MEMOIRES OF THE LIFE and ACTIONS Of the most INVINCIBLE and TRIUMPHANT PRINCE IHON THE GREAT Third of that Name PRESENT KING of POLAND CONTAINING A Succinct Series of Affairs from his Craddle to this present Day With a particular RELATION of his many Great and Stupendious VICTORIES obtain'd against the TVRKS and TARTARS from the time he was first made CROWN GENERAL and afterwards Elected KING of POLAND Done in Verse out of H. G's Historical Account of the said PRINCES LIFE and ACTIONS By a Lover of the PEACE and GLORY of CHRISTENDOME EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to His IMPERIAL MAJESTY of GREAT-BRITAIN Anno DOM. 1685. TO THE MOST ANTIENT OF ALL CHRISTENDOMS and the whole WORLDS MONARCHS The most Potent the most Heroick the most August JAMES The Seventh the Ornament and Glory of all other PRINCES KINGS and EMPERORS His Imperial MAJESTY of GREAT BRITAIN France and Ireland c. GREATEST SIR AS an Essay whether or not this my obscurity dare approach the most Glorious and August Theme in the World and that is Your MAJESTIES own I have attempted the MEMOIRES of the Heroick and Victorious KING of POLAND which will become yet the more Memorable when Graced with Your PRINCELY EYE and ROYAL PROTECTION The Subject being in it self so Noble might very well have become a much greater and finer Pen than the many diss-advantages of so low an Author could well afford it However Mannag'd as it is by the unworthiest of a thousand being the Account of the Life of so great so glorious a PRINCE Comprising some of the memorablest Actions and Victories which have yet Adorn'd any other Age It could not have been offer'd withour diminution of that Glory due to Soveraign MAJESTIES to any else of whatsomever Sphere below GODS Prime MOVER of the WORLD the Royal Nay nor yet of all those Foundations or that Firmament of the Universe to any other Intelligence or power save Your MAJESTY alone For to whom else should the Heroick Atchievments of this Valiant PRINCE have been Address'd but to another KING the most Wise the most Valiant the most Enriched with all those distinguishing Marks of Excellency and transcendent WORTH which ever yet Dignify'd that highest Character And tho the alone Elective KING this day in Europe if not in all the World which is more the dissadvantage of His Subjects there being for most part a kind of Metempsychosed ROYAL GENIUS in the continued Successions of an Ancient Race of Hereditary KINGS The want of which with that wild Nemine Reclamante in their Diets being the two great Flaws in the Polish Government have no doubt been ever yet the Grand Obstacles whereby that otherwise Magnanimous Nation has not long ere now born a much greater Figure in the World But this is none of our HERO'S fault His Loss it may be in several Instances but especially in his being hereby the youngest Brother of all other KINGS To whom else then should His Polish MAJESTY repair but to the Eldest of all these and that is Your ROYAL SELF For Reckoning from KING FERGUS the First of the longest Race of an hundred and eleven KINGS Your Royal PROGENITORS in a Reign of two thousand and fifteen years The Primogeniture of the whole Worlds MONARCHS is the indisputable Right of the Sacred Imperial MAJESTY of Great BRITAIN whom that Heaven may still Protect as it hath ever yet done with Miracles and Wonders for the Glory of God and the Good of his Church in this Queen of Islands and all other Your MAJESTIES Dominions for the great lasting Ornament of the eldest ROYAL BROTHERHOOD of all other KINGS for the Ballancing the Affairs of CHRISTENDOME for the glorious Defence of the true Christian Faith and the Encouragement of all other Christian KINGS and PRINCES to a generous and just Charity and brave Resolution of uniting their joynt and firmly Combined Forces against the Common Sworn Insidel ENEMIES of our most holy RELIGION shall be ever the constant standing or kneeling Prayer of the least and unworthiest of all other Your MAJESTIES Most Humble and most Obedient Servants and Subjects ALEX. TYLER A LETTER to his GRACE WILLIAM DUKE OF QUEENSBERRY MARQUES of Drumfreis-shire EARL of Drumlanerick and Sanqubar VICE-COUNT of Nith Tortherwald and Ross LORD Dowglas of Kinmonth Middlebie and Dornock His MAJESTIES High COMMISSIONER for His Ancient KINGDOM of SCOTLAND Lord High THESAURER of the said KINGDOM one of the MEMBERS of His MAJESTIES PRIVY COUNCIL of both KINGDOMS May it please your GRACE BEside the Succession of a great many Durkes Regents KINGS I range them in the order of their own History and the entire Reigns of the two preceeding KINGS of Poland JOHN CASIMIR MICHAEL KORIBVT WIESNOWITZKI the voluntary Resignation of the Polish Crown by the former and the great Hazard of its and that fierce and undaunted Nations being well near made Tributary to the Ottoman Turbant by the timorous precipitation of the latter and a light touch of the Government Laws Politys and Customs of that great People sprinkled all along this little small Work the manner of their Diets or Parliaments the Splendid and Pompous way of Election of