it with both its Castles When Jauunutus flying towards a neighbouring Wood was there taken by Keijstutus his Men and being brought back to his Brother was by him order'd to be clapt in Chains A little while afterwards Olgerdus returning Keijstutus would have surrender'd to him the Crown as being his elder Brother but which Olgerdus refus'd saying It was due neither to his Fortune nor Merit and therefore he would not pretend to deserve it by Birth But at length they both agreed to divide those Dominions between them and Vilna with the supream Authority fell to Olgerdus but nevertheless they both bound themselves by Oath to intrench upon neither's Dominions To their Brother Jauunutus they yielded the Palatinate of Braslaw in Russia Olgerdus being thus possess'd of the Throne began his Reign with invading Prussia and Livonia where the Teutonic Knights did not dare to oppose him so that having over-run all those Countries and loaded his Army with Spoils he return'd triumphantly to Lithuania where he sacrific'd the Captive Knights to his Father's Ghost whom they had kill'd The same Year Olgerdus march'd silently against the Marquisate of Brandenburg which he destroy'd and plunder'd up as far as Frankfurt and all along the Banks of the River Oder Next he drove the Tartars out of Podolia about which time Caminiec was built by his Brother's Sons Afterwards Janowitz Czar of Muscovy being puff'd up with his great Power sent to Olgerdus then lying sick of a Fever at Witebsko That before a Month were at an end he would make him such Visit as should fright him into an Ague To which haughty Message Olgerdus only return'd That since he knew his Mind he would prevent his Journey and wait on him at Moscow Whereupon leaping out of his Bed he expos'd his Life to his Honour but which as it hapned did well enough for he recover'd in few days and getting speedily together a considerable Army he march'd forthwith into Moscovy laid Siege to Moscow and took it together with the baffled Czar whom he forc'd before he left him to agree to a dishonourable Peace and leave him in possession of great part of his Empire After which he reduc'd the major part of Russia which he join'd to his Dominions they having formerly been only wont to pay Tribute to Lithuania This Prince had by Mary his Wife twelve Sons of which Jagello and Skiergelo only were Great Dukes of Lithuania after him His Brother Keijstutus had six Sons whereof Vitoldus and Sigismundus came to be Great Dukes of Lithuania Olgerdus dying in the Year 1381 Jagello ascended his Throne with consent of his Uncle Keijstutus This Duke had a favourite Courtier one Voidilus a Man of an obscure Descent and whom he had rais'd from his Baker to be his Secretary and prime Minister This Person he affected so dearly that he gave him his Sister in Marriage which was highly displeasing to his Uncle who protested earnestly against it whereupon this subtle Upstart fearing lest Keijstutus might one day or other put him out of favour with his Prince he prevail'd with Jagello to look upon his Uncle as his Enemy and to proceed against him accordingly which Jagello being young was easily persuaded to do therefore clapping up a secret Truce with the Teutonic Knights with whom he was before in War he made all imaginable Preparations against his Uncle which Keijstutus being inform'd of was immediately alarm'd at till his Son Vitoldus quieted his Suspicions by persuading him that Jagello would never attempt any such thing but at length Jagello marching against the Russians of Polocz which were then his Uncle's Subjects his design was past all doubt and therefore Keijstutus got together what Forces he could upon so short a Warning and invaded his Nephew's Territories where he took Vilna and would have proceeded had it not been for his Son Vitoldus who still continu'd Jagello's Friend But afterwards Keijstutus being busy'd in subduing the Traitor Koributh Jagello not only retook Vilna but also besieg'd and gain'd Troki by Treachery which Keijstutus marching to recover he together with his Son Vitoldus was betray'd into Jagello's hands by means of his Brother Skergelo who pretended to bring these two Princes amicably together but Jagello having once got his Uncle into his Clutches detain'd him and threw him into Chains and afterwards order'd him to be strangled in his Prison at Kreva His Cousin German Vitoldus he ungratefully kept a long while in Bonds at Vilna who afterwards being remov'd to Kreva and a time appointed for his Death escap'd by means of his Wife who always having free Access to him by exchanging Habits with one of her Servants got her Husband away in her own Hence he fled to his Kinsman John Duke of Masovia but not thinking himself secure there he afterwards went into Prussia where at first he was reprov'd by the Knights of the Teutonic Order for having recourse to them only in time of Adversity but afterwards he was more courteously receiv'd and promis'd their Assistance to re-establish him in his paternal Dominions Whereupon together with the Samogitians who favour'd Vitoldus his Interest they made an Inroad into Lithuania and took Troki but they were afterwards nevertheless forc'd to surrender it At length Jagello by secret Messages recall'd his Kinsman out of Prussia and upon his Promise to be faithful to him settled him in his Hereditary Estate A little while after this the Throne of Poland becoming vacant by Lewis of Hungary's Death Jagello was invited thither to accept that Crown under certain Conditions which may appear more at large in his Life among those Kings Whilst Jagello was thus absent in Poland with great Numbers of his Subjects who went to wait on him into that Kingdom the Great Masters of Prussia and Livonia finding a fit opportunity enter'd Lithuania destroying with Fire and Sword as far as the Castle of Lucom in Russia which also they took and having furnish'd with all necessary Defence plac'd in it Andrew Jagello's Brother upon whose Request this Expedition had been undertaken About the same time Swetoslaus Duke of Smolensko invaded Russia and took Mscislaw and several other Places by force both which Actions Jagello being soon inform'd of immediately dispatch'd away his Brother Skirgelo and Kinsman Vitoldus into Lithuania who finding the Teutonic Army retir'd forthwith laid Siege to the Castle of Lucom which having taken they proceeded to Mscislaw which they likewise took and kill'd Swetoslaus who was in possession of it Afterwards having recover'd all the other revolted Dominions which had sided with Duke Andrew they made him Prisoner and carrying him into Poland he was order'd by his Brother Jagello to be cast into a noisom Dungeon whence upon the request of the good-natur'd Vitoldus he was not long after deliver'd After Jagello's Death tho there were several Great Dukes of Lithuania yet seeing they were Tributary to the Kings of Poland and Lithuania it self was afterwards united to Poland under
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
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
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
