Tuesday, September 12. 1704.

Numb. 55.
[233]

I Am now upon a Question, Concerning the Oppressions of the Hungarians, by the Emperor’s Ministers.

I am not going to lessen their Grievances, nor indeed, to enquire into the Particulars; if they have been us’d as we are told they have, ’tis bad enough.

But the Case before us, is to bring the Subject of Complaint, and the Persons complaining, to a fair Head, and make the great Relative here agree with the Antecedent.

The Question is, Have the German’s opprest the Hungarians, as a Nation, or have they Persecuted and Injur’d them as Protestants?

If as Protestants only;

Then what has Prince Ragocksi to do with it, who is a Papist, and all the rest of the Popish Nobility, that are the Heads of this Insurrection? They must have some farther Design, than the restoring of the Protestants; they cannot concern themselves, as Papists, for the Interest of Hereticks; it is altogether inconsistent with their Religion, and would bring down the highest Commination upon them; they must bring it to Confession, as a Crime they must stand, Ipso facto, Excommunicate – What! Joyn with Hereticks! draw their Sword against their Prince, only to Restore Hereticks, and to bring Heresy into the Pale of the Church; they could no more be Catholicks, but Enemies to the Roman Church. It cannot be, there’s more in it than this; We talk of the Protestants in Hungary, and our Brethren in Hungary, and the Persecuted poor Church of Christ in Hungary, when tho’ they may have had their Share in the Suffering, yet they have not the proper Term; we must Change the word, from the Protestants of Hungaria, to the People of Hungary, and talk of them as an Oppres’d Nation, let their Religion be how, what, and of as many sorts as it will.

The Protestants therefore are not in this Hungarian War as Protestants, it is not meerly a Religious Matter; the Oppressions, Devastations, and Cruelties have not been upon the Protestants, meerly as such, because the Papists are concern’d in it, and are leaders to the Insurrection.

It was an Insurrection for Religion only, if the Protestants solely are in the Complaint; what Concern has that in the Debate, about making the Kingdom Elective? an Insurrection for Religion would only seek the Re-establishment of Religion; so that ’tis plain the Affair of Hungary is not meerly Protestant.

If it be meerly National and General Grievances of State-Matters, of Liberty, Right and Wrong, Oppressions of Governours, State-Ministers, and the like; then this Question might be ask’d;

What have we to do with it as a Nation; we are altogether unconceren’d; they are none of our Allies; we are no way Embark’d with them, they have not sought to us for our assistance?

[234]

The Mediation that has been offered, they have seem’d rather to reject than accept; we have no manner of concern in this Affair, as shall quickly appear.

Whoever gives himself Liberty, to Read over Prince Ragocksi’s Declaration, or the Demands of the Hungarians, will find that in Sixty three Articles, which they exhibit as their Grievances, there is not about three or four that immediately respect Religion.

One claims that the Hungarians shall be equally preferr’d, whether Papist or Protestant.

Another claims the Liberty of Religion, the restoring the Protestant Churches, banishing the Jesuits, and restraining Popish Insolencies.

Another demands an equality of Magistrates, Councellors, and Governours of one Religion as of the other.

All, or most part of the other Demands, which the Hungarians have taken Arms for, and which they claim as their Right, respect their Civil Liberties, their Right as a People, their Ancient Privileges, as Hungarians.

What part has the Protestants in England, in the Prince Ragocksi’s demanding the Attainder of his Family being taken off, his being Restor’d to his Lands, Honours, and Offices in the Kingdom?

What can it Concern us, who shall receive Toll upon the Tibiscus, or the Customs on the Hungarian Wines on the Danube? ’tis nothing to the Confederacy, what Profits the Emperor makes of the Silver Towns in the Upper Hungary, nor what Tax the Hungarians pay per head, for the Cattle they drive into Italy, and the Territories of Venice.

The Privileges they demand, in the Meeting of the Estates of the Kingdom, the Settling the Taxes, Maintaining the Soldiers, the Employing Natives or Foreigners in the Government; these things cannot come before us as a Ground, or Reason, why the rest of Europe should concern themselves in the Case between them and the Emperor.

Nor can I see the Confederacy concern’d in what they have suffered from the German Soldiery, who have all along been Masters of their Country, and possibly have Treated them Barbarously enough – We find Papist or Protestant equally complaining, so that the Tyranny, as they call it, of the Germans, has been over them as a Nation, not over them as Protestants, singly considered.

Now tho’ I shall not go about to Justify the Tyranny of the Soldiers, I own my self an Enemy to all sorts of Tyranny, yet I must say, there seems to me to be more Justice in the Emperor’s keeping the Hungarians under the Government of the Germans, than in most Cases of this Nature.

Two thirds of Hungaria were in the Hands of the Turks, at the time when the last Turkish War broke out.

