Refreshments of Sweet-Meats Wine and other things 'T is an inconceivable thing the Truth of which we could never learn How all that Infantry made their Retreat in a Night the darkest that ever was seen For we discovered neither Stragler nor Company except 23 Janizaries shut up in that House of the Emperor where the Grand Visier kept his Head-Quarters and laid up his Stores These Janizaries did not fly with the rest but were in that place Sept. 14. Attempts were made to force them they kill'd several Dragoons and would not submit to any but the King of Poland when he came before that Castle out of which they were allow'd to march with Bag and Baggage This great Victory so-compleat so happy and so shining cost but a very few Men the Germans lost a Prince of Crouy the Poles the two Lords above-mention'd and the whole Army about 600 Men. A great part never saw the Enemy The Palatine of Russia with his Right Wing march'd all along without a Rencounter The Emperour's Cuiriassiers never struck a stroke the Second Lines were no more than Spectators because the Enemy fled before they were come up so that properly speaking none but the Dragoons the Infantry and the Hussars bore the Fire and engag'd the Enemy We cannot tell what happen'd particularly on the Left Each Prince kept at the Head of his own Troops and none but Count Waldeck was seen next the King's Person and that but once when the heat of the Battle was near over upon which he pass'd this Compliment to his Majesty That it was a good Days-work for his Glory and for the History of his Life From this true Recital we may Discover the Falsity of that Report which was spread abroad and publish'd even in Poland it self namely That the Turks had forty thousand kill'd upon the spot Talenty the Italian Secretary whom the King dispatch'd to the Pope the next Day after the Defeat with the great Standard of Mahomet found at the Portal of the Grand Visier told such another Story in his Journey and had the Confidence to tell his Holiness himself That in leaving Vienna he travell'd four Leagues together on dead Bodies Now in the first place his Way to Rome did not lie through the Field of Battle nor through any part of the Road by which the Turks made their Retreat some of whom were cut off both this Night and on the Morrow And besides it is certain that in the whole compass of the Ground there were not above 800 dead Corps to be seen I do not speak this to lessen the Glory of his Polish Majesty which shines bright enough of it self the Greatness of the Undertaking the wonderful Success that attended it and above all that Heroical Resolution which made him leave his Dominions to come to the Relief of his Allie are enough to set it off without the help of any false Lustre Most of the Polish Senators and Generals were likewise for his immediate Return home after the Relieving Vienna that he might preserve an Army of which Poland might in the sequel of the War stand in need But the King hearkened neither to these Advices nor to the repeated Instances of the Queen He was for compleating the Business and thereby to lay the Empire under stronger Obligations to him 'T is upon those Accounts that his Polish Majesty merits Praise without the killing of 40000 Men. 'T is reported of Alexander the Great That he was highly offended with one of his Generals who in the History of his Wars ascribed false Matters of Fact to him thereby endeavouring to enhance his Glory He threw the Tablets into the River Hydaspes upon which he was when the Recital was made to him and upbraided the Author for having foisted his own Inventions into such a large Field of Praise which Truth alone was sufficient to represent On Munday Sept. 13. the King detach'd Miogensky with a thousand Horse to pursue the Enemy and cut off their Retreat This Officer when he was come over against Presburgh detach'd fifty Horse who advanced as far as Raab where they saw the Turkish Army which began to pass the Bridges very quietly It had marched twelve Hungarian Leagues the first Night and began to defile on the Morrow without any opposition The Garrison of Yavarin durst not or could not undertake the burning of the Bridges the Grand Visier having very cautiously left a considerable Body of Men to guard them They were three Days and three Nights in passing over the River and met with no disturbance Some blame the King of Poland for this who should they say have push'd on his Victory But this Charge is groundless since his Troops could not have left the Camp that Night without great danger They had been without their Equipages for three Days and could not expect that they could pass the Mountains in less than three Days more Besides the greatest Generals having finish'd what they design'd are well enough satisfied with that and never care for running after the Conquered to whom Martial Policy often thinks it adviseable to allow Bridges for their Retreat After the Departure of Miogensky the King visited the Camp and the Tents of the Grand Visier from whence in a few words he wrote the News of his Victory to the Pope and other Princes He sent a Gentleman Express to the Queen as an Eye-witness of all that had pass'd with several Pieces of that great Spoil And for the sake of this Good News the Imperial Ministers order'd the Post-Masters to demand nothing of that Courier for his Journey Afterwards the King over-ran all the Enemies Works even to their last Lodgments upon the Bastions But in the Interim some Souldier or other having accidentally set fire to some loose corns of Powder that lay about the Magazine where there were still nigh 300 thousand pound weight it caus'd one of the most dreadful Fires that could be imagin'd The Air seem'd to be all in a blaze the Earth shook and nothing could give us a more lively resemblance of the general Conflagration at the Last Day However there was some thing surprizing even in this terrible Prospect and his Majesty said That he had long wish'd to see such a Sight At last he made his Entry into Vienna through the Breaches on the same side that the Assault had been carry'd on There he reap'd the full Satisfaction of his Victory amidst the Acclamations of a City destin'd before to a miserable Slavery the Chains whereof this Hero broke The People Huzza'd him the Croud did as it were carry his Horse along and their Acknowledgments rose so high as to wish that they had a Master and Emperor like to this Glorious Monarch This they cry'd out loudly in every Street transported with such an excess of Joy and Affection as cannot admit of Moderation upon such moving Occasions as this The first thing he did was to return God Thanks for his Victory in the Church of the Reform'd
