Salomon Henning's Chronicle

SALOMON HENNING'S CHRONICLE

OF

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

of

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

by

SALOMON HENNING

of

Vina,

ducal counsellor in Courland and pastoral inspector

With a Preface

by

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]