the Opposition of the Lithuanians who did but dishonour their Country by excluding a Piasto yet they ought to choose one to shew the World that if their Ancestors had not done the like oftner it was because they had a mind to avoid the Jealousies which would have arisen between so many Subjects that deserv'd the Crown and that since now there was one present whose Merit was not to be question'd they ought forthwith to elect him Then he proceeded to name John Sobieski with this Character That his Life had been entirely devoted to the Service of the State which even while he was speaking peaceably enjoy'd the Fruits of his late Victory at Chocim and further that this present Happiness was hut a Specimen of what he was able to do for his Country and lastly that the Crown was due to Sobieski out of meer Gratitude and Acknowledgment since it was through his means that they sat there and had a Power to dispose of it The Gentry of Russia being influenc'd by what their Palatin had said immediately declar'd for Sobieski who was a Native of their Province and all the rest of Poland soon follow'd their Example together with some Palatinates of Lithuania brought over by the Management of Prince Radzivil Vice-Chancellor of that Dutchy every one being forward to deserve Favours from one whom they had acknowledg'd for their Prince The Great General of Lithuania being highly displeas'd at all these Proceedings left the Diet in a Heat and together with his Friends march'd out of the Field about Nine at Night no body being able to bring him back Hereupon he immediately enters Protest against this Election alledging that it was against the Constitution of the Kingdom for any King to be chosen without the common Consent The next day being the 20 th of May the Lithuanians return'd into the Field but retir'd after having made their Protestations against this Election whereupon several Senators and Nuncio's were sent to re-cal them but their Answer was that they were going to deliberate upon the Matter and would inform them of their Resolutions by their Deputies The Poles and Lithuanians who had espous'd Sobieski's Interest forthwith commanded the Bishop of Cracow to proclaim him which notwithstanding this Prelate declin'd wisely foreseeing the Disorders so rash an Election might occasion and which might probably end in a Civil War The Deputies of Lithuania arriv'd a little while after whereof the Chief being the Bishop of Vilna Brother to the Grand General deliver'd the Message giving Sobieski the Title only of Grand Marshal yet in the conclusion of his Discourse he told them that he was ready to give his Vote for him but desir'd the proclaiming him might be defer'd till next day to the end the Lithuanians might assist at it and thereby the Election become unanimous which Request of his was readily granted Whereupon the 21 st of May Andrew Trzebicki Bishop of Cracow who presided at the Diet in the room of the Primate Czartoriski just then deceas'd which happen'd very well for Sobieski the Primate having been no Friend of his went with the Senators before the New Prince to the Place of Election where they were met by the Lithuanians with their General Patz at their head who was too politick not to assist there with his whole Family JOHN SOBIESKI was soon after proclaim'd and the Gentry proceeded to sing Te Deum in the Cathedral of Warsaw ending the Day with usual Acclamations and Rejoicings This Prince was descended of a Noble and Antient Family tho none of the most considerable nor richest in the Kingdom His Father James Sobieski was Castellan of Cracovia a Person no less eminent for his Abilities in Affairs of State than renown'd for his Courage and Conduct in the Field He was employ'd in the Year 1621 as Embassador and Plenipotentiary upon a Treaty of Peace which by his Prudence and Address was honourably concluded with Sultan Osman He distinguish'd himself likewise on many other important Occasions and after several other great Services faithfully perform'd for his Country he dy'd in the Year 1646. His Mother was one of the Daughters of Stanislaus Zolkiewski Grand Chancellor and Grand General of the Crown who bravely fought that memorable Battle at Cicora on the 10th of September 1620 and tho he was again five times attack'd by the Turks on the 2d of October in the same Year yet he gallantly repuls'd them till at last being overpower'd with Numbers and forsaken by his Followers he was slain couragiously fighting among the thickest Troops of his Enemies This Prince was carefully educated by his Parents in his Youth and sent to travel into France where his Father bought him a Captain of Horse's Commission which gain'd him great Experience He also travell'd into England Germany and Italy where having observ'd all the different Manners Interests Laws Military Discipline Strength and Policies of those People and in a word all else that was necessary for a Person of Quality to learn in his Travels he at last return'd home when Casimir after several Trials both of his Valour and Discretion and admiring at his great Merit and quick Parts which he had improv'd so well both in Languages Sciences and Military Accomplishments made him first a Colonel of Foot and afterwards Captain of his Guards and from thence advanc'd him gradually through all the Posts of his Army till he arriv'd at being Grand Marshal of the Crown in the room of Lubomirski and Grand General of Poland in the room of Potoski He behav'd himself in all these Employments with that Courage and Prudence as became a Souldier and was reputed the Hero of his Age and the Terrour of the Ottoman Empire He marry'd Mary de la Grange Daughter to the Marquess of Arquien not long since made Cardinal of the Family of La Grange in Nivernois in France She by the contrivance of King Casimir's Queen to whom she was Maid of Honour was first marry'd to Prince Zamoiski one of the greatest Palatins in the Kingdom and after his Death to the Grand General Sobieski by whom she had several Children and amongst the â—â—est three hopeful Princes the eldest of which has the Honour to be Brother-in-Law to the Emperour King of Spain King of Portugal and to the Duke of Modena by marrying one of the Princesses of Neuburgh This Prince was not Crown'd till above fifteen Months after his Election during which time he gain'd great Advantages over the Turks and forc'd them to a Peace at Zorowna whereby they were oblig'd to remit the yearly Tribute stipulated for by King Michael but were still to be left in possession of the Fortress of Caminiec At the time of his Election he was pleas'd to promise of his own free Will and Motion that the Queen-Dowager should be provided for sutably to her high Quality and extraordinary Merit as also that the Arrears of the Army should be
presents amounted to the value of 100000 Rix Dollars The Hospodar of Moldavia sent her a pair of Pendants of a considerable Value This Custom of making Presents to the Bride is not only for Kings Daughters but for every one else according to their Quality and the Gentlemens Daughters do not so much reckon upon the Portion their Fathers give them as upon their Number of Relations and Friends who are to make them Presents and the Husband is as diligent to know how many Relations she has as how much her Father will give her Upon the day of Marriage Prince James the young Bride's Brother took upon him by the King and the Elector of Bavaria's Consent the Quality of Embassador for that day by reason that the Court would not receive as was secretly whilsper'd Embassadors from the Duke of Bavaria as being not an absolute Prince He went three Miles out of Town in the Morning and about two of the Clock in the Afternoon made a most solemn Entry on Horse-back having his Brothers Prince Alexander on his Right-hand and Prince Constantine on his Left preceded by a great Number of Coaches with six Horses and a noble Cavalcade of the Polish Gentry who went two by two Thus he march'd through the City to the Palace where he was receiv'd by the King and Queen and after half an hour the great Officers of the Crown the Palatins and other Senators with an incredible Number of Gentry began to march from the Palace on Foot two by two upon Scarlet Cloth spread all along to St. John's Church being about three hundred Paces after them Prince James led the Bride the French Embassador Monsieur de Polignae led the Queen and the King came last alone with a grave majestick Countenance The Ceremony of the Marriage was perform'd by Cardinal Radziouski the present Primate who was the King's Relation Afterwards they returned to the Palace where they were nobly entertain'd for four days together with Feasts Balls Fire-works and an Italian Pastoral in nature of an Opera made upon this occasion by the Secretary of the Pope's Nuncio After the Ceremony was over a splendid Equipage was prepar'd for the Princess's Journey from Warsaw to Brussels The Bishop of Ploskow was named Embassador and the Palatine of Vilna's Lady Prince Czartoriski's Daughter was appointed Embassadress Monsieur Zalowski the Bishop's Brother and his Lady were likewise nam'd besides abundance of Gentlemen and about forty of the King's Life-guard to attend her Electoral Highness The Embassador represented to their Majesties that in such a long Journey of near 1000 Miles and in frosty Weather it was necessary to send a Physician with the Princess for fear of any Accident or Distemper by the way one Signior Revelli an Italian and several other Physicians made Interest for this place but the Queen would by no means employ any of them having no Opinion of their Skill Hereupon my Lord I spoke to Mr. Alberti your Brother Minister there from the Republick of Venice who had great Interest with the King and Queen and desir'd him to get me imploy'd in that Journey for I longed to be out of that remote Country tho I had not been a twelve Month in it to come for England for tho the King and Queen had a great deal of Kindness for me and Prince James whom the Court Party look'd upon to be the King's Successor promis'd me a considerable Pension after the King's Death yet seeing that the King then being sixty four Years of Age very corpulent and labouring under several Distempers as the Dropsy Gout Rheumatism and Oppression of the Lungs could not live long and that Prince James was not beloved and besides having never had any mind to engage my self to live in any Foreign Country I resolv'd to come out of that Kingdom Their Majesties not knowing my private Resolution of coming for England did me the Honour to name me Physician to wait upon the Princess in her Journey which I was very ready to comply with tho to outward appearance I did not seem much desirous of it this my Lord gave me opportunity to come out of that Country sooner than I could have decently done till the King was dead which I must owe intirely to the Friendship and Interest of Mr. Alberti who is a great Lover of the English Nation The Princess set forward on the 11 th of November following with a Retinue of about two hundred Persons all which came to Brussels with her besides abundance of the Nobility who waited upon her Highness to the Frontiers of Brandenburg The Palatins of the Provinces receiv'd and entertain'd her in all the Towns she pass'd through with a great deal of Splendor and Expence our first Reception was at Lowitz the Cardinal Primate's Castle here the Princess lay one Night and was most magnificently entertain'd The next was at Posnan a considerable City in the Province of Posnania where she lay two Nights the Palatin and the City made her a Present entertain'd all her Retinue and got Fire-works ready for her Reception From thence we went to Frankfurt upon the Oder in the E. of Brandenburgh's Country where his Electoral Highness sent his chief Officers to attend and compliment her from thence we went to Berlin where the Elector and Electoress came two Miles out of Town with a numerous Attendance to receive her they took her into their own Coach and march'd in order to the Palace giving her with roaring of Cannons and ringing of Bells all Demonstrations of Respect Here she lay two Nights the Court appear'd most splendid and very numerous and the Elector got some Fire-works which represented the King and Queen of Poland and the Elector and Electoress of Bavaria's Names there were Balls both Nights and English Country-Dances which the Electoress of Brandenburg being descended from the Blood-Royal of England delighted extreamly in it was the first time the Princess of Poland had seen any and therefore was extreamly pleas'd I was glad to see some of our English Gentlemen who travell'd in Italy in my time as Mr. Archer Mr. Ward Mr. Duncomb and the late deceased Mr. Tent made so much of at this Court and behave themselves so handsomly at the Balls The Princess of Poland made Presents to the Electoress of Brandenburg and to most of the chief Officers of the Court and the Electoress of Brandenburg likewise made her a rich Present of a Poesie set with Diamonds and to the rest of her chief Officers other Presents Afterwards we set forwards on our Journey and were entertain'd for twelve days together in the Elector's Country it 's usual with him to defray the Charges of all Princes while they are within the limits of the Marquisate of Brandenburg But when the Princess of Poland went out of it into the other Territories of his Electoral Highness she bore her own Expences the chief Towns notwithstanding as Magdeburgh and Menden entertain'd her as
extended their Dominions beyond those of any State in Europe had their other Constitutions been as well grounded or as exactly observed For tho the Poles have been constantly molested by their Neighbours the Suedes Moscovites Tartars Turks Hungarians and Germans and their Kingdom been several times reduc'd to Extremities burnt and plunder'd by frequent Incursions put into Convulsions and Desolations and thousands of their People been carry'd away into Captivity yet by the prudent Conduct and Courage of their Kings through a desire of gaining the Affection of their Subjects by serving their Country zealously to the end their Fame and Merits might raise their Children to the Throne after their deaths the Poles have not only always oppos'd but likewise repuls'd the exorbitant Force of their Enemies They have also by degrees enlarg'd their Country by vast Conquests and render'd it several times the most formidable of any Kingdom in Europe They have likewise never submitted to any Foreign Power no not even to the Romans by force They have also hitherto inviolably maintain'd their Liberties Properties and peculiar manner of Government against all the Attempts both of their Enemies abroad or the Cabals form'd either by themselves or their Kings at home and I believe I may say to their great Commendation that they are the only Nation in the World who have kept the longest Succession of Kings without subjecting themselves either to a Despotic or Hereditary Monarchy their Princes being now as most are thought to have been at first wholly elected by the People Tho My Lord I have said the Poles have never excluded their Kings Children yet must it be understood that their Crown has not always been in the same Family by reason that from time to time the Royal Line has fail'd and therefore they have consequently been oblig'd to elect Princes out of other Families but still I may very well affirm that there has never been any Stranger chosen except in the present Election where the preceding King had any Issue surviving The Princes and Princesses of this Kingdom have in all been fifty two whereof were Women as Venda and Hedwigis both having had the Government for some time and the other forty eight were Men. At first these Princes were only stil'd Duces Dukes or Generals of Poland as if their Office in those times had been no other than to head Armies for 't is to be observ'd that to Boleslaus Chrobry they were not so much as crown'd This Title continu'd from the Year 550 to the Year 1005. when the Emperour Otho III. created Boleslaus I. the Sixteenth Duke of Poland King being the second Christian Prince that had govern'd that Country all before him and Miecislaus I. his Father having been Pagans as were likewise the Poles themselves till the tenth Century when this Miecislaus the fifteenth Duke of Poland turn'd Christian in the Year 964 in Pope John the XIIIth's time by which means his Son Boleslaus came to have the Title of King All the Princes of Poland may be divided into four Classes whereof the first and last are of different Families the second and third of but one in which the Crown passes from the Father to the Daughter The first Class reign'd from the Year 550 to the Year 830 The second from 830 to 1382 The third from 1382 to 1574 and the last from thence down to our Time I shall now proceed to give your Lordship some short Account of the Succession and most Remarkable Actions of the first Class of the Dukes of Poland from the Year 550 to the Year 830. LECHUS Son of Annon first Duke of Poland as I said before founded this Nation He built the first City there naming it Gnesna now the Primate's See as likewise the City of Posnan Capital of Posnania 'T is uncertain how many govern'd before his Race came to be extinct and there is great Contest among the Polish Historians about his Successor but some affirm that he order'd by his last Will like Alexander the Great that they should elect the most worthy Person among them VISIMIRUS his Nephew was thereupon chosen who is reported to have extended his Dominions even to the very Borders of Denmark and to have built a very great Ship which was an exceeding Terror to the Danes He is also said to have given that Nation a great Overthrow by Sea and to have pursued his Victory into the very Bowels of that Kingdom where he subdued many Provinces and built several Cities whereof one was Wismar which retains his Name to this day In one Battel this Visimirus is said to have taken the Danish King Prisoner and to have carried him into Poland whence afterwards being releas'd and conspiring together with the Swedes and Holsatians he made an Incursion into Poland with a numerous Army but was soon met and vanquish'd again by Wisimir who thereupon push'd on his Victory so far as to reduce the greatest part of Denmark which he then united to Poland In opposition to this Story Monsicur Pauli Minister here from Denmark has assured me that the Poles never made any Conquest in that Country which may give some Exception to the truth of this King's Reign tho it may very well be suppos'd that several Kings reign'd during the space of 150 Years there being so much time between the beginning of Lechus his Reign and the Election of Cracus However to gratify the Curiosity of the Publick I hope I have not done amiss to insert it since I withal quote my Author After many glorious Actions having greatly augmented his Dominions this Wisimir died without Issue Vapovius says that Lechus his Posterity reign'd all that space of time between him and Cracus being 150 Years yet having consulted all their Historians I can find no manner of Account given of their Reigâ—â— nor of the Government of Poland in all that space of time Lechus his Issue being extinct 't is certain the People elected twelve Woievods in the Polish Language Captains of War to govern 'em who divided that Country into twelve parts for the Poles sticking close to their Liberty would then by no means put the Government into one Man's hands But soon after these Palatins disagreeing among themselves the People chose one CRACUS for their Head a very Rich and Popular Person reported to have been of the Race of the Gracchi at Rome who were banish'd into this Country by King Ancus Who this Cracus was all Historians do not agree The Polish Writers say he was one of the twelve Woievods but the Bohemians affirm he was a Prince of their Country He gain'd extremely upon the good Will of his Subjects for he soon appeas'd the impending Storms of a Civil War built a City on the River Vistula calling it after his own Name Cracow and transfer'd his Residence from Gnesna thither which is the reason that this City has ever since
