SALOMON HENNING'S CHRONICLE

SALOMON HENNING'S CHRONICLE

COURLAND AND LIVONIA

translated and edited by

Jerry C. Smith, William Urban and Ward Jones

Wisconsin Baltic Studies, 3

Valdis Zeps, editor

Baltic Studies Center 1992

A Chronicle

LIVONIA AND COURLAND

for the years 1554 to 1590 A.D.

An account of memorable events

of the long Muscovite and other wars,

of the far‑reaching changes in the government

and social organization of Livonia,

and of the reign of the last Master

and first Duke of Courland and Semgallia in Livonia

authored

SALOMON HENNING

Vina,

ducal counsellor in Courland and pastoral inspector

With a Preface

David Chytraeus

Cum Privilegio

Printed in Leipzig

in the year 1594 A.D.

[Ia] To the illustrious, noble‑born princes and lords, Lord Friedrich (Friderich) and Lord Wilhelm, dukes of Courland (Curland) Semgallia (Semigallen), etc., my gracious lords:

The eternal, divine majesty, sovereign of all kings and princes, with particular forethought and great wisdom did Himself ordain and establish secular government, exalting the sovereigns of kingdoms and principalities far above other men so that they might be representatives and proxies for God, the ultimate liege lord, and so that they might in true knowledge of, and devotion to, God and our Savior Jesus Christ serve as the divine instruments of wisdom, justice and other virtues. Just as the beautiful order of nature ‑ the course of the stars and of heaven, the light of the sun, year and day, summer and winter ‑ is God's work and creation, so too is the social order in accord with divine law, whereby certain individuals rule their subjects as sovereigns and lords according to divine and other sensible custom, so that these subjects may lead honorable and upright lives. The rulers also protect and assist the pious and punish the disobedient and evil and thus preserve the general peace. God Himself ordained this so that men might recognize and revere God's wisdom, kindness, and justice in laws and judgments ‑ protection of the pious and punishment of the wicked ‑ and so that in peace and tranquility the true doctrine of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ might be widely propagated among human societies, so that many people might be brought to true knowledge of God, and so that an eternal church on earth might be established and preserved for God.

Just as the laws (which distinguish between good and evil) and the courts and judgments give clear witness to God's wisdom and justice, likewise is witness given to God's presence in secular governments by the fact that the beloved rulers and a few true sovereigns are preserved and protected [Ib] in a manner miraculous and beyond human hope in the midst of so many of the devil's destructive, evil and raging deeds and those of his minions and tyrants who attempt to devastate and overthrow everything. Everyone who knows anything of government and who observes the great changes occurring in the world must acknowledge and confess that secular rule is filled with miraculous and divine acts which give open testimony that God preserves the state, sometimes in prosperity and peace, sometimes in scarcity and unrest, just as in one year the earth is more fruitful than in others.

In states too some times are more tumultuous than others on account of the previously accumulated transgressions of the rulers and subjects. Ezechial, for example, did not have victories as magnificent as David and yet nonetheless God rendered him miraculous assistance, even though the enemies wrought great devastation throughout the entire country.

God entrusts His church to such God-fearing sovereigns, for they are the especially blessed instruments of God through which He restores the piteous lands, graciously heals the great devastation and restores and propagates public morals, justice, punishment of vice, fear of punishment, love of virtue, the church, correct dogma and other essential and beneficial gifts of the Almighty. As is written in Ecclesiasticus, "The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable."[1] Whether this ruler succeeds is likewise in God's hand.

Just such a god‑fearing, capable and laudable sovereign was the illustrious and esteemed prince and lord, Gotthard (Gothardt), Duke of Courland and Semgallia in Livonia of blessed memory. He was a special divine blessing through whom God graciously healed the enormous disorder and dreadful destruction and devastation which had been brought about through the many sins of the past. Through him God sought to restore the provinces after such long travails and to re-establish the fallen social order, true religion, public morals and justice. God Himself specifically summoned him to be the Instrument of His Glory. [IIa] He faithfully aided him in arriving at a true understanding of his mission and helped him and his subjects achieve nobility of purpose, justice and a blessed sense of obedience. He endowed him with great intelligence, wisdom, generosity, kindness, a sense of justice and other virtues befitting a sovereign. He graciously stood by him, led him through dangers and perils which defy human comprehension and brought his undertakings and deeds to happy conclusion.

