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The following items are a direct translation from the
classical genealogical and heraldic reference "Herbarz Polski" by
Kasper Niesiecki, S.J., Lipsk (Leipzig) edition, 1839-1846.
B
BRADACICE ARMS
There are two axes forming a cross with the handles on
the bottom, the heads on top, their backs opposite each other, and their
blades directed one toward the right and one toward the left, on a blue
field; on the helm are three ostrich feathers. Okolski, tomo 1. fol.
70. Paprocki o herb. Inasmuch as there neither is nor has been any
house in Poland which used these arms, I mention them here only because
some call them Brodacice, others Bradczyce, and others still Bratczyc.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Fall 1989 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRANDT ARMS
There is a burning torch, black on an azure field, standing
not straight up but inclined toward the shield's right side; there are
three ostrich feathers on the helm, one red, one azure, the third yellow.
Neither Paprocki nor Okolski wrote about these arms, but they are to be
seen on various tombstones in Prussia. But where these arms come from,
when and to whom they were conferred, I have not discovered in my reading.
It is certain that these arms were used in olden times; the house of the
Brants is particularly ancient in Pomerania district. From them Jedrzej
and Krzysztof signed to the election of Jan Kazimierz. Stanislaw married
Eufrozyna Bystram, the daughter of Tczew judge Krzysztof Bystram. MS
Konopatsc. A Brant was the grandmother of Adryan Kitnowski, district
judge of Pomerania. Although the manuscripts on Prussian families affirm
that these are all the same house, still it seems that some of them who
signed themselves as z Kantk or z Hogendorfu used these
arms in the form depicted at the top of the next column, while others
from Rokocin used them in the form shown at the bottom of the column.
Some of them inherited in Kleszczew, others in Teszmerdorf. Piotr Brant
was chancellor for Otton, prince of Brunswick [Braunschweig] and Luneburg.
Jerzy z Hogendorfu had two sons by a Bombek, Michal and Achacy. Michal
had a son Jedrzej by Luzyanska, and after her by a second wife had Asswer
Brant, councillor to the prince of Prussia, and later supreme marshal
of the Duchy of Prussia, famed for legations sent fortunately to Caesar
and King Augustus. Heidekowna presented this Asswer with three sons: Jan,
who had a son Asswerus; Wolf, who had sons and daughters; and Asswer,
Prabuty starosta, and this latter lived with Polencowna without
offspring. As for their sisters, one married Jan Polenc, the other Elsnic.
Achacy, Michal's brother, had two sons: Jerzy, who sired by Machwiczowna
one son and three daughters - of whom one married Malcher Kraiec, ducal
chancellor, another married Jerzy Aurszwald, and the third remained a
maiden at that time; and Fabian, who was survived by five sons and a daughter,
the spouse of Fabian Milewski. In addition one Brant maiden married Heidek,
another Szynich, a third Jerzy Sokolowski from Bystrzec, a forth Maciej
Pisinski in Pomerania, and a fifth Jan Hondorf. Jedrzej Brant of Rokocin,
not far from Starogard, was Tczew county judge, and he served no small
time in Prussia for Olbrycht, Brandenburg margrave, who had given him
for his services Kwidzyn starostwo and two villages of considerable
extent and profit, Zebdrowo and Rozajny, by feudal right. Later he took
to himself the sole daughter of Krzysztof Rembowski, and took Rokocin
with her: by her he sired two sons, Zygmunt (childless) and Henryk, to
whom Polencowna bore two daughters, Anna and Elzbieta, and five sons,
Krzysztof, Fryderyk, Zygmunt, Jedrzej, and Fabian. The information on
this family comes from MS o familiach Pruskich, and these latter
persons used the second coat of arms.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1990 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRANDYS ARMS
According to manuscripts on Prussian families, the Brandyses
living in Prussia use these arms: from a crown an arm is shown from the
shoulder up, in armor, rising straight toward the helm, bloodied a little
at the elbow and holding in its hand a sword pointed downward; on the
