An Account of LIVONIAThe Second Letter

LETTER II.

Of the Extent of Livonia, with an Account of its Chief Towns and Provinces. And a Compendious Deduction from the Ancient Livonian History, to the Year of our Lord 420.

SIR,

IF that large Tract of Land, so called, were still united under one Head, as it was during the Regency of the Teutonick Order, whose Supream Governours were little inferior to Crown’d Heads, either in Preference or Authority, (the last of whom was that Renowned Prince Godhard Kettler↗, Father of that Illustrious Race, the present Dukes, and Founder of the Dukedoms of Courland and Semigallia) it might be numbered among the lesser Kingdoms for its Dimension, Trade, Fertility, and Product: Its extent being in length above One hundred great German Leagues, reckoning about five English Miles to a League; and almost half as much in breadth. Towards the East of it, lieth the vast Russian Despotick 15 Monarchy; to the south, the great Dutchy of Lithuania, and a small flip of Samogitia, which separates it from Ducal Prussia, (though anciently its Limits did extend much farther southerly, Memel and Lacus Curonicus within three Leagues of Konigsberg, belonging to it. The West is bounded by the Baltick-sea, which by the Germans and Hollanders is called the East sea; and the North of it is cut off by the Gulph of Finland.

The Name of Livonia has several Deductions, some of them seeming Romantick; but the most probable is, that they were originally called Lives, or Levones, from their own ancient Kings, and those Germans, the first Discoverers of it, viz. the Bremish Merchants finding it a plentiful, healthy Country, conforming themselves thereunto, call’d it in the Low Dutch Idiom, het Lieve-Land, i. e. a beloved Land: Ac si dicerent, Livonia ob Bonitatem dicenda Bononia.

It belongs at present partly to the King of Sweden, and partly to the Duke of Courland, under the Protection of the Crown of Poland, and is divided into several Dukedoms, Governments and Provinces, as Estonia, or Eastland, Lettia, or Lettland, belonging to the former; Curonia, or Courlandia, Semigallia, 16 Districtus Piltensis, &c. to the latter; which are again sub-divided into several Precincts: We must add a third Division of it, into Polish Lifland, belonging immediately to the Kingdom of Poland, and divided into several starosties, or Territories; whereof they have a Palatine, a Castellan, and a Bishop, who fit in the senate, and several starosts. Though it has pretty large Dominions, yet being for the most part destroyed in the Wars between sweden and Poland, these are the most considerable Places, Duneburg, Creuzburg, Rositten, Lucsen, besides some others.

Estonia, or Estland, comprehends Wyhrland, Allentaken, the Bishoprick of Dorpat, the Districts of Jerwen, and Wycke.

Rewall the chief Town in Estia, lies in Harien, a City of strength, Trade, and Renown; being the seat of the Swedish Governor General of that Province. In Wyhrland are the Boroughs and ruin’d Castles of Wesenberg, Borkholm, and Tolsburg.

In Allentaken is seated the strong and Maritime Town of Narva, which is the Residence of the Governour for Ingria, where there is as great a Resort of all Nations, as to any City belonging to the Kingdom of Sweden; and you may hear 17 there the German, Swedish, Finish, Esthish, Polish, Russian, and English Languages very frequently spoken.

In the Biskoprick Dorpat, is the Town of the fame Name, where is kept the High Court of Judicature, and has an University, and many Castles and Boroughs.

In Jerwen stands the Town and Castle of Wittenstein, and that of Felin, Oberpalen, &c.

In the Whyke is the Town of Trade Pernau, and Habsal: All those Divisions contain a great many other Towns, Boroughs, Castles, Abbeys, &c.

There are besides what I have already mentioned, several Ilands depending upon Estland, viz. Oefelia, Dagedoen, Moen, Warmsoe, Wrangoe, Kien, Wodesholm, and others; whereof Oesel is the largest and principal, wherein the Town of Arensburg and Castle Sonnenburg are.

Lettia, or Lettland, contains the City of Riga, the Capital of all Livonia, and the seat of the Governor General; a Place of so great Trade, that the Town is too small for the Inhabitants, the Fortifications not permitting to extend it further; therefore it has many suburbs. 18

’Tis a rich Town, well built, but narrow streets, seated on the River Duna, called by Ptolemy Rubon, which carries from its Rise in Russia near Biala, the best Products of Muscovy, Poland, Lithuania, and semigallia, for about 130 Leagues to this Town, where ’tis very large, and, as I take it, at least three times the breadth of our Thames at London; tho’ never the better Port for that, for it is almost choak’d up, and and no loaden ships can come up to it: Nay, the River has changed its Channel, as unwilling to be hemd in its Course by so inconsiderable a thing as sand and slime; yet such is the force of the North West, and sometimes the North East Wind, that it raises sand-banks by the Mouth of the River, so that the ordinary depth by Dunamundar schanz, is of seven foot; yet when the Wind blows hard and long from the sea, it makes the Water rise to eight or nine foot: but the greatest benefit they receive, is in the spring after a hard Winters Frost, for the shoals of the Ice make their way, and scour the Banks to nine or ten foot; yet is the Channel so changable, that they are forced to alter their Buoys or Marks almost every Year: Between the Schanz and Riga there is a good 19 depth in some places, and by the Bulwark or the Key of the Town it has ordinarily eleven, sometimes fourteen foot. The River is the best Defence of the Town on the side towards Poland, who never have any Foot, or Artillery considerable enough for a siege; yet the swedes may be mistaken as to its security, whenever the Poles choose some Potent and troublesome King; for their Pretentions upon Livonia are of some weight; but on the side towards Moskow, Riga is Fortified according to the Modern way. There is a fine new Citadel not finished.

