copia literarum serenissimi regis poloniae ad summum pontificem a copy of a letter of the most serene king of poland to his holiness. copia literarum serenissimi regis poloniae ad summum pontificem. english & latin john iii sobieski, king of poland, 1629-1696. 1685 approx. 5 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a46642 wing j447 estc r16718 11859083 ocm 11859083 49980 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a46642) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 49980) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 498:44) copia literarum serenissimi regis poloniae ad summum pontificem a copy of a letter of the most serene king of poland to his holiness. copia literarum serenissimi regis poloniae ad summum pontificem. english & latin john iii sobieski, king of poland, 1629-1696. innocent xi, pope, 1611-1689. 1 sheet (2 columns) printed for r.h. and are to be sold by randal taylor ..., london : 1685. broadside. caption title. latin and english. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . lat poland -history -john iii sobieski, 1674-1696 -sources. broadsides -england -london -17th century 2007-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-01 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-03 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2008-03 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion copia literarum serenissimi regis poloniae ad summum pontificem . beatissime pater ! miraris ( sanctissime pater ) me usque adhuc in otiosis regni curis vitam duxisse , positurum eandem inter martis discrimina contra mahomet quartum turcarum imperatorem ; sed quod non potuit musulmanna , potuit equidem civilis dissensio , quoe exitum à regno ad infaustam lunoe ecclipsim morabatur . videns ergo me nullius notoe hominem fore , sceptrum , dixi , coronam & chlamydem renunciaturum , ut sanguinem liberos & vitam ( quoe pro fide & sanctitatis vestroe gloriâ sum profusarus ) tanquam ut humillimus miles in hungaricis agminibus funderem . hoec à senatoribus & regni magnatibus audita , tanquam verba cum tonitru prolata à deo in monte sinai , corda verterunt , & conciliatis corporis animíque viribus , ducam in hâc augustissimâ die ( dies quam fecit dominus pro vienna loeta , pro securitate christianitatis jucunda , pro sanctitatis vestroe gloriâ memoranda ) 40000 cosacorum , lituanorumque 12000 , polonorum 15000 , ( exceptis famulis majoris numeri ) exterarúmque provinciarum 10000 , ad biologrodum principalem tartarioe arcem ; quam si mihi debellare licebit , liceat sanctitati vestroecredere : me ad turcarum regiam ducturum , & debellaturums effroenatam barbarorum licentiam , quoe anno proeterito ausa est germaniam devastare , & principalem christiani imperii civitatem aggredi . vadam ergo , & ut spero , liberator orientis rediturus , vel pro christi side , & sanctitatis vestroe glorià moriturus . datum javarovae , 15 aug. 1684. sanctitatis vestrae humillimus & addictissmus filius , johannes , rex . a copy of a letter of the most serene king of poland to his holiness . most blessed father ! you perhaps admire ( most holy father ) that i should hitherto lead my life among the quiet and peaceable cares of my kingdom , who am going to stake it upon the hazard of a war against mahomet the fourth , emperour of the turks : but what the musulman could not do , civil dissention hath effected , which hath deferr'd my march out of my kingdom , until such time as there happened an unlucky eclipse of the moon . seeing therefore how much my fame was like to suffer , if this ill omen should occasion any farther delay , i , declared that i would resigne my scepter , crown , and royal robe , that so i might list my self a common souldier in the hungarian troops , and there pour out my own and my childrens bloud and lives ( which i am now going to spend for the faith , and for your holinesses glory ) . which words , like those god spake in thunder from mount sinai , being heard by the senators and nobles of my kingdom , quite turned their hearts : and now having recovered the vigour of my body and mind , i will on this most august day , ( a day which god made joyful for the deliverance of vienna , pleasant for the preservation of the christian religion , memorable for your holinesses glory ) : on this day , i say , i will march forth in the head of 40000 cosacks 12000 lithuanians 15000 polanders , besides a greater number of servants , and 10000 of the foreign provinces ; with these i will march to biologrode the principal fortress of the tartarians ; which if it be my fortune to subdue , your holiness may assuredly believe that i will march on even to the imperial city of the turks , and correct the unbridled presumption of the barbarians , which the last year was so daring as to ravage germany , and attack the chief city of the christian empire . i will go therefore in hope to return the deliverer of the east , or to die for the faith of christ , and your holinesses glory . given at javarou , 15 aug. 1684. your holinesses most humble and most devoted son , john , king . london : printed for r. h. and are to be sold by randal taylor near stationers-hall . 1685. a declaration, or, letters patents of the election of this present king of poland, john the third, elected on the 22d of may last past, anno dom. 1674 containing the reasons of this election, the great vertues and merits of the said serene elect, his eminent services in war, especially in his last great victory against the turks and tartars, whereof many particulars are here related, not published before / now faithfully translated from the latin copy by john milton. 1674 approx. 24 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a37401 wing d779 estc r29345 11076976 ocm 11076976 46271 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a37401) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 46271) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1422:3) a declaration, or, letters patents of the election of this present king of poland, john the third, elected on the 22d of may last past, anno dom. 1674 containing the reasons of this election, the great vertues and merits of the said serene elect, his eminent services in war, especially in his last great victory against the turks and tartars, whereof many particulars are here related, not published before / now faithfully translated from the latin copy by john milton. milton, john, 1608-1674. 12 p. printed for brabazon aylmer, london : 1674. imperfect: pages cropped with slight loss of print. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng john -iii sobieski, -king of poland, 1629-1696. poland -history -john iii sobieski, 1674-1696. poland -politics and government -1572-1763. 2002-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-10 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2002-10 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion " polonian liberty " : the first english recognition of john sobieski written by john milton the rarest of all his first editions in english 50 [ milton , john. ] a declaration , or letters patents of the election of this present king of poland john the third ... containing ... his eminent services in war , especially in his last great victory against the turks and tartars , whereof many particulars are here related , not published before . now faithfully translated from the latin copy . london : printed by brabazon aylmer ... 1673. sm. 4to . , full crimson morocco . first editon of milton's last publication , which , " like his first , appeared anonymously ... a final reminder that its translator was a man of broadly european culture , interested to the end in international affairs " ( parker , i , 638 ) . this version in the english language of the latin document — " newly arrived from poland " describing the election and accession of john sobieski to the independent throne of poland — " would seem to be the rarest of all milton first editions ... except for the privately printed epitaphium damonis [ in latin , c. 1640 , british library unique ] " ( parker , ii , 1151 ) . only five other copies are known ; the british library , christ's college , cambridge , in u.k. , and , in america , texas , yale , indiana ( harmsworth ) . new wing adds library of congress ( perhaps — harmsworth ) and harvard , which parker indicates has been missing since 1947 ( it has since been found , we are pretty happy to say ) . parker's note at ii , 1212 , remarks that " the exhibition catalogue of the illinois collection of first editions ... claims to include `every first edition of milton's works ' , but omits this one " . new wing d 779 ; parker , ii , 1151 , 1212 , app. 2 , no. 80. masson , life of milton , vi , 725-7 . 72. lr , v. 83-84 ; phillips ( 1694 ) , p. liii ( not in darbishire ) ; masson , vi. 725-7 . the collation of a declaration : 4 0 : a-b 4 ; pp. [ ii ] , 12 , [ 2 ] . the contents : pp. [ i-ii ] , blank ; p. [ 1 ] , title ; p. [ 2 ] , blank ; pp. 3-12 , text ; pp. [ 13-14 ] , blank . it is through phillips that we know of milton's translation of this work . wood and aubrey omitted the declaration in their bibliographies , but toland noticed phillips's entry , and the translation was reprinted in 1698. there is no reason to doubt phillips's attribution ; the publisher , brabazon aylmer , also published milton's epistoloe in 1674 , and later his brief history of moscovia . french wrote that ` no satisfactory explanation for his [ milton's ] having performed this unusual task at this period in his age has been offered ' , but surely none is needed beyond the business acumen of aylmer , who , if he did not request the translation , readily saw the need of it . milton's name does not appear . this may be a reason for the great scarcity of surviving copies . wing ( d779 ) lists only three , but the following five or six libraries , perhaps with some others , have copies of the first edition : british museum , christ's college , harvard ( missing since 1947 ) , indiana ( harmsworth ) , texas , and yale . except for the privately printed epitaphium damonis ( 1640 ? ) , this would seem to be the rarest of all milton first editions , though some additional libraries may have copies catalogued solely under ` declaration ' , or ` john iii ' , or ` poland ' , or ` sobieski ' . articles of peace ( 1649 ) , containing milton's anonymous ' observations ' , is a close third in scarcity , with only ten copies known to me . a declaration , or letters patents of the election of this present king of poland iohn the third , elected on the 22 d of may last past , anno dom. 1674. containing the reasons of this election , the great vertues and merits of the said serene elect , his eminent services in war , especially in his last great victory against the turks and tartars , whereof many particulars are here related , not published before . now faithfully translated from the latin copy . by iohn milton . london , printed for brabazon aylmer , at the three pigeons in cornhil , 1674. letters patents of the election of the most serene king of poland . in the name of the most holy and individual trinity , the father , son , and holy spirit . vve andrew trezebicki , bishop of cracovia , duke of severia , john gembicki of uladislau and pomerania , &c. bishops to the number of ten. stanislaus warszycki , castellon of cracovia ; alexander michael lubomirski of cracovia , &c. palatines to the number of twenty three . christopherus grzymaltouski of posnania , alexander gratus de tarnow of sandimer : castellons to the number of twenty four. hilareus polubinski , high marshal of the great dukedom of lituania , christopherus pac , high-chancelor of the great dukedom of lituania , senators and great officers , to the number of seventy five . we declare by these our present letters unto all and single persons whom it may concern : our commonwealth being again left widowed , by the unseasonable death of that famous michael late king of poland , who having scarce reigned full five years , on the tenth day of november of the year last past , at leopolis , changed his fading crown for one immortal ; in the sence of so mournful a funeral and fresh calamity , yet with an undaunted courage , mindful of her self in the midst of dangers , forbore not to seek remedies , that the world may understand she grows in the midst of her losses ; it pleased her to begin her counsels of preserving her country , and delivering it from the utmost chances of an interreign , from the divine deity , ( as it were by the only motion of whose finger ) it is easie that kingdoms be transferred from nation to nation , and kings from the lowest state to thrones ; and therefore the business was begun according to our countrey-laws and ancestors institutions . after the convocation of all the states of the kingdom ended , in the month of february at warsaw , by the common consent of all those states on the day decreed for the election the 20th of april ; at the report of this famous act , as though a trumpet had been sounded , and a trophy of vertue erected , the wishes and desires of forreign princes came forth of their own accord into the field of the polonian liberty , in a famous strife of merits and good-will towards the commonwealth , every one bringing their ornaments , advantages and gifts to the commonwealth : but the commonwealth becoming more diligent by the prodigal ambition used in the last interreign , and factions , and disagreeings of minds , nor careless of the future , considered with her self whether firm or doubtful things were promised , and whether she should seem from the present state to transfer both the old and new honours of poland into the possession of strangers , or the military glory , and their late unheard of victory over the turks , and blood spilt in the war , upon the purple of some unwarlike prince ; as if any one could so soon put on the love of the country , and that poland was not so much an enemy to her own nation and fame , as to favour strangers more than her own ; and valour being found in her , should suffer a guest of new power to wax proud in her ; therefore she thenceforth turned her thoughts upon some one in her own nation , and at length abolished ( as she began in the former election ) that reproach cast upon her , under pretence of a secret maxime , that none can be elected king of poland but such as are born out of poland ; neither did she seek long among her citizens whom she should prefer above the rest ( for this was no uncertain or suspended election , there was no place for delay ; ) for although in the equality of our nobles many might be elected , yet the vertue of a hero appeared above his equals , therefore the eyes and minds of all men were willingly and by a certain divine instinct turned upon the high marshal of the kingdom , captain of the army iohn sobietski . the admirable vertue of the man , the high power of marshal in the court , with his supreme command in arms , senatorial honour , with his civil modesty , the extraordinary splendor of his birth and fortune , with open courtesie , piety towards god , love to his fellow-citizens in words and deeds ; constancy , faithfulness , and clemency towards his very enemies , and what noble things soever can be said of a hero , did lay such golden chains on the minds and tongues of all , that the senate and people of poland and of the great dukedome of lituania ; with suffrages and agreeing voices named and chose him their king ; not with his seeking nor precipitate counsel , but with mature deliberations continued and extended till the third day . certainly it conduced much for the honour of the most serene elect , the confirmation of a free election , and the eternal praise of the people electing , that the great business of an age was not transacted in one day , or in the shadow of the night , or by one casuul heat : for it was not right that a hero of the age , should in a moment of time ( and as it were by the cast of a die ) be made a king , when as antiquity by an ancient proverb has delivered , that hercules was not begot in one night ; and it hath tought that election should shine openly under a clear sky , in the open light. the most serene elect took it modestly that his nomination should be deferred till the third day , plainly shewing to endeavour , lest his sudden facility of assent being suspected , might detract from their judgment , and the world might be enforced to believe by a more certain argument , that he that was so chosen was elected without his own ambition , or the envy of corrupted liberty : or was it by the appointed counsel of god that this debate continued three whole days , from saturday till munday , as if the cotimian victory ( begun on the saturday , and at length on the third day after accomplished , after the taking of the cotimian castle ) had been a lucky presage of his royal reward ; or , as if with an auspicious omen , the third day of election had alluded to the regal name of iohn the third . the famous glory of war paved his way to the crown , and confirmed the favour of suffrages to his most serene elect . he the first of all the polonians shewed that the seythian swiftness ( troublesome heretofore to all the monarchies of the world ) might be repressed by a standing fight , and the terrible main battalion of the turk , might be broken and routed at one stroke . that we may pass by in silence the ancient rudiments of warfare which he stoutly and gloriously managed under the conduct and authority of another , against the swedes , muscovites , borussians , transylvanians and cossacks ; though about sixty cities taken by him from the cossacks be less noised in the mouth of fame ; yet these often and prosperous battels , were a prelude to greatest victories in the memory of man. miriads of tartars had overrun within this six years with their plundering troops the coast of podolia ; when a small force and some shattered legions were not sufficient against the hostile assault , yet our general knowing not to yeeld , shut himself up ( by a new stratagem of war ) in podhajecy , a strait castle , and fortified in haste , whereby he might exclude the cruel destruction which was hastening into the bowels of the kingdom , by which means the barbarian deluded and routed , took conditions of peace ; as if he had made his inroad for this only purpose , that he might bring to the most serene elect , matter of glory , victory . for these four last years the famous victories of sobietski have signalized every year of his warlike command on the cossacks , and tartarians , both joyned together ; the most strong province of braclavia , as far as it lyes betwen hypanis and tyral , with their cities and warlike people , were won from the cossack enemy . and those things are beyond belief which two years ago the most serene elect , after the taking of camenick , ( being undaunted by the seige of laopolis , ) performed to a miracle by the hardness and fortitude of the polonian army , scarce consisting of three thousand men , in the continual course of five days and nights , sustaining life without any food , except wild herbs ; setting upon the tartarians , he made famous the names of narulum , niemicrovia , konarnum , kalussia , obscure towns before , by a great overthrow of the barbarians . he slew three sultans of the crim-tartars , descended of the royal gietian family , and so trampled on that great force of the scythians , that in these latter years they could not regain their courage or recollect the forces . but the felicity of this last autumn exceeded all his victories ; when-as the fortifications at chocimum , famous of old , were possessed and fortified by above forty thousand turks , in which three and forty years ago the polonians had sustained and repressed the forces of the ottoman family , drawn together out of asia , africa , and europe , fell to the ground within a few hours ; by the only ( under god ) imperatorious valour and prudence , of sobietski ; for he counted it his chief part to go about the watches , order the stations , and personally to inspect the preparations of warlike ordinance , to encourage the soldiers with voice , hands , and countenance , wearied with hunger , badness of weather , and three days standing in arms ; and he ( which is most to be admired ) on foot at the head of the foot-forces made thorough and forced his way to the battery , hazarding his life devoted to god and his countrey ; and thereupon made a cruel slaughter within the camp and fortifications of the enemy ; while the desperation of the turks whetted their valour , and he performed the part of a most provident and valiant captain ; at which time three bashaw's were slain , the fourth scarce passed with difficulty the swift river of tyras ; eight thousand ianizaries , twenty thousand chosen spachies , besides the more common souldiers , were cut off ; the whole camp with all their ammunition , and great ordinance : besides the assyrian and phrygian wealth of luxurious asia , were taken and pillaged , the famous castle of cotimia , and the bridg over tyras , strong fortresses , equal to castles on each side the river , were additions to the victory . why therefore should not such renown'd heroick valour be crowned with the legal reward of a diadem ? all christendom have gone before us in example , which being arrived to the recovery of ierusalem under the conduct of godfrey of bullion , on their own accord gave him that kingdom , for that he first scaled the walls of that city . our most serene elect is not inferior , for he first also ascended two main fortresses of the enemy . the moment of time adorns this victory unheard-of in many ages , the most serene king michael dying the day before , as it were signifying thereby that he gave way to so great valour , as if it were by his command and favour , that this conqueror might so much the more gloriously suceed from the helmet to the crown , from the commanders staff to the scepter , from his lying in the field to the regal throne . the commonwealth recalled the grateful , and never to be forgotten memory of his renowned father , the most illustrious and excellent iames sobietski , castellion of cracovia , a man to be written of with sedulous care , who by his golden eloquence in the publick counsels , and by his hand in the scene of war , had so often amplified the state of the commonwealth , and defended it with the arms of his family . neither can we believe it happened without divine providence , that in the same place wherein forty years ago his renowned father embassador of the polonian-common wealth , had made peace and covenants with cimanus the turkish general , his great son should revenge with his sword the peace broke , ( heaven it self upbraiding the perfidious enemy ) . the rest of his grandsires and great-grandsires , and innumerable names of famous senators and great officers have as it were brought forth light to the serene elect by the emolous greatness and glory of his mothers descent , especially stanislaus zelkievius , high chancellor of the kingdom , and general of the army , at whose grave in the neighbouring fields , in which by the turkish rage in the year 1620 he died , his victorious nephew took full revenge by so remarkable an overthrow of the enemy : the immortal valour and fatal fall of his most noble uncle stanislaus danilovitius in the year 1635 , palatine of russia , doubled the glory of his ancestors ; whom desirous of honour and not induring that sluggish peace wherein poland then slept secure , valour and youthful heat accited at his own expence and private forces , into the taurick fields ; that by his footing and the ancient warlike polonian discipline , he might lead and point the way to these merits of sobietski , and being slain by cantimiz the tartarian cham , in revenge of his son by him flain , he might by his noble blood give lustre to this regal purple ; neither hath the people of poland forgot the most illustrious marcus sobietski elder brother of our most serene elect , who when the polonian army at batto was routed by the barbarians although occasion was offer'd him of escape , yet chose rather to die in the overthrow of such valiant men , a sacrifice for his countrey , than to buy his life with a dishonourable retreat ; perhaps the divine judgment so disposing , whose order is that persons pass away and fail , and causes and events happen again the same ; that by the repeated fate of the huniades , the elder brother of great hopes removed by a lamented slaughter , might leave to his younger brother surviving the readier passage to the throne . that therefore which we pray may be happy , auspicious and fortunate to our orthodox commonwealth , and to all christendome , with free and unanimous votes , none opposing , all consenting and applauding , by the right of our free election , notwithstanding the absence of those which have been called and not appeared , we being led by no private respect , but having only before our eyes the glory of god , the increase of the ancient catholick church , the safety of the commonwealth , and the dignity of the polish nation and name , have thought fit to elect , create , and name , iohn in zolkiew and zloczew sobietski , supreme marshal general of the kingdom general of the armies , governour of neva , bara , strya , loporovient , and kalussien , most eminently adorned with so high endowments , merits and splendor , to be king of poland , grand-duke of lituania , russia , prussia , mazovia , samogitia , kyovia , volhinnia , padlachita , podolia , livonia , smolensko , severia , and czerniechovia , as we have elected created declared and named him ; i the afore said bishop of cracovia ( the archiepiscopal see being vacant ) exercising the office and authority of primate and by consent of all the states thrice demanded , opposed by none , by all and every one approved , conclude the election : promising faithfully that we will always perform to the same most serene and potent elect prince , lord iohn the third , our king , the same faith , subjection , obedience and loyalty according to our rights and liberties , as we have performed to his blessed ancestor , as also that we will crown the same most serene elect in the next assembly at cracovia , to that end ordained , as our true king and lord , with the regal diadem , with which the kings of poland were wont to be crown'd , and after the manner which the roman catholick church before-time hath observed in anointing and inaugurating kings , we will anoint and inaugurate him ; yet so as he shall hold fast and observe first of all the rights , immunities both ecclesiastical and secular , granted and given to us by his ancestor of blessed memory ; as also these law 's which we our selves , in the time of this present and former inter-reign , according to the right of our liberty , and better preservation of the commonwealth have established . and if moreover the most serene elect will bind himself by an oath , to perform the conditions concluded with those persons sent by his majesty , before the exhibition of this present decree of election , and will provide in best manner for the performance of them by his authenick letters ; which decree of election we by divine aid , desirous to put in execution , do send by common consent , to deliver it into the hands of the most serene elect , the most illustrious and reverend lord bishop of cracovia , together with some senators and chief officers , and the illustrious and magnificent benedictus sapieha , treasurer of the court of the great dukedom of lituania , marshal of the equestrian order ; commiting to them the same decree of intimating an oath , upon the aforesaid premises , and receiving his subscription ; and at length to give and deliver the same decree into the hands of the said elect , and to act and perform all other things which this affair requires , in assurance whereof the seals of the lords senators , and those of the equestrian order deputed to sign , are here affixed . given by the hands of the most illustrious and reverend father in christ , the lord andrew olzonski , bishop of culma and pomisania , high chancellor of the kingdom , in the general ordinary assembly of the kingdom , and great dukedom of lituania , for the election of the new king. warsaw the 22th day of may , in the year of our lord 1674. in the presence of franciscus praszmouski , provost of guesna , abbot of sieciethovia , chief secretary of the kingdom ; ioannes malachowski , abbot of mogila , referendary of the kingdom , &c. with other great officers of the kingdom and clergy , to the number of fourescore and two . and the rest , very many great officers , captains , secretaries , courtiers , and inhabitants of the kingdom , and great dukedom of lituania , gathered together at warsaw , to the present assembly of the election of the kingdom and great dukedom of lituania . assistants at the solemn oath taken of his sacred majesty on the 5th day of the month of iune , in the palace at warsaw , after the letters patents delivered upon the covenants , and agreements , or capitulations , the most reverend and excellent lord francisco bonvisi , archbishop of thessalonica , apostolick nuntio ; count christopherus a scaffgotsch , caecareus tussanus de forbin , de iason bishop of marseilles in france , ioannes free-barron hoverbeck , from the marquess of brandenburg , embassadors ; and other envoyes and ministers of state. finis . sir robert sherley, sent ambassadour in the name of the king of persia, to sigismond the third, king of poland and swecia, and to other princes of europe his royall entertainement into cracovia, the chiefe citie of poland, with his pretended comming into england : also, the honourable praises of the same sir robert sherley, giuen vnto him in that kingdome, are here likewise inserted. middleton, thomas, d. 1627. 1609 approx. 28 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-12 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a07509 stc 17894.5 estc s4785 23886850 ocm 23886850 26949 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a07509) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 26949) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 658:8 or 1837:4) sir robert sherley, sent ambassadour in the name of the king of persia, to sigismond the third, king of poland and swecia, and to other princes of europe his royall entertainement into cracovia, the chiefe citie of poland, with his pretended comming into england : also, the honourable praises of the same sir robert sherley, giuen vnto him in that kingdome, are here likewise inserted. middleton, thomas, d. 1627. [8], 14 p. printed by i. windet, for iohn budge, and are to bee sold at his shop at the great south doore of pauls, london : 1609. dedication signed: thomas midleton. signatures: a⁴(-a1) b-c⁴. identified as stc 17894 on reel 658. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sherley, robert, -sir, 1581?-1628. iran -foreign relations -poland. poland -foreign relations -iran. 2005-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-06 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-07 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-07 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion sir robert sherley , sent ambassadovr in the name of the king of persia , to sigismond the third , king of poland and svvecia , and to other princes of evrope . his royall entertainement into cracovia , the chiefe citie of poland , with his pretended comming into england . also , the honourable praises of the same sir robert sherley , giuen vnto him in that kingdome , are here likewise inserted . london printed by i. windet , for iohn budge , and are to bee sold at his shop at the great south doore of pauls . 1609. to the worthie and well experienst gentleman , sir thomas sherley , sonne to that happy father , sir thomas sherley , and brother to that noble gentleman , sir robert. worthie sir , the selfe same office of loue and due prayses which the world put it selfe into , at your long desired ariuall in england , fals happily vpon me to performe the like duetie toward your worthy brother , nor can i recite more encomiums of his actions , then those of your owne hath rightly and properly challenged to themselues ; i le speake thus much of you both , and the world shal iudge it free from flattery , you well may bee owne brothers in birth , that are so neere kinne to one another in actions of fame and honour : so commending you both to eternizing memory of your owne vertues and fortunes , i remaine an vnworthy obseruer of them both . your worships , in his most selected studies , thomas midleton . to the reader . reader , this persian robe , so richly wouen with the prayses onely of sir robert sherley ( thy conntriman ) comes to thee at a lowe price , though it cost him deere that weares it , to purchase so much fame , as hath made it so excellent . it is now his , foreuer , thine so long as it is his ; for euery good man ( as i hope thou art ) doth participate in the renowne of those that are good , and vertuous . he hath bene a traueller a long time , giue him now a welcome home ; the armes of his owne country embracing him , will bee more ioyfull to him , then all those of so many forraine kingdomes , with which he hath so often beene honoured . if a man that hath ventured through the world , may deserue thy loue , thou canst not chose , but bestow as much of it vpon him , as vpon any . looke vpon him truely , and thou shalt find a large generall chronicle of time writ in a little volume . hee comes laden with the trophyes of warre , and the honors of peace . the turke hath felt the sharpnesse of his sword , and against the turke is hee now whetting the swords of christian princes . much more could i speake of him , but that i should doe wrong to the common lawes of ciuilitie , by taking away that reuerence from strangers , whome ( from countryes afarre off ) you shall presently heare giuing ample testimonies of his noblenesse . vale : newes from persia and poland , touching sir robert sherley , being sent ambassadour to diuers princes of evrope , fam'd aswell for his wisedome and experience , as for his knowledge and vnderstanging of many tongues . albeit that man can receiue his birth but from one place , yet is hee borne a fréeman of all the cities of the world the whole earth is his country , and he that dwelleth fardest off . is by the lawes of nature , as neer to him in loue as his kindred & acquaintance . this general charter being giuen by the king of this uniuersall crowne , to all nations , hath caused men from time to time , ( by the vertue of that priuiledge ) to forsake the places of their first being , and to trauell into other countries . the benefits that kingdomes haue gotten by this meanes , cannot in so small a volume , ( as this in hand ) bée comprehended . trauell is the golden mine that inricheth the poorest country , and filleth the barrennest with abundant plenty . it is the chaine that at first tyed kingdomes together , and the musicall string that still maintaines them in concord , in leagues and in unity . the portugalls haue hereby crowned themselues and there posterity with garlands of neuer dying honour . the spaniards haue their names ( for this ) so deepely ingrauen in the chronicles of fame , that they can neuer bee forgotten . the french likewise and the dutch , haue raised their glories to a nobler height , onely by these aduentures . in imitation of all whose labors , or rather in emulation of all their fames , our englishmen haue not onely stept as farre as any of them al , but gone beyond the most , and the best of them . and not to reckon those men of worth ( in this kinde ) of our owne nation , whose voyages and trauells ( by sea and land ) to set down , were able to fil whole volumes , i will onely at this time ( not with a loud and shrill trumpet , as they deserue , but as it were vppon an instrument tuned and directed by another ) giue onely a soft touch at the praises of this worthy gentleman ( sir robert sherley ) of whose aduentures , dangers , & various fortunes , both good and bad , to draw a true picture in the right & liuely colors ; would as easily feed mens eies with gazing admiration , as the large pictured tables of others haue filled them with wonder . being therefore contented ( at this time ) to swim but in a shallow streame , of his fame , sithence greater sayles are likely héereafter ( and that very shortly ) to swell with the true report of his actions , you shall vnderstand that sir robert sherley , after a long , a chargeable , and a dangerous progresse through most ( if not all ) the kingdomes in europe , receiuing entertainment from the princes of those dominions , sitting to such a ghuest , desire of glorie still more and more burning within him . at the length , he left europe , and trauelled into asia , receiuing noble entertainment at the hands of the king of persia , in whose court he so well and so wisely bore himselfe in all his actions , that the persian ( with much of his loue , of which hee tasted most plenteously ) heaped on his head many honorable fauours . that common enemy of christ and christians , ( the turke ) lifting vp his sword continually ( for the most part ) not onely against the polack , the hungarian , bohemian , and other princes of christendome , but also thirsting after the rich empire of persia , and shewing a mortall hatred to that kingdome by being euer vp in armes against it ; it was thought fit that ( the persian himselfe confessing and worshipping christ , ) ayde should bee required at the hands of christian princes in the persians behalfe , against so barbarous , so ambitious and so generall an enemy . heerupon the honor of such an embassy , was conferred ( by the king of persia ) vpon sir robert sherley , as a man worthy and apt to treate with christian princes in so weighty a businesse , hee himselfe being a christian born , and a gentleman that had trauelled , and by experience knew the conditions , state , and pollicies of most of their kingdomes . first therefore was he imployed into poland , where by sigismund ( the king of poland and of suecia ) hee was receiued with great magnificence , and applause both of the polack himselfe and of his people . and because it is not fit , that euery common and popular eare , should stand listning to the priuate businesse of princes in a deseignement , that concernes the uniuersall state of christendome , wee will not therefore at this time bée interpreters of the persians embassy but rather waite his expected comming who hath in charge to deliuer it by word of mouth himselfe . in the meane time not withstanding ( forbearing to reckon vp the rich presents giuen by the poland king , to sir robert , the honors done to him , by the polish lords , and the fauors throwne vpon him by the common people ) you shall bée witnesses onely , to those , ( not vnworthy ) prayses of him , by which his fame ( amongst schollers by those of the better sort ) was lifted vp , at the time of his staying in poland . a fourefold anagram vpon sir robert sherleys name . robertvs sherlaeivs . 1 heus labor , tueris res. 2 seruus , ast hero liber . 3 libertas , ero seruus . 