have as it were brought forth light to the ferene elect by the emulous greatnefs and glory of his mother's defcent, 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 fixteen hundred and twenty 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 Staniflaus Danilovitius in the year fixteen hundred and thirty five, palatine of Ruffia, doubled the glory of his ancestors; whom defirous of honour, and not enduring the fluggifh peace wherein Poland then flept fecure, valour and youthful heat accited at his own expenfe and private forces into the Tauric fields; that by his footing, and the ancient warlike Polonian difcipline, he might lead and point the way to these merits of Sobietski, and being flain by Cantimiz the Tartarian Cham, in revenge of his fon by him flain, he might by his noble blood give luftre to this regal purple. Neither hath the people of Poland forgot the moft illuftrious Marcus Sobietski, elder brother of our most ferene elect, who, when the Polonian army at Batto was routed by the Barbarians, although occafion was offered him of escape, yet chose rather to die in the overthrow of fuch valiant men, a facrifice for his country, than to buy his life with a difhonourable retreat; perhaps the divine judgment fo difpofing, whofe order is, that perfons pafs away and fail, and caufes and events happen again the fame; that by the repeated fate of the Huniades, the elder brother, of great hopes, removed by a lamented flaughter, might leave to his younger brother furviving the readier paffage to the throne. That therefore which we pray may be happy, aufpicious, and fortunate to our othodox commonwealth, and to all christendom, with free and unanimous votes, none oppofing, all confenting and applauding, by the right of our free election, notwithstanding the abfence 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 catholic church, the fafety of the commonwealth,

5

commonwealth, and the dignity of the Polifh nation and name, have thought fit to elect, create, and name, JOHN in Zolkiew and Zloczew Sobietski, fupreme marfhal general of the kingdom, general of the armies, governor of Neva, Bara, Strya, Loporovient, and Kaluffien, moft eminently adorned with fo high endowments, merits and fplendour, to be KING of Poland, grand duke of Lithuania, Ruffia, Pruffia, Mazovia, Samogitia, Kyovia, Volhinia, Padlachia, Podolia, Livonia, Smolensko, Severia, and Czerniechovia, as we have elected, created, declared, and named him: I the aforefaid bishop of Cracovia (the archiepifcopal fee being vacant) exercising the office and authority of primate, and by confent of all the ftates, thrice demanded, oppofed by none, by all and every one approved, conclude the election; promifing faithfully, that we will always perform to the fame moft ferene and potent elect prince, lord JOHN the Third, our king, the fame faith, fubjection, obedience, and loyalty, according to our rights and liberties, as we have performed to his bleffed anceftor, as alfo that we will crown the fame moft ferene elect in the next affembly 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 crowned; and after the manner which the Roman catholic church beforetime hath obferved in anointing and inaugurating kings, we will anoint and inaugurate him : yet fo as he fhall hold faft and observe first of all the rights, immunities both ecclefiaftical and fecular, granted and given unto us by his ancestor of bleffed memory; as also these laws, which we ourselves in the time of this present and former interreign, according to the right of our liberty, and better prefervation of the commonwealth, have established. And if moreover the most ferene elect will bind himself by an oath, to perform the conditions concluded with thofe perfons fent by his majesty before the exhibition of this prefent decree of election,, and will provide in beft manner for the performance of them by his authentic lettters; which decree of election we,, by divine aid defirous to put in execution, do fend by common confent, to deliver it into the hand of the most ferene elect, the most illuf VOL. IV.

Y

trious

trious and reverend lord bishop of Cracovia, together with fome fenators and chief officers, and the illuftrious and magnificent Benedictus Sapieha, treasurer of the court of the great dukedom of Lithuania, marshal of the equeftrian order; committing to them the fame decree of intimating an oath, upon the aforefaid premifes, and receiving his fubfcription; and at length to give and deliver the fame decree into the hands of the faid elect, and to act and perform all other things which this affair requires; in affurance whereof the feals of the lords fenators, and thofe of the equeftrian order deputed to fign, are here affixed.

Given by the hands of the most illuftrious and reverend father in Chrift, the lord Andrew Olszonski, bishop of Culma and Pomifania, high chancellor of the kingdom, in the general ordinary affembly of the kingdom, and great dukedom of Lithuania, for the election of the new king. Warfaw, the twenty-fecond day of May, in the year of our Lord fixteen hundred and feventy-four.

