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
him none In the mean time the Cham drove his Brothers out of the Peninsula without the Grand Signior's assistance whom he suspected to be the Contriver and Promoter of the Rebellion concluding that if he had not had such a design he would have deliver'd 'em up long before or at least would have kept 'em so secure that they could not have made their escape At the some time Amurath who was still engag'd in the War with the Persians sent to require Muchmetkirey's Assistance no longer as a Friend but as a Master and in a haughty and imperious manner which so enrag'd the Cham that he began to commit Hostilities against the Grand Signior without declaring War He besieg'd the City of Caffa and press'd it so hard in a few days that the Turks who were not in a posture of defence because they were not afraid of being attack'd by a Prince who was their Ally had resolv'd to surrender it in two days time if they were not reliev'd Then Amurath who was extreamly alarm'd at so unexpected an Expedition sont for one Assan a Tartar whom he had kept a long time Prisoner and who was said to be the Bastard-brother of Machmetkirey He spoke to him in a very obliging manner and told him that if he would obey his Orders he would advance him to great Honours that the Cham of Tartary had declar'd War against him without any reason that he was a Tyrant and abus'd his Subjects so barbarously that they were no longer able to bear his Cruelties and that if he would undertake to invade Crim Tartary he would furnish him with Mony and an Army to deliver his Countrymen from their inhuman Oppressor Assan who had never dreamt of exchanging his Chains for a Scepter transported with Joy at the prospect of so happy a turn in his Fortune readily accepted Amurath's Offer He was declar'd Viceroy of Tartary under the protection of the Grand Signior to whom he took an Oath of Fidelity and to all his Successors in the Ottoman Empire and afterwards having receiv'd the Golden Standard as a Mark of his Investiture he departed from Constantinople with 40 Galleys commanded by General Ochiali and arriv'd in a few days at Caffa just as that City was going to be surrender'd to Machmetkirey After he had reliev'd Caffa he endeavour'd by Presents and Promises to gain the principal persons among the Tartars to his side and to induce them either to kill the Cham or to deliver him up alive to him He found it no difficult Task to debauch their Fidelity for the Grand Signior had furnish'd him with a great quantity of Money and 't is the general weakness of the Oriental Nations that they are very easily brib'd Thus having secur'd a considerable number of them and even some of the Chain 's most faithful Friends he caus'd him to be massacr'd with his two Sons after which he was acknowledg'd Cham of the Tartars and acquir'd the Esteem and Affection of his Subjects by his extraordinary Liberality to them 'T was thus that the Crim Tartars who till then were a free People became Vassals to their ancient Allies and by the way this may serve to shew us what success may be expected from an Alliance with the Turks The Tartars are naturally so barbarous and cruel and of so haughty and imperious a temper that they despise all those who profess the Faith of Christ and look upon them as Beasts so that when they obtain any Advantage over them they impose insupportable Conditions upon them Thus the Tartars who inhabit along the Volga impos'd very shameful and dishonourable Conditions upon the Muscovites when they forc'd 'em to pay tribute to 'em anno 1470. After they had ravag'd Muscovy and subdu'd part of the Country they made a Peace with the Muscovites upon these Conditions That the Czar or Great Duke should pay a yearly tribute to the Tartars which he should be oblig'd to send to them on Horseback that he should go himself on foot with all the Lords of his Court to meet the person who should come to demand the said tribute even tho it were but a Postillion or Groom that the Czar should in a very respectful manner present him with a Pot of Mares-Milk to drink that if any one drop of it should happen to be spilt upon his Horse's Mane the Duke himself should be oblig'd to lick it off with his Tongue that he should spread a fine Sable Furr under the Feet of him who should read the Prince of Tartary's Letters that he and all the Lords of Muscovy should hear them read upon their Knees and that they should blindly obey all his Orders even tho he should command them to make War against the Christians In the Year 1226 in the Reign of Boleslaus Pudicus the Crim Tartars made a terrible Irruption into Poland over-run all the Palatinate of Lublin and having passed the Vistula at Zavichost ravaged the Country and carried away a great Booty into Russia After they had secur'd their Prey they return'd to Poland where they committed far greater Barbarities and as if the whole Kingdom had not been sufficient to satisfie their insatiable Desire of Plunder they march'd as far