hundred thousand Livres all this provided he might marry Hedwige and be elected King of Poland These advantageous Proposals were hearkened to and granted and accordingly he was elected King By these means Lithuania was in time united to Poland and from an Hereditaty State is become a part of an Elective Republick Which change some of the Kings of the race of Jagello did not altogether approve nor can it be said that it was fully effected till the Extinction of that Family for being unwilling to deprive their Heirs of an Hereditary Right by submitting to make Lithuania elective they still delayed the Confirmation of the Convention alledging that the Nobility and people of Lithuania would never suffer it lest by such an Union they should lose their antient degree and dignity Things remain'd in this condition while there were Princes of that Family to be elected At last the Lithuanians perceiving that it was extinct as to Males after the death of King Sigismund Augustus and being afraid of Irruptions from their incroaching Neighbours the Muscovites they consented to an Union The Example of Stephen Batori verifies also what we have already said of the regard which the Poles have to the Royal Family in point of Election For that Prince was chosen King of Poland only upon Condition that he should marry the Princess Anne Sister to Sigismund Augustus who dyed without Issue and was the last of the Family of the Jagellones I must own that there were several Reasons which concur'd to cause the Polanders to impose that Condition on Stephen Batori for thus they did not only express their respect to the Jagellonian Family but avoided the Expences which they must otherwise have been at for the maintaining of two Princesses But that which engaged them the rather to act thus was the Abdication of Henry of Valds King of Poland who had refused to marry her for that Prince having received the News of the death of Charles IX his Brother privately left Poland the 18 of June 1574 and returned to France after he had been crown'd at Cracow the 24 of February and had remain'd five months with the Republick The Polanders therefore believing that they would thus more strongly bind Stephen Batori to their Interest oblig'd him to marry the Princess Anne tho' she was somewhat elderly But this prov'd of a very unhappy Consequence for all the Church of Sweden For Stephen Battori dying afterwards at Iroane on the 12 of December 1586 without leaving any Issue the Republick still having a regard to the Family of the Jagellones chose Sigismund the third the Son of John King of Sweden and of Catharine Sister to Sigismund Augustus and thus Nephew to Queen Anne Stephen Battoris's Widow By reason of which Election Sigismund being oblig'd to make Poland the place of his residence left the Government of Sweden to his Unkle the Duke of Sudermania who afterwards made himself Master of the Kingdom where he abolished the Roman Religion and establish'd the Lutheran which he publickly profest What I have said of the Polanders as to their preferring the Offspring of their Kings before others is so true that from the beginning of their acknowledging a Regal State even at a time when they were all strangers to the Christian religion they chose Venda to be their Queen being the only person that was left of the Line of Cracus their third King Long after this Lewis King of Poland and Hungary having chosen for his Successor Sigismund Marquess of Brandenburg who had wedded his eldest Daughter the Republick met at Radom in the year 1312 and the Diet past a Constitution whereby Sigismund was excluded however declaring at the same time that there should be a due regard had to the Princess his Wife The Great Men of the Kingdom gave afterwards their Votes for Ziemowitz Duke of Masovia upon condition he would wed Hedwige who was King Lewis's Daughter But Queen Elizabeth her Mother would not consent that her Daughter should marry so inconsiderable a Prince as was the Duke of Masovia tho' he was of the Royal House of Casimir the Great I have said that the Polanders have not only some Consideration for all those of the Royal Family but that they have also a great regard to the Widows of their Kings It was for this reason that they oblig'd King John Casimir to marry Queen Maria Aloisia the Widow of Vladislaus the fourth his Brother who died without Issue This will further appear by the Proposal that was made to Queen Eleonor of Austria the Widow of King Michael during the Diet of Election in the year 1674. For the Poles insisted upon that Queen's marrying the Prince of Newburg for whom the French us'd their Interest insomuch that on the 18 of May four Bishops came to that Queen and assur'd her that provided she would consent to wed that Prince he would certainly be elected and that by this means the minds of all the different parties would be re-united But Queen Eleonor who is the Emperors Sister and who then did nothing but by the Advice of Chancellor Patz and the motions of the Ministers of the Court of Vienna made them no other answer but that she had some Friends in the Diet who would take care of her Interest A drew Trezebsckâ— Bishop of Cracow was one of the four that were deputed on that account to the Queen and afterwards to Chancellour Patz who as I have said was her chief Councellor But that Chancellor who had a mind the Election should fall on Prince Charles of Lorrain whom the Emperor did very earnestly recommend made answer That he would have no other but the Prince of Lorraine and not the Prince of Newburg The event soon convinc'd him of his error and made him know that he had taken wrong Measures and not understood his true Interest For as he had govern'd King Michael and still had an absolute sway over the mind of the Queen he might easily have govern'd also the Prince of Newburgh who was young and whom his Queen might have enclin'd as she would have thought fit The Chancellor Batz was so positive in his Opinion that it was a very difficult matter to make him alter it He was a Man of his word and when ever he had engag'd it to any body he was sure to keep it inviolably his own Intrest not being able to make him Recant And indeed the Conference which he had with the Prince of Newburgh's Embassador at Belveder whither I kept him Company made it plainly appear that his own Interest alone was not sufficient to make him alter his Measures For I understood afterwards from him that considerable Offers had been made him and that it had been Represented to him what Advantages the Election of the Prince of Newburgh would bring to all his Family But all this did not in the least affect him and so that Conference was to no purpose neither for him nor for the Prince of Newburgh
