“Tak piękna dla ludzkości wysługa”. A will of Michał Kazimierz Ogiński

Michał Kazimierz Ogiński (1730-1800) – the great Lithuanian hetman, musician, virtuoso of the harp and violin, operas composer, librettos’ author and a poet is one of the greatest persona on the political scene of Poland in 2nd half of XVIIth century. This text concerns eventful life of Ogiński’s whose demesne was confiscated by Catherine of Russia II and Confederacy of Targowica. Main interest of this text is a hetman’s will written just a day before his death which was 30 th May 1800. The will was found by the article’s author in National Archives in Prze-myśl. The document consists of two parts: a will and a record of opening which was 5th June 1800 – six days before the hetman’s funeral. Jan Paweł Woronicz who gave a funeral speech, portrayed Ogiński as a great patriot and a symbol of former freedom and brightness of the Republic of Poland. Woronicz pointed also that Ogiński took a great care of peasants and servants. The fact that Ogiński in his will mentioned about his workers and servants is a proof of Woronicz’s thesis on Ogiński.