4 virtus , labores sere . encomions or praises , as well vpon the name , as the negotiation of sir robert sherley , an english knight , sent ambassadour from the king of the persians , to the princes of europe . mercurius , seeing the embassadour ready to take his iourney , resigneth vnto him his office , as being messenger or herald to the gods , according to the fiction of poets , and with that office bestoweth the gift of eloquence vpon him , because he may haue power to perswade the princes to whom he is sent : and withal , addes a wish , that those christian kings whom he is to sollicite , may not be cold in ioyning their forces together , but that they may enter into an honorable , a piou● and inuiolable league against that common enemy , the turke . mercuries speech . thou ( o sherley ) beeing borne an englishman , art sent from the persian empire to the kingdomes that lye in europe , thy place is full of honour , thy message of waight : discharge thou therefore boldly those thinges , which the greate lord of persia , commands thée to doe ▪ it is not chance , that throwes this high office vpon thee , but a full synode ( or parliament ) of all the gods , doe appoint thée to bée their messenger , to the great kings of the earth . for this cause , i that am heauens winged messenger , seeing thee ready to depart , present my selfe thus before thée , and vttering onely so much , as in the letters of thy name lyes mystically hidden , and that is this , heus labor , — tu res hoc ore tueris persarum . — o exceeding labor ! yet thou art the man , that must defend the state of the persians , euen by the force of my eloquence . go on therfore , be thou mercurius in the courts of kinges : i giue thee my place ; i giue it to thée , that art more worthy of it then my selfe . o that the princes of europe , would knit an indissoluble league together , with thy master ( the persian monarch , ) and tye all their sinewes to one arme , that a noble warre may be begotten . let bellona ( the goddesse of battailes ) breath courage into the breasts of souldiers ; and let no country bee dishonoured by bearing men , that haue no hearts to come into the fielde . o let not that couetous dragon , which once watched the golden firmament , sleepe in the bosomes of kings , and with his poison , infect them with that couetous disease of hoording vp gold . cast off ( o you princes ) your sensuall pleasures , and let it bee your ambition to weare garlands of oake , which are the crownes of conquerors . prefer immortall fame before all those dangers , ouer which you must of necessity passe , be they neuer so inuincible in the shew of vndertaking , and aspire onely to that life which shall remaine , when your bodyes lye dead . heauen ( in your doing so ) shall smile vpon your enterprises ▪ hell shall bée conquered , and that hel-hownde broode of mahomet bée vtterly confounded . uniuersall peace shall crown the world , and the barbarous turks , feele the sinewes and puissant arms of europe . to the nations ( vnto whome the ambassadour is sent , on great and serious affaires , as rightly may be coniectured . ) a desire & wish is made , that all kings in christendome , may entertaine this holy warre , with the same courage , constancie and zeale , that the persian doeth . hhearken o you polanders , italians , french , & you germaines ; enrich your chronicles , with an act of a wonder neuer heard of in the world before : for beholde , a brittaine , is sent on a royall message , from the king of the persians . a brittaine is sent , but who is it ? such a one hee is , as by his name ( beeing before anagramatizde ) hée may apparantly be deciphered . ast liber , seruus hero. free-borne and a seruant onely vnto his soueraigne ▪ hee , euen hee , is sent to you ( o you nations of europe , ) from the confines of the persians , bringing along with him , the name of his lord , and with that name , the sound of an approaching warre . the destinies begin to promise some great matter : the god of battailes ( heereupon ) speakes chéerefullly . god himselfe prepares the armour ; muster your selues together therefore ( o you kings ) and with a religious defence , draw your swords against the turkes . a gratulatorie compendious speech , to sir robert sherley , commending both his vertue , and present fortune . o sherley , thou that art an honour to the persians , aswell as to the britaines : within whose head dwelleth experience and wisdome , and vpon whose tongue eloquence writeth her charmes : whatsoeuer hee was , that at first durst say that fortune was blind and that shee bestowed extraordinary benefits vpon vndeseruing men , let him know , that all this while hee hath bin in an error : for fortune had more eyes then argus , when shee crowned this englishman with so many persian honors and offices , that monarch ( o thou renowned britaine ) whose sword is dreadfull to the thracian tyrant , makes thee a partner in the cares and burdens of his empyre : for he hath seene , yea he hath euer seene , and found thee constant in execution of all his iust and royall commandes . the empire of the persian is here commended : the kings and princes of europe being called to giue witnesse , how much glory the dexteritie of sir robert sherley , hath added to the persian monarchie : vpon which , he appeares to the persians a gentleman of such merit , as that england may very iustly accuse persia of wrong , for detaining him from her . the same of the persian empire doth not grow vp only in a meane souldier , for their cities are full of renowmed and worthy captains : from the ancient discipline and stratagems of warre , are the glories of the persians sprung vp and continue famous , but ( o thou honoured englishman ) shee deriued her first principles from thy practise and knowledge . farre be my words from the base seruitude of flattery : for within a short time , kings shall rise vp as witnesses of what i speake . let thine owne country enuy the kingdome of persia for enioying this honor , ( which by thee is giuen her ) yea , let her challenge thée to be deliuered backe againe as her owne , yet let her clayme be made in such maner , that england and persia , may not grow into quarrell about thée , but rather thus let them both share thée . let rich persia enioy thy presence , and reckon thée in the number of her citizens , & bee proud in the possession of a man , so worthy : let england glorie that shee alone , is happy in thy birth , and that she beares the honor of giuing thée thy name . but howsoeuer , ( o thou , the dignitie and luster of two renowned kingdomes ) goe thou on , in thine intended ambassage , and performe these heasts , which the great persian thy lord hath imposed vpon thy integrity . a short speech vttered as it were by the whole body of the polish court , to robert sherley ambassadour from the inuincible king of the persians . it is not thy rich garments embroydered so thicke with gold , and wouen by grecian workemen , that drawes our eyes into admiration by beholding thee : it is not thy sparkling jewels , nor those costly pretious stones that adorne thy kobe , which dazle our sight . it is not thy comely ryding , nor skilfull managing of that thracian courser , vpon whose back thou sictest , whilst the proud beast it selfe , champs on the glistering bit in disdaine to bee so curbed , that makes vs to looke after thee , it is not that victorious semyter of thine , wherewith thou hast made the earth drunke so often with so much bloud of those , that are enemies to the persians , that causeth vs to stand gazing at thy presence : no it is the beauty of thy minde wherewith our eyes are inchanted . it is the excellent musicke of thy tongue , that so ties our eares to thy charmes , thou being able to speake and to answere se many seuerall nations , in their owne proper languages . englands complaint to persia for her sherley . o persia ! thou glorious kingdome , thou chiefe of empires ; the palace sometimes where wisedome onely kept her court , the land that was gouerned by none but by wisemen : yet must i tell thee , and with griefe dost thou inforce me to tell thee , that against all law of nations , thou robbest me of my subiect . why should the right of another bée thine ? it is justice for euery one to kéepe their owne . but thou makest vp thy gaine by my losse . is this equitie ? is this tollerable ? cease to doe it : and send home ( o persia ) that sonne of mine to me that am his mother : for to me onely is he due . but ( aye me ) the honors of his owne country , and the palaces of my kingdome , are by him ( belike ) neglected and seeme not worth the looking on ; and though to the eye of the world i may perhaps appeare beautifull and great , yet in his eye , i shew no bigger then a small corner of the worlde . i doe enuy thée therefore ( o persia ) onely for him : yet sithence i cannot enioy him , fare thou well , o thou my darling , and with that farewell beare along with thée , the praises which i giue thee . i rob persia , persia robs not me : my losse is to mée more honour : for the persian empire , borrowes her brightnes from the beames of one of the sonnes of england . sherley to his natiue countrey . o thou my country , if i should pay back into thy hands so much as by bond is due vnto thee from me , i should then lay downe my life at thy feete . but my thoughts ayme at greater matters , it is not breath i would pay thée , but fame : take thou from me so much honor , as may make mée liue for euer . liberty is the gole to which i run , but such a liberty it is , as may frée me from the common basenesse of the multitude , and make me worthy to be respected by the eye of a king. seruus hero , i am a seruant to that greate maister , to whose feete all the persians bow and doe reuerence : i am his seruant , that i may bee his messenger , and beare the treatyes of such a king , to other kings in christendome . i am destin'de out , to deliuer his minde in their owne languages , to forrain princes and to the monarches of the earth . let them therefore come together , and quicklie shall the turkish fury bee calmed , and beeing weakened in her owne strengths , shall bee glad to knéele to the power , and mercy of others . and thou , ( o my natiue country ) , if thou wouldest bee pleased to knit thy forces in this iust and vniuersall warre , to what dignities mayst thou aduance thy selfe ? whatsoeuer is dishonourable , hath a base descention , and sincks beneath hell , but whatsoeuer is good and honest , lifts vp the vnblemished brow on high , and makes it leuell with the front of heauen . the authors wish and request to vertue , that shee would giue vnto sherley such a fruitfull haruest of his labours , that hauing conquered the hardnesse of them , his name may aspire to the full height of his desert . ouertue ! the noblest and boldest guide , thou that giuest to men the due crowne of praises , prosper thou the honoured enterprises of sherley : but touching those paths which must leade him to titles of fame and honour , make them euen and certaine before him ; he hath no desire to haue his name eaten out by the rust of idlenesse , no ; hee will neuer vnworthily sink beneath his owne proposed fortune . another of the same author , touching sir robert sherley being called as it were by fate , to manage the affaires of foraine princes . what is the cause that sherley hath not all this while liued in the same country , that first lent him breath ? this is the reason , a spirit so greate was not to bee contained within so small a circle , as his country . besides , he is the child of fate and highly sings of kingly embassies to none but kings . crownde with these prayses as you heare in poland , and leauing the same of his memorable actions behind him , bending his coarte to other princes of christendome with the same royall embassage of honorable , and christian confederacie against mahomet & his adherents , it shal not bee amisse here to speake of the kingdome of persia , where sir robert receiued such honourable entertainment , sutable to his noble actions , and the vertues of his minde , as also the maners , fashions , rites , and customes , that are and haue beene obserued by the persians ; and first , for their religion which they haue obserued of old , doing worship and reuerence in their vpright zeale to the sunne , moone , uenus , fire , earth , water , and winds , erecting neyther altars nor statues , but in open fields offring their sacrifices , which sacrifices were superstitious , and full of idle ceremonies too tedious to be here rehersed : for their kings ; the golden line of them is drawn out of one family , that custome amongst the persians neuer as yet suffred change or alteration , and so seuere their lawes are in effect , to the punishing of all rebellious treasonable and disobedient people , that whosoeuer bee bee that is found repugnant in the least demeanor to the will and affection of the king ▪ hee is presently ceazde vpon by the tormentors , his head and armes chopt off , and with his detested body throwne into some common field , without eyther graue or couering : and for their palaces & royall mansions , this hath euer beene the continued custome amongst them , that euery king hath had his seate royall erected on some high hill or mountaine , the bowels of which hee makes his safe treasure house , where all his riches , jewels , and tribute moneyes are with excéeding carefulnesse kepte hid and secret ; and so much they do detest sterility and barennesse , that from the highest to the lowest they take many wines in mariage , counting the fruitfull propagation of the empire , the onely happinesse they can rayse to it , and so much they thirst after humane fruitfulnesse , that the kings themselues propound great gifts and rewards , to those that in one yeare brings forth the greatest haruest of mankinde ; from fiue yeare olde to foure and twenty the male children practise to ride greate horses , to throw the uulnerable and ineuitable darte , to shoote in arbalists or long steele bowes , and all such manly exercises which shames many other christian countries , and may iustly vpbraide them of effeminacie and lazynesse . their victuals for the most part , by which the cōmon sort of people are sed & doe liue by , are acorns , and hedge-peares , their breade course and hard , their drinke the running springs , for their apparrell , the princes and those that liue ingreatest respect amongst them , adorne their bodies with a triple robe , and another garment in the fashion of a cloake hanging downe to their knées , the inward linings all of white silks & the outward facing like poudred ermins , in somer for the most part they walke in purple , the winter refuses no color , about their temples they weare a great tyara , being a stately ornamēt high & round with a cone at the top , from which descends a rich faire pendant of some costly embrodered stuffe , as tissae , &c. attirde in some of which ordinary persian habits his agent master moore is lately arriued in england , bringing happy tidings of this famous english persian , as also of his comming to england to the excéeding great joy of his natiue country , laden with honours through euery kingdome , as the deseruing ornaments of his vertue and labour ; and thus , ingenuous reader , haue i set down by true and most credible information a briefe epitome of sir robert sherlyes entertainement into cracouia the chiefe cittye of poland , together with all those seuerall speeches deliuered to him by the schollers of that countrye , which although they may seeme to the nice eare of our times , not altogether so pure and polished as the refined labours of many english wits , yet therein they striued to expresse both their fashion and affection to the worthy vertues of sir robert , & for a tast of their stile and manner of writing , it shalnot be amisse , if you cast your eye vpon these verses following , composed by a scholler worthily reputed in that cuntry , one andraeas loeaechius , & those are they which at this i borrow to shut vp the honorable praises of our famous english traueller . ad illustrissimum & maximi tum ingenij tum animi virum , dom. robertum sherlaeum , equitem anglum regis persarum nomine ad europae pp . legatum . aemule honos animo proauis , lux alta , britannae qui gentis pessum non sinis ire decus ; non vni dat cuncta polus , sed carmina apollo , mars vires , arcas nuncius ingenium . haec cuncta vnus habes , est vis , sunt ora deserta , numina auara aliis , prodiga facta tibi ; persia seiactat gemino in te munere , martis pectore belligeri ; palladis ingenio , tantus honore licet , te scoti hannd subtrahe vena , at venam excedit pondere vatis amor. immò censendum satis est cecinisse poetam quod tibi se fassus carmine & ore rudem ; parua loquor , ne te venturis subtrahe saeclis : at fidei , ut famae sue sce parare modum . finis . the vvarres of svvethland with the ground and originall of the said vvarres, begun and continued betwixt sigismond king of poland, and duke charles his vnkle, lately crowned king of swethland. as also the state and condition of that kingdome, as it standeth to this day. nixon, anthony. 1609 approx. 95 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 28 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a08260 stc 18594 estc s119996 99855200 99855200 20678 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a08260) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 20678) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 726:04) the vvarres of svvethland with the ground and originall of the said vvarres, begun and continued betwixt sigismond king of poland, and duke charles his vnkle, lately crowned king of swethland. as also the state and condition of that kingdome, as it standeth to this day. nixon, anthony. [54] p. printed [by j. windet] for nathaniel butter, dvvewlling in pauls church-yard by saint austins gate, london : 1609. dedication signed: anth. nixon. printer's name from stc. signatures: a⁴ (-a4) a⁴ (-a⁴) b-f⁴ g² (-g2). reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng swedish-polish war, 1617-1629 -early works to 1800. poland -history -17th century -early works to 1800. sweden -history -17th century -early works to 1800. 2002-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-10 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-11 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2002-11 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the warres of swethland . with the grovnd and originall of the said vvarres , begun and continued betwixt sigismond king of poland , and duke charles his vnkle , lately crowned king of swethland . as also the state and condition of that kingdome , as it standeth to this day . london . printed for nathaniel butter , dwelling in pauls church-yard by saint austins gate . 1609. to the right honovrable and most noble minded louer of learning philip , earle of mongomerie . svch ( right honourable ) as haue purposed to please hector , haue still presented him , with horse and armour , because his chiefest delight was in martiall discipline , and such oblations best fitted his humour . for by this , and the like presidents is noted , how all haue sought in their presents to keepe a decorum : hauing therefore composed this little treatise that concernes the dessignes of two kingdoms : i haue thought good ( aduenturing the pardon of your lordships discretion ) to passe the same vnder your honourable n●me , as well for that your expe●ience is already knowne to be sufficiently instructed in the affaires of our owne countrey : being descended of most honourable parents , educated in the most liberal sciences , and mannaged in one of the most royall and famous courts of europe . as also for that the custome of honorable dispositions , hath alwayes ( next after that ) labored the knowledge and insight of forraine estates and cōditions . that they may not only deserue well of their owne countrey , by this their industrie , but also spread their owne fame , as farre as their countrey is knowen . your owne worth is the principall motiue that emboldens me to shroude it vnder your patronage , as one that is a fautor and fauourer of vertuous actions , and whose honourable loues growne from the generall applause of the common-wealth for your high desert , may keepe it from the malice of bitter tongues . commaunded thus with this consideration , i presume to present my booke vnto your lordship : and humbly intreate , your honour will bee pleased to vouch of my labors and fauour a schollers penne with your gracious acceptation , who answeres in affection , what hee wants in eloquence . so shall i rest deuoted vnto you , and bestow my future studies to effect matter of better deseruing , euer remaining your honours most humble affectionate . anth. nixon . the true copie of a letter certificatorie , written in commendation of captaine king of ratcliffe , m. vvilliam bardwell and alexander child of redriffe , masters of three shipps of london , for their memorable seruice against the swethens , being thereto compelled in summer last , 1608. iohannes carolus chodkiewich earle of seckloro bychor , and of misra , captaine of samogitia and porpatie , generall commissioner of lyffeland , and chiefe generall of the army of the great dukedome of lytawe . to all and singular , to whome it may appertaine , or that shall reade these presents , i doe let to weet , that whereas vvilliam bardwell , vvilliam king , and alexander childe english gentlemen , came with three shippes at riga , when the earle of mansfielde generall of the army of duke charles suderman , periniuriously breaking the truce , made warre in lyffeland , i helde them there , and employed them in the seruice of warre for the most excellent king of poland , my most gratious lord , and they vndertooke to defend the dunn , wherein they did behaue themselues very faithfully , manfully and valiantly , so that the said earle of mansfield was often by them driuen backe againe to his great losse and shame , and likewise hee was often assaulted by them , so that hee lost not onely his strength of men and his courage , but also lost some shippes with many men and goods , which the saide englishmen with a memorable courage , and to the notable glory of the english nation , did set on fire and burne . and therefore i haue thought good to grant vnto them this testimoniall , to the end that they may haue great thanks for their deserts , purchased by their good renowne and name ▪ and that others may see , that as fame & immortality belongeth chiefly to noble minds , so also it is gotten by vertuous and valiant deedes : written in the campe at the new mill in lyffeland the seauenteenth of nouember , anno domini 1608. and is subscribed by iohannes carolus chodkiewicke , manu propria , and sealed with a seale in redde waxe , printed thereupon , ita testatur carolus demetrius , notarius publicus . the originall grovnd of the present warres of swethen . chap. i. the daungerous plots laid against gustovus in the life time of his father : his flight to lubeck in germanie in the habite of a slaue , his strange entertainment there , &c. this is like a briefe cronicle , that comprehends in it much matter in few lines , and various businesse in little circumstance . it presents to your reading the dessignes , and affaires of a spatious kingdome , and reacheth to the beginning of many yéeres past . understand therefore that the countrey of swethen , before if was aduanc'd to the dignitie of a kingdome , by the allowance of thē empire , and generall consent of their owne state , was a long time gouerned by the authority of foure dukes , bearing the titles of the foure prouinces , into which the country is deuided , the first is the dukedome of doland , hauing in it a regall castle , called vpsale , where the kings of swethland be crowned and buried . the second is the dukedome of newland , where the castle of newkeeping stands . the third is the dukedome of finland , where the dukes seat is called , oua castle . the fourth is warmland , where stands the castle of wasten vpon the mediterrenian sea ; being the strength , and bulwarke of the kingdome . the countrey being ( as i say ) a long time ruled by these foure dukes , in the kind of an aristocratie , that is , the gouerment of the nobilitie , as was the gouernement of the first and former romane peeres and consuls : was in the end of the raigne of henrie 7. king of england , made a monarchie or kingly gouernment . the first monarke or king hereof , was called gismond . whose sonne , named gustovus succéeded his father in the kingdome . this gustovus ( being in the life time of his father , duke of doland ) was a prince very absolute , both in the perfections of his body , and his mind , excellently composed in the one , and honorably disposed in the other . of an indifferent stature , neither too high , nor too low . his complexion sanguine , his haire bright , his countenance chéerefull , and pleasant to looke vpon , full of grace , and maiestie . in warre stout , and industrious , in counsell wise and full of respect , in the court he carried such a port and state , as attracted all eyes to gaze vpon him . in priuate places full of affabilitie and delightsome recreation : to conclude , it seemed that nature and vertue had both ioynd together to frame in him the most absolute patterne of a prince in his time . but as no excellency whatsoeuer is without malignant opposites , so this prince found that olde saying to bee true , virtutis comes inuidia , plerunque bonos insectatur . for the dukes of the other thrée prouinces , being ioynd with him in commission ( for you must vnderstand , that the foure dukes did still retaine their titles , and authoritie vnder the king , as the senate of rome did theirs vnder the soueraintie of caesar , though it were subordinate : ) the other thrée ( i say ) enuying that greatnesse , loue , and opinion , which his vertues , as well as the nobiliti●e of his blood had got him , sought by many deuises to betray him , whom no honourable mind , but would haue defended , and to this end , they bent all their courses : a plot ( no doubt ) ful of honour and regard vnto the state , the proiect whereof was either the murther , or disinheritance of so lawfull a prince ; falshood and enuie the accusers , suggession and subornation the informers . thus was the plot laid , the quéene ( being mother in law of gustovus , and hauing a sonne by the king , and borne since the kingdome was erected ) as farre as she durst ( for she yet feared the greatnesse of gustovus ) did many times buze matters of iealousie and suspition into the kings eares , of his sonnes cariage of himself in the kingdom , which at first he did not either beleeue , or dissemble . the thrée dukes knowing the quéenes mind towards the prince , added fuell to her fire , alledging that she should neuer finde a sure estab●ishment for her selfe and her sonne in the kingdome , if gustovus were not made away . the heart , that before began to burne with this desire , was now more incensed , hauing those thrée noblemen , the principall counsellours of state in the kingdome , to further her intendments . the quéene being throughly instructed by the lords , takes the aduantage of time , in her complaint to the king , tels him that his sonne aspired , and would shortly aspire against him , that he affected popularitie , receiued like absolom his subiects petitions , not in loue , but ambition : that he kept a court , and port greater then the king , and that all his actions did more sauour of soueraigntie , then subiection . the lords , they second the quéene in her vniust information , alleadge matters probable to confirme it , the king beleeues , and in the error thereof , hates truth , imbraceth treason . thus all being inuerted , nature rebels in the father , but loyaltie remaines in the sonne ▪ the plot was hereupon laid for his apprehension , gustovus being then at court , who noting a straunge alteration in his fathers countenance towards him , began to suspect the drift of the queene , vpon the distrust of the noblemen about her : himselfe being almost abandoned , deuiseth with himselfe how to auoyd the daunger . a gentleman of the kings , comes secretly to gustovus , and tels him that the plot was laid that night , for his attainder . the prince being amazed at the suddaine immiuence of such a perill , posteth presently from the court with a few of his retinew , and the next day recouers his dukedome of doland , where he meant to stay , till he heard further of the kings proceedings . his departure was soone made knowne , at which the queene , and the lords ( though they mist of their purpose ) were not much sorry , foreknowing that his suddaine flight from the court in that manner , would strongly confirme their accusation . the king by them againe is incensed , and messengers sent into doland , by whom the prince was summoned by a certaine day to make his appearance in vpsale castle : which the prince refuseth to doe : affirming by his submissiue letters to the king , that though he knew his cause to bee iust , and his heart loyall , no probable suspition of any misdemenour from him , either in act , or intent , that yet neuerthelesse he durst not hazard his life in the heat of the kings displeasure , for that he knew his aduersaries were so great in power , and in so gratious account , that it would be an easie matter to haue his maiesties grace , and nature her selfe peruerted to his vntimely and vniust destruction : and that the onely cause why he retired himselfe into his owne countrey , was to stay the time , vntill these mists of his maiesties iealousie and suspition were blowen away , that the sunne of his alleagiance might shine cleere , farre from the cloudes of all distrust , or disloyaltie . this answere being returned , but not accepted , the king by the queenes continuall instigations was more , and more prouokt , insomuch that a great power was suddenly raised to fetch him by violence out of his dukedome . which the prince perceiuing , and being neither able , nor willing to resist his fathers forces , giues way to necessitie , and in the habite of a slaue , purposeth secretly to goe into germanie . and hauing past some daungers in his flight by the kings pursuers , at last he crossed the seas , and holding on his course for lubeck in germany , not many dayes safely arriued there , all this while he kept his disguise , for though he knew that the lubeckers were heretofore beholding to him , yet he doubted what minds they would put on in this chaunge of fortune , remembring pompeyes vsage in his flight by ptolomie king of egypt , and the like of hanniball by prusius king of bithinia . chap. ii. gustovus is discouered in lubecke : the lubeckers take his part , the king his father dies , he recouers by their meanes the kingdome of swethland . the newes ( being arriued in germany ) of gu●tovus his flight out of swethland , before his comming thither , was diuersly intertained in lubeck : some pittied the state and condition of the young prince , that so noble a gentleman , so full of hope , and expectation , euen in the prime of his youth , should in this vile manner suffer violence : others spake against him , supposing that his owne naturall father , and others of his blood , would not in this manner haue proceeded against him , if he had not showne himselfe dangerous vnto the state , as the mindes of the people are in this case diuersly distracted . the prince after his comming to lubeck staied certaine dayes in a common inne , not daring to discouer himselfe , and to auoid the suspition of a stranger in such common places , found meanes to preferre himselfe vnto a rich merchant of the towne ( if such a place in the meanenesse of his fortune at that time may be called preferment . ) being there entertained , he contented himselfe to doe any bodily labour in the house , striuing to suite his minde vnto his misery , yet could hee not so well counterfeit this part of his sinister fortune , but that the merchant did soone suppose him to be a better man , then hee seemed to bee , and perhaps the man hee was . so hard a thing it is for nature to learne to forget her custome . staying some few moneths in the merchants house , hee heard of a gasant sent from the king to the state of lubeck , being supposed hee would bend his course thither . the tenor of the gasants message , was to deliuer to the lubeckers that the kings desire was , that either they should not entertaine him at al , or els send him backe to swethland , for that hee was knowen and proclaimed to bee an enemie . but they being at that time ignorant of the princes abiding , answered for the time to those things , that might stand with the kings pleasure . the gasant being dispatcht , gustovus liued in a continuall feare of being discouered , as well for that many great men in the towne had before seene him in swethland , and might then remember him : as also for that his master would many times prie into his countenance , and behauiour , and vtter strange words , and shew strange passions , euen in his presence , sometimes repeating the name of gustovus . the prince holding thus a wolfe by the eares , in doubt whether to stay or goe , ( in both which he found danger ) was wondrously perplexed : sometimes he thought to discouer himselfe , opposing his mind against the worst of fortune , that if the towne did betray him , his blood should be shed in innocence , and he be rid of that torment : wherin his mind was diuersly distracted betwixt hope , and feare , and feare the predominant : but at last resoluing with himselfe to stay , hee still framed his mind vnto his businesse . one day cleauing of wood , in the strayning of his bodie , a button that held the flappe of his ierken , brake , and there withall a little chaine of gold , whereon did hange a iewell of inestimable price , fell from his necke : which a maid seruant in the house ( beeing by ) perceiuing , was desirous to see it : but hee suddainely snatching it vp , told her that it was a thing of no worth , but giuen him by a friend of his , in the remembrance of her . the maide dissembled her opinion for the present , but soone after told it to her master . the merchant vpon this accident , confirmes his former suspition , and hauing now matter more relatiue then before , enformed the state of lubeck with this circumstance . the burgomasters of the towne , sitting then in counsell , sent for the stranger by a guard , to come before them , how the message was entertained by the prince , let them iudge that haue vndergone the like aduenture . there was no deniall , nor possibility of escape , obey he must , and it is a hard thing when princes must obey . being brought before the magistrates , it was demaunded of whence he was ? he answered , of swethen . they askt him of what degree ? he told them , as meane in birth as in fortune : what mooued you ( quoth they ) to forsake your countrey ? the prince replied , my vnkind vsage there . a principall senatour of the towne looking all this while stedfastly vpon his countenance , perceiued that it was gustovus , and whispering the rest in the eare , assured them , that it was the prince . the matter was before concluded what they meant to doe , whereupon this great citizen began to speake in this manner . your birth ( quoth hee ) is farre better then your fortune , therein you dissembled , but your fortune beares the blame , your first and last answere is true , for we know that you are of swethland , and your name is prince gustovus , and the vnkind vsage of your countrey hath driuen you from thence : what we meane to doe , you shall vnderstand shortly . in the meane time repose your selfe securely and hopefully in the rulers house . the prince acknowledged himselfe , and thankt them for these signes of their good will. and if you shall find ( quoth he ) my protection , or defence to prooue dangerous vnto your state , let my life rid you from that feare : i shall be well content , so i may free you from danger , to be your sacrifice ; whereupon they all imbraced him , with the teares standing in their eyes , euery one honouring him ▪ and putting him in great hope and comfort , they caused him presently to be inuested with royall ornaments and in all honourable and louing manner , conuayed him that night to the ●ulers house . the prince stayed as prisoner , but honourably attended about two yeeres in lubeck . during which time , the king his father sent diuers gasants with faire words , and large promises to haue him deliuered , but it would neuer be granted ; howbeit they promised that they would keepe him safe from attempting any innouation . the prince during his stay there would often visite his old master , whom he would alwa●es call his kind master , affirming that if his discouery had not bene made knowen , he could as contentedly haue liued a poore seruant in his house ▪ as he did then a princely prisoner in the towne : the merchant would many times tell him , he had much adoe , to keepe himselfe , from the sinne of pride , for that it was his fortune , to be master of such a seruant . within two yeeres after , the king his father died , and the state of the countrey proclaimed the queenes sonne , king of swethland . gustovus had quickely intelligence thereof , as such newes flies euer with the swallows wings , receiues letters from many noble men , and other of his friends in the countrey , wherein he was aduised to vse all means possible for his return , with assured cōfidence of their assistance the prince shewes the letters to y e lubeckers , solicits them in his own behalfe for aide , giues them princely pomises of their requitall . the prince returnes to swethen full of hope and encouragement , his friends meete him in great multitudes with all signes of loue and obedience : his enemies are disperst without battaile : some fled , some taken prisoners , the queene with her sonne conuaied to vpsale castle , the three dukes beheated , and all the rest pardoned . when all things were established , and the summes of money paid backe to the lubeckers , gustovus was shortly after with all solemnitie crowned king of swethland , and not long after was honourably married out of germanie , his queene being nobly borne in that countrey , by whom he had foure sonnes : prince erick the eldest , duke of doland , iohn duke of finland , magnus duke of warmland , and charles the youngest duke of estergutland , that now liues and inioyes the crowne of swethland . this gustovus raigned peaceably and happily , laden with many yeeres , but with many more trophies of honors , the care and loue hee bare vnto his subiects was well seene in their reciprocall respect to him . his sonnes brought vp in all princely knowledge , acknowledged faithfully their naturall duties during his life , though after his death they fell at vnnaturall debate , one with another . in the last of his yeeres he shewed the best of his affections , different from the obseruance taken in other princes , who after a long continued soueraignetie , doe much decline from the gentle behauiours of their beginnings . but at last ( as euery thing is vnstable , & each estate , that hath being in this world , holds his vncertaintie ) this noble king deceased , at that time , wherein his life was most desired of his subiects : whose loue had bene the like vnto his sonnes , had it not bene crost by the nature of the tumultuous times that followed : the dead corps being now the sadde remnant of a king , was with all solemnitie conuaied and enterred in vpsale castle : his friends following it with all tokens of sorrow , calling him the proppe and protector of religion , the defender and preseruer of his countrey , the honour and glory of the swethen nation . his fame went before him , dilating his noble acts , and princely vertues , that ( not buried in the graue with him ) returned backe , posting through the world , and still sounding foorth the prayses of gustovus , whose name shall neuer die , so long as the memorie of the swethen state indures . chap. iii. ericke is crowned king of swethland , after the death and funerall of his father : a marriage is plotted with elizabeth queene of england , that failing another is tendered to the daughter of the king of poland , his brother duke iohn conspires against him . after the death of gustovus , erick his eldest sonne is with all generall applause , and the countries ceremonie , crowned king of swethland about the yeere of our lord 1559. and in the same yeere an ouerture of mariage was made with elizabeth queene of england in the beginning of her raigne . duke iohn his brother sent ambassadour ( princely appointed ) in this negotiation , who safely arriuing in england with his whole fleete , was honourably intertained . howbeit the matter of his embassage , was rather flattered , then graunted , rather fairely countenanced , then embraced , for some noble men at that time , great in their places , either in their owne respects , or the honour of the queene , stood against it , but the queene her selfe did fairely intreate the prince , royally feasted him , gaue him many princely gifts , told him in conclusion , that she tooke the tenor of his embassage in very gratious manner : sent kind commendations to the king his brother , with this hopefull message , that if it pleased him to take the paines to come into england , she would take such order for his entertainement , that hee should haue no iust cause to returne discontent . for ( saith she ) i haue made this vow , neuer to con●ract my selfe to any , whom i haue not first seene . the duke thus furnisht with this answere ▪ takes his leaue , imbarkes himselfe , boyseth sayle , arriues in swethland , and deliuers to the longing languishing king this hopefull doubtfull answere ▪ of the quéene . the young king imbraceth this newes , and his brother for them , flatters his fancie , kisseth the quéenes picture , beguiles imagination , buildes castles in the ayre , rigges his fléete at sea , exhausteth his treasure , makes himselfe poore to enrich his hope , which proued indéed , farre aboue his fortune . the winter following was spent in this preparation for england : during which time frederik then king of denmarke , a wise and politike prince stoodmuch against this alyance with england , foreséeing the danger that might redound to him in his neighbours marriage , with so potent a princesse : sendeth ambassadours to king erick , shewing both the inconuenience that would happen by marriage in a countrey so farre remote , as also the dangers that were like to ensue , in ioyn●ng with a quéene , more strong then himselfe . but the king gaue a deafe eare to this embassage , continuing his preparations still for england : some say , that in that winter ryding betwéene vpsale , and wasten castle , a maide of excellent beautie , but obscure parentage , whose name was gondole comming amongst others to behold the king , who by chance , casting his cies vpon her , was so sodainly ensnared in her beautie , that that poyson which he drew then into his heart by his eies , did so corrupt the whole body of his affaires , that at last he loste both his life ▪ and kingdome : but others say it was the winter after . but to returne to our voyage for england , the kinges fléete being royalty rigd , and all thinges ready for so great a busines , the king tooke shipping about the beginning of may ▪ leauing duke iohn his brother uicegerent in his place , and sayling along the coasts of norway , report saith that frederick king of denmarke had procured certaine witches in that country to drowne , or dispearse the fléete of king erick , and by their spelles , and deuillish incantations to confound this intended uoyage , whether this bee true or no , i know not , but this is certaine , that the king being vpon the coast of norway , such a strange foggy , thicknes did so cloath the ayre that the kings fléete had soone loste sight of one another : and then followed such horrible thunders , and vnheard of tempests , that it séemed heauen and earth had met together in the disturbance of this intendment . the king being at his wits end long before hée came to his waies end was so perplexed in his thoughtes , that he knew not what to do , either to goe forward or to returne : the sight of y ● eye was so taken away by the the thicknes of aire , the beneūt of the eare was consounded by the noyse of the thunder , the waters rose so high as if they meant to kisse the cloudes : noe light but what the flashes of lightning made which amased them all , the raine fell so thicke that they could scarce kéepe the hatches , the maister calles to the boatson , and is not heard , the sternes-man cryes to the maister , and is not regarded . thrée daies togeather , continued these thrée nightes of darknes , wherin was séene neither sunne moone , nor starre : the kinges fléete was diuersly dispearst , some into the coast of denmarke others back againe into swetland , the king himselfe vpon the coast of norway looks euery hower for his buriall in the sea. at last entering into cogitation with himselfe , he thought that god had suffered his pride to be thus punisht , for that he vndertook a mariage with such a quéene , whose fame and glory was so great , as well from her state , and gouernment , as for the riches and strength of her crowne , and kingdome : that entering into cosideration of it , he held himselfe much vnworthy of such a fortune . upon this , the king rashly vowes that if it would please god to deliuer him from that daunger , he would giue ouer his ouer high attempt , returne into his countrey and learne hereafter to suite his desires to his estate . at last these stormes haue end , the king returnes according to his vow , shortly after arriues in swethland , and thus fayled this negotiation for england . the king soone after his landing beginnes ( say some ) renewes ( say others ) his loue to his faire gondole : that afterward prooued as fatall to him , as cleopatraes loue to anthony : his eies were seldome off either her person or her picture : his minde museth on nothing but the pleasures of her body , his tongue speakes of nothing but her delightes , and praises ; all publicke affaires are abandoned , the pallaces are like a wildernesse desolate , the court is kept where gondole hath her byding ; reason , and regard of gouerment , are now banished , pleasure and sensuallitie made his counsellors of estate . the noble men would oftentimes aduise him , but all in vaine , his brother duke iohn did still smooth the kings humors , not as being enamoured o● his delights , but as from hence drawing a subiect that happyly hereafter might serue his turne , in case the nobility ( as they beganne a little ) should afterwards wholly withdraw their affections from him . thus whilest the king followes his pleasures duke iohn pursues