helm is a similar arm. Paraphrasis in Theatro nobilitatis Svecanae
fol. 115. cap. 8 mentions Henryk Brandys. Also Jan Giszgra Brandys
flourished in the year 1458. The same manuscript also lists Mangold z
Opata Divitis Augiae, who was chosen as Bishop of Konstanz in
1334, the sixty-fourth mitred to that place.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Fall 1989 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRATKOWSKI ARMS
There is a horseshoe raised upward
like a gate, and through its middle, point upward, is an arrow arranged
so that half is within the horseshoe and the other half can be seen above
it. From the left side a sword directed straight to the right side of
the shield pierces the horseshoe and arrow, and from the top of the horseshoe
two palms rise, one from one side of the arrow and the other from the
other, so that their ends cannot be seen inside the horseshoe. The origins
of these arms, too, are hard to discover. Neither Paprocki nor Okolski
wrote about them. The Bratkowskis use these arms, of whom some settled
in Volhynia: of these Daniel Bratkowski, Braclaw treasurer, signed to
the election of Jan III in Volhynia province. Others are in the
Brest Litovsk region. Among them are Michal Bratkowski and his two sons,
Samuel and Franciszek. An Antoni married Maryanna Cieslinska in Volhynia
in 1727. There are some also in the Przemysl region: in 1540 four brothers,
Kostko, Wasko, Iwanko, and Fedko. The latter was heir to Lukawica, Naniowa
and Brzeznica, and sired five sons, Jacek, Klimek, Staszek, Iwanek, and
Sieniek.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1990 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BREZA HERB
Neither Paprocki nor Okolski wrote about these arms.
The shield is divided into three fields, of which one is white, broader
at the bottom of the shield and gradually coming to a point as it rises.
The second is blue, on the left side of the shield, and the third is red.
On the subject of the arms' origin and the time of their conferral, there
is silence among the authors. The Brezas use the arms in greater Poland.
The family moved to us from France, where B. Priolus de rebus Galliae attests that the family flourished among the most powerful houses, and
even the highest admiralcies were in their hands more than once. In more
recent times, the days of Wladyslaw IV, de Breze acted as envoy in our
Poland from the French king, and all in all it seems to me that it was
his posterity that settled in these parts.
Wojciech Konstantyn Breza -Poznan voivode, Nowy Dwor starosta, and senator,
known for his sound advice and graceful eloquence -signed from Goraj to
the general convocation after King Michael's death, and served as envoy
from greater Poland to the coronation congress. His fatherland used him
in various capacities, such as commissioner for frontier disputes, from
Silesia and Moravia, from the margraviate; and he succeeded in resolving
them all to the satisfaction of the commonwealth. In the fiscal courts
of the Radom tribunal and in the case of Piltyn and the Curish episcopate,
he conducted himself as a son who loves his fatherland, and blessed justice
ensued. On these occasions this experienced man was given, first, the
castellanate of Poznan, soon after the voivodeship of Kalisz, and finally
that of Poznan. He was no less generous to God than to his fatherland:
The Walcz residence of the Society of Jesus counts him among its benefactors.
He lined with brickwork the Skrzetusz church in his starostwo from its
foundations, fashionably and magnificently, at great expense, for the
greater honor of Our Lady's miraculous image there, for which he also
made a foundation by auction, which the constitution approved 1685
fol. 16. He died in 1698. He was survived by his wife, nee Opalinska,
who buried him in Poznan at the Barefoot Carmelites' cloister, of whom
he was a significant benefactor. His first marriage was to Cecylia Donhoff,
daughter of the Pomeranian voivode, but had no children by her. The nephews
of this same voivode, Mikolaj, Antoni, Wladyslaw, and Wojciech, also became
Sadek castellans, and one of them was Poznan canon in his day. A little
later I also read of Barbara Brezianka, who married Piotr Bninski of Lodzia
arms in 1647.
