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
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
married to Ferdinand of Austria whereby that House came into possession of the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia as likewise of Silesia all which it enjoys to this day Sigismund dy'd not long after the Council of Trent begun being 82 Years old and having reign'd about 40 with great Success Paulus Jovius says that in this King's time there were three Heroes viz. the Emperor Charles V. Francis I. King of France and Sigismund I. King of Poland each of which deserv'd alone to govern the Universe had they not happen'd to live at the same time This King was as famous in Peace as War being adorn'd with more Vertues than any Prince of Poland before him Besides which Perfections of his Mind he had also great Strength of Body for he is reported to have been accustom'd to snap Horseshoes asunder and to have broke the strongest Ropes with his Hands only as I am credibly inform'd the Elector of Saxony at present King of Poland has often done He had two Wives Barbara Daughter of Stephen Woievod of Transilvania by whom he had one Daughter nam'd Hedwigis married to Joachim Marquess of Brandenburg and another Wife Buona Sforza mention'd before who brought him four Daughters which were Isabel married to John King of Hungary Sophia to the Duke of Brunswick and Ann and Catherine both successively to the King of Sweden and one Son Sigismund Augustus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Poland Martin Bielski a Polander who writ the Annals of his Country in his Native Language mentions that in the beginning of this King's Reign a certain Gentleman nam'd James Melstinski Starosta of Brezina being not a little beside himself pretended to be Christ descended again upon the Earth and consequently together with one Peter Zatorski a Citizen of Cracow and eleven others of the same stamp set forward through divers Cities and Villages canting and imposing upon the common People all along as they went sometimes he pretended to raise the Deaâ—â— which he seemingly effected by help of 〈◊〉 Compact with some of his fellow Impostors Next he work'd several pretended Miracles by Legerdemain as by finding things in places where it was almost impossible for them to be which nevertheless he had prudently taken care to lay there before as Fish in Bogs and the like Afterwards he went to the Monastery of Cestochow where it seems he was not known Here he caus'd one of his Followers to pretend to be possess'd with the Devil who thereupon being immediately seiz'd on was led by the Monks to the Altar at a time when a great Concourse of People were gathered together to hear Mass but the Impostor having provided himself a large Coat with several deep and winding Plights as likewise of divers small Pebbles which he had wrap'd up in his Saâ—â— broke furiously from those that held him and immediately leap'd upon the Altar where seizing upon all the Offerings he soon convey'd them into these obscure Folds of his Coat when the Monks going to search him with great Violence found only the Stones in his Sash which they believing to be the Money transmuted by the Power of the Devil immediately fell to exorcising the Stones but finding the same Species still remain they threw down their Books in great Indignation and cry'd Talem Daemonem nunquam experti sumus abite cum eo ad omnes Daemones By help of the Money they had thus got by this Cheat they travell'd all over Silesia and at last came to a Gentleman's House where they told his Wife that Christ and his Apostles were come to visit her and that she must make some Offering and her Soul should be sav'd to which the Woman reply'd that her Husband was from home and therefore she could not possibly comply with their Requests whereupon they demanded of her if she had any Linen to sacrifice she answered she had and presently fetch'd them down a small parcel which they receiving from her hands told her they would keep that for themselves and Christ should bless her and encrease her Store whereupon enquiring farther if she had any more she shew'd them another Parcel but they being about to do the like by that as they did by the other she told them her Husband not being within she durst by no means part with it which Answer displeasing these Impostors they privily slid a piece of lighted Coal among the Linen which the Woman not knowing any thing of took the parcel and lock'd it up in her Chest as before but which not long after bursting out into a Flame first burnt the Chest and then the House The Husband coming home and finding his House on fire enquir'd into the cause of it whereupon his Wife answer'd that because she had treated Christ disrespectfully who came to visit her this Judgment had befallen them At this the Man flying out into a Passion cry'd This was an Impostor and no Christ wherefore calling his Neighbours together they pursued them close till they heard of them in a Village hard by which the false Saviour being inform'd of said to that Apostle of his nam'd Peter Peter now is my Hour come and the time wherein