Tuesday, November 7. 1704

Numb. 71.
[297]

Tuesday, November 7. 1704.

I am oblig’d so often to Digress, by those Gentlemen that pretend to blame me for Digression, that I think they ought indeed to be call’d the Authors of it.

The Grand Cavil, of what’s all this to the Affairs of France, has been so often thrown in my way, that I think my self under an Obligation to say something to it.

If the Gentlemen Objectors expected, That in Treating of the Affairs of France, I should have confin’d my self to the Limits of their Country, and only wrote a History of the Kingdom, my Title ought to have been A REVIEW OF THE AFFAIRS in FRANCE, not OF it: He that will write only of the Actions of the French, within their own Country, will have his Memoirs, full of little else but Edicts for Taxes, Regulations, Creations and Dispositions of Old and New Offices; Orders for Te Deums for No-Victories; Promotion of Generals; Introduction of Ambassadors; Coining Vainglorious Medals, to the Honour of Immortal, Invincible Lewis XIV. These things interlac’d with Matters of Love, Intrigue, fine Balls, Entertainments, now and then a great Marriage, and not a little Whoring, must have been the Subject of my Worthy Undertaking.

Alas! How little of the active Part of the Affairs of France have been within their own Kingdom? The Glorious Duke of Marlborough has bid the fairest for bringing France to be the Scene of Action, of any Man in the World; and could his Grace, that has conquer’d like Joshua, done one thing more that Joshua did, viz. Cause the Sun to have stood still; could he have Commanded the Season to have gone back, and added three Months more to the Summer, that the French might not have had a Winter to Recruit their Cavalry, Regulate and Refresh their Old Troops, and raise New, I dare not Mention how far he might have push’d, this most advantageous Campaign. Continue reading Tuesday, November 7. 1704

Tuesday, October 10. 1704.

Numb. 63.
[265]

I Am not justifying here the Honour of such Princes Proceedings, who fall upon their Neighbours, and begin Wars and Hostilities, without pretence of Quarrel, and without Declaring first their Resolution.

But for the Edification of those Gentlemen; who are willing the Swedes should ruin the King of Poland, because he Assaulted them without a just Ground; I would recommend to their consideration, how the Hungarians joyn’d with the Turks, in a War against the Emperor, under the obligation of a Solemn Peace, unbroken, and which had three Years yet to come, and without any ground of Complaint on the Turks behalf.

Nay, so openly, and against all Justice and Honour did the Turks break this Peace, that when afterwards the Losses and Destruction of the War, brought them to think their Priests at Constantinople exclaim’d against the injustice of it, and the Rabble Sacrificed those who had been the occasion of it; Declaring their great Prophet Mahomet was Angry at their beginning so Dishonourable a War; and Teckely himself was in no small danger among them upon this Account.

Yet I never read that our Hungarians, and who, some would have all call’d Protestants, made the least scruple of the Turks denying the Emperor this Ceremony, but treated his Imperial Majesty in all Cases, as if he was a Person with whom no Measures were to be observed, breaking all their Truces and Cessations, seizing their Magazines, intercepting his Convoys, even when under Treaties and Capitulations. Continue reading Tuesday, October 10. 1704.

Saturday, October 7. 1704.

Numb. 62.
[261]

THUS we have brought the Hungarians and the Turks by the proper steps, to the firm League concerted from the Ruine of the Christian Cause; and so strongly were they link’d together, that when the next Winter, viz. 1682. the Emperor on a Treaty of Truce with Count Teckely, Demanded the Silver Cities of Upper Hungaria; so call’d, because of the Mines there: Teckely return’d for Answer, That he could not restore them, without consent of the Bassa of Buda.

And thus the Unhappiest League was brought to perfection; the worst, and the most Fatal for Christendom, that ever was made.

The Emperor was not backward to make offers, and even almost to Sollicit them to Peace, and at last offer’d Teckely the Sovereignity of what he had gain’d in Upper Hungaria.

To this, when the Ambitious Prince could find no Room for any other Answer, he return’d, That he could do nothing in it, without the consent of the Turks; and at the same time, tho’ the Truce was not then Expir’d, sits down before the Castle of Donavisth, and gave the Emperor this most Pityful and Intollerable Reason for it; That he did it because Count Joanelli, to whom it belong’d, had refus’d to come to his Dyet at Cassovia. Continue reading Saturday, October 7. 1704.

Saturday, September 30. 1704.

Numb. 60.
[253]

IF the French King has been so severely censur’d for exciting the Turks to Invade the Christian Power of Europe, what shall we say to the Hungarians, who, for the particular Article of their Grievances, small compar’d with the General Peace of Europe, drew down the whole Powers of Mahomet upon their Fellow-Christians; and began the Terriblest, the most Bloody, and most Desperate War, that ever was between the Turkish and German Empire?