by his Wife Repicha a â—â—rave and warlike Prince This Duke had considerable Advantages by having the Administration of the Government long before his Father's Death who for some time was superâ—â—nnuated He obtain'd great Conquests over the Hungarians Moravians and Germans and was the first that brought the Polish Army to a Discipline by instituting Generals Colonels Captains and other Subaltern Officers among them He regain'd what the Popiels â—â—ost and besides considerably enlarg'd his Dominions by new Conquests He was a Person of a boundless Resolution seem'd destin'd for War being able to undergo the greatest Fatigues and consequently was exceedingly admir'd and belov'd by his Subjects He dy'd at Gnesna was buried there and was succeeded by his Son LESCUS IV. who being elected young was under the Care of Governours for some time He was of a quiet and peaceable Disposition enclin'd rather to Peace than War and contented to preserve what his Father had left him without ever aiming to enlarge his Dominions He dy'd in the Year 913 and was succeeded by his Son ZIEMOVISTUS who reigned 51 Years This Prince was much of the same Temper with his Father there having been no Wars in his time He had but one Son â—â—ecislaus I. who being born blind was miracuâ—â—ously restor'd to his sight about the Age of seven Years when he was about to have his Head shaven according to the Pagan Custom which gave occasion to the Magi of that Kingdom to prognosticate that he should be the Light of Poland which not long after his Election came to pass Ziemovistus dy'd and was buried at Gnesna and his Son MIECISLAUS I. came to the Crown next He had seven Wives at a time yet could have no Children by them which opened a way for the Christian Faith to enter Poland for there being then several Christians wandring up and down that Country to convert those Pagans they came to this Duke and told him he could never have any Issue till he had turn'd Christian which Miecislaus hearkning to immediately put away all his Wives and married Dambrawca Daughter to Boleslaus Duke of Bohemia on condition to turn Christian and be baptized Whereupon Pope John XIII sent Cardinal Aegidius with a great number of Priests into Poland to preach the Gospel there which before had been altogether unknown in that Country This Duke erected the Arch-bishopricks of Gnesna and Cracow with several Bishopricks In the mean while Miecislaus had a Son call'd Boleslâ—â—us which mightily augmented his Zeal to oblige his Subjects to be converted for he caused a Law to be made that while any part of the Gospel was reading at Mass every Man should half draw his Scimiter to testify their forwardness to defend that Faith This Duke had Wars with Vlodimirus Duke of Russia to whom he lost Premislia and other Towns He sent Lambert Arch-bishop of Cracow to Rome to obtain leave of Pope Benedict VII for the Princes of Poland to be stil'd Kings but was refus'd this Pontiff not being yet dispos'd to grant that Favour He buried Dambrawca and afterwards married Judith Daughter of Jesse Prince of Hungary and was succeeded by his Son BOLESLAUS CHROBRY a vertuous Prince who was elected in the Year 999. and after some Years reign by Consent of the Pope was dignified with the Title of King by the Emperor Otho III. who also remitted the Pretensions his Predecessors had to Poland as being Emperors of the Romans and this in consideration of a kind Entertainment made him by Boleslaus in his Pilgrimage on account of his Health to the Tomb of St. Adalbert Bishop of Prague who was martyr'd by some Pagans to whom he offer'd to preach the Christian Faith Of these Barbarians Boleslaus bought his Body and caus'd it to be buried at Gnesna whither great numbers from all parts came to pay their Devotion at his Shrine The Emperor Otho also at the same time married his Niece Rixa to Boleslaus his young Son Miecislaus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom To confirm his being crown'd King by Otho the Emperor it would not be amiss to recite part of an old Epitaph written upon him Ob famam bonam tibi contulit Otto Coronam Propter Luctamen sit tibi salus Amen This King was surnamed Chrobry signifying in Polish Acute from the Quickness and Excellency of his Parts Boleslaus made Bohemia Moravia and Prussia tributary to Poland He also declar'd War against the Saxons who made Incursions into Pomerania which was then govern'd by Lescus III's Family He likewise instituted twelve Senators to assist him in the Government This King's Death was so sincerely regretted that for a Year's time there was no Mirth nor Splendor in Poland This Prince was of an undaunted Spirit tho withal modest courteous and endearing Both Boleslaus and his Father lie buried in the middle of the Cathedral Church of Posnan whose Tombs I have there seen His Son MIECISLAUS II. being about 35 Years old was elected next being crown'd by Hypolitus Arch-bishop of Gnesna He degenerated in all respects from his Father and lost most of those Conquests which he had added to the Crown To him the Bohemians and â—â—avians refus'd to pay Tribute yet he â—â—ued Pomerania which belong'd of right he Polish Crown He was a Person very â—â—y and stupid and chose rather to be â—â—ed by his Queen and Companions than Council which made him soon slighted and â—â—is'd both by his Friends and Enemies Yet reign'd almost nine Years and liv'd forty 〈◊〉 'T is said he died mad and left but Son CASIMIR I. who being elected young his â—â—ther Rixa officiated the Regency during Minority This King was not chosen withâ—â— much difficulty for many of the Electors â—â—ing he might follow his Father's steps viâ—â—ously oppos'd him at first Also the Poles â—â—re dissatisfied with his Mother's Admiâ—â—ration for several Reasons among which 〈◊〉 was her robbing the Treasury and afterâ—â—rds flying with her Son to her Brother â—â—sar in Saxony This young Prince being sent afterwards his Mother to study at Paris became a Bedictin Monk at the Abby of â—â—luncy in France the mean time the Poles having no body to â—â—eside in their Government had great Disâ—â—sions among them and therefore earnestâ—â— entreated the Pope to dispense with Casiâ—â—r's Vow that he might return to his Throne â—â—hich they at length obtain'd upon Agreeent that for each Head except those of the obility and Clergy they would contribute early a farthing to maintain a Lamp perpetually burning in St. Peter's Church at Râ—â— and moreover for ever after cause their Hâ—â— to be shav'd about their Ears like Moâ—â— which is practis'd to this day as likeâ—â— stand in a white Surplice while Mass was â—â—ciating on all Holidays upon these Conditâ—â— they had their King again but when he â—â— crown'd I
besieg'd Friends when meeting with Conrade who came to oppose him near the River Raba he entirely routed him and forc'd him back again into his own Country This hapned about the Year 1285. This Prince dy'd and was bury'd in the Monastery of the Trinity at Cracow Lescus the VI. leaving no Children his Kingdom consequently fell into great Distractions for Vladislaus Locticus his Brother seiz'd on the Palatinate of Siradia and Boleslaus Duke of Ploskow Brother to Conrade Duke of Masovia on the Palatinates of Cracovia and Sendomir but this latter was soon dispossess'd by HENRY Duke of Breslaw surnam'd the Honest of the Family of Piastus in the Year 1290 who was likewise not long after turn'd out by Locticus but soon restor'd and reign'd in quality of King for the space of five Years tho I do not read he was crown'd He appointed Premislus Duke of Great Poland for his Successor being of the Family of Piastus likewise This Premislus also had the Province of Pomerania left him by Miescingus Prince of that Country PREMISLUS in the thirty eighth Year of his Age was crown'd King at Gnesna by James Swinka Archbishop of that City in the Year 1296 which was an Honour that had not been done to any Prince of Poland before for above two hundred Years since Boleslaus the Bold kill'd Stanislaus at the Altar but Premislus did not long enjoy this Title for seven Months after his Coronation he is said to have been murder'd by some Brandenburg Emissaries that Marquess being afraid of this King who was Master of Pomerania which join'd to his Country He was bury'd among his Predecessors at Posnan After the Murder of King Premislus ULADISLAUS LOCTICUS so call'd from the word Lokiec an Ell having his Name from his low Stature Brother of Lescus the Black was chosen in the Year 1296 and reign'd only four Years He went upon an Expedition against the Silesians that were enclin'd to assist the Bohemians against him who then pretended a Right to the Kingdom of Poland These Locticus subdu'd and having considerably ravag'd their Country return'd home where he afterwards gave himself up to a lewd and debauch'd Life insomuch that he neglected the care of all Publick Business and minded nothing but his own private Pleasures These his intolerable Vices brought upon him the Ill-will of his Subjects insomuch that after three years Reign they pronounc'd him unworthy of the Scepter and resolv'd to elect another Hereupon Locticus being dethron'd they invite WINCESLAUS King of Bohemia to accept their Crown who was marry'd to Rixa Daughter of King Premislus and crown'd King of Poland in the Year 1300 but reign'd only to 1305. After he came to reign he persecuted Locticus who hid himself for some time but was forc'd at last to quit the Kingdom When Winceslaus thus saw himself secure at home by the flight of Locticus and after having put Bohemian Garisons into the several Cities of Poland which seem'd very uneasy to that Nation he thought it high time to go and settle Affairs in Bohemia During this Vladislaus Locticus having a considerable Party in the Kingdom which daily encreas'd on account of discontent against Winceslaus and having got together several Troops out of Hungary he march'd directly towards Poland hearing that the Bohemian Government was somewhat burdensom to that Nation At first Locticus had considerable Advantage over the Bohemians but by the Death of Winceslaus which followed soon after he had all the Success he could desire for the Bohemians who had possession of the Garisons finding themselves in a strange Country and moreover hated and ill thought on by the People were afraid of an Insurrection against 'em and therefore made no great difficulty of surrendring to Locticus all those Cities and Towns they had possession of as Cracow Sendomir c. In the mean time young Winceslaus coming with an Army to dispute his Father's Kingdom with Locticus was murder'd in the Expedition 't is thought by Orders of the Emperour Albert and since his time the Bohemians have ever been govern'd by foreign Princes Winceslaus King of Poland and Bohemia dy'd and was bury'd at Prague in the Year 1305. After the Death both of Winceslaus the Father and Son Vladislaus Locticus was restor'd almost by common Consent in the Year 1305 and reign'd to the Year 1333. And this they did either because they thought he had had time to repent and mend his former Life or by reason they were afraid of Civil Wars if they should elect any other Notwithstanding the Palatinates of Posnania and Kalisch having a fresh Memory of his past dissolute Life would never acknowledg him their King Also the Governour of Pomerania which then belong'd to Poland being brib'd by the Marquess of Brandenburg deliver'd up to him all the Cities of that Province as likewise the City of Dantzic except the Castle which the Governour thereof one Bogussa being truly loyal to his King would by no means surrender In these days the Knights of the Teutonic Order were fully settled in Prussia being both very Strong and very Rich. They were establish'd there by Agreement with Conrade Brother to King Vladislaus Lasconogus for assisting him against the Prussians when he was oppress'd by them They there built some years before the City of Marienburg appointed for Residence of their Great Masters Here Locticus was oblig'd to crave their Aid against the Rebels of Pomerania and Dantzic which they readily granted on condition that half the Garison of the Castle of Dantzic should be of their Troops by which means they soon became Masters of the whole for they afterwards not only turn'd the Poles out of the Castle but both Brandenburghers and Pomeranians out of the City of Dantzic it self and likewise under pretence of assisting the King of Poland conquer'd all Pomerania for themselves when being Masters thereof they offer'd to buy the Title of Locticus for Money which he refus'd Then they offer'd the same Summ to the Marquess of Brandenburg to renounce his Right to that Province which he tho he had no Title to sell yet was wise enough to accept their Prosser The Poles were very sensible of all these Affronts and Injustices offer'd 'em by the Teutonic Order but before they proceeded to Revenge they thought it advisable to acquaint the Pope therewith who liv'd then at Avignon who after four years Delays and Debates order'd the Knights to give due fatisfaction to the Poles but they having had four years respit to fortify themselves and to make strong Alliances with some Neighbouring Princes and besides having a very considerable Army on foot answer'd his Holiness That they had often done great Services for Poland that that Kingdom ow'd them Sums of Money and that they presum'd that not only the Lands they were in possession of in Prussia and Pomerania
were lawfully theirs but that also they thought the Poles oblig'd to give 'em either more Land or more Money to recompense the several Kindnesses they had done them Hereupon the Pope excommunicates this Order and the Poles under command of their King march'd directly against ' em Here Locticus made an eloquent Speech to his Army representing the many Affronts and Injustices they had receiv'd from a little Sect of People to which his Predecessors the Kings of Poland had out of meer Goodness given their Protection when banish'd from their own Country by the Sarazens Then he enlarg'd upon the Covetousness and Ambition of this Order and concluded by encouraging his Men to fight bravely and not suffer those to become their Masters who were at first their Vassals Hereupon the Poles animated by this Speech of their King tho much inferior in Number to their Enemies yet fought so siercely and bravely that they entirely routed the Teutonic Order and kill'd about twenty thousand of their Men tho they themselves have had the presumption to affirm that they did not lose above five or six hundred Among the wounded there was one Florianus Szari Knight of that Order who having his Belly open'd with a Scymiter and his Guts dropping out which he held up with his hands the King passing by pity'd him Whereupon the Knight said to him Sir A Man in his Village suffers more than I do when he has bad Neighbours The King admiring at this dying man's Thought immediately caus'd his Surgeons to take care of him and when he was well gave him Land that had no bad Neighbours about it This Vladislaus it seems not being throughly satisfy'd with Premislus his Right to transmit the Title of King to his Posterity without leave of the Pope sent an Embassador to his Holiness to request a liberty for himself and his Queen Hedwigis to be crown'd which was forthwith granted and the Ceremony perform'd in the Cathedral of Cracow by the Archbishop of Gnesna and other Bishops in the Year 1320. The King long after dy'd and was bury'd at Cracow in the Year 1333. CASIMIR the Great succeeded his Father Locticus being elected in the Year 1333 and reign'd to the Year 1370. He made a Peace with the Teutonic Order that was not at all advantagious or honourable to the Polish Nation the Knights being thereby still to remain in possession of Prussia Dantzic and Pomerania notwithstanding the Threatnings of the Pope and his Bulls of Excommunication This Casimir had no Children He is the last Male of the Family of Piastus Wherefore that the Crown might not go altogether out of his Family before his Death he prevail'd with the Poles to elect Charles King of Hungary his own Sister's Son but he dying before Casimir his Son Lewis was chosen The Poles had several times conquer'd Russia but it was never enjoy'd peaceably till Casimir's time who having had better success than any of his Predecessors annex'd it as a Province to the Crown of Poland The Province of Masovia was likewise conquer'd by him and annex'd to the Crown The Poles had never hitherto any written Laws and but very few made till Casimir began to make Institutions name Judges create Magistrates build Forts and to establish a better Oeconomy in the Kingdom than any Prince before him The Laws and Constitutions of the Teutonic Knights seem'd very rational and political to him having had a sensible Experience of the good Government of this Order for a considerable time Wherefore he introduc'd their Laws into Poland which have continu'd ever since and are call'd the Magdeburg Laws This Casimir was a very lewd Prince but withal exceeding Liberal and Just He kept a Jewish Concubine at whose request he granted great Privileges to that People He gain'd so well the good Opinion and Affection of his Subjects that he was stil'd the Father of the Poor and a great many Germans who were oppress'd by their own Princes in his time came into Poland and have ever since inhabited the Foot of the Carpathian Mountains The Daughter of Boguslaus Duke of Pomerania was then marry'd to the Emperour Charles IV. Casimir celebrated the Nuptials with great Splendor and Magnisicence at Cracow where assisted Lewis King of Hungary Sigismund King of Denmark and Petrua King of Cyprus with the Emperour and many Princes of Germany Poland and other Countries Valachia at that time was a kind of Republick of it self having before had Governours which they call'd Hospodars the last of which being dead and his Children aspiring to the same Dignity Casimir sent an Army to support 'em but by an Ambush of the Valachians plac'd in a Wood was entirely defeated Casimir dy'd soon after this of a Fall from his Horse and was bury'd at Cracow This King reign'd thirty seven Years and liv'd sixty He was surnam'd the Great being the only Person that had had that Title among the Polish Princes not because he had gain'd a great many Victories but by reason of the many beautiful Structures and Fortresses he had built as likewise of the many beneficial Laws and Constituions which he had made Casimir being the last King of the Family of Piastus had caus'd his own Nephew by his Sister LEWIS King of Hungary to be elected for his Successor during his Life-time who was crown'd accordingly in Poland in the Year 1370 and reign'd 12 Years The Poles were not extraordinarily well satisfied with him being a Foreign Prince and therefore oblig'd him before they would crown him to take an Oath not only to maintain their former Privileges but also to enlarge 'em for hitherto the Successors of Piastus had almost had an absolute Power in Poland a great deal more than their present Kings have After some time Lewis was forc'd to return into Hungary to settle some Affairs there when he left the Administration of the Government during his Absence to his Mother Elizabeth His going away occasion'd great Troubles for the Russians rebell'd and the Lithuanians made Incursions into the very Heart of Poland The Poles also were divided among themselves they could not endure to see their Towns in the hands of Hungarian Garisons and besides they were so much displeas'd with their King 's leaving 'em to the Government of his Mother whom they neither lov'd nor esteem'd that they sent to acquaint him that they thought it Honour enough for himself to govern Poland All these Troubles and Distrusts soon oblig'd the King to return into Poland with a strong Army of Hungarians where he first march'd against the Rebel Russians and subdu'd them next against the Lithuanians and oblig'd them to a Peace soon after which he dy'd and was buried at Belgrade in Hungary in the 56th Year of his Age having reigned 12 Years He left two Daughters but no Sons one of which married to Sigismund the Emperor's
