extended their Dominions beyond those of any State in Europe had their other Constitutions been as well grounded or as exactly observed For tho the Poles have been constantly molested by their Neighbours the Suedes Moscovites Tartars Turks Hungarians and Germans and their Kingdom been several times reduc'd to Extremities burnt and plunder'd by frequent Incursions put into Convulsions and Desolations and thousands of their People been carry'd away into Captivity yet by the prudent Conduct and Courage of their Kings through a desire of gaining the Affection of their Subjects by serving their Country zealously to the end their Fame and Merits might raise their Children to the Throne after their deaths the Poles have not only always oppos'd but likewise repuls'd the exorbitant Force of their Enemies They have also by degrees enlarg'd their Country by vast Conquests and render'd it several times the most formidable of any Kingdom in Europe They have likewise never submitted to any Foreign Power no not even to the Romans by force They have also hitherto inviolably maintain'd their Liberties Properties and peculiar manner of Government against all the Attempts both of their Enemies abroad or the Cabals form'd either by themselves or their Kings at home and I believe I may say to their great Commendation that they are the only Nation in the World who have kept the longest Succession of Kings without subjecting themselves either to a Despotic or Hereditary Monarchy their Princes being now as most are thought to have been at first wholly elected by the People Tho My Lord I have said the Poles have never excluded their Kings Children yet must it be understood that their Crown has not always been in the same Family by reason that from time to time the Royal Line has fail'd and therefore they have consequently been oblig'd to elect Princes out of other Families but still I may very well affirm that there has never been any Stranger chosen except in the present Election where the preceding King had any Issue surviving The Princes and Princesses of this Kingdom have in all been fifty two whereof were Women as Venda and Hedwigis both having had the Government for some time and the other forty eight were Men. At first these Princes were only stil'd Duces Dukes or Generals of Poland as if their Office in those times had been no other than to head Armies for 't is to be observ'd that to Boleslaus Chrobry they were not so much as crown'd This Title continu'd from the Year 550 to the Year 1005. when the Emperour Otho III. created Boleslaus I. the Sixteenth Duke of Poland King being the second Christian Prince that had govern'd that Country all before him and Miecislaus I. his Father having been Pagans as were likewise the Poles themselves till the tenth Century when this Miecislaus the fifteenth Duke of Poland turn'd Christian in the Year 964 in Pope John the XIIIth's time by which means his Son Boleslaus came to have the Title of King All the Princes of Poland may be divided into four Classes whereof the first and last are of different Families the second and third of but one in which the Crown passes from the Father to the Daughter The first Class reign'd from the Year 550 to the Year 830 The second from 830 to 1382 The third from 1382 to 1574 and the last from thence down to our Time I shall now proceed to give your Lordship some short Account of the Succession and most Remarkable Actions of the first Class of the Dukes of Poland from the Year 550 to the Year 830. LECHUS Son of Annon first Duke of Poland as I said before founded this Nation He built the first City there naming it Gnesna now the Primate's See as likewise the City of Posnan Capital of Posnania 'T is uncertain how many govern'd before his Race came to be extinct and there is great Contest among the Polish Historians about his Successor but some affirm that he order'd by his last Will like Alexander the Great that they should elect the most worthy Person among them VISIMIRUS his Nephew was thereupon chosen who is reported to have extended his Dominions even to the very Borders of Denmark and to have built a very great Ship which was an exceeding Terror to the Danes He is also said to have given that Nation a great Overthrow by Sea and to have pursued his Victory into the very Bowels of that Kingdom where he subdued many Provinces and built several Cities whereof one was Wismar which retains his Name to this day In one Battel this Visimirus is said to have taken the Danish King Prisoner and to have carried him into Poland whence afterwards being releas'd and conspiring together with the Swedes and Holsatians he made an Incursion into Poland with a numerous Army but was soon met and vanquish'd again by Wisimir who thereupon push'd on his Victory so far as to reduce the greatest part of Denmark which he then united to Poland In opposition to this Story Monsicur Pauli Minister here from Denmark has assured me that the Poles never made any Conquest in that Country which may give some Exception to the truth of this King's Reign tho it may very well be suppos'd that several Kings reign'd during the space of 150 Years there being so much time between the beginning of Lechus his Reign and the Election of Cracus However to gratify the Curiosity of the Publick I hope I have not done amiss to insert it since I withal quote my Author After many glorious Actions having greatly augmented his Dominions this Wisimir died without Issue Vapovius says that Lechus his Posterity reign'd all that space of time between him and Cracus being 150 Years yet having consulted all their Historians I can find no manner of Account given of their Reigâ—â— nor of the Government of Poland in all that space of time Lechus his Issue being extinct 't is certain the People elected twelve Woievods in the Polish Language Captains of War to govern 'em who divided that Country into twelve parts for the Poles sticking close to their Liberty would then by no means put the Government into one Man's hands But soon after these Palatins disagreeing among themselves the People chose one CRACUS for their Head a very Rich and Popular Person reported to have been of the Race of the Gracchi at Rome who were banish'd into this Country by King Ancus Who this Cracus was all Historians do not agree The Polish Writers say he was one of the twelve Woievods but the Bohemians affirm he was a Prince of their Country He gain'd extremely upon the good Will of his Subjects for he soon appeas'd the impending Storms of a Civil War built a City on the River Vistula calling it after his own Name Cracow and transfer'd his Residence from Gnesna thither which is the reason that this City has ever since
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
Woievod of Cracovia to whom the King after the Fight sent a Hare-Skin and Spinning-wheel for Recompence Nevertheless this one Defeat stuck so close to him that he soon after died leaving four Sons among whom he divided his Kingdom This King perform'd a great many more memorable Actions which my Lord because they might be too tedious to insert here I have omitted He was of an undaunted Spirit a great despiser of Danger and no less an observer of Truth and Right very liberal and generous upon the smallest Occasions and moreover endued with singular Clemency and Modesty He was further very ambitious of Glory but at the same time no Enemy to Peace tho he is said to have been train'd up to War from his very Cradle To ULADISLAUS surnam'd the Driveler his eldest Son he left the Supreme Power which was confirm'd and he elected in the Year 1140 but reign'd only six Years and to the other three he gave only some separate Provinces which afterwards was the occasion of great Disorders in Poland for the elder Brother Vladislaus pretending to dispossess the other three turn'd his Brother Boleslaus out of the Palatinates of Ploskow and Masovia and his Brother Henry out of the Province of Sendomir who both retir'd to their third Brother that govern'd Posnania Vladislaus had always with him a Nobleman call d Peter Dunin whom taking out one day to hunt they happen'd to be so late abroad that they were oblig'd to lie all Night in a Wood where for Diversion the King began to joke with his Companion after this manner Dunin quoth he I. believe your Wife lies more at ease to Night with the Abbot Scrinnen than we do To which Dunin forgetting himself tartly reply'd And it may be your Majesty's does the same with Dobessus Who it seems was a handsom Fellow about Court that his Queen Christina lov'd This Answer so nettled the King that he afterwards employ'd the same Dobessus to be reveng'd on Dunin which he effected by pulling out his Tongue and Eyes Hereupon the People perceiving how cruelly Vladislaus persecuted his own Brothers and at the same time how ill he treated his Subjects began to be daily more and more disaffected to him whereby his Brothers Party greatly encreasing he was beaten by them as he was going to besiege Posnan Wherefore discovering new Factions hourly appearing against him and fearing some ill Fate from a universal Hatred he timely withdrew into Germany to the Emperor Conrade III. Cousin German to his Queen Christina who several times endeavour'd to restore him but all in vain for his Brother Boleslaus Crispus having got possession of the Crown Vladislaus was forc'd to compound for Silesia only which afterwards fell to the Principality of Bohemia and has ever since been out of the possession of the Poles This Prince lies buried at Attenburg a City of Germany in Alsace Vladislaus with his Son having abdicated the Crown of Poland his second Brother BOLESLAUS CRISPUS or the Frizled was elected in the Year 1146 and reign'd to the Year 1175 yet the Emperor Conrade did what he could to restore Vladislaus To effect which he first sent Embassadors into Poland but to no purpose Then he resolv'd to make War with the Poles but defer'd it till his Expedition against Asia was over to facilitate which he had obtain'd leave to pass through Boleslaus his Dominions to the Euxine Sea But at his return being constantly solicited by Vladislaus and his Queen he march'd with a powerful Army against Poland yet what with Delays Stratagems and Ambuscades he was so fatigu'd by the Poles that he could do nothing till at last he was call'd home to appease some Intestine Broils in his own Dominions which having effected he soon after died His Successor Frederic Barberossa also espous'd Vladislaus his Cause but not being able to do any thing in his Favour by Embassadors he march'd with a numerous Army against the Poles which they likewise harass'd and wearied out till they had oblig'd that Emperor to strike up a Peace with 'em he being in War at the same time against Milan by which it was agreed that Boleslaus should remit Silesia to Vladislaus whose Posterity afterwards divided it into several Dutchies till at last it came to the Empire This great Province my Lord as I observ'd in my Journy through it is one of the most fertile and plentiful Countries in all Germany Boleslaus began another War against the Prussians for refusing to pay him Tribute and forc'd them to this Compliance that they should submit in case he left 'em to their Religion but otherwise they boldly declar'd that they would rather die than become Christians again Whereupon Boleslaus was forc'd to grant them Liberty of Conscience yet they soon revolted and by a Stratagem entirely routed the Polish Army and kill'd his Brother Henry This King died not long after and was buried at Cracow MIECISLAUS surnam'd the Old Brother to Boleslaus succeeded him being elected in the Year 1174 and reign'd only to 1178. He was call'd the Old from his great Sagacity and Prudence in his Youth His Covetousness induc'd him to hoard up great Sums of Money by oppressing the Gentry and People with unreasonable Taxes and selling all Employments tho against the Constitutions of the Kingdom This extreme Avarice brought him to be generally hated by the Clergy Nobility and People whereupon Gedeon Bishop of Cracow endeavour'd several times to encline him to pity his Subjects and despise Money since he had no need of it but he would by no means hearken to his Advice wherefore this Bishop concerted together with the Gentry to dethrone him and remit the Crown to Casimir his Brother who more deserv'd it which they effectually did after some little Bloodshed Here we may observe that Covertousness is the greatest Vice that any Prince can be guilty of especially a King of Poland whose Subjects as your Lordship doubtless has observ'd are generally liberal even to Extravagance At first Casimir refus'd the Crown offer'd him alledging it was his Brother's Right and that such an Alteration might occasion Civil Wars which he by no means had any mind to be the Author of But when they unanimously declar'd they would have no other King and could never more obey Miecislaus CASIMIR II. consenting to accept of the Government was elected in the Year 1178 and reign'd to 1195. He was surnam'd the Just being altogether unlike his Brother as appears by the following Particular Being at play with a Gentleman of his nam'd Conarius whilst he was Prince of Sendomir and having won all his Adversary's Money the Gentleman in a Passion struck him over the Face and fled but next day being brought before him was adjudged by every body to have deserv'd Death for his Insolence Not at all replied the good Prince for being affected with his Loss and not
