Meads about it quickly drew thither Faustus Socinus Cousin German to Lelius with several others Hereupon several Books were Publish'd and spread over the whole Kingdom and the Chief not only of Catholicks but also of Lutherans and Calvinists embracing the Opinion of Socinus drew every day great Numbers to their Party Whereupon the Republick for fear least the Sparks already kindled should set the Whole Nation in Flames and least the Plague which had Infected many of the Members should at length destroy the Whole Body by the Incitement of the Bishops and several other Religious Orders oblig'd the King Augustus to Banish Lismaninus the Queens Confessor out of the Court and induc'd him to issue forth the following Edict against the Growing Heresies in Poland The EDICT of King Sigismund against the Socinians WHereas all Humane things are altogether vain and unprofitable unless Govern'd by the Laws of God and establish'd by the Integrity and Union of Religion Therefore We Sigismund Augustus by the Grace of God King of Poland do Publish and Declare to all and every person that is or may be concern'd that We being inform'd by Our Counsellors of Church and State that several Heresies are every where hatch'd within Our Kingdom and that not only New Doctrines and Ceremonies are Introduc'd but also that several of our unthinking Subjects do openly profess and instruct the same We following the Examples of our Predecessors whose chiefest care and study was to Propagate and Protect the Christian Faith and to cut off all occasion of Quarrel among our Subjects and of Disturbance in the State which always attends Dissensions in Religion And thinking this to be the proper Duty of Christian Kings and Princes do by these Our Letters Patent Testify and Promise That We out of Respect to the Christian Religion and out of Love to the Holy Church will Profess and Maintain to the utmost of our Power within all Our Dominions the Truth and Sincerity of the Ecclesiastical Doctrine and of the Christian Catholick and Apostolick Faith as it is professed by the Holy Church of Rome and as it has been Receiv'd and Profess'd constantly by Our Predecessors As for the Enemies thereof as well Pagans who are the Profess'd Enemies of Christianity as Hereticks who under the pretence of being Christians and by a false Interpretation of Scripture destroy Christianity and shew themselves to be alienated from the Faith and the Religion once deliver'd by the Apostles and hitherto Profess'd by the Roman Catholick Church These We shall take care to Suppress and to Banish out of Our Kingdom Nor will We ever admit into Our Royal Council and Senate nor bestow any Places of Honour or Trust on any who are tainted with Heresy provided We are satisfy'd of it If any shall be accus'd before Us We will take care by the Divine Assistance that the Statutes of our Realm shall with the utmost diligence be put in Execution against them that so they may be for ever Branded Stigmatiz'd and Banish'd their Country unless they shall desire to be Reconcil'd to their Holy Mother the Church The Ecclesiasticks together with their Laws Immunities and Privileges both Publick and Private We will Defend Maintain and Protect to the utmost of our Power To all our Officers and Governors We give it strictly in Charge and Command them under the Penalty of our Severe Displeasure that they be not Negligent or Remiss in Prosecuting and Apprehending such Offenders Whereas on the contrary if any of them shall be Charg'd before Us with being false to his Trust and to Our Commands he shall be brought to Condign Punishment For the Due Performance of all the Premisses We have Ingag'd Our Word to the Reverend Father in Christ Nicolas Ziergowski Lord Arch-bishop of Gnezna and to other of his Bishops and Our Counsellors and by the Oath of Our Royal Trust taken to Our Subjects at Our Coronation We design the Whole shall be faithfully put in Execution In Testimony whereof we have Issu'd forth these Our Letters Patent Dated at Cracow In the Year of Our Lord 1550. And in the Second Year of Our Reign This Edict or rather Manifesto of King Augustus was interpreted by the Nobility to be directly opposite to their Interests Whereupon several of the Chief among them began to stir up Commotions and rise in Arms. And the Hatred of the Romish Ecclesiasticks against the Socinians increas'd every day more and more Hence sprung many Murders constant Fewds between the Nobles and abundance of Bloodshed throughout the whole Kingdom The State being engag'd in a foreign War could not then prevent these great disorders but partly fearing a Civil War and partly trusting to the Vigilance and Pastoral Care of the Ecclesiasticks for the present forbear'd putting in Execution the severe Laws of Jagello against Hereticks But at last they work'd their own Ruin For being by degrees divided into the Factions of Servetus and Samosatanus they too far trespass'd on that Indulgence the State allow'd them Several Statues of our Saviour upon the Cross were broken by the Students of Racovia and several Blasphemies were utter'd in their Books against Christ and for these things being severely check'd by the Decrees and Edicts of John Casimire and King John III. all those who would not Embrace the Roman Faith were to depart the Kingdom within two or three Years Since those Decrees of the King and Republick against the Socinians are still in force it will not be amiss to insert them here and they are as follow John Casimire by the Grace of God King of Poland and Great Duke of Lithuania c. THo' the Being and Propogation of the Arian or as some call it the Socinian Heresy in Our Dominions has been always prohibited by Us yet because the aforesaid Sect which Robs the Son of God of his Praeeternity has by a strange misfortune fatal to the State begun to spread it self for a long time in Our Dominions as well of Poland as