his purposes , would oftentimes complaine to certaine of the rexen-roade , which we call the blood royall , of his brothers effeminate and vnlikingly gouernement , but especially to duke charles his youngest brother , yet no further engaging himselfe to danger then he knew meanes how to wind out againe . not long after , another mariage was tendered of the polands daughter , which the king coulorably entertained to satisfie his nobility , whilest his heart doted vpon his paramour . duke iohn his brother was imployed in this businesse , and it fell out as he desired : for if the cardes were dealt aright , he might happely himselfe mary the polands daughter . and thus with a false heart taking a faire leaue of the king his brother being furnished with all accowtrements fit for such a busines shortly after arriued in the court of poland , where after the solemnitie of such entertainements he deliuered his message with such a maiesticke grace both in his spéech , countenance and cariage of himselfe ( as sure hée was a most accomplisht gentleman ) that it wan him great commendations in the kings court especially with the yong princesse , in whose tender heart there was such an inward breach made , as was soone outwardly perceaued , for her eyes that conuayed these pretie assaultes vnto her heart , did soone betray her hidden affections : which the duke perceiuing laies hold vpon the occasion , winnes by rewardes many tongues to speaken in his behalfe , ioyes with the greatest of the kings counsell , and in especiall with one fe●nsbecke duke of leif-lande . he told them that the condition of his countries disordered estate , occasioned by the discordant disposition of his brother , mooued him rather to looke with a publike , then a priuate eye : if he ought nature and dutie to his brother , he ought no lesse vnto his country , and it was his countries cause ( to the which hée was most bound ) that made him inueigh against his brother ? let no man ( quoth he ) rashly ce●sure me , but comparing the state of the kingdome to the condition of the king , let him then iudge whether all is not like to ruine , if preuention be not made , which in the kinges person ( quoth he ) will neuer be , for that he séemes to be buried in his his owne delightes , and the breath which he himselfe should drawe , lies not in his owne , but in anothers body . the most and best part of the nobility being by these and the like suggestions wonne vnto his party , a way was quickly made for the duke to wooe for himselfe , which was not long a doing for the heart , that was already so strongly assaulted , was soone framed to yeeld . to bee short the young duke weddes and beddes the princesse with great honour , and delight , so easily is the pollicie of a state drawne to obey the necessity of the time : the newes hereof is soone brought to swethland , wherein the wise lookt into the danger of the king , how be it the king himselfe foresaw no peril : but as a man wholly deuoted to his delights , doth against the aduise of all his friendes , quickly after marrie the said gondole , whereby he did sodainly runne into such a scandalous hatred of his owne subiectes , that they euer after held him vnworthy of his crowne and kingdome : within a yeare after his mariage he had a sonne , not long after whose byrth duke iohn hauing assured promises from his youngest brother duke charles , procures an army to be leuied by the king of poland , his father in law , and arriuing in the dukedome of estergutland , was louingly entertained of his brother duke charles , who ioyning their forces together , hauing also the ayde of other noble men in the country , gaue battaile to his brother king ericke , who being ouercome , and flying to stock-holand , was there by his two brothers taken , and made away , no man euer knew how . a noble man in the countrey , brother to herrerick gusterson , and deare vnto the king was at that time honorably slaine in the defence of his prince . the quéene had before sent her young sonne out of the land , foreséeing the danger that was like to happen . who now liues as an exile in the great duke of moscouias court , and the quéene her selfe confined to stickborrow castle , where shee yet liues a sad and solitary life . thus ended the vnfortunate raigne of king erick , who might long haue liued and gouerned in the land , had he but subdued his owne affections . chap. iiii. king iohn is crowned king of swethland : hath a sonne borne called sigismond : the king of poland dies : young sigismond is sent for to be king of poland : hee staies there certaine yeares till the death of his father , and is then sent for by his vnckle duke charles to receaue the crowne and kingdome of swethland . duke iohn hauing thus by his brothers murther attained vnto the crowne , disposeth with his best counsell the affaires of the kingdome , disperseth his army , satisfies his subiects in the cause of these indirect procéedings , against his brother , and hauing set all things in order , sendeth for this quéen out of poland , who with an honorable traine being conducted into swethland , was there royally entertained , and shortly after with duke iohn her husband , in all princely manner , crowned king and quéene of swethland at vpsale castle : many statutes he repealed which the king his brother had made , being found preiudiciall vnto the country , and others hee enacted , that were held more profitable : to all sutors he shewed himselfe very gentle and gracious : and because the treasure of the kingdome was much exhauste in his expedition into poland , he was driuen to borrow many great summes of money both there , and of his friends at home : hee kept a princely port , and was very liberall in his rewardes , delighting much in all martiall exerrises . his liberality was equall to that which was so highly commended in a worthy captaine of thebes , who when hee had obtayned a victory against the lacedemonians , tooke onely of all the spoile but one sword , distributing the rest amongst his souldiors , saying , fellowes in armes this i challeng because i wrong it out of the hand of mine enemie . whatsoeuer else is yours , as the reward of your trauells , for , the theban senatours warre for honour , not for treasure . the mercenary man that beareth armes for hier , and for his ordinary paye , feareth not to venture his life in the face of his enemy , hauing but his wages , hath but his due : so that if hope of spoile , and the bounty of his captaine did not encourage him in his attempts , he would both doubt the danger of his person and scorne for so little gaine to ranne vpon such imminent perills . his liberality towards his associats in armes , and his experient wisedome and valour in martiall enterprises made him both honoured feared , and held in worthy estimation . thus by this and his other vertues duke iohn in short time crept into the hearts of his subiectes . the first yeare of his raigne the quéene brought him a goodly boy which was christened by the name of sigismond , the emperor beeing his godfather , which sisgismond , is now king of poland . about the tenth yeare of his raigne , king iohn made an honorable iourney into russia , vpon the breach of a league made betwixt them . from whence he returned victorious . the rest of his raigne was quiet and peaceable : and set a side the staine of his brothers death , he was doubtlesse a most excellent prince and worthy of the crowne and kingdome , and although there were many times iarres betwixt him , and his brother duke charles , yet alwaies the matter was so handled , that they were soone reconcilde againe . by which were cut off all occasions of ciuill warre . in the twelfth yeare of his raigne his father in law the king of poland dies , for whose death the quéene his daughter mourned heauily . the young prince sigismond her sonne was elected king of poland , and with an honourable conuoy being guarded thither was with all solemnity in all princely manner crowne king of poland : shortly after marries honourably into the house of austria ; and in the twelth yeare of his raigne in poland , king iohn his father dies : whose death being much bewailed of his subiects , he was with appertaining solemnitie buried in the chappell of the kings in the castle of vpsale . duke charles of estergutland after the death of his brother sends into poland for his nephew sigismond to come to receaue the crowne of swethland , sigismond takes heauily the death of his father , and deuines before hand of the troubles that followed in that kingdome : great preparation is made for his iourney into swethland , and doubting of his vnckles minde & proiectes , carrieth a great power of poles with him to preuent all daungers . the king arriues safely in sweathland , is with all honor and signe of loue receaued by his vnckle duke charles , and the rest of the nobilitie of swethland , he is honorably conueyed to vpsale castle , where hee was louingly receaued of the quéene his mother , whom he comforteth being a sorrowfull widdow for the death of king iohn her husband . shortly after he was crowned k. of swethland without any disturbance . a rex-day was held in the castle of vpsale , where all things being established , duke charles is made vicegerent of the kingdome : hauing with him ioynd in comission foure noblemen , of the rexen-road whose names were hergusten bonner , hersten bonner , his brother , herrerick spare , and hartor belk : these fower noble men , being great in the kingdome but not very great with the uicegerent , were of purpose ioynd by the king in commission with the duke to curbe or controule all ouer haughty and headstrong attempts , that the duke might happely commit by the greatnesse of his place and power in the absence of the king , who was then ready to returne to poland . the duke perceaues the drift , but dissembles it . before the kings departure , order was set downe by the king with the duke and the commissioners for the payment of certaine sommes of money , which king iohn his father did owe vnto many souldiours , that were yet vnpaide since the time of expedition into russia , and vnto many merchants of england , scotland and other nations for the prosecuting of that warre . after all things were thus setled and ordered , the king returnes to poland , leauing behinde him that fire that afterward consumed the peace of the whole kingdome : for the noblemen , the commissioners being commanded by the king , ( that was euer iealous of his unckle charles ) to obserue and enforme his maiestie of the manner of his gouernment , did so oppose themselues against him in all his procéedinges , and especially in the payment of this money , that the duke plainely perceiued , that this new gouernment was but laide as a trap to ensnare his life , a rex-day was holden at vpsale , no order concluded , nor money paide , and much adoe there was to kéepe them from factions , the commissioners would haue these summes paid out of the subiectes purses , the duke out of the common treasury : which the commissioners refuse , alleaging the kings want of money , the duke writes faithfully , the lords falsly to the king. to whom they intimate feare of innouation , and that the duke by all likelyhoods aimed at the crowne , that he had paid parte of the money due to the souldiours out of the reuenues of the dukedome , to draw their affections to him , that he sought to further the state , and wealth of the commons more then stood with the loyall nature of a subiect , that he kept the porte and state of a king rather then a deputie , and that it was not like he would long yeeld his honors vnto uassalage , whose fortunes in such a minde and state as his might attaine to soueraignty , if preuention were not spéedily made . the duke intercepts these letters , and sends them inclosed in his own vnto the king , to whom he writes very humbly , and with all protestations of duty , and alleagance : the king receaues the letters , but beleeues the lords and dist●usteth the duke , sendeth secretly to the commissioners that they should sodainely surprise him , depose him from his gouernement , and to that end he sent his authority : and finally to kéepe him prisoner , his wise and children , during life in a castle built of purpose for that stratageme within the dukedome of litto : oh that the nature of fortune should be so fickle and vncertaine , neuer singular either in her frownes or fauours , but that commonly in the height of any hope it produceth some crosse accident of vnhappy misfortune . the duke notwithstanding hauing intelligence of this plot , beganne to looke about him , hasted into his owne dukedome and raised a great power of men , some say that if hee had but staide one hower longer in vpsale , the plot had beene effected , and the duke vtterly vndone . the lords were in a maze vpon the dukes departure , knowing that their deuise was discouered , they now perceaued their owne weakenesse to resist the duke , being in power , place and opinion , and farre aboue them , and though they had the kings authority , yet was he farre from them , and they néer vnto their danger , they knew not well what course to take , sometimes they purposed to flie to the king , and then they feared the waies were forelayd . to stay in the castle of vpsale were no safety , it being a place of pleasure , not of defence : whereupon they determined to depart from thence : thrée of them vnto the castle of vvasten in the dukedome of finland , and hartourbelk to calmer castle . hauing theis ▪ castles deliuered vnto them , they purposed to stay there to vnderstand the dukes procéedings , and in the meane time dispatcht letters vnto the king of the particulars of these troubles : the duke ( as i sayd before ) hauing raised a great power of men , marcheth spéedily towardes the castle of vpsale , but vnderstanding of the lords departure towards wasten , bends his course thither . it is a world to sée what numbers of men came vnto the duke from all parts proffeting their seruice to him : all which hee gently welcomed . some he entertained , and the rest sent home againe with speciall charge to looke vnto the kinges peace , signifying further that the cause why hee was now vp in armes , was but to right himselfe of such wronges done by those lords , who neither loued the king nor him . the lords that were in the castle of wasten vnderstanding of the dukes approach with such a power of men , sodenly forsooke the castle , and not being able to defend it , fled in all hast to poland , whome the duke would not pursue , but taking the castle put in a strong garrison , and presently hast●d to the castle of calmer , which hartourbelk had a little before taken in the kings name , who standing at defence and defiance with him , the duke besiegeth both the citie and castle , the cittizens more willing to entertaine him , then resist him . the duke plants his ordinance against the gates of the citie , and thereupon the citizens resisting the command of hartour belk , open the citie gates and recaue him in : the duke besiegeth the castle , and in short time by the helpe of the towne winnes it , takes and keepes hartour belk prisoner , and dischargeth all the rest . from hence the duke sent letters to the king , informing truly the cause of these troubles , that the vniust attempts of the commissioners against him , did moue him to raise these powers in defence of his state and liberty , not in the disturbance of his maiesties peace , nor to make any innouation in the land , & beseeching him that no false or fained suggestions of his aduersaries , might stand as a barre betwixt his maiesties grace towards him and his owne fidelitie : affirming further that it lay in his power to stopp their passage into poland and that hee would at the kings pleasure disperse his forces , surrender vp the castles , that he had taken , be content to resigne his charge of gouernment , to whōsoeuer it pleased the king , prouided that hee might bee assured of the quiet enioyment and peaceable possession of such lands and honors , as he was born vnto by nature : and this ( quoth he ) i learne of necessity , which teacheth euery creature to defend it selfe . the king receiues the dukes letters , but giues no credit to his protestations . during the time of the dukes stay in the city of calmer , and vnderstanding of many disorders , and misdemeanors that were commited in a nunnery , standing in the towne , one daye came to visit the nuns , accompanied with certaine gentlemen of his house , and vnderstanding some of their mindes to be discontent with their orders , and some of their bodies well knowne to the friers , dissolues the nunnery , and transposeth the nunnes , according to their own disposing , some into other nunneries , many to their friends , the most to mariages . the king by this time had answered the dukes letters very coulorably , that hee was sorry for the tarres that happened betweene him , and the lords , that as soone as his businesse would giue him leaue , he would visit the lordes , and him . in the meane time he requested that hee would deliuer hartourbelk , or intreat him kindly . the duke though hee beléeued not what the king had written , yet hee receaues the letters gladly , and honourably feasted the messenger . in this time another dangerous plot was laide , to entrappe duke charles , and to enforce him prisoner , in the castle of litto aforesaid , whereupon there were forces very secretly , and sodainely raised in finland , the king hauing a purpose to winne to that powre , other forces that he meant himselfe to bring out of poland , and appointed a day of meeting in stock-holland . chap. v. the duke hath intelligence of the plots that the king and his aduersaries had deuis'd against him . he encounters part of the kings army , and discomforts them , with other accidents . the duke hauing intelligence of this dangerous plot , deuised against him by the king , assured himselfe to finde no fauour at his hand & that no submissiō would serue y e turne : for him to disperse h●s powers , and to stand rather vpon the protestation of his allegeance then his guard , were to put his neck vppon the block , and to indure the stroke : for raging str●ames are not stayed with gentle hands . wherefore calling his friends about him , hee told them that it was now no time to dally . that the king by his aduersaries was so prouokt against him , that nothing but his death or depriuation would satisfie the kings displeasure . these vnwilling armes ( quoth hee ) that i now beare , are for the defence of you , and my country , vnto which i owe my life , and wha●soeuer else is deere vnto mee . i sée ( quoth hée ) the drifte of the king , and my aduersaries , is to ouerthrow our customes , and to gouerne you according to the polish pollicy , which is vnfit for any frée state . to pursue this , and to lay heauy yoakes vpon your necks , my life is sought after , which i shall bée alwaies ready to spend or end to doe you or my country seruice . his friends embrac't him , willed him to go forward , promised their aide , to the vttermost of their powers , and the duke le ts slip no time , but presently seizeth vpon the nauy of swhethland hauing it before vnder his command , maruelling much that the king had not before that sent to seize vpon it himselfe , but thereby belike hee thought hee should haue ministred matter for the duke to suspect his deuice , the finland fleete being vpon the coast some few daies before the day appointed , the duke hauing furnished the nauy with men and munition , tooke the opportunitie of time , and with all expedition made hast to meete them before their ioyning with the kings power , with whome had they met , they had put the duke to a great hazard , the finland fleet consisted of thrée score and ten saile most of them vessels of great burthen , and in them 14 thousand fighting men , the dukes forces by sea were scarce so many . the duke deuides his nauy into two parts , the fiulinders into thrée . the duke bearing as great a breadth in the front of his nauy , as his aduersaries did , doubting least he should be engirt . the charge being giuen by the duke was semblably answered by the contrary party , and now the voice of the ordinance , ( that was many yeares a stranger in those parts ) carried such hideous noyse in the land , as much amazed the quiet mindes of the inhabitants , when they heard that the haruest of their peace was now like to be reap't by the vngentle hand of warre : then began they to forethink the troubles that were like to follow these fearfull beginnings , but happely not to remember the causes thereof : it is either a naturall or customary stupidity in man to be senselesse in the vnderstanding of their owne offences , pride , blasphemy , auarice , extortion , luxury , and other the like enormities are in particular men the generall causes of the disturbance , nay sometimes of the depopulation of a whole kingdome , when the mindes of princes corrupted with ambition are stirr'd vp , though in their owne respects , euen by the power and sufferance of the almighty to plague ( by warre his consuming minister ) the vnrepented sinnes of the people . but to returne to sea , where the fight continued little more then two howers , during which time the ayre was so troubled with smoake , that the shippes at sea could not see one another , and the beholders at lande might iudge by the eye , that they were turn'd into a clowde . but at last the admirall of the finlanders béeing struck betwéen winde and water , did sinke in the midst of them all : their fléete began to take about to hoise vp their sayles and flye , the duke followed them as far as he durst , but being doubtfull of the kings approch , made his returne the sooner , landed his powers , and hasted with his army to stockholland . upon his comming to stock-holland hee vnderstood of the kings landing at ca●mer castle , his whole nauy consisting of a hundreth sayle , or there abouts , whereof there were eight and twentie english shippes , which the king had hired of the marchants being then resident in that coast bearing in the whole fléete eight and twenty thousand fighting men : duke charles béeing aduertised of the newes , doubted what hee were best to doe , sometimes hée was in minde to giue place vnto his aduersaries , considering the miseries that were like to attend this vnciuill warre , and though hee knew himselfe well lyned with friends , in the kingdome , and that it might bee in his power to resist the king , yet when he reduced into his mind the calamities that might happen vnto the land by the maintenance of this warre , he did often perswade himselfe with otho , rather to giue place to vitellius , then to resist a tyrant to the ouerthrow of his counter , but being otherwise aduised by his friendes , that counselled him either to take vpon him the soueraigntie , or at least to maintaine himselfe in his place , as well for their liues as his owne , hauing all gone so farre that they could not retyre without irreuocable danger , his courage ouercomming his feare , and the respect of the generality aboue his own particular , he resolued to prosecute the war but yet in such manner , that al the worlde might vnderstand hee did it rather to defend himselfe then offend the king howsoeuer his actes might be mistaken . whereupon the duke remooues from stock-holand into the hart of y e countrey to a hold called the castle of lynnkeeping . by the way the king had taken the castle of calmer , and detained the captaine of the castle ( placed there by the duke ) close prisoner . and though the town was surely guarded by the king , and alwaies by him forelayd , to intercept all newes , yet a certaine townesman vndertooke to carry the duke intelligence therof , with the consent of the principall in the town , such was the loue they bare vnto him . the messenger because he could not passe the ports was let downe at a priuie , ioyning to the towne walle , and hauing past the kings scowt-watch , that lay in diuers places houering about the town , tooke so circumspectly the aduantage of the time , y t in two daies he recouered the dukes army being vpon march , to the castle of linnekeeping , the tenor of his message was , that on no conditions hee should trust the king , for that as well by the vsage of his officers in the castle of calmer , as other principall intelligence giuen to some ( that loued the duke too well to keepe it close ) that the king purposed his vtter destruction , and that there was no agréement to be made but onely coulorable ( vpon any reconcilement ) to foregoe a further mischiefe . the duke though sad to heare these newes , yet imbraced , and rewarded the messenger . and vnderstanding there of the kinges remooue from calmer to the castle of sterborrow to his sister preking anne , he bends all his forces thither , and within three daies after came w●thin sight of the castle : he pitcht his tent within a myle of the towne , before hee attempted any thing in any hostile maner , sent some of his principall friends vnto the king , and humbly desired him to know the cause of th●se vniust warres vndertaken : if the fault lay iustly in the duke or any of his adherents , they were content either to submit their liues to the law , or to the kings mercy , if any fault were supposed , or but suggested , they desired an indifferent iudge : and if the fault were found ( where in déede it lay ) they desired the same vpon their aduersaries . finally he besought his maiestie that he would measure the nature of ill tōgues , not by their sound but by their quality , for there were some about him , that nether loued him nor them , nor y e land . the king receiued these messages , gaue faire but dissembled words , that if he would disperse his army he would discharge his , confirme vnto him his place of gouernment , and other offices he enioyed in the kingdome , prouided that hartourbelk whom he detained as a prisoner , might be deliuered , and he with the rest of the lords reconciled . the duke answered to the first , that if it would please his maiesty to disperse his army , hée would doe the like , and for the other vpon due consideration he should find him conformable . twelue daies were thus spent in messages interchangeably between them the duke meaning faithfully , the king otherwise , both their armies they still retaynd during which time , the trapp was laid to intrappe the duke . that vpon an interuiewe betwixt them in the sight of both their armies fe●●becke duke of leif-lande should rush in , and vpon the sodaine surprise the duke , take him prisoner , and carry him to the castle aforesaid . but missing of his purpose beeing throughly countercharged by the duke , his minde was much perplexed in the vncertaine euent of his expectations , his cogitations fought within themselues , when sometimes hee would lay the fault vpon such , as hee imployed in those businesses , sometimes he would place one , somtimes displace another . in his owne iudgement thinking such a man fit to bee a commander and sometimes another : hée would like one to daye , and to morrow vtterly distaste him . to submit hee thought dishonorable , and worse then death , for by open disgraces , the fame of men growes odious . in this conflict of minde , the king retyres with the duke ferns-becke to steckborow , knowing that the fortune of warre had not so done her worst , but that she might beginne a new tragedy , and the rather for that his strength was weakened in the former assaults , hauing lost two thousand of his men in the same : the duke returning to the leager , and resting there that night . the next day the sonne had no sooner stept from the bed of aurora , but the dukes fléet remoues from finland to stock-borow , beeing distante an hundreth leagues . the kings fléete lies in a ha●●n betwéene two rockes . duke charles his fléete ryding in the mayne , and the king perceiuing how he was charged by sea and land began to be diuersly distraughted , sometimes hee resolues to vndergoe a meane estate , alleaging that medium est tutissimum , and auli ca vita , splendida miseria . cares are the contiunall companions of a crown , when rest remaines in a lowe condition and fortune . low shrubs féele least tempest , in valleys is heard least thunder . in country rooms is great rest , and in little wealth the least disquiet . dignitie treadeth vpon glasse , and honor is like a fading herbe , that when it bloometh most gorgeous then it blasteth . sometimes hee thought to disguise himselfe & with his cloathes to change his thoughts , that beeing poorely attyrde , hee might bee mearely minded , and measure his actions by the present fortune , not by his former estate . yet in the summons of these diuers thoughts and cogitations hee had some respectiue regard of his honour , though all false , yet his heart should not faint , for the courage of a man is shewed in his resolution . in the middest of his extreames hee held it his safest course , to flye by night with all his power , sister , and friends , with a full purpose to attempt the winning of wasten castle , being thrée or foure daies iourney from steckborow . but the duke that had waded through many dangers , and in many aduentures both prosperous and lucky , had gotten such reputation , that he was highly preferred in the estimation of that country put the king into such a continuall feare of his pursuite knowing his strength vnable to match his enemy . the duke vnderstanding the king to be vnstayed in his resolution , and to stand thus wauering betweene warre and peace ( which danted the hearts of his people to bee seene in field , leades his army , plants his ordenance against the castle of steckborow and takes the kings fléete with seuen tunne of gold , and all his regall ornaments . the king had conuaied himselfe to the castle of linnekeeping , and was there royally entertained , howbeit in the middest of solemnities , the sad newes of that vnhappy accident was brought thither vnto him : at the hearing & relation wherof , though hee was much agast , yet with that kingly courage that his vnfortunate successe had left him , he burst out into this or the like passion . if my moderation ( quoth hée ) in prosperity had béene answerable to the greatnesse of my birth , and state , or the successe of my last attempts to the resolution of my minde , i might haue come to linnekeeping , in my accustomed honour , and royalty , and not as a man thus wasted and spoiled , and to be rather gazed vppon , then honourably entertained . but what cloud soeuer hath darkned my present state , yet haue the heauens , and nature giuen me that ▪ in birth & mind , which none can vanquish or depriue me of . i sée that my enemies make their triumphs , the subiect of my miseries , and in my calamity as in a myrour may bée beheld their owne glory : yet let them know this , that i am , and was a prince , furnished with strengh of men , and abiliments of warre , and what maruell is it , if it be my chance to loose , séeing experience teacheth , that the euents of warre are variable , and the successe of policy guided by vncertaine fates : the desire of souerainty admits no limitation , and if duke charles must command all , then all must obey . for mine own part whilst i am able , i will make resistance , and will bee vnwilling to submit my neck to a seruile yoake : for so farre the law of nature alloweth euery man to defend himselfe , and to withstand force by force . this passion of the king filled the peoples hearts and eies with wonder , and delight , and with their best comfort and encouragement they promised their ioynt performances of duty . insomuch as the king did therewith attempt the taking of wasten castle . but hee whom fortune had before striued to make vnfortunate did in this also faile , and hath nothing left him to glory in that attempt , but his lossé of men , and of much expectation . these crosse accidents sat néer the kings heart , who with much cares and trauells had wearled his spirits , and greatly spent the strength both of himselfe ▪ and his people . for whatsoeuer hee determined , was not carried with any such secret or politike course , but that by some meanes or other the duke had some notice thereof , and still apprehended his drifts . for this was no sooner plotted , but the duke sends letters secretly to the captain , that he should not deliuer the castle with his priuity . the king lying in linnekeeping sends fiue hundreth men secretly to surprise the castle , yet was the same able to defend it selfe as indéed it did , and the captaine therein performed the dukes will , and retainde his credit , without impeaches of his valor . questionmēt were made whether they might enter into the castle in the kings name , but a peremtory answere was returned , that without mandatory letters from the duke , there was nothing there to be expected but resistance : vpon this the kings mind was disquieted , and a world of inward conflictes encountred his cogitations , as he stood doubtfully distract , what he were best to doe : at last as fire cannot he hid in straw , nor the nature of man so concealed , but that at last it will breake out , and haue his course : soe fares it with the king , who perceiuing his pleasure to be like sicke-mens wills that are parall ( which hauing no hand nor seale , are the lawes of a citie written in dust , and are broken with the blast of euery wind ) commanded that forthwith the duke and all his adherents , should bee proclaimed to stand in the state and nature of traitors . chap. vi. the kings armie , and the dukes ioyne : many on the kings side slaine , and taken prisoners . it was not long before this newes of the kings procéedings , in this manner against the duke was made knowne vnto him : at which the duke beganne to put on a furious countenance , able to amaze any that made attempts against him , and looking like hercules when hee aduan●te himselfe against achelaus , he followes the king to linnekeeping with all his power : 〈◊〉 in a mi●●y morning the morrow before micha●●mas day , ryses early , calles his souldiours togeather , deuides his army ( consisting of fiftéene thousand men ) into thrée seuerall bodies . one iames hill an english m●● 〈◊〉 the leading of the first : captaine scot being his lie●●●●●nt , ●ndreas lemeston leades the second the duke himselfe with the thirty takes a wood within a mile of the kinge lodging : here might you sée these thrée , shine like thrée meteors in the firmament , all in steele , their courtes were campes and none court●●●s , but souldiours . such effect did the fier of discention worke in the hearts of these enimies . fortune turned the whéele of the swethen and polish state with vnsteady hand , and had now almost brought it to the point she meant they should sit : shee tooke her fauours from them ? or rather , to speake of a power that controules fortune , and whose very finger throwes downe kingdomes to vtter confusion , or holdes them vp in their greatnes , whether the generall sinnes of the people deserued this , or whether the people were punished for the particular faults of the princes , or for what other causes soeuer , the rodd of vengeance was laide vpon these nations , it is in man to thinke vpon , and feare , but not to examine . yet sure it is , that as fire catching hold at first but of some meane cottage in some end or corner of a city , hath oftentimes ( ere the fury of it could bée put out ) swallowed vp in his flames the goodliest and most beautifull buildings , that stood euen farthest out of reach : so did the clouds of discention burst open th●ir vaines , and let fall the poison of them on these seuerall kingdomes . in the expedition of these warres , one lucas righter vndertakes to performe the dukes pleasure in the proclamation of his intended procéedings vnto the kings army , ( which consisted of foure and twenty thousand men ) . the tenor of the dukes proclamation made knowne his greeuances which although it be not answered to expectation , yet lucas righter making his returne , is royally rewarded by the duke , and appoin●ed that day to attend the dukes person . the next day following the mist breakes vp , and armies discouer one another , a ryuer being betwixt the king and the duke , right thousand of the kings souldiers were appointed to make good the bridge . captaine scot full of courage and valour , giues the charge , but receaues the ouerthrowe : the like successe had captaine hill andreas lemerson seconds them , and bides the shock . the duke perceiuing this , issues out of the wood alone hartens his souldiers , fills his ordinance ( wanting shot ) with pibbie stones , and makes choice to encampe himselfe and his hoast , euen on the top of a hill naturally defenced from passage and if any were , those hee stoppped vp with heapes of stones in manner of a kampier : neare the foote whereof ranne a riuer , with an vncertaine ford ▪ where a troope of his ●●st souldiours were set in order to receaue the enemy , and the more to animate the mindes of his men , the leaders went about exhorting , and encourageing the souldiers , taking all occasion of feare from them , and putting them in hope with all inducements of warre . and the duke himselfe coursing hither and thither , protested that that day should bee the full end of their misfortunes , and the beginning of their happinesse , or else his owne perpetuall seruitude and bondage . the souldiers vpon this shewde as great forwardnesse , and as ecchoes redoubled his wordes , vowing neuer to yeeld , eyther for woundes or for life , which they were all ready to sacrifice in the cause of their country : which resolution appearde in the squadron of captaine hill , who leading his army , mette the enemy with such a showre of shot , that many were slaine , and many wounded : andreas lemerson giues the second charge , and that with so fierce an encounter , that he seizeth vpon the enemies ordinance , and turnes the same vpon them . in this conflict the kinges army is discomfited , eight thousand of them being slaine , drowned , and taken prisoners . upon this sad successe , the king being in the castle of linnekeeping calles a parley . the duke vpon knowledge of the kings pleasure , is willing to entertaine it , messengers are sent enterchangeably , and vpon hearing and debating the gréeuances one of another , the conditions are agréed vpon , the duke to haue pardon for what was past , and whereas hee had one of his aduersaries already in his custody , it was likewise agréede , that he should haue the other these deliuered into his hands , being the fowre commissioners that disturbed the peace of swethen , which was performed accordingly , so as the duke detaines them prisoners with their wines and children : after this friendly coherence , the duke rides to the king with sixeteene of his men , leauing charge notwithstanding with lemerson , that if hee returned not , nor sent word to the contrary within halfe an howre , hee should come to him with his whole army . the king and the duke doe so well concord and agree , as they dine together , and are feasted very royally : all matters are pacified on eyther side , so as a rex-day is appointed , and it is determined that the king shall haue his owne , the duke his , and the disturbers of the peace their due . the king returneth to steckborow to his fléete , the duke to carborowgh where the dutches lay . the peace being thus concluded , the duke dismisseth his souldiers , and receiues letters from the king , ●hat hee purposed to passe into his country with a thousand men , and desires prouision for them : the duke receiues his message very kindly , and returnes this answere to the king , that if it pleased him , hee should finde prouision for two thousand . as this prouision was preparing , fernsbecke duke of liefland perswades the king to returne with his power to poland , and not to stand to the articles of agreement , but to renew the warre , alleadging that he could neuer be absolute king of swethen , so long as d. charles liued : and this was the onely ground of the ciuill warre that followed . chap. vii . the king returnes to poland , duke charles renues the warre against the king his nephew , winnes the city and castle of calmer , and setleth the state of the dukedome of finland . the king hauing thus falsified his own promise , and deceiued the dukes expectation , returned with all expedition into poland , landing at danske with his army , leauing the castle of calmer and certaine other holds adioyning , strongly manned and victualed for a yeare : duke charles being much discontented with this vnkingly breach of his nephewes promise , knew now that it was no time to capitulate , and that no solicitation , nor any submissiue meanes would serue to appease the kings anger , and to reintegrate himselfe into his loue and good opinion , called his chiefe friends about him , to haue their aduise what was best to bee done in this weighty businesse : they all agréede that if it were possible they should recouer the castle of calmer that winter , and certaine other holds lately manned and victualed by the king : whereupon the duke with his army marcheth to greenekeeping , a little city in swethland , where hauing certaine dayes rested and refreshed his army , he hasted to besiege the castle of calmer . the city being indefensible , yeelded vnto him at his first approach : the duke hauing made his entrance into the city , deliuered sayre speeches to the citizens , the iust cause that was giuen him to renue the warre , and that no ambitious desire or turbulent spirit of his owne , drew him so violently to these actions of hostility , but that he was full master of his owne affections , and the necessity of the time in the kinges incensed hate against him , did moue him to these armes , that being ( quoth he ) at the first but priuate betwixt him and the three dukes his aduersaries , that alwayes maligned his estate , might very well without the generall disturbance of both kingdumes , haue been ended long agoe , and nexther hee helde guilty , nor the land defiled with the shedding so much polish and swethish blood , but sith the king had so vnkindly taken part with strangers against a kinsman , and had so vnnaturally laid their treacherous plots against his loyalty , nature and iustice were the faire protectors of his quarrels , that should defend the equity of his cause against the mouth of enuy , or any such calumnious tongues whatsoeuer . the citizens that alwayes affect peace rather then war , looking into the condition of the disturbed states , were much perpleed in mind , and seuerally distracted in their opinions , being vncertaine how to stand affected : they knew that the right and title was in the king , but the power and authority in the duke : the king had the commaund of the castle , the duke the possession of the city . their feare exceeded their distrust , for both the dukes army that lay in the city committed many outrages , notwithstanding the dukes strict proclamation , and againe the ordinance of the castle augmented their feare , and if hergusten