I am to drink that bitter Draught approaches which I have no other way to avoid but by leaping out at this Window To which Peter reply'd I also will follow my Master's Example that I may live Whereupon they both leap'd out at the Window and the rest of the Apostles fled also their several ways but the deluded Countrymen closely pursuing them at length overtook them and surrounding them with Clubs Scourges and the like laid them on most unmercifully crying all the while Prophesy to us O Christ with thy Disciples in what Wood did these Clubs and Scourges grow By this severe Discipline these Impostors having been totally reform'd confess'd that it was no small Task to imitate Christ and his Apostles Before his Death Sigismund got the Diet to elect his Son SIGISMUND II. surnam'd afterwards Augustus who was crown'd in the Year 1548 and reign'd to 1576. The Diet was very angry with him that after his Coronation he married the Lady Radzivil Widow to a Woievod without their Consent which is against the Constitution of that Kingdom but this Queen dying soon after without Children they agreed to his Marriage with the Princess Catharine another Widow of the House of Austria which was before married to Francis Duke of Mantua In his time Livonia which is a great Province that lies between Prussia Swedeland Muscovy and Lithuania whereof part belonged to the Teutonic Order and part to the Arch-bishop of Riga being the whole under Protection of the Empire was like to have been over-run by the Great Duke of Muscovy who brought thither a powerful Army for that purpose and took most of its Towns Whereupon the Inhabitants finding they were not able alone to resist so great a Force sent to the Emperor Ferdinand for Relief who being
means was rated much lower than the House of Austria could have expected For altho it was urg'd to Sigismund that as Charles the Vth dealt formerly by the King of France on the like occasion so he ought to have a Sum of Money paid down sutable to the great Quality of his Prisoner yet Sigismund answer'd That it was to no purpose to propose Charles the Vth as an Example in this Case since that Prince had been guilty of an Action unbecoming his Grandeur When for his part he did not look upon it sufficient Advantage to have got the better of his Enemy unless he likewise had the Glory to give him his Liberty and not to make him buy it By this Mediation Maximilian was to quit for ever his Title to the Kingdom of Poland to restore some Places which had been surrender'd to him and to remain in a perpetual Amity with Poland to all which the Emperour his Brother was made Guarantee But altho these Conditions were so very reasonable yet Maximilian would not ratify them till 1589. Wherefore his Wilfulness detain'd him in Prison till that time when he escape 〈◊〉 to his Parole of Honour Nevertheless he was afterwards brought to sign them by the Power his Brother had over him Sigismund III. was first marry'd to Ann Daughter of Charles Arch-Duke of Austria and after her Death to Constantia her Sister by both which he had three Sons Vladislaus by the former and Casimir and Ferdinand by the latter the two first succeeding him in the Kingdom When the King his Father was dead he went into Swedeland and was there likewise crown'd King of that Country in the Year 1592 on condition that every fifth Year he should come and reign over Sweden in Person but being engag'd in a long War against the Muscovites Turks and Tartars he could not be spar'd in fifteen Years and therefore sent a Senate of Jesuits to govern them and suppress the Lutherah Doctrine which was then mightily spread in that Country Here it must be observ'd that this King's Mother Catherine strictly adher'd to the Roman Church by the permission of her Husband John III. King of Sweden who also lean'd a little that way Whereupon when Sigismund's Tutor Arnold Grothusius would have seduced him from that Perswasion his Father John being in a great Passion and drawing his Sword upon the Tutor cry'd I will have my Son educated in hopes of both Kingdoms meaning his own and that of Poland These Jesuits the King order'd to be receiv'd with the same Honour as if he himself had come in Person at which the Swedes being grievously nettled sunk them in the Harbour of Stockholm in the Ship that brought 'em from Dantzic and immediately thereupon proclaim'd Charles Duke of Sudermannia Sigismund's Uncle their King who had embrac'd Lutheranism some time before and which the Swedes have profess'd ever since This occasion'd bloody Wars between these two Nations but Sigismund being likewise engag'd with other Countries was forc'd to accept of a dishonourable Truce In the beginning of this War King Charles IX took a great many places from the Poles in Livonia most of which were afterwards retaken by the Polish General and Chancellor Zamoski Besides this the King of Sweden was vanquish'd in a great Battel fought near Kirckholm and Riga where he narrowly escap'd himself but some intestine Divisions arising between the King and Nobility of Poland he got time to recover Breath The occasion of the Wars between the Poles and