King passes the Danube first and leaves no Troops on the other side to cover Moravia from the Incursions that the Malecontents under Count Teckley might make into the same as the Duke of Lorrain had proposed because says the King he had wrote to that Hungarian Lord that if he burnt one Straw in the Territories of his Allies or in his own he would go and burn him and all his Family in his House so that this was enough to protect that Country during the distance of the Army He leads them afterwards through unfrequented Defiles to the tops of the Hills of Vienna and in sight of the Turks who drew out of their Camp to put themselves in order and even attack'd the Imperialists by break of Day on Sunday the 12th of September before the King of Poland had made an end of forming his Order of Battle and extending his Lines in which his Majesty had mixed his Hussars and other Polish Troops among those of the Empire In the mean time the Turks leave their Trenches well provided with Janisaries with a considerable Body at the Posts and at the Attacks to hinder the besieged from sallying out hoping to continue the Siege at the same time as the Army should make head against the Succours of the Christian Princes and truly they had wherewith all to back this proud Resolution having above 300000 Men according to the King's Account who found above 100000 small Tents in their Camp wherein apparently according to the manner of disposing their Men there were at least three Men in each and his Polish Majesty has reduced the common Report of 300000 Tents which would infinitely augment the number of Soldiers to that of 100000. The Battle was fought on the 12th it lasted 14 or 15 Hours the slaughter was horrible and the loss of the Turks inestimable for they left upon the Field of Battle besides the Dead and Prisoners all their Canon Equipage Tents and infinite Riches that they had been six Years gathering together throughout the whole Ottoman Empire There was found in their Camp above a Million of Powder Bullets Balls and other Ammunition without reckoning the Powder that the Servants burnt by inadvertency in several Places of the Park of the Artillery the flame whereof made an Emblem of the terrible day of Judgment with the Earthquakes that will accompany it and that thick Mass of Clouds that will obscure the Universe A Loss nevertheless which ought to be called a great Misfortune seeing 't is above a Million more as the King assures us in his Letter that he wrote himself to the Queen from which all these Particulars are extracted The Battle ended by the Infantry of the Trenches and of the Isle of the Danube where the Turks had a Battery The Night was spent in slaughter and the unhappy Remnant of this Army saved their Lives by flight having abandoned all to the Victors even an infinite Number of Waggons loaden with Ammunition and some Field-pieces that that designed to have carried with them and which were found next Day upon the Road they had taken which makes us suspect that they 'l not be able to rally again as neither having where withal to incamp themselves nor Cannon to shoot with So soon as the Grand Visier knew the Defeat of his first Lines he caused a red Tent to be pitched at the Head of his Main Body where he resolved to dye for the Ottoman Empire but his last Efforts were to no purpose and the Wing of the Imperialists which he attacked with all his might was so opportunely succoured by the presence of the King who brought part of the Troops of his left Wing thither that all fled before him So soon as he perceived the red Tent knowing by it that the Visier was there in Person he caused all his Artillery to fire upon that Pavillion encouraging the Activity of the Gunners by considerable Recompenses promising them fifty Crowns for each Cannon-shot and these leveled their small Pieces so well that they brought down the Tent of the Grand Visier and the Troop of Prince Alexander his second Son had the Advantage to break through that Body of Cavalry at the very Place where the Visier was who was dismounted and had much ado to save himself upon another Horse having left among the slain his Kiayia that is his Lieutenant General ad the second Person of the Army with abundance of considerable Officers all the Standards the Marks of his Dignity that are carried before him or that are set up before his Pavilions even the great Standard of Mahomet which the Sultan had put into his Hands when he set out upon this Expedition and which the King has sent to Rome by the Sieur Talenti one of his Secretaries to be a Testimony to the Pope of this great Victory The King understood afterwards by Deserters who come every hour in Troops to surrender themselves to him as well as the Renegadoes that the Visier seeing the defeat of the Army called his Sons to him imbraced them bitterly bewailed their Misfortune and turned towards the Han of the Tartars and said And thou wilt not thou succour me To whom the Tartar Prince replied That he knew the King of Poland by more than one Proof and that the Visier would be very happy if he could save himself by flight as having no other way for his Security and that he was going to show him Example The Grand Visier being thus abandoned took the same way and retired in Disorder with only one Horse that which he had in the Battle and was armed all over with Steel having fallen into the Hands of the King with all the Equipages of that Ottoman General who has left his Majesty Heir to all his Riches In effect his Letters were dated from the Tents of the Grand Visier the Park whereof was of as large Extent as the City of Warsaw or that of Leopold inclosing his Baths Fountains Canals a Garden a kind of Menagerie or Place for strange Beasts and Birds with Dogs Rabbets and Parrots There was found an Ostridge of an admirable Beauty which had been taken from one of the Emperor's Country-Houses and whose Head the Visier's Men cut off in their Retreat that it might not serve to adorn the King's Menagerie This Precaution would have been of greater use if they had taken it with Respect to the Standard of Mahomet and of that prodigious Quantity of Riches Bows Quivers Sabres set with Rubies and Diamonds precious Moveables and Equipages of great Value that were left with the Tents to the King of Poland which made that Monarch say very pleasantly in his Letter to his Queen You will not tell me at my return what the Tartarian Women tell their Husbands when they see them return from the Army without Booty Thou art not a Man seeing thou returnest empty handed for doubtless he was the first in the Battle who returns loaden with the Spoils of the Enemy