besieg'd Friends when meeting with Conrade who came to oppose him near the River Raba he entirely routed him and forc'd him back again into his own Country This hapned about the Year 1285. This Prince dy'd and was bury'd in the Monastery of the Trinity at Cracow Lescus the VI. leaving no Children his Kingdom consequently fell into great Distractions for Vladislaus Locticus his Brother seiz'd on the Palatinate of Siradia and Boleslaus Duke of Ploskow Brother to Conrade Duke of Masovia on the Palatinates of Cracovia and Sendomir but this latter was soon dispossess'd by HENRY Duke of Breslaw surnam'd the Honest of the Family of Piastus in the Year 1290 who was likewise not long after turn'd out by Locticus but soon restor'd and reign'd in quality of King for the space of five Years tho I do not read he was crown'd He appointed Premislus Duke of Great Poland for his Successor being of the Family of Piastus likewise This Premislus also had the Province of Pomerania left him by Miescingus Prince of that Country PREMISLUS in the thirty eighth Year of his Age was crown'd King at Gnesna by James Swinka Archbishop of that City in the Year 1296 which was an Honour that had not been done to any Prince of Poland before for above two hundred Years since Boleslaus the Bold kill'd Stanislaus at the Altar but Premislus did not long enjoy this Title for seven Months after his Coronation he is said to have been murder'd by some Brandenburg Emissaries that Marquess being afraid of this King who was Master of Pomerania which join'd to his Country He was bury'd among his Predecessors at Posnan After the Murder of King Premislus ULADISLAUS LOCTICUS so call'd from the word Lokiec an Ell having his Name from his low Stature Brother of Lescus the Black was chosen in the Year 1296 and reign'd only four Years He went upon an Expedition against the Silesians that were enclin'd to assist the Bohemians against him who then pretended a Right to the Kingdom of Poland These Locticus subdu'd and having considerably ravag'd their Country return'd home where he afterwards gave himself up to a lewd and debauch'd Life insomuch that he neglected the care of all Publick Business and minded nothing but his own private Pleasures These his intolerable Vices brought upon him the Ill-will of his Subjects insomuch that after three years Reign they pronounc'd him unworthy of the Scepter and resolv'd to elect another Hereupon Locticus being dethron'd they invite WINCESLAUS King of Bohemia to accept their Crown who was marry'd to Rixa Daughter of King Premislus and crown'd King of Poland in the Year 1300 but reign'd only to 1305. After he came to reign he persecuted Locticus who hid himself for some time but was forc'd at last to quit the Kingdom When Winceslaus thus saw himself secure at home by the flight of Locticus and after having put Bohemian Garisons into the several Cities of Poland which seem'd very uneasy to that Nation he thought it high time to go and settle Affairs in Bohemia During this Vladislaus Locticus having a considerable Party in the Kingdom which daily encreas'd on account of discontent against Winceslaus and having got together several Troops out of Hungary he march'd directly towards Poland hearing that the Bohemian Government was somewhat burdensom to that Nation At first Locticus had considerable Advantage over the Bohemians but by the Death of Winceslaus which followed soon after he had all the Success he could desire for the Bohemians who had possession of the Garisons finding themselves in a strange Country and moreover hated and ill thought on by the People were afraid of an Insurrection against 'em and therefore made no great difficulty of surrendring to Locticus all those Cities and Towns they had possession of as Cracow Sendomir c. In the mean time young Winceslaus coming with an Army to dispute his Father's Kingdom with Locticus was murder'd in the Expedition 't is thought by Orders of the Emperour Albert and since his time the Bohemians have ever been govern'd by foreign Princes Winceslaus King of Poland and Bohemia dy'd and was bury'd at Prague in the Year 1305. After the Death both of Winceslaus the Father and Son Vladislaus Locticus was restor'd almost by common Consent in the Year 1305 and reign'd to the Year 1333. And this they did either because they thought he had had time to repent and mend his former Life or by reason they were afraid of Civil Wars if they should elect any other Notwithstanding the Palatinates of Posnania and Kalisch having a fresh Memory of his past dissolute Life would never acknowledg him their King Also the Governour of Pomerania which then belong'd to Poland being brib'd by the Marquess of Brandenburg deliver'd up to him all the Cities of that Province as likewise the City of Dantzic except the Castle which the Governour thereof one Bogussa being truly loyal to his King would by no means surrender In these days the Knights of the Teutonic Order were fully settled in Prussia being both very Strong and very Rich. They were establish'd there by Agreement with Conrade Brother to King Vladislaus Lasconogus for assisting him against the Prussians when he was oppress'd by them They there built some years before the City of Marienburg appointed for Residence of their Great Masters Here Locticus was oblig'd to crave their Aid against the Rebels of Pomerania and Dantzic which they readily granted on condition that half the Garison of the Castle of Dantzic should be of their Troops by which means they soon became Masters of the whole for they afterwards not only turn'd the Poles out of the Castle but both Brandenburghers and Pomeranians out of the City of Dantzic it self and likewise under pretence of assisting the King of Poland conquer'd all Pomerania for themselves when being Masters thereof they offer'd to buy the Title of Locticus for Money which he refus'd Then they offer'd the same Summ to the Marquess of Brandenburg to renounce his Right to that Province which he tho he had no Title to sell yet was wise enough to accept their Prosser The Poles were very sensible of all these Affronts and Injustices offer'd 'em by the Teutonic Order but before they proceeded to Revenge they thought it advisable to acquaint the Pope therewith who liv'd then at Avignon who after four years Delays and Debates order'd the Knights to give due fatisfaction to the Poles but they having had four years respit to fortify themselves and to make strong Alliances with some Neighbouring Princes and besides having a very considerable Army on foot answer'd his Holiness That they had often done great Services for Poland that that Kingdom ow'd them Sums of Money and that they presum'd that not only the Lands they were in possession of in Prussia and Pomerania
were lawfully theirs but that also they thought the Poles oblig'd to give 'em either more Land or more Money to recompense the several Kindnesses they had done them Hereupon the Pope excommunicates this Order and the Poles under command of their King march'd directly against ' em Here Locticus made an eloquent Speech to his Army representing the many Affronts and Injustices they had receiv'd from a little Sect of People to which his Predecessors the Kings of Poland had out of meer Goodness given their Protection when banish'd from their own Country by the Sarazens Then he enlarg'd upon the Covetousness and Ambition of this Order and concluded by encouraging his Men to fight bravely and not suffer those to become their Masters who were at first their Vassals Hereupon the Poles animated by this Speech of their King tho much inferior in Number to their Enemies yet fought so siercely and bravely that they entirely routed the Teutonic Order and kill'd about twenty thousand of their Men tho they themselves have had the presumption to affirm that they did not lose above five or six hundred Among the wounded there was one Florianus Szari Knight of that Order who having his Belly open'd with a Scymiter and his Guts dropping out which he held up with his hands the King passing by pity'd him Whereupon the Knight said to him Sir A Man in his Village suffers more than I do when he has bad Neighbours The King admiring at this dying man's Thought immediately caus'd his Surgeons to take care of him and when he was well gave him Land that had no bad Neighbours about it This Vladislaus it seems not being throughly satisfy'd with Premislus his Right to transmit the Title of King to his Posterity without leave of the Pope sent an Embassador to his Holiness to request a liberty for himself and his Queen Hedwigis to be crown'd which was forthwith granted and the Ceremony perform'd in the Cathedral of Cracow by the Archbishop of Gnesna and other Bishops in the Year 1320. The King long after dy'd and was bury'd at Cracow in the Year 1333. CASIMIR the Great succeeded his Father Locticus being elected in the Year 1333 and reign'd to the Year 1370. He made a Peace with the Teutonic Order that was not at all advantagious or honourable to the Polish Nation the Knights being thereby still to remain in possession of Prussia Dantzic and Pomerania notwithstanding the Threatnings of the Pope and his Bulls of Excommunication This Casimir had no Children He is the last Male of the Family of Piastus Wherefore that the Crown might not go altogether out of his Family before his Death he prevail'd with the Poles to elect Charles King of Hungary his own Sister's Son but he dying before Casimir his Son Lewis was chosen The Poles had several times conquer'd Russia but it was never enjoy'd peaceably till Casimir's time who having had better success than any of his Predecessors annex'd it as a Province to the Crown of Poland The Province of Masovia was likewise conquer'd by him and annex'd to the Crown The Poles had never hitherto any written Laws and but very few made till Casimir began to make Institutions name Judges create Magistrates build Forts and to establish a better Oeconomy in the Kingdom than any Prince before him The Laws and Constitutions of the Teutonic Knights seem'd very rational and political to him having had a sensible Experience of the good Government of this Order for a considerable time Wherefore he introduc'd their Laws into Poland which have continu'd ever since and are call'd the Magdeburg Laws This Casimir was a very lewd Prince but withal exceeding Liberal and Just He kept a Jewish Concubine at whose request he granted great Privileges to that People He gain'd so well the good Opinion and Affection of his Subjects that he was stil'd the Father of the Poor and a great many Germans who were oppress'd by their own Princes in his time came into Poland and have ever since inhabited the Foot of the Carpathian Mountains The Daughter of Boguslaus Duke of Pomerania was then marry'd to the Emperour Charles IV. Casimir celebrated the Nuptials with great Splendor and Magnisicence at Cracow where assisted Lewis King of Hungary Sigismund King of Denmark and Petrua King of Cyprus with the Emperour and many Princes of Germany Poland and other Countries Valachia at that time was a kind of Republick of it self having before had Governours which they call'd Hospodars the last of which being dead and his Children aspiring to the same Dignity Casimir sent an Army to support 'em but by an Ambush of the Valachians plac'd in a Wood was entirely defeated Casimir dy'd soon after this of a Fall from his Horse and was bury'd at Cracow This King reign'd thirty seven Years and liv'd sixty He was surnam'd the Great being the only Person that had had that Title among the Polish Princes not because he had gain'd a great many Victories but by reason of the many beautiful Structures and Fortresses he had built as likewise of the many beneficial Laws and Constituions which he had made Casimir being the last King of the Family of Piastus had caus'd his own Nephew by his Sister LEWIS King of Hungary to be elected for his Successor during his Life-time who was crown'd accordingly in Poland in the Year 1370 and reign'd 12 Years The Poles were not extraordinarily well satisfied with him being a Foreign Prince and therefore oblig'd him before they would crown him to take an Oath not only to maintain their former Privileges but also to enlarge 'em for hitherto the Successors of Piastus had almost had an absolute Power in Poland a great deal more than their present Kings have After some time Lewis was forc'd to return into Hungary to settle some Affairs there when he left the Administration of the Government during his Absence to his Mother Elizabeth His going away occasion'd great Troubles for the Russians rebell'd and the Lithuanians made Incursions into the very Heart of Poland The Poles also were divided among themselves they could not endure to see their Towns in the hands of Hungarian Garisons and besides they were so much displeas'd with their King 's leaving 'em to the Government of his Mother whom they neither lov'd nor esteem'd that they sent to acquaint him that they thought it Honour enough for himself to govern Poland All these Troubles and Distrusts soon oblig'd the King to return into Poland with a strong Army of Hungarians where he first march'd against the Rebel Russians and subdu'd them next against the Lithuanians and oblig'd them to a Peace soon after which he dy'd and was buried at Belgrade in Hungary in the 56th Year of his Age having reigned 12 Years He left two Daughters but no Sons one of which married to Sigismund the Emperor's