Muscovites was this A certain Person coming into Poland pretended to be Demetrius Son to John Basilowitz Great Duke of Muscovy and that he was to have been murder'd by order of Boris Gudenow afterwards Grand Duke who hop'd thereby to secure the Succession after the Death of Theodore eldest Son of the said Duke but that another had been kill'd in his stead Hereupon he found so great Encouragement from George Mniszeck Palatin of Sendomir that he married his Daughter to him and by the Assistance of some other Polish Lords gather'd together a great Army and march'd with Demetrius into Muscovy when Boris Gudenow then Grand Duke happening to die suddenly he was receiv'd by the Muscovites and proclaim'd Czar in Moscow Hereupon he sent into Poland for his Bride but while the Nuptials were celebrating in Moscow the People suspecting him to be an Impostor gather'd together rais'd a Tumult and attack'd the Castle where they cut to pieces Demetrius with most of the Poles that came along with him and his Bride and took her Prisoner Then Basilius Suski descended from the Grand Dukes by the Mother's side having got together about â—â—0000 Men was proclaim'd Czar immediately after which a Rumor being spread abroad that Demetrius had escaped tho Suski had taken care to expose his Body to view which was so mangled that none could know him and a Person pretending to be him the Poles acknowledg'd him as such whereupon they together with the Cosacks assisted this Person to recover his pretended Right and several times beat Suski and oblig'd him to set at liberty the Captive Bride She also acknowledg'd this Demetrius for her Husband but whether he was really so or not could never yet be determin'd Sigismund laid hold of this opportunity to try at least whether he could recover Smolensko and Severia whereupon he besieged the former in the Year 1609 but could not make himself Master of it till the Year 1611 when he took it by storm In the mean time the Poles who had hitherto sided with Demetrius were recall'd by Sigismund who thought it not convenient that so considerable a part of his Forces should be under the Command of another By the removal of this Army Suski had leisure to recover himself whereupon with the Assistance sent him out of Sweden he march'd directly against the Poles who then were besieging Smolensko but was shamefully defeated by them near Clusin By this Overthrow the Affairs of the Muscovites were again in a very dangerous Condition wherefore to avoid the danger they resolv'd to depose Suski who by his Misfortunes became odious to them and to offer their Crown to Vladislaus Sigismund's Son This Suski was afterwards surrender'd to the Poles and dy'd at Warsaw in Prison Whereupon Vladislaus marching towards that Country with a powerful Army in the Year 1610 and they hearing of it thinking he came rather to conquer than accept their Crown unanimously revolted against him especially when they heard that Demetrius had been murder'd by the Tartars who were his Guards Hereupon Prince Vladislaus his Expedition was made to no purpose he being forc'd to make a Truce with the Muscovites for fourteen Years whereby it was agreed that in the mean time the Poles should keep in their possession the several Dukedoms of Severia Zernikow and Novogrod which they had taken during the late Troubles in Muscovy In the mean time George Farenbach surrender'd several Places in
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
Countries has been always â—â—o improve my self in what related pecuâ—â—iarly to the Practice of Physick and to Natural Knowledg yet for my own Satisfaction and Curiosity I was desirous to be inâ—â—ormed further both from the Natives themselves and their Historians of the true State and Origin of this vast Kingdom I found that Poland has met with the same Fate with most other Countries that is to be little known from its Minority For when this Monarchy was first founded by Lechus there were no Learned Men to hand down to Posterity by their Writings the true State thereof from â—â—ts Infancy but what small Account there is extant of it was written some Ages after Wherefore not having besides been a twelve-month in that Kingdom I cannot presume to give that satisfaction which perhaps your Lordship might otherwise expect from the discourse I lately had with you yet I can securely assert that the following Relation of the Origin of that Country is drawn out of its most authentick Historians POLAND by the Romans call'd Sarâ—â—natia Europaea came to be a distinct Nation and to be govern'd by Elective Princes much about the Middle of the Sixth Century sometime after that the Goths and Vandals had ravag'd the South parts of Europe and abandon'd their own bleak Northern Habitations to establish themselves in warmer Regions Italy France Spain and Africk which gave occasion to the Sclavonians as Sabellicus Thuanus and other Authors have it to quit the Cimmerian Bosphorus or Straits of Caffa Great Sarmatia and Great Russia or Moscovy to inhabit those desolate Countries Afterwards this People dividing themselves into two considerable Bodies one pass'd the Danube and