return home found Samogitia serv'd the like Sauce by the Livonians To revenge which they forthwith enter'd Livonia and burnt and plunder'd all that Country wherever they came Kyernus dying was succeeded in Lithuania by his Son Zivibundus and Gybutus in Samogitia by his Son Muntwil which last having reign'd but little dy'd and left his Son Vikint to succeed him in Samogitia but Zivibundus liv'd a great while after and prov'd no small Victor over the Russians and Tartars for being willing to shake off the Russian Yoke he sent his Brother Wikinti Erdzivil to invade that Country who so far succeeded as to take the City and Castle of Novogrodec and to fix the Seat of a Dutchy there And after proceeding further he built the strong Castle of Grodno on the River Niemen Then he descended into Podlachia where he took several Towns and soon reduced all that Province Afterwards he conquer'd Kurdassus Prince of the Tartars at a Town call'd Mozera near the River Okuniowka This Erdzivil after many Heroick Actions and succeeding his Brother Zivibundus di'd and left two Sons Mingailus and Algimuntus and divided his Dominions between them Algimuntus chose for his part Samogitia and Mingailus rul'd over Lithuania and Polocz which last Country he took from the Russians and likewise extended his Dominion over all the Dutchy of Novogrodec This Duke died and left two Sons Skirmunt and Ginvil Skirmunt having perform'd his Father's Obsequies enter'd upon the Government of Lithuania with the Dutchy of Novogrodec And Ginvil by natural Right seiz'd upon Polocz which having govern'd for some time he died and left to his Son Boris who rul'd a great while in Polocz and built a famous Church there with Brick calling it Sancta Sophia He likewise founded several other famous Edisâ—â—ces with the Town and Castle of Borissow upon the River Beresina To him succeeded his Son Basilius Rechwold who liv'd to a great Age and left behind him a Son called Hlebus and a Daughter nam'd Poroskavia Hlebus surviv'd his Father but a little while and Poroskavia wholly devoted her self to the Greek Religion but afterwards went to Rome where she died and was Canonized for a Saint Now to return to the Dukes of Lithuania Skirmunt obtain'd great Conquests over the Tartars and Russians and dying left his Uncle Kukovoitus to succeed him in Lithuania and Samogitia who having govern'd a good while died and left his Dominions to his Son-in-Law Giedrussus who had marri'd his Daughter Poiata This Duke dying left for his Successor his Son Ringolt who having perform'd his Father's Funeral-Rites after the Pagan manner enter'd upon the Government of Lithuania and Samogitia Against this Duke the Russians join'd â—â—y the Tartars march'd with great fury to reduce him to pay Tribute but he timely opposing them with equal Force gave them a signal Overthrow near Mohilna on the River Niemen At length this Ringolt famous likewise for several other Victories died and left his Dominions to his Son Mindog or Mendog in the Year 1240 who had various Conflicts with the Dukes of Smolensko and Volhynia both which at last he totally subdu'd He likewise fought several Battels with Boleslaus the Chast King of Poland and Daniel Emperor of Moscovy in most of which the Christians were worsted with great slaughter He frequently made Incursions into Masovia Dobrina Cujavia c. and return'd with great Booty He also had bloody Wars with the Teutonic Knights of Prussia and Livonia But at length in the Year 1252 being over-perswaded by the then Great Master Henricus de Zalcza he gave up all his Dominions to that Order in acknowledgment of several Honours and Services done him and moreover consented to turn Christian and afterwards sent to Rome to pay his Devoir to that See Whereupon Innocent IV. deputed his Brother Heinderic to consecrate him King But whether it were that Mindog repented the loss of his Dominions or for any other Cause it is certain that he refus'd to receive this Nuncio and the very same Year together with all his Country returned to their former Idolatry Nevertheless the Teutonic Knights suffer'd him to continue King and under him in conjunction with the Lithuanians Samogitians c. invaded Masovia and made great Havock of that Country But afterwards Mendog being unmindful any farther of the Civility of those Knights turn'd his Arms against their Country destroying most of their Cities and returning with great Spoils Next Mendog having gathered together a great Army and being likewise assisted by Swarno Duke of Russia marched against Semovitus Duke of Masovia whom together with his Son Conrade he surpriz'd in his Palace of Jasdow where Swarno struck off Semovitus his Head with his own hand but Conrade was preserv'd by Mendog and afterwards ransom'd by his Countrymen Soon after this the Lithuanians and Russians having made great Devastations in Masovia retir'd with the Spoils and Captives into their several Countries The next Year the same People not being content with their former Irruptions march'd again into Masovia but scarce finding any thing left to prey upon by reason of their last Year's Work they only burnt and plunder'd a House belonging to the Arch-bishop of Gnesna and so return'd home At length Heaven thought fit to favour the Polish Christians by taking away King Mindog who was murder'd by his Nephew Stroinat and his Son-in-Law Dowmant in the Year 1263. Stroinat begun his Reign in the Year 1263 by the murder of his Brother Towcivil Duke of Polocz but not long afterwards Woisalk Son of Mendog tho then a Russian Monk being mindful of his Father's Death depriv'd him also of Life and immediately seiz'd on his Dominions Woisalk took upon him only the Title of Duke and began his Government with frequent Irruptions into Poland Mascovia and Prussia But in the Year
Countries has been always â—â—o improve my self in what related pecuâ—â—iarly to the Practice of Physick and to Natural Knowledg yet for my own Satisfaction and Curiosity I was desirous to be inâ—â—ormed further both from the Natives themselves and their Historians of the true State and Origin of this vast Kingdom I found that Poland has met with the same Fate with most other Countries that is to be little known from its Minority For when this Monarchy was first founded by Lechus there were no Learned Men to hand down to Posterity by their Writings the true State thereof from â—â—ts Infancy but what small Account there is extant of it was written some Ages after Wherefore not having besides been a twelve-month in that Kingdom I cannot presume to give that satisfaction which perhaps your Lordship might otherwise expect from the discourse I lately had with you yet I can securely assert that the following Relation of the Origin of that Country is drawn out of its most authentick Historians POLAND by the Romans call'd Sarâ—â—natia Europaea came to be a distinct Nation and to be govern'd by Elective Princes much about the Middle of the Sixth Century sometime after that the Goths and Vandals had ravag'd the South parts of Europe and abandon'd their own bleak Northern Habitations to establish themselves in warmer Regions Italy France Spain and Africk which gave occasion to the Sclavonians as Sabellicus Thuanus and other Authors have it to quit the Cimmerian Bosphorus or Straits of Caffa Great Sarmatia and Great Russia or Moscovy to inhabit those desolate Countries Afterwards this People dividing themselves into two considerable Bodies one pass'd the Danube and settled in Dalmatia Istria Bosnia Carynthia Bulgaria as far as Greece and in some part of Germany while the other under the Conduct of three Brothers Lechus Cechus and Russus turn'd towards the North to possess themselves of those Provinces which the Goths and Vandals had forsaken These Brothers are said to have built Bremen in Germany so naming it from a Sclavonian Word signifying a Burden because they had there as one may say laid down their Burden and were in great measure freed from their former Miseries These Princes likewise divided their Followers into three Parties whereof one commanded by Cechus settled in that Kingdom which lies between Poland and Germany now call'd Bohemia the other headed by Lechus fix'd in the lower part of Great Sarmatia a Flat and Champain Country whence the Natives have since call'd it Polska from the Sclavonian word Pole which either signifies Plainness or Hunting and the Germans Poland or Even-Ground Hartknoch is of Opinion that Poland was an antient Name of Sarmatia in the time of Ptolomey before the Poles inhabited this Champain Country which it might have taken from the Bulani or Bolani that are said to have settled near the Vistula and to have come from Sarmatia The third Brother Russus establish'd himself in that Province of Poland which is now call'd from his Name Russia Not only the Testimony of Authentick Writers but also our own Reason will convince us that all these Nations have originally been the same which may appear by their Languages being but as so many Dialects of one Mother-Tongue the Sclavonian which is now spoke in more Countries than any Language of Europe Here Lechus had no great need of Force to establish himself he met with but little resistance all this Country having been left desolate for some time before by the Vandals Only Regulus a German Prince is said to have oppos d him at first and to have challeng'd him but was soon vanquish'd by him in a Duel whereby he became Master of Pomerania which was then Regulus his Country In these days there were no Cities in Poland no Money was yet known nor any Laws writ such as they had being only pronounc'd by their Princes Mouths and handed down by Tradition to the People Princes were then rather Fathers of Families than Lords and Masters and their Revenue consisted only in a moderate Imposition on their Subjects Labour Lechus my Lord settled in that great Province which joins the State of Brandenburg since call'd Posnania where he built the first City naming it Gnesna from the Sclavonian word Gniazdo which in that Language signifies a Nest and this because that where it was building a Tree was cut down which had an Eagle's Nest on the Top of it which Lechus taking for a good Omen not only call'd his City Gnesna and made it the Metropolis of his Kingdom but also order'd that the Arms of Poland should for ever after be a Spread-Eagle which has so continu'd even down to this day He likewise built another City in a Wood eight Miles from the former which he nam'd Posnania by the present Inhabitants call'd Posnan signifying in the Polish Tongue Knowledg because he there met and knew his Brother Cechus Prince of Bohemia after above twenty years absence This City gave occasion for naming the Province Posnania In Memory of Lechus to this day the Poles stile their Country in their Poems Lechia and Mr. Mountague North who liv'd for sometime at Constantinople has lately told me that the Turks call a Polander in their Language Lech making the Poles likewise derive their Name from their Founder Tho my Lord this Lechus brought that People under a kind of Monarchical Government yet neither he nor any of his Successors could ever so far prevail upon them as to make the Succession Hereditary they having continued Elective for above Eleven hundred years always reserving a full Power and Authority to themselves of choosing whom they pleas'd for their King Nevertheless it is to be observ'd that they have still hitherto elected one of the Royal Family where the deceas'd King had any Issue left except in this present Election which is like to go otherwise I find by their Chronicles that not so much as a Daughter has been excluded when there has been no Son However they always thought fit to acquaint 'em at the time of their Election that they were not to attribute their Accession to the Throne to any Right contracted from their Parents but were altogether oblig'd to the Senate and Gentry for putting that Scepter into their hands Hereby they intimated how much their Kings were indebted to 'em and what Necessity they lay under to behave themselves well towards a People that were pleas'd to raise 'em to a Supreme Dignity which they had no better Claim to than the meanest Gentleman in the Kingdom They acquainted them likewise that they thought themselves no longer oblig'd to pay them Obedience than that they kept to their Oaths And moreover they always reserv'd to themselves a Right of deposing them whenever they violated their Laws This Maxim has hitherto prov'd very beneficial to the Poles for enlarging their Country and maintaining their Privileges and might well have
extended their Dominions beyond those of any State in Europe had their other Constitutions been as well grounded or as exactly observed For tho the Poles have been constantly molested by their Neighbours the Suedes Moscovites Tartars Turks Hungarians and Germans and their Kingdom been several times reduc'd to Extremities burnt and plunder'd by frequent Incursions put into Convulsions and Desolations and thousands of their People been carry'd away into Captivity yet by the prudent Conduct and Courage of their Kings through a desire of gaining the Affection of their Subjects by serving their Country zealously to the end their Fame and Merits might raise their Children to the Throne after their deaths the Poles have not only always oppos'd but likewise repuls'd the exorbitant Force of their Enemies They have also by degrees enlarg'd their Country by vast Conquests and render'd it several times the most formidable of any Kingdom in Europe They have likewise never submitted to any Foreign Power no not even to the Romans by force They have also hitherto inviolably maintain'd their Liberties Properties and peculiar manner of Government against all the Attempts both of their Enemies abroad or the Cabals form'd either by themselves or their Kings at home and I believe I may say to their great Commendation that they are the only Nation in the World who have kept the longest Succession of Kings without subjecting themselves either to a Despotic or Hereditary Monarchy their Princes being now as most are thought to have been at first wholly elected by the People Tho My Lord I have said the Poles have never excluded their Kings Children yet must it be understood that their Crown has not always been in the same Family by reason that from time to time the Royal Line has fail'd and therefore they have consequently been oblig'd to elect Princes out of other Families but still I may very well affirm that there has never been any Stranger chosen except in the present Election where the preceding King had any Issue surviving The Princes and Princesses of this Kingdom have in all been fifty two whereof were Women as Venda and Hedwigis both having had the Government for some time and the other forty eight were Men. At first these Princes were only stil'd Duces Dukes or Generals of Poland as if their Office in those times had been no other than to head Armies for 't is to be observ'd that to Boleslaus Chrobry they were not so much as crown'd This Title continu'd from the Year 550 to the Year 1005. when the Emperour Otho III. created Boleslaus I. the Sixteenth Duke of Poland King being the second Christian Prince that had govern'd that Country all before him and Miecislaus I. his Father having been Pagans as were likewise the Poles themselves till the tenth Century when this Miecislaus the fifteenth Duke of Poland turn'd Christian in the Year 964 in Pope John the XIIIth's time by which means his Son Boleslaus came to have the Title of King All the Princes of Poland may be divided into four Classes whereof the first and last are of different Families the second and third of but one in which the Crown passes from the Father to the Daughter The first Class reign'd from the Year 550 to the Year 830 The second from 830 to 1382 The third from 1382 to 1574 and the last from thence down to our Time I shall now proceed to give your Lordship some short Account of the Succession and most Remarkable Actions of the first Class of the Dukes of Poland from the Year 550 to the Year 830. LECHUS Son of Annon first Duke of Poland as I said before founded this Nation He built the first City there naming it Gnesna now the Primate's See as likewise the City of Posnan Capital of Posnania 'T is uncertain how many govern'd before his Race came to be extinct and there is great Contest among the Polish Historians about his Successor but some affirm that he order'd by his last Will like Alexander the Great that they should elect the most worthy Person among them VISIMIRUS his Nephew was thereupon chosen who is reported to have extended his Dominions even to the very Borders of Denmark and to have built a very great Ship which was an exceeding Terror to the Danes He is also said to have given that Nation a great Overthrow by Sea and to have pursued his Victory into the very Bowels of that Kingdom where he subdued many Provinces and built several Cities whereof one was Wismar which retains his Name to this day In one Battel this Visimirus is said to have taken the Danish King Prisoner and to have carried him into Poland whence afterwards being releas'd and conspiring together with the Swedes and Holsatians he made an Incursion into Poland with a numerous Army but was soon met and vanquish'd again by Wisimir who thereupon push'd on his Victory so far as to reduce the greatest part of Denmark which he then united to Poland In opposition to this Story Monsicur Pauli Minister here from Denmark has assured me that the Poles never made any Conquest in that Country which may give some Exception to the truth of this King's Reign tho it may very well be suppos'd that several Kings reign'd during the space of 150 Years there being so much time between the beginning of Lechus his Reign and the Election of Cracus However to gratify the Curiosity of the Publick I hope I have not done amiss to insert it since I withal quote my Author After many glorious Actions having greatly augmented his Dominions this Wisimir died without Issue Vapovius says that Lechus his Posterity reign'd all that space of time between him and Cracus being 150 Years yet having consulted all their Historians I can find no manner of Account given of their Reigâ—â— nor of the Government of Poland in all that space of time Lechus his Issue being extinct 't is certain the People elected twelve Woievods in the Polish Language Captains of War to govern 'em who divided that Country into twelve parts for the Poles sticking close to their Liberty would then by no means put the Government into one Man's hands But soon after these Palatins disagreeing among themselves the People chose one CRACUS for their Head a very Rich and Popular Person reported to have been of the Race of the Gracchi at Rome who were banish'd into this Country by King Ancus Who this Cracus was all Historians do not agree The Polish Writers say he was one of the twelve Woievods but the Bohemians affirm he was a Prince of their Country He gain'd extremely upon the good Will of his Subjects for he soon appeas'd the impending Storms of a Civil War built a City on the River Vistula calling it after his own Name Cracow and transfer'd his Residence from Gnesna thither which is the reason that this City has ever since