Dominik Breza, Sadek castellan, had five sons by Grudzinska,
daughter of the Poznan castellan. The first, Jozef Breza, regent of
Poznan district, died childless. Dominik's second son, Ludwik Breza,
had one daughter by Urbanowska. The third son of the Sadek castellan,
Michal, Lubaczow master of the pantry, had three sons by Zurawska: 1.
Stanislaw, envoy one time from Kalisz province to the Grodno sejm and
a second time to the Warsaw sejm; 2. Antoni, His Majesty's chamberlain,
married Czarnecka Staroscianka Dunczewska; 3. Maciej; and one daughter,
Ewa, who married Wojnarowski. The fourth son of Sadek castellan Dominik
Breza was Onufry, Wlodzimierz sword-bearer, deputy to the Lublin tribunal
under the staff of Olizar, royal master of the pantry in 1780; he was
born of Kierska, daughter of the Rogozno castellan, and married Helena
Jawikiewicz, daughter of the Mscislaw cup-bearer, by whom the first
son was Konstanty Breza, lieutenant of the national cavalry of Karwicki's
regiment. After completing the campaign at Zielence, Dubienka, he died
in Dubno on 26 March 1792, having begun his 26th year; he was riding
to his mother on account of the sudden news of the death of his father,
and he was beloved in the army, in the citizenry, and family. There
was a second son, Stanislaw, a minor, and a daughter, Franciszka. The
fifth son of Sadek castellan Dominik, Walenty, married Krzetowska, by
whom there is a son and a daughter. - Heraldyka Wleladka.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1991 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BROCHWICZ
HERB 1mo
According to Okolski's description there is a red stag
on a white field with forelegs raised as if for swift chase after driven
animals; a crown is on its neck, and on the helm are peacock feathers.
But in a book on Polish emblems I read that it should be a white stag
in a red field. Lublin province uses such arms; but Petrasancta cap.
54 is a witness that in Britain, France, Italy, and Germany there
flourish a great many houses who sport a stag in their arms. No one gives
these arms an occasion; only Okolski adds that they were brought to Poland
from Germany. I have not read what families use the arms in their seals,
only of the Sobeks of Sulejow, of whom I will speak in the proper place.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1991 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BROCHWICZ
HERB 2do
A stag facing the right of the shield, without a crown
on its neck. Our Ks. Petrasancta cap. 63 mentions that in Franconia
the arms of the house of Hirschberk bear a stag on a silver shield; and
the Duchy of Lorraine in ancient times used a stag with golden horns.
Bearers of these Arms
____ Bryszkowski, Burgrafski, ____ Dobrocieski, Dubaniewski, ____ Goisowski,
Grabanowie, ____ Katski, Korczyc, ____ Orzelski, ____ Palipcki, Podkanski,
Polomski, Pruszkowski, ____ Szalowski, ____ Trembecki, ____ Wiktor, Witowski,
Wojakowski, ____ Zielenski.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1991 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BROCHWICZ
HERB 3tio
Neither Paprocki nor Okolski wrote about these arms. There
is half a golden stag with horns and forelegs running or jumping on the
right side on a field of gold; in place of the stag's hindquarters is
a moon, not fun but more like a new moon, slanted, in the middle of which
is a golden star. On the helm are peacock feathers, on which are a moon
and star as on the arms themselves. I saw a coat of arms as described
on a banner, hung in the Franciscan Fathers' Church in Krosno, of Joachim
z Kralic Slaski, who died in 1606. The same can be seen to this day among
the other arms of Regina z Kralic Oswiecimowa, mother of Stanislaw 0swiecim,
founder of the 0swiecim chapel, in Krosno at the Franciscan Fathers'. Petrasancta does not have similar arms, only cap. 54 fol.
