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to the Throne, made Cardinal in Complaifance to his Majefty. This Lady, who was but Ten or Twelve Years old, when the came from France into this Kingdom, with Ladislaus King of Poland's Queen, was at firft made Maid of Honour to Her Majefty, being very ingenious and beautiful, and Married to Prince Zamoiski, who foon left her a Widow, with a Jointure of about 2000l. per Annum. She was afterwards Married in Cafimir's Reign, to this John Sobieski, then Captain of the Guards, who was not willing to take her in Wedlock, until the King had promised that he would give him confiderable Places; which he accordingly by the perfwafion of his Queen did; for he made him Great, Marshal, and Great General of Poland, which gave him Authority and Interest enough to make himself King, and her Queen; fo that this Marriage was the occafion of his Rife in the world; which he was fo fenfible of, that he refused to be Divorced from her, as the Diet would have perfwaded him to do, foon after his Election.

The Queen is now about 33 Years of Age; tho' fhe appears not to be much above Twenty: She is always attired after the French Mode,as all the Polish Ladies are, and fpeaks the Polish Language full as well as her own natural Tongue; which with her fweet Temper, refined Senfe, and Majestick Air, has fince her Acceffion to the Throne, gain'd her fuch Affection with the Poles, fuch Influence over the King, and fuch Interest lately among the Sena

tors,

tors, that she manages all with a great deal of Pru dence, and that to the Advantage of her Native Country France, who is very much indebted to her for the Backwardness of the Poles in taking part with the Emperor, and their forwardness in ftriking up the late Peace with Turky, and its Dependants.

Thus far by way of Remark on the Perfons and Accomplishments of their Majesties, and the manner of our Reception at Court. I am in the next Place to take a view of the most Principal Places in 'this Kingdom, which my Lord Embassador gave me an opportunity of Surveying, by leaving me behind (at my own Requeft) after his return into England, through Silefia, Auftria, and the Empire, and to give a fuccinct and faithful Account of their Oeconomy in Ecclefiaftical as well as Civil Affairs.

I shall not enter upon a Divifion of this Great and Wealthy Kingdom, which is branch'd out into Eight distinct Provinces, and these into various Palatinates; neither fhall I extend my Obfervations further than to fuch Cities and Towns whither my Curiofity led me, as they are Places of Note, and Reforted to as fuch, by the most knowing and intelligent Travellers. These are, Cracow, in upper or leffer Poland, its Chief Metropolis, and Univerfity; And Vilna in Lithuania, it's Sifter University, (like our Oxford and Cambridge,) and alfo Pofen, Guefna, Lowitz, Warsaw, Thorn, Marienburgh, and Dantzick.

Το

To begin with the 1. Cracow is a famous City, Seated in a fpacious Plain near the Weiffel, by which' Merchandizes are Tranfported to Dantzick. It takes its Name from Cracus, one of the firft Dukes of Poland; and confidering the Statelinefs both of its Publick and Private Edifices, and the great Plenty of all manner of Neceffaries, it is faid to be equal to moft Towns of either Germany or Italy. It is encompassed with a very high Wall, and flank'd round with high Towers, with a broad deep Ditch Walled round likewife, and a stately Castle about a Mile in Circumference, founded on a Rock, near the Banks of the River Viftula. It is a large Stone Building, confifting of two Wings, magnificently raised about a fquare Court, having Galleries fupported with Pillars, and Paved with black and white Marble. The King's Apartments, with fome others, are adorned with divers curious Paintings and Statues, and the Country round about affords one of the most delightful Profpects in Europe. Here is a Cathedral of St. Stanislaus, Protector of Poland; in which a late Bishop of Cracow, Martin Szyfcovins, Repaired and Beautified his Tomb, which before, had been all of Silver. This Sigifmund III. and his Son Uladiflans VII. (as Pompous Infcriptions tell us) greatly augmented, bestowing on it many Offerings of Gold and Silver Veffels. Sigifmund I. alfo, in Honour of this Saint, built a Silver Altar near his Tomb, bestowing on it feveral Golden Crucifixes, and as many Vestments richly bedeck'd with Gems of all forts. His Daughter

Anne,

'Anne likewife Wife to King Stephen, built another Silver Altar in the Chapel of the Annunciation, whose Roof is all Gilded, and wherein the Kings of Poland are wont to be Interr'd.

This Cathedral is Principally to be noted for its Chapter, and Treafury, and the Bishop of it is Lord over Thirteen Cities, and Prince, that is Commander in Chief, of the Dutchy of Severia. His Chapter which confifts of about 30 Canons, with feveral other inferior Priests, having a proportional Provision to his Revenue, which is between 11 and 12000l. Sterling per Annum; the very lowest Salary of the meaneft Ecclefiaftick there, being 100l. Yearly of our Money. It was firft Erected into a Metropolitan See, upon the first Planting of the Chriftian Religion in Poland, by Mieciflaus I. but within 100 Years after degenerated into a Bishoprick, under the Archbi fhop of Guefna, in Regard that Lambert Pula could not be perfwaded to receive his Pall from the See of Rome; yet upon Submission he was afterwards restored to that Dignity, but which lasted only for his Life, his Succeffors having been ever fince only Bishops.

There are about Fifty other Churches, as well in the Castle as the Town; whereof the most celebrated is that of the Virgin Mary in the Circle of Cracow, which is Govern'd by an Arch-Presbyter, and fronts Ten large Streets; having moreover on all fides Four Rows of Magnificent Structures.

A

A University was first begun here by Cafimir the Great, who came to the Throne in the Year 1333, and Reigned to the Year 1370, and finish'd by Uladiflaus Jagello, having its Privileges confirm'd foon after by Pope Urban VI. However, as the Rector Mr. Siniawiski Brother to the Palatine of that Name told me, that the Scholars forfook it in 1549, by Reafon that the Magiftrates would not do them Justice on fome Perfons that had murther'd great Numbers of them, and afterwards difpers'd themselves into feveral parts of Germany, and becoming Proteftants, fpread the Lutheran Religion through Poland, and gain'd a great Number of Profelytes; yet notwith_ standing all this, they return'd to the Obedience of the See of Rome.

In this University are taught all forts of Learning (tho' as I take it fuperficially) and the Poles (but I diffent from them) hold it to be as great an Ornament to their Country, as Athens was formerly to Greece. It contains in all, Eleven Colleges. Fourteen Grammar-Schools are alfo fcattered throughout the City, in which alfo fometimes Univerfity Learning is Taught.

All these Colleges and Schools are Govern'd by a Rector, or Vice-Chancellor, who takes Care that Orders may be duly obferved, and Functions rightly Adminiftred; which is fo great an Encouragement, that there is fcarce any Ecclefiaftical or Political Dignity in the Kingdom but is filled by Per

fons