rest near Cracow it is most convenient for him to imprison Dclinquents there Czentochova a Town famous for good Beer which is not only fetch'd from all Parts of Poland but also from the neighbouring Provinces of Germany Without this Place is a very famous Monastery situate upon a Hill where is a Picture of the Virgin Mary said to be painted by Saint Luke and to which Pilgrims from all Parts come to make their Offerings We went upon our Journey from Silesia to Cracow to see this Convent where they shew'd us vast Quantities of Gold and Silver Plate of rich Ornaments for Altars and Habits enrich'd with all sorts of Jewels particularly with Pearls for the great Families in Poland think it a mighty Honour for their Posterity to have given any thing of value to this Place to be a Monument of their Devotion as well as Liberality The Monks told us of a great many Miracles that were wrought here with which they work'd such Effects upon the Minds of those credulous People that they scruple not to impoverish themselves to enrich this Place Not only the Church is very rich but likewise the Monks are Masters of a great Territory round about it and they maintain a Garison of 300 Men upon their own Charges whom I have observ'd to be in a better Condition than any other Soldiers of the Kingdom I can compare this Place to none more properly than Loretto in Italy both for Wealth and Bigotry Slaucovia in the same Dutchy famous for Silver Mines which bring great Profit to this Bishop Near to this City lies Ilcussia a Royal Town abounding also with Silver and Lead Its Citizens are very Luxurious but notwithstanding no less Devout This Town is encompass'd with a Wall and its Houses are for the greatest part of Brick The Bread here is extraordinary and Beef not to be equall'd in Cracow whence it is scarce distant above five Miles On the Eastern side of the City of Cracow lies Velisca or Wieliczka not above two or three Miles from thence a Town abounding with Christal Salt but which is not so transparent as that of Bochnia about five Miles from Cracow where Salt is dug out in great Masses and exceeding clear Next towards Hungary lies Dobcitia a strong Town with a Castle To the North of Cracow lies Proszovice a Timber-built Town seated in a Plain where there is a Palace of the King 's rais'd on the Banks of the River Sozeniava about four Miles from Cracow in which is kept a Provincial Diet. There are several other Cities and Towns belonging to Noblemen as likewise a great Number of Castles Palaces Religious Houses c. of no ordinary Structure in this Palatinate but all which for brevity's sake I have omitted This Palatinate excels all the rest in Mines except that of Sendomir only Silver and Lead are found about Ilcussia Slaucovia Severia and Novogora and Copper and Gold at Novotargus and in the Mountains about Sandecz Mineral Salt like to huge Masses of Stone at Bochna and Wieliczka Marble of all Colours at Selecia belonging to the Bare-footed Friers Nitre at Wislicz Vitriol at Becia Pit-coal at Tencinum Iron-Mine and Glass-houses at Obstinia as likewise at several other Places in this Kingdom But what I shall give your Lordship a more particular Account of will be of Salt and Glass which I have taken from my Observation in the Country That of Salt properly comes in here You go down into the Salt Mines near Cracow by four or five pair of wooden Stairs by which you go from one into the other The Horses also descend the same way The whole Depth of this Mine is thought to be near three hundred Geometrical Paces Below you may meet with a thousand Turnings and Windings and many Alleys and Streets like to a Town all which the Proprietor and hereditary Governour Monsieur Morstin Covalski told me would require above a Week's time to go over In some Places there is a great deal of fresh Water in these Mines which the Miners drink but in most it is salt of which they make Salt by Evaporation but still the best sort is that which is natural without Preparation Sometimes there are such fierce Winds in these Mines that nothing almost can withstand them and generally there is so much Cold that it is hardly to be endur'd Whilst it rains the Salt is commonly insipid They have Engines to crane up the Water that it may not any ways incommode the Miners The Revenue of this Mine amounts to about eight hundred thousand Timfs or Polish Florins annually which makes about 400000 French Livres whereof 50000 go to the King 10000 to the Queen and some thousands more to the Officers of the Crown and the Miners and other Labourers yet over and above all this the Proprietor is oblig'd to make a yearly Present to all the Cities and Towns of Poland and more particularly to their Starostas A Cobler about the Year 1548 first found out this Mine who digging a Well near this Place perceiv'd a Fountain with a thin Wall of Salt in the middle of it which breaking and not knowing what to make of he discover'd to the Owners of the Land who were then the Family of Morstin who digging deeper by reason they did not meet with much Salt near the Surface found it in so great Quantity that they have not been able to exhaust it during the Space of 150 Years The Miners say that the Lumps of Salt weigh a great deal less in the Mine than when taken out which I have not seen confirm'd There are four sorts of Salt in the Mine whereof one is extream hard and rocky like Christal Another less hard and clearer A third brittle and softer as also white and pure All these three sorts are brackish when the fourth only is somewhat fresher In these Mines you shall have on one side a stream of salt Water and on the other one of fresh There are some places in these Mines where you can't work because you dare not carry a Candle for fear of setting the Vapours on fire which are always Nitrous and easily susceptible of Flame In this Palatinate and in some others there is a particular sort of Manna which they gather in the Months of May and June by sweeping it off the Grass with Sives together with the Dew They eat this Manna and make several sorts of Dishes with it for their Tables More of this I shall take occasion to speak of hereafter The Senators of this Palatinate are The Bishop Castellan and Palatin of Cracow The Castellans of Wounitz Oswieczin Sandecz and Biecz The Castellan of Cracow precedes the Palatin for Reasons given before in the Life of Boleslaus III. otherwise call'd Krivoustus This Palatin's Jurisdiction is very large and extends several ways not only over the Citizens and Countrymen but also the Nobility or Gentry of his Palatinate
the Right Honourable James Vernon Esq Principal Secretary of State Of the Diet or Parliament of Poland and other Courts of Judicature Let. IV. To the Earl of Marlborough Of the Election and Coronation of a King of Poland with the Interregnum Let. V. To the Lord Marquess of Of the Power of the Gentry and Slavery of the People in Poland where the Genius Character and manner of living of the Poles are related Let. VI. To his Grace the Duke of Ormond Of the state of the Army Forts and Military Affairs in Poland Let. VII To his Excellency Monsieur de Cleverskerk Embassador from Holland An Account of the Trade and Riches of Poland as likewise of the City of Dantzic Let. VIII To the Earl of Burlington Of the Origin of the Teutonic Order and the Succession of its great Masters in Prussia and in Livonia with its present State in the Empire Let. IX To Sir Thomas Millington President of the College of Physicians Of the state of Learning of Natural Knowledg and particularly of the Practice of Physick in Poland with an account of some natural things chiefly of a Disease in the Hair peculiar to the Poles call'd Plica Polonica Let. X. From Baron Blomberg his Highness the Duke of Curland's Minister to Dr. Connor Giving an Account of the Duke of Curland's Family Strength and Revenues as likewise the Extent and Products of his Territories Let. XI To the Honourable Mr. Bridges eldest Son to my Lord Chandois and Fellow of the Royal Society Giving an Anatomical Account of the Natural Cause why People must necessarily die of old Age alone attended with no other Disease Let. XII To Explaining the Nature of curable and incurable Wounds demonstrating by Practical Observations and Anatomical Experiments the small number of Wounds which are of