The article describes the town of Mstislav in Belarus, founded as early as 1180. The text tells the history of the town, including its connection with Poland, i.e. the founding of a church by Sigismund III and the Jesuit college, as well as a second church for the Carmelites, which was endowed by Jakub Karol Madaliński (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1872, Series 2, T:10, p. 110, after: Digital Library of the University of Łódź).

A modernised reading of the text.

Mstislav

This town is one of the most ancient cities of Belarus. It was founded by the Smolensk prince Roman Rostislavovich in 1180, and named after his son Mstislav. However, this chronicler's note should not be taken in a literal sense; Duke Roman did not establish a settlement in the middle of nowhere, but built a fortified town near the ancient Slav-Krywicz settlement, close to the Viochra River. This assumption is confirmed both by the accounts of the people and by strict logic, as the area, so fertile and generously endowed by nature, could not have remained uncultivated and unpopulated until the 6th century. After Roman's death, Mstislavl came into the possession of his son Mstislav as a grantor duchy, Smolensk having been taken over by the former's brother, David Rostislavovich. This new, small and unpopulated principality was unable to adopt an independent policy, as its autonomy was only nominal, and in fact it contented itself with the modest role of a subordinate satellite of the Smolensk principality. Thus, the destructive hurricane of the Mongol invasion passed through this area only briefly, hitting Smolensk, a populous and fortified city, with all its ferocity. In 1386, the Smolensk prince, a fief of the Mongols, taking revenge for the imprisonment of his ally Andrey Polotsk by Skirghel, fell into the Lithuanian possessions, ravaged the area and besieged Mstislav, then already a Lithuanian city. But the brave defenders held off the besiegers near the city until Lithuania, led by Skirgiełło and the young Vytautas, managed to rush to the rescue. The battle was very bloody for those times; the commander himself, prince Svyatoslav, was killed and his army fled in terrible disorder. Jagiełło gave Mstislav to his brother Lingwenis. The Lingwenis sat quietly in their fiefdom until 1440. Then they wanted more power and independence. Circumstances seemed to be favourable, as the Smolensk people, dissatisfied with their voivode, banished him from the city and called Prince George Lingwenis of Mstislavl to join them. However, the young prince's reign was short-lived; Casimir's army approached Smolensk and George, without even trying to defend himself, fled to Novgorod. Soon afterwards, in the 15th century, Mstislav was incorporated into Lithuania as a direct possession, and from then on was the capital of the province of that name. The town's border location was conducive to its prosperity and trade. Thus, in the 16th and the first half of the 17th centuries, it reached the zenith of its power. During the reign of Sigismund III in 1616, the Jesuits settled here (vol. N gynzo rokiu Ohryzki, p. 150). This temple, built in the so-called Jesuit style, is not characterised by beauty, but the schools maintained by the fathers were famous in Belarus for a long time. The second church belonged to the Carmelites (now a parish church), of the same style as the previously mentioned temple; in it are noteworthy frescoes of a good paintbrush, whose qualities are easy to appreciate, even though the colours have faded and numerous cracks in the walls are lime-drenched. They exhibit the histories of the saints of the order; but there are several also of the history of the city, painted with excellent talent, the purposeful grouping of persons. This monastery was endowed by Jakub Karol Mandlingki, the voivode of Mstislavl, with a donation of the Przylepovo estate in the Smolensk region. A portrait of the benefactor above the sacristy door. Jan Rumejko, Warrant Officer of the Vilnius voivodeship. Vilnius, founded the Bernardines in 1727. The constitution of 1676 (vol. leg., Ohryzki edition, p. 212) mentions the foundation of the Dominicans by Vladimir Dadzibog Kaminski, chamberlain of Mstislavl. However, this foundation either did not come to fruition or must have collapsed very soon, as there are no traces of it and the oldest people do not remember any of its ruins. Mstislav suffered severe defeats during the Swedish wars, especially in the reign of Charles XII, when the area was the scene of numerous battles. The Swedish king ran through the area several times on his way to Russia and Ukraine, and the last blow to the town came when the provincial government was concentrated in Mogilev. From then on, Mstislavl descended into the ranks of poor Jewish towns. The only treasure remained, the only ornament - the wonderfully beautiful surroundings. In the distance, as far as the eye can see, there are fields with hills, criss-crossed by ravines, and the whole landscape is surrounded by diverse groves of trees. From the heights of the Troitskaya Mountain, an ancient burial ground, the local people loved it before others and also chose it as a place of their walks.