made a fine speech against life, and ended it with desiring the prelate to pray him out of purgatory, and then entered his coffin, and composed himself very calmly to die for the second time.

But this was not triumph and revenge enough for this meek churchman; who finding Boleslaus continued to pursue his course of pleasures, and pay no regard to his admonitions, thought it his duty out of zeal for his sovereign's service, and for the good of his soul to excommunicate him. And after this, when the king was one day going to Mass, the bishop stopped him at the church door and forbid him entrance: this provoked Boleslaus to such a degree that he resolved to put the prelate to death, and after having sent some soldiers to cut his head off in a church where he was officiating, who (my historian says) came back without being able through fear and awe to fulfil their master's commands, the king went there himself, and killed him at the altar, cut off his head and

divided his body into four quarters, which were thrown out into the plains to be devoured by the beasts of the field and fowls of the air.

You may be sure that a miracle must be at hand to illustrate this great event. There are many, but the two chief are, that when the birds of prey, such as kites and crows came to feed on the carcass, there appeared two white eagles who defended the dead body, till the clergy of Cracow, in despite of the king's commands, came, and gathered up the scatteredremains of their bishop.

The other miracle is, that when these priests had conveyed the quarters of Stanislaus to Cracow, they began to put them into some shape, when lo! on a sudden the quarters all joined of themselves; the head placed itself upon its shoulders, and the whole corps became as perfect as if Stanislaus had died in his bed.

Thus ends the legend of Stanislaus, Saint and Martyr, whose memory is still in the highest devotion, and whose story is still believed in the

most implicit manner all over Poland; and I believe the Diet who can agree in nothing else, would unanimously agree to burn the person alive that had dared to tell his history in the manner I have done.

You are now expecting the thunder of Christ's Vicar against Boleslaus, it came immediately; he was deposed by it; his subjects were absolved from their allegiance, and blessed was that man to be, who should murder this bloody and excommunicated king.

Boleslaus knowing the force of these anathemas fled out of Poland into Hungary. Where some authors say, he died a natural death; and others declare, that struck with horror at his own past life, he killed himself.

I cannot help finishing this reign with one observation, which is, that I do not find this prince ever did any great things for the church. He founded no bishopricks, and I think all his deeds of religious charity were confined to the building of one monastery; and I, therefore,

conclude that his character suffers a good deal from this, as it has passed only through the hands of a churchman.

Some authors say, that it was upon account of the murder of Stanislaus, that the Pope ordered the Poles to shave their heads; but I think the other reason more likely, though I doubt much about them both.

He had but one son, whose name was Miesceslaus, who died before his father in the flower of his youth.

To Boleslaus then succeeded his brother Uladislaus the first, in the year 1087; but he durst not take the title of king upon him for the Pope had forbid the Poles to proceed to the election of another king, without his holiness's consent; of him I find that he was also called Hermannus, that he governed Poland well, and was a brave and wise Prince.

The Emperor, Henry the fourth, after the excommunication, and deprivation of Boleslaus conferred the title of king, and the kingdom of

Poland upon Wratislaus, King of Bohemia; but it was an empty gift, for Uladislaus made war upon him, and his son Bretislaus after him, which war, after various successes on each side, was terminated by a peace; by which both parties were to continue in possession of those territories they were at that time owners of.

Uladislaus's wars against the Prussians and Pomeranians were successful. He had a bastard son named Sbigneus, who rebelled against him, and joined the Prussians; but was overcome by his father and made prisoner, and afterwards became so great a favourite with Uladislaus, that when he died, he left him joint sovereign of his dominions with his legitimate son Boleslaus: he died in the year 1102.

Boleslaus the third, who, from his wry-mouth, was called Krzywousty, began soon to find that his bastard brother could no more bear him for his equal, than he had borne his father for a superior; for he raised insurrections and rebellions against him at home, and invited the