the Grand Visier having made me his Universal Legatee The Booty that was taken in this Action is infinite and inestimable The Field of Battle was sowed with Gold Sabres with Pieces of Stuff and such a prodigious Quantity of other things that the Pillage which has already lasted three Days will scarce be over in a whole Week although the Besieged are come out of the Town in great Companies to partake of the Booty with the victorious Soldier both the one and the other being scarce able as yet to perswade themselves that this happy success is real it is so extraordinary Insomuch that the whole Army which nevertheless has done its duty very couragiously can't forbear to attribute this great Victory to the mighty God of Battles who would make use of the Hands of the King of Poland to overthrow the Enemies of his Name for which let him be honoured and glorified for ever and ever The King did not taste all the Joy that Christendom will feel as well because his great Spirit is accustomed to Victories as by the Reflection he made upon the lamentable Spectacle wherewith he was pierced when he entred into the Camp of the Turks at the sight of an infinite Number of Slaves whose Throats the Infidels had cut after their defeat and whose Bodies yet chained were extended confusedly amongst the dying and the wounded The King was particularly touched with a Child of about four Years of Age who seemed to be admirably beautiful notwithstanding he was coverd all over with Blood from a wound he had received on his Head The Desolation was nothing less in the City of Vienna where the King entered the Day after the Battle and found heaps of Ruines rather than Houses and even the Emperor's Palace reduced to Ashes hy the Cannon and Bombs but he was eased of the Grief which this dismal Spectacle had occasioned by the Acclamations of the Inhabitants who thinking no more of their past Calamities were transported with Joy for their unexpected Deliverance The City not being able to hold out two or three Days more Some kissed his Hands some his Feet and others his Robe And all cryed out that they might be permitted at least to see and admire the Hand that had delivered them from the Bondage they had been so near reduced to They called him their Saviour And some of them dropt out that they must have such an Emperor as this magnanimous King His Majesty would have willingly put a stop to those Acclamations and desired the German Officers to silence the People but all in vain for it was impossible to stop the Current of the Burgers who repeated their Cries of Long live the King wherever that victorious Monarch went After having visited some Churches where he returned thanks to God for the happy deliverance of Vienna he dined with Count Staremberg the Governour where he was no less fatigued with Embraces than he had been with the Acclamations in the Streets The Elector of Bavaria the other German Princes the Officers and all the Army as one may say run thither as soon as they had Notice of it to see him near at Hand whose valour they had so much admired in the Battle The Princes imbraced and kissed the King with such Transports as are easily pardoned in extasies of Joy where Respect is a little neglected which cannot be attributed to any want of Considaration for they had given him very great Marks of it by the Submission with which they had always obeyed him and which that Monarch had wrote to the Queen was with more promptness and less reserve than that of his own Troops He returned afterwards into the Camp followed by the Princes where he was joined by the Duke of Lorrain and Elector of Saxony who had not seen the King since the Morning before the Battle because they had been always imployed at the head of the left Wing The King was afterwards obliged to change his Camp and to remove it two Leagues beyond the Field of Battle because the stench of the dead Corps began to be infectious He proposed to himself at the same time to pursue the Enemy close to give them no respite in their flight and was so pushed on with the Ardor of his Zeal that he could not give himself a Minutes rest In the mean time the Emperor advanced in great diligence to see him and arrived at Vienna two Hours after his Majesty departed thence But the King did not retard his March for it preferring the Security of his Victory and the Interest of of the Party to the Joy which doubtless he would have had to see the Emperor who likewise ardently desired to see him He marches then directly after the Enemy whom he had resolved to pursue into Hungary whither he had directed his flight the Electors of Saxony and Bavaria resolved also to follow his Majesty even to the end of the World as they themselves told him those Princes having joined themselves in strict Frindship to his Person as had the Elector of Bavaria to the Prince of Poland in particular with whom he would have divided his Spoils This victorious Army may justly be compared to that which Godfrey of Boulogne led in triumph thro' the Holy Land and ought to be the more satisfied with their Glory for that the Victory though bloody cost them but very few Men of Note among whom is reckoned only the Prince de Crouy of the Germans and of the Polanders the Starost Halitski Son to the Castellan of Cracow Potoski and Mordreoski Treasurer of the Court whom the King particularly regretted This surprizing success ought also to be attributed to a visible Protection of the Lord according to the Vision of Father Marc d'Aviano a Capuchin of a very Holy Life who administred the Sacrament to the King and the Prince his Son on the Morning of that memorable Day who positively affirms that he saw a white Dove fly in a Circle over the Christian Army during the whole Action and it was observed during the King's march that an Eagle followed his Majesty 7 Leagues and proportioned its flight so as to be always over his Head One may observe an Effect of this Protection upon the sacred Person of this Hero who exposed himself like the meanest Soldier and upon that of the Prince his Son who was always by his side wherever he went The same may be also said of the Elector of Bavaria who in the most dangerous Places testified a Courage worthy of the Origin he comes of and who was always by the King's side during the Battle I ought not to forget the Count de Maligni the Queen's Brother to whom the King in his Letter gives an Account of the Valor and good Conduct of that French Lord whereof he was an Eye-witness Let us conclude this Account as the King hath done his and let us return Thanks to God for this memorable Victory in which he did not suffer the Infidels
Infantry pinch'd with Hunger starved with Cold and overwhelmed with Misery and their Cavalry lazy and void of Experience are enough to frustrate the best laid designs of the greatest Generals Among those who deserve this Character we must reckon the Palatin of Russia Jablonouski a Lord of a fine Presence of a Noble and VVarlike and yet of a sweet Mien he is a Person of undaunted Courage accompanied with an admirable Temper and great Penetration He was first Grand Ensign of the Crown afterwards Little General and for his Valour advanced to the Supreme Dignity of Grand General after the Death of Prince Demetrius Wietsnievistski One of the Actions wherein this General signalized himself with part of the Foreign Troops was to stop the fury of Tartars and give the King time to retire under Leopold with the rest of his Army This particular will merit the Readers pardon for the Digression I shall here make to acquaint him with one of the greatest Actions of the King of Poland and the Palatin of Russia The City of Leopold is Capital of the Palatinat of Russia the Seat of the Palatin and is become famous in the History of the present Age by reason of the share it hath born in the War betwixt the Poles and the Turks But this Action of the King which we are now about to relate will consecrate its Memory to all Posterity and advance it to the highest Pinacle of Glory In the last Year of the Reign of Michael his Predecessor this City was in great danger The Turks burnt its Suburbs in 1672. and were likely to have carried this Important Place which is but sorrily fortified