excessive Power and Privileges of the Nobility which they soon effected by being Resolute and more in Number But in Poland it is quite otherwise for there the Clergy and Gentry have a common Interest to keep the King and People in Subjection The Clergy have great Privileges and are very Rich. The Bishops for the most part are Princes or Dukes they are all Senators and sit in the Diet before all the Temporal Lords so that by the great Authority and Veneration which they have procur'd to themselves from the slavish People they can hinder them from making any Insurrection and by the Arbitrary and Free Power which they and the Gentry have hitherto maintain'd to Elect whom they pleas'd for King they will always keep him in such a Dependence for the sake of his Children that he shall hardly ever be able to effect any Design upon their Prerogatives Nay providing he had found any Opportunity to compass such a dangerous Enterprize yet would it not consist with Prudence either to declare or Attempt it for fear of Incurring the Hatred and Displeasure of the People which would not only tend to his own Ruin but likewise Obstruct the Election of any of his Family to the Throne after his Death so that the surest way for a King of Poland to continue the Crown in his Family is never to attempt any Innovation I would not however think the Kings of Poland Unfortunate in not being able to assure the Succession of the Throne to their Children since they are thereby compell'd as it were by a lucky Necessity to breed them up to all Royal Virtues and this to the end that it may render them more Accomplish'd and Worthy to be Elected For where they are satisfied that the Crown is not due to their Blood but to their Merits what will either the Father or Sons omit to obtain it by the most Glorious Means My LORD I have hitherto presented Your GRACE with what relates to the Form of Government in Poland and to the King's Power and Revenues I would now give a particular Account of the King's Court were it not like to that of other Princes as to Splendor and Number of Officers For besides the Great Crown-Officers as the two Great and Little Marshals as many Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors two Generals and two Great and Little Treasurers The King has his Lord-Chamberlain his Court-Marshal or Lord Steward his Master of the Horse his Secretaries of State his Standard-Bearer Chief Huntsman his Gentlemen of the Body answerable to our Lords of the Bed-Chamber his Physicians Chaplains Pensioners Cup-Bearers Sewers Carvers Musicians and Guards The Gentlemen Pensioners always attend the King on Horseback this Body of Gentry consists of the Noblest Youth of the Kingdom whereof many have Court and State-Employments and are all subject to the Jurisdiction of the Court-Marshal There are some of these that attend his Majesty on Foot but in long Journeys they are always carried in Waggons A set number of these keep Guard Day and Night about the King Whenever the King goes in Public these last March every way about him with long Battle-Axes on their Shoulders and Sabres by their Sides but still admitting the Senators and Chief Courtiers to March next him yet when the Queen goes with the King the Senators and other Persons of Quality are to walk before The King's Horse-Guards ought by the Constitutions to be either Poles Lithuanians or Natives of some of the Incorporated Provinces but however this Law has been dispens'd with for the late King admitted both Germans and Hungarians amongst them Their Number by the Law is not to exceed 1200 and their Chief Commander is to be subject to all the Four Marshals The King has the same Number of Court Officers in Lithuania as he has in Poland the Lithuanians being as Ambitious to keep up the ancient Grandeur of their Great Duke as the Poles are for that of their King The King has likewise the Nomination of some Court-Officers in several Provinces as in Prussia Masovia and Russia which had formerly distinct Princes of their own and were afterwards United to the Kingdom of Poland so that the King has the Nomination of as many Court-Officers as any Prince in Europe but most of them are rather Honorary than Beneficial yet the Gentry always make great Interest to get into them Precedence of which they are Ambitious being Regulated according to the Nature and Dignity of the Employment As for the Queen's Court it consists of about Thirty Officers the Chief whereof are her Marshal and Chancellor Their Business is to Preside over Domestic Affairs in the Queen's Court. Her Marshal or Steward is to carry the Staff before her and her Chancellor or Secretary to Write Sign Receive and Answer all her Letters There is her Treasurer who Manages her Revenue her Master of the Horse Cup-Bearers Carvers Sewers Clerk of the Kitchen c. For Women Servants she has her Ladies Maids of Honour Dressers c. When she goes in Public she is always attended by a great number of her own Sex It may not be here amiss to add something of the Court of the Inter-Rex or Primate and so I will conclude While the Archbishop of Gnesna has the Administration of the Government he has much the same Officers with the King but when he has laid down that Authority his Officers are his Marshal spoken of before his Chancellor who Presides in his Courts of Justice his Almoner Master of Requests Cross-Bearer Steward Treasurer Chaplains Library-Keeper Clerk of the Kitchin c. This Archbishop alone as he is the Chief Senator of Poland has Drums beating and Trumpets sounding both within and without Doors before he sits down to Table He also by his Prerogative is not to wait for the King's Commands when he should Visit him but may go when and as often as he pleases Before My Lord I put an end to this Letter permit me to take notice to Your GRACE that the King of Poland does not Name his Privy-Counsellors but all Senators are Counsellors of Course for all of that Dignity that are about the Place where the King Resides have a Right to sit at the Council-Board For fear notwithstanding that there should not be always Senators sufficient for that purpose at Court the Senate always depute four of their Members to attend the King's Person by turns and that not only to give him Advice but likewise to Inspect into his Conduct and to prevent him from Acting contrary to the Laws For the King and Council are accountable to the Diet for any Mismanagement in the Government In short the Genius of the Polish Nation and the whole Frame of their Constitution is entirely bent to Curb the King's Power and to secure their Laws and Prerogatives against the Incroaching Factions of Foreign Princes or of their own Court-Party I might here My Lord add a great many
City has always above 2000 Soldiers in Service and they can easily maintain 12000 but in Cases of Necessity they have been known to have rais'd 60000. For Ships they have no Men of War but abundance of Merchant-men of 3 or 400 Tuns each and 30 or 40 Guns apiece They never Trade so far as the East or West-Indies but into the Streights and all over Europe they do Here it may not be improper to give Your Excellency some short Account of their present Coin in Dantzick But first by way of Digression I may observe that the Coin which the Teutonic Order brought into Prussia not proving sufficient to furnish that Country with Money those Knights soon began to set up Mints and to coin Money of their own there which they perform'd with so much accuracy that most Nations have allow'd that where-ever invented the Art of Coining was there first brought to Perfection This has been confirm'd by the great Antiquary Spelman who was of Opinion that our English Word Sterling came from the Easterlings a People of Prussia and who coming from thence into England first taught us the Art of Refining and Coining purer Silver than we had before made use of The Species of Money now Current in Prussia or rather in Dantzic are these Gold Ducats Ourts Choustacks and Chelons A Ducat is worth two Rix-Dollars or 9 Shillings English An Ourt is a Silver Coin equal to the French Piece of 15 Sous and worth 18 Grosses of Dantzic and 30 of Poland A Choustack is of the value of 6 Dantzic-Grosses or 10 Polish And as for their Chelons three of them make one of their Grosses The farther Difference between the Polish Money and theirs stands thus The Tinfe that is worth 30 Grosses of Polish Chelons is worth but 18 of those of Dantzic The Ducat which is of the value of 12 Franks of Polish Chelons is worth but 7 of the Current Money here Five Choustacks or an Ourt and two Choustacks make a Livre of Dantzic-Money because 5 Choustacks make 30 Grosses and 30 Grosses make 20 Pence This City of Dantzic was taken from the Danes by Sabislaus Grandson to Swentorohus