Prince's Flying from His Kingdom like Henry II. King of Poland and III. of France who having receiv'd Advice of the Death of Charles the IXth His Brother by a Courier that was dispatch'd to Him by the Queen His Mother secretly departed from Cracow after he had enjoy'd the Crown of Poland Five Months with the Love of all the Nobility who were so troubl'd at His Flight and the loss of so good a Prince that they Wrote on the 12th of May 1574. a very Pressing and Respectful Letter to perswade Him to Return The Polanders look upon the Interregnums as the most Favourable Occasions to confider of the Surest and Most Effectual Ways to Preserve their Liberties and though the Royal Authority is then properly Lodg'd in the Senate 't is in some measure Represented by the Archbishop of Gnesna as Primate of the Kingdom and the First of all the Senators as I intimated before During the Interregnum some of the Senators and Noblemen are sent to the Generals of the Army to stay with them and to assist them with their Advice in Matters relating to the War Some Senatours are also Deputed to the Castle of Cracow to Visit the Treasury of the Crown and to make an Inventary of it with those that have the Keys which they present at the next Coronation Commissioners are also appointed to enquire into the State of the Revenue that is set apart for the King's Table and to give an Account of it to the Republick During the Interregnum and till the New King be Proclaim'd the Republick pretends that all Soveraign Princes and even Crown'd Heads themselves are obliged to give them the Title of Most Serene But when the King of France Writes to the Republick Assembl'd in a Diet of Election he makes no mention of Serenity and only Writes in these Terms To our most Dear and Great Friends Allyes and Confederates the States of the Kingdom of Foland and Great Dutchy of Lithuania Nor is it reasonable that a King of France should give the Republick of Poland the Title of Most Serene since they do not give their own King either the Title of Most Serene or of Majesty I shall only observe further on this Subject that as soon as the Archbishop of Gnesna has Notify'd by his Circular Letters that the King is Dead all the Courts of Justice are shut up and are not open'd again till after the Coronation of the New Elected King except the Marshal's Court which continues open and another which is establish'd for deciding Controversies that may happen during the Diet of the Election But as for all other Causes and private Law-Suits they are not Try'd till after the King's Coronation CHAP. XIV Of the Election of a King SINCE the Kingdom of Poland is Elective all Christian Princes may Pretend to the Succession and send Ambassadours thither whether they be Catholicks or not But those who Aspire to that Crown must either profess the Roman Catholick Faith or resolve to Embrace it after their Election for otherwise he cannot be Chosen and 't is only for this Reason that the Pope sends a Nuncio to the Diet of Election that he may represent to the Republick that 't is the Interest of the Whole Church that they should Chuse a Catholick Prince who is a zealous Assertor of the True Faith of Christ The Polanders usually Chuse a Foreign Prince for their King because they cannot without Reluctancy submit to those who were formerly their Equals They esteem it their happiness that they have the Liberty to Chuse such a Prince as they please But 't is certain that their Liberty is frequently the Cause of Fatal Divisions They will not Choose a Prince who is King of another Realm least after his Election and after he has remain'd for some time among 'em he should leave them to Return to his own Country 'T was for this Reason that after the Death of Casimir III they would not Chuse Vladislaus his Son because he was King of Hungary and Robemia and this was also one of the Reasons which in a Diet held at Radom in the Year 1382 made the Republick Exclude Sigismund of Luxemburg Marquess of Brandenburg who pretended to the Crowns of Poland and Hungary as having Marry'd the Eldest Daughter of Lewis King of those Two Kingdoms Before the Ambassadours come to Warsaw they are to Notifie their Arrival to the Archbishop of Gnesna who appoints Lodgings for 'em at some distance from the City and sends a Polish Gentleman to each of 'em to observe their Actions and to hinder them from making Parties But those Rules are seldom put in Execution for the Ambassadours of Princes live openly at Warsaw 't is true there is a Polish Gentleman appointed to attend every one of 'em during the Diet that the Republick may be inform'd of their Proceedings and that they may not have an opportunity to Bribe or Corrupt the Deputies But this is an Inconveniency that cannot be avoided by all these Precations for the desire of Money is so reigning a Vice in Poland and attended with so little Scandal and Infamy that the Fidelity which a Polish Gentleman owes to his Country would not be Proof against 1000 Crowns 'T is the Interest of the Ambassadours to Manage all the Senators and the whole Order of the Nobility since the disobliging of one of them may render 'em incapable of Compassing their Designs Thus the Quarrelling with Chancellour Patz in the Diet of the Election Anno 1668. was the true reason why the Duke of Newburg was Excluded and Michael Vicznowieski was Elected King In the mean time it must be acknowledg'd that the Election was Tumultuary that the Nobility had not a Free Vote and that they were in a manner hurry'd away by the Violence of the Multitude which was so great that Prasmowski Archbishop of Gnesna was forc'd to Proclaim Him which he was unwilling to do because he was sensible of the Dangers that threatn'd the Republick in that Juncture and of the great need they had of a Rich and Valiant Prince At the same time he knew that King Michael wanted both those Qualities For he was so poor that during the Life of Queen Mary Louise he had nothing to subsist upon as I intimated before but a Pension which She allow'd him of 6000 Livres a Year And as for his Courage it may be guess'd at by what happen'd immediately after his Election when he durst not resent the Affront he receiv'd from the Marquiss of Brandenburg who without asking his Permission caus'd a Prussian Gentleman who had fled to Poland for Protection to be seiz'd and carryd away before the King's eyes and almost under the Windows of His Palace 'T is plain then that the Polanders ought to have Chosen a Prince that was equally Brave and Rich and able to Support their Tottering State For if they had consider'd their true Interest in the choice of a Soveraign the Turks wou'd never have had the