themselves absolutely mortal and shewing the true use and common abuse of Styptic Waters and Pouders in the Practice of Surgery A Catalogue of such Authors as have been consulted in both Volumes of this Book whereof some have been quoted and others omitted on account of Consent in Opinion POmponius Mela de Sarmatiâ Commentariolus Hartmanni Schedii de Sarmatiâ Aeneas Sylvius de Poloniâ Lithuania Prussiâ five Borussiâ Martini Cromeri Polonia Alexandri Guagnini Rerum Polonicarum Sigismundi Liberi Baronis in Herberstein Descriptio Lithuaniae Jacobi Pritusii de Provinciis Polonicis Chronicon Poloniae Vincentii Kadlubâ—â—i Matth. de Michovia Chronica Polonorum Polonici Regni tredecem Mutationes Johannes Duglossus Annales Polonorum Salomonis Neugebaveri Historia Polonica Johannes Herburtus à Fulstin Compendium Historiae Polonicae Flosculi Legum Polonicarum Stanislai Orichovii Annales Mariciani Mattbiae Ladovli Constitut Polon Compendium Pastorii Florus Polonicus Johannis Boteri Poloniae Descriptio Historia Reformationis Polonicae Authore Stanistao Lubiensko Equite Polono Stanislai Krzistanowicksi Status Poloniae Simonis Starâ—â—volsâ—â—ii Poloniae Relation Historique de Pologne Par Mons Hauteville Hartkâ—â—â—bii Respublica Polonorum Adam Bremensis Seculi IX Scriptor Historia Ecclesiastics Alhini Chronicon Hornii Arca Noae Historia de Vitâ Obitu Sigismundi Augusti Heidenstein de Rebus Polonicis ab exoessii Sigismundi Augusti Dâ—â—â—â—soanorum Clades a Johanne Lasicio Polonâ—â— â—â—obâ—â—slaus Balbinus Historis Bohemiae 〈◊〉 Historia Bohemiae 〈◊〉 Chronica Pomeranie Alberti Cranzii Polonicarum Rerum 〈◊〉 Annalâ—â—s Polon 〈◊〉 I. Regis Poloniae cum Fragmentls 〈◊〉 Vladislai Boloniâ—â— Sueciae Principis Vita Casamir Roy de Pologne Guerre Civili di Poliniae di Alberto Viâ—â—ina Description d' Vkraine par Beauplan Cuerres des Turcs avec la Pologne Histoire des Cosaques leurs Guerres contre la Pologne La Politique des Polonois 〈◊〉 diere Histoire des Dietes Philippi Honorii de Interregno Grammatica seu Institutio Polonice Linguae Effata Regum Poloniae 〈◊〉 Polonica Books printed for Daniel Brown and Abel Roper 1. FOur Treatises of Physick and Chirurgery 1. A Physico-Medical Essay concerning Alkaly and Acid. 2. Farther Considerations on the said Essay 3. A new Light of Chirurgery 4. The new Light of Chirurgery vindicated from many unjust Aspersions By J. Colebatch a Member of the College of Physicians 2. His Treatise of the Gout 3. His Doctrine of Acids in the Cure of Diseases farther asserted in which is contained some things relating to the History of Blood c. 4. Nature and Qualification of Religion in reference to Civil Society Written by Sam. Puffendorf Counsellor of State to the late King of Sweden Translated from the Original The Present and Antient State of Muscovy in which is inserted all things material to be known in relation to that vast Country with several Sculptures and a new Map A New Map of POLAND Exactly delineated after the best Modern Geographer THE â—â—ntient and Present STATE OF â—â—OLAND PART I. The Antient State LETTER I. 〈◊〉 the Right Honourable WILLIAM Lord Dartmouth 〈◊〉 the Origin of the Kingdom of Poland with the Succession and Remarkable Actions of its first Dukes from the Year 550 to 830. MY LORD HAving had the good Fortune some Years since to meet your Lordship at Venice in my Travels from France â—â—hrough Italy and Germany into Poland I â—â—ound that not contented with a superficial â—â—nd transitory Account of Places your Genius led you naturally to enquire not only into the Government Laws and Characters of the several Nations you passed through but likewise to examine nicely into their Maxims of State and their different Interests and this that by discovering the Excellency of some of their Constitutions and Defects in others you might like a wise and thinking Patriot admire the Perfections of our own Government Goodness of our Laws and Wisdom of our Senate whereof you your self are so worthy a Member My Lord You may remember that after your Resolution to take Medicines as well as my small Skill in prescribing them had had the good Effect of curing your Lordship at Venice of that acute Disease which made me almost despair of your Recovery I left you at Padua with the Earl of Kildare to gather strength and went thro' Tyrol Bavaria and Austria down the Danube to Vienna where having staid for some time to see the Emperour's Court I set forward with some Noblemen of Poland through Moravia and Silesia to Cracow the Capital City of that Kingdom from whence in eight days we arrived with a numerous Attendance at the King's Court which always resides at Warsaw where I was kindly receiv'd by the late King John Sobieski who did me the Honour to intrust me with the Care of his decaying Health and sometime afterwards his Majesty sent me with her Electoral Highness the Princess Tcresa his only Daughter then married to the Elector of Bavaria to take care likewise of her Health in her long Winter Journey from Warsaw to Brussels which gave me opportunity to come sooner out of that Kingdom than I at first apprehended I cou'd Tho my Lord my chief business both in Poland and other
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
his Death Suentopelus declared himself Duke of Pomerania and Conrade and call'd into Poland the Knights of the Teutonic Order who were then banisht out of Syria by the Sarazens and settled in Germany to help him against the Prussians who were wont to make frequent Incursions into his Country to whom for Recompence he gave the Territory of Culm and some other small Places on condition they should act vigorously against the Prussians but after they had conquer'd those People they were to resign Culm c. and have the half of their Conquests to themselves These Auxiliary Troops prov'd afterwards very pernicious to Poland having been the Cause of many bloody Wars in that Country This Agreement between the Knights of the Cross as they were likewise call'd and Conrade was approv'd and confirm'd by Pope Gregory IX in the Year 1228. In a short time these Knights effected what they undertook This Lescus lies buried in the Cathedral at Cracow and left behind him a young Son BOLESLAUS V. surnam'd the Chast whose Guardians he order'd to be his Brother Conrade and Henry Duke of Breslaw his Cousin This young Prince notwithstanding the many Intrigues and Cabals Conrade form'd against him who design'd to make himself King was elected in the Year 1228 and reign'd to the Year 1278. He marry'd Cunigunda Daughter to Bela King of Hungary but after they were bedded he had not the courage to consummate the Marriage and therefore by mutual Consent both made a Vow of Chastity 'T was in this Prince's Reign the Tartars made their first Irruptions into Poland whereof there were three at several times In the first they ravag'd all the Country about Lublin and Russia and carry'd away an incredible Number of Prisoners with great Riches In the second they return'd with more fury and not being contented with the Plunder of Poland spread likewise all over Silesia where near Lignitz they entirely defeated the Confederate Army of the Christians wherein Henry Duke of Breslaw Boleslaus Son to the Duke of Moravia Pompo Great Master of the Teutonick Order and several other Persons of Note were kill'd The Number of dead Bodies was so incredible that they fill'd nine great Sacks with the Christians Ears cutting off each Head but one after the same manner as Hanibal at the Battle of Cannae fill'd several Bushels with the Rings cut off from the Fingers of the Roman Knights only that were there kill'd Boleslaus had not the courage to march in Person against the Tartars when they came a second time to invade