When the arch beset the neighboring provinces of the Transdüna (überdünisch) year after year with constant attack, plundering, arson and murder and when King Stephen besieged Danzig (Dantzig), about to completely swallow it up, having already seized all the other cities and castles, the pious and esteemed prince was in a state of great dread, anxiety and alarm. And yet, through the special grace and providence of a kind God, his majesty's land was protected from the devastation and destruction of the Muscovite, not through the sword and the bow, but rather through the vigilance of God and His holy angels. This was done so that the church of God might find safe refuge in the bosom of his majesty's domain ‑ a church which his majesty restored and tended like a beautiful garden and divine paradise wherein the young flowers of heaven might truly know, acknowledge and praise God.

Let us rejoice in the many obvious examples of divine presence, protection and grace during this pious and esteemed sovereign's difficult and often perilous reign and not only pay honor to the memory of this Christian and blessed sovereign, but also render thanks from our heart and soul to our Lord God who in a special act of grace chose him for the succor and salvation of wretched Livonia and of other downcast peoples, preserving him miraculously beyond all human hope. Let us spread the news of this extraordinary act of God among many people and also leave record of it for future generations, for God Himself commands in the Psalms: "This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the lord."[2]

Indeed this blessed and laudable prince's entire life was a mirror and model of all Christian and princely virtues, a life in which there shone a true knowledge and trust of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ; a true reverence of God; good faith and steadfastness toward God and man; and a proper obedience to God. He not only sought to rule and guide his subjects in true awareness of God, but rather made his own self his starting point, having diligently heard, read, pondered and accepted in faith the pure doctrine of the Gospels. Through them the Holy Spirit guided him and brought him to a true knowledge and trust of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and comforted, preserved and strengthened him in the midst of so many great dangers, perils and trials of war. Thus was he able with joyous heart and mind to place his trust in God's presence, grace and protection and to rely on God in times of setback and defeat in the expectant hope of gracious succor and aid. For without this divine assistance it would have been impossible for his majesty to have survived the unbearably great attacks, dangers and perils and to have endured all in faith and patience. How often have the hearts of great and splendid princes in similar circumstances either renounced God altogether (as Pompey said to Cratippo after a lost battle: things fall out wily‑wily and there is no divine plan) or fall into despair and blasphemy of God (Saul, whom we mentioned above, after he had been defeated by the Philistines and disenthroned, said that God had disavowed him for all time.)

But David, Jonathan and this pious prince in Courland realized that the power of the earth is in the hand of God, which He gives to whomever He chooses and they knew that they owed obedience to God even if He occasionally beset them sorely, for as Peter says: "Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God"[3] which has the almighty power not only to punish and cast down but also to save and exalt. Paul says: "The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ."[4]

Yet the unthinking, intoxicated, comfortable world does not understand how difficult it is to preserve this faith, humility, patience and peace of heart toward God through such travail. Yet David composed his most spiritual and consoling psalms under just such circumstances during the very period when he was being persecuted and beset by Saul for ten whole years, often attacked by other neighboring enemies and finally driven out of his own home and kingdom by his very own son.

[IIIa] The difficult and often dangerous reign of this pious and laudable prince in Courland is an everlasting instruction in Christian faith, trust and patience and this lord's court was a true church wherein the word of God was daily read, heard and pondered, where God was worshipped with prayer and thanksgiving, and where all Christian virtues were practiced.