boldness to Attack Poland as they did in the Reign of King Michael where they enter'd Vkrania with a Powerful Army and easily made themselves Masters of Caminieck which the Polanders could never retake since But as Poland could not choose a poorer so they could not have Chosen a more liberal Prince than King Michael And as he was wholly destitute of the means to display that Noble and Princely Quality so Providence order'd that as soon as he was Proclaim'd King he found himself Master of richer Furniture and a greater quantity of Plate than any of the Kings His Predecessours had ever enjoy'd For all the Senatours and Gentlemen who were able to make any considerable Presents strove with a kind of Emulation to express their Affection to their New Soveraign so that on the Day of his Election he was so amaz'd at such a sudden and unexpected Alteration that he cou'd hardly forbear looking upon it as a Golden Dream He was no sooner Proclaim'd but the Chancellour began to Insinuate that He ow'd his Crown to him nor was it a difficult task to Impose upon a Prince who was easily Govern'd and had more good Nature than Judgment Thus the Chancellor had the pleasure to see that his Power was as great as his Ambition but that satisfaction was sufficiently moderated by the Troubles and Divisions that happen'd under his Ministry for having perswaded the King without the consent of the Republick to Marry the Emperor's Sister by whom he had no Children There was such a considerable Party form'd against that Prince that he was in perpetual danger of being Dethron'd and reduc'd in a Cloister to greater Miseries than that which he suffer'd before his Election And to heighten His Asslictions he perceiv'd that Queen Eleanor his Wife was engag'd in the Party that wou'd have oblig'd him to Resign His Crown that she might Marry a handsom and brave Prince whose Picture she had seen and who without doubt had been King of Poland if Death jealous of the happiness of that Country had not snatch'd him away in the flower of his Age to the regret of all the World and particularly of Q. Eleanor who cou'd not forbear expressing her sorrow by her Tears when she heard the News of his death Among the several Princes who pretended to dispossess King Michael Duke Augustus Ernest of Brunswick Bishop of Osnabrug who would have willingly exchang'd both his Bishoprick and Religion for the Crown of Poland was one But he was Marry'd he would have met with greater obstacles than the Prince I just nown mention'd CHAP. XV. Of the Diets in general THo' as a mark of the Obedience and Respect which Christians are oblig'd to pay to the Clergy the Polanders have thought fit to give the Bishops the Precedency in their Diets as being the Ministers and Dispensers of Holy Things it hath been sometimes observ'd that the Laity have taken the liberty to dispute that Honour with them Thus at the Diet held at Lublin 1501. under the Reign of Alexander the II. there happen'd a great contest betwixt the Bishops and the Temporal Senators for tho' the latter were willing that the Bishops should be Seated all in a Row on the King 's Right hand they desir'd that they might also sit in a Row on his Left hand that so they might not be altogether beneath them This Controversy was long and hotly agitated but at last the King decided it in favour of the Bishops declaring That they should still enjoy their Ancient Priviledge to sit next the King both on His Right and Left hand A General Diet in Poland is a Meeting of the Nobility in one place to Consult about the Affairs of the Republick The King may appoint the Meeting where he thinks fit except the Diet of the Coronation which can only be held at Cracow but as for the rest it has been always in the King's Power to appoint the place of their Meeting 'T is true that for some time they have been always held at Warsaw But the Lithuanians having made a Complaint some years ago that they were expos'd to all the Inconveniencies of a long and tedious Journey it was agreed that one of Three Diets should for the Conveniency of the Lithuanians be held at Grodno a City of Lithuania in the Palatinat of Troki on the River Niemen about Twenty Leagues from Vilna 'T is seated partly upon a Plain and partly upon an Eminence and is Defended by a Castle which was taken and Sack'd by the Muscovites in the Year 1655 when the Whole Kingdom was harrass'd by the Swedes The other Two Diets are to be held at Warsaw which from the Election of Sigismond III. to that of John III. was always the Residence of the Kings of Poland It is Scituated on the Vistula in the Province of Massovia and the Diocess of Posnania There is a fine Palace in this City which Sigssmund built after his Election but there are no Avenues to it and the place where it is Scituated is so straightn'd that one must in a manner Divine how to go into it It has a very fine Prospect but is wholly destitute of Water Gardens or Trees Nor can those Defects be supply'd because on the one side it is bounded by the Houses of the City and on the other by the Vistula Warsaw is composed of Two Cities joyn'd together The Old Town which is Wall'd with Brick is small and ill Paved as are all the Cities of Poland but to make amends 't is Populous and enjoys a good Trade The New Town which is joyn'd to it is not considerable Besides those Two Cities there is also the great Suburb of Cracow the Houses of which are for the most part built and cover'd with Wood except some Pallaces which certain Persons of Quality had begun to Build before the Swedish Invasion both because the Kings Vladislaus and Casimir had a Palace there where they usually Resided and because those Princes design'd to enclose that Suburb and the Two Cities with 16 Bastions which they had already Mark'd out and whereof some footsteps are yet to be seen The above-mention'd Palace where the Kings Vladislaus and Casimir Resided has a Garden but is destitute both of Water and Trees There is still a Chapel in that Suburb called the Muscovites Chapel which Sigismond III. built for the Burying place of a Duke of Muscovie and his Brother who died in Prison at Gostynin in the Palatinat of Rava about Three Leagues from the City of Plocsko upon the Vistula to leave to Posterity a Monument of his Victories over the Muscovites It was some time ago given to the Dominican Fryars who have settl'd a Convent in it 'T is the Custom in Poland to hold Petty Diets in all the Palatinats before they hold a great or General Diet. These Petty Diets must be summon'd Three weeks before they can be held and held Six weeks before the General Diets In order to their Meeting the King sends