him but retir'd with his Court into Hungary and thereby left his Subjects to the Mercy of their Enemies Which base Action the Poles being extremely offended at intended to have elected a new King whereupon Boleslaus Son to Henry Duke of Breslaw that was kill'd in the Battle afterwards was nam'd but Conrade vigorously opposing him and pretending to have more Right the Gentry to prevent Civil Wars recall'd their former King Bolestaus from Hungary and in the mean time Conrade dy'd Not long after the Tartars together with the Lithuanians which were hitherto Pagans made Incursions a third time into Poland when they pillag'd the Country up as far as Cracow which City meeting with no body in it to resist'em they both plunder'd and burnt Afterwards they went to Vratislaw which they found ready fir'd to their hands for the Townsmen having had timely notice of the coming of the Barbarians had got all their Treasure together and fled whilst the Souldiers distrusting the Strength of the Place and searing it might become a Prey to the Enemy set fire to it and retir'd into the Castle which having greatly incens'd the Tartars they laid Siege to the Castle with all imaginable Vigour and would soon have taken it had they not been frighted from before it by a Prodigy During this Boleslaus march'd in Person against the Lithuanians whom he overthrew and kill'd their Duke Mindacus The Prussians likewise being yet Pagans sided with the Lithuanians when the Teutonick Order which was then settled in Prussia call'd to their Assistance Ottocarus King of Bohemia who quickly reduc'd the Prussians and the better to keep them in Awe built a Fort call'd Koningsberg or Royal Hill Boleslaus was a pious and good Prince and lies bury'd at Cracow in a Monastery founded by himself He built other Religious Houses and reign'd near 50 Years and having made a Vow of Chastity left no Children Wherefore his Uncle's Son by the Father LESCUS VI. surnam'd the Black succeeded him being elected in the Year 1279 and reign'd only to the Year 1289. In the beginning of his Reign the Russians summon'd by the Lithuanians and Tartars made Incursions into Poland under Command of Leo their Duke but were defeated first by Varsias the King's General and afterwards were beat by the King himself out of a Village where they had entrench'd themselves which from that General 's Name has been since call'd Leopol and is now a sine City Upon this Defeat the Enemy were forc'd to retire with great Loss Not long after they return'd again but more to their prejudice than in the former Irruption for then tho their Army consisted of a Prodigious Number of Men and an innumerable Company of Mastiff Dogs train'd up to War yet were they a second time routed by Lescus insomuch that a certain People call'd Jazyges who then inhabited a part of Lithuania and came only to plunder in Poland were so totally destroy'd that there remains nothing left of 'em except the Name But at Length the Tartars making another Irruption had better success for they not only vanquish'd Lescus but also carry'd away besides Men marry'd Women and Children above twenty thousand Maids into Captivity After this Defeat an Insurrection was rais'd against Lescus by Paul Bishop of Cracow for that under the Reign of Boleslaus the Chast Lescus had kept him about a Month in Prison Hereupon Conrade Duke of Masovia was invited to accept the Crown who coming into Poland for that purpose was met at Sendomir by General Varsias Paul the Bishop and a great Number of the Nobility Upon this Lescus perceiving himself forsaken fled into Hungary to King Vladislaus but the City of Cracow still bearing a respect to him continu'd Loyal and prepar'd to sustain a Siege Whereupon having been summon'd to surrender their Answer was That they could not be treaâ—â—berous to their lawful Soveraign Lescus but would defend his Right to the last drop of their Blood Hereat the Nobles being grievously nettled resolv'd to sit down with their Army before that City but upon their Approaches finding it empty the Inhabitants being retir'd into the Castle they set sire to it thinking by those means to bring the Enemy sooner to a Compliance This done Lescus having obtain'd a considerable Army of King Vladislaus was marching directly towards Cracow to relieve his
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
Constantinople the Pope and many other Christian Princes sent Embassadors to compliment him Afterwards Amurath under pretence of ransoming Carambeius sent Ministers to treat of a Peace but Vladislaus would only agree to a Truce for ten Years After this the Gentry of Poland sent to their King Vladislaus to return among 'em but he being advis'd by several Christian Princes especially the Pope who sent a Nuncio to him on purpose to break the Truce and continue the War instead of complying with the Poles Request march'd immediately with all the Troops he could get together into Bulgaria and came to Nicopolis Capital of this Province where Dromla or Dracula Palatin of Moldavia meeting him he earnestly entreated him to keep his Royal Promise with the Turks tho Enemies to the Christian Belief but perceiving the King 's inflexible Resolution to continue the War gave him 4000 Men under his own Son's Command In the mean while Amurath who after the Truce agreed upon with Vladislaus went to conquer a certain People of Asia call'd Caramani hearing of this great Army's marching against him turn'd his Forces consisting as Jovius relates of about 80000 Men to meet 'em and near the Town of Varna fought 'em where by his Camels frighting the Polish and Hungarian Horse together with the invincible Courage of his Janizaries he entirely defeated the Christian Army and kill'd King Vladislaus in the Year 1445. Whereupon some body made a Satyrical Epitaph upon this unfortunate King as follows Romulidae Cannas ego Varnam Clade notavi Discite Mortales non temerare fidem Me nisi Pontifices jussissent rumpere Foedus Non ferret Scythicum Pannonis Ora Jugum Ever after this the Turks always fortified themselves against the Christians who they thought could never keep either their Oaths or Word and not long after Mahomet the Great took Constantinople in the Year 1453 wherein Constantin Paleologus the last Christian Emperor of the East was crowded to death in one of the Gates King Vladislaus leaving no Children his Brother CASIMIR great Duke of Lithuania was elected next and crown'd in the Year 1446 and reign'd forty five Years He married the Princess Elizabeth Daughter to the Emperor Albert II. In the beginning of his Reign the Prussians threw off the heavy Yoke of the Teutonic Order and put themselves under Casimir's Protection Hereupon this King went in Person into Prussia to take their Allegiance and Fidelity where he likewise granted them many Privileges who thereupon oblig'd themselves especially at Dantzic to maintain the King and his Court for four days whenever he should please to come again in Person among ' em In the mean time the Teutonic Knights got together a strong Army in Bohemia and Germany with which they immediately march'd against Casimir and routed him before he could execute his Designs of besieging Marienburg and several other Towns which that Order had yet left in Prussia Casimir not a little sensible of this Affront to lose a Battel where he himself was like to have been kill'd call'd a Diet and prevail'd so far upon the Gentry as to grant him half their Yearly Revenues to carry on the War against the Teutonic Order By which means after a long and obstinate Dispute he at last oblig'd 'em to accept of Articles of Peace wherein the Pope's Nuncio was Mediator By this Agreement they were to restore to Poland all Pomerania the