about the Year 1186 and was seiz'd by the Poles some short time after The Knights of the Teutonic Order made themselves Masters of it in 1305 and Wall'd it round in 1314. Casimir III. King of Poland surnam'd The Great regain'd it in 1454 and granted very great Privileges to the Citizens who afterwards declaring for the Auspurg-Confession sided with Maximilian of Austria against Stephen Batori insomuch that the latter proscrib'd and even besieg'd them in 1577. but however by the Mediation of other Princes they were restor'd to their Religion and Liberties in 1597. In 1656. they vigorously repuls'd the Suedes and adher'd to the Interest of John Casimir King of Poland And at present they make one of the Members of this State having been admitted to a Suffrage in the Election of the Polish Monarchs in the Year 1632. This my Lord is what I have been able to gather from Dr. Connor's Memoirs and the best Authors that have writ any thing of the Trade of Poland and of the famous City of Dantzic and wherein if I may not be so happy as to correspond every where with your Excellency's greater Knowledge of those matters I hope at least I may be excus'd upon account of my good will to entertain you and the publick as far as my assistance went which if granted will abundantly recompence the Endeavours of My LORD Your Excellency's Most Humble Servant J. S. LETTER VIII To the Right Honourable CHARLES Earl of Burlington Of the Origin of the Teutonic Order and the Succession of all its Great Masters in the Holy-Land Prussia and Germany together with its present State in the Empire MY LORD DR Connor having design'd this Letter for your Lordship's Entertainment and not having had leisure to accomplish it himself by reason of the urgency of his Profession desired of me to Address it for him but upon a just Reflection on the meanness of my Abilities and an awful Regard to your Lordship's Grandeur I found I had more than ordinary reason to decline it Yet however upon balancing your goodness with your great Quality and considering my well meaning at the same time with my attempt I hop'd I might not be so unfortunate as to Offend if I undertook it and the rather because of the great conformity which the subject I were to write of had with the hopes which the Nation has in you My LORD Your Lordship will here find that this Order was first founded to reward and encourage Great Actions and that particularly in the German Nation whence it came to have the Title of Teutonic for when the Emperour Frederic Barberossa had engaged in the Crusade for recovery of the Holy-Land a great number of German Nobility and Gentry joyn'd his Army as Volunteers Of this Crusade were several other great Princes of Europe such as Philip King of France Richard I. King of England Frederic Duke of Suabia the Dukes of Austria and Bavaria Philip Earl of Flanders Plorant Earl of Holland c. After this Emperor's Death the Germans being before Acon or Ptolemais which they then besieged chose for their Leaders Frederick Duke of Suabia second Son to the aforesaid Emperour and Henry Duke of Brabant Under these Generals they behav'd themselves so well both at the taking of Acon Jerusalem and other places of the Holy-Land that Henry King of Jerusalem the Patriarch and several other Princes thought themselves oblig'd to do something extraordinary in honour of the German Nation Hereupon they immediately resolv'd to erect an Order of Knights of that Nation under the protection of St. George but afterwards they chang'd that Saint for the Virgin Mary by reason that she had an Hospital already founded on Mount Sion at Jerusalem for the relief of German Pilgrims of the manner of building which Ashmole in his Order of the Garter gives this following account He says that in the time of the Holy-War a wealthy Gentleman of Germany who dwelt at Jerusalem commiserating the condition of his Countrymen coming thither on Devotion and neither understanding the language of that place nor knowing where to lodge receiv'd them hospitably into his House and gave them all manner of suitable Entertainment Afterwards obtaining leave of the Patriarch he erected a Chappel for them and Dedicated it to the Virgin Mary whence the Knights that were established there afterwards came to have the Title of Equites Mariani Other German Gentlemen contributed largely to the maintaining and encreasing this Charitable Work insomuch that in a short time these Knights became very numerous and wealthy and gave themselves to Military Employments and to acts of Piety and Charity In the Year 1190 they elected their first Great Master Henry Walpot and in the Year following had their Order confirm'd upon the request of
the Livonian Order and to his Heirs for ever This happening not long after Luthers Reformation influenc'd Duke Gothotred to become a Protestant and to Marry which none of his Order had ever done before him This Duke had two Sons Ferderic and William whereof the eldest Frederic succeeded him in the Year 1587 but at length dying without issue these Dukedoms came to his Brother William who returning from banishment was receiv'd by the Curlanders with a great deal of Applause This Duke had but one only Son who was Godson to our King James I. After his Death his Son Duke James came to inherit the two Dutchies of Curland and Semigallia This Prince was much given to building of Ships having every thing in his Country proper for that purpose By means of Shipping he discover'd the River Semigal in Guinea and the Island of Tobago one of the Caribbee Islands in America which then was altogether uninhabited Here he built a Fort calling it by his own Name James-Fort and moreover was at vast expences in Cultivating and Fortifying this Island and which he enjoy'd without any interruption for many Years together At length one Lambson a Zealander and a very rich Man as likewise one of the States of Holland getting into a corner of this Island and after much dispute being suffered to Plant there upon paying a yearly Tribute to the Duke he at last took advantage of the War between the Suedes and Poles and of the Duke's Imprisonment by the former to dispossess him of the said Island which he effected after this manner He appear'd with some Forces before the aforesaid James-Fort and perswading the Garrison that the Duke their Protector being carried away Prisoner by the Suedes could not possibly relieve them and that therefore they must necessarily perish unless they forthwith deliver'd up the Fort and Island to him the Soldiers began immediately to Mutiny chain'd their Governor and forc'd him to capitulate and comply with the said Lambson who at the same time engag'd himself as soon as the Duke was set at liberty to restore the Island and what was left there according to an Inventory then taken The Dutch being thus got into possession of this Island the Duke after many long and fruitless endeavours with the Lambsons first and afterwards with the States sinding that neither of them were enclinable to Restitution appli'd himself to our King Charles II. for assistance in recovery of his Right submitting the Island altogether to the King's Protection as being willing to hold it Subtitulo Concessionis or by a Grant from the Crown of England whereupon the ensuing Treaty was formally concluded which for a greater eclaircisement of the matter I have thought not improper to insert The Agreement was in these Words BE it known unto all and singular Person and Persons to whom these Presents shall come That on the 17th of the Month of November in the Year of Our Lord 1664. by a double Writing of the same Tenure and Language it was Agreed between the most Serene and most Potent Prince Charles II. by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. of the one part And the most Illustrious Prince James Duke in Livonia of Curland and Semigallia on the other part That the said Lord the King by these Presents doth give and grant to the said Lord the Duke of Curland his Heirs and Successors full liberty of Trade and Commerce for such Ships as do properly belong to him or them but not such Ships as belong to any of his Subjects in any Rivers or Havens within the Dominions of His Majesty on the Coast of Africa which is call'd by the Name of Guinea as also in any Merchandize not exceeding the value of Twelve thousand Pounds Sterling yearly according to the Prices the said Merchandizes first were bought for on those Coasts and Places from whence they were exported together with full liberty to build one or more Ware-houses or Storehouses fit for laying up Merchandizes under the Castles and Forts which shall belong to his said Majesty or his Subjects on those Coasts to hold and enjoy the said Liberties as long as there doth