been the Metrâ—â—polis of Poland in which all the Kings by the Constitution are to be crown'd tho they are to live at Warsaw There goes a frivolous Story of a monstrous Dragon that rag'd in those days near this City who with his poisonous Breath kill'd all that came near him and likewise sometimes sally'd abroad to the Destruction of thousands to prevent which they were wont to throw him every day three Oxen which at length almost causing a Famine Duke Cracus made use of a Stratagem to destroy him which was this He order'd an Ox's Hide to be stuff'd full of Sulphur Nitre Pitch and the like and to be cast to the Monster who taking it for no other than his daily Offering greedily devour'd it but quickly found himself enflam'd with so great a Drought that he soon after burst with drinking in the River Vistula After this Duke's Death he was â—â—uried by his own Orders on a little Hill in sight of the Town and this to put the Citizens in mind of their Founder He left three Children Cracus Lechus and Venda whereof LECHUS II. to obtain the Principality murder'd his elder Brother Cracus in a Wood which being soon detected he was banish'd the Country and died in Exile VENDA a Virgin which shews the Affection the Poles have always had for the Royal Family succeeded him She was a very beautiful Princess and amongst several others was courted by one Ritiger a German Prince who not proving much in her Favour came with an Army to force her to marry him but was bravely oppos'd and vanquish'd by her as the Polish Historians will have it tho the German affirm the contrary and say she drown'd her self upon his pursuing her close which the others pretend was occasion'd by her hearing Ritiger was a handsome Man and had kill'd himself in a rage With this Princess Cracus his Family being extinct the Poles chose a second time twelve Woievods who falling out as before among themselves and the Hungarians and Moravians invading their Country they thought fit to elect one Premislus a Goldsmith for their Duke afterwards call'd LESCUS I. The reason of whose being chosen was a Stratagem he had contriv'd that sav'd the Poles when they were in Distress The manner of which was as follows They being in the Field against the Hungarians and Moravians and finding themselves much inferior in number to their Enemies this Goldsmith contriv'd a way to make 'em seem more numerous and at the same time to gain 'em a compleat Victory to effect which he got a certain number of Helmets made of the Bark of Trees which he dawb'd over with Quicksilver and Gall and by Night hung 'em in order of an Army on small Boughs at the side of a Wood which the Enemy next Morning perceiving by Reflection of the Sun upon 'em believing it to be the Polish Army march'd directly towards 'em when the Poles who were behind the Trees removing the Helmets the Enemy thought they had retreated for fear whereupon hotly pursuing 'em into the very heart of the Wood the Poles who lay in Ambush surrounded and cut 'em all to pieces He govern'd the Poles in Peace and Quietness for a good while none during his Reign daring to molest that Country How long he reign'd and where and of what Distemper he died is uncertain This Duke leaving no Issue a Horse-race was instituted wherein the Victor was to succeed in the Government Hereupon a Stone Pillar was rais'd before Cracow on which were â—â—aid the Crown Scepter Globe and other Regalia and at the same time a Herald proclaim'd the Throne to him that got first from the River Pardnic to the Goal Upon which several Candidates appearing one Lescus thinking himself wiser than the rest laid Iron Spikes in the Road where the Race was to be run by which the others Horses being â—â—am'd he came first to the Pillar but this Fraud being soon detected instead of being chosen he was torn to pieces on the spot and LESCUS II. a poor Country Fellow whom the Poles look'd upon to be destin'd for their Prince was elected in the Year 776 who while the others Horses were hamper'd by the way running the Race on foot for want of a Horse tho rather to shew his Swiftness than out of any thoughts of the Crown got next the Impostor to the Goal This Duke in Commemoration of his former Condition would once a Year solemnly â—â—ay by his Robes and put on his Country Clothes which he preserv'd whilst he liv'd for that purpose and which induc'd all the Courtiers to be as meanly clothed at the same time They write that he was kill'd in the Wars against Charles the Great LESCUS III. his Son succeeded him being chosen in the Year 804. He soon forc'd the aforesaid Emperor to a Peace but when he died I find no mention made He is said to have had above twenty natural Sons POPIEL his Son succeeded him in the Year 810. This Prince had none of the good Qualities either of his Father or Grandfather his greatest care being to make much of himself without any regard to the Publick He thought Cracow too much expos'd to the Incursions of the Hungarians and Russians and therefore for security of his Person withdrew into the Heart of the Country first to Gnesna and afterwards to Cruswitz where he soon after died suddenly His common Execration was wont to be that he might be devour'd by Rats which tho it happened not to him yet his Son Popiel perish'd by that Fate POPIEL II. Son to the former was elected next in the Year 815 and reign'd to 830 who being a loose and profligate Prince was more universally hated than his Father which his Wife perceiving as likewise that his Father's Brothers were more belov'd contriv'd a way to poison them thereby the better to secure the Succession to her Children Hereupon by her Stratagem Popiel feigns a dangerous Sickness and invites his Uncles to visit him which they speedily obeying he caus'd 'em to come to his Bed-side where taking 'em by the Hands as if just going to leave e World he recommends to 'em a Cup to ink which they little suspecting any Poison urteously accepted and drank off when king leave of their Nephew a little while ter they fell into excessive Pains and soon ed. Upon which this barbarous Duke by e instigation of his Wife gave out that it as a Judgment from the Gods upon 'em for â—â—e treacherous Designs they had form'd aâ—â—inst him and his Children and therefore â—â—dered their Bodies to lie unburied for a conâ—â—erable time the better to take away all spicion of his Crime Hereupon no body â—â—er so much as suspected either Popiel or â—â—s Wife of their Deaths till at length Dine Justice discover'd and punish'd the Offeners after an extraordinary manner For
by his Wife Repicha a â—â—rave and warlike Prince This Duke had considerable Advantages by having the Administration of the Government long before his Father's Death who for some time was superâ—â—nnuated He obtain'd great Conquests over the Hungarians Moravians and Germans and was the first that brought the Polish Army to a Discipline by instituting Generals Colonels Captains and other Subaltern Officers among them He regain'd what the Popiels â—â—ost and besides considerably enlarg'd his Dominions by new Conquests He was a Person of a boundless Resolution seem'd destin'd for War being able to undergo the greatest Fatigues and consequently was exceedingly admir'd and belov'd by his Subjects He dy'd at Gnesna was buried there and was succeeded by his Son LESCUS IV. who being elected young was under the Care of Governours for some time He was of a quiet and peaceable Disposition enclin'd rather to Peace than War and contented to preserve what his Father had left him without ever aiming to enlarge his Dominions He dy'd in the Year 913 and was succeeded by his Son ZIEMOVISTUS who reigned 51 Years This Prince was much of the same Temper with his Father there having been no Wars in his time He had but one Son â—â—ecislaus I. who being born blind was miracuâ—â—ously restor'd to his sight about the Age of seven Years when he was about to have his Head shaven according to the Pagan Custom which gave occasion to the Magi of that Kingdom to prognosticate that he should be the Light of Poland which not long after his Election came to pass Ziemovistus dy'd and was buried at Gnesna and his Son MIECISLAUS I. came to the Crown next He had seven Wives at a time yet could have no Children by them which opened a way for the Christian Faith to enter Poland for there being then several Christians wandring up and down that Country to convert those Pagans they came to this Duke and told him he could never have any Issue till he had turn'd Christian which Miecislaus hearkning to immediately put away all his Wives and married Dambrawca Daughter to Boleslaus Duke of Bohemia on condition to turn Christian and be baptized Whereupon Pope John XIII sent Cardinal Aegidius with a great number of Priests into Poland to preach the Gospel there which before had been altogether unknown in that Country This Duke erected the Arch-bishopricks of Gnesna and Cracow with several Bishopricks In the mean while Miecislaus had a Son call'd Boleslâ—â—us which mightily augmented his Zeal to oblige his Subjects to be converted for he caused a Law to be made that while any part of the Gospel was reading at Mass every Man should half draw his Scimiter to testify their forwardness to defend that Faith This Duke had Wars with Vlodimirus Duke of Russia to whom he lost Premislia and other Towns He sent Lambert Arch-bishop of Cracow to Rome to obtain leave of Pope Benedict VII for the Princes of Poland to be stil'd Kings but was refus'd this Pontiff not being yet dispos'd to grant that Favour He buried Dambrawca and afterwards married Judith Daughter of Jesse Prince of Hungary and was succeeded by his Son BOLESLAUS CHROBRY a vertuous Prince who was elected in the Year 999. and after some Years reign by Consent of the Pope was dignified with the Title of King by the Emperor Otho III. who also remitted the Pretensions his Predecessors had to Poland as being Emperors of the Romans and this in consideration of a kind Entertainment made him by Boleslaus in his Pilgrimage on account of his Health to the Tomb of St. Adalbert Bishop of Prague who was martyr'd by some Pagans to whom he offer'd to preach the Christian Faith Of these Barbarians Boleslaus bought his Body and caus'd it to be buried at Gnesna whither great numbers from all parts came to pay their Devotion at his Shrine The Emperor Otho also at the same time married his Niece Rixa to Boleslaus his young Son Miecislaus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom To confirm his being crown'd King by Otho the Emperor it would not be amiss to recite part of an old Epitaph written upon him Ob famam bonam tibi contulit Otto Coronam Propter Luctamen sit tibi salus Amen This King was surnamed Chrobry signifying in Polish Acute from the Quickness and Excellency of his Parts Boleslaus made Bohemia Moravia and Prussia tributary to Poland He also declar'd War against the Saxons who made Incursions into Pomerania which was then govern'd by Lescus III's Family He likewise instituted twelve Senators to assist him in the Government This King's Death was so sincerely regretted that for a Year's time there was no Mirth nor Splendor in Poland This Prince was of an undaunted Spirit tho withal modest courteous and endearing Both Boleslaus and his Father lie buried in the middle of the Cathedral Church of Posnan whose Tombs I have there seen His Son MIECISLAUS II. being about 35 Years old was elected next being crown'd by Hypolitus Arch-bishop of Gnesna He degenerated in all respects from his Father and lost most of those Conquests which he had added to the Crown To him the Bohemians and â—â—avians refus'd to pay Tribute yet he â—â—ued Pomerania which belong'd of right he Polish Crown He was a Person very â—â—y and stupid and chose rather to be â—â—ed by his Queen and Companions than Council which made him soon slighted and â—â—is'd both by his Friends and Enemies Yet reign'd almost nine Years and liv'd forty 〈◊〉 'T is said he died mad and left but Son CASIMIR I. who being elected young his â—â—ther Rixa officiated the Regency during Minority This King was not chosen withâ—â— much difficulty for many of the Electors â—â—ing he might follow his Father's steps viâ—â—ously oppos'd him at first Also the Poles â—â—re dissatisfied with his Mother's Admiâ—â—ration for several Reasons among which 〈◊〉 was her robbing the Treasury and afterâ—â—rds flying with her Son to her Brother â—â—sar in Saxony This young Prince being sent afterwards his Mother to study at Paris became a Bedictin Monk at the Abby of â—â—luncy in France the mean time the Poles having no body to â—â—eside in their Government had great Disâ—â—sions among them and therefore earnestâ—â— entreated the Pope to dispense with Casiâ—â—r's Vow that he might return to his Throne â—â—hich they at length obtain'd upon Agreeent that for each Head except those of the obility and Clergy they would contribute early a farthing to maintain a Lamp perpetually burning in St. Peter's Church at Râ—â— and moreover for ever after cause their Hâ—â— to be shav'd about their Ears like Moâ—â— which is practis'd to this day as likeâ—â— stand in a white Surplice while Mass was â—â—ciating on all Holidays upon these Conditâ—â— they had their King again but when he â—â— crown'd I
Woievod of Cracovia to whom the King after the Fight sent a Hare-Skin and Spinning-wheel for Recompence Nevertheless this one Defeat stuck so close to him that he soon after died leaving four Sons among whom he divided his Kingdom This King perform'd a great many more memorable Actions which my Lord because they might be too tedious to insert here I have omitted He was of an undaunted Spirit a great despiser of Danger and no less an observer of Truth and Right very liberal and generous upon the smallest Occasions and moreover endued with singular Clemency and Modesty He was further very ambitious of Glory but at the same time no Enemy to Peace tho he is said to have been train'd up to War from his very Cradle To ULADISLAUS surnam'd the Driveler his eldest Son he left the Supreme Power which was confirm'd and he elected in the Year 1140 but reign'd only six Years and to the other three he gave only some separate Provinces which afterwards was the occasion of great Disorders in Poland for the elder Brother Vladislaus pretending to dispossess the other three turn'd his Brother Boleslaus out of the Palatinates of Ploskow and Masovia and his Brother Henry out of the Province of Sendomir who both retir'd to their third Brother that govern'd Posnania Vladislaus had always with him a Nobleman call d Peter Dunin whom taking out one day to hunt they happen'd to be so late abroad that they were oblig'd to lie all Night in a Wood where for Diversion the King began to joke with his Companion after this manner Dunin quoth he I. believe your Wife lies more at ease to Night with the Abbot Scrinnen than we do To which Dunin forgetting himself tartly reply'd And it may be your Majesty's does the same with Dobessus Who it seems was a handsom Fellow about Court that his Queen Christina lov'd This Answer so nettled the King that he afterwards employ'd the same Dobessus to be reveng'd on Dunin which he effected by pulling out his Tongue and Eyes Hereupon the People perceiving how cruelly Vladislaus persecuted his own Brothers and at the same time how ill he treated his Subjects began to be daily more and more disaffected to him whereby his Brothers Party greatly encreasing he was beaten by them as he was going to besiege Posnan Wherefore discovering new Factions hourly appearing against him and fearing some ill Fate from a universal Hatred he timely withdrew into Germany to the Emperor Conrade III. Cousin German to his Queen Christina who several times endeavour'd to restore him but all in vain for his Brother Boleslaus Crispus having got possession of the Crown Vladislaus was forc'd to compound for Silesia only which afterwards fell to the Principality of Bohemia and has ever since been out of the possession of the Poles This Prince lies buried at Attenburg a City of Germany in Alsace Vladislaus with his Son having abdicated the Crown of Poland his second Brother BOLESLAUS CRISPUS or the Frizled was elected in the Year 1146 and reign'd to the Year 1175 yet the Emperor Conrade did what he could to restore Vladislaus To effect which he first sent Embassadors into Poland but to no purpose Then he resolv'd to make War with the Poles but defer'd it till his Expedition against Asia was over to facilitate which he had obtain'd leave to pass through Boleslaus his Dominions to the Euxine Sea But at his return being constantly solicited by Vladislaus and his Queen he march'd with a powerful Army against Poland yet what with Delays Stratagems and Ambuscades he was so fatigu'd by the Poles that he could do nothing till at last he was call'd home to appease some Intestine Broils in his own Dominions which having effected he soon after died His Successor Frederic Barberossa also espous'd Vladislaus his Cause but not being able to do any thing in his Favour by Embassadors he march'd with a numerous Army against the Poles which they likewise harass'd and wearied out till they had oblig'd that Emperor to strike up a Peace with 'em he being in War at the same time against Milan by which it was agreed that Boleslaus should remit Silesia to Vladislaus whose Posterity afterwards divided it into several Dutchies till at last it came to the Empire This great Province my Lord as I observ'd in my Journy through it is one of the most fertile and plentiful Countries in all Germany Boleslaus began another War against the Prussians for refusing to pay him Tribute and forc'd them to this Compliance that they should submit in case he left 'em to their Religion but otherwise they boldly declar'd that they would rather die than become Christians again Whereupon Boleslaus was forc'd to grant them Liberty of Conscience yet they soon revolted and by a Stratagem entirely routed the Polish Army and kill'd his Brother Henry This King died not long after and was buried at Cracow MIECISLAUS surnam'd the Old Brother to Boleslaus succeeded him being elected in the Year 1174 and reign'd only to 1178. He was call'd the Old from his great Sagacity and Prudence in his Youth His Covetousness induc'd him to hoard up great Sums of Money by oppressing the Gentry and People with unreasonable Taxes and selling all Employments tho against the Constitutions of the Kingdom This extreme Avarice brought him to be generally hated by the Clergy Nobility and People whereupon Gedeon Bishop of Cracow endeavour'd several times to encline him to pity his Subjects and despise Money since he had no need of it but he would by no means hearken to his Advice wherefore this Bishop concerted together with the Gentry to dethrone him and remit the Crown to Casimir his Brother who more deserv'd it which they effectually did after some little Bloodshed Here we may observe that Covertousness is the greatest Vice that any Prince can be guilty of especially a King of Poland whose Subjects as your Lordship doubtless has observ'd are generally liberal even to Extravagance At first Casimir refus'd the Crown offer'd him alledging it was his Brother's Right and that such an Alteration might occasion Civil Wars which he by no means had any mind to be the Author of But when they unanimously declar'd they would have no other King and could never more obey Miecislaus CASIMIR II. consenting to accept of the Government was elected in the Year 1178 and reign'd to 1195. He was surnam'd the Just being altogether unlike his Brother as appears by the following Particular Being at play with a Gentleman of his nam'd Conarius whilst he was Prince of Sendomir and having won all his Adversary's Money the Gentleman in a Passion struck him over the Face and fled but next day being brought before him was adjudged by every body to have deserv'd Death for his Insolence Not at all replied the good Prince for being affected with his Loss and not
