SAcra, Regia Poloniae, & Sueciae Maiestas, Dominus meus clemen­tissimus integram diuturnam (que) vali­tudinem, foelicissimos votorum om­nium euentus, florens ac tranquil­lum latissimarum ditionum Impe­rium, M. Ʋ. precatus, singula­rem fraterni animi, & rerum, M. V. studiosissimi, propensionem, max­imà quà potest particularis ergà M. Ʋ. affectus testificatione declarat, ac his obstring it literis. Quibus prae­uiis, vt reliqua Legationis meae ex­pedienti mihi, M. Ʋ. benignas au­res praebere dignetur, humilimè postulo.

TAndem erupt Ottomanarum iam diu cela­tum pectore virus, & depositâ simulatae multis abhinc annis amicitiae laruâ, publico [Page 2] Barbarorum furore, validissimum Christiani orbis antemuräle, petitur Polonia. Perstrepit bellico appa­ratu Oriens, onerantur classibus maria, iungitur Europae Asia, Africanarum si quid est virium in nostram armatur perniciem. In societatem tanti belli veniunt haereditarij nominis nostri hostes, Scythiae; venit & vterque Dacus; Seruij, Bulgari, Bosnenses, Illyrij, Thraces, Epirotae, quicquid ferarum vsquam est gentium, vi, praemijs, pollicitationibus, spe praedae, cupiditate vindictae cogitur, pellicitur, accenditur. Paratus nuper lamentabilis cruentae tragoediae prolo­gus; hausit immitis primum cruorem Dacia, cùm per­fidus hostis veterum ac recentium solenni iureiur ando firmatorum immemor foederum, innumeris copijs Re­giae Maiestatis Domini mei clementissimi petens ditio­nes, appositam sibi paruam quidèm, sed bellicosissimam nostrorum manum caecîdit, ingenti Christianae Reip. detrimento.

Creuêrūt etenim eâ victoriâ barbari spiritus, & tam faustis insolentes primordijs vniuersam spe cōcipiunt Europā, eô prouecti vel arrogantiae, vel amentiae, vt nec assentiente quidem Deo, delere gentem nostram se posse arbitrentur. Tanto non suarum duntaxat, sed Christianarum omnium prouinciarum commota sacra Regia Maiestas Dominus meus clementissimus dis­crimine, eo fuit animo, vt & reliquos Princi­pes impendentis metus commonefaceret, & inprimis [Page 3] ad M. V. nullâ interpositâ morâ, referret.