and made it the Place of his Residence After the Death of Lechus the Government of the Kingdom was committed to Twelve Palatines Cracus An. D. 700. He Built Cracow and transferr'd the Court or Residence of the Prince from Gnesna to that City Lechus II. He Assassinated his Father Cracus in a Wood and gave out That he was Torn in pieces by a Bear QUEEN Venda An. D. 750. A Princess equally famous for her Beauty and Valor After her Death the Kingdom was again Govern'd by Twelve Palatines Primislaus or Lescus I. An. D. 760. A Person of mean Birth but of extraordinary Courage and Wisdom He was made Prince or Duke of Poland with the Unanimous Consent of all the Estates of the Nation in consideration of the Important Services he had done to his Countrey and particularly in the War against the Huns. Lesco II. Surnam'd the Black An. D. 804. He is said to have Assisted Attila in his Wars against the Romans Lesco III. An. D. 810. The Son and Successor of Lesco II. He was also an Enemy to the Romans Popiel I. An. D. 815. A Debauch'd and Effeminate Prince Popiel II. An. D. 830. Succeeded his Father and Imitated his Example He was Eaten up by Mice Piastus An. D. 842. He was advanc'd from the Plow to the Throne in consideration of his Justice and Integrity Semovitus or ziemonitus An. D. 861. He defeated the Vandals and Conquer'd several Countries on the Coast of the Balthic Sea Lesco IV. An. D. 892. He Concluded a Peace with all his Neighbours Semislaus or ziemomistus An. D. 913. He maintain'd the Peace which his Predecessor had establish'd Mesco or Miecislaus An. D. 964. He was Born Blind but receiv'd his Sight during his Father's Life who upon this occasion consulting those who pretended to foretel things to come was inform'd that his Son should be remarkable for Piety He was the first Duke or Prince of Poland who embrac'd the Christian Religion Boleslaus I. Surnam'd Chrobri An. D. 999. He laid aside the Title of Duke with which his Predecessors had contented themselves and was Solemnly stil'd King of Poland and Friend and Ally of the Roman Empire by Otho III. An. 1001. He subdu'd the Bohemians Moravians Silesians Prussians and Pomeranians Mesco or Miecislaus II. An. D. 1025. A Lazy and Effeminate Prince Under his Reign the Bohemians and Moravians Revolted from the Crown of Poland Casimir I. An. D. 1041. He was Dethron'd and forc'd to enter into a Cloister but afterwards rais'd an Army and defeated the Tyrant who had Usurp'd the Crown Boleslaus II. Surnam'd the Bold An. D. 1059. He Defeated the Huns and other Scythian Nations and subdu'd Moravia but notwithstanding all the Glory of his Victories his Memory is Infamous in History He fell in Love with a Mare and Barbarously Murder'd the Bishop Stanislaus who reprov'd him for his Brutish and Unnatural Lust And for these Detestable Crimes both he and his Successors were depriv'd of the Regal Dignity He was expell'd out of the Kingdom and Torn in Pieces by Dogs Vladislaus I. Surnam'd Hermannus An. D. 1082. A Warlike and Just Prince Boleslaus III. Surnam'd Crivoustus An. D. 1103. He assisted the Hungarians against the Romans and was very Powerful at Sea Vladislaus II. An. D. 1146. He endeavour'd to Oppress his Brothers but was at last Defeated and Expell'd out of the Kingdom Boleslaus IV. Surnam'd Crispus An. D. 1146. He made War with the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa Miecislaus III. Surnam'd the Aged An. D. 1174. He was Depos'd for Oppressing the People with Exorbitant Impositions Casimit II. An. D. 1178. Succeeds his Brother abrogates the Unjust Laws that were establish'd by his Predecessors and Frees the People from Tyrannical Impositions Lesco V. Surnam'd the White An. D. 1195. He was Attack'd by this Unkle Miecislaus the Aged and defended himself with various success till he was at last surpriz'd as he was Bathing himself and thrust thro' with a Spear During the Turbulent Reign of this Prince the Countrey was miserably harass'd and the Sovereign Power was for some time assum'd by Miecislaus and afterwards by Vladislaus Lasconogus Boleslaus V. Surnam'd the Chast An. D. 1226. In his time the Tartars made a terrible Havock in Poland Lesco VI. Surnam'd the Black An. D. 1279. He was Assisted by the Knights of the Teutonic Order against Conrade who had besieg'd Cracow Premislaus II. An. D. 1295. He Reassum'd the Regal Title by the Advice of the Nobility and was Crown'd by James Arch-bishop of Gnesna He undertook an Expedition against the Bohemians but was surpriz'd and kill'd in his Camp in the First Year of his Reign Wenceslaus An. D. 1296. The King of Bohemia obtain'd the Crown of Poland he defeated the Hungarians and fought against the Emperor Albert. Vladislaus III. Surnam'd Locticus An. D. 1305. He was assisted in his Wars by the Lithuanians Casimit III. Surnam'd the Great An. D. 1333. A Just and Peaceful Prince He freed the Kingdom from Robbers who during the late Disorders had made the Ways Unpassable and Establish'd New Laws to suppress the Insolence of the Soldiers He entertain'd four Kings at a Splendid Feast viz. the Kings of Hungary Cyprus Denmark and of the Romans and gave his Niece in Marriage to the last Lewis An. D. 1370. King of Hungary is Chosen King of Poland He Routed the Lithuanians in a Memorable Battle Vladislaus IV. or II. call'd Jagello An. D. 1386. This Prince who was Duke of Lithuania and a Pagan Marry'd Hedwige the Daughter of King Lewis and embrac'd the Christian Religion He United the Great Dutchy of Lithuania to the Crown of Poland and Extirpated Paganism out of that Countrey He obtain'd a Great Victory over the