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Poland. On a sudden, therefore, two armies marched towards a whole day; but at last Vitowda was surrounded Poland. the frontiers of the duchy, which they as suddenly pe- by the numbers of his enemy, and in the utmost danger netrated, laying waste the whole country, and seizing of being cut in pieces. However, he broke his way upon some important fortresses, before the king of Po- through with prodigious slaughter on both sides; and land had any notice of the matter. As soon as he re- came off at last without a total defeat, having killed a ceived advice of these ravages, Uladislaus raised some number of the enemy equal to the whole of his own arforces with the utmost celerity, which he committed to my. the care of his brother Skirgello, who defeated the Teutonic knights, and soon obliged them to abandon all their conquests. In the mean time Uladislaus marched in person into the Higher Poland, which was subjected to a variety of petty tyrants, who oppressed the prople, and governed with intolerable despotism. The palatine of Posnia, in particular, had distinguished himself by his rebellious practices; but he was completely defeated by Uladislaus, and the whole country reduced to obedience.

65 Troubles in Having secured the tranquillity of Poland, Uladislaus Lithuania visited Lithuania, attended by a great number of the clergy, in order convert his subjects. This be effected without great difficulty; but left the care of the duchy to his brother Skirgello, a man of a cruel, haughty, and debauched turn, and who immediately began to abuse his power. With him the king sent his cousin Vitowda, a prince of a generous, brave, and amiable disposition, to be a check upon his conduct; but the barbarity of Skirgello soon obliged this prince to take refuge among the Teutonic knights, who were now become the asylum of the oppressed and discontented. For some time, however, he did not assist the knights in their designs against his country; but having applied for protection to the king, and finding him remiss in affording the necessary assistance, he at last joined in the schemes formed by the knights for the destruction of Poland. Entering Lithuania at the head of a numerous army, he took the capital, burnt part of it, and destroyed 14,000 persons in the flames, besides a great number who were massacred in attempting to make their escape. The upper part of the city, however, was vigorously defended, so that the besiegers were at last obliged to abandon all thoughts of making themselves masters of it, and to content themselves with desolating the adjacent country. The next year Vitowda renewed his attempts upon this city, but with the same ill success; though he got possession of some places of less note. As soon, however, as an opportunity offered, he came to an accommodation with the king, who bestowed on him the government of Lithuania. During the first years of his government, he bestowed the most diligent attention upon domestic affairs, endeavouring to repair the calamities which the late wars had occasioned; but his impetuous valour had prompted him at last to enin gage a war with Tamerlane the Great, after his victory over Bajazet the Turkish emperor. For some time before, Vitowda had been at war with the neighbour ing Tartars, and had been constantly victorious, transporting whole hordes of that barbarous people into Poland and Lithuania, where to this day they form a colony distinct in manners and dress from the other inbabitants. Uladislaus, however, dissuaded him from attacking the whole strength of the nation under such a celebrated commander as Tamerlane: but Vitowda was obstinate; he encountered an army of 400,000 Tarbattle with tars under Ediga, Tamerlane's lieutenant with only a tenth part of their number. The battle continued for

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Terrible

the Tar

tars.

I

During the absence of Vitowda, the Teutonic knights Wars with had penetrated into Lithuania, committing every where the Teutsnic knights. the most dreadful ravages. On his return he attacked and defeated them, making an irruption into Livonia, to punish the inhabitants of that country for the assistance they had given to the Teutonic order. This was succeeded by a long series of wars between Poland and Prussia, in which it became necessary for Uladislaus himself to take the field. The knights had now one way or other got possession of Samogitia, Mazovia, Culm, Silesia, and Pomerania; so that Uladislaus resolved to punish them before they became too powerful. With this view he assembled an army composed of several different nations, with which he penetrated into Prussia, took several towns, and was advancing to Marienburg, the capital of Pomerania, when he was met by the army of the Prussian knights, who determined to hazard a battle. When the engagement began, the Poles were deserted by all their auxiliaries, and obliged to stand the brunt of the battle by themselves. But the courage and conduct of their king so animated them, that after a most desperate battle they obtained a complete victory; near 40,000 of the enemy being killed in the field, and 30,000 taken prisoners. This terrible overthrow, however, was less fatal to the affairs of the Prussian knights than might have been expected; as Uladislaus did not improve his victory, and a peace was concluded upon easier terms than his adversaries had any reason to expect.-Some infraction of the treaty occasioned a renewal of hostilities; and Uladislaus was so much elated with victory that he would hearken to no terms, by which means the enemy were driven to the desperate resolution of burying themselves in the ruins of their capital. The siege was accordingly commenced, and both sides behaved with the greatest vigour; but at last, through the good conduct and valour of the grand master of the knights, named Plawen, the Polish monarch found himself obliged to grant them an advantageous peace, at a time when it was universally expected that the whole order would have been exterminated.