their KINGS where each Waywood Palatine and Castellan for these are the Titles of their Peers and Senators appear equip'd like as many EMPERORS having every one a Retinue so August so Numerous so High and yet so Orderly as tho they were all severally Triumphant CAESARS who when once assembled to the number often-times of some hundred thousands all gallantly appointed and richly and strongly Arm'd The Diet sits or rather stands in that Field for most part neer Warsaw their Capital City call'd Kolw for no House in the World could suffice to contain And I doubt if many Cities could well accommodat beside the own Inhabitants such prodigiously-vast Swarms of Men of all Ranks all at once I say beside all this your GRACE has offer'd you in these Sheets the Life and Actions from his Cradle neer to this day of one of the Greatest and Bravest KINGS except the IMPERIAL MAJESTY of Great-Britain alone whom GOD still preserve and bless second to none else that CHRISTENDOME or the whole World dare challenge this day or peradventure yet ever could own His Descent of the most Illustrious and Noble Families of his Countrey His Education the stepps of his Advancement His being made Crown-General His Exploits while in that Trust during the Reigns of two KINGS His immediat Predecessors His rare Virtues for which GOD hath Anointed him with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows His Election and mounting up to Polands Throne His many Battles fought with all the disadvantages of Number Strength and oftentimes Place and other Circumstances where Triumph still Pearch'd upon his victorious Ensignes and of all these the Place the year of God the day of the Moneth the very time of the day wherein he has so oftentimes made Christendome glorious brave happy while Infiaels
fell in Piles fled in Throngs from the Lightning of his Brandish'd Sword and the Thunder of his Guns and Artillery The whole Ottoman Force Greatness trembling at his very Name being confounded and cast into the Convulsion Fitts shrunk into the cold Cramps of Terrour and Amazement at the Storm and Tempest of so Irresistible and Prodigious a Valour I consess I had never attempted this great Subject if I had not had then a yet far more great and glorious and nearer one in my Eye and that is the Memoires of the present Imperial MAJESTY of GREAT-BRITAIN I have therefore made this light Essay upon the youngest to prepare my self for the just and due Praises of the eldest the greatest of KINGS and to tone up this poor Pen into a Trumpet whose shriller Eccho may be heard at once at Land and Sea which can never be Theatres of that dimension as to suffice to determine the vast indefinite space of his boundless Glory BRITAIN being for the Great JAMES in all mens Opinion a lesser Spott then Macedon was for ALEXANDER It is both the Interest the Safety the Happiness and the great Honour and I hope the Joy of the whole Subjects of his Dominions that they serve the Wisest the Valiantest the most Just and Generous most Noble and Glorious PRINCE in the World And it s the great Encouragment of all good Subjects in this his most Antient Kingdom that your Grace is now here His MAJESTY's High COMMISSIONER for this present PARLIAMENT your being sprung from the great Antient and Illustrious DOWGLAS a NAME and FAMILY which in Camp or Court in the Trophees and Prowesses of Valour and Loyalty may justly vie Titles with any other excepting KINGS in the Vniverse as well as your GRACES own Signal Proofs of a Zealous Service to your Royal Master and a just Regard to the greatest Good and Honour of this KINGDOM fills all Expectations with so bigg a Confidence of the Welfare and Happiness both of CHURCH and STATE as in all Beliefs is past Doubt That these Thoughts and Wishes of all Honest and Loyal Hearts and your GRACES pious and noble Endeavours that way may be thus Answered is the Humble and Hearty Prayer of Your GRACES Least Lowest and Unworthiest Servant ALEX. TYLER A LETTER To the Right HONOURABLE JAMES EARL OF PERTH LORD DRUMMOND and STOBHALL c. LORD High CHANCELOR OF SCOTLAND My LORD WHile your admirable Progress in all the Parts of Universal Learning beside all the other great Excellencies and rare Qualifications whereof you are the happy Possessor neer almost to the Adoration of all that know you Attracts all Eyes to Behold and Gaze all Hearts to Love and Admire and all Pens like the Needle to the North to point to your Lordship as they had been magnetically touch'd caught or ho kt in with the beautiful Charms of those brave radiant Virtues which at once Endears and Astonishes Mankind And while all those vast Cataracts of Knowledge large Channels deep Rivers and fluent Streams of others run into that Sea of Wisdom and Worth that they may be absorpt in those its sweet Waters It were unnatural if my little half dry purling Brook should not endeavour to Glide on to the same Oâ—ean These are My Lord not to speak of your Honours some of the Signalizing Marks whereby you make so distinguishing a Figure in the World But your Lordship being so true and zealous a Son of the