of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania We therefore reassuming and leaving in its full force the Statute of Jagello our Predecessor enacted against them do by the Consent of all Orders Enact concerning Hereticks that if any such shall dare to Confess Propagate or Preach the said Arian Heresy or to protect and countenance it or its Promoters within our Dominions of Poland the Great Dutchy of Lithuania and the Provinces thereunto annex'd and shall be thereof lawfully convicted every such Person shall forthwith according to the intent of the aforesaid Statute be Beheaded by our Captains and their Officers upon forfeiture of their Commission for the neglect But whereas We are Willing to extend Our Clemency as far as can be if any one refuses to renounce his Heresy We do hereby grant him the space of three years for the selling off his Goods his Estate and getting in his Debts In which time No Assemblies of the aforesaid Sect shall be held nor shall they undertake any publick
hundred thousand Livres all this provided he might marry Hedwige and be elected King of Poland These advantageous Proposals were hearkened to and granted and accordingly he was elected King By these means Lithuania was in time united to Poland and from an Hereditaty State is become a part of an Elective Republick Which change some of the Kings of the race of Jagello did not altogether approve nor can it be said that it was fully effected till the Extinction of that Family for being unwilling to deprive their Heirs of an Hereditary Right by submitting to make Lithuania elective they still delayed the Confirmation of the Convention alledging that the Nobility and people of Lithuania would never suffer it lest by such an Union they should lose their antient degree and dignity Things remain'd in this condition while there were Princes of that Family to be elected At last the Lithuanians perceiving that it was extinct as to Males after the death of King Sigismund Augustus and being afraid of Irruptions from their incroaching Neighbours the Muscovites they consented to an Union The Example of Stephen Batori verifies also what we have already said of the regard which the Poles have to the Royal Family in point of Election For that Prince was chosen King of Poland only upon Condition that he should marry the Princess Anne Sister to Sigismund Augustus who dyed without Issue and was the last of the Family of the Jagellones I must own that there were several Reasons which concur'd to cause the Polanders to impose that Condition on Stephen Batori for thus they did not only express their respect to the Jagellonian Family but avoided the Expences which they must otherwise have been at for the maintaining of two Princesses But that which engaged them the rather to act thus was the Abdication of Henry of Valds King of Poland who had refused to marry her for that Prince having received the News of the death of Charles IX his Brother privately left Poland the 18 of June 1574 and returned to France after he had been crown'd at Cracow the 24 of February and had remain'd five months with the Republick The Polanders therefore believing that they would thus more strongly bind Stephen Batori to their Interest oblig'd him to marry the Princess Anne tho' she was somewhat elderly But this prov'd of a very unhappy Consequence for all the Church of Sweden For Stephen Battori dying afterwards at Iroane on the 12 of December 1586 without leaving any Issue the Republick still having a regard to the Family of the Jagellones chose Sigismund the third the Son of John King of Sweden and of Catharine Sister to Sigismund Augustus and thus Nephew to Queen Anne Stephen Battoris's Widow By reason of which Election Sigismund being oblig'd to make Poland the place of his residence left the Government of Sweden to his Unkle the Duke of Sudermania who afterwards made himself Master of the Kingdom where he abolished the Roman Religion and establish'd the Lutheran which he publickly profest What I have said of the Polanders as to their preferring the Offspring of their Kings before others is so true that from the beginning of their acknowledging a Regal State even at a time when they were all strangers to the Christian religion they chose Venda to be their Queen being the only person that was left of the Line of Cracus their third King Long after this Lewis King of Poland and Hungary having chosen for his Successor Sigismund Marquess of Brandenburg who had wedded his eldest Daughter the Republick met at Radom in the year 1312 and the Diet past a Constitution whereby Sigismund was excluded however declaring at the same time that there should be a due regard had to the Princess his Wife The Great Men of the Kingdom gave afterwards their Votes for Ziemowitz Duke of Masovia upon condition he would wed Hedwige who was King Lewis's Daughter But Queen Elizabeth her Mother would not consent that her Daughter should marry so inconsiderable a Prince as was the Duke of Masovia tho' he was of the Royal House of Casimir the Great I have said that the Polanders have not only some Consideration for all those of the Royal Family but that they have also a great regard to the Widows of their Kings It was for this reason that they oblig'd King John Casimir to marry Queen Maria Aloisia the Widow of Vladislaus the fourth his Brother who died without Issue This will further appear by the Proposal that was made to Queen Eleonor of Austria the Widow of King Michael during the Diet of Election in the year 1674. For the Poles insisted upon that Queen's marrying the Prince of Newburg for whom the French us'd their Interest insomuch that on the 18 of May four Bishops came to that Queen and assur'd her that provided she would consent to wed that Prince he would certainly be elected and that by this means the minds of all the different parties would be re-united But Queen Eleonor who is the Emperors Sister