And be it that the Germans assisted by almost all the Princes of Christendom got the better, and that a series of Unexpected Victories ended that War Gloriously for the Emperor; yet the Hazard Europe ran in the first Part of it, and the Blood and Treasure it cost the German Empire before the Turkish Power was reduc’d, was such, as no Age can parallel.

When the Count Wesselini, who headed the first Insurrection, had kept the command about 2 or 3 Years, having carried it on with great Success, and in a great Measure ruin’d the Affairs of the Emperor on that Side, in the Year 1628. he died; and the Malecontents chose Count Teckeley in his Room. During these 2 Years of Count Wesselini, the Germans were Massacred on every Side, and the Towns clear’d of them, and the Affairs of the Emperor came to a very low Ebb. Teckeley assisted by Prince Abassi of Transylvania, grew formidable, and having secur’d all the upper Hungary, Invaded the Hereditary Provinces of Austria and Moravia.

Many and Great Encounters happen’d between the Germans and Hungarians, (during Count Wesselini’s Government) in which the latter generally had the better, and the Imperialists lost Ground every Day. Continue reading Saturday, September 30. 1704.

Tuesday, September 26. 1704.

Numb. 59.
[249]

IN the last Review, I brought the Oppressions of the Germans, and the Violences of the People, down to the very Article of Civil War, the Protestants Compos’d of and including Calvinists, Lutherans, Arians, Socinians and Greek Christians, call’d Rasciens, were all brought in, to make their Complaints rise up to a pitch, and heighten the Account of German Tyranny; these Complained their Privileges were infring’d, and taken from them; those Complain’d their Churches were taken away; and no doubt where the Soldiers prevail’d, the Priests under the Protection of the Military Power, made havock of the Protestants, and Sacrifized all to the Ecclesiastick Zeal; and Church-Tyranny as it always exceeds State-Tyranny, made the Cry of the Protestants, tho’ second to the Common Grievance, equal to it, If not Superiour in the Cause of Complaint.

We are now to suppose them up in Arms, and so universal the Insurrection, and the Emperor’s Affairs in such Disorder and Weakness, for want of Money and Management that almost on all Occasions, Count Paul Wesselini, the Palatine of Hungary, met with Success; the Germans were routed on several occasions, the Cities Revolted, and turn’d out the German Garrisons, or cut their Throats in their Quarters.

The Emperor’s Garrisons were ill provided, and worse paid; the Stores and Ammunitions embezzel’d; and in short every thing almost that was needful to oppose the Torrent of the Hungarian Success, seem’d to be wanting so that the Imperial Affairs went down on every side, and the Hungarians began to think of setting their Kingdom absolutely Independent of the House of Austria.

But Count Paul Wesselini, and the Hungarians, knew the Confusion of the Imperial Affairs, tho’ it was now their Advantage, would not always last, but that his Imperial Majesty would soon be rouz’d, and that they were not able at last to resist the German Power, when it should come on them with such Additions, as might be expected; upon these Considerations, They took Care to sollicit their Affairs at the Port, and by the help of their Agents, brought the Grand Seignor, to give all his Bassa’s and Commanders orders in their Favour, viz. To furnish them with Provisions, supply them with Arms and Ammunition; and upon all occasions, to permit ’em, if press’d by the Germans, to make their Retreat their Territories. Continue reading Tuesday, September 26. 1704.

Saturday, September 9. 1704.

Numb. 54.
[229]

I Cannot but earnestly desire those Gentlemen, who are so eager to have the Hungarians Assisted, and have them run down and ruin the Emperor, to look in and view the General Reasons of this Great and Desperate War now depending in Europe, and see, either we are upon a right Bottom, or a wrong.

If the Hungarians are to be assisted to pull down the Emperor, then the French are fighting to Establish the Protestant Religion; for the French are aiming directly at the Imperial Crown, and are willing the Hungarians should help to pull it down – What tho’ they drive at the same thing for different Reasons, yet by which way soever the Emperor falls, what hands soever pull him down, ’tis French Power succeeds him: If the Hungarians depose the Imperial Power, they Crown the French Empire the same Moment. If then the Hungarians by Fighting support, assist and encrease the French Grandeur; shall we assist them because they are Protestants? God forbid.

The business of the Confederates is to bring the Emperor to Grant the reasonable just Demands of the Hungarians, and to bring them to be content with what is Just, and no more; if they are puft up with their Prosperity, and cannot exercise Moderation enough in their Advantages, to make Terms, and secure the Liberties they want, and ’tis reasonable they should have Granted, they are equally our Enemies with the French, and we must assist the Emperor to reduce them; they are Tools of Universal Monarchy, Engines of Popery, and the blind Agents to the Destruction of all their Protestant Brethren in Europe.

I cannot think I have in this Trespass’d upon a True Principle of Protestant Zeal; I cannot be willing to have the Protestant Religion destroyed in Hungary; but if the Protestants in Hungary will be Mad Men, if they will make the Protestant Religion in Hungary Clash with the Protestant Religion in all the rest of Europe, we must prefer the Major Interest to the Minor. If a Protestant will joyn with a Papist to destroy me, he is a Papist to me, and equally my Enemy, let his Principles be what they will. Continue reading Saturday, September 9. 1704.