continue Friendship Amity and good Understanding between the said King and the said Duke and upon due consideration of the Concession or Grant thus made by His Majesty the said Duke of Curland Grants and makes over unto His said Majesty his Heirs and Successors the Fort of St. Andrews in Guinea and all other Forts Fortifications and Sconces there belonging to the said Duke together with all Guns Bullets and Powder and other Instruments of War belonging to the same or any of those Forts And the said Duke of Curland doth Agree and Promise for himself his Heirs and Successors that they shall respectively pay to the said Lord the King his Heirs and Successors three in the hundred for Customs of all Goods and Merchandises in Specie as well into the Ports of His said Majesty in Guinea or thence exported as aforesaid and that unto such Officer or Officers whom or which his Majesty his Heirs or Successors shall establish or depute for the recovering or receiving of the said Customs or Duties And moreover his said Majesty by these Presents doth give and grant to the said Duke of Curland his Heirs and Successors all and every that Island call'd Tobago scituate about 12 Degrees North-Latitude and 316 Degrees of Longitude being one of those commonly call'd the Caribbee Islands together with all the Lands Havens Creeks Rivers and Profits to the same belonging to be held and enjoyed under the King's Protection Provided always and under the Condition that the said Duke of Curland his Heirs and Successors shall not suffer or permit any others whatsoever besides his own Subjects and the Subjects of the said Lord the King his Heirs and Successors to abide in the said Island to settle Plantations or build Houses but the Subjects of the said Lord the King his Heirs and Successors shall be always freely permitted to abide in the said Island and to have Plantations and Houses and to enjoy all such Privileges Liberties Immunities and Benefits as any of the Subjects of the said Duke his Heirs and Successors shall or may have hold use or enjoy without any Contradiction or Opposition whatsoever neither shall they be compell'd to pay any other Contributions or Impositions whatsoever saving such as are necessarily requir'd for the defence of the said Island and equally in the same proportion paid by the Subjects of the said Duke Moreover the said Lord Duke Agreeth and Promiseth that neither himself his Heirs and Successors nor any other for the use of him them or his Subjects shall Export or Import or suffer to be Exported or Imported any Merchandises Goods or Provisions of the said Island of Tobago otherwise then out of or into some Ports belonging to
England and Curland or the Ports of the City of Dantzic Moreover for the acknowledgment that the said Duke of Curland doth hold and enjoy the said Island of Tobago from and under his said Majesty it is further Provided and Agreed that when and as often as the said Lord the King his Heirs or Successors shall so require it or when he or they are engag'd in a War against another King Prince or State except only the King of Poland the Duke of Curland his Heirs and Successors at their own proper Costs and Charges from time to time shall bring or cause to be brought one good Man of War furnished with 40 great Iron Guns to such Ports Station or Place which his said Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall Name into which Ship his Majesty his Heirs and Successors shall put Commanders and Seamen and supply them with Food and Wages under the Conduct and at the Expences of the said King so long as the said Ship shall abide in his or their Service which at one time shall never exceed the limits of a Year For the Testimony and undoubted Confirmation whereof the abovesaid Parties namely the most Serene and most Potent King of Great Britain and the most Illustrious Duke of Curland have set their Hands interchangeably to the mutual Agreement contained and explained in these Presents and moreover have applyed their Great Seals for the Establishment thereof Hereupon at the Instance of the Duke of Curland's Minister His Majesty King Charles II. sent a Letter to the States-General to acquaint them with this his Grant and to recommend to their considerations the just Pretentions of the said Duke to this Island but notwithstanding the States enclining to favour the Lambson's Interest who had the Impudence to call this a sham-Grant affirming that his Majesty could not give that which was none of his to dispose of the said Royal Letter had little or no Effect till it happen'd that Count d' Etree the French Admiral took the Island and made there a miserable slaughter and Extirpation of the Dutch but who thought fit to quit the Possession of it soon after Notwithstanding several of the French Gentry and Merchants having a Prospect of Benefit before their Eyes afterwards Sollicited their King to Grant the said Conquer'd Island to them but which he generously refus'd declaring that it belong'd to a Neutral Prince who did no body any harm Hereupon the Duke without further loss of time prepar'd to send Ships to take possession of his Right and upon his Request King Charles was pleas'd to favour him with his second Royal Letter to the Government of Barbadoes directed to the then Governor Sir Jonathan Atkins and dated the 19th of January 1680 whereby that Governor was ordered not only to permit and suffer the Commanders and Officers of the said Ships to provide and furnish themselves with what they might stand in need of but likewise to be aiding and assisting to them with his Authority wherever there should be found occasion The like Letter was some time before dispatch'd from King Charles to the said Government by one of the Duke's Ships call'd the Flower-Pot but which together with the Ship was betray'd to the Pyrates of Algiers by one Captain Nagel the Commander Upon the Governor of Berbadoes's Receipt of the aforesaid Royal Letter the Duke was encourag'd to send a Governor to Tobago and soon after several others from time to time to keep possession thereof till by assistance of the English he might be able to establish a Colony there In 1681 the Duke enter'd into a Contract with Captain Pointz granting 120000 Acres of the said Island to him and Company upon very advantageous terms This Island lies very commodiously among the Caribbees or Antilles having many excellent Havens and Rivers and affording divers good Products and would be of very dangerous consequence to the English either in French or Dutch Hands for First when in the Years 1664 1665 and 1666 it was in the possession of the Dutch they took in the Wars several hundred Sail of Ships belonging to the Subjects of England either going or coming from the Plantations and brought them to Tobago but on the contrary were it in the English Hands under the Duke of Curland their Allegiance would prevent for the future the like Damages Secondly in the said Wars both French and Dutch made up their Fleets at the said Island and took and plunder'd St. Christopher's Mountserat Antegoa Berbudas c. to the great Damage of the English Thirdly King Charles was at excessive Charge in fitting out a Fleet to preserve Mevis from being taken by the Dutch in the said Wars And Fourthly the said Island being accommodated with Harbours and Roads beyond any other of the Caribbees might probably shelter Enemies to the English Crown when if it were in their Hands that inconveniency would be prevented Much more might be added concerning this Island but for brevity sake it is omitted only I may take notice that a French Geographer supposes that either Tobacco has taken its Name from this Island or this Island has been so called from that Weed This Duke James upon his succeeding his Father in the Dutchy of Curland was Married to Chariotte the Daughter of George William Elector of Brandenburg the last Elector Frederic William's Sister who died in 1676 by whom he had the late Duke Frederic Casimir Prince Ferdinand Lieutenant-General in the Elector of Brandenburgh's Army and Prince Alexander who was wounded by a Cannon-Ball at the Siege of Buda and who died in his way to Vienna and three Princesses whereof Louis Elizabeth Marry'd Frederic Landtgrave of Hesse of the Line of Hambourg Mary Amalia Marry'd May 21 1673 Charles Landtgrave of Hesse of the Line of Cassel And the third Charlotte lives still unmarry'd in the King of Sueden's Court. Duke James was succeeded by his Eldest Son Frederic Casimir but now lately deceas'd who while he was Prince serv'd under our present King in Holland in the first French War bringing several Regiments of Horse and Dragoons along with him and there Marry'd Princess Sophia Amalia of Nassau-Siegen who died in Child-bed on the 25th of December 1688 By this Dutchess he hath three Princesses alive He was a second time Marry'd at Berlin in the Year 1691 to the Princess Elizabeth Sophia the present Elector of Brandenburgh's Sister by whom he had two or more Sons This Duke died at Mittaw about the beginning of February 1698 and is succeeded by his Eldest Son Frederic Casimir II. the present Duke being a Child not above six years of Age. The Duke of Curland is Vassal to the Crown of Poland in like manner as the Electors are to the Emperor for when any new King is Elected there this Duke is oblig'd to send his Envoy to receive investiture by having a Standard deliver'd with the Arms of Poland on one side