Now because we are apt to talk of Justice, and the Grounds of raising War, one Prince against another, and his Polish Majesty has been treated very scurrilously here, by abundance of People, for his unjust Invasion of the Swedes – Let us examine a little, the Cause of that Bloody and Terrible War, which was begun by the Turks against the Emperor, in the Year 1682. and in which all Europe ran the hazard of being over-run by the Banners of Mabomet.

We shall find the Protestants of Hungaria had no small hand in bringing down that Innundation of Barbarism upon Europe; and so kind were our Brethren of Hungary, to us their Fellow Protestants, who are now so considerate of them, that they not only were very Instrumental to the breaking out of that War, but joyn’d their Arms to the Infidels, in Order to assist them, in overrunning Europe with Barbarism and Desolation.

I cannot but remember with some Concern, that in those days we had abundance of People, that had so little Sence of Publick Safety, and so much Zeal for the Protestant Religion in Hungaria, that they wish’d every day the Turks should take Vienna.

I forbear to add what I could say on this Head, because I do not love to rip up old Sores, and remember too much of the Miscarriages of former days on both sides; every honest English Man, must see if he is not quite blind, that the General Interest of this Nation, whether Religiously, Civilly, or Politickly considered, is to heal old Animosities, and not revive the occasion of old Complaints.

It needs but a small deal of Rhetorick to Convince the People of England, that ’tis not at all the Interest of the Protestant Religion, to have even Popery it self thus extirpated.

For my part, I am not for having the Whore of Babylon pull’d down by the Red Dragon, and Popery run down by the Power of Mahometanism; I am so far a Dissenter from the Hungarian Protestants, I had rather the Emperor should Tyrannize than the Turk.

I had rather be Prosecuted by Rome, than by Constantinople; nay, if you will come to the ex [235]tream, I had rather be Persecuted by the Roman Catholick Power, than Tollerated by the Turks.

The Inveteracy between the Protestant Religion and the Popish, is not so great; the Difference not quite so much, as between the Protestant Religion and Paganism, or Mahometanism; and therefore they cannot but be much mistaken, who, because the Papists Oppress them, would be Delivered by the Turks.

A DVICE from the Scandal. CLUB.

A Gentleman of a very good Character in this City, made a Complaint against the Parson of his Parish, for that whereas a late Act of Parliament for preventing and Punishing Prophane Swearing and Cursing is to be read four times a Year in the Church, this Parson read it so very often, that it grew an Offence to his Parish, who came to Church to hear Sermons and not Proclamations.

The Clergyman being sent for, refused to appear, but sent to know what the Complaint was; and being inform’d of the Particulars, the Clerk return’d with an Order to clear him of it.

The Clerk assured the Society, it was a Scandalous, False and Malicious Charge, for that he could attest of his own Knowledge, the Parson had not read them above once, since that Act was made.

The Society Noted it down in their Books, that the Gentleman Complained of, was not guilty, but that he was an excellent Promoter of Reformation, Cujus Contrarium, &c.

The following Letter was sent to the Society, concerning the Pyrating a late Poem, call’d A Hymn to Victory.

Gentlemen,
YE will give the World a peculiar Token of your Honour, if ye will Summon before your Honourable Club, the Author of the True Born Englishman, for so barbarously misusing (on if you please, abusing) Regality and Ingenuity—.

I am certain, no Man (how inferior soever his Genius may be to that Author) wou’d have had so little Wit and Respect, as to have crowded so commendable a Piece, as the Hymn to Victory, in a single sheet of Grocer’s Paper.

’Tis very likely he will plead ’twas not his doing, and that he has Advertised the World of it, and intends to Punish him that Pyrated his Copy, (Ay, and intends it is all) and thinks to be cleared so; but that in Equity cannot be, for Non supprimere est permittere.

Gentlemen, I refer it to you, and confess I am somewhat Prolixious, but would crave the Solution of this following Question: Whether is the greater Knave, he that Cheats another, or He that is Injuriously defrauded by another, and disregards it? If ye conclude the former the biggest Knave, sure I am, the latter’s the biggest Fool. I am,
Gentlemen, Yours,
H. C.

The Author being call’d in, to answer this charg’d, declared, That he was so far from permitting the Abuse of this Matter, that if the Gentleman that Writes it, will procure that Persons to be forth coming, he is ready to give Security they shall be Prosecuted, tho’ he comes for it within the Verge of those that sue a Beggar, and catch an English Proverb.

The Author of the Courant is desired to excuse us for Publishing this Letter, which he is welcome to Answer if he can; the Author of a Latin Letter sent us, sign’d Natione Saxo, owns the Charge, and says he shall make good this, and several more, both against his Sence, and the Honesty of his Translating.

Sirs,
A Gentleman is very much offended by the good Character given to the new King of Poland, in the Daily Courant of Thursday, Aug. 24. Therefore he desires to ask the Author of this Paper, these Questions:

How a King can be Liberal, when he has nothing?

How Prudent, when he promotes the Civil War, and acts against the Fidelity, he promised by an Oath, to his Sovereign King Augustus?

How Rich, when the King of Sweden is oblig’d to pay him every Week more than 1000 Crowns to his Subsistence?