about the Antiquity of the Monarchies of Persia Greece and Rome a certain merry Fellow started up and cry'd What makes you thus boast Gentlemen of the Antiquity and Extent of these Monarchies when ours of Babina is much more antient and of wider Bounds than them all What says David Omnis Homo Mendax all Men are Liars wherefore the whole Earth must consequently have been comprehended within the Limits of our Jurisdiction from all Ages His Opinion was unanimously receiv'd with Applause This Society further boasts of having always had Privileges and Immunities from Emperors and Kings but still such as were too severe in their Reflections were not to be admitted of this Republick The place where this Assembly met the Members term'd Gelda being the word that the Dantzickers use for a Tavern and which the Poles apply to a merry Company of witty Fellows Sigismund died of a Chronical Distemper at Knyssin in the Consines of Lithuania c and left no Children but had two Sisters surviving Catherine and Ann the former of which was first married to John Duke of Finland and then to the King of Sweden she was Mother to Sigismund III. who was afterwards King of Sweden and Poland Ann liv'd a long while a Maid till she was married to Stephen Batori Prince of Transilvania and afterwards King of Poland After this Sigismund's Death the Male Race of the Jagellonic Family was quite extinct I am afraid I have almost tir'd your Lordship's Patience with this prolix Narrative of the second and third Classes of the Kings of Poland yet I can safely aver that I have been as concise as the Subject Matter would hear since I have run through the Course of about 800 Years where your Lordship may observe that tho these Princes could never prevail with their Subjects to declare their Kingdom Hereditary yet they had sometimes Influence sufficient over them to cause them to elect their Children for their Successors while they themselves were yet alive And likewise sometimes the great Service they had render'd their Country oblig'd the Poles in Gratitude to advance their Issue to the Throne after their Deaths Besides the natural Affection which this Country always bore to the Royal Family enclin'd them to elect the next Relation to the deceased King But notwithstanding after Sigismund the Second's Death tho there were several of the Family of Piastus and Jagello remaining alive both in Poland and Silesia yet the Poles for fear so long and so uninterrupted a Succession of Princes of the same Line might subject them to a Despotic Monarchy as they almost were in Sigismund's time resolv'd to choose Kings out of other Families as they effectually did afterwards out of France Transilvania and Sweden which it would be too tedious to give your Lordship a Relation of and therefore to ease your Impatience I will subscribe my self My LORD Your Lordship 's most Obedient Humble Servant B. C. LETTER III. To his Grace WILLIAM Duke of Devonshire Lord Steward of His Majesty's Houshold Of the Succession and Remarkable Actions of the fourth Class of the Kings of Poland consisting of mixt Families from the Year 1574 to 1674. My LORD THE great Esteem and true Respect which your eminent Qualities and gallant Behaviour both beyond Sea and at home command from all those who have heard of your Name made me ambitious to give your Grace in this Account of Poland a Testimony of mine and congratulate my self in the Honour of being known to so great a Person The Subject my Lord I thought most sutable to so great a Mind and Genius as yours is a Relation of Heroic Actions I mean the Lives of the Kings of Poland from the last of the Jagellonick Family to the Election of the late King John Sobieski comprehending the space of a hundred Years By Sigismund the Second's Death the Great and Renown'd Family of Jagello came to be extinct as to Males for he left no Children and had only two Sisters Catherine and Ann. The former was first married to John Duke of Finland and next to John III. King of Sueden having been Mother to Sigismund III. who was afterwards both King of Poland and Sueden The latter Ann liv'd a Maid for a considerable while till Stephen Batori Prince of Transylvania being elected King of Poland marry'd her but had no Issue by her The ABp of Gnesna James Vchanski having notify'd the late King's Death to all the Gentry call'd a Diet after the usual manner to Elect another whereupon several Candidates appearing they all had their different Parties and Friends in the Kingdom The chief Pretenders were Ernest of Austria the Emperour's Son John III. King of Sueden the Great Duke of Muscovy and Henry of Valois Brother to Charles IX of France besides several Natives of the Country After a long deliberation they pitch'd upon HENRY of Valois Duke of Anjou and sent Adam Conarsky Bishop of Posnan and Albert Laski Palatin of Siradia in quality of Ambassadors together with several other Senators into France to bring him into his Kingdom after having agreed to the following Articles to the performance of which both the King of France and his Brother the King of Poland took a solemn Oath The Articles were as follows Imprimis That Henry of Valois should transport all his Effects and Annual Revenues in France into Poland 2. That the King of France should pay Sigismund the late King's Debts with his own Money 3. That the French King should maintain a hundred young Polish Noblemen at his Court and fifty in other Places 4. And lastly That he should build a Fleet in the Baltic Sea and help the Poles to carry on the War against the Muscovites There was another Article the King would by no means consent to till he came into Poland and that was 5. That he should marry the Princess Ann Sister to Sigismund late King of Poland King Henry having thus chiefly satisfy'd the Conditions he set forth from Paris about the beginning of October in the Year 1576 and pass'd through Lorain and Germany directly to Posnan in Poland whence he soon after went and was crown'd at Cracow the 21st of February 1577 but in four Months time after his Coronation receiving Letters from France that the King his Brother was dead without Issue and being begg'd to return to enjoy his Right he communicated those Letters to the Senate acquainting them withal that it was necessary he should return into France to prevent Civil Wars and maintain his Title to that Crown But fearing lest the Poles might have detain'd him as I have often heard them say they would certainly have done on the 18th of March he stole away and rid Post through Silesia and Germany into Italy and thence to France The King being miss'd next morning they sent several Senators after him who overtook him in Silesia and begg'd of him to return and not abandon a Nation so shamefully which
and King of Sweden contended for Prior Admittance when the latter being prevented by the Gout or at least so feigning it was forc'd to yield The Emperour's Minister therefore was introduc'd who in the Name of his Master recommended likewise Prince Vladislaus Afterwards the Swedish Embassador's Indisposition gave him leave to be admitted he propos'd a strict Alliance between Sweden and Poland in case the Diet would elect none of Sigismund's Issue but on condition that he should first renounce all Right to the Kingdom of Sweden This Proposal was not at all approv'd of and there was something else said also by this Minister which mightily displeas'd the Diet yet at that time they thought it better to dissemble their Dislike than provoke so powerful a Prince as Gustavus by a Resentment At this Diet the City of Dantzic had a great Favour granted them which was for the future to have a Vote at the Election of the Kings of Poland which Privilege had never been granted before but to the Cities of Cracow and Vilna one being Capital of Poland and the other of Lithuania Prince ULADISLAUS was chosen the 13th of November 1632. when he took the usual Oaths was proclaim'd by the Primate and afterwards crown'd on the 18th of February 1633. He was first marry'd to Coecilia Renata Daughter to the Emperour Ferdinand II. and afterwards to the Princess Mary Ludovica di Gonzaga Daughter to the Duke of Nevers of the House of Mantua The Kings of France always match'd the Princesses of Nevers and Nemours as Princesses of the Blood to Crown'd Heads The Year after his Election Vladislaus not only forc'd the Muscovites to raise the Siege of Smolensko and obtain'd a signal Victory over them but likewise brought their Army to such Extremities that they surrender'd themselves and the Turks who had made a Diversion were also at the same time bravely repuls'd Not long after Vladislaus made an advantageous Peace with the Muscovites by virtue of which they renounc'd their Protensions to the two large Dukedoms of Smolensko and Zernikow which begat such a Terror in the Turks that they also freely made Restitution for the Damages sustain'd in their last Incursion and strangled their Bassa who commanded those Forces He forc'd likewise the Swedes to restore him those Places they possess'd in Prussia and to prolong the Truce for 26 Years which they the easier consented to by reason that their Affairs in Germany were but in an ill Condition after the Battle of Norlinguen In the Year 1637 the Foundation of the War with the Cosacks was laid which brought unspeakable Damages upon the Poles and which was occasion'd thus The Privileges the Cosacks had obtain'd from King Stephen made them to encrease in Number and grow much stronger than they were before for the Peasants of all the neighbouring Countries having been exceedingly oppress'd by their Lords to deliver themselves from Slavery ran in great Numbers into the Vkraine whereby the Cosacks soon grew very formidable both to the Poles and Turks which embolden'd them to make frequent Incursions into Turky and which was afterwards the occasion of many bloody Wars between these two Nations The Great Men of Poland having purchas'd divers Estates in Vkraina thought their Revenues might be considerably augmented if the Privileges of the Cosacks were but reduc'd to a narrower Compass and if instead of plundering their Neighbours the Turks they were restrain'd to manure the Ground and live upon the Products of their own Labour Whereupon the Poles prevail'd upon their King Vladislaus to send General Konicepoliski to reduce them Hereupon at first the Cosacks made a vigorous Resistance and oppos'd the Building of the Fortress Hudack just at a Point where the River Zwamer falls into the Boristhenes But being at last entirely defeated by the Poles they were oblig'd to surrender their General Paulack with some others of the chiefest among them who notwithstanding a Pardon promis'd them before-hand were all beheaded Besides this it was decreed in the Diet that all their former Privileges together with the Fortress of Tectimoravia granted them by King Stephen should be taken from them and a new Body of Militia setled there in their stead To put this Decree in execution the Polish Army march'd forthwith into the Vkraine but were oppos'd by the Cosacks with great Bravery who yet nevertheless promis'd to be faithful to the Crown of Poland Provided their antient Privileges might be continu'd to them which the Poles readily agreed to but however never perform'd Nay treated several of them very ill for among other oppressive Methods they took from them some of their Greek Churches Afterwards the Cosacks recover'd in some measure under their General Bogdan Chmielinski who having been justly enrag'd by Jarinski's ravishing his Wife and afterwards murdering both her and her Son resolv'd on some Expedient to revenge this Affront and rid his Country of the Tyranny of the Polish Government In this King's Reign Posts were first us'd in Poland setled after the German manner in the Year 1647. King Vladislaus after an indifferently happy Reign dy'd of a malignant Fever at Merick in Lithuania the 20th of May in the Year 1648. The Muscovites vanquish'd under his Reign The Turks forc'd to sue for Peace The Inclination he ever had to oblige every body and the concern he was always under when it was out of his Power to give sufficient Proofs of his Liberality were powerful Motives to induce the Poles to regret his Loss whose Consternation was the more augmented after his Death by their Defeat and the taking of divers Places by the Cosacks for want of him Vladislaus leaving no Issue his Brother JOHN CASIMIR who had led a religious Life for some time and was afterwards created Cardinal by Innocent the Xth. succeeded him being elected King in the same Year that his Brother dy'd with the following Circumstances The Primate Mathias Lubienski having signifi'd the Death of the late King by Circular Letters and conven'd a Diet to meet on the 25th of June the Diet of Election having been fix'd for the 6th of October all the Senators and Deputies met at the time appointed but there were no such Heats and Intrigues among them as formerly by reason that the Cosacks and Tartars had rais'd too great Disorders in Poland for them to think of any thing at that time but Union for the News of such prodigious Preparations made against them were enough to stagger any Resolution but that of the Polanders whose Valour has generally procur'd them the greatest Success Hereupon Orders were immediately issu'd out to raise Troops to oppose these cruel Invaders and afterwards the Gentry proceeded to the Election of a Successor to the Throne at which time no body thought that Prince Casimir who was then complimented with the Title of King of Sueden would have had any Competitor for the Great Duke of Muscovy and the Prince of Transylvania
tho they had succeeded so very ill He did not desire the Crown for himself but for his younger Son Prince Philip. This Duke made the like Profers for his Son as he had done for himself at the preceding Diet. The Duke of Lorain solicited powerfully on his part and the Queen Dowager had pawn'd even her Jewels to augment his Party but a false Report of which some Letters from Rome gave the occasion was intended to frustrate all his Endeavours It was reported that this Prince was marry'd to the Empress Dowager Every body knew the Obligations he had to that Princess and how she granted him Protection and made the Emperor his Friend after he had been depriv'd of his Patrimony by France but notwithstanding the Queen Dowager still continu'd her Esteem for him and soon dissipated the Rumours rais'd against him by which she brought over the Lithuanians who seem'd altogether to have forsaken the Interest she had before engag'd them in At length the number of Competitors was reduc'd to three in favour of whom as many Factions were form'd all which threaten'd had Consequences The first Faction was that of Lithuania headed by the Grand General Patz who declar'd for the Duke of Lorain It was observ'd that whilst Patz was discoursing with Sobieski Grand Marshal of the Crown at the Camp of Choczin Sobieski said that it was convenient to choose a King that was rich valiant and not young to which Patz added And who above all is not marry'd This sufficiently shew'd that whether the French Prince or Sobieski was propos'd it would be no small difficulty to obtain the Consent of the Lithuanians who would have no King but such a one as was in a condition to marry after his Election The second Faction was that of the Polish Gentry which was not at all considerable by reason that it was divided one Part being for a Piasto and two others for the Duke of Neuburg and the Duke of Lorain The Army compos'd the third Faction which was the most to be fear'd General Sobieki propos'd the French Prince but in reality work'd under-hand for himself France employ'd its Interest for the Duke of Neuburg looking upon him as less engag'd to the House of Austria than the Duke of Lorain who was indebted to that Family for all he either had or could expect If this French Prince had been but nam'd when he was put up doubtless he would soon have ruin'd the Measures of the Germans for whom the Republick never had any Kindness who consequently might have sav'd themselves a great deal of fruitless Charge had they never thought of the Crown of Poland but on the contrary their Ambition has all along hitherto surmounted the Dictates of their Reason The Gentry arriv'd at the Diet one after another with their Followers but however none had any thing like the Train of the two Marshals of the Crown and of Lithuania their Parties seem'd too numerous to assist at a Diet where there is so much Freedom as in that of Poland Nevertheless Sobieski must be indulg'd considering the great Services he had done the State and common Justice requir'd the same Liberty for the Lithuanians These two Generals no doubt had different Intentions Sobieski apparently sought the Crown from himself and Patz his Design was to hinder him from obtaining it Both had a fair opportunity to come to Blows but it seems Fate had order'd it otherwise tho the Duke of Lorain was with an Army on the Borders of Silesia to animate his Friends The Lithuanians who plainly perceiv'd that Sobieski aim'd at the Crown omitted nothing that might prove a means to exclude him from it They therefore endeavour'd all they could to raise ill Thoughts of a Piasto and proclaim'd those Enemies to their Country who were not of their Opinion This was thought so very unjust that most of the Diet protested against it and that with so great Indignation that there would doubtless have been a great deal of Blood shed had not the great Prudence of Sapieha grand Treasurer of Lithuania and Marshal of the Diet intercepted and appeas'd their Fury The first that had Audience of this Assembly was Francis Bonvisius the Pope's Nuncio who desir'd them in the Name of his Holiness to elect a Catholick Prince Next Christopher Count of Schafgots the Emperor's Embassador recommended the Duke of Lorain as likewise did the Bishop of Marseilles the eldest Son of the Duke of Neuburg in the Name of his Master the King of France The Ministers of these two Competitors made almost the same Profers as they had formerly done yet notwithstanding the before-mentioned different Factions did not forsake the Interest of those whose Party they had espous'd for that of Sobieski continu'd to insist in all outward appearance on the Anonymous French Prince whose Character had procur'd him a great many Suffrages And the other of the Great Chancellor Patz tho not so strong yet was not a whit less constant to the Interest of the Queen and Duke of Lorain Both these remaining so obstinate in their Pretensions gave great reason to apprehend a double Election which caus'd some of the more prudent sort to represent the great Disorders that had ensu'd from thence in the preceding Elections of the Kings Batori and Sigismund but this with little or no effect These Contests and Heats occasion'd the Diet to be prolong'd to the 19 th of May. The Senate deputed four or five Bishops to the Queen to acquaint her that if her Majesty would please to forsake the Interest of the Duke of Lorain they had orders to offer her Prince Philip of Neuburg for her Husband together with the Crown These Ministers the Queen receiv'd very civilly and thank'd the Senate for their Kindness to her but withal insinuated that she did not believe that they were yet absolute Masters of the Election since her Friends the Lithuanians had not forsaken her The same Prelats perceiving the unalterable Resolution of the Queen went in quest of the Grand General Patz whom they also found firm in the Duke of Lorain's Interest which yet they could not but commend in him he having had great Obligations to the Queen The next day all the Gentry of Poland and Lithuania met again each Party resolving to maintain what they had undertaken It was plainly to be perceiv'd that Sobieski was strong enough to make himself Head of the Election and therefore the other side had thoughts of joining the Duke of Lorain's Army but this made all Men tremble who had regard to the Good of the Publick At last the Palatin of Russia made a Speech to the Assembly representing That the Queen having refus'd a Husband which the Government had profer'd her the Republick had no more to do with her and that they had done but too much already for the House of Austria and Germany neither of which had ever done them any Service that notwithstanding