and who then did nothing but by the Advice of Chancellor Patz and the motions of the Ministers of the Court of Vienna made them no other answer but that she had some Friends in the Diet who would take care of her Interest A drew Trezebsckâ— Bishop of Cracow was one of the four that were deputed on that account to the Queen and afterwards to Chancellour Patz who as I have said was her chief Councellor But that Chancellor who had a mind the Election should fall on Prince Charles of Lorrain whom the Emperor did very earnestly recommend made answer That he would have no other but the Prince of Lorraine and not the Prince of Newburg The event soon convinc'd him of his error and made him know that he had taken wrong Measures and not understood his true Interest For as he had govern'd King Michael and still had an absolute sway over the mind of the Queen he might easily have govern'd also the Prince of Newburgh who was young and whom his Queen might have enclin'd as she would have thought fit The Chancellor Batz was so positive in his Opinion that it was a very difficult matter to make him alter it He was a Man of his word and when ever he had engag'd it to any body he was sure to keep it inviolably his own Intrest not being able to make him Recant And indeed the Conference which he had with the Prince of Newburgh's Embassador at Belveder whither I kept him Company made it plainly appear that his own Interest alone was not sufficient to make him alter his Measures For I understood afterwards from him that considerable Offers had been made him and that it had been Represented to him what Advantages the Election of the Prince of Newburgh would bring to all his Family But all this did not in the least affect him and so that Conference was to no purpose neither for him nor for the Prince of Newburgh
Year 1386. by the Duke de Jagillon who embrac'd the Christian Religion that he might marry Hedwige Daughter to Lewis King of Poland and Hungary and who with his Religion changed also his Name and was called Viadislaus For the Polanders were Christians long before having received the Faith of Christ ann 964 in the Reign of Miecislans I. who after he had divorced seven Pagan Wives was converted and marry'd the Daughter of Boleslaus King of Bohemiae who was a Christian These two Estates are contiguous to one-another and are now but one Body being united in the same Interest under the Government of the same King and in the Profession of the same Religion especially since the Diet held at Grodeck on the River Bug between the Polanders and the Lithuanians in the year 1413. where the Union was renew'd and where it was concluded that for the future they should have the same Laws and Privileges and that the King should be elected by the joint Consent of the Nobility of the two Estates which was ratified and signed by all the Senators of Poland and Lithuania Nevertheless they are governed by distinct Officers each of them having a Grand Marshal and a Petty or Sub-Marshal whom they call the Marshal of the Court a Chancellor Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer who are all Senators those of the Crown for Poland and those of the Dutchy for Lithuania and are equal in Dignity and Power only those of the Crown take place of those of the Dutchy The Office of the Grand Marshal is to keep the Peace and prevent Tumults or Disturbances both in the Diets and in the King's Houshold to punish Offenders even with death and without Appeal from his Judgement except in cases of great Importance which may be brought before the King He has also Power to command Silence to give leave to speak to introduce Ambassadors to appoint them their Lodgings and to fix the prices of all Commodities and Merchandizes This last Branch of his Authority is extreamly advantageous to him for the Merchants give him very Considerable Presents that they may have leave to sell their Goods at exorbitant Rates The Chancellors and the Vice-Chancellors of the Crown are chosen by turns out of the Clergy and Laity But those of the Dutchy are always Lay-men The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor make use of the same Seals and either of them may be used indifferently for they have both an equal Authority only the latter gives place to the former and never gives judgement but in his absence The Chancellor by his Office is the Judge of all Civil Affairs and matters relating to the Kings Revenue 'T is also his Duty to take Care that nothing be done contrary to the Laws or Injurious to the Liberty of the People and that the Intrigues of Foreigners may not be prejudicial to the Republick The Authority of the Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors is so great that in several cases they may affix their Seals without the Kings Order and refuse to seal such things for him as are contrary to the Constitutions of the State 'T is the Office of the Chancellor or in his Absence of the Vice-Chancellor to answer all the Harangues that are made to the King by Ambassadors and he of the two who is a Clergyman hath power over the Secretaries Priests and Preachers of the Court and over the Ceremonies of the Church The Treasurer is properly the Keeper of the publick Treasure which is brought to him by four other Officers who keep an exact Account of it and are obliged to give one Copy to the King and another to the Treasurer His Office impowers him to prevent the wasting or embezelling of the Revenues of the Republick and of those which are appointed for maintaining the King's Table and therefore he ought to sign all the Contracts the King makes which otherwise would be void He ought also to take care that the Republick do not sustain any damage by the Contracts that are made for the Coyning of New Money When the Treasurer is called to an Account the General Diet orders a Committee of a certain Number of Persons to examine his Accounts and to give