CHURCH is the Seal of all and makes the whole Clergy of BRITAIN your hearty Well-wishers and Admirers And if the least and unworthyest of all these may be named amongst the rest So is Your LORDSHIPS Humble and Entirely Devouted Servant ALEX. TYLER TO THE READER WHen the Prodigious Valour and matchless Conduct of the most August Heroick and Mighty KING of Poland had at once Astonish'd Rejoyc'd and oblig'd the whole Christian World in that so opportune a Relief of Besieged Vienna Altho I had then seen no more but a Landskip of the City and the Encampment of the Turks in an expanded Sheet Printed at Cullen and Re-printed at London in 1683. Yet the desires of a very Noble Lord whose undeserved favours to my self beside Assistances in Works of this Nature which make all such import Commands unto me together with my own Native Inclinations not to be altogether wanting in those just Returns of Praise and Wonder which all Christians if not all Mankind ow so vast a Merit prevail'd so far with me as to write but what was never meant for publick view while alone about some dozen Stanza's to that purpose Which tho inconsiderable and little as it was bearing the name of the Siege and Battle of Vienna with another no less short then it entituled the Tempest meant only for the Remembrance of those with my self who had all of us together at that time run the same Hazard most unexpectedly and beside my knowledge slipt into the Press whence issuing with mo Errata then Lines as is commonly incident to surreptitious Emissions I thereupon resolved whensoever I should obtain a more full Account of the Life and Actions of this Invincible PRINCE to pay His MAJESTY in mo Lines some small part of those vast Acknowledgments wherein the whole Christian World stands so deeply indebted to his Glory And having been still Restless in the Inquest tho in vain ever since until at last some seven Weeks hence I mean before my having first Writ those ensuing Sheets by the Intervention of some Persons of Honour I had it under the name of SCANDERBEG Redivivus done by H.G. an Englishman as I suppose whose Historical Account in Prose this Song such as it is hath exactly followed to which are annexed the forenamed small Poems without any other alteration save the Estates of the Printer amended I can assure my Reader aforehand there is nothing in all this Piece to recommend it but the Excellency of a Noble and Mighty Subject coarsely enough manag'd and a great many harsh Names scarcely Versify'd And it may be not a few Tri-crambiat Rowling Lines for expressing the Emphasis of a Conceit not as yet much used The Truth is the Picture of this great PRINCE in its own Native Lineaments is so Radiant so Dazling a Beauty that its Lustre needs more Shadow then Enlight'ning And methinks its genuine Charms and spakling Graces would have been either more hid or marr'd by any at least the best of mine Artificial Colourishing And therefore the so Loud so Amazing Veriâ—ies of the plain but just Narration hath all along eased because it so vastly surmounted my low Fancy Nevertheless thou hast it if thou please as well at least as I ever have yet had it if thou canst not have Liking of nor at will be Reconcil'd with it I 'm somewhat Indifferent for it will Court thee but just as much as thou dist it And is it cannot procure a Celtation of Arms at least let it plead a fair Quarter
Six Weeks before the Session of the Diet Here one Commission'd from the KING stands by it Who in each LANDT-JAG publickly declares All less and more the KINGS propos'd Affairs To be debated in next Parliament Which having thought upon with full intent They choice their Members with Instructions clad All which exactly must be followed In ref'rence to the Kings propos'd Desires And freedom to propound what e're their Countries good requires THis distinct Body of LAND-NUNTIOS Altho the Senat 's greater men then those Tho lesser these then those in Dignity Yet equal to them in Autority Is Ballance to the Senat to controul Those Grandees if the KING should them cajole With Words or Promises or Bounteous Deeds To break their Arms or bow their Hearts or Heads Or with Corrupting Gold to blind their Eyes And jeopard all their Countries Liberties Wherefore they always pick out for that Trust Persons sufficient sober wise and just Of all which Qualities they have much need For in the Diet if on any head There happen but one single Dissentor Whither't be Nuntio or Senator Stiffly persisting his alone Protest On that Point makes that nothing can concluded by the rest Who tho they all should vote it o're and or'e't Ones Nic-poz-waliam carrys all afore't Wherefore all their Determinations made In Vote unanimous or as they ha 't Nemine Reclamante't may be said Besides these Palatinats spoke of now The Cities DANTZICK VILNA and CRACOW Each have the Priv'ledge of their Deputy Who have their Seats mongst the Nobility But common Matters are dispatcht and sped By Judges in each Province stablished And Burgraves of each Town and City where The meanest Peasant if he lists may hear And know all done for