Companions dead upon the Spot In this Action there were several brave Polish Gentlemen slain Afterwards the King being again ioin'd by the Lithuanians by which his Army amounted to fifteen thousand Men march'd to seek out the Enemy tho by a modest computation they might be reckon'd seven times as many But understanding that the Enemy had besieg'd Podhais he was marching thither to relieve it when by the way he receiv'd Intelligence of its being surrender'd burnt and plunder'd and twelve thousand Persons made Prisoners tho the Garison had expresly capitulated to march out with Bag and Baggage The King was extreamly nettled that so many Christians should be made Slaves and his Territories laid desolate therefore he resolv'd forthwith to remedy it or perish in the Attempt for he march'd the same day towards the Enemy who were then set down before Buozalz but upon notice of his Approaches they rais'd their Siege and retreated with all their Forces to Trembowla which they likewise invested Here they were often repuls'd with great Loss yet continu'd obstinate to pursue their Enterprize till at last happening to intercept a Peasant that was carrying a Letter from the King to the Governour wherein his Majesty assur'd him that he was coming with all speed to his Relief the Terrour of King Sobieski's Name struck such a faintness into the Infidels that they immediately dislodg'd their Cannon from their Batteries which consisted of a hundred Pieces and forthwith march'd towards Caminiec with a great deal of Confusion Nay so great was their Consternation that under the Cannon of Caminiec they thought not themselves sufficiently secure for not daring to stand an Engagement with the Poles they resolv'd to pass the Niester and march towards Valachia Yet this they could not do so speedily but Prince Lubomirski with part of the King's Army fell upon their Rear and slew great Numbers of them The Turks by the Fear they were in of being farther pursu'd re-pass'd the Danube and the Tartars return'd home with great Precipitation by the way of Bialogrod Whereupon the King resolv'd to put his Army into Winter-quarters and so to return home which he did to the Joy and Satisfaction of all his Subjects It being now high time to prepare for the Ceremony of the Coronation January the 17th the Corps of the late King Michael was convey'd from Warsaw in a Herse drawn by eight Horses attended by all the Officers of his Houshold and several Persons of Quality to Cracow where together with the Body of King Casimir likewise brought lately out of France it was honourably interr'd all Decency and Respect being paid to both their Memories This Ceremony being dispatch'd John Sobieski with his Queen Mary were both Crown'd in the Castle of Cracow the 2d of February in the Year 1676 with great Pomp and Magnificence After this the King applying himself to supply the Vacancies as usual made Lubomirski Grand Marshal of the Kingdom the Lord Siniawski Court-Marshal and Prince Demetrius Wisnowiski Palatin of Beltz He likewise bestow'd the Command of General of the Forces of the Kingdom on Jablownowski Palatin of Russia at present Great General of Poland In June following Sultan Nuradin with the two Sons of the Great Cham pass'd the Niester with a great Army having sent out Parties before to ravage the Country At the same time Ibrahim Bassa advanc'd likewise to several Posts about Caminiec Whereupon the King order'd what Troops he could get together near Leopol where they were to rendezvouz and likewise convok'd the Pospolite or Militia for the defence of the Country The same Year his Excellency Mr. Hyde now Earl of Rochester was sent Embassador from his Majesty Charles the IId to the Court of Poland to congratulate the King upon his Accession to the Crown and to stand for his Master Godfather to the young Princess now Electoress of Bavaria He arriv'd at Dantzic in August where meeting with the Queen of Poland who made a Journey thither while the King was in the Field he had Audience of her Majesty there and presented the young Princess her Daughter with a very rich Jewel a Cross of Diamonds of great Value He afterwards set forward for Poland and was received by the King in his Camp near Leopol in Russia with Demonstrations of Respect and Kindness sutable to his Character and Person where his Majesty sent some of his chief Officers to shew him the Army and their way of Encamping The Turks and Tartars began to appear now very formidable and yet at the same time continu'd so sensible of their last Year's Defeats and so dreaded the Name of King Sobieski that they seem'd to desire nothing more than Peace for which purpose the Grand Seignior by the Prince of Moldavia made an Overture for a Treaty which was accepted after a Battle gain'd by the Poles and some other small Mischiefs done on both sides The Peace being thus happily concluded to the Advantage of Poland his Majesty return'd in November to Zulkiew his own Patrimony whither my Lord Rochester waiting upon him had his publick Audience there in a more solemn Manner than before He was first carried in the King's Coach and then received by the Court-Marshal who is in the Nature of a Lord Chamberlain at the Stairs-foot of the Palace and was conducted to his Majesty who receiv'd him standing under a rich Canopy of State and after two Months residing there his Excellency had his Audience of Leave and return'd into England through Silesia Austria and the Empire The Poles enjoy'd this Peace with the Turks till the Year 1683 when they came under the Command of Cara Mustapha their Grand Vizier to besiege Vienna whereof Count Starenberg was Governour The King with his Son Prince James Prince Lubomirski and most of the Polish Grandees came with an Army only as they assur'd me of twenty four thousand Men to relieve it This the King of Poland was oblig'd to by the Alliance sign'd with his Imperial Majesty in 1683. When being join'd by the Imperial Army together with the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony the Duke of Lorain and a great Number of other Princes of the Empire in all amounting to near fifty thousand Men he attack'd the Turks with such Bravery and Conduct that on the 12th of September they tho consisting of 191800 Men as appear'd by a List found in the Grand Vizier's Tent were oblig'd after an entire Defeat to raise the Siege and retire towards Hungary The great Standard and the Horse's Tail were taken by the Poles who obstinately pursu'd the Turks in their flight tho no great way being too much fatigu'd before There was also great Booty found in the Turkish Camp which was wholly plunder'd even to the Tent of the Grand Vizier where they met with great Riches in Gold Silver and other precious things All their Ammunition and Baggage with their Artillery consisting of above a hundred Pieces of Cannon were taken This
mighty Victory was obtain'd with not above the Loss of a thousand Men on the Christians side and of those very few Persons of Quality This Overthrow was chiefly ascrib'd to the great Conduct and Courage of the King of Poland who exposed his Person among the thickest of the Enemy having always by him the Prince his Son who thus early signaliz'd himself Nor ought the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony the Duke of Lorain and Prince Waldec to go without their share in the Glory since they all behav'd themselves so wonderfully well in this memorable Action The King made his Entry into Vienna through the Breach with great Acclamations of the People the great Turkish Standard being carry'd before him which he afterwards sent to the Pope and which I have seen hung up in the Church at Loretto in Italy Next day after his Entry the Emperour came to meet him and made him his Acknowledgments with the most endearing Expressions imaginable while K. John receiv'd his Compliments with a Modesty equal to his Courage After his Imperial Majesty had order'd a rich Sword set with Diamonds to be presented to Prince James he departed and the King of Poland decamp'd with his Army and march'd towards Wisena in Hungary and thence by a Bridg of Boats over the Danube about a Mile below Presburg on the twenty fifth of September and on the twenty seventh the Imperial Army follow'd him over the same Place On the ninth of October understanding that a Body of about fourteen thousand Turks lay encamp'd near Barkan being the choicest of the remaining Troops under the Command of several Bassas the King of Poland and some of the Imperial Troops advanc'd thither The Turks no sooner saw them but they march'd briskly up and charg'd them very desperately but being as warmly receiv'd after a sharp Encounter the Infidels were put to flight one of their Bassas slain another taken and the rest of them hurrying over the Bridg at Gran the same broke and all that were upon it drown'd so that of all that great Body of Men there were scarce four thousand escap'd The next considerable Exploit was the taking of Zytchin a Place of great Importance in Hungary for the King having parted with the Duke of Lorain and understanding that the Turks had a considerable Garison at that Place which might incommode the Communication betwixt his Troops and the Imperialists he sent his Son with the Palatin of Lublin to invest it but the Garison soon retir'd into the Castle which the King immediately commanded to be storm'd Whereupon the Turks hung out a white Flag and the Commander in Chief with two others came out and begg'd his Majesty to permit them to march to Buda which was granted and they left behind them a great Quantity of Provisions and Ammunition This Town he put into the hands of the Imperialists Next the King sent to summon two Castles Brigh and Holoch which soon yielded at Discretion Then he return'd to his own Kingdom but left the Lithuanian Troops in Winter-quarters behind him He arriv'd at Cracow the 21st of December where he was joyfully receiv'd with Testimonies of an universal Affection from his People and to render his Triumphs yet more compleat he was saluted at his Arrival with the News of the General of the Cosacks the Sieur Kiniski's having obtain'd a great Victory over the Turks and Tartars in the Vkraine He afterwards made a League Offensive and Defensive with the present Emperor the Pope and Venetians against the Turks which has continu'd ever since tho very little to the advantage of either Party The Poles since the Siege of Vienna have been highly disgusted at the ill Treatment they receiv'd from the Germans whom they had deliver'd from the Turkish Invasion and besides it is thought that the King for several Years lean'd towards the French Interest 'T is certain that at last he lov'd Money so well that I heard the Poles themselves say That he was the most covetous and richest Prince that ever sway'd their Scepter Every Year for the 22 Years he reign'd they computed that he laid up a hundred thousand Pound sterling all which should have been disburs'd in the Expences of the War as all his Predecessors were wont to do Some of the Gentry told me moreover that if his Son James hapned to succeed him he would be oblig'd to disburse the best part of that Treasure to pay the eight Years Arrears due then to the Army As for what relates to King Sobieski's Person He was a tall and corpulent Prince large fac'd and full ey'd went always in the same Dress with his Subjects which because it is different from any other in Europe I thought an Account of it would not be unacceptable to your Lordship They have all their Hair cut round about their Ears like Monks and wear furr'd Caps large Whiskers and no Neckcloths a long Coat hangs down to their Heels and a Wastcoat under that of the same length tied close about the Waste with a Girdle Their Sleeves are extream close like those of Mariners coming down to their Wrists with a Flap on the back of the Hand which reaches as far as the middle Nuckle which they turn up in hot Weather and let down in cold for they never wear any Gloves This long Coat is of strong Cloth and is lin'd in the Winter with rich Fur but in Summer only with light Silk tho I have seen at Court some of the Persons of Quality wear Furs as they us'd to do in Winter for it is a fine Ornament under this Wastcoat they wear wide Shirts like Womens Smocks tied loose about their Necks with wide Sleeves coming down to their Wrists As to their Breeches they are likewise very wide and with their Stockings make one continued piece Instead of Shoes they always wear both abroad and at home Turky Leather Boots with very thin Soles and hollow deep Heels made of a blade of Iron bent hoopwise into the form of a Half-moon They carry a large Scimiter the Sheath equally flat and broad from the handle to the bottom it 's generally set richly with Diamonds according to the Quality of the Person It 's customary all over the Kingdom not only among the Gentry but also amongst the Vulgar to carry Pole-Axes in their Hands or on their Arms they take care that this Pole-Ax be kept bright and shining with Plates of Silver round the handle and sometimes set with Jewels I have seen the Palatins and other Senators come with those Pole-Axes into the King's Presence which seem'd when I came first to Court aâ—â— frightful Sight tho reckon'd an Ornament but I was inform'd that at first it was for Defence the Nation being tumultuous and quarrelsom that they might make use of these Pole-Axes in a Throng where their Scimiters could be of no use This Dress looks extreme manly particularly on Horseback and is the most expensive of
Parts of the Body desir'd to know what was properly Death The School Divinity maintains that Death was a Separation of the rational Soul from the Body I own'd indeed that in Death the Soul was actually separated from the Body but I could not allow that that Separation was the cause of Death but that the Death of the Body was the Cessation of the Motion of the Heart of the Blood and of the Spirits which Cessation could not proceed from the Separation of the Soul since these don't at all depend upon it as I proved before but it was occasion'd by some Defects in the Organs and Fluids of the Body which losing their due Disposition and their mutual Correspondence with one another all their Actions cease which Cessation is properly called Death so that the Soul finding them incapable of receiving its Influence and of obeying its Commands quits the Body after it is dead by which it appears that the Separation of the Soul is not properly the Cause of Death but that the Death of the Body is the cause of the Separation The King himself illustrated this Opinion with a familiar Example of an Organ and an Organist While the Organs were in their due order and symetry the Organist play'd upon them but when by length of time they were either broke used too much or any other way quite put out of Tune he leaves off playing on them This Discourse my Lord held from three of the Clock till seven and the Divines were extreamly warm in it and some of them had the boldness to tell the King that his Majesty should not suffer such Heretical Opinions as they called them to be introduc'd before such a great Assembly contrary to the receiv'd Doctrine of the Church This Discourse caused a great many other Matters to be talk'd on of which it would be too long to inform your Lordship By this you may plainly see how fond the Divines are of their old Opinions relying upon the Doctrine of Aristotle whom we can't suppose to be so throughly acquainted with the Structure Springs and Motions of the Humane Body nor indeed with all other Natural Causes as the Modern Physicians are yet it is the Policy of the Divines not only in Poland but in Spain Italy and in most other Countries where their Power is very great not to let any Opinions creep in among them that would seem to contradict those of Aristotle for having built their Systems of Divinity upon the Principles of this Pagan Philosopher they are justly afraid that if Experience and Reason should shake the Foundation the Superstructure would fall to the Ground as doubtless it would for the most part This King built several fine Houses both in Russia and other parts of the Kingdom particularly three Miles from Warsaw a neat Country House call'd Villa Nova very richly furnished He has had several Natural Children but took no care of any of them for it is not customary in Poland to have that Consideration for them as there is in other Countries but he left vast Riches to his Lawful Children and made a Motion in the Diet five or six Years before he died to settle the Succession on one of them He told the Assembly of the Disorders that usually happened in Elections after the King's Death that the Turks and the Tartars took then Opportunities to make Inroads into the Country and ravage all before them that the Nobility of the Kingdom were generally divided headed by Factions and biass'd by Self-interest against the publick Good of their Country and that he himself would be glad to prevent all those dangerous Broils before he died out of the Love he bore to his Country and Subjects But the Diet finding that his private Design was to get one of his Sons elected answered That they hoped that his Majesty would live yet a long while that it was necessary to take a long time to consider of a Matter of that great moment which the King seeing it was a civil way of refusing to enter upon that Subject never after intimated any thing to them like it but took all possible care to enrich his Children in case none of them should be elected after his Death It was exactly computed to me that he laid up every Year for above twenty Years 100000 l. Sterl which he left partly in Bankers Hands at Dantzick Hamburgh and Amsterdam and put the rest into the hands of the Jews who are very numerous in that Kingdom to trade with it besides he bought great Territories in the Kingdom tho it is against the Constitution so that his three Sons James Alexander and Constantino if they manage their Affairs right may be worth each above 50000 l. Sterling per Annum for it is the Law in Poland to divide equally the Estate among the Children The Queen was but ten or twelve Years of Age when she together with the present Duke of Gordon's Aunt afterwards married to Count Morstin great Treasurer of Poland came from France into this Kingdom with Ladislaus King of Poland's Queen who made them both her Maids of Honour and took great care of Madamoiselle d' Arquien being very ingenious and beautiful She got her married first to Prince Zamoiski who soon left her a Widow with a Jointure of about 2000 l. a Year she was afterwards married in Casimir's Reign to John Sobieski then Captain of the Guards who was not very willing to marry her until the King promis'd that he would give him considerable Places which he accordingly did by the Instigation of the Queen for he made him Great Marshal and Great General of Poland which gave him Authority and Interest enough to make himself afterwards King and her Queen so that this Marriage was the occasion of his Rise in the World which he was so sensible of that he refus'd to be divorced from her as the Diet would have perswaded him to do after his Election The Queen is now about fifty four Years of Age tho she appears not to be forty she goes in the French Dress as all the Polish Ladies do she speaks almost naturally the Polish Tongue which with lier sweet Temper refin'd Sense and majestick Air gain'd her such Affection with the Poles such Influence over the King and such Interest always in the Diet that she manag'd all with a great deal of Prudence and that to the advantage of her native Country France whose Interest she generally espous'd upon most occasions during the King's Life which was believ'd to be the Cause that he did not carry on the War with vigour these late years against the Turks and Tartars She maintain'd at her Court her Father Cardinal D' Arquien and her Brother Count Maligny who had but a very small Estate of their own She has two Sisters one is the Widow of the late Count Bethune who was Ambassador from France in Poland and afterwards dy'd in his Embassy in
thinks and think what he pleases without any Fear of the King After the King's Death Cardinal Radziouski Archbishop of Gnesna and Primate of the Kingdom took the Administration of the Government as is usual upon him and notify'd the King's Death to foreign Princes and to all the Governours of the Provinces and advis'd with the Senators that were then at Warsaw of the proper Method and fit Time to ohoose a new King They fix'd upon the 29th of August 1696 for the Convocation of the Grand Diet but there appearing several Competitors which made powerful Factions it was thought necessary to take more time to appease the Dissensions of the Nobility Wherefore the Overture of the Diet was deferr'd to the 15th of May 1697. They chose the Sieur Belinski for their Speaker whom they call their Marshal The chief Competitors were at first Prince James of Poland and his Brother Prince Alexander the Prince of Conti Don Livio Odeschalchi and Prince Lewis of Baden but at last the Elector of Saxony unexpectedly came to the Frontiers of Poland with 8000 Men and declar'd himself Candidate having a twelve-month before privately abjur'd his Religion to qualify himself for this Crown which procur'd him the Interest of the Pope and Clergy So that at length no considerable Party appear'd but for him the Prince of Conti and Prince James The Cardinal Primate with a great Number of the Palatins supported with all their Interest the Prince of Conti the French having for several years before as I observ'd when I was in that Kingdom given a great Character of his Merit and Valour which made the King of France believe that he would undoubtedly carry that Crown against all Opposers as it is probable he would have done had he been in Person as near the Place of Election as the Elector of Saxony was For on the 26th of June being the day of Election the Diet drew out into the Field and he had that day more Votes than either the Elector of Saxony or Prince James which the Primate observing went with his Party and immediately proclaim'd him King but the two other Parties knowing this could not be legally done without the universal Consent of the Diet protested against it as Illegal and Prince James perceiving his Party to be the weakest and having always been in the Interest of the House of Austria as being marry'd to the Empress and Queen of Spain's Sister resign'd all his Interest to the Elector of Saxony who was likewise supported by the Emperour These two Parties being thus united into one were more numerous than that of the Prince of Conti Wherefore coming next day into the field they got the Bishop of Cujavia after the Primate had refus'd it to proclaim FREDERIC AUGUSTUS Elector of Saxony King of Poland and sent Embassadors to acquaint him therewith and to desire him to accept of the Crown All this while the Primate and Prince of Conti's Party stood firm to the first Election and dispatch'd Couriers into France to desire that Prince to come with all speed into Poland The Generals of the Army were divided Count Jablonowski Great General of the Kingdom declar'd for the Elector of Saxony Prince Sapieha Great General of Lithuania seem'd to favour the Prince of Conti but the Governour of Cracow being for the Elector of Saxony invited him and his Army to take possession of that capital City