ral nights, the bishop went with his canons to the place, and soon discovered the pix, with the hostic in it undamaged; and this foolish story produced this church, which is hence called Corpus Christi.

In the year 1345, Casimir went to war with the Silesian duke of Sagan, and took from him the town and territory of Fraustadt, which remains to this day incorporated with Poland, and is of use to the present king; who can do no Polish act out of Poland, and frequently goes to Fraustadt to sign necessary papers, and afterwards returns to Dresden.

But John king of Bohemia, resolving to revenge and recover this loss, entered Poland with a very large army, and besieged Cracow, but in vain; and, in his return towards Germany, he was attacked and defeated by Casimir.

The Lithuanians about this time made frequent incursions into Poland, but were con stantly repulsed with loss.

In the year 1348, I find there was a great plague in Poland, which afterwards spread itself all over Europe. I should, perhaps, not have mentioned this, but for a circumstance that followed.

The Jews, who are the only persecuted people that do not thrive, have paid constantly immense sums of money in many countries for the liberty of existing, and have often suffered upon suspicion of the crime of being rich. The Poles thought this a good opportunity to drain them; and, therefore, gave it out as a certainty, that the Jews had poisoned the air, and brought this pestilence upon the kingdom. Upon which every Jew that did not buy himself off, was ordered to be put to death, which was inflicted on them in so cruel a manner, that several of the poor ones put themselves and their whole families to death, to avoid the tortures which they knew they must otherwise undergo. My divine author seems to think there was nothing wrong in all this.

Soon after there happened a great earthquake, but I do not find the Jews were accused of poisoning the earth, which I wonder at.

In the year 1349, Casimir conquered several districts of Lithuania, and joined them to the dominions of Poland.

My priestly author who cannot now accuse him of sloth or cowardice, says, that he was so puffed up with these successes, that he delivered himself up entirely to his concubines, of whom he kept numbers at three places. Opez, Czchow, and Krzeczow (pronounce these two last names if you can) whither he often went as to shops of pleasure, as my guide tells me, for they are his own words.

The pope being informed of these proceedings, ordered the bishop of Cracow to admonish him to abstain from other women, and cleave to his own wife, which the bishop did, and for which the king seized the bishop's land-as the seizing temporalities has always been the greatest sin against religion, the bishop let fly

his thunder against Casimir, and ordered one of his Canons to go and pronounce his sentence in Casimir's own presence.

The whole chapter of Cracow refused to execute this mandate, but at last the bishop persuaded one of them whose name was Bariczka to undertake it.

The poor Canon did as he was ordered, and pronounced the church's censure against Casimir, in Casimir's presence: who contained himself at that time, and said nothing in answer to it; but that very night ordered one of his guards to drown Bariczka in the Vistula which was accordingly done.

After this one of my authors goes on for half a page in abusing Casimir in the most charitable expressions that a clerical member of an injured church can make use of.

But Casimir himself sent an ambassador immediately to the Pope at Avignon, where having made large presents and great submissions, he got an absolution upon condition that

he should build some churches and found two

or three monasteries.

In the year 1355, Casimir compelled by force of arms the duke of Massovia to own himself a Vassal of the kingdom of Poland, forced him to declare that he held his duchy from the king and crown of Poland, obliged him to do homage for it, and made him swear that he would at all times be ready to assist them with his forces when called upon so to do, which was another great addition made by Casimir to the greatness and strength of Poland. In my next letter, I hope to finish the reigns of Casimir the Great, and Lewis king of Poland and Hungary.

I am, dear Sir,

With true esteem and affection,

Your most obliged, and most

Faithful humble Servant,

C. HANBURY WILLIAMS.