no Impediment 's made there where all sorts may themselves present From Salt-Pits Copper-Mines and those of Lead And silver the KINGS Revenues are had The KING all Prelats and all Dignities All Officers of War and of Justise Of the Exchequer and of Policy Doth nominat anew when these do or transgress or dy The highest Honours in Poles Kingdom known Are the Grands Marshal Genral of the Crown Grands Master of Kings Houshold Chancellor These doth the KING dispose and sev'ral more A LETTER TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The EARL of STRATHMORE and KINGHORN Vice-Count LYON Lord GLAMES c. One of the Lords of His Imperial MAJESTIES most Honourable Privy COUNCIL and EXCHEQUER Vpon his Lordships having been the Occasion of the Authors first Writing and then Supplying the Materials unto the little small Canto of the SIEGE of VIENNA which was also the Occasion of these MEMOIRES of the KING of Poland and his Lordships Encouragement of the Author to proceed when he had the first view of some of the ensaing Sheets then Imperfect MY LORD KINNETTLS where I have now lived these Fifteen Years past being in your Lordships Vicinage and in view of the Smoak of the Chimneys of your Antient and Magnifick House of GLAMES having beside the many other Favours unworthily enough cast away on me obliged my not being unfrequently with your Lordship and your Noble Family there when I was ofterr honoured to be bid see your Lordship at your other lesser but pleasanter House of CASILE-LYON some Ten Miles distant thence I confess I was herein wanting to my Day and my Self that I had not seen your Lordship there before the beginning of October 1683 when all the Earth rung the Praise of the Victorious KING of Pole I remember that after a very orderly Supper for further Entertainmet of your Lordships Guests then and there we had a very fine and harmonious Consort of Vocal Musick and of the great variety of melodious Airs that of ARMIDA being frequently called for and still applauded by your Lordship and all the Hearers your Lordship wisht that the Relies of Besieged VIENNA might be composed to that Tone how soon soever it s more exact Relation came to this KINGDOM Which upon that same condition I then underlook And accordingly in less then a Month the reasrer at my next having the honour to see your Lordship at GLAMES I was presented with a Description of the Encampment of the Turks and Relief of VIENNA done at COLEN and Reprinted at LONDON in the year 1683 all in one great Sheet And being so put to it especially to a Person of so much Honour and Ingenuity to make good a Promise which at that time I remembere'd much better then the forenamed Air. To perform what I had said I sent your Lordship timely next Morrow the said Description done in such bad Verse as may be expected from a Man thar because he thinks none of his best Compasures worth the favour of anothers first sight so he but seldom vouchsafes himself the trouble nor them the regard of a second Thought being almost sick and weary of them ere ever they are well or ill done out This little song emituled the Siege and Battle of VIENNA with some other Scriblings of mine in several Copies especially the Tempest having fall'n into the Hands of some others of my Friends and by frequent Tramsmissions at last stolen into the Press whence they skip't so uggly with Errata that returning again to my view tho a good time before as far out of my Thought as they had been removed from my Custody I was thereupon induced to resolve upon an entire Account of that Great and Heroick MONAROH his LIFE in a larger and longer Paem how soon I could come by any perfect Notice thereof I need not tell your Loraship who it was that procured me the first sight of the Memoris of H.G. My Acknowledgements in that being indebted primarly to your SELF and the much Accomplished MASTER of KINAIRD Your Noble eldest Son my Lord GLAMES who may well Ornament a great Family peradventure a Country some short time thereaster enquiring for the view of another Piece supposed to have been once in my Custady That I might stave off his Importunity I was enforced to shew him and both your Lordship saw them first of all others six or seven Sheets of the yet imperfect Memoirs of the KING of Pole The undeserved Approhation which your Lordships then and others afterwards have been pleased to vouchsafe them have encouraged them to look out abroad into the World in such plain Garb as they are being destitute for most part of these loud and light flourishes which are seen and expected in Poesie Lest the Selidity and Imporiance of so great so true a History should have dwindled into the Phantastick Scenes and Appearances of Romance And now My Lord when these and other your accustomed Kindnesses to me and the usage of the World in such cases require I should expatiat in your down-right how much deserved soever Commendation to your face Tho the Antiquity of your Noble Family the Honours Offices and Publick Trusts of severals of your brave Ancestry as well as those in your own person those HERO's