settled in Dalmatia Istria Bosnia Carynthia Bulgaria as far as Greece and in some part of Germany while the other under the Conduct of three Brothers Lechus Cechus and Russus turn'd towards the North to possess themselves of those Provinces which the Goths and Vandals had forsaken These Brothers are said to have built Bremen in Germany so naming it from a Sclavonian Word signifying a Burden because they had there as one may say laid down their Burden and were in great measure freed from their former Miseries These Princes likewise divided their Followers into three Parties whereof one commanded by Cechus settled in that Kingdom which lies between Poland and Germany now call'd Bohemia the other headed by Lechus fix'd in the lower part of Great Sarmatia a Flat and Champain Country whence the Natives have since call'd it Polska from the Sclavonian word Pole which either signifies Plainness or Hunting and the Germans Poland or Even-Ground Hartknoch is of Opinion that Poland was an antient Name of Sarmatia in the time of Ptolomey before the Poles inhabited this Champain Country which it might have taken from the Bulani or Bolani that are said to have settled near the Vistula and to have come from Sarmatia The third Brother Russus establish'd himself in that Province of Poland which is now call'd from his Name Russia Not only the Testimony of Authentick Writers but also our own Reason will convince us that all these Nations have originally been the same which may appear by their Languages being but as so many Dialects of one Mother-Tongue the Sclavonian which is now spoke in more Countries than any Language of Europe Here Lechus had no great need of Force to establish himself he met with but little resistance all this Country having been left desolate for some time before by the Vandals Only Regulus a German Prince is said to have oppos d him at first and to have challeng'd him but was soon vanquish'd by him in a Duel whereby he became Master of Pomerania which was then Regulus his Country In these days there were no Cities in Poland no Money was yet known nor any Laws writ such as they had being only pronounc'd by their Princes Mouths and handed down by Tradition to the People Princes were then rather Fathers of Families than Lords and Masters and their Revenue consisted only in a moderate Imposition on their Subjects Labour Lechus my Lord settled in that great Province which joins the State of Brandenburg since call'd Posnania where he built the first City naming it Gnesna from the Sclavonian word Gniazdo which in that Language signifies a Nest and this because that where it was building a Tree was cut down which had an Eagle's Nest on the Top of it which Lechus taking for a good Omen not only call'd his City Gnesna and made it the Metropolis of his Kingdom but also order'd that the Arms of Poland should for ever after be a Spread-Eagle which has so continu'd even down to this day He likewise built another City in a Wood eight Miles from the former which he nam'd Posnania by the present Inhabitants call'd Posnan signifying in the Polish Tongue Knowledg because he there met and knew his Brother Cechus Prince of Bohemia after above twenty years absence This City gave occasion for naming the Province Posnania In Memory of Lechus to this day the Poles stile their Country in their Poems Lechia and Mr. Mountague North who liv'd for sometime at Constantinople has lately told me that the Turks call a Polander in their Language Lech making the Poles likewise derive their Name from their Founder Tho my Lord this Lechus brought that People under a kind of Monarchical Government yet neither he nor any of his Successors could ever so far prevail upon them as to make the Succession Hereditary they having continued Elective for above Eleven hundred years always reserving a full Power and Authority to themselves of choosing whom they pleas'd for their King Nevertheless it is to be observ'd that they have still hitherto elected one of the Royal Family where the deceas'd King had any Issue left except in this present Election which is like to go otherwise I find by their Chronicles that not so much as a Daughter has been excluded when there has been no Son However they always thought fit to acquaint 'em at the time of their Election that they were not to attribute their Accession to the Throne to any Right contracted from their Parents but were altogether oblig'd to the Senate and Gentry for putting that Scepter into their hands Hereby they intimated how much their Kings were indebted to 'em and what Necessity they lay under to behave themselves well towards a People that were pleas'd to raise 'em to a Supreme Dignity which they had no better Claim to than the meanest Gentleman in the Kingdom They acquainted them likewise that they thought themselves no longer oblig'd to pay them Obedience than that they kept to their Oaths And moreover they always reserv'd to themselves a Right of deposing them whenever they violated their Laws This Maxim has hitherto prov'd very beneficial to the Poles for enlarging their Country and maintaining their Privileges and might well have