It is this splendid, blessed, supreme worship which your majesties now propagate throughout your entire land, not only for yourselves, but for your subjects, for your majesties know that God placed you in this authority and that rule is entrusted in a sovereign through His Word and Will so that the sovereign might make wide the gate in his lands for the entrance of the King of Glory, who shall live and be present in him and his subjects through His Word, Sacrament and Holy Spirit. He shall make them his dearly beloved children and heirs, indeed co‑heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ. This has all come about so that your majesties, acting in God's stead, might preserve the people in knowledge of God, virtue and peace ‑ a peace which is not to be used to insure a frivolous and complacent way of life, one given over to indecent joys and sinful lusts, but rather lead to an improvement of the churches and secular government.

His majesty, as soon as God granted some peaceful times and respite from the long and difficult wars, turned all his efforts toward laudable reforms and improvements of the churches and schools as evidenced by his published pastoral instructions which direct that the pure doctrine of the Gospels be preached in the churches, that false doctrines and idolatrous worship be forbidden and abolished, and that the Gospels, Cathecism, Lutheran exegesis, the Psalms and other hymns be translated into the vernacular for the benefit of your non‑german subjects.

He had superintendents proficient in both languages and other capable men visit all churches during a general inspection, implement the pastoral instructions according to the needs of each locality, inquire as to the doctrine and behavior of the pastors and congregations, admonish the people to listen attentively to the word of God and to memorize the cathecism, restore the old disused parish churches and increase their revenues, and, since the churches are too far apart, have new ones built. His majesty endowed these out of his own treasury and provided for all necessary and legitimate needs. He most diligently implemented this and whatever else was recommended by the inspectors.

His majesty commanded, subsequently, that a certain locality in the country be inspected each year by the supervisors of the pastoral reform and several times he himself was present during the examination of the non‑German populace. He presented those who had memorized their cathecism and hymns with money, cloth for clothes and the like to reward their diligence and to encourage others.

The pious Christian prince had begun reforms of the churches and schools even before your majesties began your reign after the great changes in governance in Livonia. Long ago, before anyone had any premonition of the attack of the Muscovite tyrant, while the Order[5] still flourished and exercised authority, he made diligent efforts to improve the churches and schools under the control of the Order. (This was something with which previous masters had little concerned themselves.) Some thirty years ago, for example, when he was the master's[6] envoy to Lübeck and castellan at Dünaburg, he made contact with me through his deputy, the noble, honorable, most capable Sir George von Syborg, at the time castellan at Riga, now ducal Jülich counsellor and captain at Blankenstein. As soon as the difficulties with the archbishop which were occurring at that time should be resolved,[7] he had intended to urge the master and the commanders of the Order to establish a good school or gymnasium at Pernau (Parnaw). Along with rhetoric and foreign languages, the cathecism and Christian doctrine were to be taught and instruction given to the non‑German Estonian, Lettish and Courish children in the Latin language and in the Christian doctrine so that they might be prepared for the ministry. I was to have served as rector of this school.[8]

As everyone knows, the dreadful Muscovite war began shortly [9]after the castellan's return to Livonia. [IVa] God began to punish the entire country for the earlier multitude of sins of the rulers and subjects and the enemy everywhere enjoyed surprising and unexpected success and yet in spite of everything the commander showed himself to be undaunted, of good cheer and skilled in the ways of war. Considering the extreme danger and peril confronting the country and the fact that the most important bulwarks of the country, Narva (Nerva), Dorpat (Derbt) and others had been lost and all supplies exhausted, the old master Wilhelm von Fürstenberg resigned his office and the entire order chose from among its members none other than this man to be their supreme lord and master of the order. It was he who constantly exhibited diligence, prudence and steadfastness to the highest degree humanly possible and unceasingly sought aid and rescue from his supreme lord, the emperor and the Holy Roman Empire and from other neighboring kings. He also pawned several important castles and districts of the Order in order to gain the aid of neighboring potentates in an effort to keep the country within the Roman Empire.