367. He describes the Maffeiuses in Rome thus, that there is
a stag jumping from an azure field, but as regards the moon and star,
his description is of gold and silver ones. These arms seem to be more
like those of Tomasz Bacotz de Erdead, Cardinal and Archbishop of Strygon,
portrayed in the chapel of the Strygon palace magnificently erected by
him. Cerut. Orbis fol. 57 Reufr. lib. 14 epistol. fol 115, that
is, a stag which is jumping to the right from a semi-circle or from a
half-wheel, a red field, the stag and wheel silver or white. I understand
from this that these are arms of the Slaskis, inasmuch as they settled
in Podgorze near Hungary, and so they were brought from there to us. As
regards the moon, it could be that arose by error, that the semicircle
was misunderstood to be a nonfull moon, and a hub of the wheel was interpreted
as a star. These same arms are those of the Palfiuses de Erdead in Hungary,
a horned stag jumping forth from a hub, as I saw in a certain panegyric
in Vienna published by Paulo Palfi, imperial counselor in 1646. Among
us in Poland I have not seen any other houses use these except the Slaskis.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1991 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BROCHWICZ
HERB 4to
Neither Paprocki nor Okolski wrote of these arms. A stag
of its own color on a red field, its head facing the right, as if lying
down, but its foreleg a little raised and the other legs still folded,
and on the helm and crown are five white ostrich feathers. These arms
were brought from England to Poland, and there is proof of this; for our Ks. Petrasancta cap. 54 fol. 365 affirms that the Hartulliuses
in the Kingdom of Great Britain use such a stag as is here described,
only on a silver shield. Here in Poland the Destrahans use this emblem,
of which you will read in the proper place.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1991 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRODZIC ARMS
On a red field are three golden crosses, placed so that
one of them is pointed straight down while the two above are placed to
the side of a triangle, and the ends of all three meet in the center.
There is, however, this difference, that some use these arms with a circle,
placed in the center where the crosses meet, and on a blue field, while
others do not have this circle. On the helm are three ostrich feathers,
but some use five. I would take this circle to be a ring, inasmuch as
our Ks. Petrasancta, cap. 63 always takes such circles to be
rings ex usu Fecialium and says that in Swabia, Austria, and
near the Rhine there are many such families who bear rings in their coats
of arms; evidently (here I am stating his opinion) the rings were acquired
in those days when men would strive in a glorious competition for a ring
which was bestowed upon him who won. Despite all this that author has
none among the various coats of arms like those of Brodzic, only in fol.
48 he has one with one such cross, elongated and extended in the
extremities, of gold, on a circle of vigorous color: he adds that this
was the arms of Cadwallader, the latest King of Britain. The same author
writes in that same work on the merits of this cross, and I refer those
interested to him. Also writing about this were Paprocki in Gniazdo,
fol. 89., 0 herbach, fol. 269, and Okolski, vol. 1, fol. 79,
and Liber Klejnoty, fol. 42, and MS. P. Rutka.
Paprocki ascribes the origin of these arms to this occasion, to which
they all bear witness. Kazimierz the Monk, King of Poland, was waging
war against the tyrant Mieclaw and the Jadzwings associated with him,
when one plucky young Pole displayed his courage to him on all occasions,
protecting his side, for which he was given numerous properties in Mazovia
and granted this coat of arms. Rev. Rutka designates 1038 as the year
of this origin, and says that the man had a long and handsome beard, and
he and the arms were named Brodzic [from broda = "beard" in
Polish]. But others derive the origin of this name from the name of his
estates at Brody. Paprocki recalls that he saw on the list of founders
of a Plock church in 1106 three brothers, born counts of Brody, Wzebor,
Swentoslaw, and Krystyn, who bequeathed a tithe from their estates to
that church. There is furthermore a small town in the Plock district called
Plodsko, at one time a village near which the Brodzices had numerous estates.
Of Stefan, Multanski voivode, they write that after he had defeated a
hundred thousand Turks, in commemoration of this victory he erected three
crosses of stone. Dlugosz speaks of this family, calling it "Genus
Polonicum providum et in Masovia propagatum" [a provident Polish
clan, widespread in Mazovia].