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
could never learn He enter'd into an Alliance with Jaroâ—â— Duke of Russia Son to Vlodomirus and 〈◊〉 ry'd his Sister Mary afterwards call'd Doâ—â—neva whose Mother was the Princess 〈◊〉 Sister to Basil and Constantine Emperoun Constantinople He conquer'd the Province of Masoâ—â— where now lies Warsaw and defeated â—â— Army of Maslaus then Duke of that Coâ—â—try who retiring among the neighbourâ—â— Barbarians not long after return'd 〈◊〉 greater Force and ravag'd Masovia â—â— along to the Vistula but was soon met 〈◊〉 overthrown a second time by Casimir whâ—â— flying to his Friends as he thought that 〈◊〉 assisted him they took flea'd and fastned 〈◊〉 to an exceeding high Cross saying That was but just that he should be exalted whose Aâ—â— tion was so boundless Afterwards Casimir beiâ—â— mindful of the Benefits he formerly receivâ—â— in the Abby of Cluny sent thither great Prâ—â—sents and Offerings At length this good King having setled hâ—â— Kingdom in its former Tranquillity dy'd and left three Sons Boleslaus Vladislaus and Miâ—â—cistaus and one Daughter Suentochna He was â—â—y'd at Posnan in the Year 1058. BOLESLAUS II. his Son surnam'd the d succeeded him who reign'd 23 Years n the beginning of his Reign he had Wars â—â—h the Hungarians Bohemians Russians and â—â—ssians all caus'd by the protecting of three â—â—les He vigorously maintain'd the Cause Bela Prince of Hungary who was then marâ—â—d to his Aunt and banish'd by King Anâ—â— Whereupon he dethron'd Andrew and â—â—wn'd Bela King of Hungary notwithstandâ—â— the considerable Succours sent to Andrew â—â— of Germany and Bohemia Afterwards reâ—â—ning into Poland he marry'd Viseslava ughter and Heiress of the Duke of Russia by om he had that Dukedom for a Portion Towards the latter end of his Reign he came very dissolute and lewd oppress'd the â—â—ple with extraordinary and insupportable xes took away publickly Gentlemens dies to satisfy his Lust could not endure â—â— that took notice of his Irregularities â—â—ish'd such as complain'd of his Tyrannical â—â—vernment and at length kill'd Stanislaus â—â—zepanovius Bishop of Cracow for refusing â—â— the Sacrament of the Altar the manner which was thus Boleslaus continuing in enormous Crimes and Extravagancies this od Man earnestly entreated him to amend Life but perceiving his Obstinacy one y he refus'd him the Communion Which s Prince being highly offended at watch'd an opportunity to revenge and a little while after as the Bishop was officiating at Mass he gave him such a blow with his Sabre that he made his Brains fly against the Wall and afterwards his Guards entring cut the good Bishop to pieces Hereupon he was soon pursu'd with Vatican Thunder and consequently render'd odious to his Subjects Wherefore fearing some Conspiracy might be rais'd against him he left his Kingdom and retir'd with his Son Miecislaus which he had by his Queen Viseslava to Ladislaus King of Hungary where 't is reported that out of meer Madness he afterwards kill'd himself This Bishop Stanislaus was Canoniz'd by Pope Gregory VII and has all along from thence been receiv'd for the Patron of Poland The Pope also excommunicated the whole Country and Boleslaus his Successors were for a considerable time depriv'd of the Title of Kings Next came ULADISLAUS HERMANNUS Brother to Boleslaus to be elected who being afraid of the Pope or else fearing his Brother's return would only accept of the Title of Prince He recall'd his Nephew Miecislaus who died in six Years after He built many Churches and Monasteries all which he richly endow'd This Prince also brought over the rebellious Pomeranians and Prussians and defeated likewise the Army of Vratislaus Prince of Bohemia whom the Emperor Henry IV. had dignified with the Character of King giving him moreover a Right over Poland tho he had no Title to dispose of it his Predecessor Otho III. when he crown'd Boleslaus I. King of Poland having renounc'd both for himself and his Successors all Claim to that Kingdom Nay I heard the Poles themselves say that this was rather a piece of Civility in Otho than any Obligation upon them their Country having never been conquer'd by any Foreigner not even by the Romans themselves He married Judith Daughter of Vratislaus King of Bohemia by whom he had Boleslaus III. surnam'd Krivoustus or the Wry-mouth'd and afterwards by a Daughter of the Emperor Henry IV. he had three Daughters He died in the fiftieth Year of his Age was buried at Ploscow and succeeded by his Son BOLESLAUS III. surnam'd Krivoustus or the Wry-mouth'd He was the most warlike and successful Prince that Poland ever had and at length subdu'd his Bastard Brother Sbigneius that rebell'd against him whom at last he was forc'd to cause to be murder'd But of all others his Contest with the Emperor Henry V. is most famous which is as follows This Emperor having declar'd War against Colomannus King of Hungary and engag'd the Bohemians on his side Boleslaus join'd Colomannus and to make a strong Diversion enter'd Bohemia and destroy'd the greatest part of that Country whereupon to be reveng'd on