But he was abandoned by those from whom he had the most right to expect assistance. In Judea, after King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Jerusalem and led the most prominent citizens into captivity in Babylon, those remaining in the country, Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, Johann, son of Careah, and Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, began new feuds and wars among themselves.[10] So it was also in Livonia: the dreadful arch had conquered the most important castles and cities along the border, led countless people away to captivity in Moscow and advanced farther day by day and yet some rebellious inhabitants renounced their proper sovereign, the master, and allied themselves with another, one who later had the Muscovite proclaim him King of Livonia. On the other side King Eric of Sweden had occupied the city of Reval (Revel) and the surrounding district. Nothing whatsoever came of the hoped‑for aid from the Holy Roman Empire. And the King of Poland was reluctant to become further involved for the sake of the pawned castles, some of which the Muscovite had captured, unless the remaining provinces placed themselves completely under his royal protection.

The extreme, pressing, irresistible peril forced his majesty to come to terms with the Crown of Poland for the sake of security. Thanks to the grace and favor of God things went well as long as his majesty governed [IVb] the remaining provinces on behalf of the Crown of Poland. Relative peace and tranquillity prevailed in those provinces and the city of Pernau and others were reconquered.

Later some in Transdüna rebelled, like Rehum, Shimsai and Sanballat and desired their own governor.[11] This new governor left the country as soon as the Muscovite invaded in force and abandoned the poor subjects in their peril and panic and let the Muscovite dreadfully murder them or lead them away into perpetual captivity.

However, these worldly events, the Muscovite, Polish and Swedish wars in Livonia and the piteous devastation of the country have been described in detail in other long‑since published histories[12] and so I for my part shall dwell no further on these matters. I rather wish to continue my account of the piety and other laudable and princely virtues of this pious and Christian prince of Courland.

During that Christian reign his majesty not only exhorted his subjects to observe the proper, god‑ordained form of worship by means of his princely edicts and through the instruction of capable preachers, but rather also through his own example and that of his blessed, royal spouse inspired them and caused them to love and revere the holy ministry. As is written in Psalms, the best and most blessed state is where "the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord."[13] And in Psalms 47: "The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted."[14] When Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah ruled, the people had true religion, divine protection and justice and they saw how the wondrous works of God miraculously preserved these rulers from their enemies and brought protection and peace. It was a great glory to God that the rulers were so pious, since the people came to know God and they saw that God bestowed great blessings upon them on account of their god‑fearing rulers and they praised these gifts with thanksgiving. So too did God cover and protect with the shadow of His hand this haven for his church: Courland and Semgallia under the rule of the pious prince.

[Va] This prince was also wise in his conduct of the secular government, chancellery and justice system of his country. He himself, as far as was possible, heard the subjects and the most important cases. (Just as now his majesty's son, Duke Friedrich, follows his father's example and presides in person at the high court of justice.) He also on occasion pronounced strict punishments and yet he always tempered the severity of the law with mercy and kindness in keeping with Proverbs: "Mercy and truth preserve the king and his throne is upholden by mercy."[15]

Just as in God Himself mercy and compassion shine brighter than all the other divine virtues (it is written that mercy prevails over justice and that the Lord's compassion transcends all his other works), so too in the case of the pious and godly princes who are God's deputies and (as Psalms calls them) gods on earth, administering divine decrees in God's stead, do mercy and kindness always achieve more in bringing the people to a knowledge of God, preserving peace and public morals, establishing justice, protecting the pious and punishing the evil‑doers, than does application of the strict letter of the law.

These are the good examples of God's law which the secular powers should set for their subjects, so that they might conduct themselves accordingly: to work untiringly in government, justice and war; to hear issues and either be reconciled or set matters aright; to protect widows and orphans; to severely punish evil‑doers; to valiantly fight for the Christian religion and the fatherland; to revere the proper worship, that most pleasing to God and much greater and more holy than ostentatious ceremony. If this is done then true knowledge and devotion to Christ will shine forth from your heart and God shall be merciful to you for the sake of His Son and you shall faithfully execute the duties of your position to the glory of God and in the service of justice.

