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The Contents of each Letter.

Letters I.!

Robable Opinions why the North has been early inhabited,
and wherein preferable to the South. That the Livo-

nians are Germans. Their Civility to Strangers, and of the

Antiquity of the Germans.

Letter II.

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. Hiftory, to

the Year of our Lord 420, with their feveral and various

Succeffes against the Swedes, Danes, Goths, &c.

Letter III.

The Swedes Invade and Subdue Couronia Anno Chrifti

862. Beginnings of Chriftianity in Mufcovy. Pretenfions of

the Emperors to the whole World. Bishop of Livonia's Depen -

dency from the Empire. Erects an Order of Knighthood

called Enfiferi. Of the Templars. King Woldemar II. of

Denmark Conquers great part of Livonia. Lofes it by an Ac

cident. The Enfiferi Unite with the Teutonick Marian

Order.

Letter IV.

Of the famous Marian Teutonick Order, and particu.

larly of the great Mafter thereof Hermanus à Saltza.

Letter V.

Of the Heer-Meifter in Livonia. The Quarrel betwixt

the Knights and Bifhops, and occafionally of the Battle that

was fought at Tannenberg in Pruffia, between the Knights of

the Order, and the King of Poland, in which the Knights

loft 40000, and the King 60000 Men. The Degeneracy of

the Knights and a remarkable Dearth. Of the Heer-Meifter

of

་

of Livonia. Ruffia reduced under one Head by John Ba-

filides the Firft, &c.

Letter VI.

of Gualterus Plettenberg, Heer-Meifter of Livonia,

his great Reputation, with a particular Defcrip-

tion of the Battle he gave the Mufcovites, wherein with a

fmall Number he kill'd 100000 Ruffes. Of the Republick

of Plefcow; the Reformation in Livonia; the Death of Plet-

tenberg, and the respect paid his Memory by the King of

Sweden.

Letter VII.

The Caufes of the Decay of the Teutonick Order by
their inward Divifions and Luxury. The Mufcovites threaten
and Invade Livonia. The Livonians Jealoufie of their So-
vereign, and their Avarice and Sloath the first cause of their
Ruin the feveral steps to it taken by their powerful Neigh-
bour the Czar. Livonia doubly furrendred by the Heer-
Meister to Poland,and the contrary party to Sweden. The
extinction of the Teutonick Knights in thofe Parts.

;

Letter Vill.

What happened after the Partition of Livonia. The begin
ning of the Wars of Poland and Sweden against the Muf-
covite, A Confpiracy against the Czar, difcovered by one

of the Plotters,and the Czars incredible Cruelty on their Wives,

Daughters, Subjects, Servants, and ev'n Cattle. Tiro

Letters of the unfortunate Depofed King of Sweden, Ericus

the 14th during his Imprisonment by his Brother.

Letter IX. +

Of Duke Magnus of Holftein, 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 caufing to be murdered 40000 Men. Mof-

cow taken, and burnt by the Tartars. M'hile King John

of Sweden in compliance with his Wife, frives to introduce

Popery into his Countries, the Mufcovites with Scopo Men

Invade and Harrafs Livonia. Is check'd by the Swedish

General with a handful of Men; and feeks Peace. The Czar

at

at the Marriage of Duke Magnus, fings in Mirth the Creed

of Athanafius,&c. Sufpects King Magnus, deftroys his Gar-

rifons, furprizes, and imprifons him. The Czar's extream

Cruelties at Wenden. The brave Death of those that fled

to the Caftle. The Swedes and Poles beat theMufcovites

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 Mufcovy. The

King of Poland defign'd a small Fine instead of Corporal Pu

nifhments to the Peafants of Livonia, which they refus'd to

comply with. The Swedes make Incurfions into the Heart of

Muscovy. The Jefuits endeavour to fettle at Riga. The Czar

Iwan Wafilewicz dies in cruel Torments.

Letter X.