Boleslaus the Emperor surpriz'd the Provinces of Silesia and Marchia which were then in the hands of the Poles and had been absolute Master of them had not Boleslaus speedily marched with an Army to oppose him who finding his Enemies much superiour in number at first thought it better to compose the matter amicably and therefore sent an Ambassador to treat of Peace to which the Emperor thinking he had the Advantage would by no means condescend except upon very dishonourable Terms for the Poles And hereupon leading Scarbicus the Ambassador to see his Treasure he told him that that pointing to his Gold would bring the Poles to what Terms he pleas'd at which Scarbicus being highly affronted took off a Gold Ring from his Finger and throwing it into the Treasury said Whatever be your Imperial Majesty's Opinion I do not question but the Polish Iron meaning their Swords will prove as good Metal as the German Gold Which said he immediately took his leave and returning to his Master acquainted him with his Negotiation which the haughty Pole highly resenting resolv'd to hazard a Battel which he did and by the Bravery of his Army obtain'd a signal Victory in the Dogs-field near Breslaw chief City of Silesia whereupon the Emperor immediately struck up a Peace with him gave him his Sister Adleida in Marriage and his Daughter Christina to his young Son Vladislaus This Prince forc'd the Pomeranians to the Christian Faith which they had often rejected before The Poles all this while were in possession of Silesia but afterwards the Kings of Bohemia conquer'd it and therefore it consequently now is under the Emperor It is reported of this Prince that he had fought forty seven Battels with success except one only with the Red Russians which was meerly lost through the Cowardice of a
having it in his Power to revenge himself on Fortune it is no wonder if he fell foul of her Favourite and moreover rather blam'd himself for condescending to play with him and likewise thanked him for putting him in mind by that Blow how unworthy it was for a Prince to bestow his time so ill And lastly as a further Argument of his dissenting from his Brother's Principles he return'd the Courtier all his Money again Miecislaus being excluded retir'd with his Princess and Children to Ratisbon to the Emperor Frederic his Kinsman who yet could do him no good he being engag'd at that time in War both in Italy and Asia therefore his next Recourse was to his Brother's Clemency This so far wrought upon Casimir that he made a Speech to the Senate to recal him but was extremely blam'd by them for offering to prefer a private Kindness to the Publick Safety All this while Miecislaus was little sensible of his Brother 's good Nature tho he afterwards under-hand endeavour'd again to get him restor'd Casimir begun his Reign by easing his Subjects of the Taxes his Brother had impos'd upon 'em and restraining the Power of exorbitant Magistrates While he was absent in Russia on account of composing some Differences by instigation of Miecislaus some of the Nobles conspir'd against him and endeavour'd to re-instate Miecislaus which the better to bring about and satisfy the People they pretended that Casimir was poison'd in Russia Hereupon Miecislaus readily arrives in Poland and was receiv'd every where but in the Castle of Cracow which Bishop Fulco held out against him Of all this Casimir being soon inform'd by Assistance of the Russians overcame his Brother and gave both him and his Army their Lives which Goodness of his at length so wrought upon Miecislaus that he never after aim'd at the Crown After Casimir was well settled being not unmindful of the rebellious Prussians nor of the Death of his Brother Henry he march'd with so great fury against them that he had regard neither for Man Woman nor Child but put great numbers of all sorts to the Sword and burnt and plunder'd their Country to that degree that at last they quietly submitted to the absolute Dominion of Poland This King made a City of Dantzic in Prussia which before was only a poor Fisher-Town on the Baltic Sea He lies buried at Cracow having left two Sons Lescus and Conrade and one Daughter Adleida He liv'd to the Age of six and fifty Years After his Death the Poles elected his Son LESCUS V. surnamed the White in the Year 1195 who being very young had for Guardians his Mother Helena with the Bishop and Palatin of Cracovia In the mean time his Uncle Miecislaus being yet alive came with a powerful Army of Poles and Silesians to dethrone him and gain'd a bloody Battel over the Palatin of Cracovia who commanded Lescus his Army Hereupon he immediately dispatch'd Embassadors to Helena to represent to her his unquestionable Right to the Crown his Strength the Disorder among Lescus his Tutors who being too young was not able of himself to govern the great Advantages he had obtain'd in the late Battel and lastly his great Party in the Kingdom He moreover desires Helena to make him Guardian over her Son and promises to adopt him for his own to leave him the Succession after his Death and that he will do nothing but what shall be according to the