That these Provinces have brought forth early and brave Inhabitants, great Lovers of their Liberty, as they are to this Day, may be gathered out of of the most Ancient Swedish and Danish Histories, wherein they unanimously agree, and therefore it must not be thought altogether fabulous.

Eight hundred thirty six Years after the universal Flood, these Countries have appeared to be so Warlike, that Berico, a brave Heroe and King of the swedes and Goths, has made publick Complaints in Parliament of their Invasions into his Kingdoms; who thereupon assisted him, and reduced all Livonia with a strong 20 hand under his Dominion. After Berico’s and Captus his successor’s Deaths, when Augis was become King of the Goths alone, those Livonians, to rid themselves of their subjection, fought a great Bartel against him, wherein, though they slew King Augis, yet the Goths obtained the Victory, and kept them still in subjection.

Amalus succeeded his Father Augis, in the Gothick Kingdom, to whom the Livonians cut out so much work, that not being able to reduce them alone, he was forced to implore Gottila’s, the King of Sweden’s Asistance, and those two Princes, in Conjunction, did effectually reduce them to their former subjection upon harder terms.

Anno Mundi 3000.1 did Frotho, King of Denmark subdue Livonia, and annexed it to his Crown, which made him so haughty, that with the help of his new acquir’d subjects, the Livonians, he Attack’d, without any cause, his Brother-in-Law, Regnerum, King of sweden, who being absent, his Queen Svanhuita met him at sea, and overcame her Brother Frotho in a Naval Fight, took him Prisoner, but gave him his Liberty: Yet he soon forgot this Courtesie, Attack’d Sweden a second time, and was killed in Battel. 21 After Regnerus his Decease, his son Halmard, sirnamed Hotebrod, King of Sweden, undertook to vindicate the Injuries done to his Father by the Livonians, under the command of Frotho; made War upon them, and brought them under the Swedish Yoak, wherein they continued till King Hotter’s Reign, when the Livonians revolting from him, he was obliged to take up Arms to reduce them, but he lost his Life in the Attempt.

Whereupon the son of Hotter, Rodericus, sirnamed slingabond, continued that War, and subdued them again, though they continued not long in their Obedience; for as King Roderigo was ingaged with Denmark, the Livonians Revolted; yet presently were brought again under the subjection of Swedeland, by his son Attilus, whom they willingly afterwards followed in his wars against Denmark. After Attilus’s Death, they recovered their Liberty again; and lived a good while free from the Swedish Yoak; * Chrisstian Kelch, in his Histo­ry of Li­vonia, De­dicated to the King of sweden, Charles XI. Anno 1695 in-so-much, that they waged War * against Grimmer, a cruel King of the swedes, whom they defeated in Battel, took him 22 Prifoner, and hang’d him on a Tree. Being puffed up with this success, they had the Vanity to Invade Swedeland itself, but were repulsed; and this happened sometime before our saviour’s Birth.

I have seen a Chronological Table of the Swedish Kings in their Language, where they call that unfortunate King the 32d King from Magog, and there was written under it, Konig Grimmer, Anno Mundi 3456.2 War en grim Tyran, blef of Esterna fangen och uphangd, meet en jarn Kadia.3 King Grimmer, Anno Mundi 3456, Cruel Tyrant, was taken Prisoner by the Livonians, and hanged in Iron Chains.

I purposely leave out the Occurrences in those parts before the Birth of our saviour, because I would reserve your Patience for what follows, which perhaps may be more worth your Curiosity.

Few Years after our saviours Incarnation, Geterich, a Valiant King of the Goths, Conquered Prussia and Livonia, and gave them to his son Philimer, who with the Aid of his new subjects, and some Gothick Troops of his Father, fell into Russia, (now Muscovy) and fought a great Battel for several Days together, 23 with Hernito a Russian Prince, whom at last he conquer’d, and then subdu’d the greatest part of Russia; but when Philimer was recalled to succeed his Father; Hernito drove those Intruders out again.

At the time as Frotho the Third or (as some will have it) the Fourth, Reigned in Denmark; he sent to Livonia that mighty Champion starcoter, a Native of Helsingland, who was as bulky in Body as he excell’d in Prudence and strength; it was this same Roland-like Heroe, who perform’d incredible Achievements, not only in the Northern Kingdoms, but also in Russia, Germany, and Britain; this starcoter, they say, with the help of the Wandals, overcame, subdu’d, and maintain’d the Livonians under Danish Obedience for many Years; yet afterwards they fell again to the share of the swedes.

Anno Christi 420 Jarmerich, King of Denmark, overcame that Nation in a Battel, killing the King of Livonia and his sons.

Anno Christi 454. King Inguardus of Sweden, a Vertuous and Valiant Prince, prepared to bring these Livonians under his Power; but the fame of his excellent Qualities and Renown, so 24 wrought upon them, that without Opposition, they freely surrendered unto him; yet, out of natural Love to Liberty, they Revolted, and as King Inguard was about to reconquer them, they, by a stratagem, overthrew and killed him in an Island of the Baltick.

Here again these old Historians are silent for some hundred Years; which will also occasion my silence at this present; only assuring you, that I am your humble servant, &c.