Uladislaus V. died in 1435, and was succeeded by his son Uladislaus VI. at that time only nine years of age. He had scarce ascended the throne, when the kingdom was invaded by the Tartars, who defeated Buccarius the general of the Polish forces; and committing everywhere dreadful ravages, returned to their own country loaded with booty. A few years after, the nation was involved in a war with Amurath the emperor of the Turks, who threatened to break into Hungary; and it was thought by the diet to be good policy to assist the Hungarians at this juncture, because it was impossible to know where the storm might fall after Hungary was conquered. But before all things were prepared for the young king to take the field, a strong body of auxiliaries was dispatched under the celebrated John Huuniades vaivode of Transylvania, to oppose the Turks, and likewise to support

the

Poland. the election of Uladislaus to the crown of Hungary. This detachment surprised the Turkish army near the river Morava, and defeated Amurath with the loss of 30,000 men; after which Hunniades retook all the places which had been conquered by Amurath, the proud sultan was forced to sue for peace, and Uladislaus was raised without opposition to the crown of Hungary. A treaty was concluded, by which the Turks promised to relinquish their designs upon Hungary, to acknowledge the king's right to that crown, and to give up all their conquests in Rascia and Servia. This treaty was scaled by mutual oaths but Uladislaus broke it at the persuasion of the pope's legate; who insisted, that now was the time for humbling the power of the infidels; and produced a special commission from the pope, absolving him from the Wladislaus oath he had taken at the late treaty. The consequence defeated of this perfidy was, that Uladislaus was entirely defeated and killed at Varna, and the greatest part of his cut in pieces.

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and killed by the

Turks.

69

Teutonic knights subdued.

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Crowns of Bohemia

army

Uladislaus VI. was succeeded by Casimir IV. in whose reign the Teutonic knight were subdued, and obliged to yield up the territories of Culm, Michlow, and the whole duchy of Pomerania, together with the towns of Elbing, Marienburg, Talkmith, Schut, and Christburgh, to the crown of Poland. On the other hand, the king restored to them all the other conquests he had made in Prussia, granted a seat in the Polish senate to the grand-master, and endowed him with other privileges, on condition that, six months after his accession, he should do homage for Prussia, and take an oath of fidelity to the king and republic.

This success raised the spirits of the Polish nation, which had drooped ever since the battle of Varna. The diet did not, however, think proper to renew the war against the Turks, but took under their protection the hospodar of Moldavia; as thinking that this province would make a convenient barrier to the Polish dominions on one side. The request of the prince who asked this protection was therefore readily granted, an oath of fidelity exacted from him and the inhabitants, and a tribute required; regular payment of which was made for a great number of years afterwards.