Constiutions of the Kingdom All these Proffers having been throughly weighed by the Queen and Council At last Miecislaus was recall'd a second time in the Year 1199. after having taken a solemn Oath to perform all his Promises But being once reinthron'd he soon forgot his Oath and fell to consiscating several of his Subjects Estage and giving 'em to others saying That a King was no longer oblig'd to keep his Oath than when it was neither safe nor beneficial for him to breake it Hereupon the Palatin of Cracovia seizes on the City of Cracow and receives Lescus a second time whilst Miecislaus being then absent by all the Intrigues imaginable endeavour'd to be restor'd Whereupon he flatter'd the People perswading them that Lescus his Party had cast false Aspersions upon him and that if he did any thing contrary to his Oath he was meerly betray'd to it by the malicious Perswasions of his pretended Friends By these and such like fair words he Iulls asleep the credulous People and gains their Affections the third time Whereupon he sends to the Queen to inform her that Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia had been the Author of the late Disturbances and therefore wills her to remove him from Court and receive himself again which she pitying his unfortunate Case even in prejudice of her own Son was inclin'd to do and would therefore admit of no Justification from the Palatin Whereupon this Person being a Man of great Authority in the Kingdom goes and joins Miecislaus many follow his Example and in short the Queen was quickly forc'd to recal Miecislaus a third time in the Year 1202. When being reinthron'd he requited Queen Helena for her Services by seizing upon the Territory of Voslicia and three other Places in Sendomir which of right belonged to her and being about to do the same to several others he was prevented by a sudden Death in the seventy third Year of his Age leaving two Sons Otho and Vladislaus Lasconogus After Miecislaus his Death the greater part voted for Lescus V. that was still alive but Nicholas Palatin of Cracovia and the Bishop of Cracow his Brother would by no means consent to it unless Lescus would banish out of the Kingdom Gouoric Palatin of Sendomir of whom they were both very jealous Lescus answer'd He would not buy a Kingdom which by right was his own by doing an Injury to his Friend Hereupon by the Bishop and Palatin's Interest he was put by and ULADISLAUS LASCONOGUS that is Thin-foot elected in the Year 1203. But this good Prince considering Lescus his Right after three Years Reign voluntarily surrender'd to him when LESCUS was receiv'd the third time in the Year 1206 and reign'd to the Year 1226. Under his Reign the Poles heard first of the Tartars a barbarous Nation that came from the Caspian Sea and Mount Imaus in Asia who made Irruptions into Taurica Chersonesus and the Frontiers of Podolia and Russia and have ever since been most inveterate Enemies to Poland Lescus had a Brother call'd Conrade to whom he gave the Provinces of Masovia and Cujavia and made one Suentopelus Governour of Pomerania whereof one was Author of Lescus's Death and the other of most blood Wars in Poland For this Suentopelus thinking to make himself absolute in Pomerania employed People to murder Lescus which they not long after effected accordingly when this good Prince was in a Bath Whereupon after
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
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
effected many glorious Enterprizes died peaceably leaving three Nephews Borcus Cunossus and Spera all which separately succeeded him in his Dominions Borcus took for his Share part of Samogitia where he built a Castle on the River Juria a Branch of the Niemen and call'd it after his own Name and that of the River whereon it stood Jurburg which continues even at this day Cunossus extending his Dominion a different way built Kunossow another Castle calling it after his own Name and which remains to this day Spera likewise built a Castle near the River Swenta where he began his Reign At length Borcus and Spera dying Cunossus seiz'd on both their Dominions but soon after di'd also and left two Sons Kyernus and Gybutus whereof Kyernus settled in Lithuania and built the Castle Kyernow which he made the Place of his Residence and Gybutus resided in Samogitia which he likewise govern'd Both these Brother 's joining together made huge Devastations in Russia and carried away great Booty but upon their return home found Samogitia serv'd the like Sauce by the Livonians To revenge which they forthwith enter'd Livonia and burnt and plunder'd all that Country wherever they came Kyernus dying was succeeded in Lithuania by his Son Zivibundus and Gybutus in Samogitia by his Son Muntwil which last having reign'd but little dy'd and left his Son Vikint to succeed him in Samogitia but Zivibundus liv'd a great while after and prov'd no small Victor over the Russians and Tartars for being willing to shake off the Russian Yoke he sent his Brother Wikinti Erdzivil to invade that Country who so far succeeded as to take the City and Castle of Novogrodec and to fix