had not the Inhabitants come to a Treaty promised a great Summ for their Redemption and given up the principal Citizens as Hostages who were retained a long time in Caminiec But King John III. knew how to guard this City in the Sequel of the War by the most glorious Methods imaginable In 1675. the Tartars advanced very near this City which the Grand Visier had commanded them to besiege The King of Poland encamped round the Place and fortified the same with diligence though he had scarcely 5000 Men left Ibrahim Pacha and Sultan Nuradin commanded the Enemies Army which consisted of 15000 Turks and 20000 Tartars These two Generals having miscarried before several other Places sat down before Sbaracz in which there were but 40 Heidukes and 6000 Paysants who were more inclined to surrender than to fight and in effect as soon as the Enemy appear'd the Rabble opened the Gates After this Expedition Ibrahim retired to Caminiec and Nuradin detatch'd 15000 Men to block up Leopold posting himself with the rest of the Army two Leagues higher to attend the Issue which was to his dishonour for the King of Poland marched with some Squadrons against the Enemy charged them with vigor and drove them back to Nuradin's Camp whence that Tartar Prince retir'd with great Precipitation Some time after having assembled more Troops he renewed his design of investing Leopold and forcing the King's Camp and undertook it himself at the Head of 40000 chosen Men being attended with abundance of Officers of the best repute among the Tartars He began with the Attack of Slotzow which is a Castle belonging to the King 's Hereditary Demesnes within ten Leagues of Leopold on the side of Caminiec This Castle is well enough for a Gentleman's House and hath some Fortifications according to the Modern way faced with Stone but of very little Defence The Enemy attacqued it vigorously by way of Scalade with Sword in Hand The Palatin of Russia defended it with extreme bravery and forced the Tartars to retire from before this sorry Place after an obstinate Fight of five Hours duration Nuradin thinking it best to preserve his Troops that were designed for a more important Expedition would not expose them to any more Assaults but continued his march towards Leopold and possessed himself of a vast Plain below the Hills with which the Town is surrounded and upon which the King had taken his Post This Plain was covered in an Instant with the Enemies Squadrons who raised such a mighty Dust as quickly covered them from view In the mean time those of the Castle of Leopold fired some Guns to give Notice to the People of the Country to retire for their Security behind the King's Camp His Majesty having viewed that of the Tartars was nothing discouraged by their prodigious Number but gave all necessary Orders for the safety of his Camp and the City in which the Queen and the Princes her Sons were shut up He posted Guards in two places on the Right and Left to prevent a Surprize placed his Infantry in Ambuscade amongst the Bushes at the foot of the Hills which separated his Camp from the Plains possessed by the Tartars and planted his Cannon on the Heights to favour the descent of his Squadrons his eagerness to fight having quite over-ballanced his Enemies Numbers They began to skirmish assoon as they could join and the Polish Horse not finding a convenient ground at first were put into disorder but the King coming to their relief with the rest of his Troops and enlarging hi Front insensibly as his Squadrons gain'd gtound he restored the Battle where his presence seconded by his Example inspired his own Men with as much Valour as it did his Enemies with terror The Sultan quickly perceived by the disorder of his Troops that he was defeated by a Superior Power The King of Poland's Hand became dreadful to them by the weight of its blows and every one striving to avoid them that prodigious Army vanished in an instant like a Phantome Having finished this Digression I return to my Subject The Palatin of Kiow General of the Artillery is owned by all Men to be one of the bravest Officers and wisest Generals at this time in Poland and hath acquired an universal Esteem by his Gallant and Prudent Actions Those who have seen him in Battle could not but be charmed to behold his Magnanimity in exposing himself and taking care to save his Men. Those who have heard him discourse of Martial Affairs are perswaded that were he in a Country where the Art Military is regularly cultivated he would be accounted one of the greatest Captains in Europe There is moreover in Poland another Person of extrordinary Merit in that kind namely Prince Lubomirski who is no less expert in War than the Palatin and exceeds him much in Temper and Presence of Mind which contribute so much to the winning of Battles so that the same paralel might be made betwixt those two Polish Generals that was made betwixt the Prince of Condé and the Mareschal Turenne the one was incomparable for managing a Campagne and the other for fighting a Battle I would not that others whose Names and singular Endowments I don't mention here should suffer by my silence I shall do them Justice elsewhere but I thought fit to mention those
meerly the Ornament Tho' this Army be called Foreign it is nevertheless compos'd of native Poles with Officers of a Foreign Name and Model Colonels Lieutenant Colonels General Majors and others People of all Nations may be employed in this Army whereas the Poles only are admitted into the Free Companies There are Germans Curlanders French and others in the Foreign Army The King Queen Princes Generals and other Lords have Regiments therein of both sorts The Foot and Horse Guards that attend the King's Person are comprehended in this Body of the Army as are abundance of other Free Companies of Horse Dragoons and Heidukes which the Generals have rais'd for their particular service and make the Republic pay for them Upon which I shall observe by the way that there are Royal Lands in Poland which we call Fiefs in France given to Lords and their Descendants as Hereditary Estates on condition of maintaining a certain number of Troops whereof there are some that are obliged to furnish an hundred Dragoons but the Court does not keep those Lords to an exact performance tho' if they would oblige the Possessors of those Lands to it the Republic should have in case of need near twenty thousand Men that cost them nothing This is the disposition of the Polish Armies with which that Nation hath formerly made their Neighbours to tremble ev'n those who now keep them under the Yoke of which one essential Reason is not so much the want of Courage tho' the Poles be in that very respect much degenerated from their Ancestors as the want of Mony and Discipline which hinders the compleating of their Troops prevents their arrival at the place of their Rendesvouz against the time appointed and overwhelms them with misery As to their Discipline that is still more irregular than their Pay there being nothing of any exact service performed here I never saw in the Army neither main nor ordinary Guard nor Convoy for their Forragers their Troops going to sleep upon the moral security