as Silesia where the Dukes of Oppelen Ratibor and Lignitz having joyn'd the Teutonic Knights and the Troops of Great Poland resolv'd to attack them but were themselves unfortunately defeated and the slaughter was so great that the Barbarians carried away with 'em nine Sacks full of Ear-rings which they had cut from the Christians after the Battle Some time after in the same Reign the Tartars return'd into Poland with a great Army accompanied by Leo and Romanus Dukes of Russia who tho' they profess'd the Christian Faith scrupl'd not to join with its mortal Enemies After they had over-run the Palatinates of Lublin Sandomir and Cracow they retir'd into their own Country but the Dukes of Russia being also desirous to enrich themselves with Booty made Incursions into Massovia and Lithuania where Boleslaus defeated them and Romanus was afterwards kill'd at Zavichost a small City on the Vistula about two leagues below Sandomir But as if those first Incursions which the Tartars made into Poland had only serv'd for a Whet to their ravenous Appetites they return'd again in the Reign of Leseus Niger in the year 1279 with a terrible Army and carried away so many Slaves that having counted them at Vlodzimirs a Town of Vpper Volhinia on the Frontiers of Russia they found that there were Twenty thousand young Women among the Captives I might venture to affirm that the Tartars have invaded Poland in the Reigns of almost all its Kings In that of John Albert they made an Irruption into Volhinia in the year 1493. And in the same Reign being joyn'd by the Turks they made such a dreadful Incursion into that miserable Country that after they had sacked Premislia Jeroslaw and several other Cities they carried away above One hundred thousand
for the Consideration of the Money that several Candidates for their Crown must needs bring into their Kingdom In the mean time the Candidates began to make Parties and notwithstanding the Natives of Poland were Excluded by an Article of the Association afore mention'd Prince James and Prince Alexander his Brother appear'd amongst the others who made Interest for the Throne They had for Competitors the Prince of Conti Prince Lewis of Baden and the Duke of Lorrrain for the Duke of Bavaria would not appear and order'd his Minister the Abbot Scarlati to Sollicit for Prince James The Divisions in the Royal Family were very favourable to Forreign Candidates but they were happily extinguished by the Reconciliation of Prince James with his Mother and thereby their Interest which was divided before was reunited and Prince Alexander quitted his Pretensions The Primate contributed much to this Reconciliation which gave occasion to believe that he was not so deeply ingaged in the Interest of France as it was at first reported and as it appeared afterwards Prince James wanted neither Merit nor Money and yet by an unaccountable Fatality he was not much belov'd by the Poles tho they had been Witnesses of his Valour in several Rencounters It was thought that the Emperor would have Declared for that Prince because he had the Honour to be His Imperial Majesties Brother-in-Law but the Imperial Court was always upon the Reserve and what hapned in the Election shewed that the Emperor was Engaged for another The Prince of Conti is certainly endowed with Excellent Qualities and tho he has not met at the Court of France the Encouragement or Reward he deserved and though the Most Christian King has not thought fit to trust him with the Command of his Armies yet all the World owns that he was very Worthy of that Great Employment And most are of Opinion that the French King was Afraid of his Capacity Whatever it be the King of Poland was no sooner Dead but the King of France thought of Promoting the Prince of Conti to the Throne and the Abbot of Polignac his Minister in his Speech to the Dyet that was in August Magnify'd very much the Zeal and Affection the King his Master had always had for the Interests of the Republick and gave some hints to let them understand that his Kindness was so Great as to have Chosen a Successor to their King worthy of their Crown This was not expressed in plain Terms for it was not time to do it but he began few days after his Cabal and made use of such Artifices to render the Royal Family Odious to the People that the Queen was oblig'd to forbid him Her Presence and to Complain of him to the King of France who disown'd in Publick the Conduct of his Minister though likely it was Approved in Secret The French knowing that Money is the best Recommendation in Poland the Prince of Conti was Perswaded to Sell or rather Mortgage his Estate and the French King Remitted Vast Sums of Money to His Ministers which Gained him so great a Party that the House of Austria thought it was high time to think of Preventing his Election and therefore to redouble their Intreague If Merit alone had been sufficient to Raise a Prince to the Throne of Poland there is no doubt but Prince Lewis of Baden would have carry'd the Crown but His