him an Acquittance without which the Republick may still call him to an Account for the Administration of his Imployment And therefore since this Acquittance is of such vast importance to the Grand Treasurer great Interest is always made about the Nomination of the Commissioners that are appointed to examine his Accounts because he is obliged not only to entertain the Commissioners but also to give them considerable Presents to obtain his discharge The Petty or Sub-Marshal or the Marshal of the Court who is the last of the five Officers that are Members of the Senate executes the Office of the Grand Marshal in his absence and in case of the Death or Demise of that Officer he succeeds in course as the Vice Chancellor is in such cases promoted to the dignity of the Chancellor So that before a Man can be Grand Marshal or Chancellor he must first be Petty Marshal or Vice Chancellor CHAP. II. Of the Division of Poland into Provinces THE Kingdom of POLAND formerly contained Fifteen great Provinces which the King retains still in his Title as King of Poland Duke of Lithuania Russia Prussia Massovia Samogitia Livonia Volhinia Kiovia Podolia Podlassia Smolensko Siâ—eria and Czerniechovia But at present there are no more than nine Provinces subject to the Crown of Poland viz. Great and little Poland the great Dutchy of Lithuania Russia Prussia Massovia Samogitia upper Volhinia and Podlassia or Podlachia Great POLAND is so called because Lechus first King of the Polanders settled his Residence at Gnesna in this Province It is also called Lower Poland and Posnania is the principal City This Province contains eight Palatinates viz. Posnâ—â—â— Kalisch Lencici Brest Inowlocz Siradiae Kawa and Ploosko It is bounded on the North with Prussia on the South with Little Poland on the East with Massovia and on the West with Silesia and the New Marquisate of Brandâ—nburg The River Warta runs through the middle of the Province Little POLAND which is also called Upper POLAND contains three 〈◊〉 Cracow Saâ—domir and Lublin It borders with Massovia and Great Poland on the North Mount Crapat on the South Black Russia on the East and Silesia on the West and the River Vistula runs through it The City of Cracow is the Metropolis of this Province and of the whole Kingdom The Starosta of Cracow is not only Governour of the Castle but also the Defender of the Peace and of the publick Tranquility which entitles him to a large Jurisdiction both over the Inhabitants of Towns and the Gentry As for the great Dutchy of Lithuania tho Jagillon began to unite it to the Crown of Poland Anno 1386 and tho that union was afterwards renew'd in the Diet held at Grodeck between the Polanders and the Lithuanians in 1413 yet it still retained its own Dukes and
is only the Royal Prussia that ought to be reckon'd a Province of Poland and even tho' it belongs to the Republic 't is govern'd by its own Laws and enjoys particular Privileges They have a peculiar Treasury and a Treasurer and when the King summons the Arrierban the Nobility are not obliged to go beyond the Frontiers of the Kingdom This Province is divided into three Palatinates Culm Marienburg and Pomerania It s chief Cities are Thorn upon the Vistula Elbing a league from Frischlaff and Dantzic which is the most considerable of 'em all and the capital City of the Palatinate of Pomerania which comprehends all the Country Westward of the Vistula to the Confines of Germany Upon the Coast of Prussia the Waves of the Sea cast Amber upon the Shore which the Fishermen take up in Nets It is soft at first but soon after grows so hard that it may be turned or engraved and cut into all sorts of Figures 'T is also found in certain great Lakes in the same Province especially in the Bishoprick of Warmia There are also many Lakes that abound with Fish almost in every part of the Country In the Palatinate of Marienburg there is the Lake of Drausen which sends forth the River Elbing that discharges it self in the Frischaff which is a Bay or Gulf of the Baltick Sea about twenty leagues in length and two in breadth In the Palatinate of Pomerania there is a Lake betwixt Konicz and Schochaw which is seven leagues long and five broad and is the head of the River Bro which falls into the Vâ—stula about four leagues above Culm There are also three other almost as large as the former in the same Palatinate near the City of Dantzic and both the Palatinate of Culm and the Bishoprick of Warmia are so full of Lakes that it would be almost an endless Labour to mention every one of them particularly Massovia hath Prussia on the North little Poland on the South Podlassia on the East and great Poland on the West The Vistula and the Bugg are the principal Rivers that water it This Province began to be united to the Crown of Poland by Ziemowit who was Prince thereof in the Reign of Casimir the Great but the Union was not fully perfected till the Death of the Dukes John and Stanislaus in the Reign of Sigismund I. anno 1526. It contains only one Palatinate which formerly took its Name from the Town of Czersk but is now call'd after the Name of the Province Samogitia or Samojedia which is a Dependancy of the Dutchy of Lithuania is border'd by Courland on the North the River Niemen on the South Lithuania on the East and the Baltic Sea on the West The Christian Religion was introduc'd into this Country Anno 1413 by the pious Care of King Jagellon who took the pains to instruct those People himself because they could not understand the Polish Priests The chief Towns in Samogitia are Rosienia on the River Dubissa and Miednich There are no Palatinates here but the Province is divided into several Starosties or Governments of Castles and the first Starosta is a Senator Since Courland depends upon Poland and is the Frontier of Samogitia it will not be improper to give a short account of it here 'T is divided into two parts Courland and