and those of Curland on the other After this the Envoy is permitted to sit down to cover his Head and has great civilities paid him This Duke has all the Regalia that the German Soveraign Princes have He Coins Money in his own Name and has high and low Justice over the Noblemen of his Country only in some extraordinary cases Appeals may be made to the Court of Poland He has great Demesns of which his Revenue chiefly consists and keeps a very pretty Court having all his great Officers as other Princes have The chiefest of which are The Landhoff-Meister or chief Minister The High Chancellor The Supreme Marshal and The Supreme Burgrave These are the Four great State Officers The more inferiour are The Councellors of State which are the Supreme Starostas whereof two are for Curland viz. The Supreme Starostas of Goldingen and Tuczkon And two for Semigallia viz. The Supreme Starostas of Mittaw and Selburg These Staâ—ostas ought all to be Noble Natives and Landed-Men Next follow the Governors of Places Military-Officers c. The Gentry of this Country are very Antient and very free being exceedingly Jealous of suffering any Upstart Nobleman to come among them esteeming nothing so much as Ancient Families and Creations Before I proceed to give a farther account of this Country I must add a word or two more concerning the Livonian Order and which I could not have done before unless I had broke the Chain of the Connection The Provincial Master of this Order was wont to be chosen by the Great Chapter of Prussia whereupon when in the Year 1439. the Livonian Knights had Elected one Henry a Bukenode for their Master they were forc'd to give a reason for their having so done and notwithstanding were afterwards oblig'd to submit to a new Election in Prussia Next the Provincial Master of the Livonian Order was the Marshal of the Order After whom came the several Commendadors and the Advocates The Commendadors were in number Eleven whereof the two first were in Curland and the third in Semigallia The Advocates were Nine two having been of Curland and one of Semigallia These Knights had the Title of the Order of Sword-Bearers and their Habits Arms were a White Mantle with a Sword on the Breast in Pale and a Star Gules in Chief but after their joining with the Teutonick Order they had likewise their Habit and Cross For a Geographical Description of this Country I must acquaint you Sir that the two Dutchies of Curland and Semigallia have these several principal Cities and Towns for I cannot meet with any sub-division into Jalatinates or Districts as I have perform'd in Poland In the Dutchy of Curland are the several Cities and Towns of Goldingen Cap. Vinda Bish Pilten Liba Erdwalen Angermund Grubin Tuczkon Frawenburg Vschwend Talsen Candaw Durben Hasenpot and Oendange Of all which the chief City is Goldingen in Latin Goldinga a City that stands on the Banks of the River Wete about seven German Miles from Vinda or Windaw to the West and near fifteen from Mittaw in Semigallia to the East This City has a large Jurisdiction Vinda or Windaw call'd by the Poles Kiescz is a City and Palatinate It has a Castle built on the Sea-shoar and which was formerly Residence to the Livonian Knights as likewise the place where they conven'd their Parliament or General Assemblies Now it has usually a Garrison of Poles but which are nevertheless under command of the Duke of Curland This City is one of the Sea-ports of Curland the other being Liba Pilten is a Town and Palatinate of this Dutchy whose Gentry being Protestants and offering themselves to the King of Poland's Protection he endeavoured to re-establish a Popish Bishop there this having formerly been a Catholick Bishoprick whose Lands they then possess'd whereupon they alter'd their Resolutions and forthwith submitted to the Duke of Curland These are the richest Gentry in this Prince's Dominions whereof the principal Families are those of Maydel Beher Sacken Mandevil c. In the Dutchy of Semigallia are the Cities and Towns of Mittaw Metropolis of these Dominions Bauske Doblin Selburg Radziwiliski Nithaw Birze Pozwole Lunka Dalen Schudding Pilkall Beher Nersten and Salatt Of all which the Capital of this Dutchy and Metropolis of the Duke of Curland's Dominions is Mittaw in Latine Mittavia or Mittovia the usual place of Residence of the Dukes of Curland This City is built on the River Musza and is a pretty large place containing about Twelve Thousand Inhabitants It has a weak Wall tho' nevertheless a well Fortifi'd and stately Castle with two Bastions which are surrounded by Marshes and defended by a strong and numerous Garrison The streets of this City are not Pav'd for want of Stone and the Citizens Houses are either of Brick or Timber as in Poland This place lies about seven Polish Miles from Riga in Regal Livonia and only four from the Prontiers of Samogitia It has been twice taken of late by the Swedes but has been since regain'd and is at present wholly subject to its Duke Bauske another strong City in this Dutchy which has a well Fortifi'd Castle and a numerous Garrison The Religion of this Country is generally Lutheran tho' there are some few Roman Catholicks and Calvinists there In favour of the first the late Duke at the King of Poland's request gave leave for the building of two Roman Catholick Churches one at Mittaw and the other at Goldingen The Jesuits pretend to have bought this Cureteship of Mittaw and upon that account to have settled there but nevertheless they are frequently oppressed and their College was broke down not long since yet notwithstanding they still subsist The Dutchesses of Curland having been all hitherto Calvinists have always had one Church at Mittaw set a part for them and their Religion where the Calvinists and Protestants of Livonia as likewise the English Merchants of Riga come to Exercise their Devotion there being no liberty of Conscience allowed throughout the King of Sweden's Dominions except at Stockholm only where the French Huguenots have been permitted to build a Church As to the Government of Curland there is first The Parliament or General Assembly of the States of this Duteby which is conven'd after this manner The Duke as often as any Urgencies of State so require it sends out his Letters of Summons to all the Starostas of his Dominions together with a Schedule of the Points propos'd to be debated on requiring them and every of them to cause Deputies or Representatives of the Gentry to be forth with Elected in their respective Jurisdictions whereupon they are soon Elected accordingly and furnished with Instructions from their Electors how they shall behave themselves in like manner as in Poland These afterwards meeting at Mittaw together with the four Supreme Counsellors consult
The thirty second Lay Senator is The Palatin of Marienbourg in Regal Prussia The City of Marienbourg was formerly the Seat of the Teutonic Order as appears by the Stalls or Seats yet to be seen in great Numbers in the Chappel of the Castle The thirty third Lay Senator is The Palatin of Braclaw in Low Podolia This Palatinate at present is only Honorary being altogether ravag'd and dispeopled by the frequent Incursions of the Turks and Tartars The thirty fourth Lay Senator is The Palatin of Pomerania in Regal Prussia This Palatinate lies altogether in Royal Prussia the greatest Part of it now being a Province belonging to Sueden and Brandenbourg tho' a small Portion of it yet remains to Poland The thirty fifth Lay Senator is The Palatin of Minski or Minsch in Lithuania The thirty sixth Lay Senator is The Palatin of Czernichovia or Czernikow a Dutchy which formerly belong'd to Lithuania This Palatinate at present is only Honorary having been for some time under the Czar of Moscovy Having thus describ'd the Order and Precedence of the chief Senators it would not be amiss to give Your GRACE some Account of the Duty of a Palatin which is to lead the Troops of his Palatinate into the Field in a general Expedition call'd by the Poles Pospolite Ruszenie But in time of Peace the Power of all is not the same for