where he was crown'd the 15th of September following which did extreamly facilitate the good Success he has since had in that Kingdom For tho the Primate and many other considerable Persons did insist on the pretended Legality of their Election tho the Prince of Conti himself came in Person to Dantzic with a Fleet vast Sums of Money and some disciplin'd Troops tho the French Embassador Monsieur de Polignac had manag'd a good part of the Army and a great many of the Senators with great Art and Policy tho the Turks and Tartars threatned an Invasion to support his Election and tho the Hungarians made an Insurrection in their Country to divert the Saxon Forces yet the Poles seeing the Elector of Saxony was actually Crown'd that he was in possession of the Metropolis Cracow the strongest Town in Poland that 8000 of his disciplin'd Troops were in the Kingdom that the major part of the Army had declar'd for him and that the Czar of Muscovy threatned an Invasion if they persisted to support the Prince of Conti they thought it more advisable to quit his Interest than to give occasion for a Civil War for I have often heard them say That Kings were easy enough to be had without shedding Blood for any and that they were easily depos'd if they usurp'd any greater Authority than the Laws allow'd And therefore they think it more prudent after having sufficiently empty'd the Candidates Pockets to declare for the first of them that joins his Party and appears in Arms since he is deem'd qualify'd than to expose their Country to ruin and devastation by adhering to an illegal Election of which the success is always doubtful for by their Constitution no Election can be really lawful nor any Law can be legally made without the universal Consent of the Lords and Commons of both States Poland and Lithuania assembl'd in Parliament The Prince of Conti having full Intelligence of the Posture of Affairs in Poland did not think it politick to conside any longer in the Promises of the Great Men who in that Country are naturally sickle and biass'd more to their own Interest than any Inclination they have to serve any Prince for they have no other Notion of Princes than of Tools to raise their own Fortune by Wherefore this Prince foreseeing no probability of success the Town of Dantzic having declar'd for the Elector of Saxony he thought it more prudent timely to quit his Pretensions by sailing back into France than to expose his Reputation by being forc'd to retire when the New King's Authority was more confirm'd as it is look'd upon to be at present King Frederick Augustus the IId being thus left in sole Possession of the Kingdom is likely to restore the decaying State thereof for having large hereditary Dominions of his own out of which he can have both Men and Money and being likewise naturally animated with a martial Spirit and moreover King over a most Warlike Nation which is at present in league against the Infidels with the Emperour Muscovites Pope and Venetians He has opportunity sufficient to enlarge that Kingdom and extend it to its antient Bounds the Euxine Sea by retaking Caminiec and the Vkrain I may here take notice that this is the first time the Poles have elected a German Prince and likewise the first that they have excluded their King's Son for from the Year 550 when this Monarchy began to this present Election the King's Children have been always chosen and the Crown tho elective has been in the same Family
his Death Suentopelus declared himself Duke of Pomerania and Conrade and call'd into Poland the Knights of the Teutonic Order who were then banisht out of Syria by the Sarazens and settled in Germany to help him against the Prussians who were wont to make frequent Incursions into his Country to whom for Recompence he gave the Territory of Culm and some other small Places on condition they should act vigorously against the Prussians but after they had conquer'd those People they were to resign Culm c. and have the half of their Conquests to themselves These Auxiliary Troops prov'd afterwards very pernicious to Poland having been the Cause of many bloody Wars in that Country This Agreement between the Knights of the Cross as they were likewise call'd and Conrade was approv'd and confirm'd by Pope Gregory IX in the Year 1228. In a short time these Knights effected what they undertook This Lescus lies buried in the Cathedral at Cracow and left behind him a young Son BOLESLAUS V. surnam'd the Chast whose Guardians he order'd to be his Brother Conrade and Henry Duke of Breslaw his Cousin This young Prince notwithstanding the many Intrigues and Cabals Conrade form'd against him who design'd to make himself King was elected in the Year 1228 and reign'd to the Year 1278. He marry'd Cunigunda Daughter to Bela King of Hungary but after they were bedded he had not the courage to consummate the Marriage and therefore by mutual Consent both made a Vow of Chastity 'T was in this Prince's Reign the Tartars made their first Irruptions into Poland whereof there were three at several times In the first they ravag'd all the Country about Lublin and Russia and carry'd away an incredible Number of Prisoners with great Riches In the second they return'd with more fury and not being contented with the Plunder of Poland spread likewise all over Silesia where near Lignitz they entirely defeated the Confederate Army of the Christians wherein Henry Duke of Breslaw Boleslaus Son to the Duke of Moravia Pompo Great Master of the Teutonick Order and several other Persons of Note were kill'd The Number of dead Bodies was so incredible that they fill'd nine great Sacks with the Christians Ears cutting off each Head but one after the same manner as Hanibal at the Battle of Cannae fill'd several Bushels with the Rings cut off from the Fingers of the Roman Knights only that were there kill'd Boleslaus had not the courage to march in Person against the Tartars when they came a second time to invade him but retir'd with his Court into Hungary and thereby left his Subjects to the Mercy of their Enemies Which base Action the Poles being extremely offended at intended to have elected a new King whereupon Boleslaus Son to Henry Duke of Breslaw that was kill'd in the Battle afterwards was nam'd but Conrade vigorously opposing him and pretending to have more Right the Gentry to prevent Civil Wars recall'd their former King Bolestaus from Hungary and in the mean time Conrade dy'd Not long after the Tartars together with the Lithuanians which were hitherto Pagans made Incursions a third time into Poland when they pillag'd the Country up as far as Cracow which City meeting with no body in it to resist'em they both plunder'd and burnt Afterwards they went to Vratislaw which they found ready fir'd to their hands for the Townsmen having had timely notice of the coming of the Barbarians had got all their Treasure together and fled whilst the Souldiers distrusting the Strength of the Place and searing it might become a Prey to the Enemy set fire to it and retir'd into the Castle which having greatly incens'd the Tartars they laid Siege to the Castle with all imaginable Vigour and would soon have taken it had they not been frighted from before it by a Prodigy During this Boleslaus march'd in Person against the Lithuanians whom he overthrew and kill'd their Duke Mindacus The Prussians likewise being yet Pagans sided with the Lithuanians when the Teutonick Order which was then settled in Prussia call'd to their Assistance Ottocarus King of Bohemia who quickly reduc'd the Prussians and the better to keep them in Awe built a Fort call'd Koningsberg or Royal Hill Boleslaus was a pious and good Prince and lies bury'd at Cracow in a Monastery founded by himself He built other Religious Houses and reign'd near 50 Years and having made a Vow of Chastity left no Children Wherefore his Uncle's Son by the Father LESCUS VI. surnam'd the Black succeeded him being elected in the Year 1279 and reign'd only to the Year 1289. In the beginning of his Reign the Russians summon'd by the Lithuanians and Tartars made Incursions into Poland under Command of Leo their Duke but were defeated first by Varsias the King's General and afterwards were beat by the King himself out of a Village where they had entrench'd themselves which from that General 's Name has been since call'd Leopol and is now a sine City Upon this Defeat the Enemy were forc'd to retire with great Loss Not long after they return'd again but more to their prejudice than in the former Irruption for then tho their Army consisted of a Prodigious Number of Men and an innumerable Company of Mastiff Dogs train'd up to War yet were they a second time routed by Lescus insomuch that a certain People call'd Jazyges who then inhabited a part of Lithuania and came only to plunder in Poland were so totally destroy'd that there remains nothing left of 'em except the Name But at Length the Tartars making another Irruption had better success for they not only vanquish'd Lescus but also carry'd away besides Men marry'd Women and Children above twenty thousand Maids into Captivity After this Defeat an Insurrection was rais'd against Lescus by Paul Bishop of Cracow for that under the Reign of Boleslaus the Chast Lescus had kept him about a Month in Prison Hereupon Conrade Duke of Masovia was invited to accept the Crown who coming into Poland for that purpose was met at Sendomir by General Varsias Paul the Bishop and a great Number of the Nobility Upon this Lescus perceiving himself forsaken fled into Hungary to King Vladislaus but the City of Cracow still bearing a respect to him continu'd Loyal and prepar'd to sustain a Siege Whereupon having been summon'd to surrender their Answer was That they could not be treaâ—â—berous to their lawful Soveraign Lescus but would defend his Right to the last drop of their Blood Hereat the Nobles being grievously nettled resolv'd to sit down with their Army before that City but upon their Approaches finding it empty the Inhabitants being retir'd into the Castle they set sire to it thinking by those means to bring the Enemy sooner to a Compliance This done Lescus having obtain'd a considerable Army of King Vladislaus was marching directly towards Cracow to relieve his
about 100000 Captives of which the greatest Part were Russians The Moldavians and Valachians quickly return'd home but the Turks out of covetousness of Plunder stay'd till the great Frosts and Snow surpriz'd 'em when not being us'd to such excessive Cold as this Country is subject to above 40000 of them were frozen to death Some among 'em that escap'd were forc'd to cut open their Horses bellies and thrust themselves into them to preserve their natural Heat After this John Albert made peace with the Valachians and Bajazet Emperour of the Turks Next he went in Person into Prussia to oblige Frederic Duke of Saxony then Great Master of the Teutonic Order to take Oath of Fidelity to him which he had for some time refus'd but dy'd suddenly at Thorn before he could effect his design Albert leaving no Children the Diet thought fit to elect his Brother ALEXANDER Great Duke of Lithuania the better to renew their Alliance with that Country This Prince being proclaim'd King comes to Cracow where by his Brother Frederic Cardinal and Archbishop of Gnesna he was crown'd in the Year 1501 and reign'd only five Years but the Archbishop refus'd to do the like Office for his Queen Helena because she was of the Greek Church being Daughter to John Great Duke of Muscovy which Country are all of that Persuasion Soon after that he was crown'd his Father-in-Law the Great Duke made War upon him and besieg'd the City of Smolensko Capital of a large Province of the same Name but Alexander coming in time to relieve it oblig'd the Muscovite to make Peace for six Years In his time also the Moldavians and Tartars made Irruptions into Poland but were beaten back with great Loss insomuch that 't is said there were kill'd only of the Tartars in that Action near 20000. The King was not in Person at this Victory he then lying sick at Vilna Capital of Lithuania where he dy'd soon after and was buried in that City He was of a middle Stature had a long Visage and black Hair was very strong built but exceeding dull-witted and consequently but a little Talker He exceeded all his Brothers in Generosity and was wont to delight much in Musicians and such trifling Artists Nevertheless this his Liberality was generally esteem'd but Prodigality insomuch that some were so hold as to say That he dy'd in time or else both Poland and Lithuania might have been lavish'd away To prevent the like pernicious Generosity for the future the Diet made a Law calling it Statutum Alexandrinum by which they revok'd all this King 's profuse Gifts Alexander leaving no Children and but two Brothers the Archbishop of Gnesna dying before him SIGISMUND was preferr'd to Vladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia either because the Gentry were more affected to him being bred among 'em or by reason they were afraid of Vladislaus's great Power He was elected at Petricovia in the Year 1507 and reign'd forty one Years When Sigismund left his Government of Lithuania to come into Poland he substituted one Glinski a great â—â—avourite of the late King 's in his room This Palatin having great Authority among the Lithuanians became so ambitious as to think of making himself Absolute which concealing for a good while at length he agreed with Basilius Great Duke of Muscovy to allow him his share of that Province in case he would afford him his Assistance which Proposal the Great Duke being pleas'd with readily consented to and with all Expedition dispatch'd away an Army to Glinski but as such great Designs are not to be carried on without great Noise and Suspicions Sigismund came soon to hear of this treacherous Enterprize whereupon drawing up all his Forces to oppose the intended Invasion he meets and defeats their Army ravages and destroys their Country and at last obliges them to sue for Peace which he not without some difficulty granted Afterwards the Valachians and Tartars making Incursions into Russia and Poland he forces them to return home with great Loss The Muscovites likewise making War upon him a second time and taking the City of Smolensko with all the Country about it he beat their Armies in several Engagements and having kill'd in all above 30000 of their Men retook Smolensko and made 'em accept of a Peace the second time for five Years He soon after married Buona Sforza Daughter to John Galeatio Duke of Milan Afterwards he made War with the Knights of the Teutonic Order the reason of which was because Albert Marquess of Brandenburgh his Sister's Son and then Great Master refus'd to take an Oath as it was agreed in the late Wars Hereupon Sigismund took from him some Towns and had great Advantages over him in several Engagements but however Albert having considerable Succors sent him from Germany prolong'd the War for a good while in Prussia About this time Martin Luther's Doctrine came to be known in these Parts and most of the Citizens of Dantzic embrac'd it for which at first the King was very severe with them but at length fearing that to preserve their Religion they might side with the Teutonic Order against him he granted them Liberty of Conscience All this while that Order made vigorous Resistance and with equal Loss on both sides fatigu'd the Polish Army till at last it was agreed by both Parties to make the Emperor Charles V. and Lewis King of Hungary Arbitrators who determin'd that Sigismund should relinquish to the Marquess of Brandenburg all the Eastern part of Prussia which is above half of that great Province and that he and his Heirs should for ever enjoy it as they have actually done ever since without any disturbance from Sigismund but the Marquess of Brandenburg as Duke of Prussia for himself and his Heirs was to take an Oath of Fidelity to the Kings of Poland and to send to their Service every Year in time of War a hundred Horse ready equipt which those Kings were to maintain at their own Charges from the time they went out of Prussia At this time the House of Austria was not a little jealous of the exorbitant Power and vast Dominions of the Family of Jagello for not only Sigismund possess'd Poland the great Dutchies of Lithuania Smolensko and Severia and likewise all the Countries between the Euxine and Baltic Seas but also his Nephew Lewis Son of Vladislaus was King of Hungary Bohemia and Silesia insomuch that they secretly rais'd several Enemies against them whereupon the Muscovites Moldavians and Tartars came a third time to molest Poland but were forc'd to withdraw after having done some Mischief About this time Solyman the Great Emperor of the Turks made War with Hungary and gain'd the famous Battel of Mobac where King Lewis and the flower of his Army were slain and the better part of Hungary subjected to the Turk This King Lewis left only one Daughter which was
States consented to have vast Quantities of Copper coin'd which before had been very scarce in that Country and to raise its intrinsick Value to almost double the common Standard With this Money the King paid the Publick for what they brought in as likewise the Arrears of the Army but kept all the Gold and Silver which he afterwards privately remitted into France and soon follow'd himself whereby he beggar'd the Nation for which the Poles condemn him even to this day They also hate his Memory for having favour'd the Cosacks Rebellion to the empoverishing those Gentlemen that had Estates in Vkraina This appear'd unquestionable by a private Letter intercepted sent under Casimir's own hand to Chmielinski and Doroczinko Generals of the Cosacks Army whereby he invited them to make War against himself for not having been redress'd in the Grievances they had sustain'd under the Jews the Noblemens Stewards in the Vkraine by which means he gave them occasion to deliver themselves from the Polish Slavery as they continue to this day All this while the Cosacks were not a little troublesome to the Poles taking advantage of these intestine Disorders and the ill Condition the Affairs of Poland were in during Casimir's Time who at length after 20 years Reign being tir'd out with Vexations publickly resign'd his Crown like Charles V. at St. John's Church at Warsaw the 16th of September in the Year 1668 and retiring into France dy'd afterwards at Nevers the City where his Queen was born While I was at Warsaw I spoke with several old Gentlemen about this King's Abdication who told me that Casimir the day after his Resignation observing the People hardly paid him the Respect due to a Gentleman much less to a King seem'd to have repented heartily of the Folly he had committed The Officers which this Prince had reserv'd to himself in his Retreat rais'd a stately Monument to the Memory of their Royal Master in the Abby of St. Germains at Paris whereof he was made Abbot The Brass and Marble of this Monument shall not outlast the Latin Epitaph which Father Francis Delfault made on this Prince and which for the Excellency in its kind I shall beg leave of your Grace to insert Aeternae Memoriae REGIS ORTHODOXI HEIC Post Emensos Virtutis Ac Gloriae Gradus omnes Quiescit Nobili sui Parte JOHANNES CASIMIRVS Poloniae Ac Sueciae Rex Alto E Jagellonidum Sanguine Familia Vasatensi POSTREMVS Quia Summus LITTERIS ARMIS PIETATE Multarum Gentium Linguas Addidicit quo illas Propensius Sibi devinciret Septemdecim Praeliis collatis cum Hoste signis Totidem uno minus vicit SEMPER INVIGTVS Moscovitas Suecos Brandeburgenses Tartaros Germanos ARMIS Cosacos aliosque Rebelles Gratid ac Beneficiis EXPVGNAVIT Victoriâ Regem eis se Praebens Clementiâ Patrem Denique totis viginti Imperii Annis Fortunam virtute vincens AVLAM HABVIT IN CASTRIS PALATIA IN TENTORIIS SPECTACVLA IN TRIVMPHIS Liberos ex legitimo connubio Suscepit queis postea orbatus est ne si se majorem reliquisset non esset ipse Maximus Sin minorem stirps degeneraret Par ei ad fortitudinem Religio fuit Nec segnius Coelo Militavit QVAM SOLO Hinc extructa Monasteria Nosocomia Varsaviae Calvinianorum fana in Lithuania exoisa Sociniani Regno pulsi ne Casimirum haberent Regem Qui Christum Deum non Haberent Senatus A Variis Sectis ad Catholicae Fidei Communiousm Adductus Vt Ecclesiae legibus Continerentur Qui Jura Populis Dicerent Vnde Illi praeclarum ORTHODOXI NOMEN Ab Alexandro VII Inditum Humanae Denique Gloriae Fastigium Praetergressus Cum Nihil Praeclarius Agere Posset IMPERIVM SPONTE ABDICAVIT ANNO M. DC LXVIII Tum Porro lachrymae Quas Nulli Regnans Excusserat Omnium oculis Manarunt Qui Abeuntem Regem non secus Atque Obeuntem Patrem LV XERE Vitae Reliquum in Pietatis Officiis cum Exegisset Tandem Audita Kameneciâ—â— Expugnatione ne tantae cladi Superesset CHARITATE PATRIAE VVLNERATVS OCCVBVIT XVII KAL JAN M. DC LXXII Regium cor monachis Hujus Coenobii cui Abbas praefuerat Amoris pignus reliquit Quod illi isthoc tumulo Moereâ—â—tes condidorunt If King Casimir's Resignation procur'd Quiet to himself it occasion'd no less Disturbance to the Polish Commonwealth for thereby none of the Family of Vasa remaining several Princes rais'd Factions to get the Crown into their Families and consequently each endeavour'd to hinder him that was most like to obtain it Stanislaus Prasmowski the Primate had conven'd a Diet to meet at the beginning of December where after some innocent Heats the second of May 1669 was pitch'd upon for the Diet of Election This Interregnum unlike the former was not disturb'd by the Protestants King Casimir having taken such Measures that the Socinians were in his time banish'd and the other Sects being look'd upon with Contempt were consequently discourag'd in their Advances At this Diet of Election four Competitors appear'd viz. The Son of the Great Duke of Muscovy who had been bred in Poland and spoke that Language on whose behalf the Great Duke his Father offer'd 1. That his Son should change his Religion for that of the Roman Communion 2. That he should make a Publick Renunciation to Muscovy 3. That all Places formerly taken from the Poles by the Muscovites should be restor'd 4. That four Millions should be advanc'd as his free Gift towards the Payment of the Arrears of the Polish Army And lastly That he would be oblig'd to assist Poland against all Enemies whatever with an Army of forty thousand Men and moreover enter into a firm and perpetual League with them The next was the Duke of Neuburg supported by the French Interest The third was the Duke of Lorain upheld by the German Faction And the fourth was the Prince of Conde's Son whom the Archbishop of Gnesna and General Sobieski were thought to favour At length the Contentions for the Crown of Poland were altogether lodg'd in two Pretenders for the Duke of Muscovy declin'd sending his Ambassadors out of Pride as being displeas'd with the Poles and the Prince of Conde had quitted his Pretensions on account of Discouragement wherefore the two Competitors that remain'd had the Gentry almost equally divided between them and which arriv'd to those Extremities that almost every Night twenty or more were found murder'd in the Streets These Disorders the Marshal of the Diet us'd several Means to suppress but at length found none so plausible as to proceed forthwith to an Election The 4th of June the Embassadors were first admitted to Audience when the Pope's Nuncio made a Speech in Latin and exhorted the Assembly to elect a Catholick Prince The 7th of the same Month Count Schafgots had Audience who contrary to the expectation of every body recommended the Duke of Neuburg in the Name of his Master the Emperour On the 12th the Duke of Neuburg's