Sed ea est M. V. singularis vigilantia, tantum com­munis Christianorum boni studium, vt & illos, ad quos ipsa potissimùm vel temporum, vel locorum ra­tione pertinent pericula, animaduertat. Anteuertit M. V. & hunc Serenissimi Regis mei nuncium, idque vltrò praestitit quod postulandum erat, cùm eidem hosti se Regiae M. Domini mei clementissimi amicum esse, nec ei vllo in discrimine deesse posse, nunciauit. Quâ in re agnoscit R. M. verè magnum, verè regi­um, verè Christianum M. V. animum; agnoscit fra­ternum ergàse affectum, quem gratissimi testificatio­ne animi prosequitur, ac profitetur, nihil tam graue, nihil tam difficile, nihil tâm periculosum fore, quod vicissim M. V. causâ aggredi recuset. Moueantur vtinam tam praeclaro M. V. exemplo reliqui Chri­stianorum Principes, velintquè potius tam gloriosi la­boris esse cooperatores, quàm segnes & otiosi specta­tores alieni periculi, pessundaturi quandoquè propria, dum vicina negligunt. Id verò vsu venire nostro, si Dijs placet, credant cautiores, exemplo, quos neglecta Graecia, deserta Pānonia, in has coniecit angustias. Et nos quidèm eam quam coelum tulerit, sortem feremus, renouaturi Saguntinorum fidei, Tyriorum constantiae, & si quid vsquam fortiter actum, exempla; caeterùm vicini nostri prouideant, quaratione animos firmare possint, ad fimiles, vel (auertant omen superi) graui­ores [Page 4] casus tolerandos. Nequè putent tyrannum, euius animuum humiles Sarmatarum casae ad tam detestan­dum impulêrunt periurium, sanctiora habiturum vi­cinitatis iura quae cum eis iecerit, quorum vrbibus mercaturâ florentissimis, opibus praestantissimis, ae­dificiorum cultu splendidissimis, iamdudum inhiat. Non detinebunt haec, sed allicient, non extinguent, sed inflāmabunt, sacrilegam per nefas propagandi imperij sitim. Quis enim non videt hoc vnum Tyrannum in­tendere, quod in maiorū eius multo tempore agitatum constet fuisse confilio, vt occupatâ patentissimâ in om­nes Europae partes regione, omnis grani feracissimâ, omnium ad classem instruendam, armandamque neces­sariorum refertissimâ, innumeris suis copijs opima apperiat horrea, nauium ingentem praeparet copiam, quibus Balthicum occupet sinum, transiturus in Ocea­num, vt sic binis classibus, velut alis, ab vtroquè mar. Europam premat, & opprimat; terrestres copias per apertissimos, quà Poloniam spectat, campos, in Ger­maniam effundat, quà euntem non montium claustra retinere, nonfluminum rapacitas poterit retardare? Voluebat haec Solymannus animo, agitabanteius posteri, nec vllâ aliâ ab eo consilio deterritos eosfuiss▪ constatratione, quàm quòd crederent vniuersos con­spiraturos Christianos, ad tuendum hoc Regnum, ex­cuius salute totius Europae pendeat integritas. Ne­deerantillo uotam magnanimi Principes, qui malu­issent [Page 5] opum, ac vitae propriae detrimentum fa­cere, quàm vicini sibi populi salutem pericli­tantem deserere. Haec nostrâ aetate, proh do­lor! multi non intelligunt, negligunt nonnul­li, & quod dolendum magis, accersunt vl­trò ad communem omnium perniciem, persidum no­minis Christiani hostem, indigni Christiano no­mine, Barbaris ipsis execrabiliores. Vnum Te habent, Serenissime Rex, haec nostra tempora, qui pro singulari tuâ prudentiâ animaduertisti, & iudicâsti per latus Poloniae vniuersam peti Europam, ac eius periculum ad omnes perti­nere Christianos; solenne Ottomanorum esse bel­la ex bellis quaerere, & regna regnis cumula­re, qui non contenti Asiae, Africae, & maio­ris Europae partis imperio, quicquid reliquum est praedae destinant: nec sibi per religionem li­cere aliter posse opinantur.

Videt haec M. V. singula, vnde & hanc glo­riam est consecuta, ambigentibus caeteris Prin­cipibus quid sentirent, solam M. V. quid Chri­stianae Reip. expediret, maximè & vidisse, & eligisse, autoremquè reliquis extitisse, vt, dum licet, mutuis auxilijs, communibus subsidijs tantae imanissimi hostis obuiam eant libidini, cuius opes intestinis ipsorum dissidijs eô creuêrunt potentiae.

[Page 6] Perge porrò, Inuictissime Rex! & hanc dextram non armis magis quàm pietate no­tam, tuam sidem imploranti, porrige Poloniae. Defensor fidei es, commune Numen ne blas­phemetur, prouide; imitêre maiores tuos, qui­bus haud graue fuit è proprijs Barbaros eru­ere latebris, & vltimae Syriae finibus Britan­nici nominis gloriam terminare. Abundè am­plissimis Maiestatis Vestrae ditionibus suppe­tunt, quaecunquè ad reprimendas potentissimi hostis vires requiruntur. Procerum copia, po­puli multitudo, omnis generis apparatus, vis immensa; ne patiatur Maiestas Vestra peri­tissimos rei militaris Anglos, bellicosissimos Sco­tos, Hybernos ferocissimos, coniunctissimi Ma­iest. Vestrae Regis, & amicissimae gentis, dis­crimina spectare otiosos, ac tàm latè serpens in­cendium in propriâ potiùs opperiri domo, quàm in vicinâ, dum licet, restinguere. In alieno discrimine propria curare pericula, nec prae­sentia duntaxat intueri, sed futura prospicere, erit celebratae Maiestatis Vestrae prudentiae, erit & magnanimitatis, quam vterquè admirabitur orbis, quam sera praedicabit posteritas, quam seruata venerabitur Polonia. Serenissimus ve­rò Rex meus vti nunc particularem Maiestatis [Page 7] Vestrae ergà se affectum, quâ potest maximâ animi gratitudine, complectitur, it à in posterum cum se Maiest. Vestrae declarabit amicum, qui & secundis Maiestatis Vestrae rebus ex ani­mo faueat, & aduersis, si quae impende­ant, non secùs quàm proprio com­moueatur discrimine.