there are some Palatins in the great Dutchy of Lithuania who even then govern by Martial Law In Prussia also they proceed by the same Law which they call Judicia Palatinalia their general Office is to preside in the little Diet or Assembly of the Gentry of their Province to regulate the Prizes of Merchandizes and to take Care of Weights and Measures as also to punish or protect the Jews who cannot be judg'd in the common Courts But this is otherwise in Prussia and Volhinia as may hereafter appear more at large These Palatins are all Princes by their Office The Palatins have every one a Vice Palatin under them and in some Places more than one whom they name themselves and take their Oaths to be true and faithful to them only These Vice Palatins must have a Competency in Land to qualify'em for that Employment Immediately after the Palatins and the other four priviledg'd Persons come the several Castellans who are all Senators and Lieutenants to the Palatins in time of War leading the Gentry of their Jurisdiction into the Field under the Command of the Palatins Of these Castellans there are several in every Palatinate which are distinguish'd by the greater and lesser the greater are so call'd because excepting very few they derive the Names of their Castellanies from Palatinates whereas the lesser do take theirs only from Districts which makes them sometimes call'd Castellani Districtuum Also another Reason why they are so divided is because the lesser Castellans sit only on Benches behind the other Senators Also they may be term'd the lesser in regard that it is not long since they were first admitted of the Senate and that they are sometimes excluded But however in all other Respects they are equal The necessary Qualifications of a Castellan are to be a Nobleman of Poland and to have Lands and Tenements in the Territory whereof he is Castellan In times of Peace except their Office in the Senate the Castellans have no Jurisdiction except in criminal Cases the Titles of Magnifici or Wielmozni are given by the Chancery to the greater Sort of them and of Generosi or Vrodzeni to the lesser but commonly all the Castellans are saluted by the Titles of Illustrissimi or Jasnie Wielmozni The Names and Precedence in the Senate of all these Castellans and first of the greater Sort. The thirty seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Posnania The thirty eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Sendomir The thirty ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kalisch The fortieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Wounitz a Town in the Palatinate of Cracovia The forty first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Gnesna a City in the Palatinate of Posnania The forty second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Siradia The forty third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Lanschet or Lencici The forty fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Samogitia The forty fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Bresty or Bressici The forty sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Kiovia The forty seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Inowlocz The forty eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Leopol a City in the Palatinate of Russia The forty ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Volhynia The fiftieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Caminiec a strong City in the Palatinate of Podolia The fifty first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Smolensko The fifty second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Lublin The fifty third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Losk or Polocz The fifty fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Belez or Belsko The fifty fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Novogrodec The fifty sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Plocksko The fifty seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Witebsko The fifty eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Czirna a District in the Province of Masovia The fifty ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Podlachia The sixtieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Rava The sixty first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Briescia or Polesia The sixty second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Culm The sixty third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Mscislaw or Msceislaw The sixty fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Elbing a considerable City in the Palatinate of Pomerania The sixty fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Braclaw The sixty sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Dantzic a famous City in the Palatinate of Marienburg The sixty seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Minsch or Minski The sixty eighth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Livonia The sixty ninth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Czernicovia The lesser Sort of Castellans are as follows The seventieth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Sandecz a Town and District in the Palatinate of Cracovia The seventy first Lay Senator is The Castellan of Mezaritz a Town in the Palatinate of Posnania The seventy second Lay Senator is The Castellan of Visticz a District and Town in the Palatinate of Sendomir The seventy third Lay Senator is The Castellan of Biecz a City and District in the Palatinate of Cracovia The seventy fourth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Ragosno a Town in the Palatinate of Posnania The seventy fifth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Radomsko a District and Town in the Palatinate of Sendomir The seventy sixth Lay Senator is The Castellan of Zawichost a City in the same Palatinate The seventy seventh Lay Senator is The Castellan of Land or Landaw
the Little and Poorer Sort think it no Disgrace to serve them that can maintain them 'T is true the Gentleman they serve is commonly very civil to them for the eldest of them generally eats with him at Table with his Cap off and every one of them has a Peasant-Boy to wait on him which the Master maintains yet if any one of these Gentlemen-Servants neglects his Duty his Master punishes him severely tho' he has no Power to take away his Life because he is a Gentleman but he may get him whipt naked with a certain Formality which I have mention'd before It may not be here amiss to observe to your Lordship some few Maxims whereby the Republick of Poland might always subsist and the Gentry retain their ancient Privileges First By reducing all the Gentry of the Kingdom to an equal Authority in the Election of a King and other publick Deliberations by which the King or Senate would be depriv'd of a Power of raising any considerable Factions and the Grandees be discourag'd from affecting and hunting after Foreign Titles which commonly ensnare them to the Prejudice of their Country Secondly By keeping up the free Choice of their Nuncios which would disable the Court and Senate from getting their Creatures elected to the utter abrogating of the Privileges of the Gentry wherein the Poles now follows the prudent Example of the Roman Common-wealth Thirdly By preserving the Custom of the Gentries appearing in great Numbers at the Diet which animates both the Senate and Deputies in the Prosecution of Affairs for the Good of the Kingdom and deters them from being biass'd by any sinister Means Fourthly By obliging both Senators and Deputies to give an Account of their Proceedings which must needs encline them to act with a great deal of Precaution Fifthly By prohibiting the Army to come near the great Assembly of the States for Rome never enjoy'd so great Happiness as when the Gown had Preference of the Sword Sixthly To maintain the Law of Equality in Matters of Descent whereby the Gentry would be kept at an even Lay and hinder'd from disturbing the Government by too great a Power Seventhly Never to prefer any Native to the Crown because of the great Disorders it might in all Likelyhood occasion Eighthly To maintaim the Authority of their Democracy establish'd for so many Ages by the Prudence of their Ancestors and all along continu'd with no small Hazards and Trouble And Ninthly Never to permit any Foreign Princes to intermeddle with their Affairs There is no Country where Embassadors are oblig'd to make so great a Figure as in Poland especially if they have any Interest of the Prince their Master to maintain or carry on in the Diet or among the Gentry for the Great Men there generally despise all such as either do not or cannot make the same