Apartment as last-Honour done him Soon afâ—er which the States in gratitude His Honourable Maintenance conclude Whereof the States of Poland and of Life land gave this full Assurance o' t for Life ' WE th' Ecclesiastick States and Civil ' Inhabitants of Poland and of Lifl ' and met in Council hereby Certify ' All the whole World and our Posterity ' That by all means could be imagined ' We have besought and much endeavoured ' For to perswade IHON CASIMIR our KING ' During his Lifetime to protract his Reign ' And not Relinquish this our Polish Crown ' Whereto himself and his of great Renown ' 's long been our mighty Kings call'd by Election ' But seeing no Inducements could perswade ' His Majesty to alter's purpose made ' And that h' hath freely rend'red to our Hand ' Poles Kingdom and great Dutchby of Lif-land ' Together with their whole Dependencies ' Crown Revenues and Royal Dignities ' The Royal Pow'r Prerogative and Name ' All which or He or Polish Kings could claim ' And we not knowing how to Lett or Stint ' Herein his Majesties most strong Intent ' His Majesty desiring we provide ' Convenient maintenance for his Life-tide ' Which Tho a Point wherein we want th' Advice ' Of our whole Brethren in their Assemblies ' Yet notwithstanding out of our Affection ' To 's Majesty before the next Election ' We have consented and do all agree ' That he have Thousands hundred and fiftie ' Liv'res of yearly Pension whereof ' One hundred thousand to be payed off ' This Kingdom and the fifty thousand more ' For to be charg'd on the great Dutchys score ' Forth of the Revenues of the Kings Table ' These Sums at next Election fix'd and stable ' And then and there these Sums fore-mentioned ' Be in their minute payments specifi'd ' And that the Lords of Treasure of both Nation ' Shall from the day o's Majesties Resignation ' Make an Allowance of the Pension said ' Without the said specification had ' And this we promise having notifi'd ' In our Provincials to gett Ratifi'd ' And make provision to secure this Thing ' By an Agreement with next following King ' Further Agreeing this Allowance from ' Dutchy of Lifland and the same Kingdom ' Shall during's Majesties whole Life Remain 'To be advanced wholly fully plain ' Freely entire without Abatements Fees ' Or whatsomever else Gratuities Chap. IV. Of the Election of Prince Michael Koribut Wicksnowiski to the Crown of Poland and the Eminent Services of General SOBIETZKI during his Reign KING CASIMIR having as hath been said The Government of Pole abandoned On sixteenth of September sixty eight Gnesna's Archbishop by his Office Right Apply'd himself during the Interreign To rule that State which now did want a KING And for a new Election did think sitting Against next May to call the General Meeting To hold at Warsaw whil'st Poles Candidate Each busy'd much to make his Party patt As namely the great Duke of Musco's Son Who had been bred in Poland and was one Who spoke that Language well as prompt as fast ay As any Noblest Polzki or Piasti One whose behalf the Duke his Father made These Offers which the others Pow'r outbad That he should Change his Greek-Religion And take the Romanist Communion In 's favours to Renounce all Muscovie All Places tane from Pole restor'd should be And that four Millions free-gift this year He should advance for payment of th' Arrear O' th' Polish Army Further promise made Poland ' gainst all its Enemies to Aid With Ready Force of Fourty thousand men And enter in perpetual League with them The next was Newburgs Duke To Duke Bavar A Brother whom the Emperor did favor The third Pretender was the Prince of Lorrain The fourth Duke D' Enguien Prince of Condees son Which last Gnesna and Gen'ral SOBIETZKAY Were thought to favour more then all the Restay THen as if many CAESARS for the Nonce Had enter'd Rome Triumphant all at once That She the Worlds proud Mistris might display Her dazling Grandeurs at one Sight one Day Ev'n so Poles Grandees Princes Palatine Each striving other to out-strip out-shine In Mays beginning of the sixty nine In greatest Pomp and Splendor did Resort To Warsaw Poles chief Mistris Seat of Court In order to th' proaching Election As Pole had meant to have it said and shown The least of all her Princes worth a Crown UPon the first of May Duke Radzevil Great Litwanias General of the Field Did make his Entry with a stately Train Which in the following order marcht amain Five Companies of Heyduques first came on Consisting of an hundred in each one With flying Ensigns beating Drums each Fellow Clad in a large Blew Vest was lin'd with Yellow Next a Foot-Company of sixtie men Clad so like Janizars that none could ken Their Yellow from the hue of Musslmen Next of Dragoons two Troops whose Backs did grace Their fine blew-Coats o're-laid with Silver-lace Then came a Troop of Gallant German Horse In richest Trappings neighing in their force As many Hussars after them comes next These at some distance followed by sixt y Gentlemen of primest Quality In Cloaths so rich that richer they defy And as their Horses scorn'd that Ground they trod Their Hands grasp't