[Krasicki's notes: 1422. Sieciech z Brodzic, Lublin starosta, signed the
alliance between King Wladyslaw of Poland and the Teutonic Knights, Cod.
Dip. Vol. IV, fol. 114.]
Bearers of these Arms
____ Bonikowski, ____ Kliczewski, Kunecki, Kurzatkowski, ____ Lacki, ____
Mojecki, ____ Pilitowski, ____ Radomski, Radziminski, ____ Sieromski,
____ Zawadzki, Zochowski.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1992 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRONIC ARMS
There are two handguards, such as are used in Bohemia,
in the form of the letter "S," put together as a cross on a
red field, and on the helm are three ostrich feathers. In fact, this is
the Korsak coat of arms. These arms were granted to one of our compatriots
on an occasion (as Paprocki says) when he acquitted himself manfully in
a battle with the Czechs; others say that the arms were brought to Poland
from Bohemia. The Bronickis near Olyka in Volhynia use these arms. I have
not read more about them. Paprocki, Gniazdo, fol. 1131, 0
herbach, fol. 678. Okolski, Vol. 1, fol. 92. Liber Klejn,
fol. 42. MS. P. Rutka.
[From Wieladko's Heraldyka]: Bronic - Ignacy of Bronic arms,
cupbearer and judge of the Vehmgericht in Wilno province, signed
the act of general confederation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1764.
Adam Bronic, Vehmgericht judge and envoy of Wilno province, Petyhorski
standard-bearer, signed to the election of King Stanislaw August from
Wilno province.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Spring 1992 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter"
BRONIKOWSKI ARMS
Neither Paprocki nor Okolski wrote about these arms. There
is a single oseka [kind of hooked knife or spear - Trans.]
on a red field, not pointing straight up but rather inclined toward the
right of the escutcheon, and on the helm are three ostrich feathers. In
the church of the Cistercian Fathers in Bydgoszcz I saw among the other
arms a single silver oseka on a blood-red field but pointing
straight up.
The Bronikowskis in Great Poland use these arms. The most ancient of them
of whom I read was Jan Bronikowski, Bledzew abbot, Poznan canon in 1577. 5o Singularia. There were: a Piotr in 1632; Adam, Dobrogost,
and Jan in 1648; Hieronim, captain of the royal cavalry; Alexander, Przeclaw,
Wojciech z Babina; Jan Dobrogost; Jedrzej, Kalisz sub-voivode in 1674;
Stanislaw canon and official of Przemysl, pastor of Sambor, who died in
1677, donating his library to our Przemysl collegium. Stanislaw, his nephew
by birth, dedicated his life to the order of the Society of Jesus, and
was noted for his zeal from various pulpits. Konstancya Bronikowska was
the wife of Wojciech Biskupski of Niesobia arms; Anna was the wife of
Jan Glinicki, of Junosza arms, and her sister was the wife of Grabski
of Wczele arms. Hieronim was the Poznan steward of the household; his
son was married to Przyjemska, the daughter of the Kalisz chamberlain.
Przeclaw, Jan, Wladyslaw flourished in the year 1696. There was also a
Bronikowski who was a meritorious colonel of the crown's forces, of Cudzoziemski
soccage.
Piotr Bronikowski in 1704 signed the general confederation at Sendomierz.
Andrzej Bronikowski in 1734 was counsillor of the confederation of Great
Poland provinces. Boguslaw z Opolna, Poznan canon, was a deputized representative
to the crown tribunal of 1768 from the Poznan chapter. Antoni, of Poznan
province, and Adam, Jan and Alexander from Kalisz province, signed for
the election of King Stanislaw August. Andrzej was Wielun lesser seneschal
in 1792. Samuel Bronikowski, His Majesty's chamberlain, was a knight of
the order of St. Stanislaw. N. Bronikowski was president of the Piotrkow
chamber in 1794. Heraldyka Wieladka.
