and Arrowes may be broken in pieces, and that God may
command the winds, and cause Peace and Tranquillity;
which by your assistance especially we desire to obtain, and
doe most affectionately confer upon you our Apostolicall
Benediction. Given at Rome, in St. Mary the Greater,
under the seale-ring of the Fisher, the 20th. of September.
1655. In the first year of our Popedom.
NATALIS RONDININUS.
From Warsovia, by the last.
Our great Victory against the Poles, and the total ruine of
their Army by Opotzno, continues, but the taking in of Cracovia,
and the King of Polands retreat for Silesia, is yet uncertain,
it being now said, That the said King with the remnant
of his Army, is strengthning himself in Cracovia, which
place is of so great consideration (three being above twice the
number of a hundred thousand fighting men in it) that if there
be but any resolution and courage at all left in the Poles, they
are able, not onely to defend the place, but also to force us to
retreat, in regard (by reason of the considerable Garisons,
which we have been forced to leave in all place of account
which we have taken; as also the loss of several strong parties
of ours, which (notwithstanding the good success of our
head business hitherto) have been here and there massacred by
the Poles & Massovians, especially now lately near the streams,
the Weyssel and Bugh, where his Majesty of Sweden hath
caused Bridges to be laid over; as also in Calissen, which
being one of the places of security given unto us by the first
two Waywoods that submitted, hath revolted and put to the
Sword our whole Garison of 600 men) and then for that
Gen. Wittenbergs Army was almost in confusion in the last
encounter with the Poles, before his Majesty, with the Cavalry,
came to succor him) the vital spirits of our Martial Body
are so exhausted, as that without the Application of some Eminent
Cordiall, viz. A supply of half a score thousand fresh
men (which yet are somewhat hard to come by so suddenly)
it will hardly be brought unto its pristine strength, and posture