About this time also the crown of Bohemia becoand Hun- ming vacant, the people were extremely desirous of gary united being governed by one of the princes of Poland; upon to Poland. which the barons were induced to bestow the crown upon Uladislaus, eldest son of Casimir, in opposition to the intrigues of the king of Hungary. Not satisfied with this acquisition, Uladislaus took advantage of the dissensions in Hungary, in order to unite that crown to his own: and this he also effected; by which means his power was greatly augmented, though not the felicity of his people. So many foreign expeditions had exhausted the treasury, and oppressed the peasants with taxes; the gentry were greatly diminished by a number of bloody engagements; agriculture was neglected, and the country almost depopulated. Before a proper remedy could be applied for these evils, Casimir died in 1492; much more admired, than beloved or regretted, by his subjects. It is related by the historians of this period, that in the reign of Casimir IV. the deputies of the provinces first appeared at the diet, and assumed to themselves the legislative power; all laws before this time having been framed by the king in conjunction with the senate. It is observed also, that before

Casimir's time, the Latin language was understood on- Poland. ly by the clergy in Poland; in proof of which, it is alleged, that at an interview between this prince and the king of Sweden at Dantzic, his Polish majesty was forced to make use of the assistance of a monk to interpret between him and the Swedish monarch. Casimir, ashamed of the ignorance shown by himself and court, published an edict, enjoining the diligent study of the Latin, which in our days is spoken as vernacular by every Polish gentleman, though very unclassically.

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During the succeeding reigns of John, Albert, and Alexander, the Polish affairs fell into decline; the kingdom being harassed by continual wars with the Turks and Tartars. However, they were retrieved by Sigismund I. who ascended the throne in 1507. This monarch, having reformed some internal abuses, Exploits of next set about rendering the kingdom as formidable as Sigismund it had formerly been. He first quelled a rebellion1 which broke out in Lithuania; after which, he drove the Walachians and Moldavians out of Russia Nigra, and defeated the Russians in a pitched battle, with the loss of 30,000 men. In this engagement he was obliged to cause his cavalry to swim across the Boristhenes in order to begin the attack, while a bridge was preparing for the infantry. These orders were executed with astonishing celerity, notwithstanding the rapidity of the stream, the steepness of the banks, and the enemy's opposition. The onset was led by the Lithuanians, who were directed to retreat gradually, with a view of drawing the enemy within reach of the cannon. This the Russians mistook for a real flight; and as they were pursuing with eagerness, Sigismund opened his line to the right and left, pouring in grape-shot from the artillery with dreadful success. The Russian general, and several noblemen of the first distinction, were taken prisoners, while the whole loss of the royal army did not amount to 300 men.

After this complete victory, the king turned his arms against the Teutonic knights, who had elected the marquis of Brandenburg their grand-master; and this prince not only refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of the crown of Poland, but even invaded the Polish territories. Sigismund marched against him, and gained possession of several important places in Brandenburg; but as he was pursuing his conquests, the marquis was reinforced by 14,000 Germans, led by the duke of Schonenburg, who ventured to lay siege to Dantzic, after having ravaged all the neighbouring country. The Dantzickers, however, defended themselves with so much spirit, that the besiegers were soon obliged to relinquish their enterprise. In their retreat they were attacked by a strong detachment of Polish cavalry, who made prodigicus havock among them, and compelled the wretched remains to take shelter in Pomerania, where they were inhumanly butchered by the peasants. Soon after this the marquis was ob liged to submit to the clemency of the conqueror ; from whom, however, he obtained better conditions than could have been expected, or indeed than he would have got, had he not abandoned the interest of the Teutonic order, and resigned the dignity of grand-master. In order to secure him in his interest, therefore, Sigismund granted him half the province of Prussia as a secular duke, and dependent on the crown of Poland;

by

more.

The power of Sigismund had now excited the jealousy of the House of Austria; for which reason they took every method in their power to stir up enemies against him. By their means, the Russians, Moldavians, and Tartars, were all excited to fall upon the Polish territories at once. The vaivode of Walachia, with 50,000 men, made an irruption into the small province of Pokatior, but was entirely defeated by Count Taro at the head of no more than 6000. This victory is wholly ascribed to the good conduct of the commander, who possessed himself of some eminences on the flanks of the enemy. On these he erected batteries, which played with such fury as soon put their ranks in disorder: upon which the Poles attacked them sword in hand, and entirely dispersed them with the loss of 10,000 killed or taken. The count having then augmented his army with a strong body of Lithuanians, attacked the Muscovites and Tartars, drove them entirely out of the duchy, pursued them into Russia, reduced several towns, and at last laid siege to the strong fortress of Straradub; in which the regent, together with some of the best troops of Russia, were inclosed. The garrison made a gallant defence; and the fortifications were composed of beams joined together, and supported by a bulwark of earth, upon which the cannon-shot made no impression but the count contrived a method of setting the wood on fire; by which means the regent and nobility were obliged to surrender at discretion, and Taro carried off upwards of 60,000 prisoners, with an immense booty.

