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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69789	The history of Poland. vol. 2 in several letters to persons of quality, giving an account of the antient and present state of that kingdom, historical, geographical, physical, political and ecclesiastical ... : with sculptures, and a new map after the best geographers : with several letters relating to physick / by Bern. Connor ... who, in his travels in that country, collected these memoirs from the best authors and his own observations ; publish'd by the care and assistance of Mr. Savage.	Connor, Bernard, 1666?-1698.; Savage, John, 1673-1747.	1698 (1698)	Wing C5889; ESTC R8630	198,540	426

Frederic Augustus the Present King of POLAND The History of POLAND IN Several LETTERS to Persons of Quality Giving an Account of the Present State of that Kingdom VIZ. Historical Political Physical and Ecclesiastical The Form of Government The King's Power Court and Revenues The Senate Senators and other Officers The Religion Diet and little Diets with other Assemblies and Courts of Justice The Inter-regnum Election and Coronation of a King and Queen with all the Ceremonies The present Condition of the Gentry and Commonalty as likewise The Genius Characters Languages Customs Manners Military Affairs Trade and Riches of the Poles Together with an Account of the City of Dantzic The Origin Progress and Present State of the Teutonic Order and the Successions of all its Great Masters Likewise The Present State of Learning Natural Knowledge Practice of Physick and Diseales in Poland And lastly A Succinct Description of the Dutchy of Curland and the Livonian Order with a Series of the several Dukes and Provincial Masters To this is also added A Table for each Volume And a Sculpture of the Diet in Session With some Memoirs from Baron Blomberg VOL. II. By BERNARD CONNOR M. D. Fellow of the Royal Society and Member of the College of Physicians who in his Travels in that Country Collected these Memoirs from the best Authors and his own Observations Compos'd and Publish'd by ●ir SAVAGE LONDON Printed for Da● Brown without Templ-Bar ' and A. Roper and T. Leigh both in Il et-street 1698. D R. CONNOR ' S PREFACE IN my PREFACE to the First Volume of this Historical Relation of POLAND I have mention'd my Incapacity for Matters of this Nature both because I was only Twelve Months in that Kingdom and because I have no Talent or Genius for History I thought Writing it by way of LETTERS in Imitation of some of our Neighbours would be more easie to my self and more acceptable to the Publick I am proud to have this happy Occasion of giving the Honourable Persons I write to so publick a Testimony of my Respects I am sorry in the same time I cannot have Leisure to honour my self in writing to the Noble Persons mention'd in the Second Volume as I have had in the First I follow a Profession so remote from HISTORY particularly a Polish one that it neither allows me Time nor leaves me any Inclination to attend any other Business I hope notwithstanding the Persons I promis'd to write to will be pleas'd to excuse me for not being able to keep my Word to them as I flatter'd my self I could since the ingenious Gentleman I desir'd to undertake this Work will give them the same Satisfaction he having already assisted me in my First Volume and having had all my Memoirs for this Second THE Antient and Present STATE OF POLAND PART II. The Present State LETTER I. To His Grace THOMAS Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Of the Form of the Government in Poland and of the King's Power Court and Revenues My LORD THAT high Station wherewith the King has Recompenc'd Your Merits and the great Trust His Majesty has reposed in Your GRACE during his Absence shews his Confidence in Your Ability as well to Govern the State as the Church Since therefore being lately Invested with a share of the Regal Authority you had occasion to know more intimately Our King's Power and Prerogatives I thought my self oblig'd to give Your GRACE an Account of those of the King of Poland to the end that comparing both together you might more sensibly perceive the Excellency of our Own Constitution which makes the Greatness of the King inseparable from the Interest of the People For when the Executive Power is as vigilant to see our Laws obey'd as the Legislative has been provident in making them England can justly boast of a much greater Happiness than either Poland or any other Kingdom of Europe Having My LORD not been a full Twelve Month at the late King of Poland's Court I cannot pretend to be throughly acquainted with that Kingdom yet I find that like most other Countries it has undergone several Changes in its Constitution since the middle of the VIth Century at which time it began to be a distinct Nation during the Reigns of the two great Houses of Piastus and Jagello Ever since the time of Lechus its Founder the Kings thereof have been Elected to the Crown after an Hereditary manner tho' not by an Hereditary Title They have really been Absolute and their Will went for a Law for then they made Peace and War when they pleas'd Levied as many Troops as they thought fit Punish'd or Pardon'd at Pleasure and Rewarded