Saturday, November 25. 1704.

Numb. 76.
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I leave all Men, after the reading the last Paper, to judge of the Condition of the Emperor, and indeed of the whole House of Austria.

And if all these things turn’d the Scale of Affairs in Italy, and on the Rhine too, no Man will wonder; the Emperor being Embarrass’d to the last degree.

The Hungarians, to be sure, made their Market of all these things; and as they received Arms, Money, and Officers, from the French and the Swedes in the North, the King of Sweden all this while gaining upon the Pole, and Ravaging his Country; so they receiv’d repeated Assurances from the Duke of Bavaria, and from the French King, by means of the Mareschall Marsin, of a Powerful Diversion and Assistance form the Arms of France and Bavaria, and the Successes they assur’d themselves of in the Empire.

I cannot but think Count Teckely thought himself securer of being King of Hungary, at the beginning of the Siege of Vienna, than Prince Ragocksi and the Hungarians thought themselves of Suppressing and Deposing the Emperor, at the beginning of this last Campaign; and as nothing else could make the former refuse the Sovereignty of Upper Hungary, and all the Advantageous Conditions the Emperor offered him; so nothing else could now hinder the latter from entring on a Treaty with the Emperor, on the foot of a Mediation and Guarantee from England and Holland.

Here the old Argument, that no Treaties could be depended upon, and that they could not trust to the Honour and Faith of the Germans, would have been at an end; for that tho’ some have been so weak, as to say, the Guarantee of England and Holland, could signify nothing to hem, these Nations being so remote, that no Assistance could be given the Hungarians from them; all People will allow, that the English and Dutch have always so much Influence upon the Affairs of the Empire, as to make themselves Regarded; always keeping it in their Power, to make the Emperor very uneasy, if he should deny them Reason, and above all, are, and are like to be so now, on Account of the Affairs of Spain, which do, and are like to depend very much on their Assistance, and must effectually sink, whenever the Emperor shall give those two Nations any Provocation to change sides, or as much as to neglect him, and withdraw their Assistance.

Whoever therefore advis’d the Hungarian Malecontents not to accept of the Mediation of England and Holland, at a time that the Emperor was so weak, that it might reasonably be expected he would Condescend very low, advised them to stand in their own light, and so slip that opportunity, which it is to be hop’d will never be put into their hands again, so much [318] to the hazard of all the Confederated Powers of Christendom.

This rejecting the Mediation and Guarantee of England and Holland, suggests several things to my Thoughts, which tho’ they are not proved from thence are yet such fair and plain Consequences of it, that ’tis to me almost a Demonstration.

1. That this is not a Protestant Insurrection, as has been Noted, but that the Malecontents are Originally and Principally Roman Catholicks; however the Protestants may be joyn’d to them, since they would not else have refused the Mediation of the two most Potent Branches of all Protestant Powers of Europe.

2. That they have a great many Demands that Religion is not Concern’d in, and some, which those just Mediators might see no reason to insist upon, or be too much the Emperor’s Friend to Grant.

3. That they were leagued with some Powers who are, if not Enemies, no Friends to England and Holland, whose Influence was more Predominate with them, and who Byass’d them to slight their Friends, against their own Apparent Interest.

The latter of these seems past Contradiction, since these Powers having receiv’d a Blow at the Fatal Battle of Blenheim, the Hungarians appear willing to accept the Mediation and Preliminary Interposition of English and Holland, which before they seem’d so much to neglect.

From all these things, it will be very Natural to observe, what a Crisis the Emperor’s Affairs were reduc’d to, before the English and Dutch Forces Rescu’d them from the Destruction that was just at the Door; and how soon the Hungarian on one hand, or the Bavarian on the other, or both United, might have rendred themselves Masters of his Capital City, and Imperial Crown; but of this by the way.

That there was a Concert of Measures between these People and the Bavarians, is plain, from sundry Persons, and Letters Apprehended and Intercepted, Passing and Re-passing to and from one to the other; the Bavarian attempting Tyrol, was an early discovery that his Design was by the plain Country of Stiria and Carinthia to make his way to a Junction of Forces with the Hungarians, who at the same time pressing upon Croatia, bid fair to open a door to receive the French and Bavarian Succours.

But Heaven forbid the Success of all these deep laid Designs, but the Hungarians failing of their ends, on the Frontiers of Croatia and by the Repulse the Duke of Bavaria met with in the Mountains of Tyrol; by which the Duke de Vendosme afterwards miss’d of his Design, who spent his time to no Purpose, Bombarding of Trent, till the Affairs of Italy call’d him back to look after the Duke of Savoy.

What a Complication of Circumstances were here, to unhinge the United Enemy – All these things failing, you find an exact Harmony of their Proceedings; still the Duke of Bavaria presses on the Danube, takes Passau, and Advances as far as Lintz, within 30 Leagues of Vienna; the Hungarians at the same time quit the Design upon Croatia, and come up the Danube, within 5 Leagues of Vienna, from whence their Parties Ravage the Country up to the very Gates.

What but a Storm, our Enemies could not foresee, nor we hope for, could have unravell’d all this Clue? nothing but such a Blow as never was struck before, could prevent the Conjunction between the Hungarians and the Duke of Bavaria; and consequently the Ruin of the Emperor, and by the same Consequence, all the Confederacy.

But the Storm is come, and the Emperor’s Affairs have a new Face, and now they will accept of our Mediation – But as they insist upon Conditions remote to the Original Quarrel, I cannot foresee a Conclusion to the Advancement of Peace.

