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A36728
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A panegyrick to the memory of His Grace Frederick, late Duke of Schonberg ... by H. de Luzancy ...; Abbregé de la vie de Frédéric duc de Schomberg. English
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De Luzancy, H. C. (Hippolyte du Chastelet), d. 1713.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing D2417A; ESTC R4165
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11,362
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42
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Licensed Octob. 4. 1690. R. MIDGLEY A PANEGYRICK TO THE MEMORY OF HIS GRACE Frederick Late DUKE of SCHONBERG Marquess of Harwich Earl of Brentford Count of the Holy Empire State-Holder of Prussia Grandee of Spain c. General of all His Majesties Land Forces and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter By H. de Luzancy Minister of Harwich Chaplain to the late Duke and to his present Grace of Schonberg LONDON Printed for R. Bentley in Russel-street in Covent-Garden 1690. ADVERTISEMENT IT will not be amiss to tell the Reader that there having been a Design to give some present Account of the Life of His Grace the late Duke of Schonberg at last it was thought fitter to write a Panegyrick than a History Several Memoirs are now wanting to perfect the one and there is Matter enough to fill up the other Both agreeing in this that nothing is omitted in a Panegyrick that is great or considerable in History It may be Objected that it is a way of writing somewhat strange and extraordinary to us That there is very few pieces of that sort extant in English and that nothing satisfies and instructs so much as a Critical and Exact Calculation of times and places as being that which gives not only a general prospect but also a particular account of Mens Lives But this is easily answer'd if we consider that tho' the Pens of this Nation so admirably exercis'd in all other kinds of Writing have in a great measure neglected this yet it is excellent in it self and much admir'd by Ancient and Modern Authors The best of the Greek and Roman Writers have not only left us several Pieces that are Originals in that way of Writing but even prescrib'd a Method to attain to its Perfection Longinus and Pliny have far outdone the Histories of their times Gregory the Nazianzene and St. Ambrose of Milan tho' in a less Polite Age and a courser Stile have excell'd in it The French have rais'd it of late to a great height and their Oraisons Funebres particularly that of Mareschal de Turenne the Prince of Condé and Madam de Longueville might pass for Models to future Ages if they had not too much the Air of Sermons This is ventur'd amongst the rest by way of Essay and if not accepted will only serve as a Preface to the Duke of Schonberg's History A Panegyrick to the Memory c. THE Loss of His Grace the Duke of SCHONBERG has fill'd Europe both with Grief and Amazement So great a Person grown old in the Commands of Armies might have promis'd himself a better Fate and died in the Arms of his Friends Hero's seem to have a title to Life and tho' they have run a long course of years their Death is always surprising and untimely The end of this Noble Duke was so to us but the Blow would have smarted much more had it not been in a manner swallow'd up with the News of the great Victory in Ireland and the loud acclamations of joy to WILLIAM the Third supprest all other Passions whatsoever Happy then to see before he was taken away the success of his Royal Master and to have been an Instrument of that Victory which settles him in his Kingdoms Let us pay him after his death that admiration which us'd to attend all the Actions of his Life It is a Theam on which may be spent all the Beauties of Eloquence and a Subject worthy the best Pens in which the Orator has this advantage That what he has to say is above the improvements of Art and the mean assistance of Flattery The true Representation of that Noble Person is of it self a Panegyrick and only this is to be said of him That Greatness and Goodness so seldom united in others have been in him inseparably linkt That he has been conspicuous to the World by good Actions as well as famous Exploits That he has not only been a Great but also an Excellent Man The real Greatness of Men is chiefly deriv'd from the Nobility of their Birth the splendour of their Employments and the reputation of their Performances The one is a kind of Capacity for the greatest Trusts the other an Argument of their Worth and Abilities and the last a splendid distinction from the