Figure with themselves which is so excessive that an Embassador must have three remarkable Qualities to keep up with it For first he must have a great Train of Coaches and Servants proportionable next keep a plentiful and open House continually to Treat and Fuddle the Gentry and where he must be very humble and familiar with them they being generally very civil and easie in their Conversation And lastly which is the surest way to gain their Affection and Suffrages he must give 'em ever now and then a little Money and he still promising them more for Reasons I have mention'd before When the Great Men of Poland have any Suit at Law or other Difference to be determin'd the Justice of the Kingdom is commonly too weak for them for tho' the Diet or other Tribunals had decided the Matter in Favour of one of the two Parties yet the Execution of their Judgment must be left to the Power of the strongest Sword for these Grandees generally think it beneath them to submit to the Sentence of a Company of Judges without a Field-Battle Sometimes they will raise five or six Thousand of a Side plunder and burn one anothers Towns and Cities and besiege each others Castles and Forts and after a great deal of Blood-shed Fatigue and Expence the unjuster Cause shall commonly get the upper Hand Dr. Connor says When he was in Poland there was a Quarrel between Duke Raazivil and Prince Sapieha about whether of the two should be Guardian to the young Princess of Newbourg Neece to the present Empress for her Mother was Dutchess Radzivil of Lithuania and Heiress of the greatest Estate in the Kingdom Both Parties had their Troops in the Field and had some Skirmishes but it was thought that Prince Sapieha being Great General of the Forces of Lithuania would get the better tho' it seems Duke Radzivil as being her Mother's Relation had more Right to the Guardianship of her All this while the King never concern'd himself in the Quarrel nor declar'd for either Party As to Matters of Descent The Father's Estate is always equally divided among his Children in like manner as in Italy Germany and most Foreign Countries but when the Father is dead the Mother can enjoy all his Estate for Life and it is absolutely in her Breast to allot every one of the Children their Quota or to keep all the Estate to her own Use during her Life Some Mothers Marry after the Husbands Deaths and so spend their first Childrens Fortunes with their second Husbands This makes the Children more than ordinary obedient to their Mothers especially during their Widdowhood Altho Estates in Poland are equally divided among the Children which one would think should absolutely weaken or ruin their Families yet do they generally find Means to support and keep them up for most commonly some of the Brothers turn Monks and so get to be made Abbots or Bishops whose Revenues are here sufficient to enrich any Family and the rest look after State-Employments which are likewise considerable Some of the Daughters also many times become Nuns so that being in the Church Service they are oblig'd to live in Celibacy and consequently leaving no Heirs all their Goods or Estates fall to their Marry'd Brothers or Sisters or to their Children In this Country the Daughters always walk before their Mothers as in Italy and the unmarry'd Sisters before the marry'd I cannot but admire at the honest and good Temper of the Polish Gentry for tho' their Liberty is extraordinary tho' they have Power of Life and Death over their Subjects tho' they are in a manner above their own Laws and tho' Justice is administer'd in Poland more slightly than in any other Country yet Dr. Connor says that all the while that he was in that Kingdom he neither saw nor heard of any Murther or Slaughter or of any Barbarity or Cruelty committed by the Gentry on their Subjects nor what is a greater Wonder of any High-way Robbers but always observ'd the Poles in general to be good humour'd harmless and generous When it is certain had
Commonwealth After a great many Debates Pro and Con these last got the better and prevail'd to have the Army continue in the same Disorder as before Notwithstanding all these Inconveniences that the Polish Government lies under as to Military Affairs yet in time of Action their Cavalry especially have effected Wonders a few Examples of which it may not be improper to entertain Your GRACE with out of Starovolscius He begins with the Reign of Sigismund I. and says That the General Lesniovius with not above 1500 Spear-men routed above 40000 Moscovites killing upwards of 9000 on the Spot In like manner another General Boratinius with 2000 Horse defeated 30000 Moscovites killing 7000 of them and bringing away all their Cannon In the same Reign likewise Camenecius with only 6000 Horse overthrew above 25000 Tartars And about the same time Tarnovius with 4000 beat 22000 Turks and Valachians taking from them above 52 Field-Pieces In Sigismund II's Reign Duke Radzivil with 7000 only routed 30000 Moscovites and took from them the Castle of Ula And Prince Sapieba with 5000 both defended the Fortress of Venda and defeated the Besiegers which were upwards of 24000 Moscovites and Livonians Under King Stephen General Zborowski with scarce 2000 Horse discomfited the whole Army of Dantzic-Rebels made up out of several Nations and left above 8000 dead upon the Spot Also in Sigismund III's Time General Zamoski with scarce 6000 Horse beat the Arch-Duke Maximilian who had with him about 18000 Men He likewise repuls'd the Tartars with only 3000 Men who were coming to invade Poland with 70000. About the same time also Chodkievicz with no more than 3000 routed the Suedes in Livonia killing 9000 and taking 4000 Prisoners Starovolscius has some few other Instances of the Polish Valour but whether what I have already mention'd will be credited by your GRACE and the Publick I am not able to determine However I may affirm that this Author hath never hitherto been esteem'd for Fabulous What I have remaining to say as to the Poles Force is That however great it has hitherto been yet is it rather to be attributed to their good Fortune than Conduct for two principal Qualities to make a Warlike Enterprise especially successful have ever been Strangers to them These are The Power to keep a Secret and an exact Intelligence of their Enemy's Advances and Condition As to a Secret which is the Soul of all great Proceedings that is so little observ'd in Poland that scarce the meanest Officer in the Army but knows what the General intends to do almost as soon as himself And for Intelligence of the Posture and Capacity of the Enemy by reason they make use of no Spies they never know any thing of the matter till they happen to meet a Party and take them Prisoners from whom they are accustom'd to extort Confessions in Cases of Obstinacy As to the Pay of the Polish Army I have shew'd before how it is executed now I must give some short Account from what it arises and the manner of Raising it It arises either from Occasional Impositions or Perpetual Customs and Yearly Taxes Of the former Kind are a General Poll or Capitation and Voluntary Gifts of the Clergy for they cannot be Tax'd by the State Of the latter Sort are All fix'd Duties upon the Jews Tartars Land Merchandize Art c. From Yearly Taxes all Scholars and such as busie themselves in Study are excepted The Fourth Part of the King's Revenue set apart for maintaining a Guard on the Frontiers may likewise be rank'd under this Denomination of Fix'd Duties The manner of Raising these Taxes and Duties is for the most part left to the King's Discretion tho' sometimes the Diet assumes that Authority as likewise to supervise the Distribution of the Money rais'd It may be observ'd that a Collector's Office is to last no longer than the Imposition he is to collect As to Provisions there are no Sutlers in the Polish Army for two Reasons First Because they would never be paid for what they sold and then tho' they durst venture yet they would run no ordinary risque to be plunder'd before they reach'd the Camp and this especially by the Lithuanians who are generally more given that way than the Poles There are likewise no Magazins as in other Countries so that the Officers especially are oblig'd to have great Equipages and many Carriages to convey their Necessaries along with them where-ever they march Among these their Tents are extraordinary fine tho' very heavy Also neither the King nor Republick of Poland has any publick Armories or Arsenals tho' it be true that Uladislaus Jagello instituted some few Repositories for Great Cannon yet which are now of no great Consequence and those which are in far greater Numbers and much more useful are chiefly in the Hands of the Gentry or in the great Cities