We come now to the year 1655. This was the year in which King Charles X Gustavus of Sweden, sweeping over Poland like a flood, occupied almost the whole of it so that King Casimir fled the kingdom. The army of the kingdom with its captains, as well as Krakow itself submitted of necessity to his protection. And they did this especially in order to be protected from the Muscovites and Cossacks who were frightfully ravaging the kingdom with fire and sword from the other side.

The Polish peasants were stirred up by some against the Swedes to drive out their garrisons from the towns (and this in violation of their oaths) and instead of booty they were promised the property and farms of the Brethren. And everywhere, through all the towns, in marketplaces and in churches, it was proclaimed openly from the pulpits that they should attack and massacre these people and plunder their possessions and goods.

Thus encouraged, the peasants were quick to act. A mob of more than three thousand gathered. Having by treachery taken the town of Sacz and slaughtered the Swedish garrison there, they rushed upon the unsuspecting homes and manors of the Brethren with axes, mattocks and fire-hardened stakes, the priests themselves showing the way, and destroyed everything with fire and sword. Many who would not abjure their faith were savagely butchered. Others were left wounded and halfdead, nor were the weaker sex or infants spared; the mind shudders to relate all this, and to recall so great a sorrow, nor do time and space permit.

came that this pillaging mob of senseless men, set on by more cunning ones, and enticed by their recent booty, was making for Czarkow, where they had heard that many Brethren had gathered. It was unanimously decided by the Brethren that they had to flee from there at once. They had scarcely covered a mile or two, when the mob arrived in Czarkow and wasted it with fire and sword. They burned the meeting hall, plundered the furniture, scattered the library of the famous (brother) Stanislas Lubieniecki, and strewed the road all the way to Pinczow with his books. Deeds like these were then perpetrated far and wide.

Placed in such straits therefore, they raised their prayers to

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God and took counsel together as to whither they should turn. They perceived that in Poland they were not safe, nor did it seem advisable to go to Silesia or Hungary, as many wished to do, for all the roads out were beset by robbers and assassins. Rumours, by no means unfounded, reported that some who had already made the attempt had suffered a terrible death. So, in such a case nearby Krakow was preferred. To this place, therefore, the Brethren mentioned, driven by harsh necessity, turned.293