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
and King of Sweden contended for Prior Admittance when the latter being prevented by the Gout or at least so feigning it was forc'd to yield The Emperour's Minister therefore was introduc'd who in the Name of his Master recommended likewise Prince Vladislaus Afterwards the Swedish Embassador's Indisposition gave him leave to be admitted he propos'd a strict Alliance between Sweden and Poland in case the Diet would elect none of Sigismund's Issue but on condition that he should first renounce all Right to the Kingdom of Sweden This Proposal was not at all approv'd of and there was something else said also by this Minister which mightily displeas'd the Diet yet at that time they thought it better to dissemble their Dislike than provoke so powerful a Prince as Gustavus by a Resentment At this Diet the City of Dantzic had a great Favour granted them which was for the future to have a Vote at the Election of the Kings of Poland which Privilege had never been granted before but to the Cities of Cracow and Vilna one being Capital of Poland and the other of Lithuania Prince ULADISLAUS was chosen the 13th of November 1632. when he took the usual Oaths was proclaim'd by the Primate and afterwards crown'd on the 18th of February 1633. He was first marry'd to Coecilia Renata Daughter to the Emperour Ferdinand II. and afterwards to the Princess Mary Ludovica di Gonzaga Daughter to the Duke of Nevers of the House of Mantua The Kings of France always match'd the Princesses of Nevers and Nemours as Princesses of the Blood to Crown'd Heads The Year after his Election Vladislaus not only forc'd the Muscovites to raise the Siege of Smolensko and obtain'd a signal Victory over them but likewise brought their Army to such Extremities that they surrender'd themselves and the Turks who had made a Diversion were also at the same time bravely repuls'd Not long after Vladislaus made an advantageous Peace with the Muscovites by virtue of which they renounc'd their Protensions to the two large Dukedoms of Smolensko and Zernikow which begat such a Terror in the Turks that they also freely made Restitution for the Damages sustain'd in their last Incursion and strangled their Bassa who commanded those Forces He forc'd likewise the Swedes to restore him those Places they possess'd in Prussia and to prolong the Truce for 26 Years which they the easier consented to by reason that their Affairs in Germany were but in an ill Condition after the Battle of Norlinguen In the Year 1637 the Foundation of the War with the Cosacks was laid which brought unspeakable Damages upon the Poles and which was occasion'd thus The Privileges the Cosacks had obtain'd from King Stephen made them to encrease in Number and grow much stronger than they were before for the Peasants of all the neighbouring Countries having been exceedingly oppress'd by their Lords to deliver themselves from Slavery ran in great Numbers into the Vkraine whereby the Cosacks soon grew very formidable both to the Poles and Turks which embolden'd them to make frequent Incursions into Turky and which was afterwards the occasion of many bloody Wars between these two Nations The Great Men of Poland having purchas'd divers Estates in Vkraina thought their Revenues might be considerably augmented if the Privileges of the Cosacks were but reduc'd to a narrower Compass and if instead of plundering their Neighbours the Turks they were restrain'd to manure the Ground and live upon the Products of their own Labour Whereupon the Poles prevail'd upon their King Vladislaus to send General Konicepoliski to reduce them Hereupon at first the Cosacks made a vigorous Resistance and oppos'd the Building of the Fortress Hudack just at a Point where the River Zwamer falls into the Boristhenes But being at last entirely defeated by the Poles they were oblig'd to surrender their General Paulack with some others of the chiefest among them who notwithstanding a Pardon promis'd them before-hand were all beheaded Besides this it was decreed in the Diet that all their former Privileges together with the Fortress of Tectimoravia granted them by King Stephen should be taken from them and a new Body of Militia setled there in their stead To put this Decree in execution the Polish Army march'd forthwith into the Vkraine but were oppos'd by the Cosacks with great Bravery who yet nevertheless promis'd to be faithful to the Crown of Poland Provided their antient Privileges might be continu'd to them which the Poles readily agreed to but however never perform'd Nay treated several of them very ill for among other oppressive Methods they took from them some of their Greek Churches Afterwards the Cosacks recover'd in some measure under their General Bogdan Chmielinski who having been justly enrag'd by Jarinski's ravishing his Wife and afterwards murdering both her and her Son resolv'd on some Expedient to revenge this Affront and rid his Country of the Tyranny of the Polish Government In this King's Reign Posts were first us'd in Poland setled after the German manner in the Year 1647. King Vladislaus after an indifferently happy Reign dy'd of a malignant Fever at Merick in Lithuania the 20th of May in the Year 1648. The Muscovites vanquish'd under his Reign The Turks forc'd to sue for Peace The Inclination he ever had to oblige every body and the concern he was always under when it was out of his Power to give sufficient Proofs of his Liberality were powerful Motives to induce the Poles to regret his Loss whose Consternation was the more augmented after his Death by their Defeat and the taking of divers Places by the Cosacks for want of him Vladislaus leaving no Issue his Brother JOHN CASIMIR who had led a religious Life for some time and was afterwards created Cardinal by Innocent the Xth. succeeded him being elected King in the same Year that his Brother dy'd with the following Circumstances The Primate Mathias Lubienski having signifi'd the Death of the late King by Circular Letters and conven'd a Diet to meet on the 25th of June the Diet of Election having been fix'd for the 6th of October all the Senators and Deputies met at the time appointed but there were no such Heats and Intrigues among them as formerly by reason that the Cosacks and Tartars had rais'd too great Disorders in Poland for them to think of any thing at that time but Union for the News of such prodigious Preparations made against them were enough to stagger any Resolution but that of the Polanders whose Valour has generally procur'd them the greatest Success Hereupon Orders were immediately issu'd out to raise Troops to oppose these cruel Invaders and afterwards the Gentry proceeded to the Election of a Successor to the Throne at which time no body thought that Prince Casimir who was then complimented with the Title of King of Sueden would have had any Competitor for the Great Duke of Muscovy and the Prince of Transylvania
endu'd with the Warlike Spirit of his Predecessors for in his time the Turks not only over-run Podolia but also took its Capital City Caminiec and likewise oblig'd the Poles to dishonourable Articles of Peace whereby Michael was to pay the Turks an Annual Tribute The farther Particulars of this Matter are as follows Sobleski made Great Marshal and Crown-General by Casimir for having always adher'd to his Interest presenting King Michael when elected with a Coach and six Horses to comply with the Custom only for it must be understood Sobieski was his Enemy the King by the Perswasions of his haughty Mother refus'd the Present which the General greatly resenting sought all manner of ways to be reveng'd on him and in order thereto frequently caball'd with the Gentry assembled in Parliament against him and at length oblig'd the Diet to be dissolv'd without concluding any thing to his advantage while in the mean time I am positively assur'd he kept Intelligence with the Turks and Tartars as may appear by their taking of Caminiec and besieging of Leopol Mr. James Walker a Scots-man who was in the City when besieg'd and is now in London told me lately that there were 90000 Turks 20000 Tartars and 10000 Cosacks and Moldavians at that Siege which happen'd in the Year 1672 all which begirted the Town close playing continually upon it from five Batteries The Governour that held out against them was one Lonsky a Colonel of Dragoons who had as Mr. Walker assures me but five hundred of his Men in Garison without any Horse besides 1100 of the Inhabitants in Arms With these Lonski defended himself vigorously insomuch that what by the Correspondence he kept with the Christians in the Turkish Army and by the Bravery of his own Men he maintain'd his Defence three Weeks when the King sent Count Morstin and other Commissioners to treat with Caplan Bassa General of the Turks who agreed that for raising the Siege the King should pay 22000 Gold Ducats yearly Tribute to the Grand Seignior 100000 Lion-Dollars down on the nail to save the City whereof the Inhabitants paid 10000 presently and the Publick were to pay the rest this they gave eight Hostages to perform who were kept Prisoners at Caminiec and dy'd there by reason that the Debt contracted for was never paid Besides the Turks were to remain in possession of Caminiec and all Podolia But General Sobieski and the rest of the caballing Party being asham'd of this dishonourable Treaty came to a better Understanding among themselves and sided with the King to recover what had been lost Hereupon the Armies of Poland and Lithuania marched directly towards Podolia to retake it that of the Kingdom being commanded by General Sobieski and the other of the Dutchy by General Patz These two Generals soon obtain'd a signal Victory over the Turks near Kochim five Leagues from Caminiec by the Treachery of the Moldavians and Valachians who never hitherto signaliz'd themselves but persidiously which yet prov'd very advantagious to the Poles who were then in want of every thing but Courage Caplan Bassa commanded the Turkish Army being join'd by the Moldavian Troops headed by their Hospodar but the former being displeas'd with the Conduct of the latter his Souldiers being not so many as he expected and those not well equipt struck him over the Head with his Scimiter which the Hospodar highly resenting resolv'd upon Revenge which he afterwards effected by deserting the Turks in conjunction with the Valachians who took his part and going over to the Poles This mightily facilitated Sobieski's Entry into the Enemy's Camp which gain'd him a compleat Victory This Defeat had doubtless put the Affairs of Poland into a good Condition had the Generals sufficiently pursu'd it But as it has always been the unfortunate Custom of the Poles they immediately withdrew their Troops into their Country and so have since left the Turks in full possession of Podolia This famous Battel began upon Saturday and was scarce