whence as often as the King has Occasion he either takes them at Pleasure or at Sufferance Poland likewise being not wanting in Metal several new Cannon are founded whenever the Old become unserviceable the which for the most part is perform'd by the Germans the Poles not being so skilful in that Art The Arms the Polanders generally use I have spoken of before yet it may not be improper to add what Hartknoch says of the Antient Polish Historians which is That they affirm that formerly the Poles made use of a very heavy sort of Arms insomuch that when Boleslaus II. in his Expedition against the Prussians waded with his Army through the River Ossa many of his Soldiers were drown'd meerly by the Weight of their Arms. For Castles Poland has a great Number scarce any considerable City or Town being without one yet which are now of little or no Use except some few which are still kept up the rest being suffer'd to decay by the Nobles that have got Possession of them The Cause of the first Fortifications in Poland was on Account of the frequent Incursions of its Neighbours tho' Now says Starovolscius speaking of himself and his Country men being not desirous of invading others we find that we are sufficiently capable to defend our selves with our Bodies tho were we otherwise inclin'd we might raise as strong Fortifications as any in Europe yet which we look upon to be not so consistent with true Courage and Valour It is certain that Unfortify'd Countries lie most expos'd to sudden Irruptions as this Kingdom of Poland has often experienc'd But then this Mischief continues but a little while for as soon as the Nobility can be got together the Invaders are generally forced to retire as may appear by several Examples in our Modern Histories alone These Maxims of the Poles to have few or no Fortify'd Places are founded upon several potent Reasons for they thereby promote the Personal Valour of their own Men and weaken that of their Enemies by not leaving either a Place of Retreat If we
the Emperour Henry VI. by the Rull of Pope Celestine III. under the Title of Teutonic or Dutch Knights of the Hospital of St. Mary the Virgin vowing Poverty Obedience and Chastity and obliging themselves to receive none but Germans into their Order After they had thus receiv'd Confirmation from the Papal See some rich Citizens of Breme and Lubeck joyning with them and making large Contributions another Hospital was erected for them in the City of Acon or Ptolemais in Syria But after that City together with Jerusalem and all the Holy-Land had been taken by the Sarazens under the Command of Saladin having been in the possession of the Christians for more than 87 Years before One Hermannus then Great Master with the remaining Knights removed into Germany on whom the Emperor Frederic XI and Pope Honorius III. or as some will have it Conrade Duke of Masovia in 1226 in the Year 1229 bestow'd the Province of Prussia where having Conquer'd that Nation and reduc'd it from Paganism to Christianity they built the City of Marienburg or Mary-Town and in the Year 1340 fix'd the Residence of their Great Masters there This Country they enjoy'd till about the Year 1525 when Albert Marquess of Brandenburg the last Great Master of this Order by a Solemn Renunciation became Feudatory to Sigismund King of Poland who rais'd Prussia to a Dukedom and made this Marquess first Duke thereof but however some of the Knights disliking this Action proceeded to Elect another Great Master which was Walter de Cronberg and forthwith leaving Prussia seated themselves in Germany where they continue at this day tho' in no great Reputation except that the younger Sons of the German Princes are commonly admitted of their Order Their Statutes were compos'd after the Model of those of the Knights Hospitallers and Knights Templars at this day the Knights of Malta but nevertheless to distinguish them from these Orders their Habit was ordain'd to be a white Mantle with a plain black Cross on the Breast tho' others will have it to have been a black Cross Voided with a Cross Potence This Cross they were also to have upon white Banners as likewise upon their Shields and in their Coats of Arms They were moreover enjoyn'd to live conformable to the Order and Rules of St. Austin Their first number was 24 Lay-Brothers and 7 Priests yet Heysse in his History of the Empire Tome I. says they were at first 40. They both were allow'd to wear Armour and Swords and might Celebrate Mass in that Habit. None of them shav'd their Beards but by their Order were oblig'd to let them grow and to sleep upon sacks of Straw But however this with their other primitive Injunctions soon vanish'd This order being establish'd after the manner as we have shew'd before all Christian Princes endeavour'd to give them encouragement and among the rest the Pope and Emperor gave them particular proofs of their Favour and Liberality Philip King of France also being willing to do the like on his part made them great presents and moreover granted their Great Master a liberty to wear the Flower deluccs on the 4 extremities of their Cross Their Power and Force in War will appear in the following succinct account and Series of their several Great Masters Their first Great Master as I observ'd before was Henry Walpot a Native of Germany Elected in the Year 1190 who died and was buried at Acon or Ptolemais The Second Great Master of this Order was Otho de Kerpen a Nobleman of Germany who after having enjoy'd this Office but 6 Years died and was buried at Acon The Third Great Master was Herman Barth of Alsace who was Elected under Pope Innocent III. and the Emperour Philip II. he presided over these Knights only 4 Years then died and was buried at Acon Under these two Great Masters this Order first began to encrease and flourish The fourth Great Master was Herman a Salzen a Nobleman of Misnia under the several Pontificates of Pope Innocent III. Honorius and Gregory IX and in the Reigns of the Emperor 's Otho and Frederic II. This Master obtain'd great Privileges for his Order both from the aforesaid Popes and Emperors And John King of Jerusalem for their having protected him against Conrade King of Syria added to the Arms of this Order a Cross Potence Or which were the proper Ensigns of that Kingdom In his time Conrade Marquess of Thuringen was admitted of the Order He had above 2000 German Noblemen and Knights in his Order at once all which he govern'd for about 30 Years During his Administration his Order having been driven out of the Holy-Land by the Sarazens setled in Prussia to the number of 20000 and by help of the Poles soon expell'd the Pagan Prussians out of the Province of Culmigeria He lies buried at Marienburg which he built The Fifth Great Master was Conrade Marquess of Thuringen who was Elected under the Pontificat of Celestine IV. and the Reign of the Emperour Frederic II. He very much augmented the Conquests of his Order and restor'd many ruinous Fabricks He built Koningsberg in Ducal Prussia and lies buried at Marienburg The Sixth Great Master was Poppo ab Osternaw in the time of Pope Innocent IV. and of the Emperour Conrade IV. He had several glorious Conquests over the Prussians Livonians and Swentopelus Duke of Pomerania but at length before the City of Lignitz was kill'd and routed by the Tartars who had almost over-run all Sarmatia Poland and was afterwards buried at Uladislaw It is said that the aforesaid Swentopelus had been so extreamly beaten by these Knights that he was forc'd to clap up a Peace with them and afterwards on his Death-bed earnestly recommended to his Children to preserve the Friendship he had Contracted But however Mestowin his eldest Son forgetting his Father's Orders declar'd War anew against them but being likewise beaten the Knights over-run all Pomerania and at length forc'd this Duke to a Peace And moreover 3 of his Brothers whereof the Eldest was nam'd Sambor became Knights of this Order The Seventh Great Master of the Teutonic Order was Johannes Sangerhusensis who took upon him that Office under the Pontificat of Alexander IV. He very much allay'd the Insolence of the Pagan Prussians and in great measure regain'd the credit of his Order forfeited to the Tartars He Rul'd 12 Years and lies buried at Treves In his time the City of Brandenburg was built The Eighth Great Master was Hartman Count of Heidelberg who was Elected in the time of Pope Clement IV. and of the Emperour Rodolfe I. He was a very industrious Person and got great ground of the Prussians In his time the Castle of Marienburg was built in the Year 1281. He dy'd and was buried at Venice The Ninth Great Master of this Order was Buchardus à Swenden Elected in the time of Pope John and the Emperour Rodolfe I.
