PREFACE.

...it is your uncommon skill in the sciences, your elegance of manners, and the remarkable integrity of your dignity—since you have proved your loyalty, industry, and constancy for many years to Sigismund Augustus, Queen Anna, King Henry, and that Great Prince, the most courageous Stephen These are the monarchs of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: Sigismund II Augustus, Anna Jagiellon, Henry of Valois, and Stephen Báthory., in the various and most difficult times, affairs, and business of the Republic—that led to your appointment. By the will and zeal of King Stephen, and by the distinguished judgment of the Supreme Pontiff Gregory XIII concerning you—though you did not seek this office, but indeed, as many report, accepted it most reluctantly—you were given as pastor to the most noble Church of Lviv original: "Leopolienſi"; the city is known today as Lviv (Ukraine), Lwów (Polish), or Lemberg (German).. You were placed there to be a burning and shining light, to be looked up to, loved, and finally imitated by all who profess the Christian piety and religion. In this, the dispensation of the Divine Will clearly shines forth.

For Lviv is a most ancient city, the most noble metropolis of Ruthenia original: "Russiæ"; historically referring to Red Ruthenia/Galicia within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, most observant of the Catholic faith, adorned with walls, fortified by a rampart, and equipped with a double citadel. It is the city of the lion from the tribe of Judah, which suffers no heretic. Truly, it is a city worthy to be enriched by such and so great a prelate, to be fortified by such a leader, and to be gifted with such a pastor. For indeed, she has you as a pastor not mismatched to her faith, morals, and laws: one whom she need not fear as deformed, nor blush for as distorted, nor avoid as one greedy for shameful gain. That city is the city of the lion; you, indeed, are a leonine pastor. She does not bear a heretic; you detest all heretics. She is a strong bulwark of the kingdom against the enemies of the cross of Christ, the Turks and the Tartars; you, against those same enemies, are a diligent defender—as a Bishop through the Word of God, and as a Senator through your counsel In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Catholic bishops held a permanent seat in the Senate.. She is adorned by the sweetness, prudence, and erudition of her citizens; you shine with the sweetness of your life, you light the way with the eminence of your prudence, and you gleam with the erudition of charity. God has set you up as an impassable rampart, as a bronze wall, as an iron column, and as a most fortified citadel A reference to the biblical commissioning of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:18)..

We congratulate both: and we give such meager and unequal thanks as we can to God the Best and Greatest, because we cannot return thanks worthy of the fact that such a pastor has fallen to so noble a city; and in turn to the pastor, that such a city has fallen to the lot of his pastoral care. I pass over the other distinguished gifts of your soul, your noble sincerity, your constancy in words and deeds, your extraordinary and circumspect genius, and your exceptional dexterity in managing arduous affairs—which you showed wonderfully to everyone after your countless other embassies, even in this most recent mission to the Supreme Pontiff Sixtus V. I pass over the most vigilant propagation of the Christian faith which you have openly declared to all during your rule. I pass over your singular modesty, your remarkable gravity, your zeal for truth and justice, and the ornaments of honesty and sobriety; by which you have most beautifully drawn all who think piously regarding the Christian religion to love and respect you. You yourself, indeed, are running after the fragrance of