fully over in three days Some few days before this Victory obtain'd King Michael dy'd at Leopol November the 10 th 1673 suppos'd to have been poison'd by a French-man at Zamoisk being about 32 Years old and having reign'd about four Years leaving the Poles less afflicted at his Death than asham'd at the bad Choice they had made of him for their Prince This Prince not long before he dy'd had the Misfortune to see an Aga come from the Grand Seignior to demand Tribute of him who brought him from his Master a Commander's Staff and a Turkish Vest both being Badges of Vassalage He left no Children tho his Queen who was afterwards marry'd to Charles late Duke of Lorain has since had several She is lately dead and in my Travels from Italy to Germany resided at Inspruck the Capital Town of Tyrol where I had the Honour to kiss her Majesty's Hand being introduc'd by my Lord Carlingford Her Brother the Emperor allow'd her and her Children a Pension out of the County of Tyrol for she receiv'd nothing either out of Poland or Lorain the latter having been hitherto in the French Hands and the Constitution of the former being that when the Queen Dowager marries she forfeits her Pension setled upon her by the Diet at the King's Coronation An odd Story goes of a Child that was born in this King's Reign in the Year 1670 at Vilna in â—â—ithuania with a Golden Tooth which was esteemed truly such by all the Physicians Surgeons and Goldsmiths about that City being also tri'd on the Touchstone in the presence of the Bishop of that place But what is yet more wonderful that Child having a Fever afterwards in the Year 1673 his Golden Tooth was changed into Bone How worthy this is of Credit I leave to the Judicious Naturalists I have only this to say for my self that I found it in an authentick Author King Michael being dead was succeeded by John Sobieski the late King of Poland who was Captain of the Guards and Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to King John Casimir Whilst he had these Employments he marry'd Prince Zamoski's Widow who had 10000 Rix Dollars left her for a Jointure by the contrivance and management of King Casimir and his Queen to whom she was then Lady of the Bed-Chamber At this Juncture Sobieski's own Estate was not 2000 Pounds Sterling a Year But however the King promis'd to advance him after he had marry'd this Lady which he accordingly perform'd and I may say that it was through the means of this Marriage that Sobieski was gradually promoted to the Supreme Dignity of the Crown Thus my Lord I have given as short and exact an Account of the memorable Actions of the fourth Class of the Kings of Poland as my Incapacity and the Precipitation with which it was publish'd would allow But before I put an end to this Letter I must beg your Grace's leave to take notice that the Crown of
Parts of the Body desir'd to know what was properly Death The School Divinity maintains that Death was a Separation of the rational Soul from the Body I own'd indeed that in Death the Soul was actually separated from the Body but I could not allow that that Separation was the cause of Death but that the Death of the Body was the Cessation of the Motion of the Heart of the Blood and of the Spirits which Cessation could not proceed from the Separation of the Soul since these don't at all depend upon it as I proved before but it was occasion'd by some Defects in the Organs and Fluids of the Body which losing their due Disposition and their mutual Correspondence with one another all their Actions cease which Cessation is properly called Death so that the Soul finding them incapable of receiving its Influence and of obeying its Commands quits the Body after it is dead by which it appears that the Separation of the Soul is not properly the Cause of Death but that the Death of the Body is the cause of the Separation The King himself illustrated this Opinion with a familiar Example of an Organ and an Organist While the Organs were in their due order and symetry the Organist play'd upon them but when by length of time they were either broke used too much or any other way quite put out of Tune he leaves off playing on them This Discourse my Lord held from three of the Clock till seven and the Divines were extreamly warm in it and some of them had the boldness to tell the King that his Majesty should not suffer such Heretical Opinions as they called them to be introduc'd before such a great Assembly contrary to the receiv'd Doctrine of the Church This Discourse caused a great many other Matters to be talk'd on of which it would be too long to inform your Lordship By this you may plainly see how fond the Divines are of their old Opinions relying upon the Doctrine of Aristotle whom we can't suppose to be so throughly acquainted with the Structure Springs and Motions of the Humane Body nor indeed with all other Natural Causes as the Modern Physicians are yet it is the Policy of the Divines not only in Poland but in Spain Italy and in most other Countries where their Power is very great not to let any Opinions creep in among them that would seem to contradict those of Aristotle for having built their Systems of Divinity upon the Principles of this Pagan Philosopher they are justly afraid that if Experience and Reason should shake the Foundation the Superstructure would fall to the Ground as doubtless it would for the most part This King built several fine Houses both in Russia and other parts of the Kingdom particularly three Miles from Warsaw a neat Country House call'd Villa Nova very richly furnished He has had several Natural Children but took no care of any of them for it is not customary in Poland to have that Consideration for them as there is in other Countries but he left vast Riches to his Lawful Children and made a Motion in the Diet five or six Years before he died to settle the Succession on one of them He told the Assembly of the Disorders that usually happened in Elections after the King's Death that the Turks and the Tartars took then Opportunities to make Inroads into the Country and ravage all before them that the Nobility of the Kingdom were generally divided headed by Factions and biass'd by Self-interest against the publick Good of their Country and that he himself would be glad to prevent all those dangerous Broils before he died out of the Love he bore to his Country and Subjects But the Diet finding that his private Design was to get one of his Sons elected answered That they hoped that his Majesty would live yet a long while that it was necessary to take a long time to consider of a Matter of that great moment which the King seeing it was a civil way of refusing to enter upon that Subject never after intimated any thing to them like it but took all possible care to enrich his Children in case none of them should be elected after his Death It was exactly computed to me that he laid up every Year for above twenty Years 100000 l. Sterl which he left partly in Bankers Hands at Dantzick Hamburgh and Amsterdam and put the rest into the hands of the Jews who are very numerous in that Kingdom to trade with it besides he bought great Territories in the Kingdom tho it is against the Constitution so that his three Sons James Alexander and Constantino if they manage their Affairs right may be worth each above 50000 l. Sterling per Annum for it is the Law in Poland to divide equally the Estate among the Children The Queen was but ten or twelve Years of Age when she together with the present Duke of Gordon's Aunt afterwards married to Count Morstin great Treasurer of Poland came from France into this Kingdom with Ladislaus King of Poland's Queen who made them both her Maids of Honour and took great care of Madamoiselle d' Arquien being very ingenious and beautiful She got her married first to Prince Zamoiski who soon left her a Widow with a Jointure of about 2000 l. a Year she was afterwards married in Casimir's Reign to John Sobieski then Captain of the Guards who was not very willing to marry her until the King promis'd that he would give him considerable Places which he accordingly did by the Instigation of the Queen for he made him Great Marshal and Great General of Poland which gave him Authority and Interest enough to make himself afterwards King and her Queen so that this Marriage was the occasion of his Rise in the World which he was so sensible of that he refus'd to be divorced from her as the Diet would have perswaded him to do after his Election The Queen is now about fifty four Years of Age tho she appears not to be forty she goes in the French Dress as all the Polish Ladies do she speaks almost naturally the Polish Tongue which with lier sweet Temper refin'd Sense and majestick Air gain'd her such Affection with the Poles such Influence over the King and such Interest always in the Diet that she manag'd all with a great deal of Prudence and that to the advantage of her native Country France whose Interest she generally espous'd upon most occasions during the King's Life which was believ'd to be the Cause that he did not carry on the War with vigour these late years against the Turks and Tartars She maintain'd at her Court her Father Cardinal D' Arquien and her Brother Count Maligny who had but a very small Estate of their own She has two Sisters one is the Widow of the late Count Bethune who was Ambassador from France in Poland and afterwards dy'd in his Embassy in
did likewise the Elector of Hanover the Bishop of Heidelsheim and the Bishop of Munster for we past through some Skirts of their Territories I must take notice to your Lordship that passing through a part of the Elector of Hanover's Country we receiv'd News that Count Koningsmark a Swede thought to have been familiar with the Princess of Hanover the Elector's Daughter-in-law was made away with at that Court and never heard of since At last we arriv'd about the latter end of December at Wesel a fortified Town belonging to the E. of Brandenburg upon the Borders of the Rhine near six days Journey from Brussels the Elector of Bavaria with his Court came hither to receive his Princess but the River being full of great Flakes of Ice he could not pass it in two days but at last being impatient to see his Bride he ventur'd over in a little Boat with Prince Chimay Baron Simeoni and two or three more of his Courtiers I hapned to be in the Room when he came in alone by way of the back Stairs and saluted his Princess with all the tender Expressions of Joy and Affection and after having spent about half an hour with her in Compliments he turn'd to the Embassador and to the rest of the Company and thank'd us all for the Trouble and Fatigue of so long a Journey then he and the Princess with the Embassador and Embassadress withdrew into another Room where they past about an hour and an half In the mean time a great many other of the Elector's Retinue came in so that the Court was very numerous at Nine of the Clock at Night and thus the Elector past till Ten of the Clock then went to sup abroad and immediately after Supper came to wait on the Princess again and about One of the Clock in the Morning he left her and went to Bed to his Inn. He came to her the next Morning to make his Court and to desire her Consent that the Marriage might be consummated that Night which being accordingly done he sent a Courier after Midnight to the King his Father-in-law to acquaint him therewith The next Morning there was a rich Hungarian Sute of Clothes given him to wear that day from the King of Poland valued at 30000 Rix Dollars it was a long Coat of Crimson Velvet the Button-holes set with Clasps of Massy Gold and a Wastcoat of Cloth of Gold set with Diamond Buttons and a Girdle of fine Turky Leather wrought with Gold with massy Gold Clasps likewise set with Jewels a Scimiter with the Handle richly adorn'd with Diamonds and Rubies and an Emerald Ring of great Value with a rich Zibelin Muff. In the Afternoon we all past the River and next day the Baggage followed all the Coaches the King's Guards and most of the Retinue return'd back into Poland for by the Articles of Marriage no body was to stay with her except two Pages two Women and a she Dwarf The Elector's Guards and Coaches were on the other side of the River to receive the Princess She went through Antwerp to Mecklin and from thence to Brussels where we arriv'd after two Months Journey on the 12 th of January I need not acquaint your Lordship with all the Preparations made here by his Highness for the Reception of his Electoress nor of the Presents he gave to her Retinue nor the Opera's and Comedies purposely made for the