bo ok u which is that of a noble family, to give himfelf credit.
. L ,« He had been created an officer in the troops of the confe-
u derates under Pulaiki. It would feem as if Kofinfki began
“ to entertain the idea of preferving the king’s life from the
“ time when Lukawiki and Straweniki abandoned him; yet
« he had great ftruggles with himfelf before he could refolve
“ on this conduct, after the folemn engagements into which
“ he had entered. Even after he had conduced the king
“ back to Warfaw, he expreffed more than once his doubts
« of the propriety of what he had done, and fome remorfe
■if for having deceived his employers.
“ Lukawiki and Straweniki were both taken, and feveral
“ of the other aflaifins. At bis majefty’s peculiar requeft
“ and intreaty, the diet remitted the capital puniihment of
“ the inferior confpirators, and condemned them to work for
« life on the fortifications of Kaminiec, where they now are.
« By his interceifion likewife with the diet, the horrible pu-
“ nifhment and various modes of torture, which the laws of
“ Poland decree and infli£t on regicides, were mitigated ; and
“ bothLukawiki and Straweniki were onlyfimply beheaded.
« Kofiniki was detained under a very ftrift confinement,
“ and obliged to give evidence againft his two companions.
“ a perfon of diftindtion, who faw them both die, has allured
at me> that nothing could be more noble and manly than all
« Lukawiki’s conduct previous to his death. When he
“ was carried to the place of execution, although his body
“ was almoft extenuated by the feverity of his confinement,
“ diet, and treatment, his fpirit unfubdued raifed him above
“ the terrors of an infamous and public execution. He had
“ not been permitted to ihave his beard while in prifon, and
« his drefs was fqualid to the greateft degree; yet none of
« thefe humiliations could deprefs his mind. With a grandeur
4 “ of
« o f fbul worthy of a better caufe, but which it is impoffible c1t1!IAP'
« not to admire, he refufed to fee or embrace the traitor >— A - '
“ Kofiniki. When conduced to the fcene of execution,
« which was about a mile from Warfaw, he betrayed no
« emotions o f terror or unmanly fear. He made a fhort
« harangue to the multitude aflembled upon the occafion,
“ in which he by no means expreffed any forrow for his paft
“ conduct, or contrition for his attempt on the king, which
« he probably regarded as meritorious and patriotic. His
« head was fevered from his body.
« Straweniki was beheaded at the fame time, but he nei-
«' ther harangued the people, or fhewed any figns of contri- -
“ tion. Pulaiki, who commanded one o f the many corps
« of confederate Poles then in arms, and who was the great
« agent and promoter of the affaifination, is itill alive
“ though an outlaw and an exile. He is faid, even by the
« Ruffians his enemies, to pofiefs military talents-of a very
« fuperior nature ; nor were they ever able to take him pri-
« foner during the civil war.
“ To return to Kofiniki, the man who faved the king’s-
« life. About a week after Lukawiki and Straweniki’s ex-
K ecution, he was fent by his majefty out of Poland. He
« now refides at Semigallia in the papal territories, where he-
“ enjoys an annual penfion from the king.
“ A circumflance almoft incredible, and which feems to
“ breathe all the fanguinary bigotry of the 16th century, 1
« cannot omit. It is that the papal nuntio in Poland, in-
« fpired with a furious zeal againft the diffidents, whom he
** believed to be protected by the king, not only approved
* After the conclufion.of thefe troubles, America« fervice,.and-was hilled in forcing.
Pulaiki efcaped from Poland, and repaired the Britilh Lines at the fiege o f Savannah in
to America ; he tiiiUnguiihed himfelf in the 1.7 j>9‘.
“ the