A. C. the Regency which your Majefty has refolv'd to 1706. establish in their Country: But the convening of this Diet requiring Time, that Project fell to the "Ground. Notwithstanding which, Ragotzi has exprefs'd all poffible Veneration for your Majejefty's facred Perfon, and great Regret to be again oblig'd to haye Recourfe to Arms.

'So likewife Count Berezini has fhewn extremę 'Concern at this Rupture; for of late he carried 'himself in fuch a Manner, as fhew'd he earnestly 'wifh'd for Peace.

Alfo the Deputies of the Hungarians, with whom we us'd to treat at Tirnau, could not refrain from Tears, in expreffing their deep Sorrow to fee us part from them re infecta.

By this Recital, which I have the Honour to make to your Majefty, you will judge, that the Chiefs, and the Nation, were all in the beft Difpofition that could be defir'd for an Agreement. We dare even affure your Imperial Majefty, that for no long Prolongation of the Armistice, and fome moderate Expedients, your Imperial Majefty would have had the Kingdom of Hungary and Principality of Tranfilvania, with greater Eafe, and with more ample Authority, than ever they were poffefs'd by any of your Ancestors.

But, Sir, the Reprefentations of your Gerierals and Minifters, have depriv'd us of the Honour of ferving your Majefty in the happy Conclufion of this important Affair; and we can now only offer our Wishes that your Majesty's Arms may be more fuccefsful than our Endeavours have been; moft humbly befecching your Majefty to believe, that we, for our Parts, have with the utmoft Zeal us'd our beft Efforts to promote the Intereft of your Imperial Majefty, and that, on all 'Occafions, we will continue to do the like, hoping thereby to merit the Continuance of your Majefty's Favour, to which we do in the humbleft 'Manner recommend our felves.

Some time after, Mr. Stepney, and Count Rechteren left Vienna, the firft, as was mention'd before, being appointed to refide at the Hague, with the fame Character he bore at the Imperial Court.

If

If the Publick was difappointed in their Hopes A. C. of an Accommodation in Hungary, they were ftill 1706. more furpriz'd at a Treaty of Peace, which, on ar fudden, feem'd to put an end to the long, obftinate Affairs of and Bloody War that diftracted Poland, and which Poland. may well be reckon'd as one of the most wonderful Events of this Year. The Crowning of King Staniflaus, which had been attended with a Treaty be tween that Prince and the King of Sweden, had oblig'd King Auguftus to return from Saxony to Poland, to make a ftricter Alliance with the Czar; but the Army, which was to follow him from Saxony, was fcarce arriv'd near Frowftadt in February, but it was defeated by the Swedish General Renfchild. "Twas then the general Opinion, that the King of Sweden would not give him time to repair that lofs by the Mufcovite Succours, and that he would purfue 'em clofely, in order to make him abandon Poland and Lithuania; but it fince appear'd, that he had another Defign in view, the better to compafs his Ends. The Campaign there, was spent on both fides in Marches and Counter-Marches, and in exacting Contributions; after which, the King of Sweden, having reinforc'd his Army, and left two Bodies in Poland, march'd fuddenly into Saxony in September, and thereby hinder'd King Auguftus from receiving any Supplies from his own Dominions. The Affairs of the latter were in this defperate Condition, when another Event, no lefs unexpected, feem'd to buoy up the finking Spirits and Hopes of his Party, by the Victory he gain'd at Kalifh the 29th of October, N. S. over General Mardefelt, and the Palatine of Kiovia. But the News of this Battle was fcarce made Publick, when the Scene was fhifted again Treaty of by a Peace, ftill more furprizing than all the reft, Peace be fince it appears it was figned the 24th of September, tween the above a Month before the Winning of the Battle; King of which, however, occafion'd no Alteration in the Sweden, † Articles of the Treaty. The true Motives of that King Auguftus, Pacification, are ftill a Myftery: But if, (as 'tis very and King probable, and the faireft Colour that can be put up- Stanillaus. on the Matter) King Auguftus condefcended to thofe + See the Difhonourable Terms, and confented to abandon his Appendix, conftant Ally, the Czar of Muscovy, out of a tender Num. XI. Regard for his Hereditary Dominions; 'tis certain, pag. 98.

*

A. C. he was miferably disappointed; fince they fuffer'd as 1706. much after the Peace, as they could have done by the continuance of the War: The King of Sweden The K. of exacting still heavy Contributions from them with Sweden the utmoft Severity. His Swedish Majefty's marchraifes Con-ing into the Electorate of Saxony, giving juft Ground tributions of Jealoufie to the Allies, Dr. Robinfen, and the Heer and Re Haerfolet, Envoys from her Britannick Majefty, and

cruits.

the States General, in Poland, were order'd to attend that Monarch, and obferve his Motions: But before their Departure from Dantzick, they fent him the following Letter:

The Eng- c.