boner that commaunded the castle had had his wil , the ordenance had béene bent against the towne . the duke satisfying aswell as he could the feare of the citizens , beleaguers the castle of calmer , there being a great mutiny within the castle betwixt the poles and the swethians , which serued excellently well for the duke , for hergusten boner that commaunded the castle vnder the king , agréede with the poles to haue battered the city , which the swethean souldiers resisted , insomuch that from wordes they fell to blowes , in which conflict the swethens hauing the better , tooke hergusten boner prisoner , together with all the poles , being to the number of thrée hundreth , and knowing this act to bee unanswerable to the king , submitted themselues , yeelded the castle , and gaue vp their prisoners to duke charles . the duke gently entertaines al but hergusten boner ( his old enemy ) whome hee sent prisoner to greephollam , where hee remaines to this day . all the poles hee sent new apparrelled with white staues in their hands , fairely entreated , to the king. the duke hauing thus fortunately recouered the city , and castle of calmer , did strongly manne them both , and comforting the ditizens in the best manner he could , with the rest of his army marched into the dukedome of finland , it being a part of swethland , bordering vpon russia , and there beleaguerd the castle of oua , and in few dayes wanne it , still fairely entreating the kinges souldiers , which in all places wanne him great commendations , & hauing in short time quieted the dukedome returned backe with his army to stockehollam , where he rested the remainder of that winter . chap. viii duke charles inuades the dukedome of liefland , surpriseth most of the townes and castles of that country , and is in a manner absolute possessor of the whole dukedome . duke charles knowing his principall aduersary with the king to bee fernes beck , duke of liefland , ( which countrey notwithstanding it ioyneth with swethland in law and language , had neuerthe lesse a kind of absolute power and authoritie within it selfe ) thought it best to beginne the warre in that countrey , that the eye of his aduersaries looking into his actions there , the kinges forces might not be bent against his owne countrey , the peace whereof hee much desired , and to this end in the beginning of the sommer following hauing reinforced his army , marched into the dukedome of liefland , the chiefe citie whereof called rauell yelded vnto him , into the which he triumphantly entered . the cittizens themselues , whether for feare of his power , or loue of his person , shewed such tokens of submissiue dutie , that there little letted a contestation of their allegiance . hauing there rested certaine daies he rayseth his army and marcheth towards the castle of whettensten , which in short time was yeelded vnto him . from thence he came to the city of perno , which he likewise tooke in , placing there a strong garrison . he marched from thence to another strong citie called durpe , and in fiue daies forced the towne : fiue hundreth polish souldiours within the towne submitted vnto him with tender of their seruice , whom he gently intreated , & entertained . they euer after seruing him in all his wars very faithully . the lieflanders themselues , noting the gentle behauiour of duke charles wisht in their hearts all good successe vnto him , though they durst not shew it outwardly , forfeare of their lordes displeasure , who in his rule bare euer such a rough hand ouer them , that hee séemed a tirant or an vniust usurper , rather then an honorable gouernour , or a naturall prince . duke fernesbeck hauing some intelligence of the sodaine inuasion of his countrey , raiseth with all the hast hee could , all the powers hee could make , being constituted by the king , generall of his warres , and within a few daies landed in liefland , whereof duke charles hauing vnderstanding , and fearing to be preuented , sent very secretly and spéedily fifteene hundreth souldiours vnder the command of coronell hill to surprise the citie of venden , but ( i know not how ) the plot being discouered , and ambuscadoes laide in the way by fernesbeck , they were sodainly charged , and being weary and faint through a long marche , were soone ouerthrowne , and slame , only the coronell with seauenteene of his fellowers , the poore remaine of so many hundreds , making way with the sword , through the fury of the enemy , did wounderously escape , bringing this sadnewes backe to their lord. the duke , though it somewhat troubled him , yet shewed no signe either of feare or sorrow , but hartned on his souldiours to the reuenge of their fellowes deaths . there was nothing that aduantaged him more then his celeritie in all his attempts , for whensoeuer any aduantage was proffered , hee would neuer pretermitte the least occasion . duke charles vpon the newes of this ouerthrow , vnderstanding of new succours shortly to come out of poland in the aide of fernesbeck sodainly raiseth his ( army , his enimies supposing that the late ouerthrow had much quaild his courage , and nothing lesse suspecting then what he intēded ) marcheth with all spéed to the citie of venden , into which duke fernesbeck but two daies before had made his triumphant entrance . the march was so speedily and secretly made , that they of the towne vnderstood not of his remooue from durpe , till they saw him with his army before the walls of venden . ferns-beck staying within the towne , euery hower looking for his new supplies , when he saw himselfe ( thus vnlookt for ) confronted by the duke , and his army , stood so amazed that a long time he was in doubt what it were best to doe . at last made a shew of resistance of the enemy , and defence of the towne ; till the approach of the night following , in which time he deuised such a plot , that vtterly lost his honor , and the loue of all his friends within his dukedome . for in the beginning of the night hauing throughly instructed his commanders , and followers , what hee meant to doe , no townesman supposing what he purposed , made an absolute spoile of the towne , ransacking euery mans house , and carying away their plate , money and iewels , flyes closely away and leaues the towne abandoned . duke charles had sodaine intelligence hereof , and with all hast pursues him , and in the way he takes certaine of fernesbeckes espials , whome hauing threatened , was by them conducted to the place where duke fernbecke that night encamped , and hauing giuen the charge to coronell hill , that was desirous to reuenge himselfe of his late ouerthrow , sodainely set vpon them being at rest , slew the most part of them , recouers the goods taken a little before so violently and dishonourably out of the city , fernsbecke himselfe with a few of his followers hardly escaping . duke charles hauing thus recouered his late losse , returnes with his army to the citie of venden , where , with all acclamation of ioy hee was honorably entertained : being thus seated in venden , within two daies after his aboad in the town he sendeth eight hundreth men vnder the cōduct of one peerslompe , a gallant swethish captaine , to surprise the castle of newhall bordering vpon russia , which was by him fortunately atchieued , who returning to the duke gaue him presently the command of fiue thowsand men , coronell hill being steward of the feeld . the proiecte was to besiege cokenhouse , being then and at this day the strongest castle in christendome . the duke thought if he could gaine this castle , he were then thoroughly possest of all the dukedome , hee himselfe purposed shortly after to second him . this gallant young gentleman with all speed , and with a full spirit marcheth to this honorable exploit , and encampeth his army close to the walles of the towne , which being very strong , & faithfull to their lord , endured a long siege with great effusion of blood on both sides , but at the comming of the duke , the towne was taken , and vpon a breach in the entrance of the towne , this young captaine was vnfortunately ( but honorably ) slaine with the shot of a musket in his priuities , sent from the castle : duke charles was very sorry for his death , making a vow that he would neuer raise his army , till he had either forced the castle , or followed the fortune of this gallant captaine . three moneths the duke lay before the castle with continuall batterie , and in the end takes it , and keepes it at this day . upon the taking of the castle he was sufficiently reuenged for the death of peereslompe . thus all the castles , houlds , and fortresses , in liefland , were in this summer brought vnder the command of duke charles , onely the castle of ree , which was second to none but cokenhouse , was yet left vnassaulted . duke charles hauing thus in a manner the entier possession of liefland , and being now wearied with this long toyle , hearing no newes of duke fernesbeckes returne , in the latter end of the sommer , hauing ordered his affaires in that countrey returned to his dutchesse into swethland , lying then in stock holland , before his going he left the cities & castles in the dukedome , being thoroghly maned , vnder the gouernmēt of his friends . the rest of his army rested vnder the command of coronell hill , who hauing directions from the duke at his departure , to attempt the taking of the towne of ree , together with the castle , set forwarde with hope and courage , while the duke was vpon his iourney into swethland , and encamped before the towne of ree , burnt the suburbes , assaulted the towne , battered the walles , &c. but finding it stronger manned , then either it was supposed , or stood at that time with his power to force , returned according to his directions to the duke . chap. ix . duke charles winters in swethland : takes order for the renewing of the warre : the sommer following is fought withall in liefland by duke fernsbeck , and discomfited : his strange escape , and recouery of swethland . duke charles made his abode with his dutches the winter following in swethland , hauing still priuy intelligence from poland of the kings plotts , & procéedings . that winter nothing was attempted , but in the prime of the spring following fernesbeck returned to liefland with fiue thousand men . a greater power beeing appointed shortly to second him . upon his landing he marched to the towne and castle of ree , where he reposed himselfe to vnderstand what duke charles intended to doe : manie blamed the duke for that hee let slip the taking in of the castle , which if it had béene , fernsbeck had had no place to haue retyred to in all his kingdome . but it is an casier matter for a man to censure then to act : wordes are soone spokē , so are not deeds performed , for coronel hill attempted with the remainder of y e army , to do what was possible to be done , but the winter being at hand , which in that coast is very extreame , his men wearied and weakned with a long sommers toyle , euery mans naturall desire in y e country to rest thēselues in their stones , the winter season tooke away al possibility of winning the castle duke charls vnderstāding of his enemies arriuall at ree , let slip no time , but suddenly raised his powers to the number of fiftéene thousand men , tooke shipping at stock-holland and landed with his whole army safely within two daies , within 15. myles of ree . his purpose was to haue sodainely beleaguerd the castle before the rest of his enemies forces were landed out of poland , which he vnderstood were ready to bee shipt : and to that end ( hauing refreshed his army ) hee marched speedily and out of order , in the latter end of the day towards the castle of ree , supposing by the benefit of the night following , the better to haue ensconc't and fortified himselfe . but as no man , though neuer so circumspect , can warrant to himselfe the assurance or continuance of successe , and especially in the actions of warre , where fortune bears a sway so this noble duke found the nature of her fauours , which shee had powred vpon him , to be so vnstable , that in a minute she snatcht from him , what a long time before she had prodigally bestowed . for fernsbeck hauing intelligence of the dukes landing , sodenly issued out of the castle with thrée thousand of his followers , and hauing a place of great aduantage about thrée myles from the castle , the way that duke charles must of necessity passe , tooke the benefit of the place and the night , lying there in ambush for the dukes comming , and giuing directions not to stirre till the vant guard of the dukes army had past them , and then sodenlie to charge the battaile , and the rereward to giue the alarum to the castle , at which time a polish captaine with thrée thousand poles was appointed to charge the vantguard of the dukes : which on all sides was accordingly accomplisht . the duke being in the battaile , finding himselfe so sodainely and dangerously inuiron'd , gaue ( according to the tyme ) the best directions , resist hee must of necessity , retyre he could not ▪ wherfore ryding chéerefully vp & downe his army , gaue encouragement to his souldiours , making still the danger lesse then it was , but fernesbeck stirrd vp with a desire of reuenge , and recouery of his dukedome , and hauing aduantage of the place , so violently assayled , that at the first charge he made a great breach into the body of the dukes battaile , she like was performed at the instant vpon the rereward by one stockland , a gallant young polish captaine . thus all parts of the army beeing assaulted , that before was weary , weake , and fainte , through a long marche , they were sodenly put into such a fear , as begat much amazement in them , so as men desperate of all hope to resist , they flong away their weapoas and fled , hoping to saue themselues that way , wherein was least hope of safeguard . the duke did what lay in his power to stay his flying souldiers . but in this perplexed face of flight , where nothing but the caracters of feare and despaire could be séene , no words could suffice , nor any commanders tongue be regarded , but in this confused manner they ran vpon their deaths , whilst the enemy stood ready to receaue them . and in this horrour of blood and massacre , the dukes horse was slain vnder him , he himselfe hurt , and perceiuing no hope either by fight or flight , hee fell downe ( as dead ) among the dead carcasses , reteyning a hope that way happely to saue himselfe . of fifteene thousand men , fourtéen thousand and odde were put to the sword , the rest fled to their shippes . euery man supposing the duke to be slaine . the sad newes of this fatall ouerthrow and of the dukes supposed death , was soone brought into swethland , which vpon the hearing thereof , shewed such a general face of sorrow , as if the whole land had put on one entire mourning garment , to attend his sad and vntimely funerals they now saw their prince sodēly snatcht from them in the spring time of their hopes , & in the prime of all his glory , they found themselues naked , and open to the polish tyranny . they feared their religion and gouernment would now be forced and adulterated by the tyrannous command , and superstitious customes of poland , wherewithall they knew their king was wholly corrupted . no heart so noble , no head so circumspect , no hande so victorious , to order the state , manage the affaires , and fight the battailes of their countrey , now he was dead all hope was buried , and all their happines , and fréedom should be laid in the graue with him , and last but not least of their sorrow , they wanted his body to giue it honorable funerall . but as this false newes made them true mourners , so this passion of sorrow for his supposed death , was afterward turned into the contrary passiō of ioy , for the dukes strange and vnknowne deliuery : to whome wee will now returne , hauing left him before among the dead carkases of his souldiers . there was a young gentleman of swethland , attendant to the duke ( whose name i could not learne ) that saw the duke when he fell , thinking him with the rest to haue beene slaine , and desirous to doe the last seruice to his prince , kept close ( hauing a place fitte for his purpose ) hoping to recouer the body of the duke , and finding in the darke of the night , a certain gentleman of poland , newly slaine , shifteth armour and apparrell with him , and hauing the polish tongue , vndertooke as one of fernsbecks souldiers to rifle the dead bodies , and hauing found the place where the duke lay , all imbrued with the bloud of his souldiers , and comming neere to raise the body , the duke beganne to striue : the gentleman amased , askt in fayre termes if he were aliue : to whome the duke replyed , art thou my friend ? the gentleman told him his name and purpose , and sith he was aliue , he should horse him selfe vpon the gentlemans horse , and flie vnto his ships , vsing the benefite of the night for his escape , while hee himselfe would make what shift he could to follow after . the duke being thus raysed from this graue of bloud worse then golgotha , embracced him , thankt him , and spake these words , god prosper thee , whome if it please , that thou shalt liue to out liue the fortunes of this night , there was neuer man so deare , as thou shalt be to thy lord : wherevpon the duke mounted , and with all speed hasted to his shippes , where the ioy of his comming was so much the greater , by how much the feare before of his death was the stronger . the gentleman whom hee left behind , being vnluckely discouered , was vnfortunately slaine , which though the last , was not the least honour he atchieued , to die in the safegard of his prince . the duke stayed long for his returne , but at length suspecting that which had happened , hoyst saile and safely arriued in swethland . it is a world to heare the concourse of people that from all parts came to sée him : upon the newes of his landing , they strewd flowers in the way , as thinking the earth vnworthy to beare him : they shewed all signes and tokens of ioy , as now holding themselues free from those feares , which the report of his death had before possest them with . now as men newly reuiued , they beganne to entertaine new hopes , and to flatter themselues with a perpetuall stability of their estates : the sunne , which they supposed had made an eternall set from their horizon , did now shine againe in the middest of their h●mispheare , and this glad day , after their sad night , they made a generall vow sor euer to consecrate . thus as in a triumphant manner the duke helde on his course , to stockeholland , where the triumphes for his deliuery he found doubled , with the dutches his wife , his kindred and his neerest friends , that in ioy of his returne feasted many dayes together . duke fernsbecke proud of the late victory , let slippe no time ▪ but hauing the seconds of his power , safely landed out of poland , recouered many of his townes and castles which hee before had lost , and which he holdeth at this day : duke ▪ charles did little that summer , but that hee sent certaine forces to strengthen those principall townes and 〈◊〉 in liefland , which he yet holdeth . and in this summer , not from any ambitions desire of his owne , but the policy of the time , in the state of the kingdome , so requi●●●● , at the speciall instigation of his friends , for the coun●●●●s good , but principally vpon respect of the churches peace , 〈◊〉 tooke vppon him the crowne and scepter of swethland , in the yeare of our lord god , 1604. which hee doth still no●ly and peaceably gouerne , as the state of the time doth suffer . the wars being for the most part transferred into the dukedome of leifland . and thus as i 〈◊〉 enformed , standeth the condition of the affaires of that kingdome at this time . finis a discourse of the original, countrey, manners, government and religion of the cossacks with another of the precopian tartars : and the history of the wars of the cossacks against poland. histoire de la guerre des cosaques contre la pologne. english chevalier, pierre, 17th cent. 1672 approx. 222 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 105 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a32797 wing c3800 estc r17946 11742071 ocm 11742071 48502 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a32797) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 48502) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 21:6) a discourse of the original, countrey, manners, government and religion of the cossacks with another of the precopian tartars : and the history of the wars of the cossacks against poland. histoire de la guerre des cosaques contre la pologne. english chevalier, pierre, 17th cent. brown, edward, 1644-1708. [12], 195 p. printed by t.n. for hobart kemp ..., london : 1672. written by pierre chevalier. cf. bib. nat. caption title: discourse of the countrey, manners, government, original, and religion of the cossack. "the history of the war of the cossacks against poland": p. 55-195. translation of: histoire de la guerre des cosaques contre la pologne. translated by edward browne. cf. bm. reproduction of original in library of congress. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng cossacks -early works to 1800. tatars -early works to 1800. poland -history -elective monarchy, 1572-1763. 2006-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-02 robyn anspach sampled and proofread 2007-02 robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse of the original , countrey , manners , government and religion of the cossacks , with another of the precopian tartars , and the history of the wars of the cossacks against poland . london , printed by t. n. for hobart kemp , at the sign of the ship in the upper walk of the new exchange . 1672. the preface . although vkraine be one of the most remote regions of europe , and the cossackian name very modern ; yet hath that countrey been of late the stage of glorious actions , and the inhabitants have acquitted themselves with as great valour in martial affairs , as any nation whatsoever ; so that this , and other motives have made me earnest to put this account of it into english , where it cannot be otherwise then acceptable , since the description of a countrey little written of , and the atchievments of a daring people , must needs be grateful to those , who of all the world , are the most curious and inquisitive , and the greatest lovers of bold attempts and bravery . the ocean is our delight , and our engagements upon the seas , have rendred us considerable to the world. the cossacks do in some measure imitate us , who took their rise from their victories upon the euxine , and setled themselves by incountring the tartars in those desart plains , which do so far resemble the sea , that the mariners compass may be useful for direction in the one , as well as the other . nor can this short treatise be unseasonable , since most have their eyes upon this countrey at present ; and it is already feared , that the turks or tartars should make their inroads this summer into poland through vkraine , scarce a gazette without mentioning something of it ; and our preparations in the western parts , will probably , at the same time , be accompanied with great attempts upon the most eastern frontiers of europe . michael koributh , duke of wisnowitz performed great services for his countrey , during the former rebellions ; since which it hath pleased providence to raise up another mich. wisnowitski , and place the crown of poland on his head , after an extraordinary and unexpected manner . a reward , i hope , for their families former faithfulness , and a terror to the greatest enemy of christendom . if this great prince therefore shall try his fortune of arms against sultan mahomet han , or the cham , or by reducing the cossacks to their obedience , make the world have as great an esteem of him , as the states of poland who elected him , the plains , woods , rivers , rocks , near which , these battels shall be decided , will be worth the considering , for the better understanding of their history , and the description of the countrey , manners , customs , and religion , of the cossacks and tartars , will much inform us in the affairs of those eastern parts . the author of this work was a commander , and employed his sword in foreign countreys , as well as his pen , and his living long in poland , gave him sufficient opportunity to make these observations which he hath transmitted to us , and which are the more considerable , because they treat of many places not conquered by the romans , nor described , but by few . ovids banishment was neighboring , but not full so remote , desart , and melancholy , as some of these parts ; and yet so considerable a passage have they always been , that the greatest incursions into europe have been in all times through these countreys , and whole nations have come in upon us this way , to the destruction of our cheifest states and empires . the actions of kmielniski , general of the cossacks , are very remarkable ; and how he raised himself to that greatness , as to be feared by a nation , which neither the power of christendom , nor the turks could shake . most of whose performances are d●scoursed of in this small treatise ; and whatsoever is wanting of his life , or to make this a more accurate description of those countreys , must be imputed to the slender traffick or commerce they maintain with other nations , and the little regard they have themselves to commit their own actions to posterity . and , i hope , it will be thought more strange , that there is any thing at all said of them , then that there is so little . the long unusual names of persons and places may be also pardoned , seeing they are not to be altered ; and what is amiss in the translation , i hope , may be passed over , since the whole is presented you with no other design , but to serve you . edw. brown. a discourse of the countrey , manners , government , original and religion , of the cossacks . the name of cossacks was given them by reason of their address and agility in penetrating even in the most difficult and dangerous places such as the mouth of the boristhenes , whereby they made war with the turks and tartars . cosa signifying in polish , a goat . long agoe from the time of sigismund the i. there were voluntiers from the frontiers of russia , wolhinia , podolia , and other provinces of poland , which met together to practise their pyracies upon the black sea where they ordinarily met with considerable advantages , and brought away rich booty both from the turkish galleys and from the places where they often landed in natolia , where they pillaged and sacked whole towns , as that of trebisonde and synopa , having the boldness sometimes to come within two leagues of constantinople , and carry away prisoners and plunder : at the latter end of the year these adventurers retired home , appointing first their rendezvous where they were to meet in the spring in some of the islands or rocks of the boristhenes , from thence again to make their excursions . king stephen batory , to whom poland is beholden for many good rules , considering the service which he might draw from these rovers , towards the defence of the frontiers of russia and podolia , which lay always exposed to the incursions of the tartars , formed a militia out of them , and gave them the town of trethymirow upon the boristhenes for a garrison , made a general over them , and gave him power to make under-officers , granting them besides their pay , divers priviledges and immunities , and joyned to this infantry of the cossacks two thousand horse , for the subsistance of which he designed the fourth part of his crown-lands whence they were called quartani , and by corruption quartiani . these forces thus established for the guard of the frontiers , did so secure it against the irruptions of the tartars that all the desart countrey , beyond the towns of bracklaw , bar , and kiovia , began to be peopled , and many towns and fortresses were built there , every one bringing in colonies from the neighboring provinces . this militia thus regulated ; sustained it self and rendred good service to the crown of poland , without comparison , more profitably then before , when being dispersed and scattered about , they could not act together in company . yet as this union was so advantagious for the making head against the tartars , and for defending of the frontiers , so in short time it became prejudicial and destructive to the poles , against whom they many times rebelled ; for the cossacks finding themselves to be of such importance , would scarce receive any orders from their superiors , nor acknowledge their masters upon whom they depended . their first rebellion was in 1587. under john podkowa , their general , who was overthrown , and in the end lost his head . in the year 1596. king sigismund the iii. having prohibited their pyracies on the black sea , upon the complaints which he received from the grand signior ; they did indeed give them over , but it was , that they might fall upon russia and lythuania with the greater force , where they committed unheard of violences under the conduct of naleuaiko their general . in vain were orders sent for their disarming and returning home , they despised all , and united themselves more strictly under their head , to resist the polish army , which general zolkiewski was forced to bring against them , him therefore they expected with a firm resolution near the city of bialicerkiew and fought the polanders , and at first got the better , but zolkiewski , who was a great warrier , having at length shut them in , and forced them into disadvantagious stations , obliged them to deliver up nalevaiko , who had the same end with his predecessor . in 1637. the cossacks revolted again , but with as bad success as before , the cause of their revolt was , that divers of the polish nobility having obtained by gift some lands upon those frontiers , and in those places designed for the quartering of this militia , the more to augment their revenues they were desirous to bring their new subjects to the same days works as those of the other provinces of poland are bound to ; and therefore they perswaded king vladeslaus and the states , that it was necessary to chastise the insolency of the cossacks , they being able most of all to cross this designe , as being a free people , and causing by their example the other countrey-men to bear their yoak more impatiently . so that it was resolved that a fort should be built in a place called kudak , upon the boristhenes , a scituation very proper for the brideling of the cossacks , it being near the porohi or rocks of the river which they made use of for their most secure retreat , and because they did immediately mistrust colonel marion a frenchman , whom the general koniespolski had left with two hundred men to build this fort , he caused part of his troops to winter there till it might be fit for defence . the cossacks understanding well upon what designe this fort was built , took the alarme at the first , and gathered themselves together in the greatest number that they could , but entring at that very time when they had most need of union , into discord and distrust of their general sawakonowicz , after they had massacred him they chose one paulucus in his place , a man of small conduct and experience , and soon after payed for the folly of their choise , being met withal by marshal potosky about korsun , and having but few horse with them were easily defeated , those who fled , cast themselves into borowits , which potoski immediately besieged , and seeing that the place was not furnished with any manner of provisions , they were forced to deliver into his hands their general paulucus and four other of their principal officers , who had their heads cut off at warsaw while the diet was held there the year following , notwithstanding that they had had their lives promised them , which the states would not then allow of . the loss of their generals was seconded by the loss of their priviledges and the town of trethymirow granted to them formerly by king stephen , and at ength also by the suppression of their militia , which the king of poland commanded his officers to change into a new form , such an one as might be more fit for obedience . notwithstanding these disgraces they lost not their courage at all , but did their utmost to maintain their liberty . after they had tried again the fortune of the war against general potoski , and found themselves considerably weakened by divers encounters , they intrenched themselves beyond the boristhenes , upon the river starcza , and for more then two months sustained many assaults from the poles , who after having lost many of their own men , were constrained to capitulate with these desperate people , and to promise them that they should be re-established in their priviledges and their militia of six thousand men set on foot again as before , under the command of a general appointed by the king , but these articles were not better kept with them then the former , and the most part of their men upon their going off , were either slain or plundered by the soldiers of the polish army ; neither was their militia reestablished , but a new one was set up , their general being changed , and the true cossacks themselves excluded . the dammage which ensued upon this change was soon after very sensible , for the tartars made an inroad two years after , entred a great way into the vkrain , and destroyed the territories about pereaslaw , corsun and wisnowitz , whither before this disbanding of the cossacks they were not wont to approach . they were therefore some time after set up again , and king vladislaus , who made great account of this militia in the war , which he intended to make against the turks and tartars , was no small contributor to their total reestablishment , making bogdan kmielniski , one of their own body , general over them , and withal increasing their number . from all this discourse we may at present infer , that the cossacks are rather a militia then a nation , as most have thought , and we cannot better compare them then to the free archers formerly established in france by charles the vii . who were persons fit for arms chosen out of all the towns of his dominion , and who upon the first orders from the king , were bound to meet at a general rendezvous , and to serve in the wars ; by which they were exempted from all taxes and imposts . the cossacks are the same , chosen and listed in russia , volhinia and podolia , and who enjoying many exemptions and priviledges , are in like manner bound to march wheresoever they are commanded ; formerly they had no more then one onely town for their retreat , as hath been already observed , and the porohi of the boristhenes , from whence they were called zaporouski cossacks , and are hereby distinguished from the cossacks in moscovia and from those upon the river don or tanais . porohi , is a russian term , signifying a rocky stone ; this river at fifty leagues from the mouth of it , is crossed with a ridge of rocks , which maketh a kind of damme or cataract , and by this means rendreth the navigation in those parts impossible , and taketh away from vkrain the means of inriching it self by the traffick which it might otherwise have with constantinople for corn and other merchandises in which it aboundeth as much as any other countrey in the world ; some of these rocks are even with the water , others are above the water , the height of six , eight , and ten feet , and from this inequality there are in the river divers cascades or falls which the cossacks themselves doe not pass but with a great deal of danger ; there are thirteen of these falls , some of which are fourteen or fifteen foot high , when the water is low , and it is as necessary for a true zaporouski cossack to have passed these falls , and to have made a voyage upon the black sea , as for a knight of maltha before he come to the dignity of that order , to have been in a summers expedition against the turks . below the porohi there are divers islands in the river boristhenes , and amongst others there is one very remarkable , somewhat lower then the entrance of the river czertomelik , compassed about with thousands of other little isles , some of which are dry , others marshy , and all of them covered with reeds , in such manner as it is hard to perceive the channels which separate them ; into this place , and into these windings and turnings the cossacks make their retreat , which they call their skarbnisa , woyskowa , that is to say , the treasure of their army , and here they shut up their booty which they have taken in their pyracies upon the black sea , the acccess to this place is so difficult and dangerous , that many turkish galleys in pursuing them thither , have been lost , and it is here that the cossacks hold their rendezvous before they put out to sea . after their arrival they choose a general to conduct and command them in their expedition , and then fall to work about their boats , which are about threescore foot long , and eleven or twelve foot broad , they have no keel , but are built onely upon a bottom of willow or limetree , sided or raised with plancks , which they pin one into another ; the better to steer them when they are forced to flye , they have two oars or skulls on purpose , their sides are strengthened with roaps of reeds , as thick as a barrel , to sustain these boats against the fury of the waves , they have ordinarily ten or twelve oars on each side , and rowe swifter then the turkish galleys ; they have but a bad sail , and make use of it onely in fair weather , and choose rather to rowe when the wind is high ; for their provisions in their voyage they take with them biscuit , put up in a tunn , and as they have use for it , take it out at the bung : besides this , they have a barrel of boiled millet , and another of paste mingled with water which they eat with the millet , and it serves them both for meat and drink , and is counted by them a delitious dish ; they carry no aqua-vitae nor other strong-waters , for although they be as subject to drunkenness as any other northern nation , yet they are wonderfully sober in war. they meet ordinarily to the number of five or six thousand men ; about threescore of them are imployed to the making of one boat , and in three weeks time the whole company makes ready about fourscore or an hundred ; fifty or threescore men goe in each boat , armed with five or six faulcons , and every one with two harquebuses , and powder and ball sufficient . their admiral hath a flag upon his mast to distinguish him from the rest , they rowe altogether and so close , that their oars touch one another , they wait till the latter quarter of the moon , to get out of the river boristenes , that they may by the help of the obscurity of some dark night , not be eyed by the turkish galleys who wait ordinarily at oczakow , a town of the turks at the mouth of the river on purpose to observe them ; so soon as they are discovered , all the countrey is in alarme as far as constantinople , from whence they dispatch couriers to all the coasts of natolia , romelia and bulgaria , that all may stand upon their guard , but such is the diligence and swiftness of the cossacks , that they ordinarily prevent and outgoe the couriers who are to bring news of their coming , knowing so well to take their opportunity by the time and season , that they often get into natolia in the space of forty hours . when they meet with any galley or vessel ( which they discover better , and at a greater distance then they can be discovered ) their boats being but two foot and an half above water ) they approach towards them till night , keeping at about a leagues distance , and then well observing the place where they saw the vessel , they begin to rowe about midnight with all their force , and encompassing it about , take it at unawares , it being impossible for a vessel beset with such a number of boats all at once , to disingage or defend itself ; they take out the money , guns , and all the merchandise which they can conveniently carry away , and afterwards sink the ship , they being not dextrous enough to carry her off , but as they have this advantage by night over ships and galleys , so they are at great disadvantage by day , for these with their great cannon shot scatter them , and kill many of their men , and then especially when they doe most vigorously prosecute their fight ; from whence they oft bring back but halfe their equipage , though true it is , that they are seldom taken , by reason when they are pursued , they can retire into the reeds or near the shoares , where the galleys cannot come . the grand signior hath often complained of their pyracies to the king of poland , who never yet gave him any greater satisfaction for his dammages , then he hath received from him , for the inroads of the tartars , to whom there could never be raised up a more sutable enemy then these cossacks . as to their manner of making war by land , they are better foot-men then horse , they are patient , and laborious , obedient to their commanders , and extremely dextrous at casting up earth , and intrenching ; and not onely so , but also at another kind of ambulatory way of intrenching , which they perform by an handsome and orderly manner of disposing their * chariots , which is absolutely necessary when they march through those great desart plains , where the tartars run about continually : a thousand cossacks thus defended with their chariots , will make head against six thousand of those infidels , who seldom alight from their horses , so that a ditch or a small baricado is able to stop them , it would be very difficult in any other countrey to make an army march thus in the middle of chariots , there being few countreys in the world so flat and even as that . the countrey inhabited by the cossacks is called vkrain , which signifies the frontier , it extends it self beyond volhinia and podolia , and maketh a part of the palatinates of kiovia and braclaw , some years since they made themselves masters of these provinces , and of a part of black russia , which they have been forced since to quit : this countrey lieth between the 51 and 48 degree of latitude , below which there is nothing but desart plains as fa● as the black sea , which on one hand ar● extended to the danube , and on the other to palus maeotis , the grass of which countrey groweth to an incredible length . vkrain is very fruitful , and so is russi● and podolia , and if the earth be neve● so little cultivated , it produceth all sor● of grain so plentifully , that the inhabitants know not for the most par● what to doe with it ; their rivers not being navigable , whereby to transport it ; they have all sorts of cattel , and of game , and fish in abundance , honey , and wax in great quantity , wood which serves them to