tion was made, they soon began to fall off. And even those who remained would send back their best horses and clothing, with their names attached to them, and followed their general with a small outfit, as if acting under compulsion. The nobles also, who are compelled to supply a certain number of soldiers for the war at their own expense, would buy themselves off with a sum of money paid to the general, and remain at home; and this thing was thought so little disgrace, that the captains of militia and commanders made a public proclamation, both at the councils and throughout the fortresses, that any who wished it, might exonerate themselves by the payment of a sum of money, and remain at home. Indeed, so great was the licence which prevailed amongst them to do whatever they pleased, that they seem not only to have used, but to have abused, this unreasonable state of liberty, so as even to hold the property of their princes in pawn; so that princes who came into Lithuania could not live upon their own revenues, unless they were relieved by the assistance of their subjects. The people wear a long dress, and carry bows like the Tartars; but they have also a spear and shield, like the Hungarians. They have excellent geldings, which they ride unshod, and with soft bits.
Vilna is the capital of the country. It is a large city, lying embosomed among the hills, at the confluence of the rivers Velia and Vilna. The river Vilna flows into the Cronon some miles below Vilna. The Cronon washes the town of Grodno, the name of which is not very unlike the name of the river; and at the point where it falls into the German Ocean, separates the people of the Pruten (formerly subject to the Teutonic order, but now governed by Albert, hereditary Marquis of Brandenburg, who, since his submission to the King of Poland, has laid aside the cross and order) from the Samogithians. At the point I have described stands the city of Memel, for the Germans call Cronon, Memel, or in the
