Robert Nisbet Bain

“ Jan Laski, the elder (1456–1531) , Polish statesman and ecclesiastic, appears to have been largely self-taught and to have owed everything to the remarkable mental alertness which was hereditary in the Laski family. He took orders betimes, and in 1495 was secretary to the Polish chancellor Zawisza Kurozwecki, in which position he acquired both influence and experience. The aged chancellor entrusted the sharp-witted young ecclesiastic with the conduct of several important missions. ”

“ He then returned to Hungary at the head of 10,000 men, with whose aid he enabled Zapolya to re-establish his position and defeat Ferdinand at Saros-Patak. He was rewarded with the countship of Zips and the governor-generalship of Transylvania. But his influence excited the jealousy of the Magyars, and Zapolya was persuaded to imprison him. On being released by the interposition of the Polish grand hetman, Tarnowski, he became the most violent opponent of Zapolya. Shortly after his return to Poland, Laski died suddenly at Cracow, probably poisoned by one of his innumerable enemies. ”

“ See H. Dalton, Johannes a Lasco (1881) , English version of the earlier portion by J. Evans (1886) ; Bartels, Johannes a Lasco (1860) ; Harboe, Schicksale des Johannes a Lasco (1758) ; R. Wallace, Antitrinitarian Biography (1850) ”