build their houses , they want nothing but wine and salt , the former they have out of hungary , transylvania , walachia , and moldavia , which their beer and mead and aquavitae , made out of corn , and much loved by them , doth supply them with ; for their salt , they are supplied with that from the salt-works of viclictza near cracow , or from pokutia , which is a countrey of poland , joyning to transylvania and moldavia , where the water of most of the wells is salt , and being boiled , as they doe the white salt in france , it is made up into little cakes ; this salt is very grateful to the taste , but it salteth not so well as the salt of brouage in france . all the houses in this countrey are of wood , the same as in moscovy and in poland , the walls of the towns are of earth , kept up by stakes or piles with planks cross them , such as damms are made with , they are subject to fire , but resist cannon shot better than plaistered walls . the principal rivers are the nieper or boristhenes , the bog , the niester or tyras , which bounds walachia , the dezna , the ros , the horin , the slucz , the ster , and many other lesser rivers and streams , by the number of which we may judge of the goodness of the soil . the most considerable towns and fortresses possessed by the cossacks are kiovia , where there is a palatinate and a metropolitan greek church , bialacerkiew , korsun , constantinow , bar , czarkassi , czehrin , kudak , jampol , at a passage over the niester , braclaw upon the bog , a palatinacy , winnicza , human , czernihow , pereaslaw , lubnie , pawoloiz , chwastow , all these places have been fortified within these few years ; and the sieur de beauplan , a french ingenier in the service of the great general koniespolki , and to whom the publick is obliged for two exact maps which he hath made of the vkrain , hath delineated and traced the fortifications of the most part of these places , besides which , there is not a town or habitation which hath not a rampant , or is not at least defended with a ditch to secure it self against the assaults of the tartars , who come often to visit these countreys . the peasants in vkrain , and the neighbouring provinces are like slaves , the same as they are in almost all places of poland , being forced to work three or four days in the week for their landlords , and are charged besides with many other duties , as of corn and fowl , for the lands which they hold , and to pay the tenth of sheep and hogs , and all fruit , and to carry wood and doe divers other days works ; add to this the ill treatment which they receive from the jews , who are farmers of the noblemens lands , and who before the wars did exact all these duties with a great deal of rigor ; and besides that had farmed out the brewing of beer , and the making of strong-waters , so that we need not wonder so much at their frequent revolting , and that in these last wars they disputed and defended their liberty with so much obstinacy ; for this severe servitude hath disclosed all these brave zaporowski cossacks , whose number is much increased of late years , through the dispair into which , the severity of the gentlemen and the jews , cast the people of this frontier , which hath constrained them to seek their liberties , or the end of their miseries among the rest . the inhabitants of vkrain , who are all at present called cossacks , and glory in carrying that name , are of a good stature , active , strong , and dextrous in what they doe , liberal , and little caring to gather riches , great lovers of liberty , and that cannot suffer any yoak ; unwearied , bold and brave , but very great drunkards ; perfidious and treacherous ; they delight in hunting and fishing , and in all arts necessary to a countrey-life , and to war , they have also this peculiar art , that they understand best how to prepare salt-peter with which their countrey aboundeth , and from whence great quantity is transported into divers places of europe ; they carry much of it to dantzick where the hollanders and other nations receive it . this countrey is very much incommodated with flies , which sting so fiercely in summer , as to make their faces all swelled , who doe not lie under a kind of net made like a soldiers hut , covered with a cotton cloth tucked in on the sides , and hanging down half a foot below the bed , so that there may be left no place open : but they are much more infested with locusts which come in some years , especially in very dry seasons ; they are brought by an east or southeast wind out of tartary , carcassia , and mengrelia , which countreys are scarce ever free from them ; they come in clouds of five or six leagues long , and three or four leagues broad , and darken the air in such sort , that the most clear weather becomes dusky ; wheresoever they stay , they reap all the corn in less then two hours time , though it be but green : these insects live but six months ; in the places where they stay ; in autumn they lay their eggs , every one about three hundred , and in the following spring they are hatched , and if the weather be drie , turn into so many locusts , the great rains kill them , and by this means this countrey is delivered from that scourge , or else by the north and northwest winds , which drive them into the black sea , when they are newly hatched , and are not yet turned into flies , they creep into houses , into beds , upon the tables , and upon the meat , so that they cannot eat without swallowing some of them : in the night they fall down into the high-ways and fields , which are sometimes covered with them , and when a chariot comes to pass over them , they send forth an intolerable ill smell . the russians and cossacks are afflicted with a disease called by the physitians , plica , and in the language of the countrey goschest , they who are seized with it , loose the use of their limbs , as paralitical persons doe , feeling great pains in their nerves ; this is followed by a great sweat in their head , and after that , their hair is all glued together , at which time the palsie leaveth them , but their hair remaineth wreathed and in elves-locks ; this disease which is incident to horses as well as men , is thought incurable in that countrey , but the sieur de beauplan assures us he hath cured many , by treating them in the same manner as those who are infected with the lues venerea , and some have been insensibly delivered from it by the change of air in passing from one countrey to another ; this disease proceedeth according to the common opinion from the crudity or some other bad quality of their waters ; and this is remarkable in it , that it is communicated by coition , as the french pox : some children bring it with them into the world , and are cured as they grow up . the language of the cossacks is a dialect of the polonian , as that is of the slavonian ; it is very delicate , and aboundeth in diminitives and pretty fashions , and manners , of elegant speech . as to their religion , they make profession of the greek , received in this countrey in the year 942. in the reign of wlodomir prince of russia , the greater part of the gentlemen profess either the catholick , lutheran , or calvinist . the principal points in the greek religion wherein they differ from the latine are , that they doe not admit of the proceeding of the holy ghost from the father and the son , but from the father onely , thinking that if they should believe him to proceed from both , it would suppose in him a double understanding , and a double will. the greeks also deny purgatory , saying , that every one after this life according to his actions in it , is to expect the day of judgement ; the good in pleasant and delicious places with the good spirits , and the evil in frightful and terrible habitations in company of the bad : founding this their belief upon that passage of scripture , venite benedicti patris mei possidere regnum coelorum , &c. & ite maledicti in ignem aeternum ; from whence they pretend to prove that there is no other judgement but that of the end of the world , it seeming to them incongruous that this sentence should be pronounced against those who are already judged . they doe not admit of the single lives of priests , and receive none to that function but such as are married , beleeving that the roman priests are anathematized by the councel held at gangra in the fourth canon of which it is said , qui spernit sacerdotem secundum legem uxorem habentem , dicens quod non liceat de manibus ejus sacramentum sumere anathema sit : and in another place , omnis sacerdos & diaconus propriam uxorem dimittens , sacerdotio privetur , so that they hold marriage to be so essential to the priesthood that a priest when he burieth his wife can no longer exercise his sacerdotal functions ; these priests are ordinarily taken out of colledges or monasteries , where they choose those of longest standing and greatest abilities . they refuse all councels , since the seventh oecumenical assembled under pope adrian , in which they say it was determined , that all things decided and resolved of in the preceding council , till that time , should remain firm and stable for ever , but that whosoever for the future should assemble any other council , or meet at it , should be an anathema , so that they count all what hath been determined of in the church since that time to be heretical and corrupted . the fathers which they follow , are s. bazile , s. gregory nazianzen , s. chrysostome ; they read also the morals of s. gregory the great , and having a great opinion of their sanctity , they hold in great veneration all the popes who were before the seventh council . they celebrate their liturgy in greece , and in natolia in the antient greek language , but the muscovites and russians have it in their own , yet they also mix some greek hymnes with it , they consecrate with leavened bread , and think it strange that the roman priests should make use of unleavened , and should imitate the jews in this , and yet not retain their sabboth or circumcision : besides , they say it is expresly set down in the gospel , that our saviour at the last supper took bread , which cannot be taken for unleavened bread , for the jews eat not of that but at the passover , and standing , when on the contrary , our lord at the institution of the last supper , sate down , or rather laid down with the apostles , recumbentibus duodecem , &c. and whence they conclude that he did not then keep the passover , but that it was some other repast . they invoke saints and angels as those of the roman church doe , and the blessed virgin and the apostles , whose festivals they solemnize ; and the russians , principally that of s. nicholas of myrea , whom they particularly adore . their baptisme , confession , marriage , ordination of their priests , and their extreme unction , differ little from the latines , the difference which there is in the eucharist is , that the people communicate in both kinds , and that the sacrament is administred to children of three years old , they have their hostia's apart for the sick , which they consecrate in the holy week . their fasts are more frequent and more austere then ours , they abstain not onely from flesh , but from butter , milk , cheese , eggs , and fish also , living onely upon cabbage , parsnips , mushrooms , and pulse ; there are some also so devout that they content themselves with bread and water , excepting saturdays and sundays , yet for all this the muscovites are often drunk in their lents , and doe not believe any more then the polanders , that excessive drinking doth any way break their fasts ; they have four fasts in the year , the first answereth to our lent , and lasts seven weeks ; the second beginneth from the octave after whitsuntide , and ends at the vigils of s. peter and s. paul ; the third from the first of august to the assumption of the blessed virgin ; and the last is during the advent , which beginneth fifteen days sooner then that of the church of rome , they observe the same abstinence on wednesdays and fridays ; there are very few points in which the russian and greek church differ , they holding the same communion and fourscore years since did acknowledge the patriarch of constantinople , since which time the great duke of muscovy hath thought fit to nominate the archbishop of mosco , upon which nomination he is consecrated by two or three of his suffragans . the bishops of black russia or southern russia did since that set up a church apart , and seeing the progress of the divisions which luther and calvin had made in their respective countreys , they determined in a synod which they held for the sustaining of themselves , to re-establish the union of their church with the roman catholick , and to this intent , in the year 1595. they deputed two , and sent them to rome , who in the name of the churches of black russia , presented in writing a confession of faith conformable to the belief of the council of trent , after that they had stipulated that they should retain the ceremonies of the greek church used when the union was made with the latine at the council of florence , but they are since fallen off . a discourse of the praecopian tartars . there are two great nations in the world , who live very much after the same manner , are of the same religion , and pretend to the same original ; these are the arabs and the tartars , the first living in part of asia and of africa , and the latter possessing all the northern regions of asia , and extending their territories into europe : some of these are more civilized then the others , have towns and literature , and improve their knowledge in arts and sciences , but the most part of them live a wandring life up and down in the fields and plains , in tents or sheds , or else contended to have no other covering but the heaven , not addicting themselves to agriculture , but delight in hunting , fighting , robbing , and have little other riches then their heards and flocks . all these tartars are divided into hordes , and the arabs into heyles or cobeyles , and almost all these people , make no allyance out of their own lineage and blood , from whence apparently proceeds , that great resemblance which they have to one another ; and some peculiar features which doe easily distinguish them from other nations . the tartars have not been known by this name , but for about four hundred years , and are properly the scythians ; some authors , as leunclave and others , derive this name from the river tartar , in the countrey where they did inhabit . there are some who say that the name of tartar is improper and corrupted , and that they ought to be called tatares or totares , a word which in the syriack language signifies a remnant , supposing that these people are the remnant of the ten tribes which salmanazar and his predecessors led away captive into assyria , and who afterwards resolved to separate themselves from the gentiles , and passed into a countrey not inhabited , there to exercise their religion , and to observe the laws which they had formerly neglected . tartary is devided into five parts , the first is the lesser tartary , or tartary of prezecop , called also crim tartary . the second is sarmatia , asiatica , which containeth many hordes of the tartars subject to the great duke of moscovia , as the czeremisses , the nagais , zauolhaus , and those of cazan and astracan . the third is zagatay , or the countrey of vzbek , otherwise called scythia beyond the mount imaus , which extends it self between the rivers of chesel , otherwise jaxarte , and gehon , or oxe , and comprehendeth bactriana , and sogdiana ; and in this tartary reigned the famous tamberlane . the fourth is cathay or great tartary . and the fifth is , that tartary which was unknown to ptolomy and lieth most remote in the north-east part of asia . the lesser tartary formerly called taurica chersonesus , hath received the name of praecopensis , from a town called przecop , scituated in the istmus of the peninsula . przecop in the sclavovian language , signifying a place ditched or digged ; there being a ditch which cutteth through this neck of land ; it is called also crim , from one of its principal towns of that name . the tauri were the antient inhabitants , and gave name to this countrey , many greek colonies came thither afterwards , and then some hordes of the tartars who came out from about the caspian sea , and after they had harrased a part of asia and passed the volga , did at length fall into this countrey , and take possession of it all , about 460. years since , except caffa and some other ports which remained in the hands of the genoeses from the year one thousand two hundred and sixty six , till one thousand four hundred and seventy four , when mahomet the second emperor of the turks took it from them . taurica chersonesus is about fifty leagues long , and in some parts thirty leagues broad , in others less ; but the lesser tartary is of a greater extent , comeprehending budziak , which is a countrey lying between the niester and the boristhenes , as far as the don or tanais , and all along the sea of elle zabacche , or palus maeotis . there are no towns nor yet villages , but in the chersonesus , the rest being only incultivated plains , yet of themselves very fruitful , and the tartars encamp up and down in them as they find more or less forrage , and make use of their huts , and their travelling sheds , onely in the winter to defend themselves against the great cold and snow , which we mean also of those onely who are left to keep the herds and flocks ; as for the rest they are ordinarily employed about this time , when the rivers and marshes are frozen up , to make their inroads , and plunder in vkrain , and upon the frontiers of moscovy . the towns of this peninsula are first przecop , called or by the tartars , where there are about four hundred houses ; it is scituated upon the eastern part of the istmus , being half a league about : coslow , seated on one of the capes of the peninsula upon the black sea , having about two thousand houses , and is a town of trade belonging to the cham : crim , another town of the cham's , scituated upon a bay which the palus maeotis maketh , and is inhabited by few else but by the tartars . baciasary where the cham ordinarily keepeth his court of about two thousand houses . almasaray , another palace belonging to the cham , whither he often goeth , but the town by it hath not above three or fourscore houses . the places possessed by the turk , are the port of baluelawa , very much esteemed , where the ships and galleys are made for him , but there are not there above two hundred houses at most . ingermen , and mancup , castles with ruined towns , but the most considerable place is caffa , formerly called theodosia , when the genoeses were masters of it , it was one of the most trading towns of the levant , but it is since faln from its grandeur , and hath run the same fortune with most of those towns , which have fallen under the ottoman dominion ; yet there are still remaining about five or six thousand houses : the inhabitants are greeks , italians ; the remainder of the genoeses , armenians , jews , turks and tartars , but the most part of them are christians , who have had to the number of five and forty churches there , either greek , arminian , or latine . taurica chersonesus consisteth partly of fruitful plains , and partly of woods and hills , it produceth all sort of grain and excellent fruit and wine . the christians and jews till the ground ; the tartars imploy their slaves in the same labor , esteeming it an employment below them , but the tartars without , despise it more , and choose rather to be shepheards and robbers : their horses and cattel are their riches , with the booty and slaves of both sexes , which they take in their incursions and sell to the merchants of caffa , after they have provided for themselves , and furnished the cham , who hath the priviledge to take first what men and women he pleaseth ; these slaves are afterwards carried away by the merchants of constantinople , synopa and trebisonde , and other places of the east , especially the women and maids of poland , who are carried away sometimes as far as persia and india , to furnish the serraglio's of those countreys where they are much esteemed ; formerly the soldans of aegypt did furnish themselves with soldiers out of taurica chersonesus , composing their militia of slaves taken by the tartars in russia , podolia , moscovia , and circassia . but since the ruine of that military empire by selim , that commerce with aegypt hath ceased . the tartars receive from the christian and jewish merchants in exchange for their slaves and cattel which they bring them , turkish horses , arms , stuffs for cloathing and other commodities . the praecopian tartars are most of them of a middle stature , strong , and thick limbs , short neck , broad face , their eyes small , but very black , and opening wide , their complexion tawny , and other particular lineaments they have which doe easily distinguish them from among many other men , hardened to all sort of labour and pains from their very infancy . their mothers hath them almost every day in water , in which salt is dissolved , to make their bodies more strong , and less apt to be penetrated by the injuries of the air , which i have seen also practised by the polish women , but these are contented to prepare this lye onely once a week , their fathers teach them very early to draw the bowe , and from the age of twelve or fifteen years they carry them with them to the wars . the tartars who live abroad , are habited in sheep-skins with a cap of the same stuffe ; their arms are ordinarily a cimeter , a bow and a quiver , with about twenty arrows ; they make themselves these arms , thus , their bows out of horses pizzels , their quiver , out of his skin , and tye the heads of their arrows with little thongs cut out of the same skin of the same animal , of which also they make their whips so neatly , by a particular art which they have , that our sadlers in france and germany , have not yet been able to imitate them ; they begin to use fire-arms , and all of them are furnish'd with knives and instruments to mend their bridles and saddles , which they also make themselves ; they carry with them a steel to strike fire , and a mariners compass , a sun-dyal to guide them through the desart plains where there is no beaten way or path . the chief among them wear cloth of divers colours , have linnen made of cotton , coats of mail , turkish saddles , and are in an handsome equipage , purchased either of the armenian merchants , or taken in war ; all ride very short , and carry their legs bended and high , after the manner of the poles , turks , arabs , and of all the eastern nations , and the africans . their horses which they call bacmates , are long , ugly , and lean , have the hair of their neck thick , and great tayls which hang down to the ground ; but nature hath very well repaired their ugliness by their swiftness , and their incomparable and indefatigable service they perform in travelling , being able to carry their riders whole days journeys without drawing bit ; they feed at all times , and when in winter the earth is covered with snow , and the tartars make their incursions , they live either upon what is under the snow , or upon the branches or sprouts of trees , pine tops , straw , or any thing they can find ; the chief of the tartars have turkish and arabian horses , and their cham very good race-horses . the travelling tartars scarce eat any bread coming seldom into places , where it is to be had , but they make use of millet , which is very common amongst them , with which they make their drink and pottage ; and eat ordinarily horse-flesh which they boil when they are at leisure , either alone or with their millet , but when they goe to war and are upon their march , they make it ready , or rather mortify , or just heat it , under their saddles ▪ and eat it afterwards in this condition without any other sauce then the froth upon the flesh , made by the sweating of the horse ; neither doe they choose the most fat or the most sound and wholsome horses to make their provision of , but they take such as are spent with their long marches , or are sick and lame , and i have seen at my being in poland , divers tartar prisoners come and take away dead horses out of the stables to feast one another with , so that there is no fear in those countreys that the carcasses of dead beasts should infect the air , they will take an order for that , and not fail to carry them away , assoon as they know where they are ; the use of wine being forbidden them by the law of mahomet , their drink is ordinarily clear water , and in winter snow , when the brooks and rivers are frozen over , and sometimes the broth made with their horseflesh , and the skumme , or else breha , which is a drink made with boiled millet , but those who are better accommodated , and more delicate , drink mares milk , mead , and strong waters , and eat lamb , kid , fowls , and all sort of game which they take ; they delighting much in hunting and fowling ; but all abstain from swines-flesh , and one may say this of them in general , that they are sober and continent ; as for the cham himself he keeps a better table , and fares more deliciously , is nobly lodged , and lives magnificently , and as becomes one of his quality . their language is much like the turkish , both of them having the same original , onely the turkish is more mixed with persian and arabick words ; their religion is the mahumetan . as to their morals , there are very few nations to be found less vitious , for besides their continence , they are extremely sincere , and faithful , they have no thieves or false witnesses amongst them , little injustice or violence , and live in union and great tranquility ; as to their harasing the christian countreys , they doe not think they commit any fault or injustice in doing it , seeing that they are esteemed by them as people that are infidels and abominable . the marvellous fidelity of the captive tartars in poland is every day to be observed , who never fail to return at the time appointed , when they are let loose upon their word to goe and procure their liberties by the exchange of polish prisoners , which they execute punctually , or return themselves not failing a minute ; and i have observed that the polish gentlemen doe rather trust the young tartars , which are in their service , with the keys of their money and jewels , then any other of their houshold . these people obey one prince whom they call their cham or king ; the polanders name him the czar or caesar , he is much respected by his own people and reigneth despotically , as almost all other mahumetan princes do ; the cham hath power of nominating his successor , who is ordinarily his son or one of his brothers , he that is to succeed , is called the galga ; the nobles or most considerable of his subjects are named murzas . since that selim , emperor of the turks brought a part of taurica chersonesus under his obedience ; the chams are not become tributaries , as some say , but vassals to the grand signior , in such sort , as for a mark of his soveraignty over them , they receive a standard from him at the change or installation of every cham. the first king or cham of these people was one vlan , whose birth they report to be miraculous ; his successors were supplanted about two hundred years agoe by the geereys , a family which at this day sits upon the throne , yet their are some left of the former , still called vlans , and are to succeed in the government when the house of the geereys shall be extinct . the religion of the praecopian tartars being mahumetan , and their language the turkish , together with their nearness to constantinople ; the government also is very like to that of the turks ; the cham's first minister of state is called the vizier , the same as the grand signior's ; they have also priests and caditi's to doe justice , for the administration of which they have no other code but the alcoran , and no other interpreter of that but their own common sense ; the parties plead their own cases , which are briefly and readily dispatched ; the cham himself doth justice , and determines controversies , especially when he goeth forth in publick , without acception of persons , hearing the poor as well as the rich . drunkenness , murder , adultery , and theft are most rigorously punished , and though they be much accustomed to rob in war , yet they totally abstain from it in their own countrey , where wearing of any arms is prohibited them , even in the cham's court. the forces of this prince are very numerous , for gathering together all the hords , of the tartars , who doe either obey him or are his allies , he is able to bring into the field many thousand horse ; they have no foot but some janisaries which they receive from the turk upon any expedition which they make by his order or agreement ; there are some few garrisons in the castles and strong places of taurica chersonesus , the most considerable is in the fortress of przecop , or or , which hath notwithstanding but a bad ditch four or five fathoms over , and a rampart of seven or eight foot high , and two fathoms and half over ; here lieth always a strong guard to defend the entrance of the peninsula , and he that is governor is commander of all the hordes of the tartars , as far as the boristhenes . the wars which the tartars ordinarily make , are rather an inroad then any thing else . how strict peace soever they have with the christians their neighbors , they doe not fail to visit them often , either upon their inclination , or upon the command of the cham , who always pretends to a tribute from the moscovites and polanders , which they have paid sometimes when necessity hath forced them , and refused at others , as not being willing to subject themselves to these acknowledgements towards infidels , and those whom they dispise . when the tartars would make any great inroad either into poland or moscovy ; they choose ordinarily the full moon of january , all the rivers , lakes and marshes , being then frozen , and the earth , especially in the plain desarts covered with snow , which is very commodious for their horses which are not shod ; every tartar carrieth two with him , either for change , or to carry his booty and provision ; neither is his provision very weighty , consisting onely of a little millet , dried flesh powdered after the manner of the turks , and some garlick , which they hold very proper to digest so many crude meats as they eat , and many times they carry nothing , feeding onely upon the flesh of their horses which perish in their march ; they take their way through the valleys and most obscure passages , that they may not be discovered by the cossacks , who always keep centry and watch , and are out upon parties to hear news of them , and so to allarm the countrey . that which is most surprising is , that in the middle of winter they incamp without fire , for fear of being discovered , and eat little but horseflesh stewed under their saddles ; when they are arrived at those places where they intended , whither it be in vkrain or elsewhere , their generals let loose one third part of their army , which is divided into divers troops , and these over-run and pillage all the countrey five or six leagues about the wings of their army ; their main body in the mean time keeping close together , to be in a posture to fight their enemies , if their should be occasion ; afterwards this party being returned , they let loose another in its turn , observing always this order , that all their troops which run up and down , may in a few hours return to the body of their army : after they have pillaged and harrased the countrey five or six days , they return as fast as they can , that they may not be set upon in their retreat , and having regained the open desart plains , where their body consisting of horse , they have great advantage in fight ; they make a halt to refresh themselves awhile , and to share the booty and prisoners . they make their incursions also in summer , but not in such great numbers , seldom so many as ten thousand together , and these are the tartars of budziak , who at that season lead their horses and cattel into the plains to feed , and so getting ground , they of a suddain run out and take away all they meet ; nor is it easie to stop them but with a thousand men , marching always in tabor . the tartars fight not but in great troops of two , three , or four thousand horse , and seldom give battle but when they are much the stronger , and when their army is forced and broken up by the enemy , they scatter and disperse themselves into so many little troops , that the polanders and germans , who march close and by squadrons , know not which to set upon in their retreat ; they shoot their arrows from behind them , with such exactness as to hit those who pursue them at two hundred paces distance , and at a quarter of a league from thence rally their forces again and return presently to charge ; this they repeat often , it being their manner of fighting , but it is onely thus , when they are the greatest number , for otherwise when they once run , it is full speed , and not to return again , and it is difficult to surprise them , they keeping strict watch all night , not easie to defeat them , unless it be in some streight , or upon some pass of a river . the prisoners which they take , they make slaves and sell them to the merchants of constantinople and caffa , and other places of the east , who either keep them to wait upon themselves , or to look after their cattle , or till the ground , entertaining with the same face as we have formerly spoken of , as divers polish and french officers have related unto me ; amongst others , lieutenant-collonel nicolai , and captain croustade , who most unfortunately fell into their hands ; but the poles are even with them , for except those children whom they choose to wait upon them , and baptize and instruct in the christian religion , or some murza which they shut up and treat well enough , and hope to exchange for some polish nobleman , prisoner in tartary ; the rest are kept as slaves , having always irons upon their feet , and are made use of as beasts to carry all manner of burthens , lime , brick , and all other materials for building , wood for their kitchins and chambers , and to make clean their houses , and plough , and other labors , being always followed by one who keeps them to their work , yet these poor people get some time to make whips , which they sell and buy provisions with the money , their ordinary allowance being onely bread and water , unless when they get a dead horse ; when i was at warsaw , i had opportunity to take notice of two or three hundred of them , who lived after this manner , either under the king , or some great polish nobleman . the history of the war of the cossacks against poland . poland hath had often very powerful enemies to deal with , as the german empire , the knights of the teutonick order , since their establishment in prussia , often backed by german forces ; the tartars who have made frequent incursions , and sometimes traversed the countrey from one end to the other . the turks who came in the year 1621. to choczin upon the niestre with an army of four hundred thousand men , and seemed to swallow up the kingdom , and the rather , because at the same time the king of sweden , gustavus adolphus entred into liefland with a considerable force , yet have the poles made head against all these enemies , though never so redoubtable , and those wars never appeared so dangerous to them , as that which insued upon the defection of the cossacks in the year 1648. almost at the very moment of the death of their king , for these rebels did not onely ingage all those of black russia to rise with them , but at once laying off all that mortal and irreconcileable hatred which they have always had for the tartars , they made a league with them , and did proceed further to implore the assistance of the turk towards the total ruine and destruction of poland . having therefore joyned their forces with those of the infidels , they made in less then four years time , four great irruptions into this kingdom with armies of two or three hundred thousand fighting men , who were the more formidable , by reason that their infantry , hardned to all labor and injuries of the weather , and sufficiently warlike by their frequent incountring the tartars invasions , were now sustained and backed by the tartar cavalry , which without contradiction would be the best in the world if it were exercised with the same martial discipline as that of christendom . bogdan kmielniski was the first spark which kindled this fire , and the hinge upon whom this war moved , he was born a gentleman , son to the podstarroste of a polish general , being inrolled young in the cossackian militia ; from a private soldier he attained by degrees to the charge of a captain , and was deputed from this militia to the diets of poland , was afterwards made commissary-general , and in the end general , having besides this some tincture of literature , a thing very rare in any of those people ; king vladislaus being weary of languishing in a slothful quietness , while that most part of the other kings and princes of christendom were in action , in the year 1646. designed a war against the praecopian tartars , whom he pretended to drive out of crimea , and judged kmielniski , worthy to command the cossackian army , of which he made very great account , especially in this expedition ; but the kings designe not being seconded by the christian princes , who were employed otherwise , nor by the venetians themselves , upon whose assistance he did very much depend , and on the other side the states of poland being jealous of his raising forces , he was obliged to disband and pay off his troops with a good part of his queens dowry . kmielniski was by this means out of service , yet soon found occasion of imploying himself upon a dispute which happened about his estate , between him and czapliniski , lieutenant to konielpolski , great ensigne of the crown , and was the more exasperated by the ill treatment which his own wife and son received , who in the strife happened to be struck with a cudgel : he was not long before he returned the injury , for discovering that the russes were disposed to set themselves free , and could no longer relish that peace , which instead of procuring them repose , gave a greater opportunity to their noblemen to keep them in servitude and oppression ; he very well managed their discontents , and assured himself of the cossacks , retiring himself about the beginning of the year 1648. towards the porohi , or isles of the boristhenes , there to fortify and put himself in defence against any assault of the polanders . some thought , and with great probability , that king vladislaus , being willing to take in hand again the designe of his expedition against the tartars , entertained a private correspondence with him , and was the cause under-hand that the cossacks revolted , to the end that the states of poland furnishing him with an army to suppress them , when they came to meet , they might joyn their forces , and the greatest part being strangers , and commanded by those who are intimate with them , they would little have regarded the orders of the states , but followed this prince against the tartars and against the turks also , with whom they would necessarily have been ingaged , having attacqued the former ; but howsoever it was , kmielniski seeing that the letters which he sent into poland to complain of the injuries done to the cossacks , and to him in particular , although full of submission and protestations of obedience , were of no effect ; but on the contrary , the great general potoski was preparing to come against him ; and distrusting his own strength , he called for assistance from the tartars , who passed the winter in the desart plains , seeking their opportunity to make their ordinary inroads , and plunder in vkrain , conducted by tohaibeg , one of their captains , a brave commander , but often mutinous , and refractory to the orders of the cham. the great distance of places was favourable to kmielniski , and kept the polish generals some time from the knowledge of his private treaties , but so soon as they had certain advice thereof , they resolved to march with all diligence towards the zaporovian islands , and to stifle this revolt in its cradle , they dispatched therefore on that side , a part of the polish army designed for the guard of the frontiers , and particularly the body of cossacks entertained in the service of the states under the conduct of schomberg their commissary . stephen potoski , son to the general sapiha czarnecki , and some other officers . part of the cossackian militia which was imbarked upon the boristhenes , being arrived at the porohi , went immediately over to kmielniski , violating in favour of their countrey-men , their oath of allegiance to the polanders , which they had so lately taken . kmielniski marching with this recruit against the rest of the cossacks , easily obliged them to follow the example of the former . among these latter , there were some troops of dragoons which did excellent service in this war against the polish nobility , who to save the charges of a german guard , which the gentlemen of that countrey used to have about their persons , had armed and habited many of those countrey-men after the fashion of the german dragoons , renewing thus their courage by the change of their condition , and bringing them out of the baseness of slavery . kmielniski fortified with these revolting cossacks , found no great difficulty to overcome the rest of the polish troops , who were not in all above fifteen hundred men ; the poles defended themselves some days in the middle of their tabor , but having lost their canon , and not being able to resist so great a number which encompassed them on all sides , they were all either slain or made slaves by the tartars ; sapitza was one of these , schomberg was mortally wounded , and potoski not being able to be carried away , died in the field . kmielniski carefully managing this advantage , had the glory which ordinarily accompanies the first victory , made head against the rest of the polish army , which consisted of about five thousand men , and whose commanders having long expected the news of their first troops ordered towards the boristhenes , and now being certainly informed of their defeat , as that also the cossacks had deserted them , and that the tartars were joyned with the rebels , thought it necessary to retreat , for the preservation of the forces of the kingdom , but it was now too late , for the bacmates overtaking them , began to skirmish with them , and some tartars being taken