Tuesday, November 14. 1704.

Numb. 73.
[305]

I Cannot but break out here into another Extasie at the Madness, Folly, and most Impolitick Blindness of immoderate Councils, with respect to the Affairs of Hungaria.

Had the Imperial Generals and Commissioners, appointed to settle the Kingdom of Hungary, after it was reduc’d to the Obedience of the Emperor, proceeded with Prudent and Moderate Measures; had they consider’d their Master’s Interest, and the Nature, Temper, and Numbers of the Hungarian Nation; had they Threatned them with Moderation and Humanity, Prince Ragocksi had been to this hour a faithful Subject, and the Hungarians, who are now in Arms for the Recovery of their Liberty, had been a useful Body to Defend their own Country against the Turks; and to have assisted their Brethren Protestants of Europe, against the French and Bavarian Encroachment. The Emperor and Empire might have ow’d their Safety and Establishment to the Valour and Fidelity of his Protestant Hungarian Subjects as he has been oblig’d to do, to the Power of his remote Protestant Confederates, the English and Dutch. They might, like the Vaudois in Savoy, have Merited their Liberty in meer Gratitude for their Services, and the Emperor must have shewn himself an unnatural Father of his Country, if he had not treated them with all that Tenderness and Courtesy, that Faithful and Zealous Subjects could have deserv’d, or in reason desired.

But as Count Carassa, the Imperial General, was imploy’d to reduce the Cities of Upper Hungary, in which the Chief Body of the Protestants of that Kingdom were found, it shall suffice, without entring into the dreadful Particulars, to say, That after the Reduction of that Country, no Pen can describe the Extortions, Oppressions, the Murthers, the Rapine and Injurious Treatment, which the poor Protestants receiv’d from the Barbarous, Insulting Soldiers, and more Bloody, Merciless Clergy in Hungary.

The whole weight of the War, the Blame, the Scandal, and the Punishment lay upon them; the Soldiers liv’d upon them at Discretion, and the Church-Tyranny proceeded to seize on their Religious Perquisites, with a Rapine peculiar to themselves; and I have heard of some English Gentlemen, who serv’d in the German Troops, and who were Quarter’d upon these poor unhappy People, say, it has mov’d them to Remorse, and they had not Hearts to Execute the Cruelties their Orders have contain’d.

It is an irksome Task to undertake a Description of the Miseries of the poor Protestants, under the Insults and Cruelties of the Soldiers; it would turn this Account into a Martyrology, and invert the Design, which hastens to bring all this down to the French Affairs, and doubts not to maintain the Coherence.

[306]

Nor let any Partial Observer think I willingly omit what relates to the Sufferings of the Protestants in Hungary, on purpose to lessen the Charge against their Enemies, since I am willing to suppose them Greater, if possible, than they really are; and think all the Exaggerations that can be brought on that Head, will serve but to blacken those I have been already Treating of, who brought it all on their own Heads, and the Heads of their Protestant Brethren; not by their taking up Arms, for that I have declared my Opinion of already; but by the want of Moderation in their Prosperity, and accepting of such Conditions of Peace and Settlement, as the Emperor offered them at the Diet of Altemburgh, and afterward, by which the Election of their Kings was to be secur’d, the Laws of their Country restor’d; their Privileges, Royalties, and Honours, Confirm’d, and Religion, with Liberty of Conscience, Settled; nay, once they Emperor offered Count Teckely the Sovereignty of what he Possess’d in Upper Hungary: But the Prospect of greater things, the Power of the Turks, the heighth of their Prosperity, and his particular Ambition blinded their Eyes, that they could not open them to their own Safety.

The Truth of the Matter is, They never imagin’d such a turn of Affairs, and such a Stream of Success to the Emperor’s Affairs possible; they look’d on the Opportunity they had but on the foreside, forgetting that Time is Bald Behind, and when once slip’d past, has nothing to lay hold on her by.

They saw the Powerful Turk, and the Weak Disordered Empire; this their Ready, Strong, and Engag’d Friend, that a Remote and Contemptible Enemy; and never confider’d, that to push at the Emperor’s Destruction, however Weak he might appear, would rouze Europe in his Defence, and Engage all the Powers of Christendom against them.

Thus these unhappy People, blinded by the Prospect of a Success they thought Certain, slipt the opportunity of securing their Laws, Liberty and Religion, the only things for which they could have any just Pretence of Arms, and suffered themselves either by Ambition, Revenge, or Covetousness, or perhaps all together, to be hurried into an Invasive War, a thing, as Subjects, they could never pretend to Justify – All the Arguments from Right, Liberty, or Oppression, which can only make Arming against a Prince Lawful, die and vanish, when once they move a step beyond the Settlement, and restoring of those just Rights they Claim: The rest is all Blood, Rapine, Revenge, Murther and Rebellion.