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Poland. by which means he entirely deprived that order of the vines who were taxed with holding heterodox opinions, Poland best part of their dominions, and put it quite out nor even allow his people the liberty of corresponding of their power to disturb the tranquillity of Poland any with them; yet he never persecuted, or employed any other means for the preservation of the state than those of a well conducted and regular policy. Instead of disputing with his subjects about speculative opinions, Sigismund applied himself diligently to the reforming of abuses, enforcing the laws, enriching the treasury, promoting industry, and redeeming the crown-lands where the titles of the possessors appeared illegal. Out of the revenue recovered in this manner he obtained a formidable standing army, without laying any additional tax upon the subjects; and though he preferred peace to war, he was always able to punish those that offered indignities to his crown or person. His knowledge War with in the art of war was soon tried in a contest with the Russia. Russians, who had made an irruption into Livonia, encouraged by the disputes which had subsisted between the Teutonic knights and the archbishop of Riga, cousin to Sigismund. The province was at that time divided between the knights and the prelate; and the Russians, under pretence of assisting the former, had seized great part of the dominions of the latter. The archbishop had recourse to his kinsman the king of Poland; who, after fruitless efforts to accommodate matters, marched towards the frontiers of Livonia with an army of 100,000 men. The knights were by no means able to resist such a formidable power; and therefore, deserting their late allies, put themselves under the protection of the king of Poland. The czar, John Basilides, though deserted by the knights, did not lose his courage; nay, he even insolently refused to return any answer to the proposals of peace made by Sigismund. His army consisted of 300,000 men, with whom he imagined himself able to reduce all Livonia, in spite of the utmost efforts of the king of Poland: however, having met with some checks on that quarter, be directly invaded Poland with his whole army. At first he carried every thing before him; but the Poles soon made a vigorous opposition. Yet the Russians, though everywhere defeated, still continued their incursions, which Sigismund at last revenged by invading Russia in his turn. These mutual desolations and ravages at last made both parties desirous of peace, and a truce for three years was agreed on; during the continuance of which the king of Poland died, and with him was ex- 74 tinguished the house of Jagellon, which had governed Extinction Poland for near 200 years.

In the reign of Sigismund, we may look upon the
kingdom of Poland to have been at its greatest pitch
of glory. This monarch possessed, in his own person,
the republic of Poland, the great duchies of Lithua-
nia, Smolensko, and Saveria, besides vast territories
lying beyond the Euxine and Baltic; while his ne-
phew Louis possessed the kingdoms of Bohemia, Hun-
gary, and Silesia.
But this glory received a sudden
check in 1548, by the defeat and death of Louis,
who perished in a battle fought with Solyman the
Great, emperor of the Turks. The daughter of this
prince married Ferdinand of Austria; whereby the
dominions of Hungary, Bohemia, and Silesia, became
inseparably connected with the hereditary dominions of
the Austrian family. This misfortune is thought to
have hastened the death of Sigismund; though, being
then in his 84th year, he could not have lived long by
the ordinary course of nature. He did not, however,
survive the news many months, but died of a lingering
disorder, leaving behind him the character of the com-
pletest general, the ablest politician, the best prince, and
the strongest man, in the north; of which last, indeed,
some instances are related by historians that are almost
incredible.

72
Sigismund Sigismund Augustus, who succeeded his father Sigis-
Augustus,, mund I. proved also a very great and happy prince.
a wise and
valiant

prince.