Solemnity of her Marriage I will only say that I never saw a genteeler Court better Order more Formalities more variety of Dresses nor the Punctilio's of Honour and Courtesy more strictly observ'd There were great Rejoicings all the first Week until the Court receiv'd the unwelcome News of the Death of our late Queen Mary Sometime afterwards having left the Care of the Princess's Health to Monsieur Pistorini the Elector's Physician I took my Leave of her Highness and went for Holland from whence I arriv'd at London in the Month of February in the Year 1694 5. The King of Poland had no near Relations except one Sister who was married to that Duke Radzivil who writ in Latin his Travels into the Holy Land and describes the Pyramids of Egypt he has been dead several Years and his Dutchess died at Warsaw in my time What small Reputation I got in that Country in the Practice of Physick was by her Death for when I arriv'd at Warsaw the King made me consult with all the Physicians of the Town which were about ten concerning her Disease His Majesty's first Physician was Dr. Jonas an Italian and professed Jew for your Lordship must understand that in Poland particularly at Court Religion is no Objection against any Person especially a Physician since the King at his Coronation promises to protect four Religions the Roman which he must seem to be of himself the Protestant the Greek and that of the Jews I examined the Princess's Disease and found it was an Ague fomented by an Abscess in the Liver which made her vomit up all that she took I thought her Case very desperate tho her ordinary Physicians made no account of it thinking it was only an Ague which the constant use of Jesuits Pouder would infallibly cure I discover'd they were not acquainted with the inward Cause of her Disease being not vers'd in Anatomy wherefore I desir'd that most of the Learned Gentlemen at Court would be present to hear their Reasons and mine Dr. Jonas who spoke first gave his Opinion that there was no fear and that she should persist only in the use of the Bark with which they had cram'd her for three Months before all the rest follow'd his Opinion I spoke last and summ'd up all their Arguments to compare them with her Distemper and declar'd against their Method and intimated that I believ'd she could not live long let them change their Method ever so much for the better This alarm'd the whole Court in a quarter of an hour The Physicians assur'd the contrary and urged that I was a Stranger to the Climate and to the Princess's Constitution and Disease and they promised in a little time tho some of them began to be dissident to set her upon her Legs again notwithstanding she grew worse and worse every day and died in a Month's time in the 62 d Year of her Age. The Queen order'd her to be open'd and three Bishops were present but none of the Physicians would come but my self we found not only an Abscess in her Liver but likewise a great many square Stones like Dice in her Gall Bladder and other Stones in one of her Kidnies besides a great deal of Gravel in her Liver which grated and crumbled its whole Substance into putrid Matter This Princess left only a Son and a Daughter Duke Radzivil her Son married a Relation of Prince Sapieha and her Daughter was married to Prince Lubomirski Duke Radzivil told me that he travell'd here in England when King James II. was
by his Wife Repicha a â—â—rave and warlike Prince This Duke had considerable Advantages by having the Administration of the Government long before his Father's Death who for some time was superâ—â—nnuated He obtain'd great Conquests over the Hungarians Moravians and Germans and was the first that brought the Polish Army to a Discipline by instituting Generals Colonels Captains and other Subaltern Officers among them He regain'd what the Popiels â—â—ost and besides considerably enlarg'd his Dominions by new Conquests He was a Person of a boundless Resolution seem'd destin'd for War being able to undergo the greatest Fatigues and consequently was exceedingly admir'd and belov'd by his Subjects He dy'd at Gnesna was buried there and was succeeded by his Son LESCUS IV. who being elected young was under the Care of Governours for some time He was of a quiet and peaceable Disposition enclin'd rather to Peace than War and contented to preserve what his Father had left him without ever aiming to enlarge his Dominions He dy'd in the Year 913 and was succeeded by his Son ZIEMOVISTUS who reigned 51 Years This Prince was much of the same Temper with his Father there having been no Wars in his time He had but one Son â—â—ecislaus I. who being born blind was miracuâ—â—ously restor'd to his sight about the Age of seven Years when he was about to have his Head shaven according to the Pagan Custom which gave occasion to the Magi of that Kingdom to prognosticate that he should be the Light of Poland which not long after his Election came to pass Ziemovistus dy'd and was buried at Gnesna and his Son MIECISLAUS I. came to the Crown next He had seven Wives at a time yet could have no Children by them which opened a way for the Christian Faith to enter Poland for there being then several Christians wandring up and down that Country to convert those Pagans they came to this Duke and told him he could never have any Issue till he had turn'd Christian which Miecislaus hearkning to immediately put away all his Wives and married Dambrawca Daughter to Boleslaus Duke of Bohemia on condition to turn Christian and be baptized Whereupon Pope John XIII sent Cardinal Aegidius with a great number of Priests into Poland to preach the Gospel there which before had been altogether unknown in that Country This Duke erected the Arch-bishopricks of Gnesna and Cracow with several Bishopricks In the mean while Miecislaus had a Son call'd Boleslâ—â—us which mightily augmented his Zeal to oblige his Subjects to be converted for he caused a Law to be made that while any part of the Gospel was reading at Mass every Man should half draw his Scimiter to testify their forwardness to defend that Faith This Duke had Wars with Vlodimirus Duke of Russia to whom he lost Premislia and other Towns He sent Lambert Arch-bishop of Cracow to Rome to obtain leave of Pope Benedict VII for the Princes of Poland to be stil'd Kings but was refus'd this Pontiff not being yet dispos'd to grant that Favour He buried Dambrawca and afterwards married Judith Daughter of Jesse Prince of Hungary and was succeeded by his Son BOLESLAUS CHROBRY a vertuous Prince who was elected in the Year 999. and after some Years reign by Consent of the Pope was dignified with the Title of King by the Emperor Otho III. who also remitted the Pretensions his Predecessors had to Poland as being Emperors of the Romans and this in consideration of a kind Entertainment made him by Boleslaus in his Pilgrimage on account of his Health to the Tomb of St. Adalbert Bishop of Prague who was martyr'd by some Pagans to whom he offer'd to preach the Christian Faith Of these Barbarians Boleslaus bought his Body and caus'd it to be buried at Gnesna whither great numbers from all parts came to pay their Devotion at his Shrine The Emperor Otho also at the same time married his Niece Rixa to Boleslaus his young Son Miecislaus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom To confirm his being crown'd King by Otho the Emperor it would not be amiss to recite part of an old Epitaph written upon him Ob famam bonam tibi contulit Otto Coronam Propter Luctamen sit tibi salus Amen This King was surnamed Chrobry signifying in Polish Acute from the Quickness and Excellency of his Parts Boleslaus made Bohemia Moravia and Prussia tributary to Poland He also declar'd War against the Saxons who made Incursions into Pomerania which was then govern'd by Lescus III's Family He likewise instituted twelve Senators to assist him in the Government This King's Death was so sincerely regretted that for a Year's time there was no Mirth nor Splendor in Poland This Prince was of an undaunted Spirit tho withal modest courteous and endearing Both Boleslaus and his Father lie buried in the middle of the Cathedral Church of Posnan whose Tombs I have there seen His Son MIECISLAUS II. being about 35 Years old was elected next being crown'd by Hypolitus Arch-bishop of Gnesna He degenerated in all respects from his Father and lost most of those Conquests which he had added to the Crown To him the Bohemians and â—â—avians refus'd to pay Tribute yet he â—â—ued Pomerania which belong'd of right he Polish Crown He was a Person very â—â—y and stupid and chose rather to be â—â—ed by his Queen and Companions than Council which made him soon slighted and â—â—is'd both by his Friends and Enemies Yet reign'd almost nine Years and liv'd forty 〈◊〉 'T is said he died mad and left but Son CASIMIR I. who being elected young his â—â—ther Rixa officiated the Regency during Minority This King was not chosen withâ—â— much difficulty for many of the Electors â—â—ing he might follow his Father's steps viâ—â—ously oppos'd him at first Also the Poles â—â—re dissatisfied with his Mother's Admiâ—â—ration for several Reasons among which 〈◊〉 was her robbing the Treasury and afterâ—â—rds flying with her Son to her Brother â—â—sar in Saxony This young Prince being sent afterwards his Mother to study at Paris became a Bedictin Monk at the Abby of â—â—luncy in France the mean time the Poles having no body to â—â—eside in their Government had great Disâ—â—sions among them and therefore earnestâ—â— entreated the Pope to dispense with Casiâ—â—r's Vow that he might return to his Throne â—â—hich they at length obtain'd upon Agreeent that for each Head except those of the obility and Clergy they would contribute early a farthing to maintain a Lamp perpetually burning in St. Peter's Church at Râ—â— and moreover for ever after cause their Hâ—â— to be shav'd about their Ears like Moâ—â— which is practis'd to this day as likeâ—â— stand in a white Surplice while Mass was â—â—ciating on all Holidays upon these Conditâ—â— they had their King again but when he â—â— crown'd I
Livonia to the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus but it was suspected that he intended to betray that King for soon after the said Farenbach was reconcil'd to King Sigismund to whom he restor'd all the Places except Pernau In the Year 1620 the Poles were engag'd in a War against the Turks fomented as was suppos'd by Bethlem Gabor Prince of Transilvania for which the Turks afterwards endeavour'd to banish that Prince for siding with the Poles In the Year following the Turks march'd with their whole Forces against Poland but were met by the Poles near Chocim under the Command of Prince Vladistaus who with an Army of about 65000 Men repuls'd above 392000 Turks commanded by their Emperor Osman in Person The Turks attempted three times to force the Polish Camp but were as often beat back with Loss Nevertheless in the mean time the Poles suffer'd extremely for want of Ammunition and Provisions and besides were mightily weakened by Sickness and a huge Mortality among their Horses Notwithstanding all this at length the Turkish Emperor was forc'd to strike up an honourable Peace with them after having lost about 60000 Men in the several Attacks he made upon their Camp and a greater number in his March back to Constantinople In the mean time Gustavus Adolphus falling into Livonia took the City of Riga without any great Resistance and all the rest of that Country except Dunneburgh was conquer'd likewise by the Swedes in the Year 1625. Afterwards Gustavus enter'd Prussia in the Year 1626 where he took the Cities of Marienburg and Elbing besides some other Places This War was thus carried on without any general Engagement till the Year 1629 when Hans Wrangel the Swedish General defeated the Poles near Gorzno Then the Emperor sent some Forces to the Assistance of the Poles who in a Battle fought near Stuma were very near having made Gustavus Prisoner But however the Polish Affairs after this Battel falling into great Confusion they were forc'd to clap up a Truce till the Year 1634 by the Mediation of Charles the First King of England and of Lewis the Thirteenth of France the Swedes in the mean while being to keep possession of Elbing Mcmel Braunsberg Pillau and what besides they had taken in Livonia After this Sigismund dy'd the last day of April in the Year 1632 being sixty Years old and having reign'd forty four He had all the Qualities that could be requir'd in a great Prince He lov'd Justice and all the World commended his Piety He was always of an even Temper either in good or