HARVARD UKRAINIAN STUDIES - See also - Harvard University

460 FRANK E. SYSYNpast of the Poles or Lachs, although in the seventeenth century theRuthenians were equally the subjects of that Crown. The Discoursermakes clear that a Poland (in contrast to a territorial Rus') existswithin the Kingdom of Poland when he proposes that Rutheniansshould not live in cities "nearer Poland." While the Discourser'scomments about Poland are few, they do indicate the transformationof the relatively homogeneous Poland of medieval times into themultinational Commonwealth.At the beginning of the "Discourse" Polacy and Lachowie are usedinterchangeably to refer to the Poles. Polak, the indigenous name forPole, has at various times referred to the Polish people, inhabitants ofPolish states, and Polish political elites. Lach, a borrowing of theRuthenian name for Pole, has often reflected the cultural and nationaldichotomy of the eastern lands of the Commonwealth. After presentingthe terms as synonyms, the Discourser favors Lach. 54The choicewas probably intended to emphasize the national and religious aspectsof the Polish-Ruthenian confrontation. But there is no clear distinctionbetween the two terms in the text.The Lachs are identified with Roman Catholicism, and the Ruthenianclergy is said to be jealous that the Lachs' faith (wiara lacka) hastaken root in Rus' and is flourishing. Obviously, the author realizedthat this Lachs' faith was being practiced in Spain, Italy, and thePhilippines in almost identical form. But on the border betweenEastern and Western Christianity, Latin-rite Roman Catholicism becamethe Polish faith.The designation of Roman Catholicism as the Lachs' faith points tohow the Ruthenians could become Lachs — by religious conversion.At one point the Discourser implies that converts to Latin-rite RomanCatholicism no longer belong to the Rus' community. He idolizesparticularly because the original agreement had called for the annexation of theLithuanian lands to the Polish Crown. After 1569, Korona Polska could designateeither or both the Kingdom and the concept of the state. This second definitionemphasized the primary role of Poland and its traditions in the "Commonwealth ofthe Two Nations." The two meanings of Korona Polska are often difficult toseparate, but it appears that the second is the one intended in the "Discourse." Onthe concept of Korona Polska, see Juliusz Bardach, Bogusław Leśnodorski, andMichał Pietrzak, Historia państwa i prawa polskiego (Warsaw, 1979), pp. 88-91.On the crown as a symbol of sovereignty, see Jan Dąbrowski, Corona RegniPoloniae w XIV wieku (Wrocław, 1956). On Lithuanian attitudes towards theCrown, see Wisner, Najjaśniejsza Rzeczpospolita, pp. 13—42, and the critique byOpaliński, "Serenissima Respublica Nostra."54On the etymology of "Lach," see Franciszek Sławski, Słownik etymologicznyjęzyka polskiego, vol. 4, pt. 1 (Cracow, 1970), pp. 17-18.