Of Sigifmund, King of Poland, his Engagements and

Promifes to Sweden when he left it. Of Duke Maximilian

of Auftria. How Sigifmund loft his Swedish Crown. Of

the Polish General Zamoyski, bis 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 faved by an Officers changing Horfes with him, to

the lofs of his own Life. The Death of Charles IX. King of

Sweden, fucceeded by Guftavus Adolphus. The form of the

Czar's Swearing to the Peace. The beginning of his brave

Actions; takes Riga, &e. King Sigifmund of Poland dies.

Guftavus Adolphus killed at the Battle of Lutzen. Vladif-

flaus, eldeft Son to King Sigifinund, declared King of Po-

land. A Truce for 26 Years between Sweden and Poland.

Letter XI.

The

Charles Guftavus, King of Sweden, breaks the Truce

with Poland. A pleafant Contest betwixt the Swedish Am-

baffadors, and the Muscovite Inductor of Embassies:

Czar pre-ingag'd uses them with Contempt. In the mean

while Guftavus over-runs the Kingdom of Poland, but foon

lofes it by a Malfacre of his Men. The Town of Riga

makes a vigorous defence against the Czar, who besieged it with

4

a numerous Army, the War between Sweden and Poland

continues in Livonia. The King of Sweden furprises the

Duke of Courland,contrary to the Treaty of the Neutrality

granted him, and fends him Prifoner with all his Ducal Fami-

ly to Juanogrod. That King's Ambitious Defigns. Elector

of Brandenburgh Revenges the. Duke of Courland. Swedes

beaten out of Courland. Charles XI. of Sweden, under-

takes an unlucky Expedition against the Elector of Branden-

bourg 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 begin

ning of their Troubles, the Refumption of Grants made by the

Crown. They proteft against it; and lay their Grievances be-

fore the King in an humble Petition, which is taken for a

Capital Crime: The hard ufage of the Livonians, and the

ill confequences of it. King Charles XI. of Sweden dies.

Letter XIII.

Of Curonia, or Curlandia, and Semigallia: How thefe

Provinces came to be erected into Dukedoms. Of the Dukes

thereof. Of their Succeffion to Cleves; the Ducal Genealo-

gy. Of the late Duke and his Dutchefs, their Court and man-

ner of Living. How bis 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 Re-

ligion and Clergy of Livonia. An equal Privilige allow'd to

the English and Livonian Bishops.

Letter XIV.

Of the Nobility in Curònia, Semigallia, and Pilten;

how they derive their Pedigrees from ancient Noble German

Families: Much given to Service in Wars. Of the Fulgar

German People. Of the great Liberties and Privileges the

Gentry of thofe Dukedoms enjoy; their great Power over their

Tenants, &c.

Letter

Letter XV.

Of the Province of Pilten, formerly a Bishoprick in Caro-

nia: Whence it had that Name. The Duke of Courland's

Title to it, and his present Furisdiction: The Pretenfions of

the Romish Bifhops upon it. The Nobility thereof, and what

great Immunities they enjoy, in partaking the fame Privi-

leges with the Gentry of Courland, and Semigallia. The

Towns and Cafties that belong to the Duke in Semigallia :

Thofe appertaining to him in Courland and Pilten, &c.

Letter XVI.

Of the Duke of Courland's Deceafe, and the Succeffion

of his only Son. Of the Elector of Brandenbourg's Great-

nefs. Of Pruffia, its Lemits and Name. Divifion of Royal

and Ducal Pruffia. The Antiquities of Pruffia. The An-

cient Pruffians 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 Inquifition formerly

in Germany, and Pruffia. University in Konisberg. Of

Copernicus the great Mathematician. The Electrides of

the Ancients are fuppofed to be Pruffia, and Curonia. Ster-

ling in English comes from Eafterlings or Pruffians.

Letter XVII.

A farther Account of the Electoral House of Branden-

bourg. Of Berlin the Refidence of the Elector.

His Do minions. of fome Courts in Saxony.
Of

Hanover and the Electoral House. Of the Princefs 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 Helle Castle, and its

Provinces, with fome remarkable Passages of the Ancestors of

the Frinces of that Houfe. Of the Landgrave of Heffe-

Hombourg. Of the Court of Naffau Sigen. Luther

allows the Duke of Heffe 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 Ifland of Tabago.

LETTER I