prisoners , did confess upon the rack , that their army consisted of forty thousand men , besides seven thousand cossacks , and the countreymen of the adjacent colonies who came in hourly to them . the polish council of war deliberating therefore what was to be done , found no expedient better then that of continuing their retreat in the middle of their chariots , neither was this sufficient , for they had scarce marched halfe a league before they entred into a thick forrest , whose bottom was marshy and full of boggs , and to make them still more exquisitely unhappy , the cossacks who remained with them , to the number of eighteen hundred , did then forsake them , so that after four hours striving , as well against the bad ways as their enemies , and their tabor being broken up , and they set upon on all sides , most of them were either killed upon the place , or choaked in the mudd . this misfortune which happened about korsun , became more sensible to poland by reason of the death of king vladislaus the iv who died at this time at mereche in lithuania in the two and fiftieth year of his age , no man doubting but this prince by his valour joyned with all those other great perfections which he was endowed with , and which made him venerable and beloved by his own , as well as esteemed and feared by his enemies , would by his authority and great name , have quickly suppressed this new rising , and but yet infant rebellion of the cossacks . the kings death was not presently known to kmielniski , who , if he had been informed of it , would not have failed to have shown more fierceness then he did after the defeat of the polish army ; upon which he wrote a very submissive letter to the king , in which he laid all that was passed upon the insolence of the governors , and upon the rapines and insupportable exactions of the jews , who for farmers of the kings land , and of many gentlemens estates , he asked pardon for what he was constrained to doe in his own defencc , promised to send back the tartars , and to live in obedience to his majesty , if he would be pleased to maintain him and his cossacks in their liberty and priviledges granted them by the former kings his predecessors , but a while after he understood the king was dead , by a letter sent him from adam kisiel palatine of braclaw by the hands of a greek monk : this palatine who was also a greek , used very milde and obliging expressions to bring back the head of the cossacks to his obedience , setting forth to him the antient fidelity of the zaporowski cossacks , who though they were very jealous of their liberty , were always very constant , and lived in a state where all persons , but chiefly men of war , had always free access to make good their interests , and to complain of their injuries which they received ; that he , being the onely senator of the greek religion , and protector of their rites and churches , which he did always most heartily defend : did conjure him by the saintity of the same religion , and the honour of the russian nation , that he would send home the tartars , and lead the cossacks back into their ordinary stations , and that in the mean time he would depute some persons to make known the injuries which they and he in particular had received , and to desire some redress , offering his own care and services to help them to all the satisfaction they could pretend to , and withal , he was a person of that rank and quality in the state , that no determinations or orders could be given either for peace or war , without his being advertised of it ; but he assured them , he should always be inclined to have these disorders terminated in a peaceable way , rather then to have them entertained by the continuation of a civil war ; and that their arms at present imployed in their mutual ruine , might be more profitably , and gloriously made use of against the enemies of christendome . the tartars were apt upon the least occasion to take up arms , but their first heat and choler being past , they returned of themselves , and were reconciled without any mediation , they should therefore take their leaves of them , and retain nothing but this laudable custom of theirs . the monk who carried this letter was in great danger of falling into the hands of the tartars , but escaping with much difficulty , he arrived at the camp of kmielniski , which he found confused enough ; the general called the soldiery together in a tumultuous way , had the letter read before them , and was the first himself who approved the council of the palatine of braclaw ; and being backed by the plurality of voices , it was determined that all acts of hostility should cease , and that they should wait for an answer from the court of poland ; that the tartars should be sent back into the desart plains , with orders there to keep themselves ready upon all occasions , and that the palatine should be invited to come to the camp. this moderation of kmielniski , when his affairs were at that heighth , surprized all the world , although it were not void of artifice , for as on one side it appeared that he had put a stop to the course of his victories , to hinder any further bloodshed , and to obtain pardon more easily , so on the other , he made this ostentation of his power to the polanders , to extort from them , what he could not perhaps have obtained onely by his submission . retiring therefore into the town of bialacerkiew , he kept himself quiet , while that crzivonos , another commander of the cossacks , a person of little worth , but bold and horribly cruel , harrassed black russia and podolia , kmielniski pretended to disallow of these violences , and promised to put this crzivonos and five other commanders of the peasants in rebellion into the hands of the polanders , but this was all to amuse them , that he might at the same time the better seize upon the fortress of bar. jeremiah michael duke of wisnowitz arriving on the borders of russia with some troops , to whom were joyned those of janus tiskewitz , palatine of kiovia , and the kings regiment of guards , commanded by ossinski , lieutenant-general of lithuania , opposed these incursions of crzivonos , and stopped his progress who would otherwise have overrun the kingdom with those great numbers with him . many other troops and the rear made up of the nobility of the frontiers , making a new army , they marched against the cossacks , and the rebellious peasants , after they had endeavoured a second time , but all in vain , to make an accommodation with their commanders . the state of poland was made more sensible upon this occasion then ever before of the greatness of that loss which it sustained by the death of their king ; there being now no person of authority enough to command so many great men as were at that time in the army , who would by no means give place to one another and their dissentions and disorders at length grew so high , that the most judicious , considering in what condition affairs were , thought it absolutely necessary to avoid fighting ; in pursuance of which council , it was resolved that they should retreat in good order in the middle of their tabor towards constantinow ; but these orders were so ill understood then , when some troops about pilaucze began to move ; others not waiting their times , marched away before the rest , and began a confusion , which being increased by the obscurity of the night , and communicated to all that followed , it struck such a panick fear into the whole army , that even the most brave were not exempt from it , who could not be so soon informed of the cause of this general flight and consternation : this would have secured an intire victory to kmielniski , if he had not been involved in the same ignorance , but he knew so little of what passed , that he took this flight of the polanders for a stratagem , nor could he beleeve the truth of the report , and instead of pursuing them with all diligence , he contented himself to follow them slowly , and with all circumspection , till at length being undeceived , with a sad heart he turned his forces against leopold , a town very considerable for its trade , especially into the east , and indifferently strong , but at that time not furnished with forces or provisions , fit for its defence . arcissenski an old officer who had a long time served abroad , and been a commander under the hollanders in brasil , was left therein , and put in hopes of being speedily relieved from the lesser poland . the inhabitants commanded by this officer made a strong resistance for some days , but the castle forsaken by those who defended it , being taken by the besiegers , and there being little hope left of holding out long against so numerous an army as lay before the town , and the want of provisions being afflicting already , they redeemed themselves and bought off the enemy from the walls with a considerable sum . the cossacks having quitted leopold , came before zamoscie , a town fortified after the modern way by john zamoski , great general , and great chancellor of poland in the time of king sigismund , father to the two last kings . this place was at that time the onely asylum for the nobility of russia , who had been driven from their estates by the revolted peasants , and there being a good party in the town from the palatinates of belz , and sendomir , and fifteen hundred men which louis weiher palatine of pomerania had brought thither out of prussia ; all the attempts which the cossacks and rebellious peasants made for a months time , were all in vain , so that after they had lost many men , they retreated to the bottom of russia . we must not pass over in silence the assistance which the poles received from his most christian majesty , who although the fire of civil war began already to be kindled in france , permitted that the eight hundred auxiliaries raised at his expence by colonel christopher przemski , who commanded a polish regiment in flanders should be joyned to the poles army under the same colonel , who out of this recruit formed one good regiment . kmielniski being retired with his forces into their winter quarters ; some great persons on the behalf of poland begun to treat with him of peace , but they received very haughty answers , all the advantages of the last campagne having rendred him more insolent then before , so that it was as much as they could doe to prevail with him to consent to a truce for some moneths . the praeludes of a new war began on both sides before the time was expired ; the rebels forces provoked the polish in divers places , but bore away the marks of their fool-hardiness having been worsted almost every where by andrew firley , governor of belz , and stanislaus landskoroniski , governor of camieneche , between whom the new king john casimir , presently after his election , divided the command of his forces , they received amongst others , very notable shocks at zwiehal , ostropol , bar , and other places , which were retaken , with great destruction of the rebels , and rich booty to the polanders . kmielniski seeing that the spring approached , which he expected with impatience after that he had called in the tartars again , took the field to make a new inroad into poland : the poles also gathered together to cross his design , and their commanders having deliberated in what place they ought to stay , till the rest of the forces of the kingdom were come up to them ; amongst many advices , of which , one amongst others was to lodge under the cannon of camienesche , the importance of which fortress being a bar against the turks was such , that the preservation of it deserved that it should be preferred before any other consideration whatsoever ; the advice of firley prevailed , who judging it not fit to draw off the army from the frontiers , lest they should be exposed to the irruption of the enemy , made choice of the town of zbaras , belonging to the duke wisnowitski , as a place most convenient for his design , and for the reception of those recruits which they expected , he had no more then nine thousand men with him , taking in those troops which some noble-men had raised at their own expences , he had with him amongst other commanders , landskoronski , the count of ostorog , great cup-bearer to the crown , joyned with him as colleagues ; duke demetrius , jeremiah michael wisnowitski , and alexander koniespolski , great ensigne to the crown , son of the defunct great general of the same name . general firley foreseeing that he should soon be environed with an army almost innumerable , did presently furnish himself with provisions , and repaired the old fortifications as well of the town as of the castle of zbaras , and secured his camp by a good intrenchment flancked with forts and redoubts , and taking a particular care of a certain lake which furnished him abundantly with water , that it might by no means be turned away by the enemy . he was no sooner intrenched , but the army of the tartars and cossacks came and encompassed them in on all sides in such numbers , that there have been seldom seen the like forces together , since those of attila and tamberlan ; and that which was never known before , the cham himself was there in person , thinking to swallow up the kingdom of poland as a prey , which could not escape him , and which kmielniski did not fail to make him believe infallibly his own ; so that he made so little esteem of this handful of polish soldiers , which were the onely forces which appeared then to defend the frontiers ; that he resolved not to take them by famine , but to force their camp , which he thought he might so much the more easily execute by reason that the number of his army was such , that he had no need to be sparing of his men. he made a general assault upon the 13 of july , 1649. which was very furious , and he himself at the head of his forces ; who not understanding well the danger , and unacquainted with the polish valor , rushed on desperately to this attack ; the cheif assault was made upon the quarters of general firley , as most of all exposed . those that assaulted them , were under covert by the convenience of a neighboring valley : so that some of them , who had already forced the intrenchment , were beaten off with great difficulty . firley and prince wisnowitski defended themselves valiantly ; the latter seeing his men begin to give way . prohibited them by his command shooting any longer against the tartars , whom he gave out to have promised peace and friendship to their generals ; and by this artifice , encouraged and perswaded his soldiers so far , that they supposing now they had onely the cossacks to deal withal , had new vigor infused into them , and after having slain a great number , repulsed the rest astonished at their desperate bravery , having now sustained that same day seventeen assaults . the cossacks renewed them again the following days , but still with less success , although they joyned stratagems to force , for to make the polanders think that they had received new forces from the turks , they habited divers of their own after the turkish manner , who conducted a party of horse the same way habited , but were really onely turkish vests stuffed with straw , and set on horsback . but the manner of this deceit was easily discovered to the polanders by their perspective glasses . kmielniski sent in letters often , in some of which he exhorted firley to an accommodation ; in others , he sollicited the german troops to desert them ; but finding that he prevailed nothing , either by force or art , he thought upon attacking the polish camp by approaches , and imployed the revolted peasants who were in great number in his army , to work in them day and night ; so that in few days he advanced them to the very foot of their intrenchment . this new attempt of the cossacks , troubled the poles more then the former , and seeing that they were now shut up closer , and that it would be difficult for them to maintain their first intrenchment , they made others nearer to the town : into which , they retired themselves as soon as they were perfected , and divers , even of the officers themselves , were of opinion , that they should quit all that was without , and shut themselves up into the place ; but this advice appearing very dangerous , was not followed . but besides the extremity they were reduced to , in having scarce any space left them to stir in , their provision began to be scarce , and their provender for their horses ; so that they dying every day in heaps , caused an unsupportable stink in the camp. a morsel of bread was sold for ten poltoracks , and a tun of beer for fifty florins . the soldiers lived upon no other provision , then the flesh of dogs and horses . kmielniski knowing in what condition the besieged were , became more insolent , and would grant them no terms but what were very hard . the cham shewed himself more courteous , yet having demanded that wisnowitski and koniespolski should come and confer with him . and the polandders refusing that these great persons should put themselves into his hands , he was very much offended . the polish generals might well send messengers to the king of poland , to let him know in what extremity they were , and to desire a speedy relief ; for most of them fell into the hands of the cossacks or tartars ; and if any one escaped in their going out , yet they received no answer , they being either killed or taken prisoners in their return . howsoever the generals pretended , that from time to time they received news from his majesty of poland ; and that he would speedily come to relieve them ; and that it might be the more firmly believed , they affixed the kings seal to the letters which they feigned , having taken it off from other letters which they had formerly received . thus they encouraged the besieged army , and induced them to have patience , both by the artifice and sweetness of their discourse . some , even of the principal officers , who had provisions sufficient for themselves , left their good meals which they might have made , and betook themselves to eat stinking horse-flesh and dogs-flesh , to make these unsavory dishes be better relished by their soldiers . firley , although he were infirm , by reason of his years and maladies , would have made use of the same fare , had he not been often hindred by those who were about him . wisnowitski and koniespolski neglected not in the mean time , frequently to sally out upon the besiegers , to put them out of hopes of any speedy victory over people , who still preserved so much vigor and resolution , in the middle of those miseries , which they suffered ; but besides , the scarcity of victuals , their want of ammunition hindred them from shooting so frequently as before . and the cossacks were no ways negligent on their part ; for besides their continual shooting against the polish camp , and their frequent assaults , they made approaches against the town ; and attempted to cut off the water from the besieged . but these designs not succeeding , they contrived to set the town of zbaras on fire , and cheifly one of its gates , which did very much incommodate them , it being higher then the rest , and the best marks-men of the poles shot from thence without ceasing ; amongst whom captain butler did marvellous execution , and father muchaveski , a jesuite , no less ; who from the gate of the castle killed no less then two hundred cossacks for his part . a great company of the rebels came up to the gate with firebrands in their hands , ready to set it on fire : having obtained which , it was very probable they would gain the rest ; but the besieged being advertised of their design , prepared themselves to render it ineffectual , received them briskly , and made a great slaughter . things were in this posture , when an arrow shot into the town , brought with it most fortunately a letter tied to it ; by which he who wrote it , although his name were never known , gave them to understand he was a gentleman ; and first excused himself , for serving under the cossacks ; to which he was induced by the outrages which he had received from a certain great person ; and by the turn of the fortune of the poles the year before , but yet that he had not for all that , lost his love and zeal for his countrey , as he had testified to them in three other letters , which he had sent to them in the same manner ; and did now give them notice , that the king was certainly coming to their relief , and already arrived at zborow , that the cossacks being informed of his coming , would not fail to redouble their assaults against them ; but for the same reason they ought to redouble their courage , and prepare themselves to repulse them with their utmost vigor . the most part of the besieged could not put any confidence in this letter , supposing it to be a new invention of the generals : but soon after it was found to be true , and that the king was advanced as far as zborow to deliver his besieged forces , having surmounted all those obstacles which might retard his preparations , and his march . true it is , that his army was thought by the most intelligent , not onely insufficient to confront that terrible number of enemies which he went against , but even to sustain the least onset from them , it consisting in all , but of fifteen thousand soldiers in pay , and five thousand others raised by the nobility at their own charge , the rest not being able to come so soon , having been too slow in their levies ; notwithstanding the continual instances of the king , and his earnest diligence in this affair . kmielniski and the cham understanding of the march of the king of poland , divided their forces , and leaving forty thousand tartars ; with a great number of the cossacks , and revolted peasants before zbaras ; with the rest of their forces marched towards zborow , and were not discovered by the kings forces , either by reason that the king had sent none out to inform himself , or that the countrymen thereabouts , more inclined to favor the cossacks , as being of the same religion with them , had not faithfully reported what they knew of it ; insomuch , that the cossacks and tartars arrived at the kings camp without being any ways discovered , being assisted therein by the woods , the thick mists , and the negligence of their enemy . nay , kmielniski himself found means to enter into the town of zborow , and there to consider at his leisure the posture of the polish army . and no sooner were the poles gotten over the causeys and bridges , which are in the marshes about the town , and began to put themselves in order , but they found that they were on a sudden charged by the cossacks and tartars . the fight began about the baggage , the tartars came soon after and fell upon the back of the kings forces , having crossed a water ; where the peasants by a remarkable treachery , had broken down a causey which kept it up , and so rendred it fordable to the infidels . the nobility of premislie , and the cavalry of the duke of ostrog sustained the first onset ; but being not able to resist the great numbers of their enemies , many of that nobility were lost , and all their baggage . stanislaus wituski and leon sapicha vice-chancellor of lithuania , coming to their relief , repulsed the tartars for a time ; but these returning with more impetuosity against the troops of the vice-chancellor , they must now have been suppressed after a contest of six hours , if that the governor of sendomire , and baldovin ossolinski starroste of stabnitz , had not given the infidels a diversion . in which , ossolinski and divers gentlemen of the palatinate of russia were slain ; while this passed in the rear and flanks of the polish army , kmielniski with his cossacks , and a party of tartars attacked the front. the king who at the first noise , of their arrival , had put his forces into batalia , gave the leading of the right wing to the great chancellor ossolinski . this wing was composed of the cavalry of the king ; and of that of the palatines of podolia , beltz , and enhoff scarroste of sokal , and other regiments : and ordered the left wing to be commanded by george lubomirski , starroste of cracovia , and the duke coreski ; where besides the regiments of horse were divers companies of voluntiers . the main battel made up of the infantry , and where the king himself was in person , was commanded by major general hubald of misnia , who had served a long time in the german wars , and had afterwards commanded the militia of dantzick ; and by one wolff a gentleman of liefland , governor of cracovia ; both which had their german regiments with them . the tartars extending themselves wide before the vant-guard , as if they came onely to observe them , after they had closed of a suddain after their manner of fighting , threw themselves upon the right wing , where they were received bravely , and finding that the foot were defended with their pikes , and not in a condition to be broken up , they passed to the left wing , which they were able to shake more then the other , coreski who was at the head of them , had his horse shot from under him . ruzouski was wounded with an arrow through the cheeks , yet did not neglect with the arrow sticking still in the wound , to goe and advertise the king of the danger wherein the left wing was , his majesty of poland not regarding the dignity of his person , ran in all haste to encourage his soldiers by his presence , bringing them on again which were flying away , and complaining that he had no more officers to command them ; yet notwithstanding he himself would take their place , and he had been insenbly ingaged in the hottest of the battel , if those about him had not detained him . the presence of the king who exposed himself in this manner for their safety , did reanimate his soldiers as much as the dreadful number of their enemies had discouraged and astonished them , and afterwards they fought with more heat , nor would be forced to give ground . some tartars having broken in on one side were repulsed again by the discharge of their cannon , and by two companies of foot commanded by ghiza , captain in the kings guards , and in the end the enemy not being able to get any advantage over them answerable to those great endeavors against the polish army , the night coming on , terminated that days engagement , in which in all likelihood they were to have been cut in pieces ; most of the night was spent in consulting and giving order how to receive the enemy the next day , they made some intrenchments in haste to defend themselves by , and in others they placed their baggage , but while the king was consulting with the principal commanders and nobility , a report was spread through the camp , that his majesty had a design to retreat that night with most part of his . the extream danger into which affairs were brought , rendered the report of this retreat more probable , and it wanted little , but the same consternation had happened there as before at pilaucze . the king who was just retired to repose himself a little being informed of it , got presently on horseback , and riding up and down through the camp , undeceived them , and by his presence shewed how vain the impression was , they had received of his retreat , of which he did declare he never so much as thought of , but was resolved to stand it out against the enemy , putting them in hopes of a favourable success in the next days undertaking . amongst the proposals at the council of war upon the present conjuncture of affairs , that of attempting to disingage kmielniski from the cham , was most approved of , and therefore a tartar prisoner was sent with a letter from his majesty , in which he gave him to understand , that he could not beleeve that he had lost all sense and memory of those favours which he had received from king vladislaus , from whom when he was formerly taken prisoner in poland , he had received so favourable an entertainment and his liberty , and to whose bounty he was beholden for his present dignity , and that after this it was strange he should associate himself with rebels and slaves , but that he ought not to promise himself any great advantages from so unjust a confederation . since god would give no blessing on such designs ; in the mean time his majesty thought it convenient to put him in mind of the obligation which he had to the king his predecessor , and withal to offer him his own friendship , if so be that he esteemed that more then an alliance with rebels ; the answer of this letter was not so suddenly received , and the next day morning , so soon as it was day , the army of the cossacks and tartars appeared in batalia , the first against the city of zborow , and the latter fell upon the baggage . four hundred light horse were able for some time to amuse the cossacks with divers skirmishes . and afterwards being sustained by a greater number , they drove them off beyond the town , and those who did attend the baggage having taken arms , preserved it against the tartars . the enemies afterwards divided themselves into three bodies , and at as many places attacked the kings camp , after having first of all seized upon a church which did command it , where having planted a battery by their continual shooting from which they had forced many who defended it to retire ; they had almost made themselves masters of it , and one of their most resolute soldiers had already planted colours upon the works , when that a great body of the kings party running together , made so brave a resistance , that the enemy did not onely give over the assault but the fight , the servants sallied out to pursue them , and shewed such courage upon this occasion , that some proposed they should have horses given them , and be ordered into troops to increase the number of their forces , and being reinforced with this supply drawn from the army it self , they might then hazard a battel , others were of the opinion , that it could not be expedient to venture so far , seeing that after a defeat they would necessarily be reduced to the same extremity as those at zbaras , out of this diversity and incertainty of council , wherein the poles then floated , knowing not which way to steer , it pleased providence to conduct them happily to their port. the cham who before all these assaults upon both the polish armies , had promised himself a speedy and certain victory , and now finding to the contrary , so much fearless resolution among them , began to be weary of this war , and to shew himself more inclined towards an accommodation , wrote a civil answer to the kings letter , in which he acknowledged himself obliged to the crown of poland ; and that if his majesty after his election had applied himself to him , he would have set a greater value on his friendship , and embraced it sooner then the interest of the cossacks , but they had neglected it so much , that they scarce considered him as an ordinary man , although they might well perceive how advantagious his friendship might be , and now seeing there was an occasion of renewing their antient alliance , he would not be backward on his side , but promised to oblige the cossacks to lay down their arms and to return to their obedience , provided that the articles of the former treaties were observed ; and that if his majesty desired to name a place to confer in , and send his chancellor thither , he would send his vizier . this letter was also accompanied with one from kmielniski , full of respect , and in which he assured the king of his fidelity and future services . the conference being accepted of by his majesty of poland , and the place appointed between both the armies , the vizier and the great chancellor ossolinski , met according to appointment . the vizier demanded that they should pay the pension which they were accustomed to give the cham for the services which he was bound to render to poland , which king vladislaus had refused to pay ; that they should satisfy the zaporouski cossacks , and for the dammages and expenses which the tartars had been at in this expedition , and the blood they had lost , it should be permitted them to make their excursions and plunder the countrey in their return , in the mean time there was a suspension of arms granted though interrupted by some hostilities ; the next day which was the seventeenth of august the plenipotentiaries returned to the same place of conference , each accompanied with two others . the chancellor of poland took with him the palatine of kiovia , and the vice-chancellor of lithuania . the visier brought sieferkaz and sulimaz aga , to whom kmielniski was joyned , to desire a bill of oblivion for himself . his cossacks , and the revolted peasants , and that they should provide for the maintenance of their liberty , and the greek religion ; and after divers contests , the peace was concluded the same day with the cossacks and tartars , upon these conditions . i. that there should be peace and brotherly friendship for the future between john casimir , king of poland ; as also the kings his successors , and islan gierey , cham of tartary , and the whole family of the giereys . ii. that the king should freely pay the ordinary pension of the tartars , sending it to camienesche , by deputies appointed thereto . iii. that in consideration of this , the cham should be bound to assist the king with all his forces against any enemy , as often as it should be required . iv. that the cham should secure the frontiers of poland , from the incursions and robberies of his subjects . v. that the rest of his forces before zbaras should immediately dislodge , and let the polish army , which was there , march with all liberty to any place where it should please his majesty of poland to command them . vi. that the cham should without any delay , leave the countreys and dominions belonging to the king ; and all his forces the same , and those turks which he had with him . vii . that the king , in consideration of the cham , would grant a general pardon to kmielniski and his army , and re-establish the cossackian militia in its ancient form , number , and liberty . viii . besides these conditions , three hundred thousand florins were promised to the cham , of which , he received an hundred thousand in ready money . the articles agreed on with kmielniski imported thus much , that i. first , the king should grant a general bill of oblivion to all the cossacks , and rebellious peasants ; and that what was passed should be no more looked after , then as if it had not been done . ii. that kmielniski should fall down and ask pardon of his majesty upon his knees . iii. that he should be continued general of the cossacks ; of which , the number should be increased to forty thousand ; and and in which quality , he should depend on none but the king , after he had made his acknowledgment as a polish gentleman in regard of the states . iv. that his majesty should have a list of the names and habitations of the said forty thousand cossacks , and that upon the death of kmielniski they should be commanded by one of their own officers of the greek religion . v. that the army besieged at zbaras should be set at liberty . vi. that the exercise of the greek religion should be permitted throughout the kingdom , even in cracovia it self ; and that its vnion with the roman church should cease . vii . that the palatinate of kiovia should be always given to a greek . viii . that the metropolitan of the greeks should have his seat in the senate among the bishops , and should have the nineth place . ix . that the cossacks should be permitted to make strong-waters for their own use , but not for sale . x. that they should be furnished with cloth to cloath them ; and ten florins a man to arm them . xi . that the nobility coming again into the possession of their estates , should not enquire after , or trouble their subjects for the damages which they might have received during the war. xii . that those noblemen , whether catholics or greeks , who had taken part with the general of the cossacks should not be at all molested , but discharged from all what had passed in the last wars . in execution of which articles , the general coming before the king fell upon his knees , and with tears in his eyes , made a long discourse , expressing himself how he had much rather appeared in his presence , to receive his approbation for some considerable service done to his majesty , and the state , then thus stained with so much blood. but since that the destinies had disposed it otherwise , he came to implore his clemency ; and in all humility , the forgiveness of his faults , promising to repair them by his future conduct . the king answered him by the vice-chancellor of lithuania , that the repentance of his subjects was more acceptable to him , then their punishment ; and that he did heartily forgive what was passed , if he would efface the crime which he had committed by his future zeal and fidelity to his countrey . after this action , kmielniski and the cham caused their forces to retire , and the king extreamly happy in escaping so great a danger , at so easie a rate , went with the polish army to gliniani , and afterwards to leopold . those forces intrenched at zbaras , reduced to those extremities which you have already heard of , maintained themselves all along , rather by rage and despair , then any hope of help . the inhabitants of that town , not being able to suffer the utmost extremity of famine , were ready either to burn the town , or deliver it up to the enemy ; but the vigilance of the polanders having hindred the execution of this tragick design , they much sollicited to be let out , which was onely granted to their wives and children ; neither were they able to keep their retreat undiscovered , but fell first into the hands of the polish soldiers , who abused them as they pleased , and afterwards of the tartars , who led this unfortunate troop into captivity together with some servants of the army who had followed them . the one and twentieth of august , the cossacks sent the first news to the besieged of the peace concluded at zborow , which was believed by some , but called in question by most , who feared they might not be comprehended in that treaty ; they were confirmed in this opinion by a trumpet , who had the boldness to proclaim the same upon his own accord ; and it had cost him his life , if one of the generals had not interceded for him : afterwards there came a letter from kmielniski , in which , he assured the besieged of their deliverance upon the payment of a certain sum to the tartars ; but the generals would not accept of this condition , and openly declared , that since kmielniski was obliged to draw off his forces , he ought to do it ; and for the tartars , if they would remain where they were , they might do so if they pleased . in the end , a more faithful and joyful message was brought them , with a letter by colonel minor from the king , to assure them of their liberties without any conditions , together with the disposal of the palatinate of seudomire , vacant by the death of the duke of zaslaw , with which his majesty would gratifie the services of general firley . the prince wisnowitskie was presented with the starrosty of premisli , the duke of ostrog with that of nessewitz , landskoronski with that of stobnitz , and the palatinate of braclaw . all these recompenses , although very considerable , yet were they inferior to that valor and heroical constancy ; of which , all these great persons had given such fair proofs , during those two moneths which they were besieged , and continually assaulted in zbaras . neither was providence less favorable to the polanders in lithuania , then in russia , where two of their armies were , as it were , led by the hand out of a danger ; wherein according to all humane appearance , they must have perished . the rebellion of the cossacks and peasants spred it self in the beginning of the war , with so much more ease into lithuania , by reason that the inhabitants of that countrey , are more conformable in their manners and religion with the russes . the cossacks , entring at two places , had made their inrodes into polesia , a countrey full of woods and bogs , and which makes a part of the palatinates of kiovia and volhinia , and by treachery had seised upon the inhabitants of starodub and homel , people who had favored their irruption . colonel patz and volowitz , and afterward prince janus radzevil , general of samogitia , and field-marshal of lithuania , opposed their designs as well as they could , with the nobility of orsa ; the garrison of bichova , and some other forces gathered together ; but the assistance of the state came very slowly , and prince radzevil being sent for to the diet. the rebels made use of this occasion of his absence , and set upon sluczk , a town belonging to prince bogislaus radzevil , great master of the horse of lithuania . sosnowski , who was governor of it , defended it bravely against them ; and horsch , governor of orsa , defeated fifteen hundred men at czeresko , and mirski , major general of the lithuanian army , retook from them prinsko , a populous town , and the seat of a greek bishop , which they had made themselves masters of , by the treachery of the inhabitants . hladki one of the principal commanders of the cossacks , who was within to defend it , was slain ; and because this place was one of their principal retreats , it was sacked and burnt to ashes to serve for an example . prince radzevil returning from the election of the king of poland , although the season of the year was very unfit for war ; after that he had reduced onely by the fame of his approach , the towns of turow and grodek , went and laid down before mozyr , which being defended for some days very obstinately , was taken by storm by ganskowski , lieutenant colonel in radzevil's regiment , and michnenko , one of the chief of the rebels , being taken therein , the prince commanded he should be beheaded by the common hangman , and his head set upon the top of the castle . from thence he marched with his forces towards the river berezina , where he attacked bobroisko ; the inhabitants were received into grace , upon condition , that they would deliver up their arms ; and those among them , who had been the authors of this insurrection , or who had made a league with the cossacks ; which coming to the knowledge of those who were to be delivered up , they retreated into a tower , and set it on fire , preferring this voluntary death , before that with which the conqueror threatned them . produbitz who commanded them , received with the rest the punishment of his rebellion . the winter and the truce put a stop to the war in lithuania , as well as in poland for some moneths ; but in the spring , kmielniski entring into the kingdom again , sent into this province helia holota to renew the war with ten thousand men , to whom many rebellious peasants were to joyn themselves . this general thought to surprise part of the