Semigallia the River Dzwina separates it from Livonia on the North 't is bounded with Samogitia on the South Lithuania on the East and the Baltic Sea on the West This Country has been subject to a Prince who is a Vassal and Feudatory of Poland since the Year 1561 that Godfrey Ketlâ—r great Master of the Teutonic Knights in Livonia having voluntarily resign'd his Office put all Livonia with the Town of Riga the capital City of the Province into the hands of Nicholas Radziwill in the Name of Sigismund Augustus who gave him Courland and Semigallis which were then reckon'd part of Livâ—ia on Condition that he should remain a Vassal to the Crown of Poland The City of Mittauw in Sâ—â—â—â—â—ita is at present the Metropolis of that little State and the Residence of the Duke Upper Volhinia reaches from Polesia on the North to upper Pâ—dâ—ia on the South and from lower Volbinia on the East to black Russia on the West It s chief Cities are Lucko or Lusuck or Luceowia on the River Ster and Kremienice which is situated upon an Eminence on the bank of the River Izwa about eight leagues from Luceowia towards the South The Province of Podlachia which was united to Poland in the Year 1569 is bounded by Lithuania towards the East and Massovia towards the West 't is ten leagues broad and thirty leagues long It s chief Cities are Augustow and Biclsk which gives Name to a Palatinate CHAP. III. Of the State of Poland with respect to its Neighbors and of the various Success of the Wars in which it has been engag'd with ' em POland reach'd heretofore from the Black Sea to the Baltic and from 〈◊〉 to Hungary but as all the States in the World are subject to great and frequent Revolutions Poland has had its share in the general Calamity and is at present confin'd within much narrower Bounds For it may be observ'd in general that every Republick is look'd upon by its Neighbors as a Country which they have a kind of Right to invade And the same Remark may in a peculiar manner be apply'd to Poland both with respect to the Manner and Constitution of its Government and the insatiable Ambition of all its Neighbors of which the Turks Tartars and Moscovites are most formidable 'T is long since the Turks dismember'd Valachia and Moldavia from this Kingdom and afterwards the Cossacks being oppress'd by the Nobility and restrain'd from their wonted Pyracies on the Black Sea resolv'd to shake off a Yoke which they could no longer bear and by that means gave the Turks an opportunity to invade Vbrania in the Reign of King Michael and to make themselves Masters of Caminiec the capital City of Vpper Podolia and the only place of strength which the Polanders had upon that Frontier That fatal War continued after the death of K. Michael and disturb'd the Reign of his Successor John III till the Polanders were at last constrain'd to make a Peace at Zurawno in Pokutia for the Army of the Turks and Tartars was so numerous and formidable that Year that it consisted of above 180000 effective Men and on the other hand that of the Polanders was so weak that they could not bring above 12000 Men into the Field because they were depriv'd of the Assistance of a considerable part of the Forces of Lithuania who were drawing together near Leopold under Prince Michael of Radziwill their General but could not joyn the grand Army because the Infidels had block'd up all the Avenues to the Camp so that the General was oblig'd to continue at Leopold with the Marquess de Bethune and the L. Hide Ambassador from the K.
this place he found the Cossacks and Tartars joyn'd together whom he attack'd and fought for three days together during which time the Battel was very obstinate on both sides but at last the Polish Army obtain'd an entire Victory over the Cossacks and Tartars and put Chemelnski and the Cham who commanded in person to flight This deseat oblig'd Chemelnski to make a Peace with Poland which was concluded Sept. 28. 1651 but lasted not long for soon after the Cossacks being enrag'd by the Insolency of the Polish Nobility and fearing to fall again into their ancient Bondage attack'd the Army of the Republic and totally routed it I observ'd before that Chemelnski had always the Policy to enter into an Alliance with such Princes who were best able to support him In pursuance of this Maxim as soon as he understood that the Tartars had made a Peace with Poland not daring to rely upon his own single strength he put himself under the protection of the Muscovites in the year 1654 and made a League with 'em which cost the Polanders the City of Smolensko which the Muscovites took the same year Chemelnski dying Anno 1658 the Cossacks chose one Vihowski for their General and threaten'd that they would put themselves into the hands of the Turk or the D. of Muscovy if the Republic would not grant all that they demanded upon which King John Casimir considering that it would be equally disadvantageous to his Kingdom whether they submitted to the Duke of Muscovy or the Turks concluded a Peace with 'em by which it was agreed that all their Captains should be Gentlemen of Poland That Vihowski their General should be Palatin of Kiowia That the Bishops of the Greek Religion should be admitted to the chief Offices and That the Metropolitan of Kiowia should have the rank of a Senator Besides the Starostie of Lubomliana was given to Vihowski and that of Bobrois to Nieczaio on condition that they should hold them as Fiefs of the Republic These Conditions was afterwards ratified by the Diet And by this means the Cossack Captains from miserable Peasants of Russia as they were by their Birth were advanc'd to the Dignity of Polish Noblemen I have already observ'd that the revolt of the Cossacks was partly occasion'd by the Tyranny of the Polish Gentlemen for they were their Lords and had power of Life and Death over 'em as they have still in Poland over all their Peasants Those of Vkrania not