having it in his Power to revenge himself on Fortune it is no wonder if he fell foul of her Favourite and moreover rather blam'd himself for condescending to play with him and likewise thanked him for putting him in mind by that Blow how unworthy it was for a Prince to bestow his time so ill And lastly as a further Argument of his dissenting from his Brother's Principles he return'd the Courtier all his Money again Miecislaus being excluded retir'd with his Princess and Children to Ratisbon to the Emperor Frederic his Kinsman who yet could do him no good he being engag'd at that time in War both in Italy and Asia therefore his next Recourse was to his Brother's Clemency This so far wrought upon Casimir that he made a Speech to the Senate to recal him but was extremely blam'd by them for offering to prefer a private Kindness to the Publick Safety All this while Miecislaus was little sensible of his Brother 's good Nature tho he afterwards under-hand endeavour'd again to get him restor'd Casimir begun his Reign by easing his Subjects of the Taxes his Brother had impos'd upon 'em and restraining the Power of exorbitant Magistrates While he was absent in Russia on account of composing some Differences by instigation of Miecislaus some of the Nobles conspir'd against him and endeavour'd to re-instate Miecislaus which the better to bring about and satisfy the People they pretended that Casimir was poison'd in Russia Hereupon Miecislaus readily arrives in Poland and was receiv'd every where but in the Castle of Cracow which Bishop Fulco held out against him Of all this Casimir being soon inform'd by Assistance of the Russians overcame his Brother and gave both him and his Army their Lives which Goodness of his at length so wrought upon Miecislaus that he never after aim'd at the Crown After Casimir was well settled being not unmindful of the rebellious Prussians nor of the Death of his Brother Henry he march'd with so great fury against them that he had regard neither for Man Woman nor Child but put great numbers of all sorts to the Sword and burnt and plunder'd their Country to that degree that at last they quietly submitted to the absolute Dominion of Poland This King made a City of Dantzic in Prussia which before was only a poor Fisher-Town on the Baltic Sea He lies buried at Cracow having left two Sons Lescus and Conrade and one Daughter Adleida He liv'd to the Age of six and fifty Years After his Death the Poles elected his Son LESCUS V. surnamed the White in the Year 1195 who being very young had for Guardians his Mother Helena with the Bishop and Palatin of Cracovia In the mean time his Uncle Miecislaus being yet alive came with a powerful Army of Poles and Silesians to dethrone him and gain'd a bloody Battel over the Palatin of Cracovia who commanded Lescus his Army Hereupon he immediately dispatch'd Embassadors to Helena to represent to her his unquestionable Right to the Crown his Strength the Disorder among Lescus his Tutors who being too young was not able of himself to govern the great Advantages he had obtain'd in the late Battel and lastly his great Party in the Kingdom He moreover desires Helena to make him Guardian over her Son and promises to adopt him for his own to leave him the Succession after his Death and that he will do nothing but what shall be according to the Constiutions of the Kingdom All these Proffers having been throughly weighed by the Queen and Council At last Miecislaus was recall'd a second time in the Year 1199. after having taken a solemn Oath to perform all his Promises But being once reinthron'd he soon forgot his Oath and fell to consiscating several of his Subjects Estage and giving 'em to others saying That a King was no longer oblig'd to keep his Oath than when it was neither safe nor beneficial for him to breake it Hereupon the Palatin of Cracovia seizes on the City of Cracow and receives Lescus a second time whilst Miecislaus being then absent by all the Intrigues imaginable endeavour'd to be restor'd Whereupon he flatter'd the People perswading them that Lescus his Party had cast false Aspersions upon him and that if he did any thing contrary to his Oath he was meerly betray'd to it by the malicious Perswasions of his pretended Friends By these and such like fair words he Iulls asleep the credulous People and gains their Affections the third time Whereupon he sends to the Queen to inform her that Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia had been the Author of the late Disturbances and therefore wills her to remove him from Court and receive himself again which she pitying his unfortunate Case even in prejudice of her own Son was inclin'd to do and would therefore admit of no Justification from the Palatin Whereupon this Person being a Man of great Authority in the Kingdom goes and joins Miecislaus many follow his Example and in short the Queen was quickly forc'd to recal Miecislaus a third time in the Year 1202. When being reinthron'd he requited Queen Helena for her Services by seizing upon the Territory of Voslicia and three other Places in Sendomir which of right belonged to her and being about to do the same to several others he was prevented by a sudden Death in the seventy third Year of his Age leaving two Sons Otho and Vladislaus Lasconogus After Miecislaus his Death the greater part voted for Lescus V. that was still alive but Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia and the Bishop of Cracow his Brother would by no means consent to it unless Lescus would banish out of the Kingdom Gouoric Palatin of Sendomir of whom they were both very jealous Lescus answer'd He would not buy a Kingdom which by right was his own by doing an Injury to his Friend Hereupon by the Bishop and Palatin's Interest he was put by and ULADISLAUS LASCONOGUS that is Thin-foot elected in the Year 1203. But this good Prince considering Lescus his Right after three Years Reign voluntarily surrender'd to him when LESCUS was receiv'd the third time in the Year 1206 and reign'd to the Year 1226. Under his Reign the Poles heard first of the Tartars a barbarous Nation that came from the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus in Asia who made Irruptions into Taurica Chersonesus and the Frontiers of Podolia and Russia and have ever since been most inveterate Enemies to Poland Lescus had a Brother call'd Conrade to whom he gave the Provinces of Masovia and Cujavia and made one Suentopelus Governour of Pomerania whereof one was Author of Lescus's Death and the other of most blood Wars in Poland For this Suentopelus thinking to make himself absolute in Pomerania employed People to murder Lescus which they not long after effected accordingly when this good Prince was in a Bath Whereupon after
Son and the other nam'd Hedwigis he left to succeed him in the Kingdom of Poland This Prince was very curious to know what Opinion People had of him and was also exact in reforming the Faults they laid to his Charge For this purpose he was wont to disguise himself and enquire among the People how they lik'd their King and what they thought amiss in him and according to their Answers he redress'd the Grievances suggested to him My Lord I have hitherto given you a succinct Account of the Family of Piastus next I shall proceed to present your Lordship likewise with that of Jagello being still a Continuation of Piastus his Family in the Line of a Daughter Of the Family of Jagello When Lewis King of Poland and Hungary dy'd his Daughter Hedwigis being with her Mother the Queen Dowager in Hungary the Poles tho there were several Princes of the Race of Piastus left in Poland and Silesia yet either because they did not think them deserving or else by reason that they believ'd 'em engag'd in their Enemies Interests sent a solemn Embassy for the young Princess HEDWIGIS who soon came into Poland with Cardinal Demetrius the Bishop of Strigonia and several others of the chief Nobility of Hungary At her arrival the Poles receiv'd her with great Joy Splendor and Magnificence and the Arch-bishop of Gnesna Bozenta crown'd her after the usual Ceremonies at Cracow on the Feast of St. Hedwigis always religiously observ'd in Poland in the Year 1382 and she reign'd alone four Years This young Princess being not yet marry'd had several noble Suitors among which Ziemovitus Duke of Masovia was the first whom she refus'd the next was William of Austria who came in Person to court her Him she lik'd but the Senate of Poland would by no means consent to a Marriage with him having always had a Maxim which they never hitherto broke that they would by no means admit any of that Family to their Crown and this fearing so powerful a Neighbour might one time or other find means to make himself Absolute in their Country But at last Jagello great Duke of Lithuania had better Fortune for he soon obtain'd her by the great and advantagious Proffers he made the Poles He first promis'd to embrace the Christian Religion with all his Country who were before Fagans Next to unite Lithuania to Poland during his time under the same form of Government and lastly that in case his Male Race fail'd it should for ever after be annex'd to that Kingdom Hereupon Jagello was baptiz'd and takes upon him the Name of ULADISLAUS V. and after having consummated the Marriage with Hedwigis was consecrated by the Arch-bishop Bozenta in the Year 1386. and reign'd 48 Years Not long after his Coronation he went with Priests into Lithuania and in a twelve Month's time converted all that Nation but this not so much by their Preaching and Vigilance as by his own exemplary Zeal and Perswasion After this he erected the University of Cracow which Casimir the Great had only begun and sent to Prague in Bohemia for learned Men to instruct the Youth in all manner of Sciences which had never before been taught in this Country About this time Queen Hedwigis dy'd after having endow'd the University to encourage Learning This Prince had long Wars with the Teutonic Order which then very much insulted over the Frontiers of his Kingdom whereupon the Poles were not a little enclin'd to be reveng'd on this proud and powerful People Now Poland not being alone sufficient to withstand 'em Jagello made up a considerable Army of Poles Lithuanians Russians and Tartars with all which he march'd directly towards them who were got ready to receive him with a Body of about 140000 Men yet notwithstanding after a long and doubtful Fight the Poles happen'd to have the better and entirely routed the Teutonic Army killing their great Master Conrade of Thuningen with about 30000 Souldiers and near 15000 taken Prisoners This Victory the Poles pursued so far that they took most of the Towns in Prussia and doubtless had entirely destroy'd that Order had not the Emperor Sigismund ' come to their Relief who soon forc'd the Poles to make Peace with 'em and to restore all they had taken from ' em Afterwards Jagello had several other Conflicts with the Teutonic Order in all which he conquer'd He dy'd of a Fever in Russia after having reign'd forty eight Years and some Months and lies buried in the Cathedral at Cracow This King had had four Wives all which he caus'd to be crown'd and two Sons Vladislaus VI. and Casimir IV. Tho his Son ULADISLAUS the Sixth was but nine Years old when his Father dy'd yet after long Debates and great Opposition in the Diet he was elected at Briescia in the Year 1435 and reign'd ten Years He was so young when he was chosen that his Coronation Oath was fain to be dispens'd with his Mother Sophia and some of the Peers having promis'd he should take it when he came of Age. In the mean time the Senate were Regents during his Minority Some while after the Tartars made great Incursions into Podolia which then belong'd to Poland when having kill'd the Polish General Bucarius and the greatest part of his Army they retir'd with great Booty into their own Country After this by the Death of the Emperor Albert Hungary having no King to defend it against the Turks who threaten'd it on all sides sent Embassadors to Vladislaus to entreat him to come and be their King which after some Deliberation he accepted of and going into that Kingdom notwithstanding the Cabals and Party of the Empress Elizabeth who was left four Months gone with Child he was crown'd King of Hungary at Buda The Child the Empress went with was afterwards born and call'd Ladislaus but she dying not long after left King Vladislaus in Peace at least at home till the Turks oblig'd him to take Arms for his Defence abroad for Amurath Emperor of the Turks was not only then on his March to besiege Belgrade in Person but also commanded the Hungarians to pay him Tribute Hereupon Vladislaus was forc'd to declare War against him and under the Command of Huniades sent an Army made up of Poles and Hungarians to oppose him which coming upon him by Night surprized the Turkish Army near the River Morava in Hungary and made such a slaughter of 'em that 't is thought the Turks lost above 30000 Men that day After this happy Victory Vladislaus banish'd all those Infidels out of Hungary and pursu'd 'em to the very Frontiers of Macedon in Greece where he gain'd a second Battel over Carambeius General of the Troops of Asia took him Prisoner and drove his Army into Mountains and inaccessible Places The King was wounded in this Action Upon this occasion John Palcologus Emperor of
about 100000 Captives of which the greatest Part were Russians The Moldavians and Valachians quickly return'd home but the Turks out of covetousness of Plunder stay'd till the great Frosts and Snow surpriz'd 'em when not being us'd to such excessive Cold as this Country is subject to above 40000 of them were frozen to death Some among 'em that escap'd were forc'd to cut open their Horses bellies and thrust themselves into them to preserve their natural Heat After this John Albert made peace with the Valachians and Bajazet Emperour of the Turks Next he went in Person into Prussia to oblige Frederic Duke of Saxony then Great Master of the Teutonic Order to take Oath of Fidelity to him which he had for some time refus'd but dy'd suddenly at Thorn before he could effect his design Albert leaving no Children the Diet thought fit to elect his Brother ALEXANDER Great Duke of Lithuania the better to renew their Alliance with that Country This Prince being proclaim'd King comes to Cracow where by his Brother Frederic Cardinal and Archbishop of Gnesna he was crown'd in the Year 1501 and reign'd only five Years but the Archbishop refus'd to do the like Office for his Queen Helena because she was of the Greek Church being Daughter to John Great Duke of Muscovy which Country are all of that Persuasion Soon after that he was crown'd his Father-in-Law the Great Duke made War upon him and besieg'd the City of Smolensko Capital of a large Province of the same Name but Alexander coming in time to relieve it oblig'd the Muscovite to make Peace for six Years In his time also the Moldavians and Tartars made Irruptions into Poland but were beaten back with great Loss insomuch that 't is said there were kill'd only of the Tartars in that Action near 20000. The King was not in Person at this Victory he then lying sick at Vilna Capital of Lithuania where he dy'd soon after and was buried in that City He was of a middle Stature had a long Visage and black Hair was very strong built but exceeding dull-witted and consequently but a little Talker He exceeded all his Brothers in Generosity and was wont to delight much in Musicians and such trifling Artists Nevertheless this his Liberality was generally esteem'd but Prodigality insomuch that some were so hold as to say That he dy'd in time or else both Poland and Lithuania might have been lavish'd away To prevent the like pernicious Generosity for the future the Diet made a Law calling it Statutum Alexandrinum by which they revok'd all this King 's profuse Gifts Alexander leaving no Children and but two Brothers the Archbishop of Gnesna dying before him SIGISMUND was preferr'd to Vladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia either because the Gentry were more affected to him being bred among 'em or by reason they were afraid of Vladislaus's great Power He was elected at Petricovia in the Year 1507 and reign'd forty one Years When Sigismund left his Government of Lithuania to come into Poland he substituted one Glinski a great â—â—avourite of the late King 's in his room This Palatin having great Authority among the Lithuanians became so ambitious as to think of making himself Absolute which concealing for a good while at length he agreed with Basilius Great Duke of Muscovy to allow him his share of that Province in case he would afford him his Assistance which Proposal the Great Duke being pleas'd with readily consented to and with all Expedition dispatch'd away an Army to Glinski but as such great Designs are not to be carried on without great Noise and Suspicions Sigismund came soon to hear of this treacherous Enterprize whereupon drawing up all his Forces to oppose the intended Invasion he meets and defeats their Army ravages and destroys their Country and at last obliges them to sue for Peace which he not without some difficulty granted Afterwards the Valachians and Tartars making Incursions into Russia and Poland he forces them to return home with great Loss The Muscovites likewise making War upon him a second time and taking the City of Smolensko with all the Country about it he beat their Armies in several Engagements and having kill'd in all above 30000 of their Men retook Smolensko and made 'em accept of a Peace the second time for five Years He soon after married Buona Sforza Daughter to John Galeatio Duke of Milan Afterwards he made War with the Knights of the Teutonic Order the reason of which was because Albert Marquess of Brandenburgh his Sister's Son and then Great Master refus'd to take an Oath as it was agreed in the late Wars Hereupon Sigismund took from him some Towns and had great Advantages over him in several Engagements but however Albert having considerable Succors sent him from Germany prolong'd the War for a good while in Prussia About this time Martin Luther's Doctrine came to be known in these Parts and most of the Citizens of Dantzic embrac'd it for which at first the King was very severe with them but at length fearing that to preserve their Religion they might side with the Teutonic Order against him he granted them Liberty of Conscience All this while that Order made vigorous Resistance and with equal Loss on both sides fatigu'd the Polish Army till at last it was agreed by both Parties to make the Emperor Charles V. and Lewis King of Hungary Arbitrators who determin'd that Sigismund should relinquish to the Marquess of Brandenburg all the Eastern part of Prussia which is above half of that great Province and that he and his Heirs should for ever enjoy it as they have actually done ever since without any disturbance from Sigismund but the Marquess of Brandenburg as Duke of Prussia for himself and his Heirs was to take an Oath of Fidelity to the Kings of Poland and to send to their Service every Year in time of War a hundred Horse ready equipt which those Kings were to maintain at their own Charges from the time they went out of Prussia At this time the House of Austria was not a little jealous of the exorbitant Power and vast Dominions of the Family of Jagello for not only Sigismund possess'd Poland the great Dutchies of Lithuania Smolensko and Severia and likewise all the Countries between the Euxine and Baltic Seas but also his Nephew Lewis Son of Vladislaus was King of Hungary Bohemia and Silesia insomuch that they secretly rais'd several Enemies against them whereupon the Muscovites Moldavians and Tartars came a third time to molest Poland but were forc'd to withdraw after having done some Mischief About this time Solyman the Great Emperor of the Turks made War with Hungary and gain'd the famous Battel of Mobac where King Lewis and the flower of his Army were slain and the better part of Hungary subjected to the Turk This King Lewis left only one Daughter which was