Highness wanting Money his Party was so inconsiderable that when the Election came on they were not taken notice of and as to the young Duke of Lorrain neither the Great Actions of his Father nor the Letter of the Queen his Mother to the Senate was able to gain her Friends enough to stand it out against Prince James and Prince of Conti. The Winter was spent in Intreagues and a great many Libels came out upon the Subject some Writing for Prince James others for the Prince of Conti and others against both The Nephew of Prince Sapieha was then at Paris and having spent his Money was Arrested for Debt The Prince of Conti having Notice thereof came himself to the Prison Paid all his Debts and gave him what Money he wanted to return home This young Gentleman was so sensible of the Generosity of that Prince and of the Civility wherewith he had accompanyed that Service that he Proclaimed it in Poland and ingaged his Unckle into his Interest However Prince James seemed to have the Stronger Party till the Death of the late King of Sweden which happen'd on the 17th of April 1697. That Prince who knew what Pretensions the Poles have upon Livonia was against the Election of any Foreign Prince but especially the Prince of Conti and as on the other side the Republick was obliged to have a great regard to the Recommendation of that Prince 't is believed Prince James would have been Elected for many of those who appear'd afterwards against him seem'd the most Zealous for his Interests The time of the Election drawing nigh the Queen thought fit to Remove a Second time from VVarsaw to Dantzick to avoid the Troubles that were occasion'd by her Presence in the last Diet and in the mean time Prince James with Count Jablonowsky General of the Crown and all the Party of the Emperor did their utmost to Ruin the Interest of the Prince of Conti and because they suspected the Rebellion of the Army to be fomented and incouraged by the French the Queen gave a Great Sum of Money to the Crown-General to endeavour to break off their Confederacy and thereupon a New Negotiation was set on foot with the Ringleaders of the Troops in which the Accompts of their Arrears were Adjusted between their own Deputies and those of the Republick and all other Points were so far setled that every body thought their Confederacy at an end However the Treaty broke off at the Instigation of one of their Officers who spread in the Army That the Crown-General had Declared That he would Cut off the Heads of their General and of some others Whereupon they declared They would hearken to no Accommodation and Baronowsky Published a Manifesto containing the Reasons of the Army for continuing in this Confederacy and resolved to take up their Quarters in Great Poland and Royal Prussia The Deputies of the Republick at Leopold upon Examination of the said Manifesto Declared That it was contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom Adjudged it an Act of Rebellion and Publish'd a Decree by which they Declared the Confederated Troops Rebels and Enemies to their Country This Declaration frighted most of the Troops and disposed them to demand another Conference with the Deputies of the Republick and in short they made their Submission to the Crown-General on the 11th of May 1697 in the Great Church of the Bernardins at Lemberg Baronowsky Mareshal of the Confederates Begg'd Pardon with an Audible Voice at the General 's Feet touching the Foot-stool of his Seat with his Forehead and Kissing his Feet under which he
always afraid that he shall never be Paid Others Travel on Horseback and carry along with them a Small Stiched Quilt to Lye upon being about an Inch thick and a Foot and a half broad which they fold double and lay it under the Saddle and when they arrive at the Inn they give the Gospodarz Money to bring them some Brown Bread Beer and a little Oates so that all the Charge for the Lodging of a Polish Gentleman and of his Horse does not often amount to above 5 or 6 Gros which are worth no more than Two pence And consequently that which is so Incommodious to Strangers is very Convenient for those of the Countrey because they can Travel 100 Leagues on Horseback without spending above 50 Pence As for the Lords and Ladies they Travel alwayes in Coaches and carry Waggons along with them with Provisions and Beds for themselves and their Women but their Attendants who follow 'em on Horseback are forc'd to content themselves with such Lodgings as I describ'd before I must not forget to intimate that a Traveller ought to be very careful in passing over the Bridges because they are generally bad and the Polanders take no care to keep them in Repair Those who Travel in Winter ought to provide a sufficient quantity of Brandy and a Furr'd Bag to put their Feet into For 't is so Cold in Poland that those who are in a Coach Wagon or Calash cannot otherwise endure it and since the Lakes and Rivers are so Frozen that they easily Travel upon the Ice They must take care when the Earth is cover'd with