being able to support their Insolency began to revolt and by degrees expel'd all the Nobility There were several great Lords who by this revolution lost above 100000 Crowns a Year among whom was the above mention'd Prince Visnovieski whose Son I have seen in Poland so poor that he had only a yearly Pension of Six thousand Livres which Queen Mary Louise allow'd him to subsist upon but Fortune afterwards rais'd him to the Throne upon the abdication of King Casimir as I shall have occasion to observe in its proper place That fatal Revolt of the Cossacks which began in the Reign of Sigismund III augmenting by degrees under the following Kings not only depriv'd many Polish Gentlemen of their Estates and gave the Tartars occasion to carry away above a million of persons into Slavery but was also the cause of the decay of the Christian Religion throughout Vkrania For it may be reasonably suppos'd that the Turks endeavour to settle Mahometism in that Country in imitation of all Conquerors who the Letter to secure the Fidelity of the people whom they subdue force them to receive their Religion as the most effectual way to keep 'em in Obedience to their new Masters And even tho' the Turks should not endeavour to settle Mahometism in all their Conquests it wou'd at last become the modish Religion since 't is usual for people to take the Language and Religion of a Prince whose Favour they are desirous to procure The Cossacks having under several Generals maintain'd a War against the Polanders who perpetually labour'd to reduce them they were at last oblig'd to call in the Turks and to put themselves under their protection Thus were those Infidels admitted into Vkrania and easily made themselves Masters of the City of Caminiec which they found destitute of all sorts of Provisions nevertheless they took it by Capitulation But they were so far from observing the Articles they had granted by which the Inhabitants were to continue still in the profession of their ancient Religion that as soon as they were Masters of the place they carried away into Slavery all the people of that unhappy City and left no mark of its having been once inhabited by Christians but only the Cathedral Church which they have also turn'd to a Mosque These are the fatal Consequences of the insupportable Tyranny of the Gentlemen of Poland and of their unjustifiable Cruelty to their Subjects But long before the Turks invaded Poland they look'd upon Vkrania as a Country which they resolv'd to conquer at any rate and which they might easily subdue if the Cossacks should be oblig'd to desire their protection Besides they were willing to take hold of so favourable an Opportunity to deliver themselves from such cruel and formidable Enemies who had so often harass'd 'em by their Pyracies on the Black Sea They had made Peace with the Emperor and consequently were not oblig'd to keep an Army in Hungary and after the abdication of King John Casimir who was a valiant Prince the People had chosen a peaceable King in his place They consider'd also that the Revolt of the Cossacks gave them a free passage into a pleasant and fertile Country such as Vkrania certainly is and invited 'em to make themselves Masters of Caminiec which is the Key of that Province For that City which is the Metropolis of Upper Podolia is fortified by Nature being situated on a Rock environ'd by a very deep broad and sleep Ditch which is sill'd with Water by the River Smotrzy which almost quite surrounds the City so that it leaves only a narrow passage into it and 't is that entry only which is fortified by Art all the rest being sufficiently defended by Nature Nevertheless it must be acknowledg'd that the Hills that are beyond the Ditch being higher than the City the Garrison in a Siege might be very much incommoded with Artillery But 't is not such an Inconveniency as this that can oblige a place of strength to surrender nor will it ever be reduc'd by so distant an attack and after all the City of Caminiec will ne'r be retaken by the Polanders unless the Port be one day reduc'd as low as Poland was when the Turks took it In the Reign of King Michael the Polanders were so firmly perswaded of the impossibility of reducing that place and of the difficulty of putting an end to the War with the Grand Signior that they made a shameful Peace with him and oblig'd themselves to pay him a yearly Tribute
with the Turks themselves and at last made them lose all Vkrania and the Dutchies of Smolensko and Siberia 'T was their real Interest not only to suffer the Cossacks to make perpetual Incursions upon the Turks but even to assist them in their Expeditions For by this means they might have kept the Cossacks who had serv'd 'em so well in the War against Osman in subjection to them and consequently the Polanders might have been still Masters of so many Fine Provinces which they have lost When all the Nobility of Poland are Assembled together they make a very Considerable Body and not one of their Neighbours could resist them if they knew their own strength and could submit to Regular Discipline and to the Command of a General But besides that it is the Interest of the King never to Assemble so great and so formidable a Body The Polanders have also this Privilege that they cannot be kept together above Six Weeks So that if during that time the King cannot bring them to a Battle with their Enemies they may return home without asking his leave And consequently if their Enemies have never so little Experience in the Art of War they may safely protract the time or retire till the Impetuous Torrent is over and afterwards renew the Assault without fear and with a certain prospect of Success That 't is not the Interest of a King of Poland to Assemble the Polish Nobility in one place may be evidently demonstrated by the following Instance When Sigismond II. Summon'd them to appear near Leopold to oppose the