had elected him with such Universal Affection yet nothing could prevail upon him but he however promis'd that as soon as he had settled his Affairs in France he would return among them and moreover acknowledg'd that he was extreamly oblig'd to the Polish Nation for their Kindness and Good-will towards him Hereupon the Senate afterwards sent two Embassadors into France to intreat him to return which the King had several times a mind to comply with for he lov'd that Nation extreamly well but his French Subjects still prevail'd upon him to change his Mind representing to him the many Dangers he would expose France to by such a Journey Thus the Poles having lost all Hopes of having their King again the Primate Vchanski calls a Diet at Warsaw the 4th of November following to proceed to a new Election where two Princes were principally propos'd which were the Emperour Maximilian and Stephen Batori Prince of Transylvania but they could never unanimously agree which of the two to choose and therefore the Diet was dissolv'd Maximilian's Party sent Embassadors to acquaint him that he was chosen and that they expected he should speedily come and be crown'd while Batori's Faction did the like for him and invited him to come forthwith into Poland Hereupon BATORI made more haste than the Emperour to comply with their Request for he immediately left Transylvania and passing through Valachia and Russia quickly arriv'd at Cracow where on the 18th of April 1577 he was receiv'd and crown'd by Karnkovius Bishop of Vladislaw the Archbishop of Gnesna being for Maximilian who yet afterwards rather than he would undergo a Siege in his Castle of Lowitz quietly submitted to Batori In the mean time the Emperour was more slow resolving to come with an Army to dispute his Right but his Party growing less and less every day at length the Senate sent Embassadors to acquaint him that his Slowness and Indifference had superseded his Right to the Crown it being resolv'd to be given to him that arriv'd first Hereupon the Emperour who was then at the Diet at Ratisbon order'd the Embassadors to be put in Prison and forthwith determin'd to go for Poland himself but was prevented by a dangerous Sickness of which he soon after dy'd Octob. 12. Batori 't is true was chiefly indebted to his Merit for the Crown of Poland yet at the same time the Family of Zborowski was not a little assisting to him occasion'd by his civil Reception of one Samuel of that Family who had been banish'd his Country for striking John Teczynski Castellan of Wounitz in the King's Court. Whereupon Samuel employ'd all his Interest for Batori for at the time of the Election he writ to several of his Relations and Friends to Vote for that Prince but it being the Temper of the Polanders never to think themselves sufficiently recompens'd after they have done a Service Batori tho he sought all he could to oblige that Family yet could not keep them from proving his most inveterate Enemies by reason that he would not submit to govern according to their Humours which not long after cost Samuel his Life by a formal Proceeding in a Court of Justice Batori was first as I find him a private Gentleman in Transylvania but at length by his Merit and Valour came to have great Authority among the People of that Country for he was once sent Embassadour to the Emperour's Court where he manag'd Affairs to the satisfaction and advantage of both Parties so that after Prince John Sigismund Son to the Sister of Sigismund II. of Poland dy'd they elected him Prince of Transylvania After he was crown'd King of Poland by Karnkouski whom he made Archbishop of Gnesna he endeavour'd to appease the Disorders among the great People and to win the Affections of the Male-contents which at last he effected by marrying the Princess Ann Daughter to Sigismund I. and Sister to Sigismund II. by whom he had no Children About this time the Emperour fomented a Sedition among the Inhabitants of Dantzic which induc'd them to refuse to take an Oath of Fidelity to Batori and moreover to raise an Army and stand upon their Defence But the Senate of Poland having declar'd 'em Rebels their Army was soon defeated and Town besieg'd and at last they were oblig'd to comply by Mediation of the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg and Lantgrave of Hesse The chief Cause of this War was that the Citizens of Dantzic pretended not to be subject to the Republic of Poland but only to the King yet notwithstanding this Treaty they were forc'd to submit themselves to both Hitherto there were no Courts of Judicature in Poland all Differences being decided by the King and Council But the Gentry finding this way of Procedure too tedious to the Nation and too burdensom to the King obtain'd leave of Batori to erect two Courts of Judicature which they commonly call Tribunals one at Petricovia and the other at Lublin where all Civil Causes were to be determin'd absolutely without any Appeal to Court unless upon any Matter relating to the State in which Case the last Decision was to be reserv'd to the King and Diet together This King was more severe in his Punishments than the Polish Laws allow'd yet he molested none on account of Religion always affirming that three Things God had wholly reserv'd to himself which were to make something out of nothing to foretel Things to come and to govern and direct Consciences This Prince like Sigismund I. very much encourag'd speaking Latin in his Dominions being reported to have said often to the Gentlemens Sons Discite Isatinè nam unum ex vobis aliquando faciam Mosci Pan a great Lord. Whereby the Youth being all in Hopes practis'd that Language with great Diligence which very much contributed towards the Encrease of Arts and Sciences in this Kingdom When Sigismund I. sent the Bishop of Varmia his Embassador to Vienna the Emperour was surpriz'd to hear even the Polish Coachmen speak Latin fluently Also after Sigismund the Second's Death when Embassadors were sent to bring Henry of Valois into Poland the French wonder'd that not one of all their Train but spoke this Language with great Address This King in the beginning of his Reign was like to have been over-run by the Muscovites for they had so great Advantages over the Poles that they took several Towns from them in a Dutchies of Severia Smolensko and Lithuania In these Wars the Muscovites were not a little politick for they took occasion to invade the Poles either when they had Wars abroad or Disturbances at home but at last King Batori having appeas'd his own intestine Jars and made Peace with his Neighbours by the concurrence of a general Diet declar'd War against the Muscovites and pour'd in upon 'em with such Vigour and Success that in three Years time he re-took all his own Towns and besides carry'd the
War into the very heart of their Country plundering and destroying wherever he came In this Expedition he got from them above twenty great Cities and Provinces such as Polotia Sokola Sussa Krasna Vsviata Sitna Jeseriscia Kossiano Nescerda all the Dutchy of Plotia Lukis Neuela Zavolotia Ostrovia c. All this put the poor Muscovites into such a fright that they immediately dispatch'd an Embassador to the Pope to give him hopes that if he could prevail upon the Poles to withdraw their Army out of their Country and make an honourable Peace with 'em they would all submit to the Roman Church This your Grace may imagine soon put the Holy Father upon a pious Stratagem for he sent his Nuncio Possevinus to assure the Czar that he would employ all his Interest in his behalf Whereupon the Poles having besieg'd Pleskow the strongest Town in Muscovy with ill success and moreover having lost above forty thousand Men during the War at length through the prudent Management of Possevinus they agreed to a Suspension of Arms for ten Years and farther that the King of Poland should restore to Muscovy all the Provinces and Towns he had taken in this War and that on the other side the Czar should give up to the King all Livonia yet the Czar made no Alteration in his Greek Religion as he had made the Pope believe he design'd to do Thus ended the War with Muscovy which was like to have prov'd so fatal to that Country The Tartars durst not make any Incursions into Poland during his Reign and their Cham having sent Embassadors thither to demand the Tribute formerly paid them for Transylvania he dismiss'd their Embassy with a great deal of Indignation declaring he would pay Tribute to no Man The Turk likewise shew'd great Deference for this Prince for he never made any Hostilities in Transylvania while Batori govern'd there but his Nephew being elected Prince of that Country the Port would have augmented their Tribute but Batori espousing his Cause by an Embassy to the Grand Seignior the Port chose rather to be contented with little than to hazard the losing of all by disobliging so powerful a Prince All that huge Tract of Land above three hundred Miles long from East to West and above a hundred broad from South to North was for fifty Years before in possession of the Poles It is call'd by one general Name Vkraina which in the Selavonian Language signifies a Frontier serving for Bounds betwixt them the Turks and Tartars This vast and fertil Country is divided into two great Provinces Volhynia and Podolia Of Volhynia the capital Town is Kiovia built on the Borysthenes which was formerly as they say one of the largest in Europe It antiently belong'd to the Dukes of Russia but now is entirely ruin'd between the Turks and Tartars The capital Town of Podolia is Caminiec a fortify'd City built on a Rock The Inhabitants of Vkraina are commonly call'd Cosacks which in the Sclavonian Language signifies Robbers At first they were Peasants that came from Russia and other neighbouring Countries settling in the Islands of the River Boristhenes and who afterwards spread all over Vkraina and liv'd on Robbery for they us'd to make Inroads into Tartary and Turky plunder Trebisond and Sinope and ravage even up to the Gates of Constantinople They also us'd to pirate on the Black Sea and have been very useful to the Poles when they were engag'd in War against the Infidels I can compare 'em to no People better than to the Miquelets of Spain or Highlanders of Scotland King Stephen to make this People more serviceable to the Crown of Poland put 'em under a good Discipline order'd 'em Officers and a General and moreover gave 'em the Town of Techtimoravia upon the River Boristhenes which they made a Magazine as also the Place of Residence for their Governours to be a Bulwark against the Irruptions of the Tartars who frequently infested them He endow'd 'em likewise with many Privileges for all which they afterwards did him considerable Services It will not here be amiss to give your Grace some farther Account of this People who are often much talk'd of and yet at the same time but very little known Alberto Vimina in his Civil Wars of Poland says it is certain that they have their Name from the Sclavonian Word Coza which signifies a Goat and this either because they were wont to be cloth'd with Garments of Goats Hair or that they liv'd like Goat-herds in Huts or else by reason that they skipt about like Goats and found no Country of too difficult Access for them The Country they first possess'd was not above eighteen Leagues on either side of the Borysthenes not far from the Place where Ovid was sent into Banishment and where they affirm is a Castle still that goes by the Name of Ovidoua where Ovid may be suppos'd to have been buried This Vimina says he does not at all discredit the Country agreeing with a Passage of Ovid in his Elegies writ to Rufinus Non Ager hic Pomum non dulces educat uvas Non salices Ripa robora monte virent Neve fretum laudes terra magis aequora semper Ventorum rabie solibus orba tument And the Fierceness of the People describ'd by Ovid in another place encreases his Opinion Maxima pars hominum nec te pulchorrima curat Roma nec Ausonii Militis Arma timet Notwithstanding all this we must not pretend to derive this Modern People from Antiquity for it is certain they were at first a Body of Vagabonds that fled from Justice into this Country where they liv'd only upon fishing and hunting and at last as now upon Piracy and Robbery The present Extent of their Country is much larger than formerly for now it reaches 100 Leagues in length and above 40 in breadth They report the Grass here generally grows so high that a Man on Horse-back is easily hid under it This Country abounds so with all sorts of Grain that the Inhabitants know not what to do with it their Rivers being shallow and therefore not capable to transport it to other places They have also all sorts of Beasts Fish and Fowl with most other Necessaries except Wine and Salt whereof the first comes from Hungary Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia and the second is fetch'd from the Mines of Poland The Houses of this Country are generally of Wood built in like manner as in Muscovy and Poland and rarely above one Story high The Walls of their Towns are most commonly made of Earth kept up with Stakes and Planks such being most proper to resist the force of Cannon The Inhabitants of Vkraina are for the most part robust and strong generous and great Despisers of Covetousness inconceivable Lovers of Liberty and impatient under the mildest Slavery They are likewise indefatigable bold and brave but withal excessive
Livonia to the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus but it was suspected that he intended to betray that King for soon after the said Farenbach was reconcil'd to King Sigismund to whom he restor'd all the Places except Pernau In the Year 1620 the Poles were engag'd in a War against the Turks fomented as was suppos'd by Bethlem Gabor Prince of Transilvania for which the Turks afterwards endeavour'd to banish that Prince for siding with the Poles In the Year following the Turks march'd with their whole Forces against Poland but were met by the Poles near Chocim under the Command of Prince Vladistaus who with an Army of about 65000 Men repuls'd above 392000 Turks commanded by their Emperor Osman in Person The Turks attempted three times to force the Polish Camp but were as often beat back with Loss Nevertheless in the mean time the Poles suffer'd extremely for want of Ammunition and Provisions and besides were mightily weakened by Sickness and a huge Mortality among their Horses Notwithstanding all this at length the Turkish Emperor was forc'd to strike up an honourable Peace with them after having lost about 60000 Men in the several Attacks he made upon their Camp and a greater number in his March back to Constantinople In the mean time Gustavus Adolphus falling into Livonia took the City of Riga without any great Resistance and all the rest of that Country except Dunneburgh was conquer'd likewise by the Swedes in the Year 1625. Afterwards Gustavus enter'd Prussia in the Year 1626 where he took the Cities of Marienburg and Elbing besides some other Places This War was thus carried on without any general Engagement till the Year 1629 when Hans Wrangel the Swedish General defeated the Poles near Gorzno Then the Emperor sent some Forces to the Assistance of the Poles who in a Battle fought near Stuma were very near having made Gustavus Prisoner But however the Polish Affairs after this Battel falling into great Confusion they were forc'd to clap up a Truce till the Year 1634 by the Mediation of Charles the First King of England and of Lewis the Thirteenth of France the Swedes in the mean while being to keep possession of Elbing Mcmel Braunsberg Pillau and what besides they had taken in Livonia After this Sigismund dy'd the last day of April in the Year 1632 being sixty Years old and having reign'd forty four He had all the Qualities that could be requir'd in a great Prince He lov'd Justice and all the World commended his Piety He was always of an even Temper either in good or bad Fortune and the Lustre of the Polish Crown obtain'd when he was but young together with the loss of the Kingdom of Sweden to his Uncle might well have either exalted or debas'd him had he not had a great Soul yet among all these good Qualities he was too much wedded to his Opinion which was the cause of some Misfortunes that happen'd to him Prince Vladislaus was absent when his Father Sigismund fell sick yet he arriv'd at Court just as he was expiring whose Presence so much reviv'd the King as to give him Power to put the Crown of Sweden on his Son's Head tho he was to leave that of Poland to Chance This Election was much more peaceable than his Father Sigismund's in that he had no Competitors to oppose him Some thought Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden had a design upon the Crown and his boundless Ambition join'd with the great Number of his Friends the Lutherans dispersed throughout the whole Kingdom might very well support that Opinion yet the Gentry of Great Poland which were most to be suspected on account of Conformity in Religion with him were the first that strove to exclude him for they declar'd those Enemies to their Country that should in the least dare to propose him Likewise at another Assembly a Palatin offering but to insinuate that it would be proper to choose a Foreign Prince the Gentry were so unanimously offended at him that he was fain to retire betimes to avoid their Fury Also Gustavus Adolphus had then too many Irons in the Fire to draw any more Enemies upon his Back John Casimir Brother to Prince Vladislaus was likewise suspected to have a mind to the Crown and this Conjecture had a more plausible Foundation than the former These two Princes were both Sons to Sigismund III. yet had they not the same Mother That of Casimir did all she could to advance her Son to the Throne At the Diet met at Thorn she endeavour'd to have a Successor elected whilst the King was living whereupon she employ'd a certain Bishop to propose her Son but with which the Diet was so extremely incens'd that they would have immediately tri'd that Prelat for infringing the Publick Liberties had not more weighty Affairs interven'd which caus'd them to lay those Intentions aside During this Prince Casimir did all he could to satisfy the Publick that he had no Design upon the Crown but that all his Aim was to promote the Interest of his elder Brother The Primate John Vezik having notified the Death of the late King conven'd the Diet on the 27 th of June where the Lutherans continued their Cabals and Factions as formerly but did not favour any of Vladislaus his Competitors as before The Diet of Election was fix'd for the 27 th of September in the same Year whither the Gentry all flock'd at the time appointed but that more to ingratiate themselves in their Prince Vladislaus's favour than to sell their Suffrages One thing was propos'd at this Diet which had it been followed might have deliver'd the Kingdom from great Oppressions This was to digest the Laws into a Code and to get the King Elect to confirm it Also to reform the many Abuses crept into the Practice of the Law but this was too vigorously oppos'd by the interessed Party and therefore was fain to be let fall Hereupon the Diet devoted themselves wholly to the Election Prince Casimir first propos'd his BrotherVladislaus which Henry Firley Bishop of Premislia seconded by a Speech to this purpose That tho that Assembly had a Right to elect whom they pleas'd yet they had ever had a particular regard to the Offspring of their Kings that every body there acknowledg'd the Candidate to be of the Blood of Jagello That even the Merit of his Father pleaded for the Interest of the Son That Uladislaus his own Conquests had sufficiently testify'd his Valour and lastly that a favourable Result was to be expected from that Assembly since each knew as much of the Merit of that Prince as he This was courteously answer'd by the Primate after which they proceeded to admit the Ambassadors First Honorius Visconti the Pope's Nuncio had Audience who being plac'd on the left hand of the Primate first desir'd the Assembly to choose a Catholick Prince and then recommended Prince Vladislaus Next the Embassadors of the Emperour