Snow to procure a Sledge upon which they must place the Coach or Calash and draw the Sledge with the Horses Travellers are very much incommoded in Winter especially on Holy-dayes for the Cold is so piercing that 't is impossible to be in a Chamber without a Stove in it And besides on such solemn occasions all the Peasants of the Village who usually drink nothing but Water meet together to Carouse with Beer and Brandy and then Sing and Dance all Night so that the weary Traveller cannot so much as shut his eyes I have said enough to convince the Reader that the manner of Travelling in Poland is extreamly Inconvenient to Strangers As for the Native Polanders who Travel on Horseback in the Winter they have great Boots into which they put Chaff or chopp'd Straw to keep their Feet warm and before they Mount their Horses they drink a large Draught of Brandy to preserve 'em from the Cold. The Coachmen use the same precaution from the Cold for otherwise they could never endure the Sharpness of the Weather which is so excessively violent that when a Man Travels with his Face expos'd to the Air his Nose sometimes Freezes Those who have the Misfortune to meet with such a Disaster must apply Snow to the part and carefully avoid entering into a Room wherein there is a Stove or into any warm place for otherwise they would run the hazard of losing their Nose There is no Travelling by Post in Poland tho' there are Posts for Carrying Letters and Pacquets This Custom was first establish'd by Order of the Republick in the Reign of Vladislaus IV. Anno 1647. For before that time the King's Orders were carry'd by Gentlemen of the Court who oblig'd the Starosta's to furnish 'em with Horses and Provisions CHAP. XXIX Of the Polish COINS THE Pieces of Gold which pass Currently in Poland are Ducats which are worth 2 French Crowns or 2 German Rix Dollars or 7 Livres of Dantzick Money or 12 Livres of the Currant Money of Poland that is in Chelons A Chelon is a piece of Copper smaller than a French Denier 3 Chelons make a Polish Gros and 3 Gross 2 Pence of the Countrey Money So that to make up these 2 Pence which are not worth above one of our Pennys there must be 9 Chelons which are not worth and weigh no more than 2 English Farthings whereby one may easily judge how much the Countrey is Ruin'd by so base a Coyn which was first Introduc'd in a pressing exigency to satisfie the Army which had Confederated for want of their Pay The Introducing of base Money into Poland is no new thing as it appears by that which was Coyn'd by the Officers of Casimir IV. and afterwards occasion'd a Complaint to the Diet held at Peortrkow in 1459. For at that time the Kings had the Privilege of Coyning the Money and the first who yielded it up to the Republick was Sigismond III. in the Year 1632. There is another Base Coyn in Poland call'd Tinfe which was also brought into the Kingdom in the Year 1663 to pay the Confederated Army The Tinfe which is a little larger than a French Fifteen pence is of Silver of a Base Allay 'T is worth 30 Gros of Chelons which make 20 Pence of Poland or 10 Common Pence Besides the Tinfes there is another sort of Money call'd Choustack which is also a Piece of Silver of Base Allay and less than a French Sou 'T is worth 10 Gros of Poland so that 3 of 'em make a Tinfe These Base Coyns do not pass so currently at Dantzick nor in any part of Prussia for the Tinfes are not worth above 18 Gros and the Choustacks Six Gros of Dantzick Money because the Chelons of Dantzick are worth more than those of Poland which do not go at all there The Money of Dantzick consists in Ducats of Gold Ourts Choustaques and Chelons The Ducat as I Intimated before is worth 2 Rix Dollars or 2 French Crowns An Ourt is a Silver Coin of the bigness of a French Piece of Fifteen Pence and is worth 18 Gros of Dantzick or 30 Gros of Polish Money A Choustaque is worth 6 Gros of Dantzick 10 Gros of Polish Money and there must be 3 Chelons Dantzick to make a Gros Yet 18 Gros of Dantzick Chelons make 30 Gros of Polish Chelons Thus a Tinfe which is worth 30 Gros of Polish Chelons is worth but 18 Gros of Dantzick Chelons The Ducat which is worth 12 Francks of Polish Chelons is worth but 7 Franks of Currant Money of Dantzick Five Choustaques or an Ourt and 2 Choustaques make a Livre of Dantzick Money because 5 Choustaques make 30 Gros and 30 Gros make 20 Pence This difference in the value of the Coins ought to be heedfully observ'd by Strangers who have occasion to pass through Dantzick because the Bankers take all opportunities to Impose upon ' em An APPENDIX CONTAINING A Chronological Abridgment Of the HISTORY of POLAND Some Remarks upon the Government of that Kingdom And the ABDICATION of K. JOHN CASIMIR And an Account Of the Present State of SOCINIANISM in that COUNTREY Lechus An. Dom. 550. THE Polish Historians asscribe the Foundation of their Monarchy to Lechus and some of 'em think that the Poles or Polanders were first call'd Polachs from the Name of this Prince He Built the City of Gnesna