where they saw Convenient And all the Administration either of Public or Private Affairs was so wholly lodg'd in the King's Hands that I have heard the Poles themselves say That Sigismund II. the last King of the Jagellonic Family was to the full as Absolute as either the King of France or Denmark is now Whilst the Kings of Poland thus maintained a Supream Power over their Subjects they exceedingly enlarged their Dominions were both fear'd Abroad and belov'd at Home Commanded Potent and Numerous Armies into the Field Executed most Enterprizes speedily and were almost always sure of Success and this because they did not then as now depend upon the lingering Determination and tedious Conclusions of a Turbulent Diet. But the Family of Jagello being once Extinct by the Death of Sigismund II. who had resign'd his Kingdom to the Senate and Polish Gentry and given them full Power and Authority to dispose thereof as they thought fit the Crown of Poland was anew declared Elective to the end that all the Princes of Christendom who had due Merits and Qualifications might have a Right to Aspire thereunto This gave occasion to most of the Princes of Europe ever since to Court the Polish Nobility after their King's Death And that either to get the succeeding Election determined in their own Favour or else to have some of their Friends Advanced to that great Dignity but this most commonly rather with regard to their own private Interests than out of any Respect to the Person they desired to Promote as the Houses of Austria and Bourbon have always practis'd The Gentry of Poland therefore observing that several Princes at a time always Aspir'd to their Crown and considering that not one of them had more Right than the rest as likewise that it lay altogether in their Power to choose whom they pleased resolved Unanimously to Elect none but such as should Condescend nay Swear to observe the Terms and Conditions they proposed Hereby the Poles by degrees have clip'd and limited the Antient Power of their Kings and have reduc'd them to the Bounds we now find them to have that is barely to a third Part of the Grand Diet For the Poles knew very well that no Prince would be so Imprudent as to scruple Submitting to

more Particulars relating to the King of Poland but this is what I thought most material to be mention'd and what I cou'd only learn in so small a Time as I have lived in that Country I beg your GRACE's Pardon for tiring your Patience with so long and imperfect an Account and desire my Lord you wou'd receive this at least as a Testimony of my good Will of satisfying your Curiosity and of owning your many Favours to My LORD Your GRACE's Most Obedient Servant BERNARD CONNOR The following Letters intended at first to be Written by Dr. Connor were Compiled by Mr. Savage the Doctor not having Leisure to attend them from his Practice LETTER II. To His Grace HENRY Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England Of the Senate and Senators of Poland both Ecclesiastical and Temporal With an Account of the Present Religion in Poland and Lithuania As also of the State-Officers and Officers of Districts belonging as well to the Kingdom as the Great Dutchy My LORD YOUR Grace's High Birth and Station in our Government together with Your Primary Right of Suffrage in our House of Lords entitle you in a Superlative manner to the Patronage of this Letter Wherefore I was glad to meet with an occasion so favourable to pay my Duty to Your GRACE and I could heartily wish it had been on a Subject that I were more Master of than in an Account of a Country which I never saw yet that you may give some Credit to the Truth of my Relation I dare humbly assure you that I have mention'd nothing therein but what I either had out of Dr. Connor's Memoirs learn'd from his own Mouth or drew from such Books as both the Doctor and Other Persons of Credit have own'd to be Authentic and most Correct My LORD The Senate of Poland is an Order of Nobles between the King and common Gentry establish'd to rule and govern according to Law and to observe the Conduct of the King And moreover they are to apply themselves to study the publick Good and the Preservation of the Privileges of the People It consists at present of a far greater Number of Persons than formerly It is the King that makes every Senator but who being once so made is to continue his Office for Life At the Time of his Creation he is oblig'd to take a solemn Oath to conserve inviolable the Rights and Liberties of the Republic so that if the King himself had a mind to extend his Power and Authority beyond the Limits prescrib'd him by the Laws every Senator's Oath alone would oblige him to acquaint his Majesty with due Respect of his Duty and Obligation Nay every Nuncio in the grand Diet assumes this Liberty For in that Place dicunt quae sentiunt sentiunt quae velint as may appear by an insolent Affront put upon the late King John Sobieski who having been call'd Tyrant Nero and many other opprobrious Names by some of the Deputies and not being able to bear it he started up and threatned them laying his Hand on his Sword That had he been the great General still he would have done something whereat one of them rising likewise and clapping his Hand to