lithuanian army in their winter-quarters at zahal , upon the river of pripecz ; but radzevil's forces gathering together in haste put them to flight , and drove them into a marsh , where he and his army perished . stephen podobaylo was substituted in his place by kmielniski , who gave him order to intrench himself between the boristhenes , and the river of zula , which he did , and set fire on loiowogrod , least it should serve for a place of retreat to the lithuanians : yet gozieuski setting forward with some troops to oppose his designs , having sent some foot down the boristhenes , seised on a place capable of incommodating him very much . after this kmielniski sent again into lithuania thirty thousand men , under the command of crziezeuski , a polish gentleman . this commander had procured kmielniski liberty , when he had been taken by the poles , and had received the same favor from him again ; the last year , after the defeat of the polish army at carsun , and the favorable entertainment he received , together with the fortunate posture of kmielniski's affairs , engaged him in his service . being therefore entred into lithuania , after he had passed the pripecz , he made as if he would besiege rzeczicza , a town very advantagiously seated ; but marched directly against prince radzevil's army , imaging upon the advice that was given him , that this prince had sent out some regiments , he might easily force the rest , and came very near before they had news of his march . but chodorkowitz went out with some horse , at the first noise of them , and being backed with four hundred foot , commanded by podlek and juskiewitz , he opposed himself against the first onset of the cossacks ; and receiving divers charges from them , the rest of the troops had leisure to put themselves in bataglia : and at length gonzieuski and niewarowitz , with the hussars forced the left-wing of the enemy into a wood , where at first they made a great firing , and overthrew divers who advanced too far ; but at last , being constrained to retreat farther in , they were not in condition to fight any longer . in the mean time , some squadrons , which the heat of the engagement had drawn out too far , were incompassed in by the cossacks , and ready to be cut in pieces , if that komorouski , whom prince radzevil had sent before with a thousand men to discover and take prisoners , had not happily come in and disingaged them . he that commanded the right-wing of the cossacks , seeing this recruit , and apprehending that it might be followed by a greater , and that some ambush was preparing for him retreated also into the wood , and wherein he thought himself not secure enough , till he had intrenched himself . while these things were doing , the cossackian general podobailo , who was coming to the relief of crziezeuski with twelve thousand men , passed the boristhenes in boats : and it is certain , if he had arrived a little sooner , and before the other troops had been broken , the lithuanian army had been in extream danger ; but the forces of podobailo were scarce half passed over , and had begun to intrench themselves , when prince radzevil marched directly towards them , and after a fierce charge , put them to the rout , and drove them into the river . so that besides three or four hundred which saved themselves by swimming , four thousand five hundred of them were either killed or drowned . colonel tisenhausen , nold , and fechtman , with their germans , fell upon the rest of podobailo's forces , who with their tabor went to joyn themselves to crziezeuski . this general coming out of the wood , wherein he had retreated to receive them , was presently wedged in again by the hussars , and forced to intrench in haste with arms of trees broken off , or any thing that came to hand ; even with dead bodies . and having understood that night by his spies , that prince radzevil prepared for a new attack the next morning , he retreated in all haste ; leaving the heaviest of his baggage behind him , and he himself being wounded in many places , was left by the way , and fell into the hands of the lithuanians , and died some time after in their camp. notwithstanding this shock , the war was kindled still more fiercely , and many thousand cossacks had passed the pripecz at babica , to make a new irruption into lithuania , and to reinforce their party when the peace at zborow was concluded . in execution of which treaty , the cossacks were called back out of this country as well as out of poland . the second war of the cossacks against poland . the king of poland returning to warsaw , in the midst of the acclamations of his people , who could not sufficiently express their joy and acknowledgments to him , for what he had done for the preservation of the kingdom ; applied himself with all diligence in the diet , which he held towards the end of the year , to the establishment of the peace lately concluded with the tartars and cossacks . the result of this diet , which ended the twelfth of january , one thousand six hundred and fifty , was , that all the polish soldiers should be immediately satisfied : that the army which had been shut up at zbaras , in consideration of their great services , should receive three payments extraordinary , there should be twelve thousand men in continual pay for the guard of the frontiers : that the articles concluded on , between the king , and the cossacks and tartars at zborow , should be confirmed : that three of the cossackian gentlemen should be admitted to publick offices : and that for the supply of these great expences , there should be a new impost laid upon all poland and lithuania ; and customs upon merchandises granted to his majesty , for his signal exploits in the last campagnia . it was also thought fit to establish a senator at kiovia , to be vigilant , near at hand , over the actions of the cossacks , and to decide the differences which might arise in performance of the treaty . adam kisiel , appointed a while after , to be governor of that town , was thought to be a person most able to acquit himself worthily in that charge , and to register the forty thousand men , of which the cossackian army was to consist , according to the last treaty , and to give them their necessary instructions . kmielniski observed this peace almost a year , and testified in all appearance his good intentions ; but apprehending least the polanders whom he had forced , in the unhappy conjuncture of their affairs , to grant him extraordinary conditions , should now repent of it , and search out ways to elude the performance of them ; he thought that he could not do better then by powerful alliances , to secure to himself these advantages which had been conceded . and to this intent , he applied himself to the grand signior , and the great duke of muscovy ; but especially to the first , by whose favor he hoped to render himself considerable to all the world. he pretended also to desire the friendship of the hospodar or prince of moldavia ; but it was onely to amuse him , that he might the better surprise him , and force his countrey : for in the mean time he made an ill impression of him upon the mindes of the grand signiors officers , to whom he represented him as a secret enemy to the turks , and an intimate friend of the polanders ; and that by his means , the poles had hitherto received continual intelligence of theirs , and the tartars designs . they assured therefore kmielniski of the protection of the grand signior , and that he should be invested with black russia , to hold it in fee of the ottoman empire ; they received the acknowledgments of his dependance on them , and his promises of fidelity in their service , and permitted him to execute his designs against the prince of moldavia , which he did with great dissimulation , and made use of the tartars in it ; to whom he joyned onely four thousand cossacks , and the better to keep secret his intentions . the cham sent to him to thank him for his assistance against the circassians , and desired further , that he would lend him his forces to go against moscovy , to revenge the injuries which he had received from the great duke : so that while the neighboring princes perswaded themselves , that the tartars were going to war in moscovia , the hospodar of moldavia , who was one of this number , and lived in the ordinary careless security of a high peace , found himself encompassed in with a numerous army of tartars , and the four thousand auxiliary cossacks . all that could be done upon so sudden and unexpected an accident , was to run into the woods near jasz , his principal city . in the thickest of which , the hospodar , with his family , and as many as he could get together in haste , intrenched themselves with trees cut down ; and afterwards drew himself out of this danger , upon the payment of twenty thousand ducats to the tartars , and the promise of his daughter in marriage to timotheus kmielniski his son : upon which condition kmielniski did recede from many hard terms which he had put upon the hospodar . in the mean time , the peace with the poles was every day violated by the cossacks ; their numerous army was extended much beyond their quarters . the peasants who were not inrolled , sustained by them , would not receive those gentlemen , their landlords , who were to enter upon possession of their estates again , but treated them ill , and massacred divers . this deportment of theirs , and the expedition against moldavia , obliged potoski , the generalissimo , who was newly returned out of his prison in tartary , to march with the polish army , and incamp near camienesche . kmielniski was much surprised at the first news of this march ; and there being with him at that time divers who were deputed from the nobility , to complain of the rebellion , in the which the peasants persisted , and their refusal to acknowledge them ; he commanded , that all those who were sent to him , should be drowned the night following . but these orders being given when he was in drink , filled with wine and strong-waters , after he had digested his debauch , and been informed by his wife of what he had done , he presently revoked his sentence just when they who had the charge of it , were ready to execute it . afterwards he sent craucenski , one of his officers , to the general potoski , to give him to understand , that he could not but be astonished at the approach of the polish forces , in such a time , when they had peace with all the world , and a powerful army of cossacks at their disposal for the security of the frontiers . the general in answer reproached him for their daily breach of peace , and the ill treatment which the nobility received from their subjects ; and for the war which kmielniski had undertaken without their knowledge against the prince of moldavia ; and that although he were great general to the states of poland , yet he ought to have advertised them of it ; he added , that he could not leave that station wherein he was by the kings order , without express command from his majesty . this answer was no way pleasing to the envoy from kmielniski , who declared how much his master would be ill satisfied with it , and mingled threatnings of war with his discourse ; but proceeded not to breach of peace , either by reason of the nearness of the polish army , and the great general , whose admired desert or redoubted courage , might turn him from it ; or because , that the designs he laid of raising a principality for himself , were not yet mature enough to disclose this ambitious project ; or , that he was willing to set down contented with his expedition into moldavia , and with having made a new alliance , although by force of arms. in the mean time the nobility in vkraine were as ill treated , as if it had been in time of war ; so that many were obliged every day to retire . those persons who had great estates , and the duke of wisnowitz , in particular , received scarce any rents ; the continual complaints of which to the king , induced him to write to kmielniski , and to reproach him for the war which he had undertaken , contrary to his order , against the hospodar of moldavia , and for the injuries which the nobility received , injoyning him to draw back the zapoovian army into their quarters , and to chastise the peasants who had taken arms against their lords . this letter was received with great respect in appearance , but he proceeded with much slowness , to execute what the king required of him ; and on the contrary , was very industrious at the same time , to make a strict league with the turk , and great duke of moscovy , whose friendship he desired with the more importunity , by reason that he promised himself more security and advantage in his alliance , then in the others , because of the conformity of the religion of the muscovites with the cossacks . the great duke approved not of this rebellion , yet desired to make his advantage by it . the great success which kmielniski had had against the poles , made him esteem them as a defeated and depressed people , and to begin a causless quarrel with them , in hopes to obtain from them , during the bad condition of their affairs , a revocation of the treaty , which he had been forced to make with king vladislaus before smolenko , when his whole army was disarmed and taken which besieged that fortress : he demanded also , in satisfaction for the affronts done him by some of the polish nobility , and among others , by prince witnowitski and koniespolski ; who had not onely neglected to give him all his titles , but had also written in terms injurious to the reputation of the moscovite nation ; that the states of poland should give up to him the city of smolensko with its dependances , and should pay him the sum of an hundred and fourscore thousand ducats . vvhereupon his majesty of poland having sent a gentleman , named barlinski , to the great duke , to be more clearly informed concerning the insolent demands of his ambassador ; upon whom , in the mean time , he had set a guard. this envoy brought back an answer , which testified rather the inclination the moscovite had to observe the former treaties with poland , then to come to a breach ; and in effect , although the great duke would with much joy have seen the increase of the greek religion , yet he could not look with a good eye upon the growing greatness of kmielniski , nor be without some apprehension , that the rebellion of the cossacks and peasants , might also spred it self into his own countrey , whither already some sparks had flown of that fire which had burned poland . so that the moscovite ambassador was forced to declare in the presence of the king , and the senators , that he , of his own head , had prepared those propositions which he had delivered , and the peace was confirmed between the poles , and the great duke . the continual correspondence which kmielniski held with the turks , of which , the king of poland was advertised by the neighboring princes , and his insolent carriage towards the state , obliged his majesty to call a general diet of the kingdom , in the end of the year one thousand six hundred and fifty ; in which , this prince represented the insupportable behavior of the general of the cossacks ; the contempt he had both of the king and state ; the injuries which many of the nobility had received ; the loss of their estates , and their not being able to be restored against kmielniski his great forces , which he strove to increase by the addition of tartars and turks ; so that he was in a condition to gather together on the suddain , an army of more then fourscore thousand men , every cossack inrolled , of which , the number by the last treaty , amounted to forty thousand ; had a servant on horsback , and another on foot , besides a laborer to till the grounds ; that their design was to shake off utterly all obedience , and to set up a new government under the protection of the grand signior : so that they would be capable of performing any thing , if that they did not soon put a stop to the course of their pernicious designs . there were some in the assembly , who calling to minde the evils , caused by the last vvar , were of opinion , that peace at any rate was to be preferred before it ; and alledged , that the forces of the kingdom were now notably decreased , whereas those of the cossacks were very powerful , both of themselves , and by the assistance of the ottoman family which protected them ; so that it would be much better to keep close to the treaty of zborow : but the greater number making reflections upon what was passed , and what was to be expected , considered that there were but two ways to be taken ; the one to ruine the cossacks , or , the other to let the kingdom perish miserably ; that the king had onely a title and precarious authority over them , no more then they pleased themselves ; that they were now upon the design of forming a principality , from whence they were to expect most dismal events , if they gave them time to increase and establish themselves ; that they interpreted the treaty after their own manner , and gave it what sence they pleased ; that the state had yet considerable forces , if they were well imployed ; and that as affairs then stood , they were better able to give a stop to their new and rising power , then they could afterwards resist them , when they were raised , fortified , and established by time ; that the king was brave and active , and with small armies having done great exploits , he would obtain more signal advantages over his enemies , when the states should proceed to a more vigorous and powerful undertaking . these reasons , but much more the new demands of the cossacks at the same time , caused all the rest of the diet to be of this opinion , and unanimously to resolve of a vvar against them . the cossacks demands were these , that according to the articles of the peace at zborow , the union of the greeks and roman catholicks should be abolished ; that kmielniski should remain soveraign beyond the boristhenes ; that none of the nobility or gentry of poland should for the future , have any power over the peasants of that province ; that if the gentlemen would live there , they should be obliged to work as well as the peasants ; that nine bishops should swear in full senate to see all this observed ; that for hostages they should give up four palatines to kmielniski which he should chuse , in consideration of which articles he promised to pay to the king of poland yearly a million of florins , and afterwards they reduced their demands to four. 1. that they might be put in possession of a countrey , wherein they might live without any communication with the poles . 2. that his majesty and twelve of the principal senators of the kingdom should bind themselves by oath always to observe the peace of zborow . 3. that for their greater security , three of these senators should remain with their general . 4. that their should be no further vnion of the roman and greek churches . but all there demands being very exorbitant , and no body willing to trust to the faith of a man , who was not contented with the promise which the king and state had given him , by their confirmation of the treaty of zborow , at the last diet ; they had no other thoughts but of making vvar. to perform which the more advantagiously , they resolved to raise fifty thousand soldiers , to whom were to be joyned the auxiliaries of the noblemen and their attendants , in case of need ; and many thought it fit , that the auxiliaries should be spared , as a party reserved against the last extremities ; and that it were better to augment the number of the soldiers to be raised . it was proposed also , that the war should be begun before the spring , to hinder the cossacks from making their due preparations , and to come at them with the more facility , while the rivers and marshes were yet frozen ; in which , they ordinarily secure themselves in their marches , and in their incampings . besides which , they could not , but with great difficulty be assisted either by the turks or tartars ; the former not being accustomed to so rigorous a cold , and the latter would scarce finde forrage in this season for their horses . but this project could not immediately be put in execution , the forces which were ordered by the diet , could not so soon be raised ; so that the king sent onely the field marshal calinouski to cover and defend the frontiers from the assault of the cossacks , if they should resolve upon war , rather then peace ; which was also to be once again offered them , upon the same terms as at the treaty of zborow . the intentions of kmielniski quite contrary to peace , were soon made known by the hostilities which he began to commit upon the frontiers . nieczai , one of his major generals , put all the countrey to fire and sword , and massacred those who were deputed to him from the palatine of braclaw , in the presence of a turkish envoy ; but by the forces of the same palatine , and those of kalinouski , he was driven into the city of crasna ; and part of his men were cut in pieces in their retreat , after they had forsaken the castle , which they could no longer hold ; and amongst others , nieczai himself , whom a gentleman named baibuza , killed with his own hand , the rest were driven into a village where they were together with it , either plundred or reduced to ashes . bohun , another general of the cossacks , in the place of nieczai , made head against kalinouski , and seised upon the city of winnicza seated upon the river bog ; but the poles having crossed the river , with great pains took the castle by assault , in which they slew a number of their enemies , who had been assisted by gluki , one of their colonels . at last bohun being reinforced by the cossackian regiments of czherin , prziluka , lubiecz , and braclaw , each consisting of two thousand men , kalinouski was obliged to go out of the town , after that he had left a guard therein of foot , and some servants with the baggage belonging to his army , and to draw up his forces in bataglia in the fields adjoyning , but some sudden fear possessing those who were left in winnicza , they forsook the town , and the cossacks encompassing the polish forces , constrained them to retreat in disorder under the cannon of bar , with the loss of four thousand five hundred footmen and their artillery . this shock obliged the king of poland , who was gone on pilgrimage to zurowitz , a place of devotion in lithuania , to take his journey in all haste towards the frontiers , where the great general potoski was gathering together his forces about sokal . this prince being arrived at lublin , was informed of the irruption of the cossacks into podolia , and the confederation between the grand seignior and kmielniski , and that the emperor had sent an ambassador to constantinople ; so that he saw himself obliged to use his utmost endeavors , and to summon all his auxiliaries together . kalinouski who was retreated from bar to kamienecz , having received orders to come with all diligence towards the army . after that he had lest a sufficient garison for the defence of that fortress , which was a place of so great importance to poland , and all christendom , was followed in his march by eighteen thousand cossacks and two thousand tartars ; while the rest of their forces which amounted to more then threescore and ten thousand men , resolved to attack kamienecz , without the order or knowledge of their general . and having taken the castle of panocze near to it , by composition , where they got considerable booty . they made many assaults upon this fortress , but all in vain , being continually repulsed with so great a loss , that they were ready to cut their officers in pieces , who had exposed them to so dangerous an enterprise , without acquainting kmielniski with it ; who so soon as he knew it , sent them orders to remove . those who were bent upon the pursuit of the forces of kalinouski , had not much better success in setting upon them , sometimes in the front , sometimes in the flank , and sometimes in the rear ; being always repulsed with great valor by the general , although with the loss of many of his own . upon the fourteenth of may , 1651. they set upon zobieski his regiment , but were so received , that they left many behinde them ; and amongst others canowiecz , one of their colonels , and a tartarian murza . at length kalinouski was constrained by reason of the difficult passages , and the bad ways , to leave his carriages . to repair which loss , and to make his army appear more numerous to the enemy , he set the servants upon those horses which drew the baggage ; and after having sustained many assaults , and escaped the many difficulties and inconveniences of the march , he arrived most fortunately at the camp royal , in the end of may. the forces raised at the expence of the states , and by the noblemen came in daily from all parts , there were reckoned ten thousand of these latter ; and the whole army , together with the nobility , made up an hundred thousand fighting men , besides the servants , who were very numerous , and most of them furnished with horse and arms. this great army not being able to subsist long in one place , without suffering the want of provisions ; after that all care possible was taken to furnish them , it was resolved , they should be employed as soon as could be . in a great council of war , which was held thereupon , and lasted a whole night ; some proposed to divide the army into two bodies , and to send the first , consisting of the common soldiers , against the enemies , while his majesty might attend the success of the war at sokallo , with the voluntiers and auxiliaries , for a reserve against the greatest extremity : but this advise was not approved by the king , nor by many of the principal officers , who remonstrated that if the army were thus divided , it might be more easily encountred and defeated by the enemies ; but being all in one body , they would not onely be in a condition to oppose , but also to overcome them . they concluded therefore to march directly towards them , by the most short and easie way , which was , that by berestesko . the king set forward with all his forces upon the fifteenth of june , and sent out divers parties to hear news of the cossacks . the marshy , moorish places which he was to travel through , and the great number of carriages caused his forces to march scatteringly . so that he thought it necessary to divide them into ten brigades , if we may so name a body of ten or twelve thousand men , of which number each was composed ; he reserved the first for himself , gave the command of the second to the great general potoski ; the third to the general of the campagne kalinouski , palatine of czernihovia ; the fourth to john simon szcavinski , palatine of brestch ; the fifth to the duke of wisnowitz , palatine of russia ; the sixth to stanislaus potoski , palatine of podolia ; the seventh to the grand marshal of the kingdom lubomirski ; the eighth to stanislaus landskoronski , palatine of braclaw ; the nineth to the vice-chancellor of lithuania , sapieha ; the tenth to koniespolski , the great ensign to the crown . the polish army came the next day , being the sixteenth , to wygnanka , a place abounding in water , and good pasture grounds ; where they understood by a soldier , who had left the cossacks army , that kmielniski was gone from his camp , which lay between zbaras and wisnowitz , to go meet the cham , whom he expected with impatience ; having called for his assistance , not trusting enough in his own forces , although he had a prodigious multitude of revolted peasants joyned with his cossacks , but had as yet but six thousand tartars with him . the king arriving at berestesko , of which town , the count of lesno , under chamberlain of brzestia is lord ; he incamped near it , all along the river of ster , which washes this place on all sides , and then sent out three thousand horse under the command of stemkouski and czarneski , to be certainly informed of the enemies march , and understood by some prisoners whom they took , that the cham was come to kmielniski with a numerous army , and that he had sent out parties to learn in what place and condition the polish army was . upon this news , it was resolved of in a council of war , to dislodge from berestesko , and to place themselves at dubno , a town belonging to the palatine of cracovia . the baggage began to move , and the army was about to march with a resolution to encounter the cossacks wheresoever they should oppose them , when the duke of wisnowitz , who was of the guard , sent to advertise the king , that kmielniski and the cham were coming in all haste towards him . and the grand general understanding by a peasant , that the enemies promised themselves assured victory , if they could fall upon the polish army , intangled in the way , resolved to stay at berestesko , and the baggage was ordered to be brought back , which was upon the way . scarce were they returned into the camp , but the scouts brought word , that the whole army of the cossacks and tartars were near to pereatin , a village within five hundred paces ; so that the generals presently drew up the polish army , left the river ster on one side of them , and lined all the wooded places near , with divers companies of foot , for fear of an ambush . the twenty seventh of june , about night , ten thousand tartars drawn out from the rest , came near to the polish army , to take a view of it , making , as if they came to provoke them to fight . the grand marshal , and grand ensign , not being able to suffer their insolence , went out with their regiments , by the permission of the great general , and the assistance also of wisnowitski his regiment , and ingaged them a long while , repulsed them , and drove them back half a league . upon the eight and twentieth , there was another more fierce skirmish ; the cham placed himself and his whole army upon certain eminencies in sight of the poles , strengthned with some of the choice forces of the cossacks . the polish army being also drawn up in order , the regiments of the palatine of brzestia and pomerania , of the duke bogislaus radzevil , and the palatine of witebsko with the horse of przemislia and volhynia , went to set upon the tartars , who to revenge the defeat they received the day before , seeing that the horse was backed but with a small number of foot , they poured in upon them great numbers of men. landskoronski was the first who could put a stop to this torrent , neither was it done without the loss of many of his own men , and of his brother ; and he himself was so incompassed by a great number of those infidels , that to disingage him , there were sent out the regiments of the great general , of the general of the campagne , of the palatine of russia , of the grand marshal and of sapieha . the fight grew hot upon the arrival of this reinforcement , and many were slain on both sides ; the tartars lost about a thousand men , and divers prisoners of considerable note were taken , amongst others , the secretary to the cham. the poles had three hundred of theirs slain , and amongst them casanouski , governor of halicz , ossolinski , starroste of lublin , nephew to the great chancellor deceased , stadniski under-chamberlain of sanoc , ligeza sword-bearer of przemislia , rrecziski , captain jourdan and divers gentlemen of the palatinate of lencincia ; and so ended the engagement of the eight and twentieth of june . the night following , having considered in their council of war , that the enemies design was to delay time ; and to reduce the polanders to extremities for want of provision in a countrey too far distant from any place whence they might draw their subsistance , they thought it better to employ their army , while it was in its strength and vigor , and determined to give battel the next day : the king spent most of the night at his devotions , and in ordering his affairs ; so soon as it was day , he drew up his army , without the enemies perceiving it in the least , by favor of a great mist , which continued till nine in the morning . the right wing of the first line was commanded by the grand general potoski , and under him by landskoronski , palatine of braclaw , opalinski palatine of posnania , lubomirski grand marshal of the kingdom , sapieha vice-chancellor of lithuania , koniespolski grand ensign to the crown , the count vladislaus of leszno , under-chamberlain of posnania , the two zobieski's sons to the governor of cracovia deceased ; and some other great persons who had raised forces at their own expences . the conduct of the left wing was committed to kalinouski general of the campagne , to the dukes of ostrog and zaslaw , to the palatine of brzestya , the duke of wisnowitz palatine of russia , to stanislaus potoski palatine of podolia , to john zamoiski , and to colonel enhoff of liefland ; many of which had joyned the forces which they had raised in their own countreys to those of the states . the king took charge of the main body of the army , composed of the german and polish foot ; at the head of which , stood the artillery , commanded by sigismond priemski , who was general of it , and had been a long time major general under the swedes in germany . the second line , in the middle of which , his majesty of poland took his place , consisted of horse , and was commanded amongst other officers , by tyskewitz , great cup-bearer of lithuania . the body of reserve , was commanded by colonel meydel , great master of the game , and by colonel enhoff , starroste of sokal , and was composed of the horse of grudzinski and rozraceuski ; and of the foot of prince charles , brother to the king , and of koniespolski's , and colonel du plessis , a frenchman . the baggage and ammunition was left in the camp , which was intrenched on one side , and defended on the other by the town and the river . the king had left some companies of foot therein for a guard , who appeared afar of much more numerous then they were , by reason of their lances , which by the kings orders , the huzzars had left to them ; every one of which had a red penon or little streamer at the end ; and when they were all drawn up in order , made a very fair show . the sun dispersing the mist , which till that time , had covered the army , it appeared to the enemy like a beautiful perspective on a theatre , when the curtain is drawing up , who were surprised at their number and good order ; notwithstanding their army was more numerous , and covered all the countrey as far as could be seen . the tartars possessed themselves of divers little hills , from whence there was an easie descent , and filled up all the space in form of an half-moon : they had the cossacks on their right hand , opposite to the left wing of the polish army , with whom were also joyned some squadrons of tartars ; and near to them was the tabor of the cossacks , composed of divers ranks of chariots ; in the middle of which , were part of their forces able to sustain all assaults whatsoever . the two armies being thus placed all the morning was spent in light skirmishes , but the king doubting lest that the intention of the enemies was to amuse them with these small combats and to set upon them the night following , when by reason of the darkness they might the better surprize them , he prohibited all his soldiers upon pain of death from stirring out of their places without order , and commanded all the bridges to be broken down which were built over the ster , that they might not be set upon behind , and by this means to ingage his own soldiers to perform their utmost , all hopes of escaping being cut off , and that the rest of the day might not be spent unprofitably , which was scarce sufficient for a general battel between two such numerous armies , he began to salute the enemies with the cannon at the head of his army , and so from time to time to discharge against them as they drew nearer to those eminencies whereon the tartars were placed . divers seeing the day so far spent , were of opinion that the fight should be deferred till the next morning , but others insisted much upon the contrary , fearing lest the cossacks might fall upon the polish army in the night with their tabor , which they had extraordinarily reinforced , and might therewithal constrain them to quit their camp. his majesty therefore caused the duke of wisnowitz to begin the charge with twelve troops of old soldiers , backed by the palatine of podolia , with the auxiliaries of the palatinates of cracovia , sendomir , lencicia , and przemistia , the cossacks received them briskly , and the conflict lasted near an hour , all which time the smoak and dust made them invisible to the rest of the army ; and as the poles began to give way , they were timely assisted by fresh forces , which the king sent them ; upon whose arrival , the cossacks were driven into their tabor , together with the tartars , who ingaged them upon a rising ground . in the mean time , the king marched against the great body of the tartars , the right wing staying near a wood side , to hinder the design of many of their enemies who were in ambush , with intention to compass in the polish army in the heat of the battel . the king kept the artillery still before him , which priemski caused to be discharged very opportunely , and with great success . so that they obliged the tartars to leave the foot of the hill , and by degrees made themselves masters also of the top ; after they had sustained the discharges of the janissaries carbines , who accompanied them . in this place his majesty of poland was in great danger of his life , having four bullets shot from some pieces which the tartars had by a wood side , passing very near him , and one of them falling at his feet ; but the poles soon returned them the like : for otuinouski , interpreter to his majesty of poland for the turkish and tartar languages assuring them , that the cham was there in person where they saw the great white standard . the king ordered a piece of cannon to be so levelled , that the first shot took one of the principal officers , who stood near the cham ; which disturbed and frighted him so much , that he thought not farther of any thing but retreating ; that part of his army which had been driven from the hill , followed him also , having left some squadrons behind to disguise his retreat , and amuse the polanders for some time : but they were soon put to their shifts , and the poles pursued them a league and a half , till the night and the swiftness of their bacmates or tartar horses secured them ; yet they left many in their retreat , wounded and slain , which they were used to carry off , and to burn in their march when they had leisure ; esteeming it abominable to leave the dead bodies of their friends in the hands of christians : they left also much of their equipage , as vestes , saddles , cimitars , chariots , and the tent and standard of their cham , and his little silver drum , guilded over and covered with a skin , which serves him for a bell. divers polanders who had been slaves to those infidels , did here recover their liberty , but many others were killed by them , when they saw they could not carry them away with them in their retreat , which was so hasty , that they travelled ten french leagues the same day . the king after he had sent out divers troops of horse in pursuit of the tartars , went with the rest of his army against the tabor of the cossacks , where they were still in great numbers , and had forty pieces of ordnance which played continually . kmielniski was retreated with the tartars in hopes to engage them again to fight , but he could by no means perswade them to it ; but on the contrary , was very ill treated by the cham , and reproached as one that had cheated him , and not made known the true state of the polish army , but had made him believe they were not above twenty thousand ; and therefore he threatned to send him to the king of poland , in exchange for those murza's which were prisoners there , and would not let him go free , till he had sent order to czeherin to deliver up a considerable sum of money , and part of the booty which he had formerly taken in poland . the night following the king ordered there should be a publick thanksgiving in the camp , for this victory , which cost him but twelve hundred men , his enemies having lost six times as many ; he passed the night in his coach : and although it was very rainy , he neglected not to cause the cannon to be mounted upon the hill , which was forsaken by the tartars , the more conveniently to beat the tabor of the cossacks in pieces ; which notwithstanding the rain , they had fortified with a broad deep ditch , and lined with muskettiers in those places where it was most weak and open , and had a marsh behind them , which did sufficiently secure them . by reason of kmielniski his absence , they conferred the command of their army upon one of their officers , called dziadziali , a person of remarkable cruelty . they had recourse to all remedies probable to give them help , they wrote to the king , to implore his clemency , and to testifie to him the extream desire which they had for peace ; but seeing their arms and pens were both together in their hands , their prince thought of no other way , but of reducing them by force ; which appeared also not difficult to accomplish , by reason they began already to fall into divisions amongst themselves . some of the polish commanders were of opinion , that they should drown the camp of the cossacks , by making a dam and stopping the course of the water ; but the advice to batter it down , was followed , and to this purpose they brought great cannon from brody , a fortress built by the deceased grand general koniespolski : they made also bridges above and below their camp , for the better communication of the polish forces , and raised many forts and redoubts in the most eminent places , from whence they might make their batteries . the fourth of july , the cossacks surprised one of these forts , wherein were two pieces of ordnance and fourscore polanders , whose heads they struck off with their sythes , arms , which their foot ordinarily make use of instead of pikes . but general hubald ran upon them , and drove them from it , and forced them to leave the cannon which they were carrying away into their tabor . the same day the cossacks possessed themselves of a hill , by which means they could the more easily seek out forrage ; but the grand ensign dislodged them , and brought away five hundred of their horses . the fifth they came out of their camp , in great number , in appearance as if they would give the poles battel again , but they were driven back into their intrenchments after a strong incounter , and the loss of four hundred of their men. sokol and piascozin , of the polish side , were wounded in this conflict , which was attended with a continual discharge of the artillery on both sides , and great destruction . the cossacks seeing themselves thus ill handled , betook themselves to stratagems , and in the night following attacked the polish army with all their force ; but their design was prevented first by the fall of the rain , and then by the vigilance of the king and his generals , who doubled their guards . at this time mehemet czelebey , a converted tartar , who had been a long while in the service of the great general , and had been made a captain by him , having been sent out with a party to pursue the tartars , returned into the camp , bringing back prisoner with him , a tartar of quality , named murtasa aga , one of the cham's kinred , who had been wounded at the battel of berestesko , and was not able to follow the rest , and had offered fifteen thousand rixdollars to czelebey for his ransom ; but this polonised tartar , preferred his faith and promise which he had many years since ingaged to the great general his master , before all the money and other considerable advantages , which this great person of tartary offered him , if he would return with him into his countrey . he reported also , that he had found by the way , more then ten thousand tartars , either slain or wounded , which they had left behind them : an extraordinary mark of their precipitous flight , their custom being to burn them , rather then leave them in the power of their enemies . the cossacks whose last design took no effect , were now more and more backed in and incommodated ; their onely refuge was the passage which they kept through the marsh ; by which they went out to forrage , and by which they might retreat . but colonel balaban who was placed with ten thousand men on the other side of the water , began to constrain the liberty of the excursions ; and it was determined , that more forces should be sent on that side to hinder them altogether . at length the polish artillery thundering against their tabor , with more execution then ever , they sent out three deputies , kresa , colonel of the regiment of czeherin , hladki , and percaslauski , to desire peace ; they applied themselves first to the great general , who severely reproaching them for their cruelty and perfidiousness , told them , that they had rendred themselves unworthy of the favor of his majesty of poland ; and that they did not deserve to be used as christians , after that infamous alliance which they had made with the turks and tartars . the king notwithstanding , by the advice of the senators , admitted them to audience under a pavillion set upon the hill , from whence the tartars had been driven ; where they fell down upon their faces , and presented a letter in the name of all the cossacks , and often begged for mercy , mercy , repeating this word at all the requests they made ; and upon all occasions , kissing the hands and garments of the senators who were there present . his majesty of poland having called his counsel , answered them by the bishop of culm , his great chancellor , that although their crimes were such , that they ought to have made them loose all hopes of pardon ; yet his majesty desiring to be conformable to the divine goodness and mercy , did impart his ; and if they would give sufficient proofs of their true repentance , and perfect submission , he would pardon all what was passed , upon those conditions which they should receive in writing the next day about eleven of the clock . till which time , a cessation of arms was granted as they desired . cresa , their principal deputy , remained as an hostage , and the other deputies returned upon the seventh at the hour appointed , to receive the articles , upon which the king of poland would grant his pardon and abolition of their misdemeanors . it was demanded by these articles , that they should first put twelve of their principal commanders in hostage , till they could deliver up unto the king their general kmielniski , and wihouski his secretary . 