At that time the most violent and bloody wars were carrying on in Germany, and indeed through other parts of Europe, on account of religion; but Sigismund wisely avoided interfering in these disputes. He would not admit into his dominions any of those di

2

of the house

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On the death of Sigismund, Poland became a prey of Jagellon to intestine divisions; and a vast number of intrigues were set on foot at the courts of Vienna, France, Saxony, Sweden, and Brandenburg; each endeavouring to establish a prince of their own nation on the throne of Poland. The consequence of all this was, that the kingdom became one universal scene of corruption, Distracted faction, and confusion; the members of the diet con- state of Posulted only their own interest, and were ready on every land. occasion to sell themselves to the best bidder. The Protestants had by this time got a considerable footing in the kingdom, and thus religious disputes were intermingled with political ones. One good effect, however, flowed from this confusion for a law was passed, by which it was enacted, that no difference in religious opinions should make any contention among the subjects of the kingdom; and that all the Poles, without discrimination,

ever, could not prevail on Henry to return; he rode Poland.
post to Vienna, and then passed into France by the way
of Italy.

Poland. discrimination, should be capable of holding public offices and trusts under the government; and it was also resolved, that the future kings should swear expressly to cultivate the internal tranquillity of the realm, and cherish without distinction their subjects of all persuaions.

While the candidates for the throne were severally attempting to support their own interest in the best manner they could, John Crasoski, a Polish gentleman of great merit, but diminutive stature, had just returned from France, whither he had travelled for improve

ment.

In the mean time, the Poles were so much exaspera ted against Henry and his whole nation, that all the French in Cracow would have been massacred if the magistrates had not placed guards in the streets. Henry, however, had foreseen the consequences of his flight, and therefore endeavoured to apologise for his behaviour. One Danzai undertook his cause in full senate; and with great eloquence explained the king's motives for his abrupt departure. Henry also wrote to the chief nobility and clergy with his own hand. But nothing could satisfy the Poles; who now acquainted their king, that if he did not immediately return, they would be obliged to divest him of the royal dignity, and to choose another sovereign. Henry began to excuse himself on account of the wars in which he was engaged, and promised to send men of unexceptionable integrity to govern Poland till he should return; but no excuses could be accepted; and, on the 15th of July 1575, he was solemn- and is dely divested of the regal dignity in full diet, and the posed. throne declared vacant.

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His humour, wit, and diverting size, had rendered him universally agreeable at the court of France, and in a particular manner engaged the esteem of Catharine de Medicis, which the little Pole had the address to make use of for his own advantage. He owed many obligations to the duke of Anjou; whom, out of gratitude, he represented in such favourable terms, that the Poles began to entertain thoughts of making him their king. These sentiments were confirmed and encouraged by Crasoski, who returned into France by order of several leading men in Poland, and acquainted the king and Queen Catharine, that nothing was wanting besides the formality of an embassy to procure the After the deposition of Henry, commotions and faccrown for the duke of Anjou, almost without oppositions again took place. However, the contending tion. Charles IX. king of France, at that time also parties were now reduced to two; one who supported promoted the scheme, being jealous of the duke of An- the interest of Maximilian emperor of Germany; the jou's popularity, and willing to have him removed to other, who were for electing the princess Anne, and as great a distance as possible. Accordingly the par- marrying her to Stephen Batori prince of Transylvaties came to an agreement; and it was stipulated that nia. The latter prevailed through the courage of one Stephen 76 Duke of the duke of Anjou should maintain the laws, liberties, gentleman, who, in imitation of the power assumed by ori Anjou cho- and customs of the kingdom of Poland, and of the the Roman tribunes, stood up in the full senate, and chose Ben king of grand duchy of Lithuania; that he should transport all opposed the proclamation of Maximilian, declaring his effects and annual revenues in France into Poland: that his election was violent and illegal. In this situathat the French monarch should pay the late king Si- tion of affairs, it was obvious that strength and celegismund's debts; that he should maintain 100 young rity must determine which election was legitimate : Polish gentlemen at his court, and 50 in other places; both parties wrote to the princes whose cause they had that he should send a fleet to the Baltic, to assist Po- espoused, intreating them to come with all possible exland against the Russians; and lastly, that Henry should pedition to take possession of the throne. Batori promarry the princess Anne, sister to the late king Sigis- ved the more alert; for while Maximilian was disputing mund; but this article Henry would not ratify till his about certain conditions which the Poles required for return to Poland. the security of their privileges, he entered Poland, married the princess, and was crowned on the first of May 1576.