THE sacred, royall Maiesty of Poland, and Suethland, my most gracious Lord and Master, wishing vnto your Maiesty perfect, and long health, most happy successe in all your desires, a flourish­ing, and peacefull gouernment ouer your most large do­minions, declareth, by the most ample testification hee may of particular affection to your Maiestie, the sin­gular propension of a minde, brotherly, and most studi­ously addicted to your Maiesties affaires, and obligeth himselfe by these Letters. And this Preface past, I most humbly beseech your Maiesty, while I briefely declare the rest of my Embassage, to vouchsafe me your benigns attention.

THE long concealed poyson in the brest of the Ottomans, hath now at length broke forth, and the maske of many yeeres faigned friendship laid aside, Poland, the strongest bul­warke of the Christian world, is assaulted with the vniuersall fury of the Barbarous. The East is filled with noise of preparation for Warre, the seas are loaden with Nauies, A [...]a is ioyn'd to Europe, and [Page 10] what forces Affrica affoords, are arm'd for our de­struction. Into the society of so great a Warre there come the hereditary enemies of our name, the Tar­tars; there comes also both the Dacians; the Serui­ans, Bulgars, Bosnians, Illyrians, Thracians, Epirotes, al wilde, and barbarous people whatsoeuer, by force, rewards, promises, hopes of prey, desire of reuenge, are compel'd, allur'd, enraged. A lamentable pro­logue to this bloudy tragedy hath lately bin acted; cruell Dacia hath greedily drunke the first bloud, where the perfidious enemy mindlesse of his past and present leagues solemnely seal'd, and sworne, inuading with innumerable troopes the territories of the King, my most clement Master, slue, to the singular losse of the Christian Cōmonwealth, our small, but most warlike Army opposed against him. For by that victory the courage of the Bar­barous, [...] chiefe [...] at the [...]can­ [...], [...]ainst [...]ans, [...]lemn [...]eir [...] for [...]cesse [...]e, the [...]rke [...] them, [...] with­ [...] from were [...]r own [...]stroy [...]ian [...]. increased, and they growne insolent with so happy beginnings, haue in hope deuoured all Europe, beeing so farre transported either with arrogance, or madnesse, that euen without ^a Gods assent, they beleeue themselues able to de­stroy our Nation. With so great a danger not one­ly of his owne, but of all other Christian pro­uinces, the Sacred Maiestie of my most gracious Master being moued, hath determined with him­selfe to forewarne other Princes of the imminent [Page 11] perill, but especially, all delay set apart, to referre it to your Maiestie. But such is the singular vi­gilancy of your Maiestie, so great is your study of the common good of Christians, that you doe ad­uertise them, to whom the dangers in respect ei­ther of time, or place chiefely belong; and your Maiestie preuenteth euen this message of my most renowned King, & of your own accord You haue offered what wee should haue sought, when to this selfesame enemie, you declared your selfe Friend to the Regall Maiestie of my most gracious Master, and that you would not forsake him in a­ny danger. Wherein his Regall Maiestie acknow­ledgeth your truely great, truely royall, truely Christian minde; vvherein hee acknowledgeth your Maiesties brotherly affection, vvhich with the testification of a most thankefull heart, hee embraces, and professeth there is nothing so grie­uous, so difficult, so dangerous, which he vvould not likewise for your Maiesties cause vndertake. I vvould to God other Christian Princes might be moued by this most famous example of your Maiestie, and that they vvould rather be fellow labourers in so glorious a worke, then idle and slothfull spectators of others danger, since by neglecting their neighbours, they cannot but at length ruine themselues. Which how likely it is to [Page 12] come to passe, they may, if Heau'n bee pleas'd, beleeue, forewarned by the example of our selues, vvhom neglected Greece, forsaken Hun­gary haue cast into these present straights. And surely vvee shall suffer vvhatsoeuer Heau'n im­poseth with resolution to renew the examples of the Saguntines faith, Tyrians constancie, or of what fortitude hath else beene found; but let our neigh­bours forethinke how they shall prepare their mindes to endure the like, or (vvhich Heau'n for­bid) greater calamities. Neither let them once i­magine the Tyrant, whose minde the poore Sar­matian cottages drew to so detestable periury, wil esteeme more holy the rights and lawes of neigh­bourhood vvhich he shall make vvith them, af­ter