Tyscovicius John , ou Tyskievicius, (Polon. TyszkieWicz,)  was a burgher of the town of Bielsk, in Podlachia. His relations, among whom was the Chief Magistrate of the town, longing to possess themselves of his property, which had recently received a considerable accession, by the death of a person to whom he was heir, sought to entrap him, by obliging him to accept the office of Chamberlain, or town treasurer, at the same time dispensing with the customary oath. But at the year's end, he was required to swear, that he had honestly discharged the duties of his office. At first he refused to do this ; but when they urged him, and began to throw out suspicions of his having embezzled the public money, he consented to swear by Almighty God ! This, however, was not permitted ; and he was required to swear, either upon the wooden image of a crucifix, or by the Triune God. On positively refusing to do either the one or the other, he was falsely charged with trampling upon the crucifix, and with blaspheming the Trinity, and saying that he would not swear by it, for that he did not know whether it was male or female. Other charges of a similar nature were falsely brought against him, upon which he was reviled and beaten by the Magistrate of the town ; and being condemned, and thrown into prison, he confidently appealed, in the King's absence, to the Supreme Tribunal of the kingdom, in proof of his innocence. On his cause being heard, the Tribunal, honourably discharging its duty, pronounced him innocent, and acquitted him of all the accusations brought against him ; in addition to which, the Magistrate of Bielsk was fined and punished, as a perverter of justice. Meanwhile, however, the enemies of Tyscovicius, persisting in their malicious charges, carried the cause to Queen Constantia, wife of Sigismund III., to whom the town of Bielsk had been granted, as an Archduchess of Austria. The Queen confirmed the Magistrate's sentence, and ordered that it should be carried into execution ; and it was afterwards determined by the King in council, that Tyscovicius should suffer death. He was accordingly apprehended at Warsaw, whither he had gone to clear himself ; committed to close confinement ; and a short time after, the dreadful sentence of death was pronounced upon him, in these terms : —That, whereas he had been guilty of blasphemy, his tongue should be plucked out ; that, whereas he had dared to appeal to the Tribunal of the kingdom, and had been guilty of contumacy towards the Magistrate to whom he was subject, and towards Her Majesty the Queen's decree, by which he had been remanded to the same Magistrate, he should be beheaded as an obstinate offender, and a rebel ; that, whereas he had thrown down the image of the crucifix, and trampled upon it, his hand and his foot should be cut off: and finally, that he should be burnt as a heretic. The Jesuits and Monks, who had before pressed him to change his religion, urged him more vehemently than ever, when the royal decree was read ; and promised, that the sentence of death should be revoked, and that his property should be restored to him, if he would comply. But he turned a deaf ear to their entreaties ; and resisted their importunities the more strongly, the shorter his term of existence became. When they found that they could not prevail upon him, either by threats or promises, he was led to the stake, in the market-place at Warsaw, where preparations had been made for his execution; and was put to death, according to his sentence. This tragedy was perpetrated on the 16th of November, at the hour of nine in the morning, A. D. 1611.

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