I cannot but think I have stated the Case clearly here, and plac’d every thing upon its proper Foundation; I shall willingly acknowledge any Error I have run into, or any Mistake either in History or Reflection, when I shall be fairly Convinc’d of it.

Having brought the Case thus far, and the Hungarians, whether Protestants or other, having made themselves a Party in an Invasive War; and being fairly Conquer’d by the Sword of the Emperor; tho’ I Condole heartily with them in their Misfortunes, and am Sorry the Germans us’d their Victory with no more Moderation; yet I cannot in Reason reflect so highly as some do on the Emperor, for Treating them so Ill, since by the Laws of all Nations, they were at his Mercy, and merited to be Treated like Conquer’d Rebels, not like returning Subjects.

I know but 2 Objections that can be brought against what I have advanc’d.–
1. “That the Hungarians are not to be blam’d, for not accepting the Conditions offer’d by the Imperialists; for that they had often been Deluded by Treaties and Stipulations, that they could put no Faith in either their Oaths, Promises or Agreements.”
2. “That when the Cities of Hungary Surrendered to Count Carassa, they Capitulated for the free Exercise of their Religion, and the Continuation of their Privilege, which Capitulations were not observ’d.”
1. To the first Objection, tho’ the Objectors do not prove the Fact, nor do I Grant it, but supposing it true, I Answer; This was a sufficient Ground for them to insist upon, such Securities as might have put it out of doubt, and as might have put it into their Power to secure the performance of the Stipulations, they had agreed to – And no doubt, but in the Circumstance the Emperor was then in, they might have had what Caution or Guarrantee they had Demanded; But this could be no sufficient Ground for them to reject all manner of Treaty to Confederate with the Bavarians, Subject the Kingdom to Tribute, and give for Answer, They could not Treat without leave from the Turks.

This has no Similitude with all the Insurrections, taking Arms for Liberty, Civil Wars or private Defections of Subjects, in the World; [307] When the Protestants in France, took Arms for their Liberty and Religion, their Case was just Paralell; nay, if any difference, theirs exceeded, as in the Process of this Undertaking will appear. Solemn Treaties had been Barbarously Violated, the Massacre at Vassii, the Parisian Wedding, and several others, were all under the Covert of Treaties, and during the Interval of Capitulations and Peace.

When after these things, the Protestants took Arms, and being Victorious, were offer’d Terms, they never carried things so high as to refuse to Treat, but Testified, that Peace was their true Design, and Ultimate End; and that Necessity and Self-defence only, was the occasion of their Arming, by being always ready to hearken to Accommodations, Treaties, and Terms of Peace. And as to Breach of Faith, it led them to demand Cautionary Towns, Guarrantees of Princes, and the like.

It cannot therefore be enough to say, the Emperor had broken Articles with them; and therefore they would throw away the Scabbard, pull him Down, and not hearken to any Conditions. How do they know, but if they had Demanded Cautions, Securities, Guarrantees, and sufficient Safeguards for their future Peace, they might have obtained it? – By refusing to hearken to the restoring their Liberties, they lose with me the Name of Subjects, Arming in their just Defence; and seem to be meer Rebels, pushing at the Crown, for the sake of Ambition and Revenge; and I am only Sorry the poor Protestants were so blind as to be drawn in, and not see the Deceit.

A DVICE from the Scandal. CLUB.

THe Gentleman that sent the Society the following Lines, with more to the same purpose, is desired to excuse an Alteration or two, and leaving out the rest – because they think these Comprehend the Sence of the whole; and being the best, they think the other are left out to the Author’s Advantage.

Tell me, ye Epicures, who take Delight
To Sport away the Day, and Revel out the Night;
What is the utmost Pleasure you Possess,
Who Surfeit, and are wearied with excess? Amidst your mighty flights of Mirth you find,
A damp dark Curtain overspreads the Mind.

The Society, Sir, being none of the Epicures you speak of, sent for a Season’d Drunkard to Answer you in his own Language; when you desire our Opinion you may have it.

TELL us no more that swim in Seas of joy;
What secret damps our private Peace destroy;
For that we drink, to keep the Devil down,
’Twould kill us to look in, and therefore we drink on:
As to the Pleasures which we so Possess,
’Tis Joy enough to make our Sorrows less.

This Capital Question, ’tis presum’d is sent us, from some of the Publick Offices, where the thing is practis’d.