bad Fortune and the Lustre of the Polish Crown obtain'd when he was but young together with the loss of the Kingdom of Sweden to his Uncle might well have either exalted or debas'd him had he not had a great Soul yet among all these good Qualities he was too much wedded to his Opinion which was the cause of some Misfortunes that happen'd to him Prince Vladislaus was absent when his Father Sigismund fell sick yet he arriv'd at Court just as he was expiring whose Presence so much reviv'd the King as to give him Power to put the Crown of Sweden on his Son's Head tho he was to leave that of Poland to Chance This Election was much more peaceable than his Father Sigismund's in that he had no Competitors to oppose him Some thought Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden had a design upon the Crown and his boundless Ambition join'd with the great Number of his Friends the Lutherans dispersed throughout the whole Kingdom might very well support that Opinion yet the Gentry of Great Poland which were most to be suspected on account of Conformity in Religion with him were the first that strove to exclude him for they declar'd those Enemies to their Country that should in the least dare to propose him Likewise at another Assembly a Palatin offering but to insinuate that it would be proper to choose a Foreign Prince the Gentry were so unanimously offended at him that he was fain to retire betimes to avoid their Fury Also Gustavus Adolphus had then too many Irons in the Fire to draw any more Enemies upon his Back John Casimir Brother to Prince Vladislaus was likewise suspected to have a mind to the Crown and this Conjecture had a more plausible Foundation than the former These two Princes were both Sons to Sigismund III. yet had they not the same Mother That of Casimir did all she could to advance her Son to the Throne At the Diet met at Thorn she endeavour'd to have a Successor elected whilst the King was living whereupon she employ'd a certain Bishop to propose her Son but with which the Diet was so extremely incens'd that they would have immediately tri'd that Prelat for infringing the Publick Liberties had not more weighty Affairs interven'd which caus'd them to lay those Intentions aside During this Prince Casimir did all he could to satisfy the Publick that he had no Design upon the Crown but that all his Aim was to promote the Interest of his elder Brother The Primate John Vezik having notified the Death of the late King conven'd the Diet on the 27 th of June where the Lutherans continued their Cabals and Factions as formerly but did not favour any of Vladislaus his Competitors as before The Diet of Election was fix'd for the 27 th of September in the same Year whither the Gentry all flock'd at the time appointed but that more to ingratiate themselves in their Prince Vladislaus's favour than to sell their Suffrages One thing was propos'd at this Diet which had it been followed might have deliver'd the Kingdom from great Oppressions This was to digest the Laws into a Code and to get the King Elect to confirm it Also to reform the many Abuses crept into the Practice of the Law but this was too vigorously oppos'd by the interessed Party and therefore was fain to be let fall Hereupon the Diet devoted themselves wholly to the Election Prince Casimir first propos'd his BrotherVladislaus which Henry Firley Bishop of Premislia seconded by a Speech to this purpose That tho that Assembly had a Right to elect whom they pleas'd yet they had ever had a particular regard to the Offspring of their Kings that every body there acknowledg'd the Candidate to be of the Blood of Jagello That even the Merit of his Father pleaded for the Interest of the Son That Uladislaus his own Conquests had sufficiently testify'd his Valour and lastly that a favourable Result was to be expected from that Assembly since each knew as much of the Merit of that Prince as he This was courteously answer'd by the Primate after which they proceeded to admit the Ambassadors First Honorius Visconti the Pope's Nuncio had Audience who being plac'd on the left hand of the Primate first desir'd the Assembly to choose a Catholick Prince and then recommended Prince Vladislaus Next the Embassadors of the Emperour
presents amounted to the value of 100000 Rix Dollars The Hospodar of Moldavia sent her a pair of Pendants of a considerable Value This Custom of making Presents to the Bride is not only for Kings Daughters but for every one else according to their Quality and the Gentlemens Daughters do not so much reckon upon the Portion their Fathers give them as upon their Number of Relations and Friends who are to make them Presents and the Husband is as diligent to know how many Relations she has as how much her Father will give her Upon the day of Marriage Prince James the young Bride's Brother took upon him by the King and the Elector of Bavaria's Consent the Quality of Embassador for that day by reason that the Court would not receive as was secretly whilsper'd Embassadors from the Duke of Bavaria as being not an absolute Prince He went three Miles out of Town in the Morning and about two of the Clock in the Afternoon made a most solemn Entry on Horse-back having his Brothers Prince Alexander on his Right-hand and Prince Constantine on his Left preceded by a great Number of Coaches with six Horses and a noble Cavalcade of the Polish Gentry who went two by two Thus he march'd through the City to the Palace where he was receiv'd by the King and Queen and after half an hour the great Officers of the Crown the Palatins and other Senators with an incredible Number of Gentry began to march from the Palace on Foot two by two upon Scarlet Cloth spread all along to St. John's Church being about three hundred Paces after them Prince James led the Bride the French Embassador Monsieur de Polignae led the Queen and the King came last alone with a grave majestick Countenance The Ceremony of the Marriage was perform'd by Cardinal Radziouski the present Primate who was the King's Relation Afterwards they returned to the Palace where they were nobly entertain'd for four days together with Feasts Balls Fire-works and an Italian Pastoral in nature of an Opera made upon this occasion by the Secretary of the Pope's Nuncio After the Ceremony was over a splendid Equipage was prepar'd for the Princess's Journey from Warsaw to Brussels The Bishop of Ploskow was named Embassador and the Palatine of Vilna's Lady Prince Czartoriski's Daughter was appointed Embassadress Monsieur Zalowski the Bishop's Brother and his Lady were likewise nam'd besides abundance of Gentlemen and about forty of the King's Life-guard to attend her Electoral Highness The Embassador represented to their Majesties that in such a long Journey of near 1000 Miles and in frosty Weather it was necessary to send a Physician with the Princess for fear of any Accident or Distemper by the way one Signior Revelli an Italian and several other Physicians made Interest for this place but the Queen would by no means employ any of them having no Opinion of their Skill Hereupon my Lord I spoke to Mr. Alberti your Brother Minister there from the Republick of Venice who had great Interest with the King and Queen and desir'd him to get me imploy'd in that Journey for I longed to be out of that remote Country tho I had not been a twelve Month in it to come for England for tho the King and Queen had a great deal of Kindness for me and Prince James whom the Court Party look'd upon to be the King's Successor promis'd me a considerable Pension after the King's Death yet seeing that the King then being sixty four Years of Age very corpulent and labouring under several Distempers as the Dropsy Gout Rheumatism and Oppression of the Lungs could not live long and that Prince James was not beloved and besides having never had any mind to engage my self to live in any Foreign Country I resolv'd to come out of that Kingdom Their Majesties not knowing my private Resolution of coming for England did me the Honour to name me Physician to wait upon the Princess in her Journey which I was very ready to comply with tho to outward appearance I did not seem much desirous of it this my Lord gave me opportunity to come out of that Country sooner than I could have decently done till the King was dead which I must owe intirely to the Friendship and Interest of Mr. Alberti who is a great Lover of the English Nation The Princess set forward on the 11 th of November following with a Retinue of about two hundred Persons all which came to Brussels with her besides abundance of the Nobility who waited upon her Highness to the Frontiers of Brandenburg The Palatins of the Provinces receiv'd and entertain'd her in all the Towns she pass'd through with a great deal of Splendor and Expence our first Reception was at Lowitz the Cardinal Primate's Castle here the Princess lay one Night and was most magnificently entertain'd The next was at Posnan a considerable City in the Province of Posnania where she lay two Nights the Palatin and the City made her a Present entertain'd all her Retinue and got Fire-works ready for her Reception From thence we went to Frankfurt upon the Oder in the E. of Brandenburgh's Country where his Electoral Highness sent his chief Officers to attend and compliment her from thence we went to Berlin where the Elector and Electoress came two Miles out of Town with a numerous Attendance to receive her they took her into their own Coach and march'd in order to the Palace giving her with roaring of Cannons and ringing of Bells all Demonstrations of Respect Here she lay two Nights the Court appear'd most splendid and very numerous and the Elector got some Fire-works which represented the King and Queen of Poland and the Elector and Electoress of Bavaria's Names there were Balls both Nights and English Country-Dances which the Electoress of Brandenburg being descended from the Blood-Royal of England delighted extreamly in it was the first time the Princess of Poland had seen any and therefore was extreamly pleas'd I was glad to see some of our English Gentlemen who travell'd in Italy in my time as Mr. Archer Mr. Ward Mr. Duncomb and the late deceased Mr. Tent made so much of at this Court and behave themselves so handsomly at the Balls The Princess of Poland made Presents to the Electoress of Brandenburg and to most of the chief Officers of the Court and the Electoress of Brandenburg likewise made her a rich Present of a Poesie set with Diamonds and to the rest of her chief Officers other Presents Afterwards we set forwards on our Journey and were entertain'd for twelve days together in the Elector's Country it 's usual with him to defray the Charges of all Princes while they are within the limits of the Marquisate of Brandenburg But when the Princess of Poland went out of it into the other Territories of his Electoral Highness she bore her own Expences the chief Towns notwithstanding as Magdeburgh and Menden entertain'd her as