Launces of the Turkish mod Then came of Litwanias Field himsel The General Duke Michael Radzevel Follow'd by greatest Lords and primest Gentrie Above two hundred of the Litwan Countrie All these equip'd in splendidest Array In richest Harness their proud Horses bray ' Mongst whom were divers of the Princes high Of the most ancient Nobility As Prince Slav'slans Lubomiriski The Lord Potoski These were followed At some good distance their Attendants made A huge vast Number of brave Gentlemen In Richest Liv'ries all their Servants then After whom marched of Tartarian Horse Two Troops whose each did count a hundreds force Then of Dragoons five Troops march'd on apace Clad in Blew Coats adorn'd with Silver Lace Of all which Train like first the last appear A Companie of Heyduques brings the Rear THis Entrie tho the most Magnificent Those of the two Lords Pazzi far out-went In Afternoon of this same very day The one Grand Chanc'lour t'other as they say Great General of Litwania Who enter'd Warsaw in most Royal wise Whose Numbers had Duke Radzevils told thrice ANd now more splendid farr then both the same The Waywod of Cracovia also came Attended with a yet more numerous Train Which like some Armies made five thousand men ANd yet the more Illustrious third of May Eclips'd those Glories of its first seen day When Gen'ral SOBIETZKIS numerous Train In goodliest Order covered all the Plain All Polands Princes Waywoods and each Peer Did him the honour long ere he came neer To meet him sev'ral Miles from Warsaws Gate Who as he Rode he seem'd to Sit in State And as he Sate his Posture seem'd to say He should ere long great Polands Scepter
serve Occasions after the next Spring AT which time Tidings came unto the KING That Turks in dread of any more Pursuit Had marched ev'ry Day and ev'ry Night And had again Repassed the Danow And that the Tartars hurled Homewards too Taking the nearest Cutt of shortest Road Onwards the Way leads by Bialogrod THus being fred of Swarms of Turks and Tartars The KING put 's Army to their Winter Quarters Where when his MAJESTY had caus'd them come Resolv'd to settle his Affairs at Home So as he might early next Spring take Field Accordingly November twelfth he held To Zulkiew three Leagues of from Leopold Where as most welcome to his Royal QUEEN And the yonng Princes their dear Children So no less almost was the Joy of all The People crouding to behold and sal ute meet shout praise extol and bid welcome Their common FATHER and DELIVERER Home GREAT ANGEL GUARDIAN of all CHRIST'NDOM A LETTER To the Right HONOURABLE Sir GEORGE DRUMMOND OF MILN-NAB LORD PROVOST OF EDINBURGH My LORD HAving as an ESSAY of what I can and peradventure may hereafter say both better and more of the Greatest and most Antient MONARCH in the whole World the present KING of BRITAIN and that I might if possible by these excite an Emu'ation of the united Force and Brav'ry of all Christian KINGS and PRINCES against the proud and insatiable Cruelty of that Infidel Enemy of CHRIST'NDOM the TURK attempted in Verse such as they are the MEMOIRES of that Heroick PRINCE the present KING of Poland I cannot but think the pains I have already been and the whole Charge I am even now at the better bestowed when it shall be presented to a Person of your Lordships Character here and great Interest and Acquaintance in the whole Polish Dominions You are so known to the whole Frame and Methods of the Government the Succession of the Dukes and KINGS the History and Scene of the various Changes of Fortunes of that brave Magnanimous People the Topography of the Places of that vast Country the Situations of Leopol Cochmi and Caminiec c. and many other the Triumphant Theatres of his brave prowesses whose Names will be still consign'd to the Immortal Glories and Victories of JOHN the Third I know your Lordship has seen his two immediat Predecessors CASIMIR and MICHAEL and knew not only himself before but after his being Crown General as well as that you have seen and known his Illustrious PARENTS with those Waywoods Palatines Castellans and other great and valiant Personages who have accompanied and born some share in his happy and holy Victories and by your intimat Correspondence with so many Persons of great Interest and Fidelity in these Parts have had the best and truest Accounts of those signal and amazing Services done the whole Christian World by the Great SOBIETZKI Seeing your Lordship in all these Capacities may be the fittest Judge in this place of the World to condemn or correct the Lapses or Mistakes by Missinformations or Distance of Place or where my Author has not swerv'd the best Witness to avouch the Fidelity and Ingenuity of Your LORDSHIPS most humble and much devouted Servant ALEX. TYLER Chap. VI. The KING Crowned OBTAINS another great VICTORY over the TVRKS and TARTARS The ARTICLES of PEACE The Magnificent ENTERTAINMENT of his EXCELLENCY the English AMBASSADOR T' Was now high time all things prepared be For Coronation of his MAJESTY Since by the Constitutions of Poles Land Their ELECT PRINCE somethings may not Command