Ruin and the great Disadvantage of the Poles The only Damage they sustain'd was when Chmielinski was celebrating the Nuptials of his Son with the Daughter of the Prince of Valachia where the Poles surpriz'd them re-took the City of Kiovia and plunder'd it as likewise made the Grecian Patriarch Prisoner Then the Cosacks sent to the King to know if this had been done by his Majesty's Order which being answer'd in the Negative and moreover that the Nobility had done it to be reveng'd on them for the frequent Damages they had done them they immediately in conjunction with the Tartars fell into Poland with the greatest Fury imaginable Against these the King went in Person at the Head of the Nobility and defeated them in Battle But nevertheless the King was afterwards forc'd to clap up a Peace with them tho the Gentry were very much displeas'd at his granting them their own Terms by which the Muscovites were left in possession of Smolensko and Kiovia which they enjoy to this day The Muscovites likewise took Vilna in Lithuania with some other considerable Cities in that great Dutchy In the Year 1655 Charles Gustavus King of Sweden rais'd a more fatal Storm in Poland for with an Army of chosen Men he enter'd that Kingdom and in two years time made himself absolute Master thereof He first conquer'd Great Poland and Masovia and afterwards the Lesser Poland with Cracow the capital City of the Kingdom from whence he march'd into Prussia where almost all the Towns immediately surrender'd to him except Dantzic wherein at first were a great many Citizens that favour'd the Suedes but who not long after by the Persuasions of some Ministers continu'd their Obedience to Poland The Resistance made by this one City was the main Reason why all the Advantages got by the Swedes at last prov'd fruitless and that they could maintain themselves no longer in Prussia notwithstanding that not only the whole Militia of Poland and that part of Lithuania which was under the Muscovites had submitted to the Swedes but also King John Casimir was fled into Silesia for the Poles having recover'd themselves after their first Consternation was over and being moreover join'd by the Brandenburgers and Tartars fell upon such of the Swedish Forces as were scatter'd up and down the Country The Lithuanians also rose up in Arms and kill'd all the Swedes that were in Winter-quarters among them The Occasion of this Swedish Invasion was some familiarity King Casimir had had with the Wife of the Vice-Chancellor Radziouski Father to the present Cardinal Primate This great Senator could by no means brook a Scandal so publick and therefore having first made a Party in the Kingdom he call'd in the Swedes through Livonia to revenge his Quarrel who soon got the Duke of Curland's Country and took him Prisoner Afterwards they had such vast Success in their Progress that all the Towns of Poland soon submitted to them none being able to withstand a Siege It is to be observ'd that there are but few fortify'd Places in Poland it being a Maxim of State there That their Kings should not strengthen themselves at home whereby their Enemies might take footing from abroad This vast Conquest made all the neighbouring Princes very jealous of the Power of Sweden for on one side Ragozzi Prince of Transylvania thinking perhaps to obtain that Crown for himself enter'd Poland but with no Success The Danes likewise made a considerable Diversion on their part by attacking Sweden Also the Muscovites came upon Livonia and the Emperour sent Troops to succour the Poles whereupon by Assistance of the Brandenburgers and Tartars and the prudent Conduct of General Czarneski the Polish Nobility in six Months time restor'd Casimir to his Throne This Czarneski re-took the capital City of Poland by a Stratagem which was by contriving to have some Cartloads of Wood enter the City betimes in the Morning and to break in their Passage through one of the Gates by which means with 800 Men he forc'd his way into the City and destroy'd the Swedish Garison The Advantage of an unfortify'd Kingdom will always be this That tho it be soon conquer'd it will nevertheless be as easily recover'd When Charles Gustavus King of Sweden had met with an Opportunity to make War with Poland he made several private Treaties with the late Elector of Brandenburg Frederic William and at length enter'd into a League with him on condition that when he had conquer'd Poland he should give him the Soveraignty of Ducal Prussia whereupon they both join'd their Forces together and soon conquer'd the Poles But afterwards the King of Sweden being call'd home to take care of his own Dominions which were then invaded by the Danes he was forc'd to compound with Poland for 800000 Rix Dollars which the Poles not having had any Intelligence of the Danish Invasion were glad to agree to But the Elector of Brandenhurg observing that the Money stipulated for was not like to be easily rais'd offer'd unknown to the Swedes to give the Poles that Sum and moreover to help them to drive the Swedes out of their Kingdom in case they would but confirm to him and his Heirs the aforesaid Soveraignty of Ducal Prussia To this the Poles being in extream Confusion and Necessity quickly condescended with this Restraint only That whenever the said Elector's Male-Issue fail'd that Dutchy should revert to the Crown of Poland Whereupon the Elector of Brandenburg having been proclaim'd Soveraign Duke of Prussia he immediately join'd the Polish Forces and in short time drove the Swedes out of their Kingdom which he before had been instrumental in bringing in This is the Account I have heard the Poles give of their Deliverance from the Swedish Yoke and Sir Robert Southwell also gave us lately the same Account at the Royal Society which he had had from the late Elector of Brandenburg's own Mouth At this Treaty of Oliva a Monastery near Dantzic the Poles likewise were to renounce all the Pretensions they had to Livonia Casimir after having routed the Swedes rais'd an Army of about 30000 Germans under pretence of being reveng'd on the Tartars for detaining several Poles Prisonners which he had betray'd himself the better to curb his Subjects But Prince Lubomirski Crown-Marshal having discover'd his private Design which was to render himself Despotic rais'd an Army likewise and attack'd that of the King with so good Success that he entirely routed it took its General a Frenchman Prisoner and quickly oblig'd the King to disband his German Forces At this Affront receiv'd from his own Subjects Casimir was extreamly netled insomuch that he abdicated the Crown not long after But some time before his Abdication he convok'd a Diet at Leopol to pay off the Army The best Expedient to effect this was thought to be to call in all the Gold and Silver of the Kingdom and re-coin it but this having been found deficient the
the Opposition of the Lithuanians who did but dishonour their Country by excluding a Piasto yet they ought to choose one to shew the World that if their Ancestors had not done the like oftner it was because they had a mind to avoid the Jealousies which would have arisen between so many Subjects that deserv'd the Crown and that since now there was one present whose Merit was not to be question'd they ought forthwith to elect him Then he proceeded to name John Sobieski with this Character That his Life had been entirely devoted to the Service of the State which even while he was speaking peaceably enjoy'd the Fruits of his late Victory at Chocim and further that this present Happiness was hut a Specimen of what he was able to do for his Country and lastly that the Crown was due to Sobieski out of meer Gratitude and Acknowledgment since it was through his means that they sat there and had a Power to dispose of it The Gentry of Russia being influenc'd by what their Palatin had said immediately declar'd for Sobieski who was a Native of their Province and all the rest of Poland soon follow'd their Example together with some Palatinates of Lithuania brought over by the Management of Prince Radzivil Vice-Chancellor of that Dutchy every one being forward to deserve Favours from one whom they had acknowledg'd for their Prince The Great General of Lithuania being highly displeas'd at all these Proceedings left the Diet in a Heat and together with his Friends march'd out of the Field about Nine at Night no body being able to bring him back Hereupon he immediately enters Protest against this Election alledging that it was against the Constitution of the Kingdom for any King to be chosen without the common Consent The next day being the 20 th of May the Lithuanians return'd into the Field but retir'd after having made their Protestations against this Election whereupon several Senators and Nuncio's were sent to re-cal them but their Answer was that they were going to deliberate upon the Matter and would inform them of their Resolutions by their Deputies The Poles and Lithuanians who had espous'd Sobieski's Interest forthwith commanded the Bishop of Cracow to proclaim him which notwithstanding this Prelate declin'd wisely foreseeing the Disorders so rash an Election might occasion and which might probably end in a Civil War The Deputies of Lithuania arriv'd a little while after whereof the Chief being the Bishop of Vilna Brother to the Grand General deliver'd the Message giving Sobieski the Title only of Grand Marshal yet in the conclusion of his Discourse he told them that he was ready to give his Vote for him but desir'd the proclaiming him might be defer'd till next day to the end the Lithuanians might assist at it and thereby the Election become unanimous which Request of his was readily granted Whereupon the 21 st of May Andrew Trzebicki Bishop of Cracow who presided at the Diet in the room of the Primate Czartoriski just then deceas'd which happen'd very well for Sobieski the Primate having been no Friend of his went with the Senators before the New Prince to the Place of Election where they were met by the Lithuanians with their General Patz at their head who was too politick not to assist there with his whole Family JOHN SOBIESKI was soon after proclaim'd and the Gentry proceeded to sing Te Deum in the Cathedral of Warsaw ending the Day with usual Acclamations and Rejoicings This Prince was descended of a Noble and Antient Family tho none of the most considerable nor richest in the Kingdom His Father James Sobieski was Castellan of Cracovia a Person no less eminent for his Abilities in Affairs of State than renown'd for his Courage and Conduct in the Field He was employ'd in the Year 1621 as Embassador and Plenipotentiary upon a Treaty of Peace which by his Prudence and Address was honourably concluded with Sultan Osman He distinguish'd himself likewise on many other important Occasions and after several other great Services faithfully perform'd for his Country he dy'd in the Year 1646. His Mother was one of the Daughters of Stanislaus Zolkiewski Grand Chancellor and Grand General of the Crown who bravely fought that memorable Battle at Cicora on the 10th of September 1620 and tho he was again five times attack'd by the Turks on the 2d of October in the same Year yet he gallantly repuls'd them till at last being overpower'd with Numbers and forsaken by his Followers he was slain couragiously fighting among the thickest Troops of his Enemies This Prince was carefully educated by his Parents in his Youth and sent to travel into France where his Father bought him a Captain of Horse's Commission which gain'd him great Experience He also travell'd into England Germany and Italy where having observ'd all the different Manners Interests Laws Military Discipline Strength and Policies of those People and in a word all else that was necessary for a Person of Quality to learn in his Travels he at last return'd home when Casimir after several Trials both of his Valour and Discretion and admiring at his great Merit and quick Parts which he had improv'd so well both in Languages Sciences and Military Accomplishments made him first a Colonel of Foot and afterwards Captain of his Guards and from thence advanc'd him gradually through all the Posts of his Army till he arriv'd at being Grand Marshal of the Crown in the room of Lubomirski and Grand General of Poland in the room of Potoski He behav'd himself in all these Employments with that Courage and Prudence as became a Souldier and was reputed the Hero of his Age and the Terrour of the Ottoman Empire He marry'd Mary de la Grange Daughter to the Marquess of Arquien not long since made Cardinal of the Family of La Grange in Nivernois in France She by the contrivance of King Casimir's Queen to whom she was Maid of Honour was first marry'd to Prince Zamoiski one of the greatest Palatins in the Kingdom and after his Death to the Grand General Sobieski by whom she had several Children and amongst the â—â—est three hopeful Princes the eldest of which has the Honour to be Brother-in-Law to the Emperour King of Spain King of Portugal and to the Duke of Modena by marrying one of the Princesses of Neuburgh This Prince was not Crown'd till above fifteen Months after his Election during which time he gain'd great Advantages over the Turks and forc'd them to a Peace at Zorowna whereby they were oblig'd to remit the yearly Tribute stipulated for by King Michael but were still to be left in possession of the Fortress of Caminiec At the time of his Election he was pleas'd to promise of his own free Will and Motion that the Queen-Dowager should be provided for sutably to her high Quality and extraordinary Merit as also that the Arrears of the Army should be
thinks and think what he pleases without any Fear of the King After the King's Death Cardinal Radziouski Archbishop of Gnesna and Primate of the Kingdom took the Administration of the Government as is usual upon him and notify'd the King's Death to foreign Princes and to all the Governours of the Provinces and advis'd with the Senators that were then at Warsaw of the proper Method and fit Time to ohoose a new King They fix'd upon the 29th of August 1696 for the Convocation of the Grand Diet but there appearing several Competitors which made powerful Factions it was thought necessary to take more time to appease the Dissensions of the Nobility Wherefore the Overture of the Diet was deferr'd to the 15th of May 1697. They chose the Sieur Belinski for their Speaker whom they call their Marshal The chief Competitors were at first Prince James of Poland and his Brother Prince Alexander the Prince of Conti Don Livio Odeschalchi and Prince Lewis of Baden but at last the Elector of Saxony unexpectedly came to the Frontiers of Poland with 8000 Men and declar'd himself Candidate having a twelve-month before privately abjur'd his Religion to qualify himself for this Crown which procur'd him the Interest of the Pope and Clergy So that at length no considerable Party appear'd but for him the Prince of Conti and Prince James The Cardinal Primate with a great Number of the Palatins supported with all their Interest the Prince of Conti the French having for several years before as I observ'd when I was in that Kingdom given a great Character of his Merit and Valour which made the King of France believe that he would undoubtedly carry that Crown against all Opposers as it is probable he would have done had he been in Person as near the Place of Election as the Elector of Saxony was For on the 26th of June being the day of Election the Diet drew out into the Field and he had that day more Votes than either the Elector of Saxony or Prince James which the Primate observing went with his Party and immediately proclaim'd him King but the two other Parties knowing this could not be legally done without the universal Consent of the Diet protested against it as Illegal and Prince James perceiving his Party to be the weakest and having always been in the Interest of the House of Austria as being marry'd to the Empress and Queen of Spain's Sister resign'd all his Interest to the Elector of Saxony who was likewise supported by the Emperour These two Parties being thus united into one were more numerous than that of the Prince of Conti Wherefore coming next day into the field they got the Bishop of Cujavia after the Primate had refus'd it to proclaim FREDERIC AUGUSTUS Elector of Saxony King of Poland and sent Embassadors to acquaint him therewith and to desire him to accept of the Crown All this while the Primate and Prince of Conti's Party stood firm to the first Election and dispatch'd Couriers into