latviski
The Contents of each Letter.
PRobable Opinions why the North has been early inhabited, and wherein preferable to the south. That the Livonians are Germans. Their Civility to strangers, and of the Antiquity of the Germans.
Of the Extent of Livonia, with an account of Narwa, Riga, and its other chief Towns and Provinces. And a compendious deduction from the Ancient Livonian History, to the Year of our Lord 420, with their several and various successes against the Swedes, Danes, Goths, &c.
The Swedes Invade and subdue Couronia Anno Christi 862. Beginnings of Christianity in Muscovy. Pretensions of the Emperesss to the whole World. Bishop of Livonia’s Dependency from the Empire. Erects an Order of Knighthood called Ensiferi. Of the Templars. King Woldemar II. of Denmark Conquers great part of Livonia. Loses it by an Accident. The Ensiferi Unite with the Teutonick Marian Order.
Of the famous Marian Teutonick Order, and particularly of the great Master thereof Hermanus a Saltza.
Letter V.
Of the Heer-Meister in Livonia. The Quarrel betwist the Knights and bishops, and occasionally of the Battle that was fought at Tannenberg in Prussia, between the Knights of the Order, and the King of Poland, in which the Knights lost 40000, and the King 60000 Men. The Degeneracy of the Knights, and a remarkable Dearth. Of the Heer-Meister of Livonia. Russia reduced under one Head by John Basilides the First, &c.
Letter VI.
Of Gualterus Plettenberg, Heer-Meister of Livonia, his great Reputation, with particular Description of the Battle he gave the Muscovites, wherein with a small Number he kill’d 100000 Rosses. Of the Republick of Plescow; the Reformation in Livonia, the Death of Plettenberg, and the respect paid his Memory by the King of Sweden.
Letter VII.
The Causes of the Decay of the Teutonick Order by their inward Divisions and Luxury. The Muscovites threaten and Invade Livonia. The Livonians Jealousie of their sovereign, and their Avarice and sloath the first cause of their Ruin; the several steps to it taken by their powerful Neighbour the Czar. Livonia doubly surrendred by the Hier-Meister to Poland, and the contrary party to Sweden. The extinction of the Teutonick Knights in those Parts.
Letter VIII.
What happened after the Partition of Livonia. The beginning of the Wars of Poland and Sweden against the Muscovite, A Conspiracy again the Czar, discovered by one of the Plotters, and the Czars incredible Cruelty on their Wives, Daughters, subjects, servants, and ev’n Cattle. Two Letters of the unfortunate Deposed King of Sweden, Ericus the 14th during his Imprisonment by his Brother.
Letter IX.
Of Duke Magnus of Holstein, the King of Denmark’s Brother. He is declared King of Livonia by the Czar. some Tragical Relations of the Czar’s Barbarities, in killing and causing to be murdered 40000 Men. Moscow taken, and burnt by the Tartars. M’hile King John of Sweden in compliance with his Wife, strives to introduce Popery into his Countries, the Muscovites with 80000 Men Invade and Harrass Livonia. Is check’d by the Swedish General with a handful of Men; and seeks Peace. The Czar at the Marriage of Duke Magnus, sings in Mirth the Creed of Athanasius, &c. suspects King Magnus, destroys his Garrisons, surprizes, and imprisons him. The Czar’s extream Cruelties at Wenden. The brave Death of those that fled to the Castle. The Swedes and Poles beat the Muscovites every where. The Czar to get the Pope’s Mediation, pretends to Unite with the Romish Church. He kills his son with a blow of a Cane. A Peace between Poland and Muscovy. The King of Poland design’d a small Fine instead of Corporal Punishments to the Peasants of Livonia, which they refus’d to comply with. The Swedes make Incursions into the Heart of Muscovy. The Jesuits endeavour to settle at Riga. the Czar Iwan Wasilewicz dies in cruel Torments.
Letter X.
Of Sigismund, King of Poland, his Engagements and Promises to Sweden when he left it. Of Duke Maximilian of Austria. How Sigismund loft his Swedish Crown. Of the Polish General Zamoyski, his Letter to Charles, Duke of Sudermania. Of a dreadful Famine. The Duke of Sudermania, declared by the state, King of Sweden. King Charles IX. of Sweden is defeated by the Poles in a great Battle, is saved by an Officers changing Horses with him, to the loss of his own Life. The Death of Charles IX. King of Sweden, succeeded by Gustavus Adolphus. The form of the Czar’s swearing to the Peace. The beginning of his brave Actions; takes Riga, &c. King Sigismund of Poland dies. Gustavus Adolphus killed at the Battle of Lutzen. Vladisslaus, eldest son to King Sigismund, declared King of Poland. A Truce for 26 years between Sweden and Poland.