lifh and

ter to the

King of

SIR,

ER Sacred Majefty of Great Britain, and Dutch M- their High and Mightineffes the States Genifters Let-neral of the United Provinces, have frequently declared to your Majefty their Sentiments and good Wishes for preferving the Tranquility of the EmSweden. pire, particularly that Part thereof which lyes next to Poland; and your Majefty's Answers to their Reprefentations were fuch as gave them a Profpect of your Majefty's Compliance with their Requeft, and of your having fuch Views for the Good of the Common Caufe, as to join your Forces to thofe of the Allies, who fight for the Tranquility of Europe; or, at leaft, to do nothing which may interrupt any further Opportunities of their acting with Glory and Success against the Common Enemy, till an Equitable and Lafting Peace fhall be concluded, on fuch Terms as fhall difable France from violating it hereafter with Impunity, if the "Course of that great good Fortune, which has hi'therto attended the Arms of the Allies, in bridling 'the Disturber of Mankind, be not diverted; fince, next to God's Glory, they with for nothing more than that every one may be preferv'd in the pof'feffion of his own Right as they think neceffary 'for themfelves, fo they believe it cannot preju'dice Sweden, fince it is too evident that France aims at nothing lefs than to difturb all the Princes and States equally; to that if they be not all fecured, they must all be Slaves. Several Rumours have *been spread abroad; which tho' they are not credited in England and Holland, yet being fome

what

.

what perplexing, We have fent to pray your Ma- A. C. jefty not to touch the Empire with your Arms, 1706. nor engage in any Courfe, which may endangers

your Friends, Allies, and all Europe, which God

'Almighty prevent.

7. Robinfon, J. V. Haerfolet.

To this Letter the King of Sweden return'd Anfwer, 'That he had no Defign by this Invafion of The King Saxony, to undertake any thing to the Prejudice of of Swe his Friends and Allies; but being provoked by an den's Anunjuft War to do what the Law of Nations allows,fwer.

6

.

he ought long fince to have removed the Seat of the War to that Electorate, where it had its Source, and had been fupported fo many Years, but that 'he forbore doing it at the Interceffion of the Allies, ' and would not make ufe of his Right as long as he had any Profpect of Curbing an Obftinate Enemy; but fince his Affairs would not fuffer him to be amufed any longer, and that he could not permit the Enemy to repair his Strength, so often broke to no Purpofe, there was a Neceflity of "Attacking the Fountain from whence fo many "Evils had fprung; hoping that the Allies would have no caufe to complain, if by this Expedition their Succeffes fhould be interrupted; fince it was very apparent that Saxony had done fo much Mif chief, and would do more if not prevented, &c. This Anfwer being unfatisfactory, and the Suf picion of the Allies ftill encreafing upon the King of Sweden's Railing great Numbers of Men throughout the Empire, and his admitting to his Audience the French King's and the Duke of Bavaria's Minifters, the English and Dutch were directed to defire his Swedish Majefty, to declare his true Intentions. He refuses But that referv'd Prince fill put them off with to open dubious Anfwers, and refufed to open himself to himself to any but the Duke of Marlborough, who waited up-any but on his Majefty for that purpofe, as fhall be men- the Duke of tion'd in our next Volume, if God grant us Life and Marlbo Opportunity to write it. rough.

The Bishop

of Mun

This Year died the Bishop of Manfter,a Prince who was ever well affected to the Cominon Caufe, and enclin❜d to entertain a good Correfpondence with his fter dies, Neighbours. Upon his Death, that elective Sove- May s

Y 4

reignty N. $.

tention be

A. C. reignty, which holds a confiderable Rank in the Em1706. pire, and the firft in the Direction of the Circle of Weftphalia, was hanker'd after by feveral Perfons, who having privately mufter'd their Intereft in the Chapter of Munfter, to no purpose, left the Contenfion between the Prince of Lorrain, Bishop of Great Con- Ofnabrug, and the Bishop of Paderborn. The Emtween the peror, as became a good Friend and Relation, efpou• Bishops of fed the Intereft of the first: And the Dutch, like Pader good Politicians, favour'd the Advancement of born and the latter; who having obtain'd of the Pope a Brief Ofna- of Eligibility, the Count of Eck, the Emperor's brugabout Envoy Extraordinary at Munster, had fecret Orders the Bi- fent him, to give his Imperial Majefty's ExShoprick of clufion to the Bifhop of Paderborn, if it appear'd that he might carry the Election, The Negotiators for the Prince of Lorrain finding that the Canons of Munster would difregard fuch an Exclufion, which fo vifibly tended to overthrow the Freedom of Elections, tried all other Means to compafs their ends. Private Cabals were cunningly carried on. Some of the Canons were baited with Gold; others allured by Beauty; and earnest Application was made at Rome, to obtain the Revocation of the Brief of Eligibility, granted to the Bishop of Paderborn; upon plaufible Suggestions, that he employ'd the Intereft of Heretical Powers to afcend the Epifcopal. See of Munfter. The Pope not yielding to their Demand, they then follicited a Prorogation of the Election for a Month, which they obtain'd, with Home Difficulty.

Munster.

On the other hand, the Dutch, Pruffian and Henoverian Envoys having made great Intereft at Munfter for the Bishop of Paderborn, the Baron de Plettenberg Grand Provost of that Church, with the Majority of the Canons, openly declared for that Prelate, whereupon the Emperor's Envoy refolved to defer no longer the giving in his Imperial Majesty's Exclufion.

The very day he defign'd to demand Audience of the Chapter, in order to put his Project in Execution, the Baron of Itterfum, the Dutch Envoy, receiv'd an Exprefs from their High Mightineffes, with pofitive Orders to ufe his utmoft Endeavours to divert the Imperial Minifter from a step which

they