Saturday, October 14. 1704.

Numb. 64.
[269]

THE Success of the Hungarians, under Count Teckely, after they had put themselves under the Protection of the Turk, is the present Subject we are upon; whether God Almighty, in his Righteous Providence, Punish’d them for their Infidelity and Distrust, in quitting their Dependence upon his Omnipotence, and flying to his Enemies for Aid; whether it was for their Disloyalty to the Emperor, or for their Cruelties in the Execution of their Resentments against the Germans; or for what other Reasons, I am willing to leave that Particular undecided.

’Tis my proper Business to make out the Fact, as I have alledg’d it in several past Papers; viz. That from the time that they abandon’d their Faith, Revolted from, and Betray’d the Christian Army, under the Duke of Lorrain, on the River Raab; the Consequences of which, were that dreadful Eruption of the Tartars into the German part of Lower Hungary, into Austria, Stiria, and Moravia; the Destruction of a Plentiful, Flourishing, and some of it Protestant Country, for above 100 Miles Square; the Murther or Captivity of above 40000 Innocent Christians, the Retreat or Flight of the Imperial Army, and after that the Siege of Vienna: From this time the Divine Protection visibly forsook them, and Heaven seem’d plainly to have left them to the Vengeance and Punishment of their own ways, fill’d them with their own doings, and they fell before the Germans as Grass beneath the hands of the Mower.

The first instance of this we have in Sir Roger Manley’s History aforemention’d, under the Head of the Seige of Vienna.

The Hungarians, who, as has been already Noted, Concerted Measures with the Grand Visier at Buda, had contriv’d effectually to Secure the Ruin of Vienna, by placing themselves on the Borders of Austria, so Securing the Passes of the Mountains on that side, effectually to prevent the King of Poland, who was then on his March to Relive the City; had they Succeeded in their Design, the Poles could not have come at all, or else must have March’d so far about, that it had been impossible for Vienna, which, as it was, found it self reduc’d to the last extremity, to have held out till their Arrival. Continue reading Saturday, October 14. 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.

Tuesday, October 3. 1704.

Numb. 61.
[257]

I Brought the Hungarians in the Last Review, just to the Precipice of their own Ruine, when despising all the Concessions of the Emperor; which at the Intercession of the Protestant Electors, had been such, that the very Turks themselves suspected they could not refuse an Accommodation.

The Apprehensions of this, occasion’d the Turkish Ambassadors to make mighty Offers of Imaginary Honours, such as no People in the World, who had not projected the Absolute Ruine of Europe, would have the least Imagination could ever be made good.

Upon these Expectations, Count Teckeley, and Eighty of the Principal Nobility and Gentry of Hungary, enter into this black Contract, and agree with the Turks for Protection and Assistance against the Emperor; and on that Condition stipulate in the Name of all the Kingdom, to make Hungaria Tributary to the Turks, to become his Servants, and to pay to his Ottoman Highness a Tribute of 8oooo Crowns per Ann. Vid. Knowl’s Contin. fol. 28o.

To make this yet more plain, the Grand Seignior, in Pursuance of the abovesaid Treaty, sends the following haughty Command to Abassi Prince of Transylvania. Continue reading Tuesday, October 3. 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 19. 1704.

Numb. 57.
[241]

I cannot go back from the Charges in the last Review, as to the Hungarians calling in the Turks. The Count Westelini, who was Palatine of Hungary, in the Year 1676, was openly engag’d in the Troubles of that Time; and as it was his Post to Command the Military as well as the Civil Power, he made no scruple, tho’ a Roman Catholick, to head the whole Body of the Malecontents, and joyn with them in taking Arms against the Emperor.

Some say he turn’d Protestant before he died, and that he was so in his Heart from the beginning; but, as that does no where appear to me, so it does not seem Material to the present Argument, whether he did or no.

Sir Roger Manly, in his Continuation of Sir Paul Rycaut’s History of the Turks, gives us a short Abridgment of the beginning of that Insurrection, which I shall re-abridge in as short a manner, as will consist with the length of my Paper.

’Tis true, there had been several Insurrections, and designs of Insurrection before that, but as the Causes were generally the same, the Abstract of this, may very reasonably pass for an Introduction into the whole Story. Continue reading Tuesday, September 19. 1704.

Saturday, September 16. 1704.

Numb. 56.
[237]

I Advanc’d a Proposition last Paper, That there is some difference between Popish and Turkish Tyranny, in opposition to those People, who have had the Turks have taken Vienna.

I presume, that when I say those People were Mad, or out of their Sences, ’tis the kindest thing I can say of them; for unless I will suppose them so, I can do no less than offer Reasons why they would think it proper to have all the German Empire stoop to the Green Ensigns of Mahomet, and the Turkish Half-Moon Erected on the Tops of their Spires, in the room of the Cross.

I Confess ’tis a hard Choice; and I hope we shall never be put to that Nicety to determine, whether Christendom shall be devoured by Popery, or Mahometanism; whether Turkish or Popish Tyranny shall over-run Europe.

But if that unhappy Crisis were come, I think every considering Protestant would soon resolve, that ’tis better of the two to be oppres’d by the Errors of Christianity, than the Enemies of it; if I am to be Murthered, Rob’d, Plundered and Destroyed, I had rather a Roman Catholick was the Butcher, than a Turk; I had rather he had the Power over me, that acknowledges Christ, than he that despises him, and defies him; rather he that kills me, because I don’t Worship Jesus his way, than he that does it, because I own him at all. Continue reading Saturday, September 16. 1704.

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? Continue reading Tuesday, September 12. 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.