Tuesday, October 24. 1704.

Numb. 67.
[281]

IN my Account of the Hungarians, I think I have plainly enough distinguish’d, that I am of Opinion, those of them call’d Protestants, were not either the first in the Design, or first in the Execution, of the Revolt from the Emperor; but as they came at last, to joyn in the general Revolution of Affairs, and to have the deepest share in the Suffering part, ’tis necessary I should say something to let the World see how far they were, or were not, concern’d in it.

I can not but think ’tis a little hard, that some who are tender of the Reputation of the Protestants, should be so Partial, as to believe I should not do them Justice in this Relation, or so impatient, as not to wait till the Course of the Story brought me to it.

The Reflection made on the Relation, and on the Author, have so little weight in them, that I have not really thought them worth Notice hitherto, and shall only touch on them now; To say of the Author, he has chang’d his Principles, and writes to please a Party, is to show themselves as Weak as Malicious; since as in all his Practice, no Man can be nam’d that has more to his Personal Prejudice, despised the Partiality of Parties, and is not asham’d to affirm, that as no Party in the World can make him an offer large enough to Tempt him to forsake his Principles, so neither can they Terrify him from owning the Truth, which he has always adher’d to.

Nor is this at all concern’d in his Writing of the Hungarian Malecontents; and if these Censorious Gentlemen please to have Patience, they will find the Author of these Sheets freely declaring himself upon the Principle of Salus Populi Suprema lex, as often as there shall be occasion; and sufficiently to defend himself from the Scandal of shifting his Principles. Continue reading Tuesday, October 24. 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.

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 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.

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 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 15. 1704.

Numb. 47.
[201]

I Have done with the Swedes fighting for the Liberty of Poland — .

The next thing, which as ’tis alledg’d the Swedes fight for, is Religion, to pull down Popery and the Whore of Babylon.

Some Honest People, who are very Angry with the King of Poland for changing his Religion, and very willing to have the Swedes be Masters of Poland, because they hope they will plant the Protestant Religion there, are very much out of Humour with our late Reviews, which have dwelt so long upon the Matter, and so earnestly press’d the reducing the Swede to Terms of Peace.

These well-meaning Religious Gentlemen, shew their Zeal goes a great deal beyond their Understanding, as to the Publick Affairs of Europe; and of such I would ask, whether it is worse, that the Protestant Religion should not be replanted in Poland, or should be supplanted in England, Holland, and Germany? Continue reading Tuesday, August 15. 1704.