In addition to the activity of the Reformers in Transylvania, there was also a Roman Catholic propaganda in Rumania ; the Orthodox Church found it necessary to convoke a synod in Jassy in 1642 under the presidency of Peter of Mogila, and a formulary of the Orthodox creed was drawn up. An answer to the Lutheran Catechism of Heidelberg (translated into Rumanian and printed at Fogaras in 1648) was also prepared by Bishop Varlaam. R. Greceanu translated the formulary from Greek into Rumanian under the title Pravoslavnicci mdrturisire (Bucharest, 1692). Of a more decided polemical character is the Lumina of Maxim of Peloponnesus, translated from the Greek (Bucharest, 1699).
Of far greater interest is the literature of maxims, and lives of saints, real or apocryphal, intended to teach by example. Such are the maxims in the Floacrea darurilor, translated from the Greek (Sneagov, 1700), and going back to the Italian Fiore de virtu; the Mantuirea pdcdtosilor, or "Salvation of sinners," translated from the Greek by a certain Cozma in 1682, which is a storehouse of mediaeval exempla; and above all the Mirror of Kings, ascribed to Prince Neagoe Bassaraba, written originally in Slavonic (or Greek, if the prince be really the author), and translated c. 1650.
The first law-books were also compiled during this period. The Slavonic Nomokanon, which rests on Greek legislation and em bodies the canonical and civil law, had previously been used in Rumania. In 1640 there appeared in Govora the first canonical law-book, which was at the same time the first Rumanian book printed in Walachia. This Pravild (code) was probably the work of the historian Moxa or Moxalie. In 1646 appeared the Pravild aleasei, or "Selected Code," compiled by Evstratie the logothete and published with the authority of the then reigning Prince Vasile Lupul (Basil the Wolf ), hence known as the Code of Vasile.
In 1652 there appeared in Bucharest a complete code of laws, adapted from the Greek and Slavonic under the direction of the prince of Walachia, Matthias Bassaraba. The Indreptarea legii, in which Pravilei of Vasile was incorporated without acknowledg ment, remained the recognized code almost down to 1866. It embraces the canonical as well as the civil law. The chief authors were Uriil Nasturel and Daniil M. Panoneanul.
The earliest historical works are short annals, written originally in Slavonic by monks in the monasteries of Moldavia and Walachia. In 1620 Moxa translated from the Slavonic a short his
tory of the world down to 1498. Two other universal histories were translated from Greek and Slavonic chronographs. One by Pavel Danovici contains the history of the world told in the style of the Byzantine chroniclers; it includes the legend of Troy, the history of Pope Sylvester and the description of the various church councils; and it concludes at the year 1636. The second is the Hrongraf of Dorotheus of •Monembasia, translated by a cer tain Ion Buburez5.u. Both are still in ms. The Old Slavonic annals were later on translated and new notes were added, each subse quent writer annexing the work of his predecessor, and prefixing his name to the entire compilation. The most important author whose writings rank as classical is Miron Costin, who either took up the thread where it was left by Simion and Ureche and wrote the history of Moldavia from 1594-1662, or continued the history from where (probably) Evstratie had left it (c. 1630-62). Nico lae Costin (d. 1715), son of Miron, completed the history at both ends. He starts from the creation and endeavours to fill up the lacuna from 1662 to his own time, In Walachia the beginnings are the work of an anonymous author, whose chronicle, continued by a certain Constantin Capi tanul, describes the history of Walachia from Radu Negru (i.e., Rudolph the Black), c. 1290-1688. An addition to this chronicle from the time of the Roman Conquest to Attila is ascribed to Tudosie Vestemianul, twice metropolitan of Walachia (1669-73, 1677-1703). The chronicle of Capitanul was further continued by Radu Greceanu to 1707, and finally by Radu Popescu to 1720. A comprehensive history of both principalities was written by an anonymous author, probably the Spatar Milescu, who finished his eventful life as ambassador of Russia to China (still in ms.), and the Hronicul Moldo-Vlahilor of Prince Demetrius Cantemir (see CANTEMIR) is more an apology for the Roman origin of the Rumanians than a true history. Cantemir wrote the original in Latin and translated it into Rumanian in 1710. His style shows an immense superiority to that of the previous historians. Of poetry there is scarcely a trace except some rhymed Psalters and a few rhymed dedications to patrons.