Territories of Culm and Michalow with the Cities of Marienburg Stuma and Elbing and were to be left in possession of the rest only on condition that their Great Master for ever after should be Prince and Senator of Poland and take Oath of Fidelity to the King The Moldavians likewise by their Hospodar desire Casimir's Protection against the Turks and offer to take an Oath to him as Vassals and a Tributary Nation which they continu'd for a long while after This King had four Sons whereof Vladislaus was first chosen King of Bohemia and afterwards of Hungary for this last Kingdom after their King's Death had entreated Casimir to send one of his Sons to reign over them Whereupon Vladislaus then King of Bohemia march'd speedily into Hungary with a small Body to prevent any of his Brothers pretending to that Crown Nevertheless his Brother John Albert went soon after with another Army to oppose him and met and fought him but Vladislaus having got the better was crown'd not long after yet he was kind to his Brother and gave him some Towns in Silesia which then belong'd to Bohemia In the time of this King Casimir the Deputies of the Provinces first appear'd at the Diet For before the King and Senators had the supreme Power of making Laws Hartknoch says that till this King's Reign the Latin Tongue was very rarely spoken in Poland for that when the King of Sueden had a certain Interview with Casimir at Dantzic neither Casimir nor any of his Court could discourse with him in Latin but were fain to be beholden to a Monk to do that Office for them which Casimir being much asham'd of publickly commanded all his Officers forthwith to set about the Study of that Language from which time the Poles have continu'd great Prosicients therein nay beyond any other Nation whatsoever This Prince dy'd in the Year 1492 and lies bury'd at Cracow having reign'd forty five Years and liv'd sixty four JOHN ALBERT succeeded his Father Casimir being thought the fittest tho I do not read he was the eldest of his Sons He was crown'd King in the Year 1493 and reign'd nine Years This Prince was very ambitions but withal unfortunate for designing to reduce the Valachians who were then Vassals to Poland and who according to the Condition they saw that Kingdom in would refuse or pay Obedience and who would sometimes side with the Turks and Tartars to ravage it He the better to compass his Intentions pretended to make War against the Turk and for that purpose march'd with his Army through Valachia as if he design'd nothing but to make his way into Turky but being once got into this Country he caus'd his Souldiers to pick a quarrel with the Valachians for not providing them with Forage as they desir'd which however was not an easy matter to do for an Army of 80000 Men which he had with him Hereupon he besieges Sozisaw one of their strongest Towns but the Inhabitants defended themselves so well and Stephen their Hospodar so fatigu'd the Besiegers by taking their Convoys and intercepting their Provisions that at last Albert was forc'd to raise the Siege and return into his own Country when the Hospodar greedily pursuing him destroy'd great â—â—art of his Army in a Wood where he had laid an Ambush Soon after this the Hospodar to be farther reveng'd on the Poles call'd to his Assistance the Turks and Tartars who all joining together enter'd Poland with a prodigious Army and carry'd away
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
the Republick Next the Primate Stanislaus Karnkowski notify'd the Death of the King according to Custom and call'd a General Diet to meet at Warsaw in March where it was afterwards agreed that the Diet of Election should meet in June following The Lutherans contended so high for their share in the Government that for Peace sake they had more granted them than the antient Laws of the Kingdom allow'd For in this Assembly their Party was so strong that they not only obtain'd Toleration but also perpetual Liberty of Conscience This the Bishops vigorously oppos'd which made the Primate and Bishop of Vladislaw leave the Diet dissatisfied when Demetrius Sulikowski Arch-bishop of Leopol presiding in the Assembly in conjunction with Laurence Goslicki Bishop of Caminiec considering the Confusion occasioned by the Absence of the Primate thought it either necessary to comply with the Lutherans or to dismiss the Diet but the Bishop of Caminiec at last found a mid-way which was to grant the Lutherans their Demands but withal to insert a Clause that what had been done at that Session was meerly to preserve the Publick Peace The time of the Election being come Christopher Zborowski who was banish'd during Batori's Reign and now recall'd by the Power of the Lutherans appear'd at the head of 500 French with as many Germans and Lutherans as amounted to near 10000 Men with these Stanislaus de Gorka Palatin of Posnania join'd He was a Person of Wit and extremely popular for tho he was crook-back'd yet his great Estate and generous way of spending of it made him look'd upon with universal Esteem Zamoski was also at the head of a considerable number of Troops which tho they were fewer than those of the opposite Party yet were they much better disciplin'd with these he encamp'd within two Miles of Warsaw and entrench'd himself within Lines of Circumvallation The wiser part of the Diet having a mind to accommodate these two Factions order'd them Audience one after another forbidding either to appear in Arms before them They also shew'd an Inclination to reverse what had been decreed in favour of the Lutherans which these last would by no means hear of promising themselves a sufficient Defence from their Number which Zamoski ridicul'd relying upon the better Discipline of his Followers The Lutherans perceiving there was no Justice to be expected from the Diet without any regard to their Orders came in Arms before them After which they retir'd complaining that they were depriv'd of their Liberties This had soon occasion'd a Rokâ—â—z being an Association in which the Gentry are oblig'd to engage when they are oppress'd had not the Primate timely prevented it During all this the Lithuanians had not yet declar'd themselves and it may be it would have been difficult to have known their Minds had not a Confusion given them occasion to explain them There were three Factions at this Election whose Power was almost equal The first was that of Lithuania which was for electing Theodore Odonowic Great Duke of Muscovy he having proferr'd to unite his Dominions to those of Poland This Proposal might have been thought plausible enough had it been made by any but Muscovites The hopes several of the Gentry gave the Czar were apparently only to amuse him fearing he might invade the Kingdom during the Interregnum The second Party was that of Zborowski and Gorka Palatin of Posnania they were entirely in the Interest of Maximilian Arch-duke of Austria Brother to the Emperor Rhodolph These Anibal of Capua the Pope's Nuncio join'd notwithstanding they were Lutherans yet he all along fed them up more with Promises than Presents The third Faction was that of the Senate being the strongest of the three by reason that Zamoski with the Flower of the Polish Army was on their side It was much doubted upon which of the Competitors the Election would fall The Czar of Muscovy and a Piasto were talk'd of only for fashion-sake The Batori's of Transilvania had their Envoys at the Diet but they had no other Orders from their Masters than to demand the Personal Estate of the late King when had they ask'd the Crown likewise it is highly probable some regard might have been had to Batori's Family Sweden was upon the Roll a third time tho its King John had been