Bronikowski, general in the Saxon forces, signed the confederation of
the Torun Dissidents, and along with the Golczes was at their head in
1766-7-8. Jan Bronikowski was Ostrzeszow cupbearer. In Belz province Jozef
Bronikowski was Lubacz master of the hunt. - Krasicki's Notes.
Among these Bronikowskis was certainly the famous writer in Germany, Alexander
Bronikowski, who, living in Dresden and having free use of materials in
the Royal library, wrote (in German, however) many historical tales which
are almost all excerpted from the annals of Poland. - All his stories
were translated into Polish and are popular reading, even though the author
often wrote unfavorably of the country of his ancestors. He died in his
place of birth, Dresden, 22 January 1834, in his 51st year.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Fall 1992 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BRZUSKA ARMS
Okolski in volume III, fol. 356, includes this
coat of arms, where he says that it is the property of the Brzuskas.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Fall 1992 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
BUTLER ARMS
Neither Paprocki
nor Okolski wrote about these arms. They bear a basket adorned by various
flowers. MS. o Familiach Pruskich says that in the arms there
is a basket with one handle, filled with clusters of grapes, and in the
helm are three red ostrich feathers, separate from each other, and upon
the middle one is a yellow bugle. Of the Butlers in England, however,
Cambdenus in Britain describes the arms in his printed work thus: on the
escutcheon are five palings such as are set up on fortresses, with the
tips pointing upward, of a golden color, and above them is a field of
blue. On the helm are allegedly no ostrich feathers. The coat of arms
was brought first from England to Courland, then to Poland.
At one time the arms flourished in England; I will cite briefly the various
authors I have read on this score. First of all, Vadingus dates
Edmund Butler, a baron in Ireland, from 1269; he is mistaken about the
year, but what he relates about him is certain. Edmund was hearing Mass
at his usual service, at the Franciscans' church in Clonmel, when he was
informed that the neighboring lords, who were quarreling with him, had
attacked his estates with a great crowd of people and were pillaging them;
Edmund, not the least disconcerted by this news and valuing more the things
of God than of this earth, heard out the Mass to the end as if he'd been
told nothing, with deep ardor, and when the Mass was finished he set upon
his enemies with a small handful of relatives and servants and drove them
away, recovering all their loot. Vadingus tom 2. num. 12.
James Butler was declared first earl of Ormonde (or, as Cambdenus prefers, "Ormandia," also "Ormondia") in Ireland by
Edward III, King of England, in 1326, having previously been count of
Tipperary, as Vadingus in Annal. Minor. tom. 2 sub. ann. 1336 num.
37 claims in the history of the Kingdom of Ireland. Cambdenus however
writes this about Edmund Butler, not James, and says it was Edward II,
not Edward III. He says also of this James that Henry VI elevated him
to Count of Sarisbury [Salisbury? - Trans.]; that this same James
was governor of all Ireland under Henry VI; and Vadingus under
the year 1300 num. 16 claims that he was royal cupbearer in England,
if there is no mistake: for in the letter of endowment when he donated
and turned his palace of Carrick over to the Minorites' monastery, he
is called not James but Pincernam. Haroldus num. 5. His son James
completed this endowment and brought it to its culmination.
Gwilhelm Butler, provincial of the order of the Minorites in England in
1410, was a learned man known for the books he published. Haroldus
in Epit. num. 5. anno 1410. et 1414. num. 2. Thomas Butler was earl
of Ormonde, about which Cambdenus writes. They later moved to
Courland; Jerzy Butler, bishop of Samara, suffragan of Inflanty, flourished
in the year 1630. Goldonowski in Bractwo. And I had a chance
to read the letters of the prince of Courland written in 1579, in which
mention is made of the Butlers.
