POLITICAL STATE, O ̊F Great Britain. VOLUME XXIX. CONTAINING The Months of January, February, March, April, May, and June. MDCCXXV. By Mr. Bo Y E R. LONDON, Printed for the AUTHOR, 1725. 22868. T the Defire of the AUTHOR, Vol. XXIX. I fhall infert here a remarkable Pamphlet lately publifh'd and intituled, taithful Narrative of the Horrid TRAGEDY, lately acted at Thorn in Polish Pruffia, by the Contrivance, and at the Inftigation of the Jefuits: With an Account of the Generous Juft, and Seafonable Interpofition of Their Britannick and Pruffian Majefties, and other Proteftant Powers, in that Affair: And a ferious Exhortation to Proteftants of all Denominations to Unite and exert themselves against their Common Enemy; To which is added, a Profpect of the faid Difmal Tragedy in a large Copper-Plate, &c. The faid Narrative is as follows. A Faithfull NARRATIVE of the Horrid TRAGEDY afled at Thorn &c. HE Tragedy lately acted at Thorn, in Royal Pr ffid, THE by the Contrivance and at the Inftigation of the Difciples of Loyola, is an Event fo extraordinary in its Α Nature Nature, and may be attended with fuch dangerous and difmal Confequences to the Whole Reformation, That it loudly calls on the Proteftants of all Denominations, to lay afide their private trifling Difputes, and cordially to Unite and exert themfelves against an Enemy, who aims at no less than the utter Extirpation of Proteftantif. With the View of Contributing what lies in my Power, to the Promoting fo defirable an Union, and ta the fame time to fhew the Justice and Seafonableness of the Generous Interpofition of their Britannick, Prussian, Swedish, and Danish, Majesties on this Occafion, I thought proper to give my Countrymen a fhort Narrative of that Affair, with feveral curious and Authentick Pieces relating thereto. THORN is one of the principal Cities of Royal Pruffia, fituated on the River Viftula, between Culm and Uladiflaw, at about fix or seven Leagues Distance from either. It was formerly one of the Haunfe Towns, and a free Trading City, like Dantzick and Elbing, govern'd by its own Magiftrates, till towards the Beginning of the XIV. Century, when the Knights of the Teutonick Order, invaded Pruffia, and after a Struggle of above 50 Years made themfelves Masters of the whole Country. Flufh'd with their Conquefts, they undertook a War against the Dukes of Lithuania and Kings of Poland; but as the fame could not be carried. on without Oppreffing their Subjects, the Principal Cities of Pruffia, particularly Dantzick, Elbing, and Thorn, confederated in the Year 1454, with the Nobility of the Country, for the Maintenance of their refpective Rights and Priviledges, for which being declared Rebels, they put themselves under the Protection of the Crown of Poland. After feveral Conflicts, between the Polif Kings and the Teutonick Knights, the latter yielded to King Cafimir, the Upper Pruffia, otherwife call'd Royat Pruffia, and made Homage to him for the Lower, or Ducal Pruffia, of which they remain'd Mafters. Albert of Brandenburgh Great Mafter of the Teutonick Order having, in the XVIth Century embraced the Reformation, was made Duke of Lower Pruffia, by the King of Poland, to whom he made Homage for it, in 1526. His Son dying without Iffue, the Ducal Pruffia, fell to the Ele &tors of Brandenburgh, who enjoy it now in full Sove reignty reignty, by Virtue of the Treaty of Velan, concluded in 1657. ༣ The Rights and Immunities of the Cities of Dantzick, Elbing, and Thorn, were confirm'd to them not only by Charters of the Kings of Poland, but alio by feveral Treaties between that Crown, and other Potentates; particularly by the Treaty concluded in May 1660, between Sweden and Poland, by the Mediation of France, at the Monaftery of Oliva, near Dantzick, and in which both the Emperor and the Elector of Brandenburgh were' comprehended, and became Parties. By this Treaty the Republick of Poland renounc'd the Claim to Livonia, but the Places that had been taken on both fides were to be reftor'd, and a particular Stipulation was made in behalf of the Free Cities in Polish Pruffia, in which that of Thorn, was included, as follows: Article 2. Paragraph 3. The Towns of Polish Pruffia, which during this War have been in the Emperour and the King of Sweden's Power, fhall likewife preferve all the Rights, Liberties and Privileges, in Mat ters Ecclefiaftical and Civil, which they had enjoyed before this War, (in preferving the free Exercife of the Catholick and Proteftant Religion as they had before the War) and his Polish Majefty fhall have for the future, the fame Goodnefs he formerly had for them, and defend with the fame Care the Territories of thofe Towns, their Magiftrates, Communities, Citizens, Inhabitants and Subjects. They fhall likewife have Power given them to repair and rebuild the publick and private Edifices ruined by the War. As for fuch Buildings as have been demoifhed for better Defence, they fhall not be obliged to raise them again, &c. The Peace of Oliva was fecured and confirm'd by feveral other Subfequent Treaties concluded between Sweden, and other Potentates, and of fome of which the Crown of Great Britain is one of the Guarantees: So that the faid Treaty of Oliva may be look'd upon as the Main Bulwark of the Rights and Liberties of the Proteftants in Poland. The City of Thern, amongst other valuable Privile ges, had that of chufing her own Magiftrates ; and the Generality of her Inhabitants having embraced the A 2 Luthera |