playing under the Pent-house before the Nunnery Gate His Age as well as I remember I guess'd to be about twelve or thirteen As soon as I came near him he leap'd towards me as if surpriz'd and pleas'd with my Habit. First be caught one of my Silver Buttons in his hand with a great deal of eagerness which he held up to his Nose to smell Afterwards he leap'd all of a sudden into a Corner where he made a strange sort of Noise not unlike to Howling I went into the House where a Maid-servant inform'd me more particularly of the Manner of his being taken But having not with me the Book wherein I wrot my Observations in my Travels I cannot possibly give you an exact Account of it This Maid call'd the Boy in and show'd him a good large piece of Bread which when he saw he immediately leap'd upon a Bench that was joyn'd to the Wall of the Room where he walk'd about upon all-four After which he rais'd himself upright with a great Spring and took the Bread in his two Hands put it up to his Nose and afterwards leap'd off from the Bench upon the Ground making the same odd sort of Noise as before I was told that he was not yet brought to speak but that they hop'd in a short time he would having his Hearing good He had some Scars on his Face which were commonly thought to be Scratches of the Bears Thus Sir you have all that I can remember of a Curiosity which I saw so long time since the Truth of which no body ought to question since there are several parallel Examples in History and I have been inform'd in this Country that whenas the Tartars make frequent Incursions there which they perform with such extraordinary Swiftness that they can over-run great part of the Country in a very short time their Horses being able to Travel a whole Day together without drawing Bit being arriv'd at the propos'd Place they immediately quarter themselves in a great Circle whereby as it were in a Net they take all that come within their Clutches and carry them into Slavery So that either the Men or Women finding themselves thus ensnar'd and endeavouring to escape have oftentimes not leisure to take care of their Infants and therefore probably this Boy might have been left behind after the like manner and found and born away by the Bears Of which there are a great Number both in Lithuania and Poland I am sorry Sir I cannot give you a more satisfactory Account of this matter but I hope this will suffice for a Testimony of my good Will and to assure you that I am Jan. 1. 1697 8. SIR Your most Affectionate Servant J. P. Van den Brande de Cleverskerk For another Confirmation of this Matter of fact I have the Testimony of an authentic Author M. Christopher Hartknoch of Passenheim in Ducal Prussia who writ two Books of the State of Poland He says that during the Reign of King John Casimir in the Year 1669 there hapned an Accident which perhaps might hardly be credited by Posterity which was that there were then two Boys found by a Company of Soldiers among the Bears in the Woods near Grodna one of which as soon as he saw the Bears assaulted fled into the neighbouring Morass whilst the other endeavouring likewise to escape was taken by the Soldiers and brought to Warsaw where he was afterwards christen'd by the Name of Joseph He was about twelve or thirteen years old as might be guest by his height but his Manners were altogether bestial for he not only fed upon raw Flesh wild Honey Crab-Apples and such like Dainties which Bears are us'd to feast with but also went like them upon all-four After his Baptism he was not taught to go upright without a great deal of difficulty and there was less hopes of ever making him learn the Polish Language for he always continu'd to express his Mind in a kind of Bear-like Tone Some time after King Casimir made a Present of him to Peter Adam Opalinski Vice-Chamberlain of Posnan by whom he was employ'd in the Offices of his Kitchin as to carry Wood Water c. but yet could he never be brought to relinquish his native Wildness which he retain'd to his dying-day for he would often go into the Woods amongst the Bears and freely keep company with them without any fear or harm done him being as was suppos'd constantly acknowledg'd for their Fosterling I might here Sir give you several other Accounts of this Nature which I had related to me when I was in Poland and I am told Mr. Gibson a Parliament-man has formerly seen some other Examples of this kind in that Kingdom but by what I have already mention'd I believe you will be sufficiently convinc'd that the History of Romulus and Remus is not so fabulous as it is generally conjectured to be and as I thought my self it was before I had been in this Country for considering that Brutes since Philosophers and Divines will allow them no Rational Souls breed up their Young meerly out of a Natural Instinct or Sympathy which I need not describe here I see no Improbability why they may not likewise bring up those of another Kind as we have several Instances daily But I will not insist longer upon these Philosophical Matters nor examin here whether Examples of this nature refute or establish innate Ideas as I have done in my Medicina Mystica but will conclude SIR Your very Obedient Servant B. C. A Chronological Table of the Succession Reigns and Deaths of the Dukes Governours Princes and Kings of Poland together with an exact reference to the Page where they are treated of   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dv'd A. D. pag. I. LEchus I. 550 uncertain 10 II. Visimirus Guagnini only mentions III. XII Woievods   Depos'd 12 IV. Cracus 700 ib. V. Lechus II. 13 VI. Venda 750 ib. VII XII Woievods depos'd 14 VIII Lescus I. 760 16 776 ib. IX Lescus II. 776 28 804 16 X. Lescus III. 804 6 810 ib. XI Popiel I. 810 5 815 ib. XII Popiel II. 815 15 830 ib. XIII Piastus 830 31 861 21 XIV Ziemovitus 861 31 892 23 XV. Lescus IV. 892 21 913 ib. XVI Ziemovistus 913 51 964 ib. XVII Miecislaus I. 964 35 999 24 XVIII Boleslaus Chroby 999 26 1025 26 XIX Miecislaus II. 1025 9 1034 ib. XX. Casimir I. 1034 25 1059 27 XXI Boleslaus II. 1059 23 1082 29 XXII Vladislaus Hermannus 1082 21 1103 30 XXIII Boleslaus III. 1103 37 1140 31 XXIV Vladislaus Sputator 1140 6 1146 33 XXV Boleslaus Crispus 1146 28 1174 35 XXVI Miecislaus III. 1174 4 1178 36 XXVII Casimir II. 1178 17 1195 37 XXVIII Lescus V. 1195 8 1203 39 XXIX Vladislaus Lasconogus 1203 3 1206 42   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dy'd A. D. pag. XXX Lescus V. Reestablish'd 1206 22 1228 ib. XXXI Boleslaus V. 1228 51 1279 43 XXXII Lescus Niger 1279 11
been the Metrâ—â—polis of Poland in which all the Kings by the Constitution are to be crown'd tho they are to live at Warsaw There goes a frivolous Story of a monstrous Dragon that rag'd in those days near this City who with his poisonous Breath kill'd all that came near him and likewise sometimes sally'd abroad to the Destruction of thousands to prevent which they were wont to throw him every day three Oxen which at length almost causing a Famine Duke Cracus made use of a Stratagem to destroy him which was this He order'd an Ox's Hide to be stuff'd full of Sulphur Nitre Pitch and the like and to be cast to the Monster who taking it for no other than his daily Offering greedily devour'd it but quickly found himself enflam'd with so great a Drought that he soon after burst with drinking in the River Vistula After this Duke's Death he was â—â—uried by his own Orders on a little Hill in sight of the Town and this to put the Citizens in mind of their Founder He left three Children Cracus Lechus and Venda whereof LECHUS II. to obtain the Principality murder'd his elder Brother Cracus in a Wood which being soon detected he was banish'd the Country and died in Exile VENDA a Virgin which shews the Affection the Poles have always had for the Royal Family succeeded him She was a very beautiful Princess and amongst several others was courted by one Ritiger a German Prince who not proving much in her Favour came with an Army to force her to marry him but was bravely oppos'd and vanquish'd by her as the Polish Historians will have it tho the German affirm the contrary and say she drown'd her self upon his pursuing her close which the others pretend was occasion'd by her hearing Ritiger was a handsome Man and had kill'd himself in a rage With this Princess Cracus his Family being extinct the Poles chose a second time twelve Woievods who falling out as before among themselves and the Hungarians and Moravians invading their Country they thought fit to elect one Premislus a Goldsmith for their Duke afterwards call'd LESCUS I. The reason of whose being chosen was a Stratagem he had contriv'd that sav'd the Poles when they were in Distress The manner of which was as follows They being in the Field against the Hungarians and Moravians and finding themselves much inferior in number to their Enemies this Goldsmith contriv'd a way to make 'em seem more numerous and at the same time to gain 'em a compleat Victory to effect which he got a certain number of Helmets made of the Bark of Trees which he dawb'd over with Quicksilver and Gall and by Night hung 'em in order of an Army on small Boughs at the side of a Wood which the Enemy next Morning perceiving by Reflection of the Sun upon 'em believing it to be the Polish Army march'd directly towards 'em when the Poles who were behind the Trees removing the Helmets the Enemy thought they had retreated for fear whereupon hotly pursuing 'em into the very heart of the Wood the Poles who lay in Ambush surrounded and cut 'em all to pieces He govern'd the Poles in Peace and Quietness for a good while none during his Reign daring to molest that Country How long he reign'd and where and of what Distemper he died is uncertain This Duke leaving no Issue a Horse-race was instituted wherein the Victor was to succeed in the Government Hereupon a Stone Pillar was rais'd before Cracow on which were â—â—aid the Crown Scepter Globe and other Regalia and at the same time a Herald proclaim'd the Throne to him that got first from the River Pardnic to the Goal Upon which several Candidates appearing one Lescus thinking himself wiser than the rest laid Iron Spikes in the Road where the Race was to be run by which the others Horses being â—â—am'd he came first to the Pillar but this Fraud being soon detected instead of being chosen he was torn to pieces on the spot and LESCUS II. a poor Country Fellow whom the Poles look'd upon to be destin'd for their Prince was elected in the Year 776 who while the others Horses were hamper'd by the way running the Race on foot for want of a Horse tho rather to shew his Swiftness than out of any thoughts of the Crown got next the Impostor to the Goal This Duke in Commemoration of his former Condition would once a Year solemnly â—â—ay by his Robes and put on his Country Clothes which he preserv'd whilst he liv'd for that purpose and which induc'd all the Courtiers to be as meanly clothed at the same time They write that he was kill'd in the Wars against Charles the Great LESCUS III. his Son succeeded him being chosen in the Year 804. He soon forc'd the aforesaid Emperor to a Peace but when he died I find no mention made He is said to have had above twenty natural Sons POPIEL his Son succeeded him in the Year 810. This Prince had none of the good Qualities either of his Father or Grandfather his greatest care being to make much of himself without any regard to the Publick He thought Cracow too much expos'd to the Incursions of the Hungarians and Russians and therefore for security of his Person withdrew into the Heart of the Country first to Gnesna and afterwards to Cruswitz where he soon after died suddenly His common Execration was wont to be that he might be devour'd by Rats which tho it happened not to him yet his Son Popiel perish'd by that Fate POPIEL II. Son to the former was elected next in the Year 815 and reign'd to 830 who being a loose and profligate Prince was more universally hated than his Father which his Wife perceiving as likewise that his Father's Brothers were more belov'd contriv'd a way to poison them thereby the better to secure the Succession to her Children Hereupon by her Stratagem Popiel feigns a dangerous Sickness and invites his Uncles to visit him which they speedily obeying he caus'd 'em to come to his Bed-side where taking 'em by the Hands as if just going to leave e World he recommends to 'em a Cup to ink which they little suspecting any Poison urteously accepted and drank off when king leave of their Nephew a little while ter they fell into excessive Pains and soon ed. Upon which this barbarous Duke by e instigation of his Wife gave out that it as a Judgment from the Gods upon 'em for â—â—e treacherous Designs they had form'd aâ—â—inst him and his Children and therefore â—â—dered their Bodies to lie unburied for a conâ—â—erable time the better to take away all spicion of his Crime Hereupon no body â—â—er so much as suspected either Popiel or â—â—s Wife of their Deaths till at length Dine Justice discover'd and punish'd the Offeners after an extraordinary manner For