This pious prince conducted the tasks of government which God set before him in just this fashion, following the light of his faith, to which also belonged trust in God, great diligence, effort and patience. Certainly one might have preferred to lead the peaceful, easy, idle life of a monk ‑ regardless of how strict the order might be ‑ than that of a prince, warrior and head of family!

[Vb] But this laudable and highly intelligent prince knew that true service to God is something ordained by Him and assigned to each according to his own office; that God has placed all manner of obligations on mankind so that in human communities knowledge of God might shine forth; and that God desires that we practice belief in Him and love of justice through our deeds. This laudable prince followed the example of Ezra and the people of Israel who, having returned from Babylon, built the temple in Jerusalem with one hand while warding off their hostile neighbors, Sanaballath, Reum and Simsai, with the other. This prince, especially at the beginning of his reign, both governed the country and either waged war or was in a constant state of readiness to respond to attacks. He gave evidence of his faith and of the fact that he was committed to the preservation of correct Christian doctrine and knowledge of the Savior Christ and to the protection of his subjects, of peace and of all virtuous women and children and that he was ready to risk his own life in confrontation with the enemy out of love and devotion to God and to justice. During this time of unremitting danger he earnestly prayed to God and gave strength and inspiration to others through his faith and prayers, just as other Christian warriors like SS. Mauritius, Attalus (Astericus) and Cornelius (even those serving under non‑Christian emperors) and many Christian kings and princes like Constantine, Theodosius, Charlemagne and Otto, called upon God during times of war and waged their battles in order to preserve and spread true knowledge of Christ.

Our Lord God also assigned to his majesty as loyal assistants bold, upstanding and loyal counsellors who loved truth and peace, and also some experienced men who were able to serve him with advice and deeds ‑ men who helped his majesty bear the heavy and difficult burden of government, both during times of peace and of war.

In his will his majesty also commended to the laudable young sovereigns and to their mother, his illustrious and highborn princess, old, experienced, capable and esteemed counsellors, respected men of the nobility such as the sirs Wilhelm von Erfferd (burgrave), Gerard Nolde of Hasenpoten, George Vivir (castellan at Goldingen), George von Tiesenhausen (chancellor), Berthold Butler (general), Salomon Henning, Christian Schröder, etc. These men also [VIa] faithfully shared the burden of government with him during his lifetime and were loved and honored by him as brothers. His majesty always conducted himself toward all servants and subjects like a kind, well‑meaning, friendly and good‑hearted father, rather than like a severe and cruel master. He demonstrated this with his words, deeds and many acts of kindness.

Plato says that the best way to govern people is not to command and order, but rather to let them see that the ruler himself does that which he expects and requires of them and makes manifest in his life, deeds and conduct.

Just so did this pious prince serve as a shining example of all virtues for his family, household and entire country. He diligently heard, read, pondered and accepted in faith the divine teachings. He earnestly and daily prayed to God and exercised all virtues in the true light of faith. He was truly and completely loyal and obedient to his king, kind and gracious to his subjects, patient and diligent in all aspects of government, and modest, circumspect and temperate in his private life. He loved honor and good breeding. He honored as a Christian his marriage to the illustrious, highborn princess, Lady Anna, born duchess of Mecklenburg, etc.