Roland.

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Every thing being thus settled, the young king quitted France, attended by a splendid retinue, and was accompanied by the queen-mother as far as Lorrain. He was received by his subjects on the frontiers of Poland, and conducted to Cracow, where he was soon after crowned. The affections of the Poles were soon engaged by the youth and accomplishments of Henry; but scarce was he seated on the throne, when, by the death of Charles IX. he became heir to the crown of France. Of this he was informed by repeated messages from Queen Catharine; he repented his having accepted the crown of Poland, and resolved to leave it for that of France. But being sensible that the Poles would oppose his departure, he kept his intentions secret, and watched an opportunity of stealing out of the palace in disguise in the night-time. The Poles, as might well have been expected, were irritated at being thus abandoned, from the mere motive of interest, by a prince whom they had loved and honoured so much. Parties were dispatched after him by different roads; and Zamoski, a nobleman who headed one of these parties, overtook him some leagues distant from Cra

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king.

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No opposition was made to the authority of Batori Dantzic except by the inhabitants of Dantzic. These adhe-revolts, red to the interest of Maximilian even after he was dead, and had the presumption to demand from the king an oath acknowledging their absolute freedom and independence. Batori referred them to the senate, declaring that he had no right to give up the privileges of the republic; but admonished the citizens to avoid all occasion of a civil war, which must necessarily terminate in their disadvantage. But the obstinate citizens, construing the king's lenity into fear, shut the gates against the ambassador, seized upon the fortress of Grebin, and published a manifesto resembling a libel upon the king and the republic. The king, incensed at these proceedings, marched against Grebin, retook the castle, and ravaged certain territories belonging to the Dantzickers; who retaliated by burning to the ground a monastery named Oliva, to prevent the Poles from taking possession of so important a situation.

Notwithstanding these outrages, Batori renewed his

K

Overtures

Poland.

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Poland invaded by

the Russians.

82 Dantzic submits.

83

Cruelty of

sians.

In

overtures for an accommodation: but the Dantzickers
were deaf to these salutary proposals; so that he was
obliged to declare them rebels, and send against them a
body of troops under one Zborowski. As the number
of the Polish army, however, was not considerable, the
Dantzickers marched out to give him battle. They
were assisted by a corps of Germans, and a resolution
was formed of attacking the Poles in their camp by sur-
prise; but the project was disconcerted by a sudden
storm, accompanied with dreadful thunder and light-
ning, which spread a panic through the army, as if it
had been a judgment from heaven, and obliged the
commander, John de Collen, to retire into the city. In
a short time, however, they recovered their spirits, and
came to an action with the Poles; but were defeated
with the loss of 8000 men killed on the spot, a great
many taken prisoners, and the loss of several pieces of
cannon. But this check, instead of abating the cou-
rage
of the Dantzickers, only animated them the more,
and they resolved to hold out to the last extremity.
the mean time, the czar of Muscovy, thinking the pre-
sent opportunity favourable for extending his dominions,
laid siege to Revel; but, not being able to make him-
self master of that place, he was obliged to content him-
self with ravaging Livonia, which he did in a dreadful
manner. This did not, however, hinder Batori from
laying siege to Dantzic in person, and pursuing the ope-
rations with the utmost vigour. Collen made many vi-
gorous sallies, in several of which he defeated the Poles;
but, happening at last to be killed, nobody was found
capable of supplying his place, and the citizens were at
last obliged to surrender at discretion; though not till
they had obtained a promise from the elector of Saxony
and landgrave of Hesse of interposing as mediators in
their behalf. The only terms which the king demand-
ed of them were, that they should ask his pardon, dis-
miss their troops, and rebuild the monastery of Oliva
which they had destroyed; while his majesty, on the
other hand, confirmed all their privileges, and granted
them full liberty of adhering to the confession of Augs-
burg, for which they had for some time been strenuous
advocates.