Under his Administration of Affairs the Prussians were totally reduc'd After 7 Years enjoyment of his Office he Abdicated it and liv'd afterwards at Rhodes where he lies buried The Tenth Great Master was Conrade de Feuchtwangen who was Elected in the time of the Emperour Rodolfe I. and Pope Nicholas IV. Altho' this Order made considerable progress under his Administration yet at length it receiv'd a great check in Syria where the City of Acon which had been the chief Seat of this Order for some time was taken by the Souldan of Aegypt He died at Prague and was buried at Trebnicz The Eleventh Great Master was Godfrey Count of Hohenloh who was Elected Adolphus being Emperour and Celestine V. Pope He was a Venetian born and govern'd this Order 10 Years he retook Riga in Livonia from the Russians and caus'd its Fortifications to be demolished but not long after he restor'd the Inhabitants to their antient Privileges having built a Castle there to awe them He at length resign'd his Office and dy'd in Germany The Twelfth Great Master was Sigfridus de Feuchtwangen in the time of Albert Duke of Austria's being Emperour and Clement Pope He remov'd his Seat from Marpurg to the Castle of Marienburg for this Order had resided there ever since their being oblig'd to leave Syria This Master rul'd only 2 Years and died and was buried at Marienburg The Thirteenth Great Master was Charles Beffart Elected in the Reign of the Emperour Henry and the Pontificate of Pope Clement V. He was a very Wise and Warlike Person and in the Year 1312 founded the Castle of Memula in Courland to hinder the Incursions of the Lithuanians Upon his return from Rome whither he had been cited for and cleared of Male-Administration he died at Vienna where he lies buried The Fourteenth Great Master was Vernerus Urselensis Elected in the time of the Emperour Lewis V. and Pope John He executed his Trust with a great deal of Fidelity and Bravery and was afterwards Murther'd by a Brother of the Order one John Bunsdorfius while he was going out of the Church from Vespers The Fifteenth Great Master was Lewis D. of Brunswick He was a very Prudent and Pious Man but rul'd only four Years The Sixteenth Great Master was Districhus Count Algemburg Elected when he was 80 Years old He was a Person of Great Eloquence Authority and Justice After having built St. Mary's Church at Marienburg he died at Thorn and was buried at St. Anns in Marienburg The Seventeenth Great Master was Rodolfe Duke of Saxony Elected in the time of the Emperour Lewis V. and Pope Benedict XI He gather'd great Forces together and Besieg'd and took Neumarcovia In the Interim the Lithuanians invaded Prussia over-running all with Fire and Sword which this good Master took so much to heart that he first became Mad then was deposed from his Office and afterwards died of Grief at Marienwerder where he was buried The Eighteentth Great Master was Henry de Desmer or Tuchmer Elected in the Pontificate of Clement VI. He had a Famous Battle with the Lithuanians and Russians wherein he kill'd above 10000 of the Enemy He died and was buried at Marienburg The Nineteenth Great Master was Henry de Kniprodien Elected in the time of Pope Clement VI and of the Emperor Charles III. The foregoing War with the Lithuanians and Russians broke out a fresh in his time wherein the Great Duke of Lithuania Keystutus was taken Prisoner and carried to Marienburg whence he afterwards escap'd by means of a Servant In this Great Master's time one of the Sons of the aforesaid Great Duke became a Christian at Koningsberg and afterwards was made a Prince of the Empire by the Emperour Charles IV. During his Administration which was about 31 Years this Order abounded in Learned Men. He died at Marienburg and was there buried The Twentieth Great Master was Conrade Zolner Elected in the time of the Emperour Wenceslaus and of Pope Urban VI. He had several contests with the Lithuanians and Samogitians during the several Reigns of Keystutus Jagello Votoldus and Suidrigielo Great Dukes of Lithuania He died and was buried at Marienburg after 8 Years Administration of the Government of this Order The Twenty first Great Master was Conrade de Valenroden Elected during the Papacy of Pope Boniface He was a Person of a very Warlike Disposition but withal of an odd Temper He hated and refus'd his Ecclesiastical Brothers access to him at the hour of his Death In his time this Order made a Descent upon Lithuania by way of the River Niemen and built three Magazines near the Castle of Cowno by help of which they made great devastations in that Country for a considerable time The Twenty second Great Master was Conrade de Jungingen He was of a very peaceable Temper and therefore not much belov'd by his Order However he rul'd 12 Years and afterwards died at Marienburg and was there buried The Twenty third Great Master was Ulric de Jungingen Brother to the aforesaid Conrade He was Elected in the time of the Emperour Rupert and of Pope Gregory XII He was of a Warlike Temper and to that degree that he deviated not a little from his Order He Persecuted his Brothers and took several of their Possessions from them After several Wars had with the Poles and Lithuanians Jagello King of Poland and Vitoldus Great Duke of Lithuania gave him a total overthrow wherein this Great Master with about 200 Commendadors and 5000 other Knights was kill'd and his General taken Prisoner altho' at the first onset the Lithuanians lost about 7000 Men. The Twenty fourth Great Master was Henry Count of Plaven Elected in the time of the Emperour Sigismund and Pope John This Person was resolv'd to revenge the late overthrow on the Poles but before he could effect any thing considerable he was depos'd thrown into Prison at Engelsburg and thence remov'd to Lecksteg where after 7 years confinement he died in Chains and was buried at Marienburg The Twenty fifth Great Master was Michael de Sterbergen Steward of the Houshold to the Emperour Sigismund In the very first year of his Government Jagello and Vitoldus took from him and destroy'd several Cities but were at length forc'd to retire He govern'd this Order 9 years but afterwards desiring his Quietus he obtain'd it died at Dantzic and was buried at Marienburg The Twenty sixth Great Master was Paul de Rusdorfien Elected in the time of Pope Martin During his Administration several of the Provinces and Cities of Prussia shook off the Teutonic Yoak and revolted to Casimir IV. King of Poland He enjoy'd this Office nine Years also but dying was buried at Marienburg The Twenty seventh Great Master was Conrade ab Herlingshausen Elected in the time of the Emperour Albert III. This Great Master treated Casimir King of Poland at Thorn where at that time there was an inviolable