they conceive themselves to be in from the stupidity of their Enemies Had they to do with French or Germans not one Forrager should return to the Camp nor could there pass a Night without beating up one quarter or other There 's nothing but the Body commanded by the Stragenik compos'd of all sorts of Troops and amongst them Pancernes and Polish Cavalry which makes a sort of advanc'd Guard for all the Army in general encamping at their Head about half a League from the first Line and the same is reinforc'd proportionable to the danger Besides this Detachment each Regiment of Infantry makes one of twenty or twenty five Men posted about thirty paces before the Line for the Guard of the Colours which are planted all together at the Head of the Colonel's Company They do moreover besides this when they are in the open Field and in presence of the Enemy inclose their Camp with an Entrenchment of Waggons which they call the Tabor and is certainly an Extraordinary Rampart against the Tartars This Tabor marches in order of Battle with the Army without breaking Every Officer makes such an Entrenchment round his Tents The number of Carriages is twice as great as the number of the Men and a Camp so entrench'd hath something that is great singular and formidable in it In cover'd or uneven ground they make use of Chevaux de Frize each Regiment hath a certain number of them they are fixed to four Wheels like a Waggon and on a March are drawn by Horses This is none of the worst Inventions and is owing to a Frenchman call'd Hoccart who is Ingineer to the King of Poland and hath serv'd him for fifteen years with applause The Poles have a particular way of Encamping viz. in a very large Square inclos'd on all sides the first Line consists of all the Infantry with the Artillery in the Center the Dragoons on the Wings disposed according to the German manner the Officers encamping in the Rere and the Soldiers making Baracks for themselves The second Line is form'd of the Gens d' Arms Hussars Pancernes Peteores all call'd Touariches The two Flanks are clos'd by the Light Horse Cossacs Vallachians and Poles to whom there is added Pancernes and Dragoons as the Number of the Troops will allow and the Ground requires so that the Camp fronts every way and the middle or space betwixt the two Lines serves for a Market to the Victuallers Merchants and Purveyors As to the Artillery which is at the Head sometimes without the Line sometimes in the Center It hath its particular Guard viz. a Regiment design'd for that purpose called the Regiment of Artillery The Strageniks advanc'd Guard is beyond the Square separated from all the rest as I have already said The King's Quarters those of the Senators Grand General and Volunteers is in this Inclosure adjoining to the Hussars at the Head of the Line which is begun by the King's Company the Lieutenant of which commands all the rest and his Drum gives the signal of March there being no such thing amongst the Poles as beating to the Watch in the Evening nor for a General March in the Morning during their Encampment This leads me to speak of their Tents which in Poland are extraordinary magnificent both for Number and Beauty They are the same with those of the Turks that is to say of a certain coarse Cloth much like our Tent Cloth painted without and lin'd with a Cotton Stuff cut out in Figures Flower-Baskets Squares Compartments Their form differs according to the occasion some have Pavillions with Porches in form of a Wall and double Roofs Some of them resemble long Halls others are like square Chambers call'd Cotars made of coarse Cloth and lin'd with another Stuff resembling Tapestry with Glass-windows and Deal-floors and encompassed without by a great Wall that forms an Ally or Gallery round it which composes a Wardrobe and a Lodging-place for Servants These Cotars are of admirable use in the advanced season and resemble true Stoves As the Poles surpass all other European Nations in this sort of Magnificence so the Turks do much exceed the Poles both of 'em affect to shew their Pomp and Grandeur in the richness of those Moveable Houses as thinking them most convenient for them The Quarters of the Polish Generals and Turkish Pachas are encompassed with Walls that have Battlements flanqu'd with little Pavillions or Turrets like Towns they have likewise Halls for Council Closets Porches to eat in great Kitchins and prodigious Stables The Parc or Quarter of the Grand Visier before Vienna was as large as St. Denis in France that of the Pacha of Egypt resembled a Magnificent Pallace adorn'd in the inside with Rich Tapistry Alcoves and Cushions The Polish Senators make a faint Resemblance of this Martial Pomp. It is a very fine fight to see their Quarter because of the Variety of Colours the Gilded Balls on their Pavillions the diverse Apartments and the
the Bastion on the Right and looks more like a Postern than the Gate of a Cittadel It 's also very strait within and the Lodgings crowded too near together which would be hurtful to the Garrison if it were bombarded but three Days in the French Manner but as for the rest every thing there is very Magnificent and well covered so that the Place being well entertained might pass for one of the best of the kind The Emperor has always two Governours in this Place the one a German and the other an Hungarian according to the Priviledges of that Kingdom as at Raab and other principal Places The Isle of Schit hath some other Towns that were formerly considerable and well peopled but at present little frequented There 's abundance of large Villages in it and the whole is extraordinary fruitful It is one of the best Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary and a Canton of an enchanted Country both in respect of its Beauty and Fertilty 'T is above 20 Leagues in Circumference and in some Places above 8 in Breadth so that I look upon it to be larger than Malta Beyond the Danube on both sides there is such a Country as cannot be expressed boundless Plains watered with other great Rivers that come to enlarge this on the Right and Left such is the Raab upon which is settled the Town of that Name call'd otherwise Javarin near which there 's another Island called Little Schit by the side of the great one and the Nitra which passes by Newhausel and about 6 Leagues higher washes a Town called by its Name besides some others no less Considerable 'T was into this Island the Duke of Lorrain threw his Army on the approach of that of the Turks to secure this fine Country and the Cittadel and to cover his Troops from the Enemy without which prudent Foresight that prevented the Grand Visier the Infidels had certainly seized it on their arrival They marched up the Danube upon the Bank on the Right having left on the other side a great Body of Troops under three Pachas to augment the Hungarian Army whose General had Order to possess himself of Presburg that they might be Masters of both sides the River to hinder the Conjunction of the Germans and Poles and block up the Way of the latter to Vienna It is also said that Count Teckley when he had seised Presburg was to have made himself be crowned King of Hungary there with