Moldavians they were just ready to Revolt against him the Senators complaining that their Privileges had been violated and refusing to March against the Enemy till they were re-establish'd This Example alone which might be confirm'd by many others is a convincing Proof that the Convocation of all the Nobility is both a dangerous and ineffectual Remedy against the Distempers of the State The Polish Nobility have another Privilege which appears unjust or at least seems to incourage their Insolence for a Polish Gentleman cannot be Arrested for any Crime whatsoever unless he be first Convicted by Justice Nisi Jure Victus So that he must be first Cited to appear at the Tribunal where he is to be Tryed if he do not appear he must be declar'd Contumacious and if he appears and is Convicted he is Arrested and Imprison'd in order to be afterwards Indged according to the Laws and the Heinousness of his Crime so that it may be reasonably suppos'd that he who knows himself Guilty and fears to be Cast will not run the hazard of being Convicted but will rather choose to suffer himself to be Condemn'd for Contumacy than to venture the losing of his Head Nevertheless there are some Examples which seem to contradict this Privilege that a Gentleman cannot be Arrested Nisi Jure Victus and I my self have seen an Instance of it in the Persons of those who Assassinated Gonczenski the Petty General of the Army of Lithuania The Criminals were without any Formality carry'd Prisoners to Elbing and afterwards Condemn'd by the General Diet held at Warsaw in the Year 1654 to be Beheaded in the Market-place But it must be confess'd that their Crime was so Enormous that in such a case the Nobility could not in Justice refuse to wave their Privilege For those Wretches took that Gentleman in the Night-time out of his Bed from his Wife at Vitna and having put him in a Coach with a Confessor whom they brought along with them they carry'd him out of the City and oblig'd him immediately to make his Confession after which they Shot him dead The Polish Gentlemen have another Privilege That no Soldier or Officer of the Army can be Quarter'd upon them and any Officer who should attempt to do it would be Cited before the first General Dyet where he would be Condemned to Death or Mark'd with Infamy that is the Criminal wou'd be declared uncapable of having a Vote or of possessing any Office or Employment An Example of which I shall relate which happen'd at Warsaw May 17. 1674 in the Dyet of the Election of John the IIId and which contributed not a little to his Election The Son of the Palatin of Smolensko went to Lodge in the House of Vicznowieski by the Order as 't was given out of the Great General Patz Palatin of Vilna The Marshals who are Judges of those Enormities Condemned that Palatin to the Punishment prescrib'd be the Laws Two days before the Conclusion of the Dyet Thus he was deprived of a Right to Vote which was a very considerable Mortification to Chancellour Patz his Cousin who plac'd a great deal of Considence in him as a declar'd Enemy to the Marshal Sobieski and all the French Party and consequently a zealous Promoter of the Faction of Lorrain and Austria The Constitution that secures the Polish Gentry from being Arrested till they be Legally Convicted is certainly a Grievance to the Nation and seems to subvert the Common Maxims of Justice but they have another Privilege that is equally destructive of Civil Society and inconsistent with the Principles of the Christian Religion For every Gentleman in Poland is by Law the Absolute and Despotic Master of the Peasants that live in his Territories and may put 'em to Death when he pleases When a Stranger is surpriz'd at such a Heathenish Custom and takes the Liberty to Ask 'em How Christians can assume a Privilege so contrary to the Spirit of their Religion And how the Law which is a Gift of God can establish a 〈◊〉 so opposite to the Laws of God himself They usually Reply That tho' they have such a Power they never make use of it no more than we and other Christians use the power we have to kill our Horses Adding That the Peasants serve 'em in stead of Beasts But besides that the Comparison is not very Human and much less Christian it happens sometimes that the Gentlemen kill their Peasants either when they are Drunk or Irritated by some Brutal Passion to which young Men are oftentimes subject For the Wives and Daughters of these miserable Wretches are Forc'd and Carry'd away without daring to resist their Insolent Ravishers and this is so common among the Persants that few of 'em scruple to chuse a Bride that has lost her Virginity CHAP. XII Of the Officers who are not Senators I Must in the next place give an Account of those Officers who have not a place in the Senat Of these there are Three sorts viz. Some are Officers of the whole Kingdom and of the whole Dutchy some of the Court and others of Palatinats and Starosties There is a Great Secretary of the Kingdom and another of the Dutchy who both have a Privilege to enter into the Privy-Councils and to know all that the Chancellours and Vice-Chancellours do in the Chancery So that the Office of Great Secretary is as it were a step by