Letter XI.
Charles Gustavus, King of Sweden, breaks the Truce with Poland. A pleasant contest betwixt the Swedish Ambassadors, and the Muscovite Inductor of Embassies: The Czar pre-ingag’d uses them with Contempt. In the mean while Gustavus over-runs the Kingdom of Poland, but soon loses it by a Massacre of his Men. The Town of Riga makes a vigorous defence against the Czar, who besieged it with a numerous Army, the War between Sweden and Poland continues in Livonia. The King of Sweden surprises the Duke of Courland, contrary to the Treaty of the Neutrality granted him, and sends him Prisoner with all his Ducal Family to Juanogrod. That King’s Ambitious Designs. Elector of Brandenburgh Revenges the Duke of Courland. Swedes beaten out of Courland. Charles XI. of Sweden, undertakes an unlucky Expedition against the Elector of Brandenbourg in favour of the French King.
Letter XII.
King Charles XI. of Sweden, gets the Arbitrary Power of his Kingdom, makes use of it to reduce the Estates and Lands of the Nobility and Gentry of Livonia. The beginning of their Troubles, the Refumption of Grants made by the Crown. They protest against it; and lay their Grievances before the King in an humble Petition, which is taken for a Capital Crime: The hard usage of the Livonians, and the ill consequences of it. King Charles XI. of Sweden dies.
Letter XIII.
Of Curonia, or Curlandia, and Semigallia: How these Provinces came to be erected into Dukedoms. Of the Dukes thereof. Of their succession to Cleves; the Ducal Genealogy. Of the late Duke and his Dutchess, their Court and manner of Living. How his Ambassadors are treated when they receive the Investiture from the King of Poland. Of the Duke’s Prerogative, Of the greatness of the former Polish Kings. What are, or may be the Dukes forces. Of the Religion and Clergy of Livonia. An equal Privilige allow’d to the English and Livonian bishops.
Letter XIV.
Of the Nobility in Curonia, Semigallia, and Pilten; how they derive their Pedigrees from ancient Noble German Families: Much given to service in Wars. Of the Vulgar German People. Of the great Liberties and Privileges the Gentry of those Dukedoms enjoy; their great Power over their Tenants, &c.
Letter XV.
Of the Province of Pilten, formerly a bishoprick in Curonia: Whence it had that Name. The Duke of Courland’s Title to it, and his present Jurisdiction: The Pretensions of the Romish bishops upon it. The Nobility thereof, and what great Immunities they enjoy, in partaking the same Privileges with the Gentry of Courland, and Semigallia. The Towns and Castles that belong to the Duke in Semigallia: Those appertaining to him in Courland and Pilten, &c.
Letter XVI.
Of the Duke of Courland’s Decease, And The succession Of His Only son. Of The Elector Of Brandenbourg’s Greatness. Of Prussia, its Lemits and Name. Division of Royal and Ducal Prussia. The Antiquities of Prussia. The Ancient Prussians make a War about the Nick-Name. The Grant of it by the Emperor to the Teutonick Order. Its Ancient Kings. Its Nobility. Of an Inquisition formerly in Germany, and Prussia. University in Konisberg. Of Copernicus the great Mathematician. The Electrides of the Ancients are supposed to be Prussia, and Curonia. sterling in English comes from Easterlings or Prussians.
Letter XVII.
A farther Account of the Electoral House of Brandenbourg. Of Berlin the Residence of the Elector. His Dominions. Of some Courts, in saxony. Of Hanover and the Electoral House. Of the Princess Sophia and the Young Electoral Prince, with the Dominions belonging to them and to Zell. An odd way of taking the Air. Of the Abbess of Hervorden. Of the Court of Hesse Castle, and its Provinces; with some remarkable Passages of the Ancestors of the Princes of that House. Of the Landgrave of Hesse-Hombourg. Of the Court of Nassau sigen. Luther allows the Duke of Helle a left handed Wife. Of Amalia, Elizabetha of Hanau, the Heroine of that Age. Of the Landgrave of Helle-Hombourg, his fancy for Chimistry. Of Cologne, and the Oath taken by the Burghers to their Archbishops. Of the island of Tabago.
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