ALBERT, a celebrated German chronicler, was born at Hamburg about the middle of the fifteenth century. Having finished his studies, he set out upon his travels, in the course of which he visited several parts of Europe, attending the prelections of the most distinguished professors, cultivating the society of the learned, and exploring public libraries, by which means he made acquisitions in knowledge equally varied and extensive. He took his degree at Rostock, and on that occasion supported several theses with so much distinction that he was retained to teach philosophy and theology. Krantz was rector of this university in 1482. But being recalled to Hamburg, he was provided with a canonry in the cathedral, and divided his time between preaching and teaching theology. Elected syndic of Hamburg in 1489, he assisted the same year at the assembly of Wismar, where the interests of the Hanseatic towns were discussed. They deputed him to proceed to France in 1497 to demand a treaty, and to England in 1499 to solicit assistance against the pirates who infested the North Sea. In these different missions he evinced so much prudence, sagacity, and integrity, that John king of Denmark, and Frederick duke of Holstein, chose him, in 1500, to terminate the dispute which had arisen between them on the subject of the province of Ditmarsen. Kranz, having been named dean of his chapter in 1508, laboured with great zeal to remedy the disorders which had been introduced into ecclesiastical discipline; but it is only by a forced interpretation of some passages in his works, that Wolf, and after him Bayle, have endeavoured to make him be considered as one of the precursors of Luther. Kranz was witness to the first attacks of that reformer on the church of Rome, and condemned them. He died on the 7th of December 1517, and was interred near the eastern gate of his cathedral. Kranz was a very learned man; and the historical works which he left behind him are useful, notwithstanding the errors by which they are disfigured. Some critics have accused him of plagiarism and of bad faith; but he has found numerous apologists, amongst whom may be mentioned Cisner, who places him in the first rank of the writers of his age, not only for the elegance of style and the clearness of method, but also for the love of truth. Kranz was the author of: 1. Chronica Regnorum Aquiloniarum, Dania, Suecia, Novogiae, Strasburg, 1546, in folio; 2. Saxonia, sive de Saxonicæ Gentis vetusta origine, longinquis expeditionibus susceptis etc. libri xii. Cologne, 1520, in folio; 3. Vandalia, sive Historia de Vandalorum vera origine, variis gentibus, crebris e patria migrationibus, etc. Cologne, 1519, in folio; 4. Metropolis, sive Historia Ecclesiastica Saxoniae, Basil, 1548, in folio; and some other works of little importance.

KRASTAW, a town of Poland, in the province of Lublin, the capital of a circle of its own name, on a lake and the river Wieprz. It is surrounded with walls, and defended by a citadel, and contains 481 houses, and 3240 inhabitants, of whom many are Jews. Long. 23. 1. 39. E. Lat. 50. 58. 46. N.