Teutonic Knights in Prussia Vladislaus V. or III. An. D. 1434. He was Chosen King of Hungary and was kill'd by the Turks in the Battle of Varna Casimit IV. Surnam'd the Great An. D. 1447. He took several Towns from the Teutonick Knights John Albert. An. D. 1492. He dy'd as he was making Preparations for a War against the Turks Alexander An. D. 1501. This Prince was successful in his Wars against the Moscovites and Tartars Sigismund I. An. D. 1507. He Defeated the Muscovites Tartars and Hungarians and Subdu'd Prussia Sigismund II. Surnam'd Augustus An. D. 1548. This was the last King of the Race of Vladislaus Jagellon Henry of Valois An. D. 1574. He was Chosen King of Poland by the Intrigues of the French and Four Months after his Accession to the Crown retir'd privately from Poland upon the News of the Death of his Brother Charles IX whom he Succeeded in France Stephen Bathori Prince of Transilvania An. D. 1576. A Wise Brave and Victorious Prince His Virtues were celebrated at his Death in the following Elogy In
Templo plusquam Sacerdos In Re-publica plusquam Rex In Sententia dicenda plusquam Senator In Judicio plusquam Jurisconsultus In Exercitu plusquam Imperator In Acie plusquam Miles In adversis perferendis injuriisque condonandis plusquam Vir. In publica libertate tuenda plusquam Civis In Amicitia colenda plusquam Amicus In Convictu plusquam familiaris In Venatione ferisque domandis plusquam Leo. In tota reliqua Vita plusquam Philosophus Sigismund III. An. D. 1587. The Son of John King of Sweden by Catherine Daughter to Sigismund I. having renounc'd the Protestant Religion was chosen King of Poland by the unanimous consent of the Nobility He order'd Maximilian Arch-Duke of Austria whom the Crown-General Zamoski had defeated to be bound with Golden-fetters and carry'd to Zamosch where he kept him Prisoner two years Vladislaus VI or IV. The Son and Successor of Sigismund He had the courage to encounter an Army of 200000 Muscovites with 50000 Men and routed 'em entirely After this Memorable and Important Victory he took the City of Moscow and return'd in Triumph to Warsaw with Two Czars the Patriarch the Crown and 500 Wagons loaden with rich Spoils He defeated the Grand Signior Osman and pursu'd him almost as far as Constantinople Afterwards he was so animated with an Imprudent Zeal for the propagating of Religion that he resolv'd to undertake an Expedition to the Holy-Land and dy'd for grief because the Polanders refus'd to raise Subsidies to enable him to prosecute that design After his Death the Kingdom was harrass'd by the Cossacks who were principally incens'd against the Jews and Jesuits John Casimit Who was formerly a Jesuit and a Cardinal was Elected King after his Brother Vladislaus and obtain'd a Dispensation from the Pope to Marry his Widow He defeated the Cossacks in a doubtful and uncertain Battle near Beresteczko in Russia Having by this Victory curb'd that Factious People and secur'd the Quiet of the Kindom he began to indulge himself in his Pleasures He Banish'd the Vice-Chancellor of the Crown after he had Debauch'd his Wife and that Injur'd Officer returning to Sweden perswaded that Prince to Invade Poland which he did with so great success that Casimir was entirely dispossest But he was afterwards recall'd even by those who joyn'd with his Enemies and after several Battles oblig'd the King of Sweden to make a Peace At last by the perswasion of his Queen that he might make way for the Prince of Conde to Succeed him he Abdicated the Government and retir'd to France where he was made Abbot of St. Germans Michael After Casimir's Abdication several Intrigues were made by the Dukes of Lorrain Newburg and York and the Prince of Conde who stood Candidates for the Crown At that time the Duke of York profest the Protestant Religion but when that was objected against him by the Nobility a certain Jesuite who was employ'd to manage his Interest declar'd openly before the Senate of Poland that he was a Roman-Catholick At last contrary to all expectation the Election was determin'd in favour of Michael Coributh Wisnowieczki who was descended of the most ancient Family of the Dukes of Lithuania This Prince dy'd at Warsaw about a year after his Coronation and 't is commonly believ'd that he was Poyson'd by a certain Priest 'T was observ'd that when the General Sobieski afterwards Chosen King came to see him in his Coffin the Nose of the Deceast Prince began to Bleed assoon as he enter'd the Room John Sobieski This Prince was descended of a very Noble and Ancient Family in the Palatinate of Lublin He was the younger Son of Sobieski Castellan of Cracow by a Daughter of Stanislas Zolkiewski Great General of the Crown He was made Great Marshal of the Crown August 24. 1665 Great General of the Kingdom in 1667 and Great Master of the King's Houshold Palatin of Cracow c. He retook 60 Cities from the Rebel Cossacks in Vkrania In 1667. he defended Podhais against the Tartars and two years after took from them and the Cossacks the whole Palatinate of Braclaw in Lower Podolia In 1673. he obtain'd a Memorable Victory over the Turks at Choczim on the Niester where 8000 Janizaries and 20000 Spahis were kill'd He was Chosen King of Poland May 10th 1674 and made two Campaigns against the Turks before he was Crown'd But that which will for ever perpetuate the Honour of his Memory is that Glorious and Important Action which he perform'd in 1683 when he Rais'd the Siege of Vienna The following Panegyrical Character of that Prince was made upon that occasion JOANNI III. DOminatione Polonico Lithuanico Liberatione Austriaco Pannonico Profligatione Ottomanico Thracio Religione Christianissimo Pietate Catholico Zelo Apostolico Inter Duces pugnacissimo Inter Reges sapientissimo Inter Imperatores Augustissimo Cui Gloria militaris Regna peperit Clementia stabilivit Virtus perennavit Qui Raro pietatis constantiae exemplo propria deserens aliena defendens Docuit quo pacto sacra foederis jura Jungantur custodiantur compleantur Ottomani am lunam fulgentissimo crucis vexillo eternam Eclypsim minitantem Adeo prospere feliciterque finibus extirpavit Vt unum Idemque fuerit Venisse Vidisse Vicisse Igitur Inter innumeros Christiani Orbis plausus Inter vindicatam Religionis Imperii laetitiam Inter cruentae lunae extrema deliquia Agnoscant Praesentes Credant Posteri Non tantum enascenti Evangelio quo propagaretur Sed adulto ne profligaretur Vtrobique a Deo missum fuisse hominem Cui Nomen erat JOANNES He Marry'd the Lady Mary de la Grange the Daughter of the Marquiss now Cardinal d' Arquien and Widow of Prince Zamoiski He died June 17. 