God graciously and especially blessed the pious and Christian prince and his people and country with this devout, intelligent and praiseworthy princess, who was a true helpmate, comfort and crown of honor for her lord and husband and who was and still is the generous benefactor of the church and the poor, mother to the subjects and the country in general. Like the beautiful and charming saying of Ecclesiasticus: "The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High,"[16] so too is this Christian and capable princess a marvelous instrument throughout her entire principality, and not only a crowning glory for her beloved lord and husband, but for her entire country. She sincerely loved her beloved and pious lord and husband as her greatest possession and treasure on earth. Her conduct toward him was unfailingly filled with loving and humble respect and affection. She had eyes for him alone. She looked to him for all peace and joy. She happily and steadfastly provided him with all that was dear and pleasing to him. When the prince [VIb] was exhausted by the affairs of state or when he was downcast and depressed by these and other matters and concerns, she brought him out of his melancholy and refreshed him with sweet and charming conversation. Her dearest and happiest thoughts lay in him. It was of him she liked best to speak. Along with all this went her concern for her lord's health. She often gave evidence of this and never spared effort or travail in assuring her lord's well‑being. When conflicting reports influenced him or led him astray, the princess, like the sensible Abigail, or Placilla, wife of the great Theodosius, or Pulcheria, wife of Emperor Martian, respectfully and humbly reminded her lord and husband at some appropriate time of what was most beneficial to the glory of God, the flourishing of the church and peace, and unity among the country's estates. She was devoted to her own subjects and to those of her young lords and sons like the mother of the entire country. Now as well these subjects revere her kindness: she helps the churches and schools, gives generously to the poor and is a splendid treasure house of many virtues, which the everlasting Son of God, the shining sun of justice and the fountain and wellhead of all wisdom and virtue ignited in her majesty's heart and caused to shine forth to illuminate His divine glory and to comfort and benefit many other people. May God in His divine pleasure graciously preserve this praiseworthy princess for a long time to come for the sake of her young lords, her daughters and her subjects. May His divine light forever guide and keep her to the honor of God and the well‑being of many people and of the entire country.

In company with this laudable princess the pious and Christian prince educated the young masters and the daughters in all the virtues and in a true knowledge of and devotion to God and Lord Jesus. They improved the condition of the churches and schools in the entire land. Shortly before his demise he had the beautiful palace church at Mitau restored and at its dedication, after a Christian sermon was given in German, he had the young lord Duke Friedrich deliver an oration in Latin. This was a source of special joy and pleasure for the old father, the praiseworthy and pious prince, and for the lady mother. [VIIa] In a word, this lord's entire life was a model and mirror of all piety and princely virtues.

This pious Christian life ended in a blessed Christian death, one reminiscent of what has been written of the demise of King Christian III of Denmark. During his illness his majesty was daily soothed by his Christian faith and joyfully comforted and refreshed by God's promises. He commended his soul to Lord Christ. It was clear that God Himself, through His Son and the Holy Spirit, instilled eternal joy in this soul and that this lord, Duke Gotthard, is to be counted among those of whom it is written, "they are blessed who die in the Lord" and "he who remains steadfast unto death shall be blessed." This lord's life and death is a model from which we should learn both virtue in life and blessed departure from this vale of tears.

Since your majesties' father gave witness to divine grace in his life and death, we should all find strength in his faith. Your majesties, especially now that you have been appointed by God to assume your father's ducal government, should be heirs and successors not only to his land and subjects, but also to his Christian piety and other princely virtues. I also hope that this unadorned and brief account of the Christian virtues which shone in your majesties' father will be a pleasant and fitting guide and example for your majesties. You have indeed observed, treasured and honored these virtues in praise of God and out of respect for your father and you have followed his example in your own government by praying to God and placing your trust in Him and therefore have every reason to expect divine support and guidance.

God Himself commands in Psalms 78: "I will utter dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praise of the Lord and his wonderful works that he hath done."[17] [VIIb] Doubtlessly it will be pleasing and profitable to your majesties, to all intelligent and pious people and to future generation that the following chronicle clearly records and recollects details of the astonishing and great transformations which took place during the reign of your father of laudable and kind Christian memory; and of the obvious, clear and splendid signs of divine providence and presence, both in the dreadful and great destruction which punished the country and in the way in which your majesties' father was protected and preserved in the midst of so many and varied difficulties, burdens of war and other all but unbearable travails. Your majesties and future generations in this and other countries can read this chronicle and have constantly before you, as in a mirror, examples of God's severe and unrelenting anger toward sin, an anger made manifest in the great punishments which befell this country. Reading it will awaken and strengthen in you an humble turning toward God and a proper fear of God, which recoils from sin out of fear of His anger, which in childlike awe of His wrath and justice avoids sin, and which with true humility is obedient to God and all His commandments.