the same Ensigns of Royalty that their former Kings used to be crowned with but this is only a Conjecture without Foundation Whilst this Army marches towards the Country assigned them the Grand Visier advances towards Raab with a Design to build Bridges over the River of that Name that he might pass to Vienna He held as the Pachas of Newhausel informed me a General Council upon this Great Affair and against the Opinion of all those who assisted at it would undertake the Siege of that Capital City without amusing himself with little Expeditions The Visir of Buda represented to him vigorously the Difficulties of that Enterprize foretold him his bad Success and laid him under a Necessity of taking the Event of the thing upon himself which did so much vex the Ottoman General that after his Misfortune he threw the Blame upon the said Visier of Buda and the Tartar Han made the Head of the former to be cut off and the latter to be degraded Upon which those Pachas bewailing the Misfortune of their Nation sighed for the loss of the Great Kuproli and blessed his Memory remembring with what docibility he asked the Opinion of old Captains on the least Occasion Whereas Kara Mustapha his Successor believed there was none better than his own He advanced in fine as far the Town of Raab which he made as if he would besiege and took his Posts round it the better to amuse the Duke of Lorrain and that he might with more ease surprize the Place which he had only in his view Raab Yavarin or Javarin is one of the best Towns of that Country built in the same Form and of the same Size with Newhausel as to the Town but of a prodigous Extent as to the Fortifications heaped one above another all good Pieces of Turf and the Outworks admirable but not fac'd 'T is scituated near that Branch of the Danube which forms the little Isle of Schit and hath before its Walls the River of Raab which falls there into the Danube so that it may be represented as in the Point of a Pennisula betwixt those two Canals It hath two Governours as the Cittadel of Comorra and a very considerable Bishoprick possessed by the Cardinal de Kolonitz The Grand Visier encamped round it as if he would have besieged it and continued there seven whole Days during which he made three Bridges to be laid over the River Raab on the other side of the City about a quarter of a League above without Cannon shot of the Town which he hid from the besieged by seising himself of the Posts on the Neighbouring Hills that surround it so that he missed very little of surprizing Vienna unprovided the Duke of Lorrain not having perceived that Design tâ—â— very late and the Emperor who continued there without any manner of Suspicion had scarce so much time left as to go out of it Nay further the Tartars who were commanded to go and and invest it found the People quietly reaping their Harvest in the Fields within three or four Miles of Vienna and Gentlemen and Women travelling thro' the Country as if the Turks had been still at Belgrade Of those unhappy People surprized on the Roads I have seen a great Number and amongst others Col Rosemberg's Lady who was carried to Boudziac and ransomed two Years after from whom I knew this Circumstance in Poland whither she was conducted The Grand Visier passed the Raab unexpectedly as soon as his Bridges were finished and marched with great Diligence The Duke of Lorrain got before him however with the same Celerity across the Isle of Comorra and threw all his Infantry commanded by Count Staremberg into the Island of Leopoldstadt opposite to Vienna and in fine marched them opportunely into the Town with the General by the favour of those Islands through which he conducted them so that the Turks could never cut off their March He continued with the Cavalry some Days in Leopoldstat but fearing to be shut up there if Count Teckley advanced on the other side of the River and entred Austria by the River Morave He thought best to retire from that Place where he might be starved or taken without striking one Blow being locked up betwixt two Rivers and two Armies Thus he secured Vienna by his first March and by his next March he sav'd the Remainder of the Army marching out of the Island by the great Bridge to which he set Fire as soon as he passed it His foresight herein was admirable
Cracow headed by his Son the Starost of Halich underwent several discharges in one of which that young Lord notwithstanding his coat of Mail was shot through the Body with a Musket shot as was Mondreowsky Treasurer of the Court in another Post or as some say in passing at the head of the Line to carry out the King's Orders It was in these first Motions they began to descry the main Body of the Grand Visier posted in the Lines of the Camp and sometime after a small Red Tent which was raised on purpose to take a view of the Fight in the shade out of the Sun for never was there ahotter day known than this The Grand Visier's Men have since inform'd us that he there apprehended the Caffa with his two Sons and the Cham of Tartary No sooner had the King a sight of this Tent but knowing it by its Colour he found himself animated afresh and being engaged that he could not set his Eyes on his Infantry who were not come up and to whom he had sent time after time he marched at the head of the first Batallions which he met with causing his Cannon to play continually on that Tent. But he had no more than two or three Pieces which were rolled along on Levers according as they advanced to the Enemy and the King promised fifty Crowns for each Discharge The mischief of it was they had but few Bullets at hand and nothing to ram down upon them I have heard a French Engineer say that for want of some other thing to ram down he made use at last of his Gloves his Perriwig his Cravet and a great Pacquet of Gazets that were in his Pocket At last the Polish Infantry came up The Battle grew warm on all sides The Turks were beat from Eminence to Eminence and at last the Count of Maligny the Queen's Brother with the Grand Squire of the Crown was the first who gain'd that Eminence where the King had designed to have Encamp'd this day But immediately after his Polish Majesty perceived the Turkish Squadrons to give ground which denoted them to be less resolute than before In effect our Troops broke them upon which this Monarch cry'd out That they were defeated by a certain Warlike penetration of thought habitual to him ever since he fought against those Infidels He ordered the Duke of Lorrain by the Adjutants near his Person to send him forthwith some Troops He caused his Hussars to advance whom we saw to descend down a hollow Way on foot among the Walls and Steep Places where a Footman could scarce stand upright and at the same time the King himself fell upon the Visier's main Body recommending the Prince his Son to the Count of Maligny his Brother-in-Law whose Valour and good Conduct had been experienced in this and several other Rencounters Every thing happened according as he supposed The Hussars of Prince Alexander fell upon the main Body of the Grand Visier routed them and in that instant the whole Army of the Enemy retreated without making any resistance The