vvhose cities most flourishing in Merchandise, most excelling in riches, most beautifull in buil­dings, hee hath long gaped. These things vvill not keepe backe, but draw him on, they will not quench, but inflame his sacrilegious thirst of en­larging his Empire by all both inhumane, and irreligious wickednesse. For vvho sees not the Tyrant onely to intend that vvhich is knowne to haue beene long time debated in the counsell of his predecessors, that by possessing a country yeelding easiest accesse into all parts of Europe, most fertile of all kinde of graine, most reple­nished [Page 13] with all necessaries to build, and arme a Nauie, hee might open plentifull granaries to his numberlesse Armies, and prepare infinite ship­ping, by which beeing Master of the Balthike Sound, hee might passe into the Ocean, and so with two Nauies, as it were with two wings, by both the Seas, presse, and oppresse Europe; that he might through most open Countries, and Plaines powre into Germany, by those quarters it borde­reth with Poland, his Land forces, where are no closure of Mountaines to restraine, no swiftnesse of Riuers to fore-slowe his iourney? This, long since, Solyman and his successors cast in their minde, neither were they, as it is manifest, by any other reason deterred from that purpose, then for that they beleeued, all Christians would conspire to defend that Kingdome, on whose safety the good estate of all Europe depended. Neither did there vvant in that age Princes so magnanimous, that they rather chose to suffer losse of substance, yea of life, then to forsake the endangered safety of their neighbour Nation. But many in this our age apprehend not, with griefe I speake it, these things, some neglect them, and which is more to be lamented, industriously inuite this faithlesse e­nemie of the Christian name, of which they are [Page 13] vnworthy, and then the Barbarous themselues more execrable, to the common destruction of all. These our times, most Renowned King! finde onely You, who in your singular wisedome haue considered, and vnderstood that all Europe is strooke at through the sides of Poland, and that the danger toucheth all Christians; that to seeke Warres after Warres, and heape Kingdomes to Kingdomes, is customary with the Turkes, who, not satisfi'd with the Empire of Asia, Africa, and greater part of Europe, designe what e're remaines for prey, and according to their religion, imagine it is not lawfull for them to doe otherwise. All these things your Maiestie well sees, and thereby hath attained the glory, whiles other Princes stand doubtfull what to thinke, alone to haue vnder­stood, and chosen what was behouefull for the Christian Common-wealth, and to haue beene Author to the rest, of resisting, by mutuall aides, and common succours, the so great rage of a most cruell enemy, whose fortunes haue growne vnto this height of power by their intestine discords. Proceede then, O most inuincible King! and reach out this your hand, not more knowne by Armes then Piety, to afflicted Poland imploring your helpe. You are Defender of the Faith; take [Page 15] then care that our common Deity be not blasphe­med; imitate your Predecessors, vvho held it not burthensome to rowze the Barbarous out of their owne dens, & stretch vnto the bounds of farthest Syria, the glory of the Brittish name. In your Ma­iesties most ample Territories all things abound which are requir'd to represse the force of the most potent enemy; store of Nobility, multitude of people, prouisions of all kinde, immeasurable power. Let not your Maiesty suffer the English most experienced in military affaires, the most warlike Scotsh, the fierce & most couragious Irish idly to behold the dangers of a King most ioynd in friendship, & of a Nation most-affected to your Maiesty; and rather to expect in their own roofes so large a spreading flame, then, whiles they may, extinguish it in their Neighbours. To prouide in others danger for your owne, nor to cast your eye only on present, but also on future things, belongs to your Maiesties celebrated Wisedome, belongs to your Magnanimitie, which either world shall admire, which long posteritie shall report and praise, which preserued Poland shall reuerence. And my most Renowned King, as for the pre­sent hee imbraceth with all possible thankeful­nesse, the particular affection of your Maiestie [Page 16] towards him, so in all time to come, he will de­clare himselfe that Friend, which shall from his soule both fauour your Maiestie prosperous suc­cesses, and in aduerse, if any such should chance, be no lesse mooued then with his proper danger.