Nor yet perform until once Passed be Their Coronations Solemnitie WHerefore on January the sev'nteenth Was KING MICHAELS Corps convey'd at length From Warsaw in a Chariot drawn by six Horses his Houshold officers marcht next And Multitudes of men of Quality Tending their PRINCES last Solemnity Alongs the Way from Warsaw to Cracow Where both their present Majesties were now Lately Arriv'd and waited on by the Whole Kingdoms Senators Nobility THe Body of KING CASIMIR which had Been sent for out of France was here convey'd To Cracow where on one the self same day Were both KINGS Funerals perform'd they say With all the usual Solemnities And Honors due to ROYAL Memories THis being once dispatch'd and Passed o're Of sev'nty six second of Februar KING SOBIETZKI and his QUEEN were now Crowned within the Castle of Cracow With all the Pomp Magnificence and Shew Which Art can fancy or the Eye can view And the next day his new Crown'd MAJESTY Receiv'd the Hommage o's Nobility His Gentry Senators and of the whole Orders and States of Litwanic and Pole THe French Ambassader did soon present To 's MAJESTY his Masters Complement Which was a solemn Declaration In favours of the QUEEN French born by Nation That 's MAJESTY of FRANCE adopted had The QUEEN of Poland now his Daughter made Declaring further that accordingly She should on all occasions Treated be And look't upon what ever hap might chance Still as a Daughter of the Crown of France HOwe're on eight of March next following Her Majesty had one to Pole more owing When safe delivered of a Princesse young THen did his MAJESTY himself apply The Vacant Trusts and Honours to supply Prince Lubomirski Polish Names sound harsh all Was made of Polands Kingdom the Grand Marshal And Mareschal of Court Lord Sinawski Crown-General Prince Demetrius Wisnowiski By whose Removal one Jablownowski Who was the Prince and Palatine of Russie Vacant the Place Lievtenant General Giv'n to the Last these vacancies the KING thus filled all JVne seventy six did Sultan Nuradin With Chams two Sons all pass the Neister soon And like those Fishes which do swim in Shoals Around great Whales so these surround the Poles In vastest Bodys sending out strong Bands To Ravage and harrass the Polish Lands And Ibrahim Bassa swarms of Turks doth place At sev'ral Posts about Caminiec MEan while altho good Resolutions were Tane at last Polish Diet to prepare For this Campaign they 'd so neglectful been Of this throwout each sev'ral Palatine The Dicts purposes to execute That both of Men and Money destitute His MAJESTY was still remaining yet In 's old Complained Straits and most unfit To make Resistance yet he ordered Those few Remains of tatter'd Troops he had To March directly to his last years Hold And have their Rendezveuz at Leopold And being Destitute of all else than Means of Supply Convoc's the Arrierban That all might meet for Kingdoms joynt Defence IN August seventy six his Excellence LAURENCE Ambassador from Britains KING Unto his Polish Majesty being Arriv'd at Dantzick And the Polish QUEEN Came also to that City after soon Upon her Road for France to Drink at Wells Of Burbon which as t 's said some Griefs soon heals Of whom their being he had Audience And thereupon the young Princess presents To whom his MASTER of Great-britain was Pray'd to be God father at her Christ'ning Mass With a Rich noble Jewel on the part Of his said MAJESTY and so doth
design'd With winged speed to give those mighty parts Nature gave him improv'n with Thought and Arts To 's Kings and Countreys Service posteth home Where when arriv'd as soon imploy'd as come At Court and Camp by then KING CASIMIR Who did his Wit and Valour so admire That for 's great Specimens of Sword and Gown He made him first Grand Master of the Crown And next Grand Gen'ral of the force of Pole And then Grand-master of the Kings Houshold And to sum up his Honours in a Line Of ancient Cracow made great PALATINE GReat was the worth of this great Subjects Spirit As great his Princes Knowledge of his merit Which on the sev'ral turns of great affairs And Traverses of Providence appears Clear in the sequel of th' ensuing Story No Honour 's great like SOBIETZKIS Glory Yet for our Readers better apprehension Of these Preferments which wee 'l needs oft mention And other Passages which needs we must Oft name to make this Story clear and just It s fit he should succinctly hear the whole Past Government and History of Pole Where let him not expect our numbers Terse In Things and Names will scarcely fold to Verse And in all such here in the general Take naked Truth for fancy wit and all Chap. II. The Kingdom of POLAND Described with its Laws and Customs with a brief Deduction of the State thereof for some hundreds of years past POLAND is said from Pole to take its Name Or Poln which in Sclaves Tongue is just the same And in that Di'lect which those Countreys grace Doth signifie a Plain or Field for Chase Because this Kingdom is a vast Campaign Compos'd of level Woods for Hunting Plain But Polish Orichovius denys This Derivation and doth thus advise That