his Sword reply'd and that Sword would have done something too Another Passage I have read of Lewis King of Hungary and Poland who having been basely abus'd in the Diet stood up and cry'd Si non essem Rex whereto the Orator briskly reply'd Si non fuisses Rex These Senators are likewise bound to see that nothing be done against their Privileges and therefore four of them are always deputed to attend the King with their Advice Besides these four who are ever actually the King's Counsel any of the others in like manner have a Right to assist at the Council-Board if they think fit The Presence of these Senators is look'd upon to be so absolutely necessary for the Good of the Kingdom that not one of 'em can travel upon whatsoever Account without Leave of the Republic This Custom is taken from the Romans who not only forbid the Senators but also their Sons to go beyond the Verge of Italy This Title of Senator the King cannot bestow by it self but it is always annex'd to one of the four Dignitys of Bishops Castellans or Palatins The Ten Crown-Officers all which the King names whereof Palatins are Lord-Lieutenants of Provinces Castellans are Governours who have not their Names from Castles as the Word might reasonably import but from commanding a Portion of a Province in Time of War The ten Crown-Officers are the Marshals Chancellors and Treasurers of the Kingdom and Bishops preside over their several Diocesses with an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction When any one is nam'd a Bishop Palatin Castellan or any of the ten Officers of the Crown he is immediately a Senator without more ado Their Business is to serve faithfully the King and Republick in the Senate at home to administer Justice by Commission or otherwise and abroad with Consent of the Diet to exercise foreign Ministrys c. These Senators of Poland value their Dignities so highly that they despise almost all other Titles of Honour whatever and therefore when Sigismund I. went to Vienna and the Emperour offer'd the Title of Princes of the Empire to the several Senators that came along with him they absolutely refus'd 'em giving for Reason That being born Gentlemen of Poland and thereby having a Right to treat either of Peace or War with their King they believ'd it an Injury to their Dignity to have a Prince of the Empire thought superiour This Senate consists either of Ecclesiastical or Secular Members The Ecclesiastical are either Archbishops or Bishops and are the chief Members of the Senate Their Number at present is but sixteen Three of these Bishopricks are now in the Enemies Hands though they nevertheless have titular Bishops viz. Smolensko and Kiovia possess'd by the Moscovites and Caminiec enjoy'd by the Turks So that there remain but thirteen Bishopricks actually in the King's Dominions of which but two are Archbishopricks viz. those of Gnesna and Leopol When any of the aforesaid three Bishopricks are vacant there are always those ready that will beg their Titles meerly to have the Honour to sit as Senators The several Diocesses belonging to all these Bishopricks are Archiepiscopal of Gnesna and Leopol Episcopal of Cracow Cujavia and Pomerania Vilna Posnan Plocksko or Plosko Varmia Luceoria or Lucko Premislia or Premislaw Samegitia Culm Chelm Kiovia Caminiec and Smolensko Subject to the two Archbishops are the other Bishops and first to the Archbishop of Gnesna are the several Bishops of Cracow Vladislaw Posnan Plosko Vilna Varmia Samogitia and Culm And next to the Archbishop of Leopol are the Bishops of Chelm Caminiec Luceoria Premislia and Kiovia The Archbishop of Gnesna is not only Chief of the Bishops but also of all the other Senators of Poland He is

Name by her Chancellor After which they march to the Szopa where the Nobility elect their Marshal or Speaker by Majority of Votes who after being chosen takes the usual Oath which runs thus That he will discharge his Office faithfully receive no Bribes keep private Correspondence with none of the Competitors and will not subscribe a Schedule of a free Election without the Knowledge and Approbation of the Republick After this he goes to wait on the Senators for their Approbation It must be understood that the Senators only sit in the Szopa for the Deputies have their Session in the open Field which they call their Rota Equestris The first thing that the Senators and Nuncios or deputed Gentry do in this Diet after establishing of the Kaptur is to take a mutual Oath on their Knees administred by the Prmate to a strict Union and Intelligence among themselves for the common Interest of the Nation Next not to acknowledge any for their King but him that is lawfully elected by the unanimous Consent and who must withal swear to preserve inviolable the Rights and Privileges of the Republick and they moreover promise mutually that he who will act otherwise shall be deem'd and declar'd an Enemy to his Country Likewise they reciprocally promise not to give their Voices for an Election nor to enter into any Agreement with any of the Candidates or their Embassadors till all the Irregularities or Disorders either in the Kingdom or the Great Dutchy be first consider'd and redress'd They annul all the Decrees of the Tribunals and even the Statutes