Minister had Audience who promis'd in the Name of his Master two Millions to pay the Army next to maintain always 4000 Men for the Service of the State out of his own Coffers and lastly to build three Fortresses on the Frontiers of Poland as likewise to found a College for the Polanders in Germany The Prince of Leixin who had Audience next profer'd almost the same on the part of his Nephew the Duke of Lorain To which the Abbot of Riquet also added that the same Prince for whom he likewise spoke was ready to dispute the Crown in single Combat with his Opponent to the end he might obtain it by the most honourable Means But nevertheless the Pride of the latter of these Competitors had not better effect than the Promises of the former In the mean time the Gentry were very impatient at the tediousness of the Diet and at length were ready to go together by the Ears when Opalinski Palatin of Kalisch to appease the Disorder made an elegant Speech alledging That it was meer Madness for them to cut one anothers Throats about choosing of Princes which they never saw and that it would be more prudent to reject them both their Birth and Alliance with the House of Austria being sufficient to merit their Exclusion And proceeding in his Harangue he put them in mind that the Austrian Family providing they persisted to make choice of a Prince out of it might in all probability serve them as it had formerly done the Kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary and that therefore it was not only unsafe but also contrary to the Constitutions of their Kingdom to have any thing to do with them Hereupon the Tumults began something to abate which gave him encouragement to go on and shew that formerly when Heats grew high a Native meaning Piastus had been chosen who govern'd the Kingdom so prudently that even at 120 Years of Age his Death was regretted These Precautions continued he our Fore-fathers had against the Ambition Envy or Avarice of such as pretended to the Crown Let us therefore quoth he leave the Duke of Neuburg to govern his small Estate and numerous Family and let the Duke of Lorain exhaust his Treasures to recover his Paternal Dominions For our parts a Piasto would be most proper for us as we may find by a serious Reflection on these Divine Words Admitte ad te alienigenam subvertet te Admit a Stranger among ye and he shall undermine and ruin ye By these means the Palatin of Kalisch having pretty well calm'd the turbulent Spirits of the Diet and moreover influenc'd them with kind thoughts of a Piasto he immediately posted together with the Palatin of Posnania to Wiesnowiski then at Warsaw where finding him in the Church of the Recollects they both earnestly begg'd of him to accompany them to the Field of Election which Request after some difficulty he comply'd with Whereupon all three arriving while the Partisans of the two Competitors were ready to go together by the Ears the Palatins of Kalisch and Posnania took occasion to propose Wiesnowiski and the Illustrious House he was descended from soon determin'd the Gentry in his Favour It must be understood that Wiesnowiski was not lineally of the Race of Jagello for that ended with Sigismundus Augustus but collaterally descended from Korybuth Jagello's Brother Mr. Yard who went with Sir Peter Wyche to compliment King Michael on his Accession to the Throne told me lately that the Palatin of Culm acquainted them at Warsaw that when Michael was propos'd the Intention was not to have him elected but only by proposing of him to discover how far the Diet would relish a Native some of the Great Men among them having secret Designs to advance one of themselves to the Throne but which they were unexpectedly disappointed in by the Election of this poor Prince Wiesnowizki was not a little surpriz'd when he heard himself nam'd and which also encreas'd upon him when they seated him by force in the midst of the Assembly and begg'd of him to accept the Crown At first he burst out into Tears and declar'd he was not capable to sustain so great a Burden but the major part of the Diet persisting in their Demands at length he thought fit to acquiesce and accept their Proffers The Dukes of Neuburg and Lorain were hereby immediately depriv'd of their most profess'd Friends But the Lithuanians would by no means accept of a Prince they had not first nam'd and therefore propos'd others This dissenting of theirs occasion'd new Disorders which grew so high that a Gentleman speaking his Mind too freely was cut to pieces on the spot yet at length the latter being the weaker side they were forc'd to comply with the former and confirm Prince Wiesnowiski The Primate not approving of this Election retir'd to his Castle of Lowitz but the Gentry threatned to force him and the Senators intreated him to consent which at length he agreed to and according to custom proclaim'd him It is said that whilst the Palatin of Kalisch was haranguing a Swarm of Bees and a Pigeon happen'd to fly over their Heads which the Poles immediately taking for a good Omen cry'd out unanimously God save King MICHAEL WIESNOWISKI This his Excellency Monsieur de Cleverskerk now Embassador from the States of Holland in England assures me to be true he having been present at Warsaw as a Traveller at the time of this Election King Michael being thus chosen chiefly indeed by the Minor Nobility was proclaim'd by the Primate and crown'd the 17 th of September in the Year 1670 and reign'd to the Year 1673. He married Eleonora of Austria Daughter to Ferdinand III. and Sister to Leopold the present Emperor of Germany by reason of which Alliance Jealousies were rais'd that his Majesty had a mind to make himself Absolute and Hereditary and to subvert the Polish Liberties all which he soon appeas'd by a timely compliance with the Demands of the disaffected This Prince before he was advanc'd to the Throne was very poor subsisting only on a Pension of 6000 Livres which had been charitably allow'd him by King Casimir and his Queen Mary Luduvica di Gonzaga He had 't is true formerly a vast Estate in Vkraina but which the Cosacks were then in possession of He was as I am inform'd Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to the present Emperor of Germany which yet that Prince did not think sufficient reason to exclude him from marrying his Sister after his Election In the Year 1672 the Cosacks assisted by some Tartars having again fallen to their old Custom of rebelling General Sobieski with the Forces of the Crown soon chastis'd them and forc'd their Leader Doroczinko to retire Hence the Turk took an occasion to quarrel with Poland upon pretence he had taken the Cosacks into his Protection whom he would needs have to be opprest This King was by no means
Poland tho always Elective yet has been successively in the same Family from Father to Son or at least from Father to Daughter or other Relation from the Year 830 to the Year 1674 which is from Piastus his Reign to the Election of the late King John Sobieski except only the five Months that Henry of Valois reign'd I mean Henry III. of France who was kill'd by a Monk To evince this your Grace may be pleas'd to understand that the last of the Family of Piastus in a direct Line was the Princess Hedwigis who marry'd Jagello Great Duke of Lithuania His Male Race by her reign'd to Sigismund the Second's time of whose two Daughters one was marry'd to King Stephen Batori his Successor and the other was Mother to Sigismund III. who with his Sons were successively elected to the Throne to the time of King Michael Wiesnowiski who tho he was not lineally descended from Jagello yet came laterally from the Race of Koributh Jagello's Brother So that it is evident that the Poles have reconcil'd a free Election of their Kings with an uninterrupted Succession of the same for 844 Years as likewise that they have never excluded the deceased King's Son nor ever elected any German Prince to the Throne before this last Election of the Elector of Saxony Frederick Augustus now King of Poland But as it is lawful for all Governments to alter their Constitutions at often as they find it convenient for the good of the Publick so the Poles observing that their Native Kings have not of late sufficiently promoted the Interest of their Country were wise enough to choose a Foreign Prince whose Wealth and Courage would enlarge their Dominions as their present King Frederick Augustus is very likely to do being in League with the Emperor Muscovites and Venetians I hope your Grace will be pleas'd to pardon my Indiscretion in presuming to write of Matters which are altogether out of my Element since it was only to shew with what Deference and Respect I am My LORD Your Grace's most Obedient and most Humble Servant B. C. LETTER IV. To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Earl of Yarmouth Concerning the Family and Remarkable Actions of John III. King of Poland As also his Daughter's Marriage to the present Elector of Bavaria My LORD THE Obligations I owe to your Brother Mr. Alberti and his Lady join'd with the Value I have always profess'd for your Lordship's Friendship makes me glad to find this occasion of giving both you and them a publick Testimony of my Respect and Gratitude and since you have often shew'd your self willing to know something of the Affairs of Poland I thought nothing could be more agreeable to your Temper than that I should inform you chiefly of the Heroick Actions of that great Prince with whom your Brother for so many Years so prudently manag'd the Interest of the wisest Republick in the World in a long lingring War against the Ottoman Empire It is to his Kindness that I must own my self indebted for the Honour I have had of being in the Esteem of so Warlike a King and of being moreover entrusted with the Care of what was most dear to him John Sobieski my Lord is not so much to be esteem'd for his memorable Exploits after his Election as for his Merits and the wise Conduct by which he advanc'd himself from a private Gentleman of an indifferent Fortune and nothing at all related to any of the former Kings through all the Posts of the Army to the Crown of Poland notwithstanding the several powerful Factions which appear'd against him Immediately after the Death of the late King Michael Wiesnowiski John Sobieski then Crown-General gave a signal Overthrow to the Turks near Caminiec which caus'd a great Alteration in the Republick of Poland for thereupon the Turkish Aga and Treasurer were not so peremptory in their demanding Annual Tribute shamefully stipulated for by Michael as they had been before but were contented to be put off to the Diet of Election The Senate being assembled order'd publick Rejoicings and began their Session by leaving off their Mourning for the late King The Diet which preceded that of the Election was appointed to meet the 15 th of January 1674 which was design'd to be terminated in 15 days but the ordinary Disturbances that arose in these sort of Assemblies together with the Inclination which every body had to advance General Sobieski occasion'd it to be prorogu'd till the 22 d or 23 d of February without doing any thing but assigning a Jointure to the Queen Dowager The 20 th of April began the Diet of Election the Candidates were in great number and every ones Pretensions were heard The Czar of Muscovy who had been so often baffled at preceding Elections yet made fresh Interest at this His Envoy demanded the Crown for his Master's youngest Son who was then about thirteen or fourteen Years of Age but however he neither made so great Profers as formerly nor us'd any Threats for he would then have been laugh'd at Poland being at that juncture in a much better condition than before Next the Prince of Transilvania offer'd fifteen Millions of Money as likewise that he would unite his Principality to Poland and maintain fifteen thousand Men in the Service of that State against the Turk but these Propositions were look'd upon too considerable to be either real or possible for the Poles believ'd that they had possess'd themselves of the greatest Treasure of Transilvania when they chose Stephen Batori for their King The Elector of Brandenburg likewise had some hopes in favour of the Prince his Son when he profer'd that he should change his Religion as soon as ever he was elected but he soon quitted his Pretensions when he consider'd what had pass'd in regard to the Germans and Protestants in former Elections If this Prince had been a Roman Catholick his Family might have had just Pretences to Poland by the Interest of uniting Ducal Prussia to that Kingdom The Dukes of Modena and Parma had also their Envoys at this Election but whereas every body thought their business was to ask the Crown they only came to condole the Death of the late King and congratulate the Poles on their Victory at Chochim so that they did not add to the number of the Competitors Don Pedro di Ronquillos came from Spain without taking upon him the Quality of Embassador His Instructions were to recommend Duke Charles of Lorain after he had done his best in favour of Don John of Austria but this Policy did not take and the Council of Spain afterwards found another Expedient to rid themselves of this Prince A French Prince whose Name was not mention'd tho I suppose it was the Prince of Conde occasion'd the most Jealousy of all the rest The other Pretenders to the Crown were not a little pleas'd that this Prince was not nam'd The Duke of Neuburg renew'd his former Pretensions
Sweden the other is the Widow of a Nobleman in Poland The Queen had the Art to dispose of all the Imployments in the Kingdom for Money for the King who by the Constitution ought not himself to sell any Place gave to understand privately that all Persons should apply themselves to her first that she might secretly negotiate the Price of every Preferment which she did very industriously and obliged them furthermore to take an Oath to espouse the Interest of one of her Children after the King's Death The Poles never scrupled those Oaths tho they were resolved to keep them no longer than they thought it for their Interest which was manifested at this last Election in which so few appeared for Prince James for this unlawful way of treating the Nobility together with the King 's extream Covetousness and Prince James's Inconstancy towards his Friends set the Minds of the Gentry against them This Prince is black has a thin and meagre Look and is of a low Stature more like a Frenchman or a Spaniard than a Pole he is very sociable and courteous He is now about the Age of thirty and has made several Campagns with the King his Father particularly that of Vienna and had his Conduct been answerable to his Courage he would doubtless have made a more considerable Party He is extreamly Liberal which is the only good Quality he excels his Father in He was first contracted in Marriage to the rich Heiress of the House of Radzevil in Lithuania who was Widow of the present Elector of Brandenburg's Brother who dy'd without Issue An Envoy was sent to Berlin to negotiate the Marriage which was agreed upon by the Elector's and her Consent and the Prince himself came thither in Person with a numerous Attendance to consummate it At the same time came to Berlin the Elector Palatin's Brother Prince Charles of Newburg Brother to the Empress to see the Ceremony of the Marriage but this Princess taking more fancy to him than to the Prince of Poland gave him encouragement to make his Addresses to her which he did with that success that he engag'd her so far and so unexpectedly that he was privately marry'd to her the night before she was to be marry'd to the Prince of Poland so that Prince James was forc'd to return back shamefully which the King his Father resented so highly that he was resolv'd to have satisfaction from the Elector of Brandenburg for suffering his Son to receive so notorious an Affront at his Court but the Elector knowing nothing of that private Intrigue justify'd himself and all Animosities were at last adjusted by Prince James's marrying his Rival's Sister the Princess of Newburg who was sent into Poland and has two Daughters by him This Account I learn'd in Poland which was lately confirm'd to me here in Town by the Sieur Dankelman now Envoy Extraordinary from the Elector of Brandenburg at our Court. Prince James has two Brothers Alexander and Constantine who were not taken notice enough of in my time to give your Lordship a Character of them the eldest being but eighteen and the other sixteen Alexander was a tall and proper young Man of a true Polish Complexion The Queen had more kindness for him than for Prince James as I observ'd when he was any ways indispos'd she was very careful of his Health and did not seem much concern'd for Prince James tho he was a weak and sickly Person I was surpriz'd to see the little deference the Nobility paid to these Princes who did not seem to take much more notice of them than of other Gentlemen and treated them very familiarly for they say that the King's Sons by the Law are no more than Gentlemen and that if they give them the Title of Prince or of Highness it is more out of Courtesy to them and Respect to the King than out of any Obligation they lay under to do it The People had more Esteem for Prince Alexander and Constantine because they were born after the King's Election than for Prince James who was born before for they superstitiously imagin'd that some Royal Stamp was engraven upon them or some Royal Tincture infus'd into their Blood to give it a more exalted Nature Prince James was Knight of the Golden Fleece which made him obnoxious to the French Party Prince Alexander and Constantine are since my time made as I am told Knights of the Holy Ghost as the King himself was which makes them suspected to the House of Austria to be of the French Faction The King had one Daughter the Princess Teresa Cunigunda now about twenty three years of Age who tho she be not a compleat Beauty yet is a very comely Lady of a middle size and tho she has not the Life and Vivacity nor the Air and Wit of the Queen her Mother yet has she a great deal of Sense Modesty and all the Accomplishments becoming her Birth She is well vers'd in the French Italian Latin and the Polish Languages tho she seems in her Carriage and Discourse to be humble obliging and of an easy affable Temper yet she is of her self high-spirited and imperious She was marry'd in my time to his Highness the present Elector of Bavaria who twice sent thither Baron Zell and afterward Baron Simeoni his Envoys Extraordinary to negotiate and conclude this Marriage for the Duke of Bavaria having had but one Son by his deceased Electoress the Emperour's Daughter by the Infanta of Spain younger Sister to the late Queen of France and this young Prince being design'd to be King of Spain if the present King should die without Issue as is likely to be the Bavarians were afraid their Country should be reduc'd into a Province and therefore desired the Elector to marry a second time to have more Children that might reign over them in case the eldest Son should be call'd into Spain The King and Queen of Poland agreed to this Match and gave 500000 Rix Dollars for her Portion besides Jewels and other Expences in her Journey and the third part of her Mother's personal Estate when she dies which is reckoned at 50000 Rix Dollars more The Ceremony of the Marraige was perform'd in the Month of August at Warsaw in the Year 1694 with a great deal of Splendor and Magnificence Most of the Persons of Quality and their Ladies and Children came to this Solemnity from all Parts of the Kingdom for there had not been a Princess of Poland marry'd for above 150 years before The Ladies were very richly drest and I saw at that time more Jewels in that Court than in any other that ever I was at The Gentlemen and Ladies after the usual Custom in Poland gave great Presents to the young Princess some fine Pieces of Plate some Watches set with Diamonds some precious Jewels every one making a Complement to her in a very formal manner It was thought that the