1696 being seiz'd with a Fit of an Apoplexy after a long Indisposition SOME REMARKS UPON THE GOVERNMENT OF POLAND 'T IS Worthy Observation as to the Election of a King in Poland that whereas the Nobility and Gentry are the Keepers Preservers and Defendors of the Liberty and Laws of the Country Now for fear of a Change in the Government as has happen'd in France Denmark Swedeland and Italy where the Nobility having been corrupted and brib'd with Honours and other Rewards by the Kings have by degrees remitted from time to time some of their Rights and Immunities ill at last they have fool'd themselves out of their Freedom into a Slavish Dependence on the Court the Republick of Poland warn'd by those Examples to avoid such a Fate has made a Law That the Election of a King must be Nemine Contradicente An Instance of this may be given in the Election of King Vladislaus the Fourth a most Warlike Prince who was Chosen King of Poland in consideration of the great Services he had done the Common-wealth with the unanimous Consent of the Whole Nobility excepting only one Deputy who made a Solemn Protestation against the Votes of all the Diet yet the said Prince could not be Crown'd without the Consent of
which he restores the Keys and makes some of the Burgesses of the City or of some other place Golden Knights by striking them softly with his Naked Sword upon the Shoulders This done the Treasurer of the Crown scatters some Pieces of Silver among the People at the same time the King goes to a House that looks into the Square and afterwards returns to the Castle with the same Train that Accompany'd him to the Town-house I have already observ'd that 't is the Interest of the King of Poland to get himself Crown'd as soon as 't is possible and I shall take this occasion to shew what advantage he receives by it 'T is certain that assoon as the Polish Noblemen have Chosen their King they begin to look upon him as an Usurper of their Liberties and on the other hand the King looks upon the Nobility as a Formidable Body that opposes all his Designs Now he cannot either weaken them or strengthen himself more effectually than by making 'em pay dear for the Favors he bestows upon ' em For 't is in his power to dispose of all the Offices Benesices and Royal Gifts which amonnt to a third part of all the Revenues of the Kingdom which he cannot do till after his Coronation Nevertheless the late King was so far from observing this Maxim that tho' he might have been Crown'd immediately after the Day of his Election which was May 19. 1674. he did not appoint the Day for his Coronation till Feb. 2. 1676. during which time he made Two Campagnes one in Vkrania and the other in Podolia As for that in Vkrania he set out from Warsaw August 22. 1674. and advanc'd towards Leopold where his Army was to Rendezvous There he was inform'd that the Queen his Wife lay sick at Casimirs upon the Vistula Whereupon he left the Camp at Leopold and arriv'd at Casimirs on the 8th of October Not long after he return'd to the Army because the Nights began to grow so cold that the Turks who are not accustom'd to such a Cold Climate began to think of retiring After the Turks had withdrawn their Forces the King led the Army of the Crown and that of Lithuania which both together amounted to about 30000 Men into Vkrania where he kept them so long that the Lithuanian Troops under the Command of the Great General Patz abandon'd him to avoid the Miserable Fate of the Polish Army which was so harass'd with Hunger and Cold that it was reduc'd to less than 3000 Men for the King staid in Vkrania till April and arriv'd on the 25th of that Month at Sloczow whither the Queen was come to receive him The Turks understanding that the Polish Army was ruin'd in Vkrania that the King was gone back with the Miserable Remnants of his Forces and that those of Lithuania had left him against his will they return'd with a Great Army in the beginning of July 1675 when the King was at Jawarow thinking of nothing but to refresh himself after the Fatigues of the Preceding Campaign But upon the first Advice of the March of the Ottoman Army which consisted of 30000 Turks and 80000 Tartars he set out from Jawarow the 10th of July and Marched in hast to Leopold which the Turks threatned to Besiege He Encamp'd near the City with about 3000 Men whom he had drawn together and the Turks being inform'd of his weakness sent a Body of 14000 Tartars to force his Camp but they durst not Attack him 'T was given out that a great number of Tartars were killed on the 24th of August 1675 in the Attack of the Camp at Leopold tho' 't is certain that there was only one Horse wounded with an Arrow For the Tartars retir'd without losing one of their Men or wounding one of their Enemies The Turks as I intimated before are not able to bear the extream coldness of the Winter in Poland for having once enter'd Russia with a formidable Army and not returning soon enough they were surpriz'd with so violent a Cold that above 40000 of 'em were Frozen to death and many were found dead in their Horses Bellies into which they had crept to secure themselves from the Cold. And 't is this that obliges them to retire out of Poland by the end of October at farthest CHAP. XX. Of the Queens of Poland HAVING Discours'd at length of the Kings of Poland and of their Election and Coronation it will not be improper to give some account of the Queens 'T is certainly of great Importance to the Republick that a King when he Marries should choose a Princess whose Alliance may be advantageous to the State And therefore this Article is inserted in the Paeta Conventa which the New King Swears to observe that he shall not Marry without the Consent of the Republick For they are as much concern'd as the King himself in the Choice of a Queen tho' the Polish Nobility are not oblig'd to Choose any of his Children to Succeed him So that a King of Poland cannot Marry without the Consent of the Republick unless he resolve to violate his Oath and expose himself to the Jealousy and Hatred of His people who are not easily pacify'd on such occasions Thus when Sigismund III. Marry'd Ann of Austria without the Consent of the Republick and