2. that they should restore the artillery , and the ensigns which they had taken in the war. 3. that they should give up the standard belonging to the general of their militia , to be disposed of to whom his majesty pleased . 4. that if they were not contented , that their number should be reduced to twelve thousand for the guard of the frontiers , this article should be referred to the next diet. 5. that as to their priviledges which they might pretend to , those onely should be continued to them which were granted by the deceased general koniespolski in the year one thousand six hundred and twenty eight . the deputies returning to their camp , and making known these conditions of peace , brought back the next day this answer . that as to the first article they would promise , to do their utmost , to put kmielniski and his secretary into the kings hands , and would yield to the second and third ; but as for more , they could never agree to , nor hold to any other articles , then those of the treaty of zborow . the king much offended at this answer , redoubled his batteries and resolved absolutely to exterminate them , as they on the contrary would chuse rather to die , then to recede from that treaty . they answered to the discharges of the polish artillery , but not so often ; which gave suspition that their powder was spent : some were so bold as to advance so near to the polish camp , that they heard the orders which were given to the polish soldiers ; which being known , they were obliged to change their orders ; as also , the design they had formed of giving a general assault to their tabor : and so strongly did the cossacks resist all the attempts of the polanders against them , that their valor had merited extraordinary commendations , if it had not been accompanied with many detestable cruelties , as fleaing alive , burning by degrees ; and doing a thousand other mischeifs to the polanders who fell into their hands . so much did the proposing of those conditions , wherewith they were to buy their peace , inspire them with rage and fury , in which they were kept on by their popes ( for so they call their priests ) who ceased not to encourage them with the hopes of the quick return of their general , and the tartars . but the inconveniences which they suffered , and the long absence of kmielniski undeceiving them from the false hopes they sustained of a speedy assistance , they began to desire peace very earnestly ; their commanders who saw that it could not be effected , but to their prejudice , resisted with all their power : and seeing that dziadziali , whom they had substituted in the room of kmielniski , did lend an ear towards an accommodation , they forsook him , and set up bohun in his place ; who to signalize the beginning of his new generalship , upon the information he received that the palatine of braclaw had passed the river with some forces , to shut up those passages which the cossacks made use of to go out to forrage , and by which , they might at last retreat ; he went out with a good number of the old cossackin militia , and two pieces of cannon , to drive them back , and to reinforce the guards which they had placed in the forts , made for the preservation of the passage : but scarce was he out of the camp , when as the jealousie and suspition which they had a long time harbored , that the old soldiers and officers had a design to retreat and leave the rest , began now to break out , and a new raised cossack , having published it aloud , that bohun was gone out to this intent . the noise of it immediately spred it self throughout the camp , and caused such a consternation , that every one began to flie in the greatest disorder . the ways and causeys which they had made in the marshes near their camp were too straight , and many falling in , stuck fast in the mire , although they laid their vests , cloaks , and other garments to draw them out . bohun perceiving this confusion , came with his old soldiers to remedy it , but could not , and the torrent drawing them in also along with it , they were forced to follow the example of the rest . the palatine of braclaw seeing the enemies army come out of their tabor so precipitously , could not imagine what it meant , and thinking at first that they came to fall upon him , he placed himself with the two thousand men which he had onely then with him , in a posture the most advantagious to hinder his being encompassed in , but taking more notice of the enemy a while after , he was better informed , and began to pursue them , but was stopped by the force and confusion of the rout as they saved themselves ; yet he set upon them as soon as he could , being seconded by the auxiliaries of the palatine of plosko , who making a review at the same time when the flight of the cossacks began , was the nearest to pursue them ; the rest of the polish army which did not expect that their enemies should be so sodainly routed , and consequently were not on horseback , except those who guarded the camp , ran streight to the tabor of the cossacks , where finding sufficient booty , they imployed themselves about it , instead of pursuing their enemies ; the cossacks lost no less in this flight then twenty thousand men , either killed by the polanders , or lost in the woods , briers , marshes , and boggs ; two thousand of them retreating to a little hill within their tabor , not in hopes of any relief , but as men resolved to sell their lives as dear as they could ; when they saw themselves constrained to yield to the multitude of the polanders , some cast themselves into the river , others into the boggs , and in one place three hundred of them were in a body together , and defended themselves valiantly against the great number of those who assaulted them , and set upon them on all sides ; yet that these also might not despair , and set too little value upon their lives , the poles offered them both that and any thing else they had of value about them , but this rather incensed them the more ; and immediately they took out of their pockets and girdles , all their money : or whatsoever they had considerable , and threw it into the water , and after that , fought till the last man , every one as it were resolving to fight singly against the force of poland ; and what was very remarkable , one of them held out three hours against all assaults whatsoever , for having got a little boat in a pond in the marshes , and covered himself with the sides of it , he avoided all the shot which they made at him , and in answer , shot away all the powder he had at them ; and with his sithe repulsed all those who attacked him . a muscovite who set upon him with the same weapon could doe nothing , and for all his skill hardly escaped from being cut off by the middle , next , a gentleman of the countrey of czechanou , and a german foot-soldier seeing that the muscovite could not accomplish his designe , went into the water up to the neck , and begun the fight again , and were received with as much vigor by the cossack , who was now wounded with fourteen musket bullets , to the great astonishment of the army , and the king of poland himself in whose sight this was performed ; the king who could not enough admire the valour of the man , called out that they should give him his life , upon condition that he would yield , to which he gave this resolute answer , that he cared not to live , but desired onely to die like a soldier , and at last was run through with a pike by the hand of another german , who came in to reinforce the assault . the polanders found in the cossacks camp , besides a number of women and children , a very considerable booty , and forty pieces of ordnance , and much powder , many ensignes , and amongst others the standard , which the king at his election sent to kmielniski as a mark of the confirmation of his generalship ; and another which king vladislaus sent to the cossacks when he intended to imploy them in a war which he designed against the muscovites ; another which the cossacks took from the poles the last 25 of june ; the sword which the greek patriarch sent to kmielniski , as an acknowledgement to him for his taking upon him to defend the greek church . the ornaments for a chappel and other rich moveables of a greek prelate , who stiled himself archbishop of corinth , and was the resident of the patriarch with kmielniski , he it was that most of all incouraged and kept on the rebellion of the cossacks and russians , and was much against any accommodation , he was killed in his flight with an arrow shot by a young man a polander . they found also kmielniski his cabinet , wherein was the seal of the zaporovian army , and divers letters from the grand signior , the great duke of muscovy , and the prince of transylvania , with about thirty thousand rixdollars , which were designed for the tartars ; vests lined with rich furrs , arms in great number , and provision in abundance ; and even the pots and spits at the fire , a signe that their flight was not at all premeditated . this defeat cost the poles not many men , and but one captain of radzevil his regiment of foot , who was slain at the attacquing of the three hundred cossacks who retired into the marsh . besides those who were already sent to pursue the cossacks ; the general of the campagnia and the duke of wisnowitz with seven regiments were commanded out to hinder them from rallying , who killed all they overtook , a great number of them attempting to retreat by dubno , three thousand were cut in pieces by the garrison of that town , and divers others as they passed over a long causey . the king leaving almost all the auxiliaries at berestesko , marched also in pursuit of them towards krzmienecz ; but found in all that journey nothing but spectacles of horror , the ways being strewed with dead bodies , and the woods filled with those miserable persons , who after their defeat , fled into the thickest part of them , where they found no other sustenance for many days , than the barks of trees , and most of them were so weak , that their legs were not able to serve them in their flight ; the indignation of the polanders at length was changed into pity at the sight of these skeletons , and instead of pursuing them to destroy them , they did it to give them their lives , and to perswade them to preserve themselves . the king himself seeing them in this deplorable condition , caused provisions to be distributed amongst them , and assured them of pardon if they would leave the rebellious cossacks and return to their houses ; thus did his polish majesty shew his clemency , and not rigorously put to the sword that rebellious people whereby he must have necessarily depopulated one of the principal provinces of his kingdom , which served for a rampart to the rest , and must consequently have ruined a number of gentlemen , and chief of the nobility , who having great estates there , could not have received their rents , if the countrey had been unpeopled . the peasants in poland being a part of the gentlemens inheritance , and by this means they being deprived of their tenants , it would have been very difficult for them to find others to serve them in the tenure of villenage , and this is the true motive which then and at other times hath hindred the utter ruine of the cossacks , without which consideration , it would not have been difficult to have destroyed them . the king judging his presence necessary to terminate this war , and to compleat the reduction of the cossacks , made account to march with his whole army to kiovia , and from thence to send his forces and orders necessary for the accomplishing of this design . but the nobility opposed it , alledging , that the necessity of his affairs did oblige him to return ; and that part of the army , would be sufficient to perform what remained , that the cossacks were scattered , and in no condition to rally after this defeat ; that if any of them should take up arms again , the raised troops would be sufficient to hinder and render useless all their attempts whatsoever , and in one word , that there could be no pretence of leading the nobility into a countrey desolate and laid waste by the continual violencies of the cossacks and tartars , and where they might be famished ; so that upon a general council held at orla , of all the commanders and officers of the army , it was determined , that those who would return should be satisfied , which were the greater number ; and his majesty of poland after he had left his instructions with the great general potoski , for the consummating that which he had so happily undertaken , took his journey towards warsaw , having first had a promise from the nobility of a new supply of men and money . the king before his departure also received an account , how that the cham being informed of the defeat of the cossacks , had hastened his retreat towards crim , and that the four thousand turks who came to their assistance , having also intelligence of it , had passed the boristhenes with all diligence : this news was accompanied also with that of the defeat of the cossacks , in lythuania by prince radzevil . the cossacks to the number of twelve thousand , commanded by niebaba one of their generals , had placed themselves near to loiowogrod , at the entrance of the river sesz into the boristhenes , where after they had made works to secure to themselves the passage over those rivers , their general left forces to guard them . prince radzevil , general of lythuania , hearing of this , resolved to set upon them , and to this effect , sent before him major general mirski with three thousand chosen men , with orders to pass the boristhenes ; and he himself embarked with the rest of his foot and his artillery , while his horse marched by land , at his arrival he set upon their intrenchments on one side , while that mirski to whom he had given the signal by the discharge of some of his cannon , was to fall upon the other ; the cossacks defended themselves bravely for an hour and half , after which they were overthrown and cut in pieces . niebaba coming with his army to the relief of his . prince radzevil , although that mirski were not yet joyned with him , as having not passed the river which parted them , neglected not to incounter him , and after a sharp conflict , in which three of the principal colonels of the cossacks and niebaba their general was slain , overthrew their army , killed three thousand men , took many prisoners , and amongst the rest the nephew of niebaba , the rest saved themselves in their camp , which was not far from the place of battel , which they also sodainly abandoned , as also the city of lubiecz , and czernobel near to it , who yielded up themselves without making any great resistance to gonsieuski , general of the artillery of lythuania ; after which prince radzevil took his way towards kiovia , to put an end to the remainder of the rebellion in those parts . general potoski imployed himself to the same purpose in volhynia , where the difficulty of getting provisions having forced him to divide his army into many parts , he appointed their rendezvous to be at lubertowa , a town which in the heat of all the war had preserved it self by the convenience of its scituation , and number of its inhabitants , and from thence to goe and make an attempt upon pawolocz and bialacierkiew , giving a strict command , that the officers should order it , that their soldiers should so behave themselves in that manner , that the peasants might by no means be constrained to quit their houses , or to destroy what provisions were left . the gentlemen also took all care to bring the peasants to their former duty , promising them by letters and messages , that they should be most favourably dealt withal , if they would return to their obedience . in the mean time kmielniski having with a summe of money , appeased the cham and freed himself , returned into vkrain to strengthen and confirme the minds of those people , which the last defeat and his absence had very much shaken ; and taking the same course as formerly , in those places where he could not be in person , by his letters and emissaries , he gave new heat to their courage , which was very much abated , exhorting them to maintain the cause of the publick , and putting them in mind how fortune was momentary and changeable , and if of late she had declared her self in favour of the poles , yet she had left the cossacks strength and forces sufficient to renew the war and recover their losses , and to feed their hopes , he gave out that one ragoci in poland was revolted , and thereby had obliged the king to draw back the greatest part of his army to stop his progress , that the flower of the old cossackian militia was gathering together , and that in few days the tartars would come and joyn with them again to revenge their last defeat , and to keep up the hopes of this people still more high , from time to time he dispatched several embassies to the cham , which he accompanied with magnificent promises to induce him to afford him new supplies , remonstrating to him that the security of both their fortunes depended upon it , and that the ruine of the one would infallibly expose the other to the polish power ; he sent also three envoyes to the ottoman court , to represent to them , that if the cossacks were assisted by the grand signior , they might be in a condition to make head against all the forces of poland , but if they were abandoned , they must be necessitated to an accommodation , and in the end to make war against himself . prince janus radzevil , to whom hlebowitz , palatine of smolensko was joyned , having left fronckewitz , lieutenant-collonel of the hussars , with some forces about czernihow , to hinder the excursions of that garrison , went towards kiovia ; after they had forced from those quarters the cossackian collonels , antonio and orkussa , and put their forces into such disorder , that they were constrained to burn their tabor , and their bridge , and fly into the town ; neither did they stay there any time , for the terror of the march of the lythuanian army spreading it self through the rest of the cossackian forces , who thought to shelter themselves in the countrey about , they quitted that town , which was one of their principal retreats . the inhabitants seeing they were deprived of their garrison , and all other means of defending themselves , sent their supplications to the polish general by their archbishop , and their archimandrit or abbot of their chief greek monastery , requesting of him that he would spare that city which the king had always the goodness to preserve , and which during the last wars , had served for a place of refuge to the polish nobility , which request was granted by prince radzevil , who onely disarmed them , to take away from them for the future the opportunity of doing ill . kmielniski hearing of the loss of kiovia , doubled his diligence , and sought out all means imaginable to bring a new army into the field , able to stop the progress of his enemies , and the unfortunate posture of his affairs suggested counsel to him full of fury and despair : in the middle of which , he found not only his cossacks , but a great part of the peasants also inclined to try again the fortune of the war , and among these latter , there were some who openly declared , that it was disgraceful to them to be dejected for the ill success of one battel , and that those who overcame them now , they had formerly overcome , and the same might be performed again ; but if that fortune should obstinately declare her self for the poles , there was still a place left them to retreat into , the countrey of the turks , where they might live with more freedom then in russia , to which intent they had already wrote to the bassa of silistria . so that many of the peasants went every day to joyn with kmielniski , and the cossacks began their incursions and violencies in many places , particularly those who inhabit near the niester and wallachia who are more accustomed to these robberies then the other . general potoski had sent out two thousand men under the command of the starroste of kamienecz his son against them , but instead of sending him the recruits which he demanded , he called him back again , judging it more convenient to to keep his forces in one body , the general sent afterwards seven squadrons towards bialacierkiew to hear news of the cossacks , but instead of obeying their orders , they fell to plunder a town called pawolocz , and were met withal by two thousand cossacks , and five hundred tartars not far from thence , who set upon them , and drove them to the gates of that town , took away all their booty , and had utterly defeated them , had not the forces of the duke of wisnowitz arrived in time to their assistance , by whose help they made head against those who pursued them , and drove part of them into their tabor , and part into bialacerkiew , it was known by some tartar prisoners , taken upon this occasion , that there were but two thousand of them with kmielniski , but that in a few days four thousand others were expected , and that the rest of those infidels were gone to refresh their horses in the pastures of the desart plains , and had received orders to be in readiness to return upon the first occasion into poland . this news made general potoski to delay his march , till the arrival of his foot and baggage ; when deliberating in council , with his officers what was to be done ; they determined to seize upon chzastowa , a town on the way to kiovia , to facilitate their communication with it and their joyning with prince radzevil ; while they lay expecting the foot at pawolocz , which marched but slowly ; the plague took away in the flower of his age michael koributh , duke of wisniwitz , who had given sufficient proof of his valor and singular conduct in all this war , by which he was deprived of the revenue of a great estate in vkrain . after that the army had spent the five and twentieth of august in rendring their last devoirs to this great person , they marched the next day towards trylisicz , a place well fortified ; this garrison having sent a fierce answer to the summons of the polish general to surrender themselves , he commanded priemski-general of the artillery , and commissary of the army , and berg , lieutenant-colonel to the regiment of prince bogislaus radzevil , with seven hundred german foot to attacque them ; they lost threescore or fourscore men in the approaches , with captain strayse , and captain wahl , but being relieved with the polish foot , in two hours time they made themselves masters of the town and castle , notwithstanding the obstinate resistance of the besieged , among whom , even the women did good service , and fought with their sithes ; all here were put to the sword without distinction of sex or age. the governor of the place , a cossack , was hanged in the heat of blood ; the town was plundered , and what could not be carried away , was with it reduced to ashes , and this severity wrought better effects then perhaps clemency could have done , for the flames being perceived by those of chwastowa , the three hundred cossacks which guarded that town , forsook it , and the inhabitants also followed their example , although they might well have resisted the poles , and put them to the expense of a great number of men . prince radzevil expecting the kings orders , and that the polish army should come to him , kept himself always near to kiovia , not without some danger ; the enemy endeavouring by all means possible to surprize him , or at least to hinder the general potoski from joyning with him . upon the sixteenth of august colonel nold being sent out by this prince , discovered by the windmil near to the gate of kiovia , called the gilded gate , a great body of cossacks mingled with tartars , which soon allarmed the camp , and a party of light horse set upon them with such courage , that after they had taken a bridge which the enemies put much trust in for the securing themselves , they killed a thousand of them upon the place ; some of the prisoners confessed that this body of three thousand men was to have joyned with a thousand more , with designe of falling upon the lythuanian army in their intrenchments . prince radzevil after this advantage , set forward to joyn with the polish army , after that he had left a sufficient garrison in kiovia , and furnished it with all things necessary for its preservation : general potoski having sent fifteen hundred men before him , advanced with the rest of his army as far as vasilikow , to facilitate their conjunction ; kmielniski finding himself unable to hinder this , and foreseeing the dammage he must receive from it , deputed divers to the general to treat with him about an accommodation , and to desire him to interpose the credit he had with the senate and the polish army , to prevent the effusion of so much blood as was ready to be spilled , and to bring the cossacks in favour again with his majesty of poland , assuring him they would remain faithful in his service , and most religiously observe the treaty of zborow ; these propositions of peace presented by kmielniski , made small impressions upon the mind of the polish general , who being well informed of the continual addresses which he made to the port , and to the cham , to obtain a speedy supply , and consequently understood that all what he did , was but to gain time and leisure to establish his affairs ; he resolved without delay to terminate this controversie by force of arms. the polish army being now considerably reinforced , by the conjunction of the lythuanians , consisting of nine thousand chosen men ; kmielniski although he had received a fresh supply of six thousand tartars , did not neglect to make another attempt towards an accommodation , and the palatine of kiovia endeavoured with divers arguments to induce the generals to put an end to this war , rather by a general pardon , then by the continuation of so many cruelties ; representing to them that the many troubles which the soldiers had undergone in this campagnia , and the diseases reigning amongst them , had diminished , and did diminish daily a great number of them , so that the generals potoski and radzevil , condescended to receive the cossacks deputed to come and desire peace . kmielniski desiring that some one might be dispatched to him , to conferre with vihouski his secretary , and intimate friend , they sent to him makouski , a captain of horse , with a letter to him from the general potoski , but because he gave him not the title of general of the zaporovian army , this omission was taken for a great injury , and made a disturbance among the cossacks ; but makouski having appeased them by giving them sufficient reasons for what was done ; the conference began , in which the polish deputy proposed , that kmielniski should send away the tartars , and come himself to the polish camp and pay his respects to their generals ; he was against the first of these propositions for a long time , whatsoever his secretary could doe to draw from him his consent , but in the end he agreed to one as well as the other , although his officers and the russian peasants expressed a great deal of repugnancy for the latter . but finding it not convenient to continue this conference in the cossacks camp , lest that the tartars suspecting what they treated of might attempt something against the persons of the commissioners , vihouski did very much instance that it might be removed to bialacierkiew . makouski giving an account to the generals of the polish army , of his negotiation with the cossacks , it was thought expedient to send commissioners to bialacierkiew as they desired , to this intent were deputed the palatines of kiovia and smolensko . zowzieuski , high steward of lythuania and cossacouski , second judge of braclaw , whom they guarded with a great convoy , of which five hundred horse onely were permitted to enter the town . these commissioners treating with those of kmielniski , agreed of all the conditions of peace , excepting some few points which were afterwards to be decided in the two camps , but were in great danger of their lives , first in the army of the cossacks , where kmielniski and his officers had enough to doe to defend them from the violencies of the tartars , and the peasants , who could not endure any propositions of peace , suspecting always that one of their articles would be to reduce them to their former servitude . the tartars also set upon them in their return , and plundered part of their baggage . in the mean time general potoski and prince radzevil , seeing that the treaty was almost concluded , removed from hermanowka to bialacerkiew , the place where kmielniski and the principal commanders of the cossacks were to renew their oath of allegiance to the king and state , at the approach of the polish army , the cossacks seemed to be very much surprized , but they being certified that it was upon no other designe then to oppose the incursions of the tartars , new commissioners were sent on both sides to conclude of what was left undecided at the last conference . but the cossacks instead of that presented new propositions , as if they had forgot what had been so lately determined , demanding the performance of the treaty at zborow ; that the polish army should leave the frontiers , and give them liberty to maintain their confederacy with the tartars , whom they acknowledged to be the true defenders of their priviledges ; so that after the poles had reproached them of their lightness and infidelity , which must needs proceed from the news of some new supply from the tartars , or the false report of the grand signior his sending some considerable forces ; they drew up their army , and committed the right wing to prince radzevil with his lythuanians , the left to kalinouski , and reserved the main body for general potoski . the cossacks and tartars came also out of their camp , as if they had no other designe but to observe the posture of the poles ; there passed divers skirmishes between them for three days , and divers companies of the enemie hid themselves in thickets and close places , making frequent attempts upon the polish army , annoying them sometimes in the flanck , and sometimes in the reer , which it is thought they did to make the polish generals more tractable , and to obtain more advantagious conditions of peace . in the mean time they being wearied with the delays of kmielniski , who pretended to disallow of all these attempts and skirmishes ; and being earnest with him to declare his mind , he sent them upon the 26 of september , three deputies to endeavor seriously the conclusion of the treaty ; these were much more moderate in their demands , although they were very different also from those agreed upon at bialacerkiew ; for after they had concluded that the number of the cossacks inrolled , should amount to twenty thousand , they demanded also that they might have their quarters in the palatinates of braclaw and czernihow , and this being refused , they insisted , that at least the polish forces should not be quartered there during the time that kmielniski was employed in inrolling the cossackian militia ; and that they should give him for his own maintenance , the territories of czircassy and borowitza . potoski gave them to understand , that this latter demand could not be granted without express orders from the king and state , but condescended to the other , after that kmielniski had secretly informed him that he insisted upon it only to content the revolted peasants , whom he thought not fit to irritate so long as they kept together , and made so considerable a body , so that there remained nothing but that he and his chief officers should come and make their submissions to the polish generals , which he was inclinable enough to do , after he had received hostages for his security , though divers of his officers with great difficulty were brought to consent to it . upon the 28 of september , he and the principal commanders of the cossacks came to the polish camp , where with much humility , and the tears in his eyes ( which he had always ready to shed , when the necessity of his affairs required ) he asked pardon of the great general potoski , and saluted prince radzevil , and the rest of the nobility with all respect . in his presence were the articles of the treaty read , and being signed on both parts , and confirmed by oath ; all ended in an entertainment which was given to those of his train . the articles were these . 1. that in consideration of the submission and acknowledgement which the zaporovian army and its commanders had made to be always obliged to serve the king and state ; this army should be composed for the future of twenty thousand men , which were to be chosen and registred by their general and officers , and should have their quarters in the countey and lands belonging to his majesty in the palatinates of kiovia , braclaw , and czernihow , but the lands of the nobility should be free from quartering of soldiers . 2. that if any of the subjects of the nobility were registred in the zaporovian army , they should be bound to change their habitations , and to transferre themselves into the lands belonging to the king in the palatinacy of kiovia , but it should be free for them to sell their goods , whither moveables or others , and in what part soever they were , without any hindrance or molestation from their landlords , the starroste's or substarroste's . 3. that they should begin to register the twenty thousand cossacks to be retained , within fifteen days , counting from the day of the date of this present treaty ; and that this list or roll containing the name , surname , and abode of each particular cossack should be signed by the general of the cossacks , should be sent to the king , and a copy of a copy be kept in the rolls of kiovia ; that those were not registred or matriculated , should still enjoy the antient rights and priviledges of the cossacks , but those who should be excluded , should be bound to the same duty as formerly , in respect of the kings lands . 4. that the polish forces should have no quarters in the palatinacy of kiovia , in those places assigned to the cossacks , nor should the latter pretend to any quarters designed for the poles in the palatinacy of braclaw , and czernihow , after the feast of christmas , by which time they were to make up the register . 5. that the gentlemen of the said palatinacies of kiovia , braclaw , and czernihow , should come into free possession again of their estates or starrosties , and draw from thence their revenues as formerly , onely they should not receive any taxes or duties from their subjects , till such time as the register were finished , when it would be perferctly known who those were , who were to enjoy the priviledges of the cossacks , and who not . 6. that the general of the cossacks should have the town of czerin for his proper maintenance , and that bogdan kmielniski at present in that charge , and his successors should enjoy all prerogatives belonging thereto , and dispose of all places and offices in the army , and should be under the protection of the generalissimo's of the crown , to whom they should take an oath of unalterable fidelity . 7. that the greek religion which the zaporovian army professeth , should be maintained in its antient liberty , and those bishopricks , monasteries , churches , and ecclesiastical revenues , which had been usurped during the last war should be restored . 8. that those of the nobility , either catholicks or greeks , who had taken the cossacks part , as also the inhabitants of kiovia should be included in the bill of oblivion , and consequently should be re-established in their estates , rights , honours ; and priviledges ; and that any sentence given against them , by reason of the last war , should remain null and void . 9. that the jews should keep their priviledges of being free citizens in the lands belonging to the king and the nobility ; and that they should be permitted to farm their estates and rights as formely . 10. that the tartars who were in the kingdom , should immediately retreat , without spoiling the countrey , and should not be allowed any longer quarters therein in what place soever ; that the general of the cossacks should doe his utmost to engage them for the future in the service of the state ; but if that he could not accomplish it before the next diet , he and his cossacks should be bound to renounce their friendship , and to make war upon them as enemies to the crown of poland ; and that the cossacks should not make any league , nor entertain any correspondence with them , or any other neighboring prince ; but should remain in a perpetual and constant fidelity and obedience towards his majesty and the state , of which they and their successors were to give proofs upon all occasions when they should be commanded . 11. that as there never was yet any cossack inrolled for the guard of the frontiers of lythuania ; so should there not be any at present , but all should remain as it was already agreed upon , within the limits of the palatinacy of kiovia . 12. that seeing the said city of kiovia was a metropolitan , and a seat of judicature , therefore there should be but few cossacks registred therein . 13. that for the greater security of this treaty , both the polish commissioners and the general of the zaporovian army with their commanders , should be bound by oath to keep it ; after which the polish army should retire into their quarters , while the soldiers who were to compose the zaporovian army , might be chosen out and registred ; the tartars should return into their countrey , and the cossacks home . that kmielniski and the zaporovian army should send deputies to the next diet , most humbly to thank the king and the state for the pardon which he had granted them . a short time after the conclusion of this peace , the great general potoski died of an apoplexy in the town of laticzow , worn out with years and the continual wearisome labors of war ; in which he served , first under the famous general zolkiewitz , he had been in a languishing condition since his last imprisonment in tartary ; and his great courage made him neglect those remedies necessary for the re-establishment of his health ; so desiring nothing else , as he would openly declare it to his friends , but to die in the wars , and to finish his life in his profession ; his desires were at last accomplished , and beyond the satisfaction of ending his life so gloriously , he had this also ; just at his death to terminate by his valor and conduct , a war so cruel and ruinous to his countrey . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a32797-e670 * this is called their tabor . notes for div a32797-e3750 horde signifies a congregation . notes for div a32797-e6520 a certain intrenchment made with their chariots so they call the tartarian horses . poltoracks is about two-pence english . a florin twenty poltoracks .