did likewise the Elector of Hanover the Bishop of Heidelsheim and the Bishop of Munster for we past through some Skirts of their Territories I must take notice to your Lordship that passing through a part of the Elector of Hanover's Country we receiv'd News that Count Koningsmark a Swede thought to have been familiar with the Princess of Hanover the Elector's Daughter-in-law was made away with at that Court and never heard of since At last we arriv'd about the latter end of December at Wesel a fortified Town belonging to the E. of Brandenburg upon the Borders of the Rhine near six days Journey from Brussels the Elector of Bavaria with his Court came hither to receive his Princess but the River being full of great Flakes of Ice he could not pass it in two days but at last being impatient to see his Bride he ventur'd over in a little Boat with Prince Chimay Baron Simeoni and two or three more of his Courtiers I hapned to be in the Room when he came in alone by way of the back Stairs and saluted his Princess with all the tender Expressions of Joy and Affection and after having spent about half an hour with her in Compliments he turn'd to the Embassador and to the rest of the Company and thank'd us all for the Trouble and Fatigue of so long a Journey then he and the Princess with the Embassador and Embassadress withdrew into another Room where they past about an hour and an half In the mean time a great many other of the Elector's Retinue came in so that the Court was very numerous at Nine of the Clock at Night and thus the Elector past till Ten of the Clock then went to sup abroad and immediately after Supper came to wait on the Princess again and about One of the Clock in the Morning he left her and went to Bed to his Inn. He came to her the next Morning to make his Court and to desire her Consent that the Marriage might be consummated that Night which being accordingly done he sent a Courier after Midnight to the King his Father-in-law to acquaint him therewith The next Morning there was a rich Hungarian Sute of Clothes given him to wear that day from the King of Poland valued at 30000 Rix Dollars it was a long Coat of Crimson Velvet the Button-holes set with Clasps of Massy Gold and a Wastcoat of Cloth of Gold set with Diamond Buttons and a Girdle of fine Turky Leather wrought with Gold with massy Gold Clasps likewise set with Jewels a Scimiter with the Handle richly adorn'd with Diamonds and Rubies and an Emerald Ring of great Value with a rich Zibelin Muff. In the Afternoon we all past the River and next day the Baggage followed all the Coaches the King's Guards and most of the Retinue return'd back into Poland for by the Articles of Marriage no body was to stay with her except two Pages two Women and a she Dwarf The Elector's Guards and Coaches were on the other side of the River to receive the Princess She went through Antwerp to Mecklin and from thence to Brussels where we arriv'd after two Months Journey on the 12 th of January I need not acquaint your Lordship with all the Preparations made here by his Highness for the Reception of his Electoress nor of the Presents he gave to her Retinue nor the Opera's and Comedies purposely made for the Solemnity of her Marriage I will only say that I never saw a genteeler Court better Order more Formalities more variety of Dresses nor the Punctilio's of Honour and Courtesy more strictly observ'd There were great Rejoicings all the first Week until the Court receiv'd the unwelcome News of the Death of our late Queen Mary Sometime afterwards having left the Care of the Princess's Health to Monsieur Pistorini the Elector's Physician I took my Leave of her Highness and went for Holland from whence I arriv'd at London in the Month of February in the Year 1694 5. The King of Poland had no near Relations except one Sister who was married to that Duke Radzivil who writ in Latin his Travels into the Holy Land and describes the Pyramids of Egypt he has been dead several Years and his Dutchess died at Warsaw in my time What small Reputation I got in that Country in the Practice of Physick was by her Death for when I arriv'd at Warsaw the King made me consult with all the Physicians of the Town which were about ten concerning her Disease His Majesty's first Physician was Dr. Jonas an Italian and professed Jew for your Lordship must understand that in Poland particularly at Court Religion is no Objection against any Person especially a Physician since the King at his Coronation promises to protect four Religions the Roman which he must seem to be of himself the Protestant the Greek and that of the Jews I examined the Princess's Disease and found it was an Ague fomented by an Abscess in the Liver which made her vomit up all that she took I thought her Case very desperate tho her ordinary Physicians made no account of it thinking it was only an Ague which the constant use of Jesuits Pouder would infallibly cure I discover'd they were not acquainted with the inward Cause of her Disease being not vers'd in Anatomy wherefore I desir'd that most of the Learned Gentlemen at Court would be present to hear their Reasons and mine Dr. Jonas who spoke first gave his Opinion that there was no fear and that she should persist only in the use of the Bark with which they had cram'd her for three Months before all the rest follow'd his Opinion I spoke last and summ'd up all their Arguments to compare them with her Distemper and declar'd against their Method and intimated that I believ'd she could not live long let them change their Method ever so much for the better This alarm'd the whole Court in a quarter of an hour The Physicians assur'd the contrary and urged that I was a Stranger to the Climate and to the Princess's Constitution and Disease and they promised in a little time tho some of them began to be dissident to set her upon her Legs again notwithstanding she grew worse and worse every day and died in a Month's time in the 62 d Year of her Age. The Queen order'd her to be open'd and three Bishops were present but none of the Physicians would come but my self we found not only an Abscess in her Liver but likewise a great many square Stones like Dice in her Gall Bladder and other Stones in one of her Kidnies besides a great deal of Gravel in her Liver which grated and crumbled its whole Substance into putrid Matter This Princess left only a Son and a Daughter Duke Radzivil her Son married a Relation of Prince Sapieha and her Daughter was married to Prince Lubomirski Duke Radzivil told me that he travell'd here in England when King James II. was
considerable an Army and that chiefly of Horse as any Christian Prince He has ever had a great Reputation with the Eastern Princes and considering their History I find as remarkable Transactions and Exploits in the Lives of the Kings of Poland as in any other History whatever I must confess the Poles have not been such refin'd Politicians nor so prudently manag'd their own Interest as some of their Neighbours have done for by their ill Conduct and supine Negligence they have lost the best Part of their Antient Dominions which yet has hapned to them neither on account of their Deficiency in Courage or Bravery but at present the Poles beginning to enquire into the State of Foreign Countries and into their Maxims of Government they are become more Vigilant and Political and are likely under the Command of their present King as well to retrieve their Honour as recover their lost Dominions I would my Lord have presented you with a great many other entertaining Matters relating to the Geography and Natural History of this Country had I either seen them my self or been secure of the Relation of others but I would rather chuse to be deficient in this Account than to give your Lordship just reason to believe that I were too credulous I am My LORD Your Lordship 's most obedient humble Servant B. C. LETTER VI. To GEORGE STEPNEY Esq late Envoy Extraordinary from his Majesty to the Electors and Princes of the Empire Of the Origin and Extent of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania with the Succession of its Great Dukes and Description of its chief Towns and Provinces SIR THE Zeal you have shew'd for his Majesty's Service in your Ministry at the Courts of the Empire and the Reputation I found you left behind you in those Places to the Honour of so great a Master deserve not only the repeated Proofs of his usual Bounty and the Choice he wisely made of you a second time to represent his Royal Person but likewise the Esteem of all those that are acquainted with your Merits To pretend to inform you of the Constitution of any State in Europe would not be only the calling in question your Experience in Foreign Affairs and your undoubted Knowledg in Politicks but likewise exposing my own Judgment to the just Censure of the World Wherefore Sir thinking by our late Discourse about Poland that nothing could be new to you but what was either very remote or very antient I will endeavour only to give what I know of the Origin and Extent of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania which is that vast Tract of Land that lies between the Kingdom of Poland and the Frontiers of Moscovy The Great Dutchy of LITHUANIA call'd by the Inhabitants Litwa tho subject to the King of Poland as Scotland to the King of England yet is a distinct Nation from this Kingdom having different Customs a different Dialect and particular Privileges tho one Diet serves them both It lies between Moscovy on the East Livonia the Baltic Sea and part of Moscovy to the North Samogitia Prussia and Podlachia to the West and Russia Volhynia and Podolia towards the South It extends near ninety German Miles in length that is from the Borders of the Palatinate of Lublin to the Confines of Livonia and about eighty in breadth from the River Niemen to the Nieper In the time of its Great Duke Vitoldus it was of much larger Extent for then it reached from the Euxine Sea to almost all along the Baltic This Province is a flat and Champain Country formerly all over-run with Woods and of which a great Number still remain Yet what with the Industry of the Inhabitants and the Peace they have enjoy'd ever since Sigismund the First 's time it is now very fruitful and produces all sorts of Grain as likewise affords great quantities of Honey Pitch Tar and Timber with good store of Fish and Flesh Nevertheless the Air is generally unhealthy which occasions many places to be little inhabited and some quite Desert This great Dutchy was only begun to be united to Poland by Jagello in the Year 1386 for tho that Union was afterwards renew'd at Grodno in the Year 1413 yet Lithuania still retain'd its own proper Dukes till the Year 1501 when the great Duke Albert was chosen King of Poland by whose means this Country became absolutely under the Dominion of that Crown and which was afterwards confirm'd by a Diet held at Lublin in 1569 under the Reign of Sigismundus Augustus where it was agreed that Lithuania should enjoy its own peculiar Laws and Privileges and be constituted a part of the Polish Common-wealth insomuch that nothing of Importance was for the future to be transacted therein without the voluntary Concurrence of these States This Country consists of two Parts viz. 1. Lithuania properly so call'd and 2. Lithuanic or White Russia Both which are divided into several Palatinates and those again into Districts and all of them may be properly term'd Dutchies each having formerly had its peculiar Duke The Arms or Standard of Lithuania are Party per Pale Gules and Azure In the former a Horse in full career Argent with a Warrior insiding Proper brandishing a Sword over his head And in the second the Virgin Mary with our Saviour in her Arms surrounded by a Glory Before I proceed to a Topographical Description of this State I hope a short Account of the Origin of Lithuania with the Lives and most remarkable Actions of the several Dukes and Great Dukes of that Dutchy Samogitia c. may not be unacceptable which are as follows Lithuania as Guagnini thinks took its Name from this Occasion When the first Prince thereof Palaemon left Italy on account of Nero's Tyranny he together with several of his Countrymen fled by a long Voyage into these Parts Where after some time having been saluted Prince by the Inhabitants thereof he call'd their Country after the Name of his own La Italia which in process of time by mixing with the Idiom of those Barbarians might as he says have degenerated into Lithuania Others will have it to be so nam'd from the Latin word Littus a Shoar because say they this Prince settled along the Shoar of the Baltic Sea before he descended into Lithuania To confirm this Prince's Expedition into this Country there are several Italian and Latin words intermixt with its present Language As likewise most of the Noble Families have great similitude with the Roman Names tho the Vulgar sort are altogether Sclavonian Notwithstanding this Assertion Hartknoch with several others positively affirm that this Country had its Name from Littuo one of the Alani a certain Duke therefore long before Palaemon's Voyage So that from Littuo Alanus they call'd his Country Littualania which afterwards was contracted to Lithuania Palaemon first Duke of Lithuania being descended from the Roman Patricii after having undergon great Dangers and
1267 endeavouring to subdue Russia he was circumvented by Leo Duke thereof who built Leopol and slain in the Monastery of Wrowsko With him the Family of the Dukes of Lithuania being extinct Vtenus or Vcienus descended from the Kitauri Princes in that Country was unanimously elected first Great Duke of Lithuania and Samogitia who having had divers Wars with the Russians and Prussians died and left his Dominions to his Son Swintorohus who reigning but little tho very well died and left behind him his Son Germontus who rul'd also a very little while and was succeeded by his Son Trahus who govern'd well both in War and Peace for some time and built a Town and Castle after his own Name This Great Duke left behind him five Legitimate Children viz. Narimundus Dowmantus Holsanus Giedrutus and Troidenus who all separately succeeded their Father in his Dominions Narimundus the Eldest had for his part the Great Dutchy of Lithuania with Samogitia both which he had a Right to by the Prerogative of his Birth He translated the Ducal Seat from Novogrodec to Kiernow His first Wars were in conjunction with his Brothers upon Poland Russia Masovia and Prussia Then he declar'd War against his Brother Dowmant for taking away his Wife whom he soon recovered and drove his Brother out of his Dominions who flying to the Russians of Polocz was universally receiv'd for their Prince This Duke is recorded in the Russian Annals to have been the first Inventor of the Lithuanian Arms which are in a Field Gules a Person arm'd Cap-a-pe Sables riding full speed on a Horse Argent and flourishing a Sword over his head of the third To him succeeded his Brother Troidenus but first an Account of the other Brothers Dowmant had for his Share the District of Cosnia where he built the Castle of Vcian Holsanus the third Brother was allotted his Division beyond the River Wilia towards the East Giedrutus or Giedrotus the fourth Brother built a Castle upon a Lake calling it after his own Name and where he fixt the Seat of his Dutchy Whose Descendants are famous even to this day The fifth Brother Troidenus succeeded Narimundus in Lithuania and Samogitia who having gathered together an Army of about 30000 Men divided them into three Parts one whereof he sent against Masovia and the other two against the Teutonick Knights in Prussia where having destroy'd divers Towns he return'd with a great Booty of Captives and Cattle The same Year Cujavia was over-run by the Lithuanians Some small time after which Dowmant Prince of Polocz being provok'd to see his younger Brother on his Father's Throne hir'd three Rusticks to murder him as he went into a Bath which they effected But Dowmant marching with a formidable Army to take possession of Lithuania was met and vanquish'd by Rimunt Son to Troidenus who thereupon succeeded his Father for a while but afterwards calling a Diet at Kiernow he publickly renounc'd his Right and retir'd to a Monastical Life constituting Vithenes of the Family of the Kitauri descended of the Roman Princes Great Duke This Prince was a Person of a brave and warlike Spirit Wherefore Rimunt when it was demanded of him Why he put by the Families of his Vncles Giedrutus and Holsanus answered Because there were none but Children among them when a Prince of Lithuania ought to correspond with the Arms of that Country invented by his Vncle Narimund which were a Warrior on Horseback arm'd Cap-a-pe and posting to subdue his Enemies This Great Duke Vithenes began his Reign in the Year 1281. The Year following he invaded the Palatinate of Lublin and continued destroying it for fifteen days together till at length Lescus the Black King of Poland being animated thereto by a Vision met and fought him between the Rivers Narew and Niemen where the latter gain'd a signal Victory In testimony whereof he founded a Parochial Church at Lublin and dedicated it to St. Michael the Arch-Angel In the Year 1287 the Lithuanians Prussians and Samogitians made a Descent upon Dobrina and surprizing the Capital City thereof on Sunday when its Inhabitants were busi'd at Devotion kill'd and carry'd away great Numbers of them into Slavery Afterwards in 1289 the Lithuanians to the number only of 8000 invaded a part of Prussia burning killing and destroying wherever they came but before the Country could make head against them they were retired with great Spoils To requite which next Year the Prussians march'd into Lithuania where they kill'd and took vast numbers of the Inhabitants as likewise possessed themselves under the Conduct of the Commendador of Koningsberg of the strong Castle Merabde Afterwards Memer great Master of Prussia enter'd Lithuania with a formidable Army and entirely destroy'd two Districts Not long after this Vithenes invaded Cujavia and burnt and destroy'd all the Country about Bressici and likewise carried away great Numbers into Captivity In the Year 1293 Conradus Stange Commendador of Ragneta took the Castle of Mindog in Lithuania which Vithenes soon requited by entring Prussia and destroying it eighty days together Afterwards in 1294 Vithenes with a Body only of 1800 Horse marching thro' Woods and By-roads surpriz'd a great Concourse of People met in the Collegiate Church of Lanschet whereof the greatest part he kill'd and the others consisting chiefly of Ecclesiasticks he carri'd away for Slaves The Church he rob'd and those that fled he stifled by firing all the House around them After which marching about the Country he drove away all their Cattel but upon his return meeting with Casimir Palatine of Lanschet he was bravely oppos'd for a while till Numbers suppli'd the defect of Valour and he entirely routed the Christians near Soâ—â—aczow which having effected he return'd peaceably into his Country This Vithenes had a Master of the Horse nam'd Gediminus who being of a haughty and ambitious Temper conspir'd together with the Great Dutchess to take away his Master's Life which in a short time he brought about and having marry'd his Princess he seiz'd upon the Crown Gedeminus became Great Duke of Lithuania in the Year 1300 in the beginning of whose Reign the Prussian and Livonian Knights having got together a numerous Army invaded Samogitia which they soon over-run burning and destroying wherever they came and taking the strong Castle of Kunossow by Assault wherein they made Prisoner the Grand General of Lithuania The Year following Gedeminus to revenge these insupportable Injuries having rais'd a considerable Body of his own Subjects together with the Assistance of the Russians and Tartars march'd directly against the Teutonic Knights when meeting them near the River Okmiena both Armies came to Blows and so continu'd for several Hours till at length the Samogitians forsaking the Knights side came over to Gedeminus whose Strength thereby being greatly augmented as that of his Enemies weakned he fell furiously in among them and soon put