Grand Visier endeavoured in Vain to make them stand their ground He addressed himself to the Cham of Tartary What says he will you not stand by me But that Man already disheartned as well as the rest reply'd That he knew the King of Poland and that he could not be safe with him any otherwise than by flying from him of which he gave him an Example immediately The Visier endeavoured still to rally some part of his Cavalry and seeing they all fled before the Hussars he with Tears in his Eyes embrac'd his two Sons and was carried off by the Croud and quitting his War-Horse which was barded with Steel-Armour damask'd with Gold and quilted with Crimson Velvet and making his escape with only one Vest an instance which I observe to let you know that I was well informed as to this particular the which I saw in the Letter of the Prince of Transylvania who sent word to the King that he had lent him one from that very night In the mean time the Duke of Lorrain march'd on the left where he met with no manner of Opposition and having a less compass to fetch in order to arrive at the Camp on that side of it which lay next to the City and the Trenches the German Forces entred it betimes It was a little past half an hour after Six when the King of Poland pass'd through the midst of it where a young Turk of a comely aspect presented him with the Grand Visiers Horse very fit indeed for the Parade of a Publick Entry but for no other use by reason of the weight of its Armour Another Turk came with great hast and one of the Grand Visiers stirrups in his hand to present to his Polish Majesty which he sent to the Queen to be laid at the feet of the Miraculous Crucifix of the Cathedral of Cracow A third waited upon him to inform him of the Place where that Ottoman General 's Tents were pitch'd whither the King send his Dragoons as a Guard charging them to forbear pillaging He likewise order'd all the Army to stand still in Battalia for fear the Enemy rallying behind the Camp should renew the Fight and so rob them of such a cheap Victory This they might have done had not a Terror still possess'd them and carry'd them with the same impetuosity to the Bridges of the River of Raab For spight of the King's Orders the Souldiers began to plunder that very Night The General Dunneval who they say was a greedy Lover of Rich Booties in his Rounds met with the Tent of the Bassa of Egypt very suitable to his Purpose and a-propos to his desires The Emperor's Envoy was hard-by still in Chains which he had worn ever since he had been at Adrianople In several places of the Camp they met with Women and Children massacred or wounded by those Barbarians who could not carry them off in such a precipitate Retreat One of those Children of a very Beautiful Aspect and wounded in the Head was brought before the King The Duke of Lorrain seeing the Army absolute Masters of the Camp sent to the King to give Orders for the clearing the Trenches where they still fir'd and kept playing upon the Town 'till Ten at Night But the King who was unwilling that the Germans should have the Honour of Raising the Siege at the first reply'd That it was needless and that it was better to make sure of the Camp against an unexpected Return And afterwards gave out that he had already detach'd some Forces for that purpose However either the Germans went thither of their own Heads or the Janizaries retreated of themselves for not a Man stirr'd out of the Camp where the King spent the Night at the foot of a Tree lying upon his Horse-Saddle in stead of a Pillow About Midnight the Governor of Vienna sent out some of his Men who brought his Majesty some
Visiers The simple Beys are only either Governors of Castles or Colonels of the Cavalry But to return to the Relation After the Emperor was come to Vienna he sent the King of Poland Word that he passionately desir'd to see him and to thank him in Person for the Signal Service he had done him which one might easily have believ'd he would have done However one would not have thought That the Emperor after such a piece of Service would have stood so much upon the Punctilio's and Formalities of it In short 't is most certain that after several Debates upon that Subject it was agreed between the Ministers of the Imperial Court and Guinsky Vice-Chancellor of Poland that the Interview of the two Princes should be in the open Field and on Horse-back to avoid those Niceties upon which his Polish Majesty was once a-minded to go away without seeing the Emperor It was on the Fifteenth of September when they came to an Interview about a League and an half off of Vienna or a little more The King of Poland had decamped in the Morning and tho' the Emperor to stop his March had sent him word that he was coming to wait upon him yet he still continued it that he might oblige the Emperor to follow him and remov'd his Camp a quarter of a League farther The Troops were still a filing off when they perceiv'd a Body of Cavalry which was compos'd of the Lords of the Imperial Court who had quitted their Coaches and mounted on Horse-back when they were about two hundred Paces from the Army The King of Poland at the same time order'd his Troops to draw up into a Line of Battle and afterwards advanc'd towards the Emperor who was making to him with full speed After these two Princes were met the King of Poland unvailing his Bonnet at the same time that the Emperor clap'd his Hand to his Hat told him in Latin That he was very glad that he had been able in such a Critical Juncture to give him any solid marks of his Friendship After this short Compliment he presented the Young Prince his Son to him adding That he had brought him along with him to teach him how he ought to succour his Allies He likewise presented to him the two Generals of the Crown who saluted the Emperor without alighting Lastly seeing that this Prince was stiff and mute without returning a word of Answer or shewing any token of Honour not so much as saluting the Young Prince the King left him very bluntly and said Without doubt Brother you have a mind to take a view of my Army there are my Generals whom I have order'd to shew it your Majesty With that he turn'd his Head from him and march'd away and the Emperor with the same Indifference that he had heard this Discourse suffer'd him to depart whilst he for his part went to visit the Lines Two Days after he sent 3000 Ducats of Gold to each of the two Polish Generals and a Sword set with Diamonds of about a thousand Pistols value to Prince James As to him the Emperor willing to make amends for the Fault he had committed in not saluting him of which there were loud and severe Complaints made he in my mind committed a fresh one by writing to the Prince of Poland a very submissive Letter wherein he cast all the Blame of that Disrespect on the Surprize he was in in remembring the Danger and seeing the Person who had deliver'd him from it 'T is said that he wrote as much to the Castellan of Livonia Baron of Felkerzen Prince James's Governour but this I am no farther assur'd of than that it was the common Discourse of our Court but the other Letter I saw with my own Eyes September 16. the Army rested the