France to desire that Prince to come with all speed into Poland The Generals of the Army were divided Count Jablonowski Great General of the Kingdom declar'd for the Elector of Saxony Prince Sapieha Great General of Lithuania seem'd to favour the Prince of Conti but the Governour of Cracow being for the Elector of Saxony invited him and his Army to take possession of that capital City where he was crown'd the 15th of September following which did extreamly facilitate the good Success he has since had in that Kingdom For tho the Primate and many other considerable Persons did insist on the pretended Legality of their Election tho the Prince of Conti himself came in Person to Dantzic with a Fleet vast Sums of Money and some disciplin'd Troops tho the French Embassador Monsieur de Polignac had manag'd a good part of the Army and a great many of the Senators with great Art and Policy tho the Turks and Tartars threatned an Invasion to support his Election and tho the Hungarians made an Insurrection in their Country to divert the Saxon Forces yet the Poles seeing the Elector of Saxony was actually Crown'd that he was in possession of the Metropolis Cracow the strongest Town in Poland that 8000 of his disciplin'd Troops were in the Kingdom that the major part of the Army had declar'd for him and that the Czar of Muscovy threatned an Invasion if they persisted to support the Prince of Conti they thought it more advisable to quit his Interest than to give occasion for a Civil War for I have often heard them say That Kings were easy enough to be had without shedding Blood for any and that they were easily depos'd if they usurp'd any greater Authority than the Laws allow'd And therefore they think it more prudent after having sufficiently empty'd the Candidates Pockets to declare for the first of them that joins his Party and appears in Arms since he is deem'd qualify'd than to expose their Country to ruin and devastation by adhering to an illegal Election of which the success is always doubtful for by their Constitution no Election can be really lawful nor any Law can be legally made without the universal Consent of the Lords and Commons of both States Poland and Lithuania assembl'd in Parliament The Prince of Conti having full Intelligence of the Posture of Affairs in Poland did not think it politick to conside any longer in the Promises of the Great Men who in that Country are naturally sickle and biass'd more to their own Interest than any Inclination they have to serve any Prince for they have no other Notion of Princes than of Tools to raise their own Fortune by Wherefore this Prince foreseeing no probability of success the Town of Dantzic having declar'd for the Elector of Saxony he thought it more prudent timely to quit his Pretensions by sailing back into France than to expose his Reputation by being forc'd to retire when the New King's Authority was more confirm'd as it is look'd upon to be at present King Frederick Augustus the IId being thus left in sole Possession of the Kingdom is likely to restore the decaying State thereof for having large hereditary Dominions of his own out of which he can have both Men and Money and being likewise naturally animated with a martial Spirit and moreover King over a most Warlike Nation which is at present in league against the Infidels with the Emperour Muscovites Pope and Venetians He has opportunity sufficient to enlarge that Kingdom and extend it to its antient Bounds the Euxine Sea by retaking Caminiec and the Vkrain I may here take notice that this is the first time the Poles have elected a German Prince and likewise the first that they have excluded their King's Son for from the Year 550 when this Monarchy began to this present Election the King's Children have been always chosen and the Crown tho elective has been in the same Family
successively for above eight hundred Years But hereafter it is likely to prove otherwise for the Gentry of Poland are so jealous of their own Kings and so covetous to be enrich'd by foreign Princes that probably henceforward they will choose no Native Besides the Pope will undoubtedly always use his utmost Authority and Interest in that Kingdom to get Protestant Princes elected For when I was formerly at Rome I heard the Politicians say that the best method to make the Protestant Princes of the North Roman Catholicks was to elect them successively to the Crown of Poland So that if the Pope sees that the present King of Poland's Children are confirm'd in the Doctrines of the Church of Rome he will doubtless after his Death make the same Endeavours to advance to that Throne either the King of Sweden the Elector of Brandenburg or the Elector of Hanover as he has done in favour of the Elector of Saxony who has been elected to the Crown of Poland not so much by the Power of his Wealth and Credit in the Kingdom as by the Influence of the Clergy privately instigated by the Authority of the Pope This I gather from a Letter sent me last Summer from Warsaw by my Friend Baron Scarlati Envoy Extraordinary at that Court from the Elector of Bavaria Thus my Lord I have given you as large an Account of John the IIId's Life and of what pass'd remarkable at Warsaw in my time as we need perhaps know of so remote a Country or I could my self learn in so short a time as I had the honour to reside at that Prince's Court where I was so much taken up in the Practice of Physick that I had neither Opportunity nor Time to make all the Political Remarks which another perhaps that had nothing else to do but to converse with Courtiers and Ladies might have leisurely done I cannot therefore pretend to give as is usual a Character of the King's Favourites nor of other Great Men about him nor to acquaint your Lordship with the different Cabals and private Intrigues of that numerous Court That were a Subject fitter for a Statesman than for me to write of my Genius and Profession prompting me only to make Observations in Physick and not in State-Affairs I hope therefore your Lordship will excuse the deficiency of this Letter when you consider it was writ by a Physician and one who values himself only upon it in being with all Respect My LORD Your Lordship 's most obedient humble Servant B. C. LETTER V. To the Right Honourable CHARLES Lord Townsend Of the Extent and Products of Poland together with a Description of the chief Towns and Provinces of the Kingdom My LORD I Know your natural Sagacity improv'd so much by your Travels and constant Application to Sciences and Politicks is no less inquisitive after the Extent and Products of Countries than after their Maxims of State and Forms of Government And this I discover'd in your Lordship as well when I met you some years ago in Holland as since your return to England and because you then discours'd me often about my Travels into Poland I thought a Geographical Description of that Country might not be unacceptable to you I must confess I were not long enough in that Kingdom to survey it exactly therefore have taken pains to learn not only from the Natives themselves but also from their correctest Authors an Account of such Parts of that Kingdom which I could not visit my self I must first take notice to your Lordship that the King of Poland's Dominions are divided into two different States which are the Kingdom of Poland and the Great Dutchy of Lithuania The Constitutions Language Customs and Genius of both which Nations are as different as those of England and Scotland except that one Parliament or Diet serves both which must nevertheless have one Session in Lithuania to two in Poland and the Senators and Deputies of each Nation must meet together as well in the Great Dutchy as in the Kingdom for no Law can be legally made without the mutual Consent of both Poland therefore being a distinct Nation of it self I will here as I have promis'd present your Lordship with a short Description of it alone My Lord POLAND when first founded by Lechus in the Year 550 like all other Nations in their minority was but a small Tract of Land in respect of what it afterwards grew to be for at first it contain'd only High and Low Poland with Silesia but in process of time either through Marriages or Conquests it became the largest and most powerful Kingdom in Europe and rais'd as well the Envy as Jealousy of its Neighbours The first Acquisition to this Crown was the Province of Pomerania conquer'd by Lechus by his having kill'd Regulus its Prince Boleslaus Chrobry likewise made Bohemia Russia Moravia and Prussia Tributary But Casimir II. entirely conquer'd all Prussia in the Year 1183 and Casimir the Great subdu'd all Russia in the Year 1338 when Maslaus the Duke of Masovia also submitted to the Polish Crown Some time after Valachia and Moldavia were united to Poland by Conquest and the Great Dutchy of Lithuania added by Jagello's Marriage with Hedwigis Queen of Poland The large and fertile Province of Livonia was conquer'd about the Year 1500 and afterwards the Poles extended their Conquests towards Moscovy when they took the Great Dutchies of Smolensko Severia and Czernicovia and in Vladislaus the VIIth's time conquer'd all that Country They in like manner enlarg'd their Dominions towards the Black Sea for they made themselves Masters of all Vkraina Over and above these vast Conquests the Poles likewise grew very considerable by electing several potent Neighbours for their Kings whereby they added to their own Strength that of Bohemia Hungary Sweden and Transylvania as they have likewise at this juncture that of the Electorate of Saxony In short the Poles in process of time grew so exorbitantly Powerful from the XIIIth to the middle of the XVIIth Century having in their possession all the Lands between Austria Moscovy and the Baltic and Euxine Seas that they gave their Neighbours the Turks Tartars Muscovites Swedes and Germans just reason to grow jealous of them Whereupon these several Potentates at different times made most bloody Wars upon them till by degrees they had brought their Territories to a narrower Compass and made themselves Masters of the greater part of them For the Emperour got from them the several Countries of Hungary Bohemia Transylvania Silesia and Moravia Valachia and Moldavia now chuse Hospodars or Governours of their own tho they are nevertheless Tributary to the Turk The Turks and Tartars are Masters of Podolia and the best part of Vkraina which they over-run in King Michael Korybuth's time and the Muscovites conquer'd the other part of it Kiovia as likewise all the vast Dutchies of Severia Smolensko and Czernicovia The King of Sweden also is now in possession of
all Livonia except the Dutchy of Curland which is left still Tributary to Poland Ducal Prussia is entirely in the Elector of Brandenburg's hands of which he is of late an Independent Soveraign Pomerania is now possess'd by the Swedes and Germans between them and Dantzic is in the Nature of a little Republic or Hans-Town yet under the Protection of Poland Thus your Lordship may observe that the neighbouring Princes have clip'd so close the Skirts of this vast Empire that they have reduc'd it to one Third of what it has heretofore been Yet notwithstanding all these Losses it is still reckon'd to the full as large as the Kingdom of France but its Frontiers towards Tartary are altogether desolate most of the Inhabitants having been carry'd away into Captivity either by the Turks or Tartars To give your Lordship a just Account of the present Extent of Poland I must divide it into its several remaining Provinces which are but Eight Viz. Little Great Poland Regal Prussia Russia Masovia Samogitia Volhynia Podlachia But first a word or two of the Country in general Poland together with the Great Dutchy of Lithuania is now bounded on the North by Moscovy Livonia and the Baltic Sea On the South by Moldavia Transylvania and Hungary On the East by Vkraina which belongs to the Turks and the Dutchies of Smolensko Severia Czernicovia and Kiovia which are now in possession of the Muscovites and on the West by Pomerania Brandenburg Bohemia and Silesia It extends it self from South to North that is from the Carpathian Mountains to the Gulph of Riga about 200 Leagues from the 45 Degree 36 Minutes to the 55 Degree 29 Minutes of Latitude and from East to West that is from Smoleusko and the Vkraine to the Frontiers of Pomerania Bohemia and Silesia above 240. It s Soil for the most part is Champain tho towards the Borders of Hungary very mountainous and woody yet as it declines from thence it generally grows more fruitful There is only one great Mountain in the middle of Lesser Poland call'd Mons Calvus The Bald Mountain tho it has a Monastery on the top of it surnam'd the Holy Cross and dedicated to our Saviour What others you shall meet with may be rather term'd little Hills than Mountains The Eastern Part of this Kingdom is full of Forests Woods Marshes Lakes and Rivers which afford a delightful Vista to the open Country Heretofore Poland is said to have been almost all Woods but now being cultivated by the Industry of its Inhabitants it produces every-where all kinds of Fruits Grains and Herbs Nay it wants for neither Fowl nor Fish and moreover abounds with all sorts of tame and wild Beasts There are also Vines in many Places whose Grapes are not ungrateful to the Palat especially if the Summer and Autumn are never so little favourable but the Wine is generally very sharp when it has once been drawn off In the Mountains are to be found Mines of Silver Copper Lead and Iron with divers other kinds of Minerals as also Salt which is commonly taken out in huge Masses like Stones out of a Quarry The Western part of this Kingdom produces a great deal of Corn which is transported in considerable Quantities into foreign Countries and besides it abounds with Honey Wax Hemp and Linen for Sails All which are carry'd to Dantzic and from thence transported The greatest Part of the Towns and all the Villages of this Kingdom are of Timber and Thatch'd the Gentlemens Houses in the Country being also of the same Make. The whole Number of Cities Towns Boroughs and Villages in Poland amounts to near a hundred and seventy thousand whereof there are not much above twenty wall'd There are two sorts of Cities in this Kingdom the First belong to the Republick of which the King names the Governours and other Officers and the Second are under the Dominion of particular Seigneurs by hereditary Succession of which there can be no other Starostas but their own peculiar Lords The Air of this Country is sutable to the Climate and sometimes so exceeding cold that Water freezes ere it falls to the ground And Lakes and Rivers are so frozen up that Coaches and loaded Carts pass over them for five or six Months together even to the end of March. The most remarkable Rivers of this Country are The Weissel or Vistula The Wart or Varta The Nieper or Boristbenes The Niester or Tyra The Dwina or Duna The Bog or Bobus The Bug or Bugus The Niemen or Nemenus The Weissel or Vistula takes its rise in the Dutchy of Teschen in Silesia out of Mount Carpathus now Crapack and runs by the several Cities and Towns of Oswieczin Cracow Sendomir Casimir Lublin Warsaw Plocskow Vladislaw Thorn Culm Bromberg Grandentz Newenburg Elbing Marienburg and Dantzic This River antiently separated Sarmatia Europea from Germany and having continu'd its Course for above a hundred Polish Miles divides it self into two Streams emptying one into the Bay of Frisch-Haff and the other into the Baltic Sea vulgarly call'd De Oost Zee The Wart or Varta arises in Lesser Poland and after having water'd Siradia Kalisch Posnan Olstin c. falls into the Oder a River of Silesia The Nieper or Boristhenes waters Smolensko traverses part of Lithuania runs through Kiow or Kiovia crosses the Vkraine and at length rolls into the Black Sea near Ockzakow The Niester rises near the Lake of Leopol and having run by Halitz Caminiec c. discharges it self in like manner into the Black or Euxine Sea near Bialogrod The Duna or Dwina springs near Biata in Moscovy when having pass'd by Witebsko Polocz Dunenburg Kokenhauz c. with a Course of 130 Leagues it at last throws it self into the Gulph of Riga in Livonia The Bog or Bobus takes its Origin from a Lake in the Frontiers of Podolia and having pass'd by Constantinow Bar and Braclaw it falls into the Nieper near Ockzakow The Bug springs in Red Russia near Olesko or Zborow and having run by the several Places of Glituani Beltz Sokal Vlodzimierz Chelm Bresty and Warsaw falls into the Weissel by Wischegrod The Niemen or Nemenus arises near Slonim or rather Nessivicz in the Palatinate of Novogrodec and waters the Sides of Novogrodec Bielcz Grodna Troki Vilna and after runs into the Baltic near Tylsa In Lower or Greater Poland Cujavia and the Territory of Lublin there are several considerable Lakes replenish'd with all sorts of fresh Fish The chief of these Lakes is Goplo five Miles long and half a Mile broad Next there is Biale otherwise nam'd The White Lake which might be so call'd by an Antiphrasis because in the Months of April and May it dyes Skins with a sort of swarthy Tincture To proceed according to my Division of this Country in which I have follow'd Starovolscius I must begin with the first Province of this Kingdom which is Great or Low Poland bounded