How generally Belov’d, when the greatest part of the Nobility, as well as Commons, [236] have declared him a Rebel, and an Enemy to his Country; and when the few Members of the Confederacy at Warsaw, were forced by Power to choose this King?

In the same Courant is written thus, ‘Tis said the Republick of Poland, has promised the New King 12000 Men. Querie, Who goes now by this Name, the Party of the New, or those of the Old King?
Gentlemen,
I am your
Humble Servant,
S.
P.S. The English-Post of Monday, Aug. 28 calls the Cardinal Pontucci, General of the Pope’s Forces. He may say as well, as this, The Duke of M—, who Commands the Queen’s Forces, is made Chief Chaplain to her Majesty.

The London-Post, tho’ the Society had lately given over Correcting him, feeling his Brethren need it as much as himself, has very much provok’d our City Militia, by telling us, the Queen pass’d thro’ three Regiments of the City Trained Bands.

Mr. C. J. who sent us some Ingenious Lines upon the Subject of the Verses, about St. Paul’s, is desired to excuse us Publishing them, because the Author of the other has declar’d himself against the Jacobite Principle meant there.

ADvertisements are taken in by J. Matthews in Pilkington-Court in Little-Britain.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S.

MIscellanea Curiosa: Being a Collection of some of the Principal Phoenomena in Nature, accounted for by the greatest Philosophers of this Age, viz. Mr. Isaac Newton, Mr. Edw. Halley, &c. Together with several Discourses read before the Royal Society, for the Advancement of Physical and Mathematical Knowledge. To which is added, a New and correct Sea Chart of the whole World, shewing the Variations of the Compass, as they were found Anno 1700. by Mr. Edmond Halley, R.S.S. Printed for Jeffery Wales, at the Angel in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, and John Senex in Hemlock Court, near Temple-Bar.

There is now preparing for the Press,

AN Authentick History of Publick Transactions and Affairs in England and Abroad, from the Restauration of King II. (where my Lord Clarendon’s third and last Volume ends) to the Year 1678. with the Characters of Bishops, Ministers of State, Commanders by Sea and Land, &c. and a large Account of the Chief Mannagers and Intrigues of the Discontented Party at Home, within that Period. Written in Latin by the Right Reverend Father in God, Samuel Parker, late Lord Bishop of Oxford, and Faithfully Translated from the Original M.S. by Samuel Parker, Gent. and will be Printed for George Sawbridge in Little-Britain.

The Compleat Musick-Master, being Plain, Easie, and Familiar Rules for singing and Playing on the most useful Instruments now in Vogue, viz. Violin, Flute, Haut-Boy, Bass-Viol, Treble-Viol, Tenor-Viol. Containing likewise a Hundred choice Tunes, and fitted to each Instrument, with Songs for two Voices; and a Shacoon of the late Mr. Morgan’s, never before Printed. To which is added, a Scale of the Seven Keys of Musick, shewing how to Transpose any Tune from one Key to another. With a Preface, and the words Corrected by the late Mr. Thomas Brown. Printed for John Nutt near Stationers-Hall, and sold at most Musick-Shops in Town. Price stich’d 2 s.

The Protestant Jesuite unmask’d. In Answer to the two Parts of Cassandra. Wherein the Authors and his Libels are laid open; with the true Reasons why he would have the Dissenters Humbled. London, Printed in the Year 1704.

AT the White Swan upon Snow Hill, over-against the Green Dragon Tavern, are made and sold the Newest fashion Flower-Pots for Gardens; Urns, Eagles, and Pine-Apples, to stand upon Posts of Large Gates; also large or small Figures, all made of hard Mettal, much more durable than Stone, and cheaper; also Candle Moulds, fit to make Wax or Tallow Candles, from 1 in the Pound, to 20: There is also made Artificial Fountains, that Play Water from 1, 2, or 3 Foot, to 20 or 30 Foot high, 1, 2, 3, or 6 Hours together, without Repeating with the same Water; which Fountains or Engines may be made use of to extinguish Fire 40 or 50 Foot high, with a continued Stream, larger than the Common Fire-Engines.

*** A Doctor in Physick Cures all the Degrees and Indispositions in Venereal Persons, by a most easie, safe, and expeditious Method; and of whom any Person may have Advice, and a perfect Cure, let his or her Disease be of the longest Date: He likewise gives his Advice in all Diseases, and prescribes a Cure. Dr. HARBOROUGH, (a Graduate Physician) in Great Knight-Riders-street, near Doctors Commons.

A True State of the Difference between Sir George Rook Kt. and William Colepeper, Esq; together with an Account of the Tryal of Mr. Nathanael Denew, Mr. Robert Britton and Mr. Merriam, before the Right Honourable Sir John Holt, Kt. Lord Chief Justice of England, on an Indictment for the Designs and Attempts therein mentioned, against the Life of the said William Colepeper, on behalf of the said Sir George Rook. Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster.

MDCCIV.

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