the Seat of a Dutchy there And after proceeding further he built the strong Castle of Grodno on the River Niemen Then he descended into Podlachia where he took several Towns and soon reduced all that Province Afterwards he conquer'd Kurdassus Prince of the Tartars at a Town call'd Mozera near the River Okuniowka This Erdzivil after many Heroick Actions and succeeding his Brother Zivibundus di'd and left two Sons Mingailus and Algimuntus and divided his Dominions between them Algimuntus chose for his part Samogitia and Mingailus rul'd over Lithuania and Polocz which last Country he took from the Russians and likewise extended his Dominion over all the Dutchy of Novogrodec This Duke died and left two Sons Skirmunt and Ginvil Skirmunt having perform'd his Father's Obsequies enter'd upon the Government of Lithuania with the Dutchy of Novogrodec And Ginvil by natural Right seiz'd upon Polocz which having govern'd for some time he died and left to his Son Boris who rul'd a great while in Polocz and built a famous Church there with Brick calling it Sancta Sophia He likewise founded several other famous Edisâ—â—ces with the Town and Castle of Borissow upon the River Beresina To him succeeded his Son Basilius Rechwold who liv'd to a great Age and left behind him a Son called Hlebus and a Daughter nam'd Poroskavia Hlebus surviv'd his Father but a little while and Poroskavia wholly devoted her self to the Greek Religion but afterwards went to Rome where she died and was Canonized for a Saint Now to return to the Dukes of Lithuania Skirmunt obtain'd great Conquests over the Tartars and Russians and dying left his Uncle Kukovoitus to succeed him in Lithuania and Samogitia who having govern'd a good while died and left his Dominions to his Son-in-Law Giedrussus who had marri'd his Daughter Poiata This Duke dying left for his Successor his Son Ringolt who having perform'd his Father's Funeral-Rites after the Pagan manner enter'd upon the Government of Lithuania and Samogitia Against this Duke the Russians join'd â—â—y the Tartars march'd with great fury to reduce him to pay Tribute but he timely opposing them with equal Force gave them a signal Overthrow near Mohilna on the River Niemen At length this Ringolt famous likewise for several other Victories died and left his Dominions to his Son Mindog or Mendog in the Year 1240 who had various Conflicts with the Dukes of Smolensko and Volhynia both which at last he totally subdu'd He likewise fought several Battels with Boleslaus the Chast King of Poland and Daniel Emperor of Moscovy in most of which the Christians were worsted with great slaughter He frequently made Incursions into Masovia Dobrina Cujavia c. and return'd with great Booty He also had bloody Wars with the Teutonic Knights of Prussia and Livonia But at length in the Year 1252 being over-perswaded by the then Great Master Henricus de Zalcza he gave up all his Dominions to that Order in acknowledgment of several Honours and Services done him and moreover consented to turn Christian and afterwards sent to Rome to pay his Devoir to that See Whereupon Innocent IV. deputed his Brother Heinderic to consecrate him King But whether it were that Mindog repented the loss of his Dominions or for any other Cause it is certain that he refus'd to receive this Nuncio and the very same Year together with all his Country returned to their former Idolatry Nevertheless the Teutonic Knights suffer'd him to continue King and under him in conjunction with the Lithuanians Samogitians c. invaded Masovia and made great Havock of that Country But afterwards Mendog being unmindful any farther of the Civility of those Knights turn'd his Arms against their Country destroying most of their Cities and returning with great Spoils Next Mendog having gathered together a great Army and being likewise assisted by Swarno Duke of Russia marched against Semovitus Duke of Masovia whom together with his Son Conrade he surpriz'd in his Palace of Jasdow where Swarno struck off Semovitus his Head with his own hand but Conrade was preserv'd by Mendog and afterwards ransom'd by his Countrymen Soon after this the Lithuanians and Russians having made great Devastations in Masovia retir'd with the Spoils and Captives into their several Countries The next Year the same People not being content with their former Irruptions march'd again into Masovia but scarce finding any thing left to prey upon by reason of their last Year's Work they only burnt and plunder'd a House belonging to the Arch-bishop of Gnesna and so return'd home At length Heaven thought fit to favour the Polish Christians by taking away King Mindog who was murder'd by his Nephew Stroinat and his Son-in-Law Dowmant in the Year 1263. Stroinat begun his Reign in the Year 1263 by the murder of his Brother Towcivil Duke of Polocz but not long afterwards Woisalk Son of Mendog tho then a Russian Monk being mindful of his Father's Death depriv'd him also of Life and immediately seiz'd on his Dominions Woisalk took upon him only the Title of Duke and began his Government with frequent Irruptions into Poland Mascovia and Prussia But in the Year