present Prussians are a mixt People sprung from the several Colonies of the Swedes Poles Germans and other Neighbouring Nations Regal or Royal Prussia is divided into four Palatinates viz. The Palatinate of Pomerania Culm Marienburg and Varmia The first Palatinate Pomerania being not in possession of the Poles requires no Description The second Palatinate of Royal Prussia is that of Culm to which also the Territory of Michalovia lying to the South belongs and has in it these Cities and Towns viz. Culm Bish Cap. Thorn Graudentz Colmensee Brodnicz Radin Golubia Rogozna Brathian Lubavia and Kopriunicza Of all which the chief City is Culm an antient and famous Place built on a Hill the foot whereof is water'd by the River Vistula It lies about four German Miles from Thorn to the South and fifteen from Dantzic to the North. It was built by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in the Year 1223 who likewise fortified it against the Irruptions of the Heathen Prussians and Herman Desalza Master of that Order gave Laws and Constitutions for its Government This City suffer'd much Damage during the Swedish Invasion and is now very thin of Inhabitants insomuch that the Episcopal See subject to the Arch-bishop of Gnesna has been for some time remov'd to the neighbouring Town of Colmensee It has in it very fair Churches enrich'd with many valuable Ornaments and precious Offerings Thorn seated upon the Bank of the Vistula by which it is divided into two parts It lies four Polish Miles from Culm to the South thirteen from Marienburg twenty two from Dantzic fifteen from Lanschet and twenty nine from Warsaw It was heretofore an Imperial and Free City but was afterwards exempted from the Jurisdiction of the Empire and as yet enjoys very many Privileges It s Name seems to have been taken from the German word Thor signifying a Gate because built by the Teutonick Order as it were for a Gate to let Forces into Prussia whenever occasion serv'd Whence its Arms are suppos'd to have been taken being a Castle and Gate half open This City does not stand in the same place where the old one did that having been seated a Mile Westward from hence where are now to be seen the Ruins of an antient Castle and some other Monuments However this City at present is the fairest and best built of any in Royal Prussia the Streets being much broader and Houses more stately than at Dantzic It was very much beautisied by one of its Burgermasters Henry Stwband in the Year 1609 who built a small University here and endow'd it with a considerable Revenue He likewise founded an Hospital and a Publick Library where two of Cicero's Epistles are preserv'd written upon Tables of Wax and a Town-house built in the middle of the Market-place The Inhabitants revolted from the Knights of the Teutonick Order in the Year 1454 and put themselves under the Protection of Poland In this City the famous Astronomer Nicholas Copernicus was born and John Albert King of Poland died here in the Year 1501. It was taken by the Swedes in the Year 1655 and regain'd by the Poles in 1658. Afterwards the Swedes recover'd it and the Poles surpriz'd and retook it in 1665. Graudentz only famous for a Castle and very strong Wall Colmensee or Culmensee the Episcopal Seat of the Bishop of Culm translated hither from Culm It is distant nine Miles from Thorn to the North nineteen from Graudentz and twelve from Culm to the South-East The Territory of Michalovia is a strait Neck of Land between the Rivers Brodna and Drebnicz which was the occasion of bloody Wars between the Teutonick Knights and Poles The chief Town is Michalovia which with some others that are in this Territory deserves no Description The third Palatinate of Royal Prussia is that of Marienburg in which are these Cities and Towns viz Marienburg Cap. Elbing Stuma Mewa Gniew Now Stargardie and Ornet Of all which the chief City is Marienburg seated upon the Nogat a Branch of the Vistula about six Miles from Dantzic It is defended by strong Walls and high Towers together with a very large Castle wherein the better sort of Prisoners in time of War are kept This City receives no small Benefit from the Neighbourhood of the Island Zulava which is a very rich spot of Earth This Island is divided into two parts viz. 1. The Greater which lies next Marienburg and 2. The Lesser next to Dantzic to whose Inhabitants at present belongs Elbing a well fortified and trading Town in which the English they say had formerly a Consul Here Albert first Duke of Prussia founded an Academy in the Year 1542. but of no great moment The other Towns I find no Description of The fourth Palatinate of Royal Prussia is The Bishoprick of Varmia whose Gentry are exempt from all Regal Jurisdiction being wholly govern'd by the Laws and Customs of Prussia and by the Bishop who is a Temporal Prince It has in it these Cities and Towns Heilsberg Cap. Fraumberg Brunsberg Gutestadt Allestein Resla Vormitz Messac Vatemberg Seberg c. Of all which the chief City is Heilsberg famous for being the Residence of the Bishop and defended with strong Walls and other sutable Fortifications Fraumberg celebrated for the Cathedral of the Bishoprick of Varmia there built of which the famous Astronomer Copernicus was Canon Brunsberg situate on the River Passar so much frequented and so worthily esteem'd that it is reckon'd among the chief Towns of Prussia It has a College of Jesuits built by Cardinal Hosius There are several other Cities and Towns of which I find no Description and therefore have omitted them Ducal Prussia now entirely belonging to the Elector of Brandenburg has these Towns in it viz. Koningsberg Cap. Pilaw Memel Welaw Tilsa Marienwerder c. To the number of 60. The Metropolis Koningsberg is a Market Town divided into three parts and defended with a very considerable Castle It lies in the 43 d degree of Longitude and 54 of Latitude and has a small Academy founded by Albert Great Master of the Teutonick Order and first Duke of this Country in the Year 1544. The Citizens are generally Lutherans as are likewise most part of this Country which occasion'd Sigismund III. when he receiv'd Homage of this Duke in the Year 1621 to impose a Law that the Catholicks should have free Exercise for their Religion there The Senators of Prussia are The Bishop of Varmia who is the Chief The Bishop Palatin and Castellan of Culm The Palatins of Marienburg and Pomerania The Castellans of Elbing and Dantzic There are other Officers which belong to the Senate or Great Council of Prussia which they hold among themselves except when they are commanded to the Grand Diet of the Kingdom These are The Vice-Chamberlains of Culm Marienburg Pomerania Thorn Elbing and Dantzic Besides these
Gules The second Palatinate of the Province of Masovia is that of Ploskow lying towards the East between the Vistula and Prussia It is divided into four Districts viz. The Districts of Ploczkow Zancren Mlava and Stenen In all which are these principal Cities and Towns viz. Ploczkow Bish Cap. Sieprcz Srensko Mlaw and Radzanow The Capital of all which is Ploczkow or Ploczko Metropolis of the Palatinate of that Name which stands on a high Bank of the Weissel or Vistula from whence one may have a very fair Prospect of a pleasant and fruitful Country This City is considerably inrich'd by the Navigableness of its River is very populous and has been long dignified with a Bishop's See Besides the Cathedral there are divers other Churches and Monasteries richly endow'd especially the Abby of Benedictins in the Suburbs where amongst other Relicks the Head of St. Sigismund is kept in Gold which was given by King Sigismund III. Sieprcz a Wooden Town built on a Hill among the Marshes and about five Miles from Ploczkow Srensko a Timber-built Town seated in a Plain with a Castle founded among the Bogs This Place is about ten Miles from Ploczko Mlaw a Town built on the Confines of Prussia and wash'd by the River of its own Name It is also about ten Miles from Ploczkow Radzanow a Timber-built Town on the River Vkra with a Castle founded upon a Rock amongst the Marshes This Town is about eight Miles from Ploczkow The Senators of this Palatinate are The Bishop Palatin and Castellan of Ploskow The Castellans of Sieprcz and Radzanow The Standard or Arms of this Palatinate are an Eagle expans'd Sables with a P on the Breast All in a Field Gules The third Palatinate of the Province of Masovia is that of Dobrina lying towards the West between Cujavia and Prussia It abounds with all sorts of Fruit and Fish and is divided into three Districts viz. The District of Dobrina Ripin and Slonsk In all which are these principal Cities and Towns viz. Dobrina Cap. Ripin Slonsk and Gorzno The Capital City of this Palatinate is Dobrina a Timber-built City seated on a Rock near the River Vistula It had formerly a Castle which was demolish'd by the Teutonick Knights Ripin a Wooden Town built in a Plain on the River Odleck It is about five Miles from Dobrina Slonsk a Town in a Plain situate upon the River Vistula and about two Miles from Dobrina Gorzno or Gurzno a Wood-built Town tolerably well defended by Nature and Art It is about six Polish Miles from Dobrina This Palatinate was formerly the cause of frequent Wars between the Poles Teutonick Knights and Prussians The Senators of this Palatinate are The Castellans of Dobrina Ripin and Slonsk The Arms and Standard of this Palatinate are a Man's Head proper doubly crown'd Or and Argent All in a Field Gules The Sixth PROVINCE of this Kingdom is Samogitia having in it no Palatinate tho many Capitanies of which the chief Starosta is he of the Province who has a Place in the Senate tho no other of the same Dignity have the like throughout the whole Kingdom except he be otherwise qualified This Province is indifferently large and fruitful tho it be very much over-run with Woods To the North it is bounded by Curland and the Baltic Sea On the West it has Ducal Prussia and the Baltic and towards the South and East it borders on Lithuania It has several Cities as well belonging to the King as the Gentry which for the most part are all built with Wood. This Province takes its Name from its Situation which is low and marshy the word Samogitz in the Language of this Country denoting as much It abounds with Lakes and inaccessible Mountains yet affords great quantities of Honey purer than that either of Lithuania or Livonia and breeds Horses which are very much admir'd for their Swiftness The ordinary People here live in Cottages for the most part seated near Lakes or Rivers and cover'd either with Thatch or Boards They plough the Ground not with Iron but Wood tho the Soil be most commonly fat and stiff which Custom they are addicted to even to Superstition for when a certain Starosta of that Country thought to introduce Iron Plowshares among them and the Season not happening to prove as kind as usual they attributed all the cause to this change of Instrument whereupon they were permitted to return to their old way for fear of an Insurrection Their Horses are generally so small that one would wonder how they could undergo the Fatigue they put 'em to Most of the Inhabitants of this Country differ little in Manners Habit or Language from the Lithuanians yet some of them still retain several Idolatrous Worships especially in the Deserts where they pay Devotion to a four-footed Serpent under the Name of Givosit and you 'll hardly find a Family in these Parts without one of these Houshold Gods Nay even at this day in many Villages both of Prussia and Lithuania the poor Peasants altho they profess Christianity yet keep Adders in their Houses to which they pay a more than ordinary Veneration imagining that some great Mischief would befal them if these Idols should come to any harm To be more particular with this Country your Lordship may understand that their Houses except only those of the Gentry are built low and long-ways with an Hearth in the middle and but one Room which serves not only for themselves but their Cattel The better sort drink out of Horn Cups and eat out of Wooden Platters The Honey here is extraordinary having but little Wax and some of it is perfectly white with which the Woods are every where almost lin'd The manner of the Pagan Sacrifices and Feasts in Samogitia kept at this day about the end of October is as follows First the Place of meeting being assign'd the Men with their Wives Children and Servants punctually appear thereat when spreading a Cloth upon the Straw several Loaves are set in due order and between each Loaf a large Pot of Beer then Beasts of divers kinds both Male and Female are brought in and sacrific'd after the antient Custom thus First the Augur or Priest after having mumbled over some few words strikes 'em with a Wand he holds in his hand on the Back Belly c. when all that are present likewise follow his Example crying out O Zimiennick for so they call their God these Offerings we make to thee for protecting us so mercifully hitherto and we most humbly implore thee to have the like Compassion on us for the future as to preserve us from Fire Sword Pestilence and our Enemies Which said they immediately fall to but first cut off a bit from every Plate and throw 'em about the Room crying O Zimiennick graciously partake of our Sacrifices and favour thy Adorers After
1267 endeavouring to subdue Russia he was circumvented by Leo Duke thereof who built Leopol and slain in the Monastery of Wrowsko With him the Family of the Dukes of Lithuania being extinct Vtenus or Vcienus descended from the Kitauri Princes in that Country was unanimously elected first Great Duke of Lithuania and Samogitia who having had divers Wars with the Russians and Prussians died and left his Dominions to his Son Swintorohus who reigning but little tho very well died and left behind him his Son Germontus who rul'd also a very little while and was succeeded by his Son Trahus who govern'd well both in War and Peace for some time and built a Town and Castle after his own Name This Great Duke left behind him five Legitimate Children viz. Narimundus Dowmantus Holsanus Giedrutus and Troidenus who all separately succeeded their Father in his Dominions Narimundus the Eldest had for his part the Great Dutchy of Lithuania with Samogitia both which he had a Right to by the Prerogative of his Birth He translated the Ducal Seat from Novogrodec to Kiernow His first Wars were in conjunction with his Brothers upon Poland Russia Masovia and Prussia Then he declar'd War against his Brother Dowmant for taking away his Wife whom he soon recovered and drove his Brother out of his Dominions who flying to the Russians of Polocz was universally receiv'd for their Prince This Duke is recorded in the Russian Annals to have been the first Inventor of the Lithuanian Arms which are in a Field Gules a Person arm'd Cap-a-pe Sables riding full speed on a Horse Argent and flourishing a Sword over his head of the third To him succeeded his Brother Troidenus but first an Account of the other Brothers Dowmant had for his Share the District of Cosnia where he built the Castle of Vcian Holsanus the third Brother was allotted his Division beyond the River Wilia towards the East Giedrutus or Giedrotus the fourth Brother built a Castle upon a Lake calling it after his own Name and where he fixt the Seat of his Dutchy Whose Descendants are famous even to this day The fifth Brother Troidenus succeeded Narimundus in Lithuania and Samogitia who having gathered together an Army of about 30000 Men divided them into three Parts one whereof he sent against Masovia and the other two against the Teutonick Knights in Prussia where having destroy'd divers Towns he return'd with a great Booty of Captives and Cattle The same Year Cujavia was over-run by the Lithuanians Some small time after which Dowmant Prince of Polocz being provok'd to see his younger Brother on his Father's Throne hir'd three Rusticks to murder him as he went into a Bath which they effected But Dowmant marching with a formidable Army to take possession of Lithuania was met and vanquish'd by Rimunt Son to Troidenus who thereupon succeeded his Father for a while but afterwards calling a Diet at Kiernow he publickly renounc'd his Right and retir'd to a Monastical Life constituting Vithenes of the Family of the Kitauri descended of the Roman Princes Great Duke This Prince was a Person of a brave and warlike Spirit Wherefore Rimunt when it was demanded of him Why he put by the Families of his Vncles Giedrutus and Holsanus answered Because there were none but Children among them when a Prince of Lithuania ought to correspond with the Arms of that Country invented by his Vncle Narimund which were a Warrior on Horseback arm'd Cap-a-pe and posting to subdue his Enemies This Great Duke Vithenes began his Reign in the Year 1281. The Year following he invaded the Palatinate of Lublin and continued destroying it for fifteen days together till at length Lescus the Black King of Poland being animated thereto by a Vision met and fought him between the Rivers Narew and Niemen where the latter gain'd a signal Victory In testimony whereof he founded a Parochial Church at Lublin and dedicated it to St. Michael the Arch-Angel In the Year 1287 the Lithuanians Prussians and Samogitians made a Descent upon Dobrina and surprizing the Capital City thereof on Sunday when its Inhabitants were busi'd at Devotion kill'd and carry'd away great Numbers of them into Slavery Afterwards in 1289 the Lithuanians to the number only of 8000 invaded a part of Prussia burning killing and destroying wherever they came but before the Country could make head against them they were retired with great Spoils To requite which next Year the Prussians march'd into Lithuania where they kill'd and took vast numbers of the Inhabitants as likewise possessed themselves under the Conduct of the Commendador of Koningsberg of the strong Castle Merabde Afterwards Memer great Master of Prussia enter'd Lithuania with a formidable Army and entirely destroy'd two Districts Not long after this Vithenes invaded Cujavia and burnt and destroy'd all the Country about Bressici and likewise carried away great Numbers into Captivity In the Year 1293 Conradus Stange Commendador of Ragneta took the Castle of Mindog in Lithuania which Vithenes soon requited by entring Prussia and destroying it eighty days together Afterwards in 1294 Vithenes with a Body only of 1800 Horse marching thro' Woods and By-roads surpriz'd a great Concourse of People met in the Collegiate Church of Lanschet whereof the greatest part he kill'd and the others consisting chiefly of Ecclesiasticks he carri'd away for Slaves The Church he rob'd and those that fled he stifled by firing all the House around them After which marching about the Country he drove away all their Cattel but upon his return meeting with Casimir Palatine of Lanschet he was bravely oppos'd for a while till Numbers suppli'd the defect of Valour and he entirely routed the Christians near Soâ—â—aczow which having effected he return'd peaceably into his Country This Vithenes had a Master of the Horse nam'd Gediminus who being of a haughty and ambitious Temper conspir'd together with the Great Dutchess to take away his Master's Life which in a short time he brought about and having marry'd his Princess he seiz'd upon the Crown Gedeminus became Great Duke of Lithuania in the Year 1300 in the beginning of whose Reign the Prussian and Livonian Knights having got together a numerous Army invaded Samogitia which they soon over-run burning and destroying wherever they came and taking the strong Castle of Kunossow by Assault wherein they made Prisoner the Grand General of Lithuania The Year following Gedeminus to revenge these insupportable Injuries having rais'd a considerable Body of his own Subjects together with the Assistance of the Russians and Tartars march'd directly against the Teutonic Knights when meeting them near the River Okmiena both Armies came to Blows and so continu'd for several Hours till at length the Samogitians forsaking the Knights side came over to Gedeminus whose Strength thereby being greatly augmented as that of his Enemies weakned he fell furiously in among them and soon put