rejected in the two former Elections by reason he was thought a Lutheran but by the Catholick Liturgy publish'd in that Kingdom in 1575 the Poles were disabus'd in that Opinion wherefore his Son Sigismund was no longer suspected for the Poles had occasion to oppose some great Power to the House of Austria and what could be sitter for that purpose than the Family of Jagello from which Sigismund was descended by his Mother King John also caus'd his Emissaries to give out that Lithuania of right belonged to his Son as being of the Jagellonick Race This bold Claim might well have rais'd a War between Sweden and Poland had not the latter prudently thought fit to avoid it In the mean time the Lutherans were firmly dispos'd to Maximilian's Interest but Zamoski broke all their Measures They had a mind to kidnap the Primate but by the Advice of this General he retir'd to the Castle of Warsaw Nevertheless Cardinal Radzivil to whom the House of Austria had given a Principality declar'd for Maximilian as likewise did several others by his Example This augmented the Courage of the Lutherans yet did not in the least diminish that of Zamoski's Followers both Parties were like to come to Blows had not the Bishops mounted on Horseback and interpos'd While these Prelats were thus doing their Duty the Pope's Nuncio tho lame clamber'd up the highest Tower in Warsaw to view the Army He doubted not but his Friends the Lutherans would get the better their Number being greater At this the Catholicks were extremely offended and us'd to say that Maximilian's Interest must needs fall being only supported by a Hook-back and a Cripple The Lutherans perceiving that both the Name and Family of Maximilian were odious to the Poles agreed together to relinquish him and propose the Czar by which means they brought over to their Party those who were neither for Maximilian nor Sigismund After this the several Embassadors had their Audience the Pope's Nuncio spoke first and made his Harangue chiefly on the good Qualities of Maximilian but this Candidate was not better lik'd of than his Orator or his Panegyrick Stanislaus Pawlowski the Emperour's Minister was heard next who run also out in Commendation of his Master's Brother but from whom there being more Ill to be fear'd than Good to be hop'd his fine Speech was but little minded Then came the Embassadors of Sueden to be introduc'd which were Eric Sparre Senator and Grand Chancellor of that Kingdom and Eric Brahé Great Master of Prince Sigismund's Houshold These insinuated that their Master did not send sooner because he knew the great
Poland tho always Elective yet has been successively in the same Family from Father to Son or at least from Father to Daughter or other Relation from the Year 830 to the Year 1674 which is from Piastus his Reign to the Election of the late King John Sobieski except only the five Months that Henry of Valois reign'd I mean Henry III. of France who was kill'd by a Monk To evince this your Grace may be pleas'd to understand that the last of the Family of Piastus in a direct Line was the Princess Hedwigis who marry'd Jagello Great Duke of Lithuania His Male Race by her reign'd to Sigismund the Second's time of whose two Daughters one was marry'd to King Stephen Batori his Successor and the other was Mother to Sigismund III. who with his Sons were successively elected to the Throne to the time of King Michael Wiesnowiski who tho he was not lineally descended from Jagello yet came laterally from the Race of Koributh Jagello's Brother So that it is evident that the Poles have reconcil'd a free Election of their Kings with an uninterrupted Succession of the same for 844 Years as likewise that they have never excluded the deceased King's Son nor ever elected any German Prince to the Throne before this last Election of the Elector of Saxony Frederick Augustus now King of Poland But as it is lawful for all Governments to alter their Constitutions at often as they find it convenient for the good of the Publick so the Poles observing that their Native Kings have not of late sufficiently promoted the Interest of their Country were wise enough to choose a Foreign Prince whose Wealth and Courage would enlarge their Dominions as their present King Frederick Augustus is very likely to do being in League with the Emperor Muscovites and Venetians I hope your Grace will be pleas'd to pardon my Indiscretion in presuming to write of Matters which are altogether out of my Element since it was only to shew with what Deference and Respect I am My LORD Your Grace's most Obedient and most Humble Servant B. C. LETTER IV. To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Earl of Yarmouth Concerning the Family and Remarkable Actions of John III. King of Poland As also his Daughter's Marriage to the present Elector of Bavaria My LORD THE Obligations I owe to your Brother Mr. Alberti and his Lady join'd with the Value I have always profess'd for your Lordship's Friendship makes me glad to find this occasion of giving both you and them a publick Testimony of my Respect and Gratitude and since you have often shew'd your self willing to know something of the Affairs of Poland I thought nothing could be more agreeable to your Temper than that I should inform you chiefly of the Heroick Actions of that great Prince with whom your Brother for so many Years so prudently manag'd the Interest of the wisest Republick in the World in a long lingring War against the Ottoman Empire It is to his Kindness that I must own my self indebted for the Honour I have had of being in the Esteem of so Warlike a King and of being moreover entrusted with the Care of what was most dear to him John Sobieski my Lord is not so much to be esteem'd for his memorable Exploits after his Election as for his Merits and the wise Conduct by which he advanc'd himself from a private Gentleman of an indifferent Fortune and nothing at all related to any of the former Kings through all the Posts of the Army to the Crown of Poland notwithstanding the several powerful Factions which appear'd against him Immediately after the Death of the late King Michael Wiesnowiski John Sobieski then Crown-General gave a signal Overthrow to the Turks near Caminiec which caus'd a great Alteration in the Republick of Poland for thereupon the Turkish Aga and Treasurer were not so peremptory in their demanding Annual Tribute shamefully stipulated for by Michael as they had been before but were contented to be put off to the Diet of Election The Senate being assembled order'd publick Rejoicings and began their Session by leaving off their Mourning for the late King The Diet which preceded that of the Election was appointed to meet the 15 th of January 1674 which was design'd to be terminated in 15 days but the ordinary Disturbances that arose in these sort of Assemblies together with the Inclination which every body had to advance General Sobieski occasion'd it to be prorogu'd till the 22 d or 23 d of February without doing any thing but assigning a Jointure to the Queen Dowager The 20 th of April began the Diet of Election the Candidates were in great number and every ones Pretensions were heard The Czar of Muscovy who had been so often baffled at preceding Elections yet made fresh Interest at this His Envoy demanded the Crown for his Master's youngest Son who was then about thirteen or fourteen Years of Age but however he neither made so great Profers as formerly nor us'd any Threats for he would then have been laugh'd at Poland being at that juncture in a much better condition than before Next the Prince of Transilvania offer'd fifteen Millions of Money as likewise that he would unite his Principality to Poland and maintain fifteen