and made it the Place of his Residence After the Death of Lechus the Government of the Kingdom was committed to Twelve Palatines Cracus An. D. 700. He Built Cracow and transferr'd the Court or Residence of the Prince from Gnesna to that City Lechus II. He Assassinated his Father Cracus in a Wood and gave out That he was Torn in pieces by a Bear QUEEN Venda An. D. 750. A Princess equally famous for her Beauty and Valor After her Death the Kingdom was again Govern'd by Twelve Palatines Primislaus or Lescus I. An. D. 760. A Person of mean Birth but of extraordinary Courage and Wisdom He was made Prince or Duke of Poland with the Unanimous Consent of all the Estates of the Nation in consideration of the Important Services he had done to his Countrey and particularly in the War against the Huns. Lesco II. Surnam'd the Black An. D. 804. He is said to have Assisted Attila in his Wars against the Romans Lesco III. An. D. 810. The Son and Successor of Lesco II. He was also an Enemy to the Romans Popiel I. An. D. 815. A Debauch'd and Effeminate Prince Popiel II. An. D. 830. Succeeded his Father and Imitated his Example He was Eaten up by Mice Piastus An. D. 842. He was advanc'd from the Plow to the Throne in consideration of his Justice and Integrity Semovitus or ziemonitus An. D. 861. He defeated the Vandals and Conquer'd several Countries on the Coast of the Balthic Sea Lesco IV. An. D. 892. He Concluded a Peace with all his Neighbours Semislaus or ziemomistus An. D. 913. He maintain'd the Peace which his Predecessor had establish'd Mesco or Miecislaus An. D. 964. He was Born Blind but receiv'd his Sight during his Father's Life who upon this occasion consulting those who pretended to foretel things to come was inform'd that his Son should be remarkable for Piety He was the first Duke or Prince of Poland who embrac'd the Christian Religion Boleslaus I. Surnam'd Chrobri An. D. 999. He laid aside the Title of Duke with which his Predecessors had contented themselves and was Solemnly stil'd King of Poland and Friend and Ally of the Roman Empire by Otho III. An. 1001. He subdu'd the Bohemians Moravians Silesians Prussians and Pomeranians Mesco or Miecislaus II. An. D. 1025. A Lazy and Effeminate Prince Under his Reign the Bohemians and Moravians Revolted from the Crown of Poland Casimir I. An. D. 1041. He was Dethron'd and forc'd to enter into a Cloister but afterwards rais'd an Army and defeated the Tyrant who had Usurp'd the Crown Boleslaus II. Surnam'd the Bold An. D. 1059. He Defeated the Huns and other Scythian Nations and subdu'd Moravia but notwithstanding all the Glory of his Victories his Memory is Infamous in History He fell in Love with a Mare and Barbarously Murder'd the Bishop Stanislaus who reprov'd him for his Brutish and Unnatural Lust And for these Detestable Crimes both he and his Successors were depriv'd of the Regal Dignity He was expell'd out of the Kingdom and Torn in Pieces by Dogs Vladislaus I. Surnam'd Hermannus An. D. 1082. A Warlike and Just Prince Boleslaus III. Surnam'd Crivoustus An. D. 1103. He assisted the Hungarians against the Romans and was very Powerful at Sea Vladislaus II. An. D. 1146. He endeavour'd to Oppress his Brothers but was at last Defeated and Expell'd out of the Kingdom Boleslaus IV. Surnam'd Crispus An. D. 1146. He made War with the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa Miecislaus III. Surnam'd the Aged An. D. 1174. He was Depos'd for Oppressing the People with Exorbitant Impositions Casimit II. An. D. 1178. Succeeds his Brother abrogates the Unjust Laws that were establish'd by his Predecessors and Frees the People from Tyrannical Impositions Lesco V. Surnam'd the White An. D. 1195. He was Attack'd by this Unkle Miecislaus the Aged and defended himself with various success till he was at last surpriz'd as he was Bathing himself and thrust thro' with a Spear During the Turbulent Reign of this Prince the Countrey was miserably harass'd and the Sovereign Power was for some time assum'd by Miecislaus and afterwards by Vladislaus Lasconogus Boleslaus V. Surnam'd the Chast An. D. 1226. In his time the Tartars made a terrible Havock in Poland Lesco VI. Surnam'd the Black An. D. 1279. He was Assisted by the Knights of the Teutonic Order against Conrade who had besieg'd Cracow Premislaus II. An. D. 1295. He Reassum'd the Regal Title by the Advice of the Nobility and was Crown'd by James Arch-bishop of Gnesna He undertook an Expedition against the Bohemians but was surpriz'd and kill'd in his Camp in the First Year of his Reign Wenceslaus An. D. 1296. The King of Bohemia obtain'd the Crown of Poland he defeated the Hungarians and fought against the Emperor Albert. Vladislaus III. Surnam'd Locticus An. D. 1305. He was assisted in his Wars by the Lithuanians Casimit III. Surnam'd the Great An. D. 1333. A Just and Peaceful Prince He freed the Kingdom from Robbers who during the late Disorders had made the Ways Unpassable and Establish'd New Laws to suppress the Insolence of the Soldiers He entertain'd four Kings at a Splendid Feast viz. the Kings of Hungary Cyprus Denmark and of the Romans and gave his Niece in Marriage to the last Lewis An. D. 1370. King of Hungary is Chosen King of Poland He Routed the Lithuanians in a Memorable Battle Vladislaus IV. or II. call'd Jagello An. D. 1386. This Prince who was Duke of Lithuania and a Pagan Marry'd Hedwige the Daughter of King Lewis and embrac'd the Christian Religion He United the Great Dutchy of Lithuania to the Crown of Poland and Extirpated Paganism out of that Countrey He obtain'd a Great Victory over the Teutonic Knights in Prussia Vladislaus V. or III. An. D. 1434. He was Chosen King of Hungary and was kill'd by the Turks in the Battle of Varna Casimit IV. Surnam'd the Great An. D. 1447. He took several Towns from the Teutonick Knights John Albert. An. D. 1492. He dy'd as he was making Preparations for a War against the Turks Alexander An. D. 1501. This Prince was successful in his Wars against the Moscovites and Tartars Sigismund I. An. D. 1507. He Defeated the Muscovites Tartars and Hungarians and Subdu'd Prussia Sigismund II. Surnam'd Augustus An. D. 1548. This was the last King of the Race of Vladislaus Jagellon Henry of Valois An. D. 1574. He was Chosen King of Poland by the Intrigues of the French and Four Months after his Accession to the Crown retir'd privately from Poland upon the News of the Death of his Brother Charles IX whom he Succeeded in France Stephen Bathori Prince of Transilvania An. D. 1576. A Wise Brave and Victorious Prince His Virtues were celebrated at his Death in the following Elogy In