Tuesday, September 5. 1704.

Numb. 53.
[225]

I Came in the last Review, to some Nice distinctions, which I cannot but think very necessary, in Order to make the Understanding of the Present Case easy, as to the Hungarians and the Emperor.

I have Granted as much in behalf of the Hungarians, as can in Reason be desired: I have allow’d them to be Oppress’d, Persecuted, Plunder’d and ill Treated, even more than I can heartily suppose they have been; I admit all the hard words they give the Emperor of Germany and the Jesuits; all the Blood and Rapine Committed, or pretended to be Committed, upon the poor Protestants of that Distracted Kingdom; and all this, whether true or no, I Grant, to avoid the trouble of the Argument.

This may perhaps make it justifiable for them to Depose the King of Hungaria, but it cannot make out a Reason, why they should depose the Emperor of Germany; suppose Male Administration does qualify People for the Disciplining their Governours, deposing their Princes, and the like; it does not at the same time furnish them with a Title to Invade their Neighbours; it may lead them to dismiss Tyrants, but not to meddle with any Tyrants but their own; Insurrections of People may be for the Recovery or Defence of Liberty, never for the making of Conquests –

If they proceed to Conquests and Invasions, there is certainly something else in their Design than the Recovery of their Liberty, and the settling Religion: The Grievances of the Hungarians can give them no Title to Ravage Moravia, Plunder and Destroy Austria. Continue reading Tuesday, September 5. 1704.

Saturday, September 2. 1704.

Numb. 52.
[221]

I Have done with the Swedes: Monsieur L—n may concern himself to defend the Polish Election, in what Way and Method he pleases; I am perswaded he will never Compass it to his Master’s Reputation.

Conquest indeed may go a great way; Victory is so Sacred a thing, and Men are so apt to give the Sanction of Right, where Heaven gives the Blessing of Success, that to Argue against the Justice of that Cause, to which the Sword gives the Authority, is almost to oppose the General Stress of Human Reasoning.

If Stanislaus the Palatin of Posen, for as yet I can call him no more, by the Assistance of the Swede, Conquers the present King of Poland, who shall dispute his being Lawful King? I question whether the King of Sweden himself, or half the Kings in Europe have better Titles.

If Conquest be not a Lawful Title to a Crown, we must go back to the Oracle and Enquire, where the Grand Spring of Title is to be found; and unless the People come in to help us out, I doubt we shall be at a loss. Continue reading Saturday, September 2. 1704.

Tuesday, August 29. 1704.

Numb. 51.
[217]

I Hinted in the last Review the Scandal rais’d on this Undertaking, viz. That it does not please every body; I hope some of the Gentlemen Objectors will take that Note for an Answer, as particularly the Gentleman who is so Angry at my Opinion, concerning the Consequences of the late Victory; and so much for Objectors.

’Tis my Satisfaction that they cannot, nor indeed have they attempted to Answer the Reasons brought on this Head; when they can, I shall most readily alter my Opinion.

I am of Opinion I have sin’d against Novelty in the Article of Sweden, and as most People have this Vice in their Judgments, to be always cloy’d with a long Story, I might have dwelt upon the Swedish Affair too long: The Fancy is the Weather-cock of the Soul, and ’tis always Vereing with the Gusts of Novelty; Men are eternally gapeing after Variety, and no Story can be so well told, as to please them, if it be too long in telling.

And yet I cannot satisfy my self to close with this humour of the Town, and quit a Subject, before I have gone thro’ it, to please the Luxuriance of the World’s imagination; such as think me dull, only because I am long, are like those that don’t approve of the Sermon, because they don’t love the Parson. Continue reading Tuesday, August 29. 1704.

Tuesday, August 22. 1704.

Numb. 49.
[209]

OUR former Reviews have a little examined the Consequences of the Swedes, upon any disgust, going over to, and joyning with the French.

I think I set down the several Places where in such a Case he must, or should at least maintain Armies to defend his own Country; I resume that Head now, because I promis’d to shew the French could not be useful to them in such a Case.

’Tis very rational to suppose, that he could not joyn with France, but the King of Denmark would find it for his own Safety and Interest, to joyn with the Confederates; it was never known in any War, that those two Nations were ever of one side, they have had more Wars together than any two Nations in Christendom, even more than the Emperor and the Turks.

There is an indelible Jealousy rooted in the Hearts of them, one against another; and Providence, who Governs the whole World, seems to have plac’d it there, to provide for the rest; for should those two Nations agree together, their Country being the Magazine of the World for Naval Stores, it would be in their Power almost to tell any part of the World, as to Sea Affairs, when they should Fight, and when they should Submit; when they should fit out a Fleet, and when they should let it alone. Continue reading Tuesday, August 22. 1704.