caused her to be Crown'd at Cracow in the Year 1592 he met with so much opposition in the Diet that was afterwards held at Warsaw that he was forc'd to acknowledge his Fault As a King of Poland cannot Marry without the Consent of the Republick so he cannot Divorce his Wife without the same Approbation For when Sigismund Augustus the last of the Race of the Jagellons separated from Elizabeth of Austria because of a Crime with which she was falsly charg'd and after her Death Marry'd one Radziwill a Widow of a Palatin of Troki The Senators were so exasperated that they had almost proceeded to declare the Throne Vacant because he slighted his Fair and Chast Queen and Wife and Marry'd the Widow of a simple Palatin without the Consent of the Republick But Vladislaus the IV. pursu'd wiser Maxims He was sensible of the danger of Irritating a stubborn and seditious People and had a more tender regard to the Articles he had Sworn to observe For when the King of England offer'd him his Niece the Elector Palatine's Daughter in Marriage he declin'd the Match and declar'd that he neither cou'd nor wou'd Marry without the Consent of the Republick which in that case he could not expect to obtain because the Princess was a Protestant When a King of Poland Marries after his Coronation the Queen cannot be Crown'd without the Consent of the Republick But if he be Marry'd before he may cause her also to be Crown'd without asking their Consent So that the Report which was spread abroad after the Election of the late King John III was false and groundless for 't was given out That the Queen his Wife would
be useless for as things are now disposed there is no likelihood that this Affair will be decided by the Laws of Equity However we may venture to say that there were some irregularities in both Elections but much more in that of the Prince of Conti and that the irregular proceedings in the other were chiefly occasioned by the partiality of the Primate The French Party exclaim very much against the Bishop of Cujavia for having Proclaim'd the Elector of Saxony but whatever they may say this Prelate is not to be blamed as to that point 'T is true it belongs to the Arch-Bishop of Gnesna to Proclaim the Kings of Poland but this is to be understood when the Election is Unanimous for if it were in the Power of the Primate alone to Proclaim a King the Election would never be Free and he might at that rate Proclaim whom he should please It appears by the foregoing account that the Elector of Saxony had the Majority of Voices on his side and this is enough to justify their proceedings seeing the Primate and his Party ought to have Submitted Money being the only Soul that enlivens the Affairs of Poland it were more to the purpose to enquire which of the two Competitors can spare most money for let their Right be what it will the first who wants money will be in the wrong and lose the Crown but the Case is now different the Elector is Crowned and has a good Army of his own and needs not to rely intirely on the Fidelity of his Party That Prince is certainly very Rich but yet his Purse bears no proportion with that of the French King who having already spent so much will neglect nothing at all to set the Prince of Conti upon the Throne The Winter drawing nigh the Baltick Sea will be Unnavigable and likely none of the German Princes will give him leave to march an Army into Poland through their Territories so that the Prince of Conti has nothing to rely upon but his Party which is very precarious for after all 't is likely that the Poles will open their eyes and consider that they have nothing to fear from France whereas they must expect a continual War with Germany if this present King receives any disgrace and is oblig'd to retire into his own Country insomuch that altho they should beat him out of the Kingdom the controversy would not be at an end for his Dominions bordering upon Poland he may invade them at any time These Reasons are so strong that one would think they should have already prevailed upon the Poles but their Mercenary Nobility is Influenc'd only by Gold and does not care for the Publick Good so long as they find their Private Interest in Intestine Divisions The Court of Rome who had a great Share in the Election of the King of Poland keeps now an exact Neutrality but those Refin'd Politicians will soon Declare for one of the Competitors and doubtless for the Present King because of the Great Advantage they expect from the Conversion of that Prince to their Religion which certainly weakens much the Protestant Interest in Germany The Long Continuance of the Prince of Conti in the Road of Dantzick without offering to go on Shoar is an Ill Omen for his Affairs and seeing his Party have resolved to give him only the Title of Protector of the Religion and the Liberties of Poland 't is doubted whether he will Accept of it it being a Tacit Confession that his Election was Illegal but if he does not scruple to take it 't is likely that he will make himself such a Sort of Protector as Oliver Cromwell was and perhaps the Historians of this Age will say of him in case he Succeeds what was said of the Successor of Julius Caesar Augustus Arma quae in Antonium acceperat in Rempublicam vertit And really I would not blame him for it for he must needs spend as much Money as the Crown of Poland is Worth and perhaps a great deal more But I must give over Conjectures time will soon bring this Great Controversy to an End The Reader must not expect here a Caracter of the King of Poland this undertaking is above my reach therefore I must break off my Discourse after having observ'd that he was Born May 12th 1670. Second Son to John George Elector of Saxony and of Anne Sophia Sister of the Present King of Denmark He has made several Campaigns on the Rhine and Flanders and after his Brothers Death he Commanded in Chief the Imperial Army in Hungary in the years 1695. and 1696. and has shewed on all Occasions an Extraordinary Bravery He Marry'd before he was Elector the Daughter of the Markgrave of Bareith of the House of Brandenburgh His Majesty is of a very strong Constitution and parhaps the Strongest Man alive FINIS