Herd of Mortals who act within a narrow Sphere and are forgotten in the Crowd The DUKE had the advantage of the First by a long and uninterrupted descent of Noble Ancestours in the Palatinate That Country gave him to the World as a new Ornament to a Family already honour'd with the greatest Civil and Military Offices both at home and abroad He had in his Veins the Blood of Princes of the Empire of Statholders and of Mareschaux de France He brought their inclinations into the World and made since a vast addition to their Stock of Fame and Honour But how unprofitable is the happiest Nature if it be not seconded by a Generous Education And what does it signifie to be descended from Heroick Ancestours if we are not made capable of treading in their steps Education makes us truly what we are and if Nature prepares Men to it is that that lays the Foundation of Great Actions The DUKE was brought up by those Masters who took care to perfect in him the Christian and the Gentleman two Qualifications so far from being inconsistent that the one infinitely helps the other the Service of God fitting us for that of the Prince Fenc'd then with Principles of Honour and Vertue at home he was ventur'd abroad Germany England France and Holland spent his younger years The three first the greatest Courts the last the plainest but perhaps the wisest part of Europe Travelling was not then what the monstrous Corruption and Degeneracy of this Age has made it since It is now resolv'd into smattering of French and a perfect Systeme of all manner of Vices Men of Quality then did not only learn Languages a fine sort of Accomplishment but did endeavour to penetrate into the Interests Designs and Inclinations of other Countries and came home Wiser Better and fitter to Govern themselves and others The DUKE became so absolute a Master of those Languages that it was hard to discern which was most Natural to him And tho' he had not been here of many years yet he had preserv'd the Beauty and Purity of the English Tongue to a great degree But he had so acquainted himself with the Secrets of Europe as to understand the management of all Courts and be as fit for the Cabinet as he prov'd afterwards for the Camp His Genius leading him to Martial Affairs He gave himself wholy to the study of Military Discipline Nature had fitted him for what Europe admir'd him afterwards that is for an Excellent Commander And really this is the Scene of that Great Man's Life It is the Theater where his Actions have replenish'd the world with astonishment and made him if not Superior at least Equal to the
Terrours It had no more the looks of that happy Island where Peace and Plenty Honour and Security seem'd to have seated themselves for ever King JAMES declaring himself for a Religion so inconsistent with the Laws Interests and Inclinations of the People banisht every thing that could be call'd Joy But his endeavouring to supplant the Ancient Religion to subvert the Laws and assume to himself a Power destructive of the very Constitution of this Government fill'd all Men with an incredible Sorrow The Consternation was much increast by that Declaration which put no bounds to any sort of Profaneness The Imprisoning the Reverend Prelates of this Church made them think it high time to look to themselves The Eyes the Hearts the Prayers of the Nation were all directed to him who has undertaken and perform'd our Deliverance His Majesty Came Saw and Conquer'd King JAMES But did not think the Enterprise easie or likely to succeed without a General of Reputation SCHONBERG the Famous'st Captain of this Age was the King's choice and this I take to be the highest Commendation can be given him and the finest part of that Picture which is now drawing That the Croud should spend themselves in loud Acclamations That Orators Poets and Gazetteers should noise it all the world over is indeed considerable But that King WILLIAM who has so great an insight in Men who is himself for Wisdom and Valour for Conduct and Courage the admiration of all People should trust him with the Undertaking speaks the whole Character of the Duke better than any thing that can be said of him Heaven seem'd to have prepar'd a concourse of Causes to work and hasten that astonishing Revolution which we have seen and Posterity will scarce believe Such were the Religion of King JAMES The rashness of his Counsels The laying aside his Fathers and Brothers Friends The contriving to Ridicule and Ruine a Church which is the best Support to the Crown and above all things the false Glory of imitating LEWIS the 14th in being confin'd by no Law and proceeding by Arbitrary Methods All