In our realm the first Jakob Butler, Irish nobleman, noted for his courage
in various expeditions and loyalty to King Zygmunt III and the commonwealth,
was naturalized by the Warsaw sejm in 1627, praevio juramento fidelitatis,
on which see constitution fol. 15. He was a man born for war,
for he displayed his knighthood in the Prussian war. For this in recognition
of his services the commonwealth ordered that two hundred and five thousand
be enumerated to him, Constit. fol. 1635. fol. 29. He also served
in the imperial forces in the rank of colonel; at the epugnacya of Meissen among the loot was an almost complete bone of the apostle St.
Paul supposedly a rib, it was found by the soldiers at some point enclosed
among the ruins of the walls of the cathedral deanery - and he got hold
of it and, bringing it back to Poland, gave it to King Wladyslaw IV. Wladyslaw,
for his part, placed it in the Krakow church of St. Peter as an eternal
gift in the year 1633. Hist. Coll. Cracovien. Soc. Jesu.
Gwalter [Walter] Butler, a colonel in the imperial forces in the year
1634, discovered and suppressed Wallenstein's treason. Cluv. Epit.
fol. 797. Stefan z Beblu Butler, captain of the commonwealth, signed
from Inflanty for the election of Jan Kazimierz; I assume this was the
son of the Jakob of whom we talked.
Gwilhelm Gottard Butler, chamberlain of the crown, starosta of
Preny [Prynski, could be of Pransk, but Preny seems most likely - Trans.]
and Nowe, spent his life in the crown's forces and earned honors. A constitution
in 1661 fol. 4. mentions him as an oberszter, a second
as a general, at which point his foreign infantry is reckoned at one thousand
one hundred seventy-four. What was most laudable in him is that he rejected
heresy and embraced the true faith (Scrutin. Veritatis P. Hacki)
in which he finished his life in the year 1678. He married Konstancya
z Wodynia Wodynska of Kosciesza arms, by whom he had sons Marek and Jan.
Marek Butler in Miedzylesie and Opole, Drohiczyn chamberlain and starosta of Preny, was a royal colonel, of whom there is frequent mention in crown
constitutions: thus by the sejm in 1678 he was deputed to set
the borders between the royal estates and those of the Bielsk chamberlain
(Constit. fol. 7. et 38.), and by the sejm of 1683 he
was appointed commissioner to set the boundaries and establish justice
between the provinces of Mazovia and Podlasie and the Prussian principality
(Constitut. fol. 11) as well as to deal with the Tsars of Moscow
for eternal peace (Constit. 1690, fol. 2), and in 1685 as a representative
at the sejm he was appointed to review the royal metryka [records
of births, deaths, etc. Trans.] (Constit. fol. 8). His
son Alexander was starosta of Preny and then of Drohiczyn, and
as a representative of Podlasie province, Drohiczyn district, signed the
general confederation after the death of Jan III; he married Konstancya
Krassowska, daughter of the Mielnik chamberlain, of Jastrzebiec arms,
by whom he had a son Antoni, who married Franciszka Szczucka and had three
sons, Michal Pronski, Jozef Witagolski, and Alexander Mielnicki, starostas,
of whom the last married Katarzyna Granowska, daughter of the Jablonowo starosta. One of the Butlers was also abbot of Witow. Konstancya
Butler was the wife of Bartlomiej Gieschawa. Jan Butler, Nowe starosta,
royal colonel, was appointed by the 1678 sejm commissioner for
the recognition of Brandenburg's claims (Constit. fol. 12.).
He was later Podlasie castellan, and was married to Zelecka, daughter
of the crown master of the hunt. There are Butlers in Great Poland as
well, and supposedly they use the same coat of arms as the Butlers in
England, of whom I spoke earlier.
Alexander, count Butler, Mielnik starosta, was an ambassador
to the convocation of August III and signed from the district of Mielnik
for the election of King Stanislaw August. - Ignacy was Wilkomierz cup-bearer.
- Heraldyka Wieladka.
Translated by William F. Hoffman; first appeared
in the Fall 1992 issue of "Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter".
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