thousand Men in the Service of that State against the Turk but these Propositions were look'd upon too considerable to be either real or possible for the Poles believ'd that they had possess'd themselves of the greatest Treasure of Transilvania when they chose Stephen Batori for their King The Elector of Brandenburg likewise had some hopes in favour of the Prince his Son when he profer'd that he should change his Religion as soon as ever he was elected but he soon quitted his Pretensions when he consider'd what had pass'd in regard to the Germans and Protestants in former Elections If this Prince had been a Roman Catholick his Family might have had just Pretences to Poland by the Interest of uniting Ducal Prussia to that Kingdom The Dukes of Modena and Parma had also their Envoys at this Election but whereas every body thought their business was to ask the Crown they only came to condole the Death of the late King and congratulate the Poles on their Victory at Chochim so that they did not add to the number of the Competitors Don Pedro di Ronquillos came from Spain without taking upon him the Quality of Embassador His Instructions were to recommend Duke Charles of Lorain after he had done his best in favour of Don John of Austria but this Policy did not take and the Council of Spain afterwards found another Expedient to rid themselves of this Prince A French Prince whose Name was not mention'd tho I suppose it was the Prince of Conde occasion'd the most Jealousy of all the rest The other Pretenders to the Crown were not a little pleas'd that this Prince was not nam'd The Duke of Neuburg renew'd his former Pretensions
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
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
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
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
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
fleshy that the Aorta near the Heart that Ligaments and Cartilages turn to solid Bone we observe likewise that Bones in the Rickets and by Monsieur Papin's way of boiling them become as pliable as the Flesh of Muscles Before I shew the Parts of the Body I shall first examine the Humours and chiefly the Principles Texture Fluidity Circulation and Fermentation of the Blood the Seat of the different Constitutions and Distempers of Mankind Afterwards I shall consider how the Blood is repaired by Digestion and Chyle how it is rarefied by the Air in the Lungs how it furnisheth Animal Spirits in the Brain for motion in the Muscles and Sensation in the five Organs What Alteration it receives in the Liver in all Lymphatick Glands in the Spleen Kidnies and in the Parts of Generation how it nourisheth so many different Parts of the Body at the same time as the same Water seeds several thousands of different Plants in the same Garden and how after some Periods of Years the Springs of the solid Parts must be worn out the Vigor of the Body decay old Age must come on and be necessarily followed by Death where I must examine the Laws of the Union Correspondence and Separation of the Soul and Body You have here Sir a short Extract of my Animal Oeconomy by which you may perceive that my Design in it is by dissecting many Animals as they shall best serve my purpose and by several Experiments of Chymistry to discover and explain the Fabrick Springs Humours and Functions of Organical Bodies but chiefly of the Human which I hope will considerably facilitate the Practice of Physick and satisfy the Enquiries of the Curious But those Gentlemen do me an Injury who give it out that this is a bare Course of Anatomy Truly that were a mean and useless Business for as I have often hinted I am of opinion that Anatomy can never be well understood without not only Chymistry but a tolerable Insight into the other parts of Natural Philosophy for which reason I comprehend them all together to shew their mutual dependance and how they contribute to the knowledg of one another which is perhaps a Method not commonly followed Tho several may be more capable of it yet none can be more willing to communicate it to the Publick than I am As for what other Persons have taught or asserted in I hysick I am not to consider their Authority or the number of their Followers but how well they have performed what they pretended to Without this liberty there would be no hopes of Improvement or any further progress in Physick nor no other Labour be necessary to attain it but much Reading and a happy Memory It would be needless for us to be at the Pains and Expences of travelling into foreign and remote Countries to converse with learned and experienc'd Persons to learn their different Methods and Maxims of curing Diseases to observe a great variety of Distempers and Symptoms in infectious Hospitals to open so many dead Carcases and to try a great number of Experiments if the Dictates of Hippocrates or Galen or any other Author were infallible Rules for us to follow in the Practice of Physick Since therefore Experience and Reason are our only Guides no Body is to take it amiss if I censure such as wrote before me with as much Justice as they did their Predecessors for I 'm sworn to no Master You know Sir that the Place and Time are most convenient and I hope you may give us often the honour of your Company and according to your wonted Candor both do me Justice to your curious Friends and where I speak amiss convince me of it in which you will oblige Lond. Feb. 12. 1695. Worthy Sir Your very Humble Servant Bernard Connor A LETTER to his Reverend Friend Dean J. R. concerning Evangelium Medici seu Medicina mystica de suspensis Naturae Legibus OR A Latin Treatise lately published at London in which supernatural Effects are philosophically compar'd with natural ones and explain'd by the Principles of Physick the not consider'd within the reach of Natural Causes SIR I Should be proud to meet with some occasion to give you a Testimony of my Respect and Gratitude and to shew you how sensible I am of the Happiness of having been educated in my Youth by so learned a Master I am sorry the distance between us and the difficulty of Carriage gives me no opportunity of sending you the Treatise you heard of concerning the Suspensions of the Laws of Nature I can only at present promise to give you a general Idea of my Design in that Book and of the occasion that put me upon examining these Matters I have been present often at some Disputes about supernatural Effects in which some maintain'd that there could have never been any perform'd and last Year I happen'd to be accidentally ingag'd against the Objections of some Persons who pretended they could not conceive either the possibility or the manner of them These Objections I looked upon as weak in themselves and seeming to imply That either a Supream Being cou'd do nothing but what their Faculties were capable to comprehend or that there was a necessity that to convince Unbelievers to confirm some important Truth or to bring about some other great or weighty End it were requisite that the Deity should not only work an extraordinary and surprizing Effect but also shew them the way and manner how it was perform'd We freely own'd That such Operations as are look'd upon supernatural cannot be perform'd by the stated Laws of Nature but immediately by a Supream Power for some great Design This Answer as being undeniably true they could not but admit and tho where the Relaters were of an undoubted Credit and Veracity they could not but believe those Performances were supernatural yet for their clearer Satisfaction they desir'd my further Thoughts concerning the manner of such Supernatural Effects This being above my Sphere which reaches no further than Physick or Nature in its ordinary Operations wherein however I find Matter more than sufficient to imploy my Time and Thoughts and wherein I plainly see the Existence and can never sufficiently admire the constant Providence of a Deity yet being willing to comply with their Desires I promised I would give them what Satisfaction I could therein This indeed was not the first time the very same Difficulties had been proposed in my hearing for I had formerly discoursed with others both in this and other Countries upon the same Subject and had some Years ago drawn up a rude Scheme of an Essay towards the clearing of this Point But if this or the like occasion had not put me upon reviewing this Paper I might never have given my self or any body else the trouble of reading it But having thus unwarily engag'd my self I resolved to revise this Design and to give those Persons a sight of it This I did accordingly and afterwards