them to flight This Victory being thus luckily obtain'd Gedeminus prosecuted it into the very heart of Prussia where he found nothing able to withstand him except only the two Castles of Ragneta and Cilza but which nevertheless he took in a short time Afterwards having made a miserable havock in that Country as also totally regain'd his Dutchy of Samogitia he return'd peaceably home In the Year 1304 this Great Duke having a Quarrel with some of the Russian Princes made great Preparations against them when marching forthwith into Russia he first met and fought Vlodomirus Duke of Volhynia whom he slew and routed his whole Army Then he bent his force against Leo Duke of Luceoria whom he also vanquish'd and took his chief City Lutzko both which Princes being thus defeated made him absolute Master of all Volhynia Next Spring being tir'd out with Idleness he carry'd his Arms against Stanislaus Duke of Kiovia whom he overthrew together with several Princes his Neighbours that came to assist him With this Victory Gedeminus being not a little encourag'd proceeded and took most of the Cities and Towns of Russia when after having compleated a glorious Conquest he return'd Triumphantly into his own Country Afterwards Gedeminus going to hunt about five Miles beyond the River Wilia occasionally built a Castle there near a Lake and a City naming it Troki whither he then translated his Court from Kicrnow After this in the Year 1305 Gedeminus going a Hunting again towards the East after various Fortune became greatly fatigu'd with that sport Whereupon Night drawing on he was forc'd to take up a Lodging upon a Mountain then call'd Krzyunagora now Turzagoria or Lissa where soon falling asleep he dreamt that he saw and heard roar a huge Iron Wolf which had above a hundred Wolves of the same Mettle in his Belly which roar'd likewise after an amazing manner whereat being extreamly frighted he wak'd and next Morning put this Dream to his Courtiers to expound when every one having deliver'd his Opinion a different way at last a Pagan Priest nam'd Ledzieiko said to have been found in an Eagle's Nest whose Practice was to foretel Futurities expounded it thus The Iron Wolf quoth he denotes a strong City and the other Wolves in his Belly a formidable Multitude of Inhabitants Hereupon he immediately advises Gedeminus to build a fortify'd City and Castle there Whence this Priest came to have the Name of Radzivil that is A Counsellor to build Vilna From this Person 's Family have descended a great many famous Heroes who have all sufficiently distinguish'd themselves both in times of Peace and War Gedeminus being easily mov'd by these Persuasions forthwith erected two Castles near that Place one on a high Hill and the other in a Plain adding moreover a City call'd Vilna from the River Wilia running by it which is now very populous and Capital of that Great Dutchy to which City he not long after transferr'd his Residence from Troki In 1306 the Lithuanians having had Intelligence that the Poles were lull'd in Sloth and Security march'd through Woods and By-roads into Lower Poland where they burnt and plunder'd Kalisch with several other Cities and Towns killing the old People and Children and carrying the others away Captive The same Year Henry de Pleczko a Saxon Great Master of the Teutonic Order in Prussia surpriz'd and took the Castle of Gartin in Samogitia and put all the Lithuanians found therein to the Sword They likewise proceeded in this War by help of the Germans and after having totally destroy'd the District of Karsouin return'd with great Numbers of Spoils and Captives into Prussia In 1307 the Lithuanians made an Irruption into Siradia and Kalisch where doing a great deal of Mischief they suddenly return'd into their own Country In 1308 Olgerdus Son of Gedeminus march'd with a great Army into Prussia where he made havock with Fire and Sword where-ever he came carrying off likewise great Booty These Favours the Lithuanians and Prussians did frequently and alternatively for one another within the space of few years In 1315 the Lithuanians surpriz'd the Territory of Dobrina where they made great Devastations and likewise took the City of that Name and burnt and plunder'd it In 1322 they likewise enter'd Livonia laying all wast for many Miles together In the same Year in Winter-time David Starosta of Gartin not being discourag'd by Cold destroy'd that Country up as far as Raval carrying away great Spoils and many Prisoners Afterwards in the same Winter they took the Castle of Memel and also enter'd Prussia and kill'd the Comendador of Capion in a set Battle David of Gartin likewise invaded Masovia at the same time and entirely ruin'd a great many Towns and Villages In 1323 the Lithuanians came clandestinely upon Dobrina again and did a great deal of Damage there In the following Year the Starosta of Gartin enter'd Masovia again near Ploczko wherein he destroy'd and burnt above one hundred and thirty Villages thirty Towns and carry'd away about four thousand Captives whilst another Army made a Descent upon Livonia and serv'd that Country after the like manner In 1325 Ann Daughter to Gedeminus marry'd Casimir Son to Vladislaus King of Poland by which all that had been formerly taken from the Polanders was restor'd and a Peace concluded between those two Nations Afterwards at the Siege of the Castle of Fribourg belonging to the Teutonic Knights in Samogitia this Great Duke Gedeminus receiv'd a Wound with an Arrow which cost him his Life This Prince had seven Sons Viz. Montividus Narimundus Olgerdus Keijstutus Koriatus Jauunutus and Lubartus with some Daughters one of which was marry'd as before Among these Sons he divided his Dominions while he liv'd giving to Montividus his eldest Kyernow and Slonim with the Territories thereunto belonging To Narimundus his Conquests and other Acquisitions in Russia On Olgerdus he bestow'd Krewo and all from thence to Beresina To Keijstutus he gave Samogitia Troki Witebsko c. To Koriatus the City of Novogrodec with its Territories But on his Beloved Jauunutus he conferr'd the Metropolis of Lithuania Vilna as also Osmian and Braslaw together with the supream Command over all his Brothers Dominions The youngest Son Lubartus had no share with his Brothers because by his Marriage with the Duke of Russia's Daughter in his Father's Life-time he had obtain'd the Succession to that Dutchy Among these Brothers Olgerdus and Keijstutus being most vex'd to see their younger Brother Jauunutus so highly promoted conspir'd together after their Father's Death to drive him out of Vilna for the execution of which they fix'd a certain time but Olgerdus happening then to be absent on some extraordinary Occasion was forc'd to fail of his Appointment Nevertheless Keijstutus firmly adhering to his Vow resolv'd to accomplish the Design alone and consequently marching secretly towards Vilna surpriz'd and took
playing under the Pent-house before the Nunnery Gate His Age as well as I remember I guess'd to be about twelve or thirteen As soon as I came near him he leap'd towards me as if surpriz'd and pleas'd with my Habit. First be caught one of my Silver Buttons in his hand with a great deal of eagerness which he held up to his Nose to smell Afterwards he leap'd all of a sudden into a Corner where he made a strange sort of Noise not unlike to Howling I went into the House where a Maid-servant inform'd me more particularly of the Manner of his being taken But having not with me the Book wherein I wrot my Observations in my Travels I cannot possibly give you an exact Account of it This Maid call'd the Boy in and show'd him a good large piece of Bread which when he saw he immediately leap'd upon a Bench that was joyn'd to the Wall of the Room where he walk'd about upon all-four After which he rais'd himself upright with a great Spring and took the Bread in his two Hands put it up to his Nose and afterwards leap'd off from the Bench upon the Ground making the same odd sort of Noise as before I was told that he was not yet brought to speak but that they hop'd in a short time he would having his Hearing good He had some Scars on his Face which were commonly thought to be Scratches of the Bears Thus Sir you have all that I can remember of a Curiosity which I saw so long time since the Truth of which no body ought to question since there are several parallel Examples in History and I have been inform'd in this Country that whenas the Tartars make frequent Incursions there which they perform with such extraordinary Swiftness that they can over-run great part of the Country in a very short time their Horses being able to Travel a whole Day together without drawing Bit being arriv'd at the propos'd Place they immediately quarter themselves in a great Circle whereby as it were in a Net they take all that come within their Clutches and carry them into Slavery So that either the Men or Women finding themselves thus ensnar'd and endeavouring to escape have oftentimes not leisure to take care of their Infants and therefore probably this Boy might have been left behind after the like manner and found and born away by the Bears Of which there are a great Number both in Lithuania and Poland I am sorry Sir I cannot give you a more satisfactory Account of this matter but I hope this will suffice for a Testimony of my good Will and to assure you that I am Jan. 1. 1697 8. SIR Your most Affectionate Servant J. P. Van den Brande de Cleverskerk For another Confirmation of this Matter of fact I have the Testimony of an authentic Author M. Christopher Hartknoch of Passenheim in Ducal Prussia who writ two Books of the State of Poland He says that during the Reign of King John Casimir in the Year 1669 there hapned an Accident which perhaps might hardly be credited by Posterity which was that there were then two Boys found by a Company of Soldiers among the Bears in the Woods near Grodna one of which as soon as he saw the Bears assaulted fled into the neighbouring Morass whilst the other endeavouring likewise to escape was taken by the Soldiers and brought to Warsaw where he was afterwards christen'd by the Name of Joseph He was about twelve or thirteen years old as might be guest by his height but his Manners were altogether bestial for he not only fed upon raw Flesh wild Honey Crab-Apples and such like Dainties which Bears are us'd to feast with but also went like them upon all-four After his Baptism he was not taught to go upright without a great deal of difficulty and there was less hopes of ever making him learn the Polish Language for he always continu'd to express his Mind in a kind of Bear-like Tone Some time after King Casimir made a Present of him to Peter Adam Opalinski Vice-Chamberlain of Posnan by whom he was employ'd in the Offices of his Kitchin as to carry Wood Water c. but yet could he never be brought to relinquish his native Wildness which he retain'd to his dying-day for he would often go into the Woods amongst the Bears and freely keep company with them without any fear or harm done him being as was suppos'd constantly acknowledg'd for their Fosterling I might here Sir give you several other Accounts of this Nature which I had related to me when I was in Poland and I am told Mr. Gibson a Parliament-man has formerly seen some other Examples of this kind in that Kingdom but by what I have already mention'd I believe you will be sufficiently convinc'd that the History of Romulus and Remus is not so fabulous as it is generally conjectured to be and as I thought my self it was before I had been in this Country for considering that Brutes since Philosophers and Divines will allow them no Rational Souls breed up their Young meerly out of a Natural Instinct or Sympathy which I need not describe here I see no Improbability why they may not likewise bring up those of another Kind as we have several Instances daily But I will not insist longer upon these Philosophical Matters nor examin here whether Examples of this nature refute or establish innate Ideas as I have done in my Medicina Mystica but will conclude SIR Your very Obedient Servant B. C. A Chronological Table of the Succession Reigns and Deaths of the Dukes Governours Princes and Kings of Poland together with an exact reference to the Page where they are treated of   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dv'd A. D. pag. I. LEchus I. 550 uncertain 10 II. Visimirus Guagnini only mentions III. XII Woievods   Depos'd 12 IV. Cracus 700 ib. V. Lechus II. 13 VI. Venda 750 ib. VII XII Woievods depos'd 14 VIII Lescus I. 760 16 776 ib. IX Lescus II. 776 28 804 16 X. Lescus III. 804 6 810 ib. XI Popiel I. 810 5 815 ib. XII Popiel II. 815 15 830 ib. XIII Piastus 830 31 861 21 XIV Ziemovitus 861 31 892 23 XV. Lescus IV. 892 21 913 ib. XVI Ziemovistus 913 51 964 ib. XVII Miecislaus I. 964 35 999 24 XVIII Boleslaus Chroby 999 26 1025 26 XIX Miecislaus II. 1025 9 1034 ib. XX. Casimir I. 1034 25 1059 27 XXI Boleslaus II. 1059 23 1082 29 XXII Vladislaus Hermannus 1082 21 1103 30 XXIII Boleslaus III. 1103 37 1140 31 XXIV Vladislaus Sputator 1140 6 1146 33 XXV Boleslaus Crispus 1146 28 1174 35 XXVI Miecislaus III. 1174 4 1178 36 XXVII Casimir II. 1178 17 1195 37 XXVIII Lescus V. 1195 8 1203 39 XXIX Vladislaus Lasconogus 1203 3 1206 42   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dy'd A. D. pag. XXX Lescus V. Reestablish'd 1206 22 1228 ib. XXXI Boleslaus V. 1228 51 1279 43 XXXII Lescus Niger 1279 11
it a glutinous oily Substance called Seed In short after knowing Man in himself I examine the natural Ways which he uses to propagate his Kind in begetting another by way of Generation Man as I said before is made of two Substances Soul and Body The Soul preserves the Body by Reason and governs it by voluntary Motion The Body furnishes the Soul with Ideas of Corporeal Beings The Life of Man is the Correspondence between Soul and Body but the Life of the Body is the natural Motion of the Blood and Splrits the Cessation of which Motion is Death The solid Parts of the Body have no Motion or Life of their own but such as they borrow from the Blood and Spirits The Blood and Spirits have none neither but such as they are allowed by the general Laws of Nature establish'd by a Supreme Being To maintain this mutual Correspondence and Dependance between Soul and Body all the Organs Springs and Humours of the body must be in their due Disposition for the Death of the Body is properly the loss of this Disposition and not the Separation of the Soul as is commonly believ'd for the Body is dead before the Soul is gone out of it and the going out of the Soul is but the Cessation of its Correspondence with the Body for want of Motion in the latter This Disposition is disordered or ruined by Diseases all which Diseases have their first Seat in the Blood from whence they are communicated to the solid Parts and the solid Parts being affected they reciprocally insect the Blood But tho the Blood was never infected and Man never sick yet he should die of course by the Relaxation and Attrition of his solid Parts from the long and continual Circulation of the humours through them which we call Old Age. As to what relates to the Materia Medica or the Account I have given of the Virtue and due Application of inward Medicines in the Practice of Physick I should likewise give you a Series of the different Subjects I treated of as I have in my Plan of the Animal Oeconomy but finding it too tedious and needless I will only mention in general that all inward Diseases have their first Seat in the Mass of Blood that they are caused by a Ferment or Matter hid in it which deriv'd its Origin from some outward Causes That there are no Specific Medicines for any part of the Body as for the Head Heart Liver Stomach Spleen but that they must all operate upon the whole Mass of Blood that consequently outward Applications cannot avail much for inward Distempers that the Medicines must be carried in a convenient Vehicle through the Blood to the place where the Distemper lies and that then they either carry its Cause out of the Body by Evacuation or change the Nature of it within by altering the Mass of Blood I may therefore reasonably divide all the Materia Medica described by so many voluminous Authors only into two Classes of Medicines Evacuating and Alterating I did not so much talk of those Remedies that evacuate only from some parts of the Body as Bleeding Clysters Leeches Issues Blisters Setons Gargles Snush and the like for they can hardly ever cure any inward Disease but of such as evacuate the Morbific Matter from the whole Mass of Blood by the five general ways Stool Vomit Vrine Sweat and Salivation where without recurring to occult or precarious Qualities I reduced to the Principles of Chymistry and Reason the Nature and Operations of Purgatives Emetics Diuretics Diaphoretics of Antimony and Mercury of Venereal and other Diseases as likewise the Nature and Usefulness of Baths and other Mineral Waters I have likewise examin'd and endeavour'd to explain the Nature and different Effects of Alterating Medicaments which operate in the Mass of Blood without any Evacuation such as sweeten the Blood when sowr that thin it when gross and thick that hasten it s too slow Circulation that stop it s too rapid Motion as in Fevers that cool the Blood that heat it and raise the Spirits as Cordials that calm the Spirits as Narcotics that strengthen the Tone of the Parts as Styptics and Astringents that open Obstructions as Aperitives Here therefore I had occasion to consider the Vertues and Operations of Steel Opium Jesuits Powder of Alcalious and Acid Medicines and of the whole Tribe of other alterating Remedies It would Sir be too prolix and needless to mention to you all that can be said in this nice and weighty Subject which includes in a manner the whole Machine of the Universe which requires several Years fervent Application for any one to attain a tolerable Knowledge of and which cost me some Months Labour to demonstrate at Oxford what small Insight I was thought to have in it Yet still I am not unwilling to comply with your Desires and to spare some time from my other Business here to communicate what I know of these Matters to any Persons of both Universities or to such other ingenious Gentlemen as have a Curiosity for things of this Nature And I shall take care that all be perform'd in such a decent and creditable manner as may be for the Benefit and Satisfaction of others as well as my own particular Reputation For not only my Duty but likewise the Usefulness and Agreeableness of my Profession tho in it self very abstruse and difficult inclines me naturally to improve it as much as I can and I hope I shall be able in few Years to publish a Latin Treatise of the Principles of Physick and of the Oeconomia Animals which perhaps then will give You and the Publick more Satisfaction than they or your self can at present expect from From Bow-street in Covent-Garden London Nov. 2. 1695. SIR Your very Obedient Servant B. Connor A LETTER to James Tyrrel Esq from Dr. Connor Fellow of the Royal Society Containing a further Explanation and Vindication of the Plan of the Animal Oeconomy or of the Chymical and Anatomical Method for understanding the Fabrick Springs Tempers and Diseases of the Human Body SIR IT is upon all hands acknowledg'd that the Acquaintance of Men of Learning and Worth is of great benefit towards acquiring not only the Knowledg of Men and Manners but of Nature too But of all the Advantages to be reap'd from their Conversation that of correcting our Prejudices or Mistakes and of setting us in the right way is the most valuable I should be too disingenuous Sir if I should not concur with the Publick in justly allowing you to be as discerning a Judg as you are a true Friend The World is convinc'd of the first by your shewing your self so great a Master as well of the Laws of Nature and Nations as of those of your own Country and none that have the Honour to know you can be ignorant of your Sincerity aâ—â—d Zeal in correcting the Errors and Oversights of your Friends To whom then should I more allowably communicate