And I must be excused here, if I still say, by the Demands made, it is no more a Question with me whether the Design of this Insurrection was the restoring of Religion; for what then can be the Meaning of Prince Ragocksi demanding the Principality of Transilvania to himself, and what Coherence has this with the Pretence of National Grievances, whether Civil or Religious?

Now let the Prince’s Pretences to Transilvania be what they will, if the Civil and Religious Rights of Hungary were in a Method of Settlement; if the Concessions of the Emperor, and the Preliminaries of the Mediators are Comprehensive of the Securities which are Reasonable to be asked on one hand, and be granted on the other; if Peace be in Prospect, so as Persecution may Cease, and Civil Right be Establish’d; and if all this should be lost, only because Prince Ragocksi cannot be made Wayvode of Transilvania; will not all the World say, he prefers his Private Interest and Grandeur to all the Religious or Civil Advantages of his Country? Will not all [319] Men be glad to say he is not a Protestant, that none of that Profession may come under a Character so Scandalous, and brand Religion, which tends to Peace, and Enclines Men to the best Measures, to bring it to pass, with the Odious Scandal of Ambition and Self-Interest.

ADVICE from the Scandal. CLUB.

THe Society cannot but think themselves very hardly Treated, by the Gentleman who sent them the following Letter, being the same as they conceive, by the Hand, who sent them a Letter about the Word Majesty’s; mention’d in the Review, N˚ 73. And if they are plainer in their Answer, than that Gentleman expects, he must thank his own want of Manners; since let his Quality be what it will, he can never make it out, that this Usage became him – The Letter is follows.

Scandalous Club,
IN your Review of the 14th. Instant, you insert a Letter, sent you, concerning a Criticism upon Majesty’s, wherein you decisively give your Opinion with a great deal of Impudence and Folly. First, because you take upon you to Condemn the Practice of your Betters; and Secondly, because in your first Paragraph consequent to the Letter, you ALLOW that in your selves, which you DISPROVE in others.
Novemb. 20. 1704.

On Reading this Letter, the Society resolv’d, and appeal to all the World for the Truth of it, that it cannot be, that their Opinion was Impudent or Foolish.

1. It could not be Impudent, because in a fair Parenthesis, they express themselves with a Civility, which they thought became them; and which they Affirm is Satisfactory, and ought to be so; and would be taken so, had Her Majesty herself been concern’d, in these Words (saving their Debt of Respect, to all Persons to whom it is Due; Review N˚ 73. Novemb. 14) –

This is putting off the Hat, and asking Leave for a Freedom in Speech, of all the Persons concern’d; and they presume no Person of any Quality, above a Clerk, in the Office, can think themselves Affronted. Mais le Serviteur est tousjours plus de Qualité, que le Maître.

2. Their Answer cannot be Foolish, because ’tis Founded upon strict Grammar; and they appeal to all the Men of Letters in Town, for the justness of the Observation.

Having thus defended themselves, they desire to handle this Gentleman a little his own way, and to confute his Reasons, by the same Rule he attempts to confute theirs.

First, he says, their Impudence consists in condemning the Practice of their Betters; this they say, lies on him, since his Question sent, gave them Authority to give an Answer; and his questioning the Actions of Our Betters, is more Criminal than Our Censure; because this was founded upon Truth, and is to be justified; His upon a meer Insult of the Practice it self; his asking the Question had the Satyr, and the answering it is justly defended from the Question.

Secondly, he ought to have inform’d who he means by Betters; if he means the Ministers of State, their Character has its due Deference paid by the Parenthesis abovemention’d: If he means himself, he ought to tell us who he is, that we may know whether he has a Title to the Pre-eminence he speaks of, or no; and may give him the Honour due to his Character.

But having conceal’d his Character, the Society ask his Pardon, for not acknowledging his Superiority, till they be better inform’d of it; and for the present, they are to judge of him by his Sence.

1. They say, that having follow’d the Custom of Speaking in the Word Majesty’s, tho’ not the Grammar, they approve it not the more; and yet if they did, it does not follow, but that the Case he mention’d is bound up to a more strict Observation of Words, than their Impudent Society, as he calls it?

2. They desire to know of him, if the last Paragraph of his Letter be Grammar, or Sence; and if not, then they return the Impudence and Folly where it is Due; you ALLOW that in yourselves, which you DISPROVE in others?

1. According to him, they had not disprov’d it; for Impudence and Folly approve or condemn nothing; and therefore the Phrase is Nonsense in the course of the Thing.

2. The Society queries, whether Disprove be English in this Place, and demand his Authority for it.

[320]

3. Whether you is Plural or Singular; if he says the first, they desire him to make it out; if the latter, they desire him to make out the Grammar of you allow and your selves; and if he knows how, to put it into good Latin; tho’ perhaps, by our Custom of speaking, we grant it may be allow’d.

Upon the whole, the Society resolv’d, He has ask’d a Question he had no Authority from the Rules of good Manners to ask, and consequently is Answered in his kind.

Secondly, He has no reason to Charge the Society with a breach of Modesty.

Thirdly, He has Charg’d them with Nonsence, in Terms that are neither Sence, Grammar nor English, and thus they leave him.

THe Gentleman, who sent the Society a Letter sign’d L.G. if he pleases to call at Mr. Matthews’s shall have an Answer left for him.

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.

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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 Candle, 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.

THIS day is publish’d, the Second Monthly Supplement to the Operations of the Society; in which most of those Gentlemen, who may think themselves neglected by the long delay of Answers to their Letters, will we hope, receive Satisfaction, and the future Supplements shall not be delay’d so long.

MDCCIV.