all â—â—e Chronicles Histories and general Tradions of Poland agree that out of these dead odies came a vast number of huge Rats â—â—hich guided by an unknown Intelligence â—â—llowed Popiel his Wife and Children whereâ—â—ver they went neither Rivers nor strong â—â—alls close Rooms nor their very Guards as they say were able to prevent these Aniâ—â—als from crawling about 'em and continually eeding on their Bodies both night and day They first devour'd the Sons afterwards the Wife and lastly Popiel himself tho he retir'd or safety to an Island in the River Vistula T is said the Water-men were afraid that hey should gnaw through their Boat and sink â—â—m before they reach'd the Island for they â—â—lways pursu'd through Fire or whatever else was oppos'd to 'em with a great deal of Noise â—â—nd Fierceness This doubtless your Lordship will think fâ—â—bulous yet since all their Historians unaâ—â—mously agree in it I thought my self oblig to relate it as they do 'T is certain the Poâ—â— would never elect any of Popiel's Nephews â—â— any other of his Relations for the Aversioâ—â— they had conceiv'd to his Name after this â—â— normous Crime so that he was the last of hâ—â— Family that reign'd and likewise the last â—â— the first Class of the Dukes of Poland After the Death of Popiel the Poles electe one Piastus a Wheelright nothing related â—â— ther to him or any of his Predecessors H Family reign'd successively without interruâ—â—tion for about 800 Years of which it woulâ—â— be too tedious to trouble your Lordship wit a Relation and therefore I will conclude wit giving you only this imperfect Account â—â— the first Princes of Poland and with subscribing my self My LORD Your Lordship 's most obedient Humble Servant B. â—â— LETTER II. To the Right Honourable LAURENCE Earl of Rochester Embassador from his Majesty Charles II. into Poland Containing the second and third Classes of the Kings of that Country or the Succession and remarkable Actions of the Families of Piastus and Jagello from the Year 830 to the Year 1574. My LORD THE great Character I found your Lordship had left behind you in Poland to the Honour of the English Nation makes me as well admire your prudent Conduct and circumspect Behaviour at that Court as the happy Choice so great a Prince made of you to represent his Royal Person there for tho this Western part of Europe will hardly allow the Poles the same proportion of Sense and Judgment with most other Nations yet Politicians readily own that there is more Art and Policy requir'd in an Ambassador to manage his Master's Credit and Advantage with the turbulent Spirit of the Senate of Poland than with any other Court whatever govern'd by well regulated Methods and refin'd Maxims This my Lord the vigilant Court of France and wise Republick of Venice have long experienc'd and therefore of late have sent into that Kingdom none but their most accomplish'd Statesmen The Esteem the Court of Poland profess'd for your Lordship's Memory was fresh enough in my time to convince me that you were throughly acquainted with the Genius and Constitution of that Nation Two things Publick Ministers ought chiefly to be vers'd in and which are the Rules they generally go by in their Ministry to compass more effectually their Designs It would therefore my Lord appear vain in me to presume to tell you any thing New as to the present State of that Kingdom since by conversing with your Lordship I have learn'd some Particulars of that Country I knew nothing of before The Subject I thought most agreeable for your Entertainment was a short Account of the Renowned Families of Piastus and Jagello who reign'd about eight hundred Years and whose remarkable Actions were doubtless out of the Memory of those Grandees you convers'd with being only recorded in voluminous Annals which probably Publick and more Important Affairs might not allow your Lordship leisure to peruse The Kingdom of Poland beginning to make some considerable Figure in the World about the ninth Century and having imbraced the Christian Religion in the tenth foreign Nations particularly its Neighbours began to look more nicely into it and to embody its History with their own so that from thence forward I can promise your Lordship a more certain Account of this Country than hitherto I have given from the sixth Century to that time After the Death of the inhuman Popiel the last of the first Class of the Princes of Poland his Cousin Germans whose Father he had poison'd aspiring to the Crown were unanimously rejected by the Poles either because they were thought unqualified or undeserving or by reason of Popiel's Crimes which had entail'd a kind of Odium both on them and all his Posterity Whereupon a General Assembly or Diet was call'd at Cruswitz a small Town in Lower Poland but not being able to agree their Session was dissolv'd A little while after another was conven'd in the same place which being resolv'd to pitch upon some body to prevent farther Disorders elected one PIASTUS a Wheelright Son to Cossisco a Citizen of Cruswitz in gratitude for having supply'd their want of Provisions after the following manner Piastus having provided a small Collation for the naming of a Child born about the time of that Convention happen'd to be visited by two Pilgrims Paul and John whom they report to have been afterwards Martyrs at Rome These Mendicants being repuls'd at the Hall of Election were notwithstanding kindly receiv'd by him whereupon to return his Civility they named his Child Ziemovitus and departed Afterwards by the great Concourse of Electors Provisions growing scarce at Cruswitz and many applying themselves to Piastus for Relief he furnish'd them all gratis but that not without being thought a Miracle for 't was believ'd the Blessing of those good Men remain'd upon him and extended his Bounty much beyond his suppos'd Ability which made 'em look upon him as a Man sent from the Gods to govern 'em and therefore unanimously chose him for their Prince This good Man having thus obtain'd the Principality did not yet change his Life with his Condition but his Power being encreas'd continued his Bounty comparatively In his Reign there arose many intestine Disorders all which he soon quieted rather by his Clemency than Severity So being belov'd by good Men and respected by bad and having remov'd his Court from Cruswitz which he abominated for having been the Scene of Popiel's wicked Life to Gnesna he died in the 120th Year of his Age. His Family reign'd above 600 Years in Poland nay a Branch of 'em were Princes of Silesia a long while after to the Year 1675 when George William the last of that House dying without Issue the Dukedoms of Lignitz and Brieg in Silesia fell to the Emperor In memory of this Piastus when any Native ever after obtain'd the Crown of Poland they call'd him a Piasto He was succeeded by his Son ZIEMOVITUS
having it in his Power to revenge himself on Fortune it is no wonder if he fell foul of her Favourite and moreover rather blam'd himself for condescending to play with him and likewise thanked him for putting him in mind by that Blow how unworthy it was for a Prince to bestow his time so ill And lastly as a further Argument of his dissenting from his Brother's Principles he return'd the Courtier all his Money again Miecislaus being excluded retir'd with his Princess and Children to Ratisbon to the Emperor Frederic his Kinsman who yet could do him no good he being engag'd at that time in War both in Italy and Asia therefore his next Recourse was to his Brother's Clemency This so far wrought upon Casimir that he made a Speech to the Senate to recal him but was extremely blam'd by them for offering to prefer a private Kindness to the Publick Safety All this while Miecislaus was little sensible of his Brother 's good Nature tho he afterwards under-hand endeavour'd again to get him restor'd Casimir begun his Reign by easing his Subjects of the Taxes his Brother had impos'd upon 'em and restraining the Power of exorbitant Magistrates While he was absent in Russia on account of composing some Differences by instigation of Miecislaus some of the Nobles conspir'd against him and endeavour'd to re-instate Miecislaus which the better to bring about and satisfy the People they pretended that Casimir was poison'd in Russia Hereupon Miecislaus readily arrives in Poland and was receiv'd every where but in the Castle of Cracow which Bishop Fulco held out against him Of all this Casimir being soon inform'd by Assistance of the Russians overcame his Brother and gave both him and his Army their Lives which Goodness of his at length so wrought upon Miecislaus that he never after aim'd at the Crown After Casimir was well settled being not unmindful of the rebellious Prussians nor of the Death of his Brother Henry he march'd with so great fury against them that he had regard neither for Man Woman nor Child but put great numbers of all sorts to the Sword and burnt and plunder'd their Country to that degree that at last they quietly submitted to the absolute Dominion of Poland This King made a City of Dantzic in Prussia which before was only a poor Fisher-Town on the Baltic Sea He lies buried at Cracow having left two Sons Lescus and Conrade and one Daughter Adleida He liv'd to the Age of six and fifty Years After his Death the Poles elected his Son LESCUS V. surnamed the White in the Year 1195 who being very young had for Guardians his Mother Helena with the Bishop and Palatin of Cracovia In the mean time his Uncle Miecislaus being yet alive came with a powerful Army of Poles and Silesians to dethrone him and gain'd a bloody Battel over the Palatin of Cracovia who commanded Lescus his Army Hereupon he immediately dispatch'd Embassadors to Helena to represent to her his unquestionable Right to the Crown his Strength the Disorder among Lescus his Tutors who being too young was not able of himself to govern the great Advantages he had obtain'd in the late Battel and lastly his great Party in the Kingdom He moreover desires Helena to make him Guardian over her Son and promises to adopt him for his own to leave him the Succession after his Death and that he will do nothing but what shall be according to the Constiutions of the Kingdom All these Proffers having been throughly weighed by the Queen and Council At last Miecislaus was recall'd a second time in the Year 1199. after having taken a solemn Oath to perform all his Promises But being once reinthron'd he soon forgot his Oath and fell to consiscating several of his Subjects Estage and giving 'em to others saying That a King was no longer oblig'd to keep his Oath than when it was neither safe nor beneficial for him to breake it Hereupon the Palatin of Cracovia seizes on the City of Cracow and receives Lescus a second time whilst Miecislaus being then absent by all the Intrigues imaginable endeavour'd to be restor'd Whereupon he flatter'd the People perswading them that Lescus his Party had cast false Aspersions upon him and that if he did any thing contrary to his Oath he was meerly betray'd to it by the malicious Perswasions of his pretended Friends By these and such like fair words he Iulls asleep the credulous People and gains their Affections the third time Whereupon he sends to the Queen to inform her that Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia had been the Author of the late Disturbances and therefore wills her to remove him from Court and receive himself again which she pitying his unfortunate Case even in prejudice of her own Son was inclin'd to do and would therefore admit of no Justification from the Palatin Whereupon this Person being a Man of great Authority in the Kingdom goes and joins Miecislaus many follow his Example and in short the Queen was quickly forc'd to recal Miecislaus a third time in the Year 1202. When being reinthron'd he requited Queen Helena for her Services by seizing upon the Territory of Voslicia and three other Places in Sendomir which of right belonged to her and being about to do the same to several others he was prevented by a sudden Death in the seventy third Year of his Age leaving two Sons Otho and Vladislaus Lasconogus After Miecislaus his Death the greater part voted for Lescus V. that was still alive but Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia and the Bishop of Cracow his Brother would by no means consent to it unless Lescus would banish out of the Kingdom Gouoric Palatin of Sendomir of whom they were both very jealous Lescus answer'd He would not buy a Kingdom which by right was his own by doing an Injury to his Friend Hereupon by the Bishop and Palatin's Interest he was put by and ULADISLAUS LASCONOGUS that is Thin-foot elected in the Year 1203. But this good Prince considering Lescus his Right after three Years Reign voluntarily surrender'd to him when LESCUS was receiv'd the third time in the Year 1206 and reign'd to the Year 1226. Under his Reign the Poles heard first of the Tartars a barbarous Nation that came from the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus in Asia who made Irruptions into Taurica Chersonesus and the Frontiers of Podolia and Russia and have ever since been most inveterate Enemies to Poland Lescus had a Brother call'd Conrade to whom he gave the Provinces of Masovia and Cujavia and made one Suentopelus Governour of Pomerania whereof one was Author of Lescus's Death and the other of most blood Wars in Poland For this Suentopelus thinking to make himself absolute in Pomerania employed People to murder Lescus which they not long after effected accordingly when this good Prince was in a Bath Whereupon after
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
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
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