In the prefence of Francifcus Prafkmoufki, provost of Guefna, abbot of Sieciethovia, chief fecretary of the kingdom; Joannes Malachowski, abbot of Mogila, referendary of the kingdom, &c.; with other great officers of the kingdom and clergy, to the number of fourfcore and two. And the reft, very many great officers, captains, fecretaries, courtiers, and inhabitants of the kingdom, and great duke-. dom of Lithuania, gathered together at Warsaw to the prefent affembly of the election of the kingdom and great dukedom of Lithuania.

Affiftants at the folemn oath taken of his facred majefty on the fifth day of the month of June, in the palace at Warsaw, after the letters patents delivered upon the covenants, and agreements, or capitulations, the most reverend and excellent lord Francisco Bonvifi, archbishop of Theffalonica, apoftolic nuncio; count Chriftopherus a Scaffgotfch, Cæcareus Tuffanus de Forbin, de Jafon, bishop of Marfeilles in France, Joannes free-baron Hoverbec, from the marquis of Brandenburg, embaffadors, and other envoys and minifters of ftate.

LETTERS OF STATE

TO MOST OF THE

Sovereign Princes and Republics of EUROPE,

During the Adminiftration of the Commonwealth, and the Protectors OLIVER and RICHARD CROMWELL.

LETTERS written in the Name of the PARLIAMENT.

The Senate and People of ENGLAND, to the moft noble Senate of the City of HAMBOROUGH.

FOR

OR how long a series of past years, and for what important reafons, the friendship entered into by our ancestors with your most noble city has continued to this day, we both willingly acknowledge, together with yourselves; nor is it a thing difpleafing to us, frequently alfo to call to our remembrance. But as to what we understand by your letters dated the twentyfifth of June, that fome of our people deal not with that fidelity and probity, as they were wont to do in their trading and commerce among ye; we prefently referred it to the confideration of certain perfons well fkilled in those matters, to the end they might make a more strict inquiry into the frauds of the clothiers, and other artificers of the woollen manufacture. And we farther promife, to take fuch effectual care, as to make you fenfible of our unalterable intentions, to preferve fincerity and juftice among ourselves, as alfo never to neglect any good offices of our kindness, that may redound to the welfare of your commonwealth. On the other hand, there is fomething likewife which we not only required, but which equity itself, and all the laws of God and man demand of yourselves; that you will not only conferve inviolable to the merchants of our nation their privileges, but by your authority and power defend and protect their lives and eftates, as it becomes your city to do. Which as we most earnestly defired in

our former letters; fo upon the repeated complaints of our merchants, that are daily made before us, we now more earnestly folicit and request it: they complaining, that their fafety, and all that they have in the world, is again in great jeopardy among ye. For although they acknowledge themfelves to have reaped fome benefit for a fhort time of our former letters fent you, and to have had some respite from the injuries of a fort of profligate people; yet fince the coming of the fame Coc--m to your city (of whom we complained before) who pretends to be honoured with a fort of embaffy from -, the son of the lately deceafed king, they have been affaulted with all manner of ill language, threats, and naked fwords of ruffians and homicides, and have wanted your accuftomed protection and defence; infomuch, that when two or three of the merchants, together with the prefident of the fociety, were hurried away by furprise aboard a certain privateer, and that the reft implored your aid, yet they could not obtain any affiftance from you, till the merchants themselves were forced to embody their own ftrength, and rescue from the hands of pirates the perfons feized on in that river, of which your city is the miftrefs, not without extreme hazard of their lives. Nay, when they had fortunately brought them home again, and as it were by force of arms recovered them from an ignominious captivity, and carried the pirates themselves into cuftody; we are informed, that Coc--m was fo audacious, as to demand the release of the pirates, and that the merchants might be delivered prifoners into his hands.- We therefore again, and again, befeech and adjure you, if it be your intention, that contracts and leagues, and the very ancient commerce between both nations fhould be preferved (the thing which you defire) that our people may be able to affure themselves of fome certain and firm fupport and reliance upon your word, your prudence and authority; that you would lend them a favourable audience concerning thefe matters, and that you would inflict deserved punishment as well upon Coc--m, and the reft of his accomplices in that wicked act, as upon those who lately affaulted the preacher, hitherto unpunished,