The war with Dantzic was no sooner ended, than the the Rus king directed his whole strength against the czar of Muscovy, who had made himself master of several important cities in Livonia. The czar behaved everywhere with the greatest cruelty, slaughtering all without distinction who were able to bear arms, and abandoning the women and children to the shocking brutality of the Tartars who served in his army. Such was the horror inspired by the perfidy and cruelty of the czar's conduct, that the inhabitants of Wender chose rather to bury themselves in the ruins of their town than to submit to such an inhuman enemy. For a considerable time the Russians were allowed to proceed in this manner, till the whole province of Livonia, excepting Riga and Revel, had suffered the barbarities of this insulting conqueror; but at last, in 1578, a body of forces was dispatched into the province, the towns of Wender and Dunnenburg were surprised, and an army sent by the czar to surprise the former was defeated.

At this time the Muscovites were not the only enemies who opposed the king of Poland, and oppressed Livonia. That unhappy province was also invaded by the Swedes, who professed themselves to be enemies equally

$4

to both parties, and who were scarcely inferior in cruel- Poland. ty to the Russians themselves. The king, however, was not daunted by the number of his adversaries; but having made great preparations, and called to his assistance Christopher prince of Transylvania, with all the standing forces of that country, he took the field in person against the Muscovites, and laid siege to Polocz, a town of great importance situated on the river Dwina. The Siege of Russians no sooner heard of the approach of the Polish Polocz. army, than they resolved to put all the citizens to death, thinking by this means to strike terror into the enemy. When Batori came near the town, the most shocking spectacle presented itself; the river appeared dyed with blood, and a vast number of human bodies fastened to plauks, and terribly mangled, were carried down its stream. This barbarity, instead of intimidating the Poles, irritated them to such a degree, that nothing could resist them. Finding that their cannon made little impression upon the walls of the city, which were constructed of wood, they advanced to the assault with burning torches in their hands; and would soon have reduced the fortifications to ashes, had not a violent storm of rain prevented them. The design, however, was put in execution as soon as the rain slackened; and the barbarous Russians were obliged to surrender at discretion. It reflects the highest honour on Batori, that, notwithstanding the dreadful instances of cruelty which he had before his eyes, he would not suffer his soldiers to retaliate. Indeed the cruelties committed by the Russians on this occasion, sem almost to have authorised any revenge that could possibly have been taken. A Monstrous number of Germans were found in the city, some expir- barbarities ing under the most dreadful tortures, and others dead of committed pains which nature could no longer support. Several of sians in the officers had been dipped in cauldrons of boiling oil, that city. with a cord drawn under the skin of the umbilical region, which fastened their hands behind; in which situation their eyes had been torn out from their sockets, or burnt with red-hot irons, and their faces otherwise terribly mangled. The disfigured carcases, indeed, plainly showed the barbarous treatment they had met with; and the dreadful tale was confirmed by the testimony of the few who survived. The Polish soldiers were exasperated almost to madness; so that scarce all the authority of Batori could restrain them from cutting in pieces the wretches who had been the authors of such a dreadful tragedy.

85

by the Rus

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Batori.

After the reduction of Polocz, Batori continued the Russia rawar with great success. Two detachments from the vaged by army penetrated the enemy's country by different roads, wasted all before them to the gates of Smolensko, and returned with the spoils of 2000 villages which they had pillaged and destroyed. In the mean time the Swedes and Poles thought proper to come to an accommodation and though John king of Sweden was at that time prevented from bearing his share of the war, yet Batori reduced such a number of cities, and committed such devastations in the Russian territories, that the czar was 87 obliged to sue for peace; which he obtained on condi- The czar tion of relinquishing Livonia, after having thrown away sues for the lives of more than 400,000 of his subjects in attempt- peace. ing to conquer it.

Batori, being thus freed from a most destructive and cruel war, applied himself to the internal government of his kingdom. He regulated the Polish cavalry in such

a..

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