which they may rise to that of Chancellour and both those Officers must be Ecclesiasticks Next to the Great Secretaries are the Referendaries of the Crown and Dutchy there are Two of them in each State one a Lay-man and the other an Ecclesiastick They present Petitions to the King and return His Majesty's Answer And tho' they are not Members of the Senate they have a Privilege to sit by the Senators in Judgements of Processes upon Information to give their Advice and afterwards to Pronounce the Sentence that is given 'T is to be observ'd that all the Judges and Officers of Justice all the Advocates Proctors Registers and Notaries wear a Sabre or Scimitar by their side and do not lay it aside either when they Judge or Plead a Cause and that they have no other Garb than what they usually wear There are Four General Officers of the Army in Poland 2 for the Crown and 2 for Lithuania viz. A Great General and a Petty or Lieutenant-General Those Generals of the Army have no Place in the Senate unless they be Palatines or Castellans or be possest of some of those Offices which Entitle 'em to a Place in the Senate The Great General Commands the Whole Army and has Power to Quarter the Troops where he pleases the King himself not being able to hinder him And this Power is so considerable that it makes a Great General formidable to all the Nobility His Office is to take care that the Soldiers which are Levy'd for the Service of the Republick commit no Disorders that the Members of the Diets may not be over-aw'd by the Army He Helds the Army Orders its Encampments puts it in Battalia and gives the Signal of Battel and of Retreat he takes care of the Convoys and Ammunitions sets a Price on every thing that is Sold in the Army Regulates the Weights and Measures and Punishes Offenders The Office of the Petty General is to take Care of those who are appointed for Guards and of the Parties that are sent out to discover the Enemy He Commands the Foreign Troops and even the Whole Army in the absence of the General and succeeds him in course upon the occasion of a Vacancy There are many other Offices in the Army the most considerable of which is that of the Great Standard-bearer and the next that of Great Master of the Artillery As for the Offices of the Court the most Considerable are those of the Great Chamberlain Great Master of the Horse and the Steward or Master of the Houshold Besides all those Offices there are others in the Palatinats as Chamberlains Masters of the Houshold and many others for the Provinces of Poland were formerly divided among several Princes each of whom had their particular Officers and tho' those Provinces have been long since Re-united to the Crown yet the Officers still contiâ—â—e and enjoy certain Honorary Privileges the chief of which is that they serve the King in their Palatinates when the Officers of the Court are absent CHAP. XIII Of the Interregnum AN Interregnum may happen Four several ways by the Death of the Prince by His voluntary and Public Abdication by His Forc'd and Iavoâ—â—ntary Deposition or by His Flight 〈◊〉 Going out of the Kingdom but the most usual is by the Death of the King whose Body is immediately laid upon a Bed of State and some Senators both Ecclesiastick and Secular are chosen to attend him In the mean time the Republick Orders all the Necessary Expences for the Ceremony to be taken out of the Treasures left by the Deceased King The same Honours are also given to the Queens after their Decease as I had occasion to observe at the Death of Queen Mary Louise who dy'd at Warsaw May 10. 1667. in the Palace which King John Casimir her Husband had in the Suburbs The next day She was carry'd to the Castle where She was expos'd on a Bed of State till She was remov'd to Cracow to be Interr'd She Dy'd about the end of a Diet and almost suddenly of a Defluxion upon Her Lungs occasion'd by a too long and earnest Dispute with General Patz about an Affair She had propos'd to him which he would not consent to For that Princess was so fond of Intriguing and so desirous to Govern the State alone that She was in a manner Jealous of the King her Husband who durst not speak to any Woman in private least she shou'd imagine that he was Govern'd by another This troublesome Constraint made him so uneasie that he was not much afflicted at Her Death for the same Night he return'd from the Diet to the Palace to see a Person whom He had Lov'd before but durst never entertain during the Queens Life The Interregnum may also happen by a Voluntary Abdication when a King freely Resigns the Crown into the Hands of the Republick But 't is very rare to see a King Descend Voluntarily from the Throne and few will imitate the Example of King John Casimir who after he had Reign'd Twenty years with the Love of all the Nobility made a Publick Resignation in St. John's Church at Warsaw Septemb. 16. 1668. Notwithstanding the Earnest Solicitations of the Whole Senate and of all the Nobility to make Him alter His Resolution and the Tears that were shed by all the People at the Sight of so Dismal a Revolution For he was so Universally Belov'd by the Nobility and Senate that they voluntarily Assign'd Him a Yearly Pension of 50000 Crowns as a Testimony of their Acknowledgment towards a Prince who had Govern'd them so well Nevertheless that Pension was never Paid tho it was afterwards Inserted in the Pacta Conventa which King Michael Swore to observe after His Election The Abdicated King went to France where he died at Nevers December 16. 1672. I cannot on this occasion forbear taking notice of an odd Circumstance in the Fate of that Prince and His Queen for the latter quitted France and went to Poland where She dy'd in Her Husband's City and the former left Foland and went to France where he dy'd in His Wive's City Innovation are always dangerous to a State and threaten it with some Fatal Revolution which the Polanders considering endeavour'd to prevent the consequences of so unusual an Action causing an Article to be Inserted into the Pacta Conventa which they made King Michael Swear to observe That never any King should be suffered to Abdicate for the future but that Article was left out in the Pacta which King John the IIId Swore after his Election in the Church of St. John at Warsaw June 5. 1674. An Interregnum may be also occasion'd by the Deposing of a Prince either for Heresie or some other Notorious Crime as in the Case of Locticus who was Depos'd for his excessive Debauchery and Succeeded by Wenceslaus King of Bobemia was chosen King of Poland in the Year 1300. But those Instances are very rare as well as the Examples of a