of Kings that are found to entrench on their Liberties They declare that all other Judgments pronounc'd before the Publication of the Interregnum shall be valid They set up a new Court of Justice call'd Kaptur which is to Defend the Country Coin Money Raise Soldiers and for Maintaining of the Laws They give Orders that no Body shall come to the Diet with Fire-Arms nor bring any Strangers along with them They cause the Generals to take on Oath before Commissioners to discharge the Trust repos'd in them faithfully to employ their Forces against the Enemies of the Republick and to defend the Frontiers thereby to secure the Honour and Liberties of the Kingdom They oblige them also to swear to assert the publick Interest in Case of Sedition or Rebellion to restrain Soldiers from injuring any Person to receive Money neither from Clergy nor Laity and to prevent their Soldiers from receiving any And lastly they forbid them to advance with their Troops into the Heart of the Kingdom and more especially to come near the Diet for Fear of being forc'd to an Election against their free Will And providing the Republick should be attack'd by such a Force as the Army were not strong enough to resist then they declare that from that very Minute they summon all the Nobility to meet together without Delay at the Time and Place which the Primate and his Council shall appoint that the Review of the Soldiers rais'd in general by the Republick or in particular by the Palatinaetes shall be made in the Camp that each Palatinate shall take care to pay its own Troops and not disband any but such as the general Diet shall think fit to dismiss They forbid the Treasurers of the Crown or Great Dutchy to give out any Money without Knowledge and Approbation of the Archbishop and his Council but only for Payment of the Troops of the Republick They order that skilful and honest Persons shall be sent to visit the Salt-Works and to regulate all Reparations that shall be found necessary there and in the last Place that the Deputies of certain Cities shall not be admitted to the Diet till they have sufficiently prov'd their Right to come thither In short the Poles in this Diet take all the Measures and Care imaginable to secure their Frontiers maintain the Kingdom in Peace and Quietness to settle a good Intelligence among themselves and lastly to prevent Bribery or any private Interest in any of the Members of the Diet that might tend to hinder a free and unanimous Election Matters being thus dispos'd they immediately proceed to the Election examining first the Exorbitances that is to say the Disorders and Excesses committed during the last Reign to the end that they may prevent the like for the future These Exorbitances are not examin'd by the whole Session either of the Senators or Deputies but by a certain Number assign'd out of both who sit a-Mornings in the Castle of Warsaw Then the Diet gives Audience to the Ambassadors both of those Princes that pretend to the Crown and those that recommend others to it sending first a great Train of Coaches to wait on them to the Rota Equestris whither it must be understood that on this Occasion the Senate goes When these Embassadors are thus sent for the Pope's Nuncio is always preferr'd then comes the Emperour's Embassador next the French and after these the Spanish But since the Diet of Election conven'd at Warsaw after the Death of Sigismundus Augustus when the Spanish Embassador demanded Audience before the King of France who notwithstanding was preferr'd Spain has sent no Embassador on this Account into Poland for as for Don Pedro Ronquillos who was present at the Diet of Election of John III. he durst never assume either the Title or Quality of Embassador for Fear he should be forc'd to give Place to the Embassador of France The Manner of receiving these Embassadors is this The Pope's Legate is introduc'd by a certain Number of the Ecclesiastical and Lay-Senators as likewise by the Marshal of the Deputies and an assign'd Number out of their Body The Inter-Rex arising out of his Chair moves two or three Steps to meet him and places him on his Right-Hand The secular Embassadors are introduc'd by some of the Lay-Senators and Deputies only The Emperour's Minister is plac'd by them between the Great Marshal and the Nuncio-Marshal When the Embassadors receive Audience they make their Harangue in Latin to which the Archbishop that presides answers for the Senators and the Nuncio-Marshal for the Nobility It is absolutely necessary for all Ministers that have any Interests of their Masters to carry on in the Diet to be not only eloquent but liberal and generous that by their Treats Feasts and chiefly their Money they may gain or purchase the Good Will and Suffrages of the Senate and Gentry It is so essentially requisite for Embassadors to make a great Figure keep an open Table spend a vast deal of Money and to make considerable Presents that if the Diet do but in the least suspect any Avarice or Niggardliness in them they will presently impute it to the Poverty of the Prince that sent them which would prove no small Obstruction either to his Election or Interest in Behalf of any body else Embassadors must likewise take more than ordinary Care to keep in with