POLISH HISTORY. 69 



to beauty in conjunction with eloquence? Vanda was 

 soon rendered victorious by the sole aid of her charms ; 

 she enchanted the hostile troops in a moment, the com- 

 manders refused to combat against so amiable a princess, 

 the soldiers quitted their ranks, the most savage among 

 them were disarmed of all their rage, their chief himself 

 was forsaken by all his troops, he yielded to the impres- 

 sions of confusion and despair, and plunged his sword into 

 his own breast as a punishment for his temerity. 



' The princess was easily induced to pardon the foes she 

 had vanquished in this manner; and as she was satisfied 

 with securing the repose of her subjects, she repaired to 

 Cracow, to receive their applause in that city, where they 

 decreed her the honour of a triumph, for a victory she 

 had acquired by her charms and wit, one in which her 

 soldiers could not pretend to any participation. It is a pity 

 that this princess should have become an enthusiast after 

 this great event ; but she considered it as an evidence of the 

 favour of her tutelar gods ; and she imagined it was incum- 

 bent on her to testify her gratitude by a strange sacrifice, in 

 which she herself was the victim. In view of this, she 

 threw herself into the Weissel. 



' A death so tragical as this left the Poles a second time 

 without a master, and they had then an inclination to 

 enjoy the sweets of independency. Though liberty had 

 already proved so fatal to them, they were allured by the 

 pleasures they expected to enjoy by changing their state, 

 and they resumed the republican form of government. 

 Poland was then divided into twelve palatinates, the 

 administration of which was committed to the same num- 

 ber of lords, who were chosen to dispense justice to the 

 people, and to defend them against the enemies of their 

 State. This ancient order still subsists among them, and 

 the Palatines have to this day a power, under their kings, 

 almost equal to that which they enjoyed at the time of 

 their first institution,' 



From that time onward their history appears a record 