first Polachia this Land was Term'd From Lachus their first King or Leader arm'd Both may be true because both may agree Natives and Readers take your Choice for me WHich e're of either of these two be true This mighty Kingdom in the bulk it s now Having great Litwan's Dukedom now annex't And other Provinces may number next The largest Kingdoms Europe's Continent Contains for breadth and length of that extent From fourty eight to fifty sev'nth degree Of Latitude It s Longitude count we From thirty eight to sixty and perchance A greater Continent by far then France Muscovie and the petty Tartars east The Baltick Sea and Germany the west Do bound it but the great Carpathian Mountains And Ister Europes greatest Child of Fountains Divide it on the South from Hungary From Transilvania and Moldavie Upon the North Livonia of Sweden And some good part of Muscovie again Poland is blessed with a fruitful Soil And purest Air breath'd from the Woods recoil Furs Honey Wax Buff-hides and other Skins Huge Masts for Ships Timber and other things For Building Flax Pot-ashes and all Grain In great abundance yeelds which drives great gain To Dantzick Gentry with Nobility Are here Magnifick bold and brave and free And most Tenacious of their Liberty But all the Peasants and the common Rout Are as meer slaves as they were bought throughout Their Lives are valu'd as we prize a Neat The Tennent kill'd his Lord receives the Rate No Inquest's for the Blood this being pay 't ANd not with standing that the Reformation Beam'd here its Light first from the German Nation Yet Ignorance and want of publick Care For Lopping of wild Tenents here not rare Extravagant Opinions did promote Mong Citizens and mongst the Rabble Rout Socinus 'bove them all did here take foot The Catechism of Cracow proveth this Their other Books being deriv'd from this But that which here 's establish'd by the Laws Is the great daring Roman-Cath'lick-Cause Their Language is Sclavonian Dialect Tho most of them do also Latin speak This only Kingdom 's elective alone Of all that are this Day in Europe known Under which Term we mean not to include The Empire which can ne're be understood A Monarchy but rath'r a Septarch-head And tho the Danish Crown Elective were For many ages till the sixtieth year Of this same age when Denmarks King thought fit To cause that Kingdoms Senat alter it His Majesty Hereditar Writes ay Himself of Denmark as of Norway IT is the common undisputed Thought That the first people that to Poland sought Were Huns and Slavons Orichovius sayes Who came from Macedon and thereaways Their vulgar Language which they daily speak Retaining yet some Relish of the Greek And that from thence they having driv'n the Swevi And other People and Goths a mighty Covey Possest that huge vast Tract of champaign Land Ev'n to the Elb from River vistul's Strand When Lechus or else Lachus at the last Became their Chief and as their Leader past About our LORDS three hundred fiftieth year Commenc'd the Monarchy of Poland here From whom fourteen are reck'ned to Micislas First Christian Duke match'd Daughter of BOLESLAS Duke of Bohem the sev'nt day he was Wife't Of March in year nine hundred sixty fift Upon which Match Micislas Christian made His Son Boleslas for Successor had In year of Grace nine hundred ninety nine The sixteent Duke which came of Lachus Line Who while the Emp'rour OTHO of that name The Third to visit Tomb of Albort came Whom barb'rous hands of Prussia had slain Was creat KING by the Emp'rour amain To whom another Micislas succeed Father of Cazimir the first we Read The second Boleslas succeed him Sirnam'd the cruel like a Devils Limb He murther'd Stanzlaw Bishop of Cracow For punishment Whereof Pole losed now Its title of a Kingdom being sway'd By sev'ral Princes Regents for long Tide Till under Primislaus it again The former Kingdoms Title did Regain Which was if Poles chranology belive't In year of God two hundred ninety fift Next Primislaus the third Ladislas Who after four years past expelled was And Vinceslaus chosen in his stead Ladislas five years re-established To whom succeeded Casimir the Great Of whom brave things their Histories relate Th' Hungarian Monarch LEWIS next chosen KING Two Daughters left after his Death and Reign The younger whereof being declared Queen Married Jagellon great Duke Litwin Who tho a Pagan Prince before had been On this his Match Baptiz'd turn'd Christian King And was accepted by the Polish State On this condition that his Dutchy great He should to Polands Kingdom ev'r annex This was in year three hundred eighty six At 's Christ'ning took the name of Ladislas Two of which name his next Successors was Then Cazimir the fourth then Ihon Albert Next Alexander he dead in his part Came Sigismunds the first and second too Which last left Crown and Life without Issue In year of Grace five hundred seventy two The Polanders chose Henry Duke Anjow The second son of Henry King of France Who after two years Reign did home advance His Brother Charles the ninth then Childless dead This quit his Crown Elective and in'ts stead