married to Ferdinand of Austria whereby that House came into possession of the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia as likewise of Silesia all which it enjoys to this day Sigismund dy'd not long after the Council of Trent begun being 82 Years old and having reign'd about 40 with great Success Paulus Jovius says that in this King's time there were three Heroes viz. the Emperor Charles V. Francis I. King of France and Sigismund I. King of Poland each of which deserv'd alone to govern the Universe had they not happen'd to live at the same time This King was as famous in Peace as War being adorn'd with more Vertues than any Prince of Poland before him Besides which Perfections of his Mind he had also great Strength of Body for he is reported to have been accustom'd to snap Horseshoes asunder and to have broke the strongest Ropes with his Hands only as I am credibly inform'd the Elector of Saxony at present King of Poland has often done He had two Wives Barbara Daughter of Stephen Woievod of Transilvania by whom he had one Daughter nam'd Hedwigis married to Joachim Marquess of Brandenburg and another Wife Buona Sforza mention'd before who brought him four Daughters which were Isabel married to John King of Hungary Sophia to the Duke of Brunswick and Ann and Catherine both successively to the King of Sweden and one Son Sigismund Augustus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Poland Martin Bielski a Polander who writ the Annals of his Country in his Native Language mentions that in the beginning of this King's Reign a certain Gentleman nam'd James Melstinski Starosta of Brezina being not a little beside himself pretended to be Christ descended again upon the Earth and consequently together with one Peter Zatorski a Citizen of Cracow and eleven others of the same stamp set forward through divers Cities and Villages canting and imposing upon the common People all along as they went sometimes he pretended to raise the Deaâ—â— which he seemingly effected by help of 〈◊〉 Compact with some of his fellow Impostors Next he work'd several pretended Miracles by Legerdemain as by finding things in places where it was almost impossible for them to be which nevertheless he had prudently taken care to lay there before as Fish in Bogs and the like Afterwards he went to the Monastery of Cestochow where it seems he was not known Here he caus'd one of his Followers to pretend to be possess'd with the Devil who thereupon being immediately seiz'd on was led by the Monks to the Altar at a time when a great Concourse of People were gathered together to hear Mass but the Impostor having provided himself a large Coat with several deep and winding Plights as likewise of divers small Pebbles which he had wrap'd up in his Saâ—â— broke furiously from those that held him and immediately leap'd upon the Altar where seizing upon all the Offerings he soon convey'd them into these obscure Folds of his Coat when the Monks going to search him with great Violence found only the Stones in his Sash which they believing to be the Money transmuted by the Power of the Devil immediately fell to exorcising the Stones but finding the same Species still remain they threw down their Books in great Indignation and cry'd Talem Daemonem nunquam experti sumus abite cum eo ad omnes Daemones By help of the Money they had thus got by this Cheat they travell'd all over Silesia and at last came to a Gentleman's House where they told his Wife that Christ and his Apostles were come to visit her and that she must make some Offering and her Soul should be sav'd to which the Woman reply'd that her Husband was from home and therefore she could not possibly comply with their Requests whereupon they demanded of her if she had any Linen to sacrifice she answered she had and presently fetch'd them down a small parcel which they receiving from her hands told her they would keep that for themselves and Christ should bless her and encrease her Store whereupon enquiring farther if she had any more she shew'd them another Parcel but they being about to do the like by that as they did by the other she told them her Husband not being within she durst by no means part with it which Answer displeasing these Impostors they privily slid a piece of lighted Coal among the Linen which the Woman not knowing any thing of took the parcel and lock'd it up in her Chest as before but which not long after bursting out into a Flame first burnt the Chest and then the House The Husband coming home and finding his House on fire enquir'd into the cause of it whereupon his Wife answer'd that because she had treated Christ disrespectfully who came to visit her this Judgment had befallen them At this the Man flying out into a Passion cry'd This was an Impostor and no Christ wherefore calling his Neighbours together they pursued them close till they heard of them in a Village hard by which the false Saviour being inform'd of said to that Apostle of his nam'd Peter Peter now is my Hour come and the time wherein I am to drink that bitter Draught approaches which I have no other way to avoid but by leaping out at this Window To which Peter reply'd I also will follow my Master's Example that I may live Whereupon they both leap'd out at the Window and the rest of the Apostles fled also their several ways but the deluded Countrymen closely pursuing them at length overtook them and surrounding them with Clubs Scourges and the like laid them on most unmercifully crying all the while Prophesy to us O Christ with thy Disciples in what Wood did these Clubs and Scourges grow By this severe Discipline these Impostors having been totally reform'd confess'd that it was no small Task to imitate Christ and his Apostles Before his Death Sigismund got the Diet to elect his Son SIGISMUND II. surnam'd afterwards Augustus who was crown'd in the Year 1548 and reign'd to 1576. The Diet was very angry with him that after his Coronation he married the Lady Radzivil Widow to a Woievod without their Consent which is against the Constitution of that Kingdom but this Queen dying soon after without Children they agreed to his Marriage with the Princess Catharine another Widow of the House of Austria which was before married to Francis Duke of Mantua In his time Livonia which is a great Province that lies between Prussia Swedeland Muscovy and Lithuania whereof part belonged to the Teutonic Order and part to the Arch-bishop of Riga being the whole under Protection of the Empire was like to have been over-run by the Great Duke of Muscovy who brought thither a powerful Army for that purpose and took most of its Towns Whereupon the Inhabitants finding they were not able alone to resist so great a Force sent to the Emperor Ferdinand for Relief who being