them to flight This Victory being thus luckily obtain'd Gedeminus prosecuted it into the very heart of Prussia where he found nothing able to withstand him except only the two Castles of Ragneta and Cilza but which nevertheless he took in a short time Afterwards having made a miserable havock in that Country as also totally regain'd his Dutchy of Samogitia he return'd peaceably home In the Year 1304 this Great Duke having a Quarrel with some of the Russian Princes made great Preparations against them when marching forthwith into Russia he first met and fought Vlodomirus Duke of Volhynia whom he slew and routed his whole Army Then he bent his force against Leo Duke of Luceoria whom he also vanquish'd and took his chief City Lutzko both which Princes being thus defeated made him absolute Master of all Volhynia Next Spring being tir'd out with Idleness he carry'd his Arms against Stanislaus Duke of Kiovia whom he overthrew together with several Princes his Neighbours that came to assist him With this Victory Gedeminus being not a little encourag'd proceeded and took most of the Cities and Towns of Russia when after having compleated a glorious Conquest he return'd Triumphantly into his own Country Afterwards Gedeminus going to hunt about five Miles beyond the River Wilia occasionally built a Castle there near a Lake and a City naming it Troki whither he then translated his Court from Kicrnow After this in the Year 1305 Gedeminus going a Hunting again towards the East after various Fortune became greatly fatigu'd with that sport Whereupon Night drawing on he was forc'd to take up a Lodging upon a Mountain then call'd Krzyunagora now Turzagoria or Lissa where soon falling asleep he dreamt that he saw and heard roar a huge Iron Wolf which had above a hundred Wolves of the same Mettle in his Belly which roar'd likewise after an amazing manner whereat being extreamly frighted he wak'd and next Morning put this Dream to his Courtiers to expound when every one having deliver'd his Opinion a different way at last a Pagan Priest nam'd Ledzieiko said to have been found in an Eagle's Nest whose Practice was to foretel Futurities expounded it thus The Iron Wolf quoth he denotes a strong City and the other Wolves in his Belly a formidable Multitude of Inhabitants Hereupon he immediately advises Gedeminus to build a fortify'd City and Castle there Whence this Priest came to have the Name of Radzivil that is A Counsellor to build Vilna From this Person 's Family have descended a great many famous Heroes who have all sufficiently distinguish'd themselves both in times of Peace and War Gedeminus being easily mov'd by these Persuasions forthwith erected two Castles near that Place one on a high Hill and the other in a Plain adding moreover a City call'd Vilna from the River Wilia running by it which is now very populous and Capital of that Great Dutchy to which City he not long after transferr'd his Residence from Troki In 1306 the Lithuanians having had Intelligence that the Poles were lull'd in Sloth and Security march'd through Woods and By-roads into Lower Poland where they burnt and plunder'd Kalisch with several other Cities and Towns killing the old People and Children and carrying the others away Captive The same Year Henry de Pleczko a Saxon Great Master of the Teutonic Order in Prussia surpriz'd and took the Castle of Gartin in Samogitia and put all the Lithuanians found therein to the Sword They likewise proceeded in this War by help of the Germans and after having totally destroy'd the District of Karsouin return'd with great Numbers of Spoils and Captives into Prussia In 1307 the Lithuanians made an Irruption into Siradia and Kalisch where doing a great deal of Mischief they suddenly return'd into their own Country In 1308 Olgerdus Son of Gedeminus march'd with a great Army into Prussia where he made havock with Fire and Sword where-ever he came carrying off likewise great Booty These Favours the Lithuanians and Prussians did frequently and alternatively for one another within the space of few years In 1315 the Lithuanians surpriz'd the Territory of Dobrina where they made great Devastations and likewise took the City of that Name and burnt and plunder'd it In 1322 they likewise enter'd Livonia laying all wast for many Miles together In the same Year in Winter-time David Starosta of Gartin not being discourag'd by Cold destroy'd that Country up as far as Raval carrying away great Spoils and many Prisoners Afterwards in the same Winter they took the Castle of Memel and also enter'd Prussia and kill'd the Comendador of Capion in a set Battle David of Gartin likewise invaded Masovia at the same time and entirely ruin'd a great many Towns and Villages In 1323 the Lithuanians came clandestinely upon Dobrina again and did a great deal of Damage there In the following Year the Starosta of Gartin enter'd Masovia again near Ploczko wherein he destroy'd and burnt above one hundred and thirty Villages thirty Towns and carry'd away about four thousand Captives whilst another Army made a Descent upon Livonia and serv'd that Country after the like manner In 1325 Ann Daughter to Gedeminus marry'd Casimir Son to Vladislaus King of Poland by which all that had been formerly taken from the Polanders was restor'd and a Peace concluded between those two Nations Afterwards at the Siege of the Castle of Fribourg belonging to the Teutonic Knights in Samogitia this Great Duke Gedeminus receiv'd a Wound with an Arrow which cost him his Life This Prince had seven Sons Viz. Montividus Narimundus Olgerdus Keijstutus Koriatus Jauunutus and Lubartus with some Daughters one of which was marry'd as before Among these Sons he divided his Dominions while he liv'd giving to Montividus his eldest Kyernow and Slonim with the Territories thereunto belonging To Narimundus his Conquests and other Acquisitions in Russia On Olgerdus he bestow'd Krewo and all from thence to Beresina To Keijstutus he gave Samogitia Troki Witebsko c. To Koriatus the City of Novogrodec with its Territories But on his Beloved Jauunutus he conferr'd the Metropolis of Lithuania Vilna as also Osmian and Braslaw together with the supream Command over all his Brothers Dominions The youngest Son Lubartus had no share with his Brothers because by his Marriage with the Duke of Russia's Daughter in his Father's Life-time he had obtain'd the Succession to that Dutchy Among these Brothers Olgerdus and Keijstutus being most vex'd to see their younger Brother Jauunutus so highly promoted conspir'd together after their Father's Death to drive him out of Vilna for the execution of which they fix'd a certain time but Olgerdus happening then to be absent on some extraordinary Occasion was forc'd to fail of his Appointment Nevertheless Keijstutus firmly adhering to his Vow resolv'd to accomplish the Design alone and consequently marching secretly towards Vilna surpriz'd and took
I my self commanded for near ten Years This Place lies about fourscore Miles from Vilna and had formerly a Prince of its own Orsha a large Wooden City defended on one side with sharp and strong Palisadoes and on the other by the River Boristhenes together with a Stone Castle wash'd by the River Orshicza This Place lies about eighteen Miles from Witebsko Mohilow a very large Market-Town much frequented by the Moscovites whence they transmit their Firs into Poland and Germany Czasniki a Wood-built Town lying on the River Vla Sienno a Town with a Castle about six Miles from Czasniki Leplo a Town with a Castle well defended situate on a Lake and about seven Miles from Czasniki Woroniec a Town with a Castle lying upon the River Vsacza and about three Miles from Polocz The Senators of this Palatinate are The Palatin and Castellan of Vitebsko The Arms or Standard of this Palatinate are the Arms of the Great Dutchy in a Field Vert. The fourth Palatinate of Lithuanic-Russia is that of Minski which is divided into two Districts viz. The Districts of Minski and Borissow In both which are these several Cities and Towns viz. Minski Cap. Borissow Koidanow Radoskowice Lohoisko Swislocz Bobroisko Odruczko Smolniany and Turkow The Capital of all which is Minski a large Timber-built City with a double Wall a strong Castle and a very deep Ditch with other Fortifications It is wash'd by a River that turns a great many Mills It was formerly the Custom in Russia under whose Dominions this Palatinate was when this City was built to fortify their principal Towns with a double Wall and two Castles Here formerly the Diet was kept alternatively with Vilna and Novogrodeck Borissow a Wooden Town seated on the River Beresina which has a Castle well fortified It lies about forty Miles from Vilna and has in it a good Garison against the Incursions of the Moscovites Koidanow a Town with a Castle about twenty five Miles from Vilna Radoskowice a Town with a Castle where Sigismundus Augustus muster'd above 100000 Men at once in the Year 1568. Lohoisko a Town and Castle about eight Miles from Borissow Swislocz a Town situate upon a River of the same Name Bobroisko a Town lying on the River Beresina Odruczko a Town and Castle which formerly gave Name to a Dutchy whereof several Noble Russians had the Title The Senators of this Palatinate are The Palatin and Castellan of Minski The Arms or Standard of this Palatinate are the same with Lithuania only an M plac'd side-ways The fifth Palatinate of Lithuanic-Russia is that of Polocz which is divided into two Districts viz. The Districts of Polocz and Vsacz In both which are these Cities and Towns viz. Polocz Cap. Vsacz or Vsalza Disna Drissa Druha Starzitia and Volisia The Capital of all which is Polocz seated on the River Duna or Dwina It was formerly a City very considerable but in the Year 1562 John Basilowitz Great Duke of Moscovy took it and carried most of its Inhabitants away Prisoners This Place remain'd in the hands of the Moscovites to the Year 1579 when Stephen Batori recover'd it together with its whole Territory It was formerly a Dutchy and subject only to its own Princes Here at present resides a Russian Prelat The Jesuits also have a very fair Foundation in this City built and endow'd by Stephen Batori Vsacz distant about three Polish Miles from Polocz and situate on a River of its own Name Disna built on the Duna and tolerably fortified It lies about six Miles from Polocz and forty from Vilna Druha upon a River of the same Name The Senators of this Palatinate are The Palatin and Castellan of Polocz The Standard or Arms of this Palatinate are the Arms of the Great Dutchy with a P â— sideways plac'd in the middle of the Coat Having thus Sir describ'd to you the present Extent and chief Towns of the Great Dutchy of Lithuania it would seem requisite as usual to give you a particular Character of this Nation but having a design to proceed to a second Volume of this Undertaking where I will examine into the Genius Manners and Customs of both Poles and Lithuanians at present I can only take notice that to Jagellâ—â—'s time being the XIV th Century the Lithuanian were Pagans and worshipp'd many Gods or rather Devils First they paid Divine Adoration to Fire which they call'd in their Language Znicz signifying sacred and kept it always alight in some of their most famous Towns For thiâ—â— end they assign'd several Priests by whose Neglect or otherwise if ever it came to be extinguish'd they were immediately beheaded Next they worshipp'd Thunder calling it in the Sclavonian Tongue Perunum Also they had divers Groves where they pray'd to tall streight Trees which they held it Sacrilege but to touch The Devil or rather the cunning Priest it seems was so politick in those days as to promote all these Superstitions by frightning these Idolaters when they offer'd in the least to forsake them When the Sky was clouded they were of opinion the Sun was angry with them and therefore us'd their utmost Art to appease him by Prayers Musick c. They likewise believ'd Serpents to be Gods which were their Lares or Domestick Deities and therefore each Family kept one in their House to which they daily sacrificed Milk Fowls and the like and one of which if they happen'd at any time to offend they look'd upon it to be an Omen of Destruction to their whole Progeny They had also a set time appointed for a Solemn Sacrifice being about the beginning of October when together with their Wives and Children they feasted riotously for three days in like manner as we have said before in Samogitia Upon their return from the Wars they were wont to sacrifice one of the chief of their Captives with all their Booty to the Fire They us'd to burn their Dead with all their richest Ornaments on which they wore whilst living together with one of their most faithful Servants their Horses Arms Dogs c. whilst all their Relations and Friends brought Milk Honey Beer and the like and merrily feasted and danc'd about their Funeral-Pile to Musick of various kinds All these Pagan Superstitions and Errors Jagello after he became Christian in great measure abolish'd to effect which He together with his Queen Hedwigis the Arch-bishop of Gnesna a vast number of Priests and several other Learned Men went into Lithuania about the beginning of Lent in the Year 1387 where at Vilna he first caus'd the sacred Fire to be extinguish'd and the place wherein it was kept to be converted into the Church of St. Stanislaus then he proceeded to kill the Serpents cut down the Groves pull down their Altars and the like which the poor bigotted Lithuanians wondring at cry'd
playing under the Pent-house before the Nunnery Gate His Age as well as I remember I guess'd to be about twelve or thirteen As soon as I came near him he leap'd towards me as if surpriz'd and pleas'd with my Habit. First be caught one of my Silver Buttons in his hand with a great deal of eagerness which he held up to his Nose to smell Afterwards he leap'd all of a sudden into a Corner where he made a strange sort of Noise not unlike to Howling I went into the House where a Maid-servant inform'd me more particularly of the Manner of his being taken But having not with me the Book wherein I wrot my Observations in my Travels I cannot possibly give you an exact Account of it This Maid call'd the Boy in and show'd him a good large piece of Bread which when he saw he immediately leap'd upon a Bench that was joyn'd to the Wall of the Room where he walk'd about upon all-four After which he rais'd himself upright with a great Spring and took the Bread in his two Hands put it up to his Nose and afterwards leap'd off from the Bench upon the Ground making the same odd sort of Noise as before I was told that he was not yet brought to speak but that they hop'd in a short time he would having his Hearing good He had some Scars on his Face which were commonly thought to be Scratches of the Bears Thus Sir you have all that I can remember of a Curiosity which I saw so long time since the Truth of which no body ought to question since there are several parallel Examples in History and I have been inform'd in this Country that whenas the Tartars make frequent Incursions there which they perform with such extraordinary Swiftness that they can over-run great part of the Country in a very short time their Horses being able to Travel a whole Day together without drawing Bit being arriv'd at the propos'd Place they immediately quarter themselves in a great Circle whereby as it were in a Net they take all that come within their Clutches and carry them into Slavery So that either the Men or Women finding themselves thus ensnar'd and endeavouring to escape have oftentimes not leisure to take care of their Infants and therefore probably this Boy might have been left behind after the like manner and found and born away by the Bears Of which there are a great Number both in Lithuania and Poland I am sorry Sir I cannot give you a more satisfactory Account of this matter but I hope this will suffice for a Testimony of my good Will and to assure you that I am Jan. 1. 1697 8. SIR Your most Affectionate Servant J. P. Van den Brande de Cleverskerk For another Confirmation of this Matter of fact I have the Testimony of an authentic Author M. Christopher Hartknoch of Passenheim in Ducal Prussia who writ two Books of the State of Poland He says that during the Reign of King John Casimir in the Year 1669 there hapned an Accident which perhaps might hardly be credited by Posterity which was that there were then two Boys found by a Company of Soldiers among the Bears in the Woods near Grodna one of which as soon as he saw the Bears assaulted fled into the neighbouring Morass whilst the other endeavouring likewise to escape was taken by the Soldiers and brought to Warsaw where he was afterwards christen'd by the Name of Joseph He was about twelve or thirteen years old as might be guest by his height but his Manners were altogether bestial for he not only fed upon raw Flesh wild Honey Crab-Apples and such like Dainties which Bears are us'd to feast with but also went like them upon all-four After his Baptism he was not taught to go upright without a great deal of difficulty and there was less hopes of ever making him learn the Polish Language for he always continu'd to express his Mind in a kind of Bear-like Tone Some time after King Casimir made a Present of him to Peter Adam Opalinski Vice-Chamberlain of Posnan by whom he was employ'd in the Offices of his Kitchin as to carry Wood Water c. but yet could he never be brought to relinquish his native Wildness which he retain'd to his dying-day for he would often go into the Woods amongst the Bears and freely keep company with them without any fear or harm done him being as was suppos'd constantly acknowledg'd for their Fosterling I might here Sir give you several other Accounts of this Nature which I had related to me when I was in Poland and I am told Mr. Gibson a Parliament-man has formerly seen some other Examples of this kind in that Kingdom but by what I have already mention'd I believe you will be sufficiently convinc'd that the History of Romulus and Remus is not so fabulous as it is generally conjectured to be and as I thought my self it was before I had been in this Country for considering that Brutes since Philosophers and Divines will allow them no Rational Souls breed up their Young meerly out of a Natural Instinct or Sympathy which I need not describe here I see no Improbability why they may not likewise bring up those of another Kind as we have several Instances daily But I will not insist longer upon these Philosophical Matters nor examin here whether Examples of this nature refute or establish innate Ideas as I have done in my Medicina Mystica but will conclude SIR Your very Obedient Servant B. C. A Chronological Table of the Succession Reigns and Deaths of the Dukes Governours Princes and Kings of Poland together with an exact reference to the Page where they are treated of   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dv'd A. D. pag. I. LEchus I. 550 uncertain 10 II. Visimirus Guagnini only mentions III. XII Woievods   Depos'd 12 IV. Cracus 700 ib. V. Lechus II. 13 VI. Venda 750 ib. VII XII Woievods depos'd 14 VIII Lescus I. 760 16 776 ib. IX Lescus II. 776 28 804 16 X. Lescus III. 804 6 810 ib. XI Popiel I. 810 5 815 ib. XII Popiel II. 815 15 830 ib. XIII Piastus 830 31 861 21 XIV Ziemovitus 861 31 892 23 XV. Lescus IV. 892 21 913 ib. XVI Ziemovistus 913 51 964 ib. XVII Miecislaus I. 964 35 999 24 XVIII Boleslaus Chroby 999 26 1025 26 XIX Miecislaus II. 1025 9 1034 ib. XX. Casimir I. 1034 25 1059 27 XXI Boleslaus II. 1059 23 1082 29 XXII Vladislaus Hermannus 1082 21 1103 30 XXIII Boleslaus III. 1103 37 1140 31 XXIV Vladislaus Sputator 1140 6 1146 33 XXV Boleslaus Crispus 1146 28 1174 35 XXVI Miecislaus III. 1174 4 1178 36 XXVII Casimir II. 1178 17 1195 37 XXVIII Lescus V. 1195 8 1203 39 XXIX Vladislaus Lasconogus 1203 3 1206 42   Began his Reign Reign'd Years Dy'd A. D. pag. XXX Lescus V. Reestablish'd 1206 22 1228 ib. XXXI Boleslaus V. 1228 51 1279 43 XXXII Lescus Niger 1279 11