Both the miraculous preservation of your majesties' father and of his land and people and the healing of the country's distress was not, contrary to appearances, something which was accomplished suddenly and easily. One must acknowledge that the ultimate salvation was God's fatherly grace, mercy and kindness, a God who heard your majesties' father and others when they fervently called upon Him in time of indescribably great danger and peril and who placed their trust in His divine kindness and aid in true faith, patience and hope. He protected them and finally rescued them from all peril.

Just as the holy and most laudable King David, anticipating the teaching of the Holy Cross, for many years placed his hope of salvation in God, giving an example to others and urging them to seek comfort in God (Psalms 34: "This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles."[18]), so too your majesties and others have an example in your father, who trusted in God, relied upon Him and who in return was miraculously preserved and protected by Him. In thanks to God for this kindness [VIIIa] he restored the true doctrine of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ and the proper, God‑ordained, blessed form of worship and to ensure that these things would be preserved for future generations, he wrote and published Christian pastoral instructions and instituted constant supervision and yearly inspections. He himself set a shining example of piety, devotion, patience and other Christian virtues for his subjects.

Doubtlessly your majesties will daily look into the mirror of virtues which was your father and follow his example, steadfastly upholding all that he did in praise and gratitude to God and diligently administering those laudable and Christian ecclesiastical reforms he began, governing just as he did, with propriety, kindness and wisdom, in the service of public peace, morals and justice.

Inaccurate rumors have been spread about in this country and in others regarding the change of government in Livonia. The following clear account of all the events which took place during this time makes it evident that the changes in the country and its organization came about not out of scheming self‑interest, but were rather forced upon the country and were undertaken out of pressing and unavoidable necessity. Had this not been done and were it not for the grace of God alone, the true Christian religion, German freedom and the inhabitants themselves of this poor, forsaken province would have perished. They would have been oppressed, eradicated and swallowed by the Muscovite tyrant.

Therefore all intelligent people would do well to admire the diligence and honesty of the noble and most honorable Salomon Henning, senior servant and counsellor of the esteemed ducal house of Courland, and to praise him for giving an accurate account of events in Livonia from 1554 to the present, most of which he was either directly involved in or witness to. He writes neither to flatter nor defame, but rather follows truth alone to the best of his knowledge. He has faithfully collected, recorded and published this chronicle of the major events from the above‑mentioned year (and of some earlier events) [VIIIb] to the Christian demise of his blessed lord, Duke Gotthard of Courland and the coronation of King Sigismund III of Poland.

I was asked to prepare a preface for the chronicle and have thus respectfully written this essay in praise of the illustrious and laudable prince and lord Gotthard, Duke of Courland and Semgallia in Livonia, in honor of the fame and memory of your majesties' father. I most respectfully dedicate it to your majesties, who are not only heir to your father's country and subjects, but also to his Christian and princely virtues. I hope there is nothing here which might displease you.

Since all virtues and all laudable Christian sovereigns are gifts from God, I give ultimate thanks to the Almighty, the Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, for graciously granting poor threatened Livonia this praiseworthy and pious prince during the recent perilous times. ("The power of the earth is in the hand of God and in due time he will set over it one who is profitable.")[19] God, working through this duke's piety, great intelligence, wisdom and goodness, graciously soothed the country's great travail, resurrected the greater part of Livonia and restored the collapsed social order, true faith, public morals and justice. I beseech God from my heart that He also grant henceforth peace, pious and God‑pleasing governments, and sustenance to your majesties' country and to others; that He graciously allow your majesties to rule with the blessed guidance and support of His Holy Spirit; that your majesties might long champion your country and people to the benefit of the Christian churches and your subjects, following the laudable example of your father; and that you live eternally in God, praising and exalting Him. Amen. Dated, Whitsuntide, 1590, in the city and university of Rostock,[20] in the province of Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg (Meckelnburg), your dearest mother's brother.

Your majesties'

Most obedient,

David Chrytaeus[21]