these things made way for this wonderful change He had a numerous and fine Army He was made to believe that his Subjects would tamely yield to any thing He could not be perswaded that Englishmen would rouse at last and secure themselves and their Laws He shar'd already in his mind with LEWIS of France the Glory of extirpating the Northern Heresie But oh the Vanity of Men whose Designs fight against God and are not modell'd by the Rules of Justice and Equity His now Majesty Lands and God who takes away the Spirit of Princes left King JAMES no Resolution But this may be assur'd with Truth that the Duke's coming over helpt as much as any thing to distract his Councils The King's Forces were far from being numerous but the Name of SCHONBERG alone was an Army His Age his Reputation his Fortune gave a quick motion to the undertaking The old General had crost the Sea with chearfulness and a certain alacrity which is an undoubted sign of Victory But the Almighty would have the success wholy due to himself The Kingdom call'd in a Conqueror but was not Conquer'd or if it can be call'd a Conquest it was only of the Hearts of the Nation who Conspir'd to make themselves happy by declaring WILLIAM and MARY King and Queen But Ireland alter'd the Face of Affairs and prov'd the Seat of that War which we had so happily avoided There King JAMES found not only a retreat but also a numerous Army He overrun that Kingdom with an incredible celerity and found no resistance but in LONDON-DERRY a place where the Courage of of the Inhabitants and the Zeal of an honest Clergy man supply'd the want of Walls of Guns and all other things necessary for the maintenance of a long Siege The Duke was sent thither with Forces highly magnify'd to us or to Foreign Nations but inconsiderable in themselves Yet he undertook the charge and let the Irish know of his Arrival by the taking of Carrick-fergus Belfast and securing to his Royal Master the North of Ireland He met there with Enemies unknown to him before and which would have daunted any but an Invincible Courage and tho' the rest of that Campaign be not famous by the taking of Towns giving of Battels and other Events of noise in the world yet Envy it self must confess that to consider the thing in it self none but SCHONBERG could have done what was done the last Winter Mortality rag'd then to that degree that the greatest Defeat could not have consum'd more of his Men. The Army was reduc'd to one half and that half afflicted with infinite distempers There was scarce two thousand in the whole that did not share the common Calamity Add to this an incredible scarcity of all things and the rage of Hunger more cruel than that of the Sword Attackt from above by continual Rains weakn'd below by Mortal Diseases consum'd within with want and fac'd without with a numerous Army yet he secur'd the North of Ireland grew upon his Enemies and made way for that absolute Conquest reserv'd to our Great Deliverer He liv'd to see it and helpt to reap those Laurels which Crown'd the Sacred Head of WILLIAM the Third The River Boyn saw the Conqueror lead a Victorious Army and decide at one stroke the Fortune of that Kingdom Unhappy only in this that there the Great SCHONBERG was lost An Unknown and Inglorious hand gave him the fatal blow and depriv'd the World of one of its greatest Ornaments And this sets off the Vanity of Humane Things beyond the improvements of Eloquence No Greatness secures from the Grave and He who had run through so many dangers and left nothing to Fortune in any of the Actions of his Life is involv'd in the common Fate and dies the Death of a Private Souldier Thus Falls Frederick Duke of Schonberg Marquess of Harwich Count of the Holy Empire State-Holder of Prussia Grandee of Spain Mareschal de France General of the Forces of England France Portugal c. Who for Valour Honour and all the Accomplishments of a Great Captain if we except King WILLIAM to whose Blood all these things are Hereditary has not left his Equal behind him But all that has been said here is but one part of his Character He is as admirable in his Private as in his Publick Capacities and there is as ample a Catalogue of his Vertues as of his Exploits To be Great and Good is extraordinary and difficult To live in the Noise and Violence of Wars and yet preserve a Religious Temper and a Conscience tender of the least Evil is infinitely rare To be as intent to overcome our Selves as our Enemies is the highest improvement of Vertue all this was in the Duke to an eminent degree He was of an Affable Candid and Obliging Nature It was harder to him to deny a Favour than to another to be deny'd