Scandalous Club,
AT the end of all Sign-Manuals, that are Countersign’d by a Minister, there is Written, By Her Majesty’s Command. The Comma between the two last Letters of Majesty’s implies there are two Words, but joyn’d for the fluency of Pronunciation; ’tis obvious what the first is, pray what’s that last?
October 24. 1704.

The Society being not at all backward to give their Opinions in this Case; upon Serious Examination, and some Debate, whether the Queen, in Her Majesty’s publick Capacity be not a Masculine in the Sense of the Law; came to the following Resolves.
1. That whether ever in the Sense of the Law, or the Nature of the thing, the Executive Power be Masculine in King or Queen; yet in the Sense of Grammar it cannot be so.
2. That consequently (saving the Societies Respect to all Persons to whom it is Due) the Phrase is Nonsense, and ought to have been Express’d thus, viz. by the Command of Her Majesty, or otherwise to that purpose.

[308]

A D V E R T I S E M E N T.
To be Printed by Subscription.

JURE DIVINO: A Satyr against Tyranny and Passive Obedience; in Twelve Books. By the Author of the True born Englishman.

The Whole will be near 100 Sheets in Folio, with Large Annotations, Printed on the finest Paper; No more to be Printed than are Subscribed. The Price to be Ten Shillings, Half a Crown only to be paid Down, the Remainder on Delivery. Subscriptions are taken in at the Following Places.

At Mrs. Bond’s Bookseller, at Charing-Cross.
At the Smirna Coffee-house near St. James’s.
At Capt. Turner’s in the Auction Room near the House of Commons-Door.
At the Boufflers Head Tavern at Charing-Cross.
Mr. Snow’s, Exeter Exchange Coffee-House in the Strand.
The Rainbow Coffee-House at Fleet Bridge.
Mason’s Coffee-house in Bartholomew Lane.
Serle’s Coffee-House at Lincolns-Inn.
Bedford Coffee-House at Bedford Court, Covent Garden.
At John Matthews’s, in Pilkington Court in Little-Britain.
At the Essex Coffee-house, Mitre-Court, Fleet-Street.
At Mr. Clutterbuck’s, Hatter, the Corner of Water Lane in Fleet-Street.
At Taylor’s Coffee-house, Pater-Noster-Row.
Read’s Coffee-house in Black-Fryers.
Etherege’s Coffee-house, Birching Lane.
Jones’s Coffee-house, Finch-Lane.
The Amsterdam Coffee-house.
Row’s Coffee-house in Southwark.
Mr. Jonathan Robinson’s in St. Paul’s Church-Yard.
Mr. Samuel Chrouch, Mr. Richard Parker, and Mrs. Billingsly, Booksellers in Cornhill.

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

TEntamen Medicinale; or, An Enquiry into the Differences between the Dispensarians and Apothecaries; wherein Dr. Pitt’s Book of the Crafts and Frauds of Physick exposed, and his Antidotes are Animadverted upon. The Apothecaries prov’d capable of a Skillful Composition of Medicines, and a Rational Practice of Physick; to which are added, some Proposals to prevent their future increase. By an Apothecary. price 2 s. Printed for Geo. Sawbridge in Little Britain and sold by J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall.

THe Amours of Alcippus and Lucippe. A Novel. Written by a Lady. Printed for James Round at the Seneca’s Head in Exchange-Alley. 1704.

Just publish’d,

THe Rights of the Church of England, Asserted and Proved; in an Answer to a late pamphlet, intitled, the Rights of the Protestant Dissenters, in a Review of their Case. price 2 s.

LIves English and Foreign: Containing the History of the most Illustrious Persons of our own and other Nations, from the Year 1559, to the Year 1690. By several hands; who have been assisted in the Work with many private Memoirs. In two Volumes in 8vo. The English Lives are, William Lord Burleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh, George Duke of Buckingham, Marquess of Montross, Oliver Cromwel, Duke of Hamilton, General Blake, Duke of Albemarl, Earl of Shaftsbury, Duke of Monmouth. Printed for B. Took, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street, and W. Davis, at the Black-Bull in Cornhil; and sold by John Nutt near Stationers-Hall. 1704.

+++ 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.

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.

Just Publish’d,

THe Monthly Weather Paper: Being some Baroscopical Discoveries of the Alterations of the Wind and Weather, every Day and Night in November 1704. To be continued and Published at the beginning of every Month. By Gustavus Parker. Printed for Geo. Sawbridge, and sold by J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall. 1704. NB. Every days Weather has happened as predicted.

MDCCIV.