Seventeenth it broke up and encamped at Fichau four Leagues off Vienna and in the mean time the Bridge of Toulm was order'd to be brought down and to be put on the Right Branch of the Danube below Presburg by which they enter'd the Isle of Schut which they were to cross because the Country from thence to Raab through which the Turks had made their Retreat was all laid waste and the other side towards Presburgh was not in a better condition by reason of the Encampments of that Body of an Army which Count Teckeley had brought thither in the beginning of the Campaign and likewise because of the Neighbourhood of Newhausel The Army was divided into four Parts for the better conveniency of Forraging The King of Poland led the Van-guard of the whole with his Troops posted about two or three Leagues in the Front towards the Enemy The Duke of Lorrain came next with the Emperor's Cavalry marching a little towards the Right The Count of Staremberg being march'd out of Vienna at the Head of the Infantry which he had thrown into that Town led them on the Left side of the Isle by Goutta and other Towns that border'd on the Plains of Newhausel The Regiments of Croatia brought up the Rear at 3 or 4 Leagues distance The King by the way went to visit Presburgh when the Army was encamp'd over against it He likewise visited Raab or Yavarin going out of the Isle with a small Attendance over which a great Party of Rebels lodg'd in some Gentlemen's Houses thereabouts might have had the Better being near the place where the King din'd but they durst not attempt any thing and the King repass'd the River the same Night to rejoyn the Army in the Island The Rejoycings and Feasts which his Presence occasion'd in these two Places had nothing in them extraordinary The Prince of Poland threw a great many Ducats in Presburgh among the People that were gather'd under the Windows At Raab a great deal of Wine and Powder was spent The Bishop of the Place harangued the King whom he stil'd the King of Hungary and their Deliverer The Governor made him a very Noble Feast under the Salvo of an hundred Cannon Whilst the King of Poland was crossing the great Isle of Schut the Elector of Bavaria with his Troops was posted between Vienna and Presburgh The Count Waldeck likewise made a Halt with those of the Circles and the Elector of Saxony drew off all his Forces But his Polish Majesty not willing to leave any thing for the Germans to do after he had done so much in this Notable Juncture continued his March always at the Head of his Army to put an end to the Campaign and to return to his Estates by the way of Vpper Hungary During this he receiv'd a Letter from Michael Apaffy Prince of Transylvania full of Compliments upon the Success of his Arms. He sent him word of the Arrival of the Grand Visier at Buda whom the Sultan had pardon'd for the Miscarriage before Vienna having sent him a Vest and a Sabre a Standard and other Trophies of the Dignity of Grand Visier as an Assurance of his being still in his Favour
with the Army and the Isle of Schut the only Road that could be Travelled with any safety and to facilitate that of the City Komorne which was seated at the farther end of the Island The King of Poland left the Isle October 3. and Encamped beyond it under the Cannon of that Fortress facing towards Newhausel on the Left leaving space on the Right for the German Army who arrived the next Day near the City and passed the Bridge the same Day and all the fifth which obliged the King to make a stand in that place to the sixth that the Duke of Lorrain might have time to draw over all his Forces However the Imperial Artillery and the Regiments of the Cravatians could not pass over till this Day and the Army was forced still to Halt But our Parties and our Cossacks having brought News the Night before that the Turks were likewise passing the Danube at Pest and Barean to put a stop to our March and cover Newhausel Lewents and the Country that lay at the foot of the Mountains the King resolved upon Marching directly to the Bridge of Strigonium to burn it before the Enemy could all get over to us and to carry the Fort which lay at the head of the Bridge by the Vanguard with Sword in Hand In the mean time he took a view of the Rounds of his Camp of Komorne to descry the Avenues and the Disposition of the Ground He sent a French Engineer named M. du Pont with a great Party of Horse towards Lewents with Orders to advance as nigh as he could to the Enemies Army His Cossacks were likewise ordered forth towards the Danube one of whom brought a Turk who was advanced but only twenty paces from the Main-Guard of the Enemies Camp The Engineer returned without having discover'd any thing because his Guides had led him all the Night without coming nigh either of the Bridges on the contrary they brought him towards Newhausel by the Walls of which he marched But another Officer committed a greater Error for being commanded to go as far Barcan he stopp'd in a Village half-way where he spent the greatest part of the Night a Detachment of the Turks surprized him cut off his Head with thirty Horse that attended him whose Trunks we saw the next Day as we passed through that Village So that the King could never get any certain Intelligence what number of Turks had crossed on this side of the River nor where their particular Post was We could plainly see the Fires which they made in the Villages upon the Road thereby to cut off from us both Wood and Forrage the former of which was very scarce in those Plains We were informed by the Prisoners that marched on the side of us that the Tartars were advanced by the way of Pest and were to join the Rebels of Hungary led by Count Teckly along the Mountains but we knew nothing of what past at Barcan This Post was very still undiscovered and the King was ill advised to think of carrying the Place by his Dragoons and Infantry without communicating any thing of his Design to the Germans that he might let them see that the Poles knew how to carry considerable Forts by surprize Full of this design he urged the Duke of Lorrain to decamp from Komorne and advance towards the Bridges of the of the Turks under a pretence of burning them without letting him know any of his Real intentions But the Imperial Army could not yet break up since their Cannon and part of the Cavalry was still stopp'd in the Isle by the breaking of part of the Bridge which was repairing all the fifth Day On October 6. about Nine in the Morning they decamped without waiting for the coming up of the rest and in that very instant the King received advice that Teckley being informed of his March was retreated towards Transylvania having gained the Mountains This redoubled his Desire of advancing towards the Enemy which they did this very Day within two short Leagues off the Fort of Barcan having marched three large Leagues During these Transactions the Queen of Poland to whom the King had sent me with a very large Account of the Particulars of Vienna dispatch'd me back again with her Answers and order'd me particularly to insinuate to the King by means of the Senators that follow'd the Camp that it was high time to return back to his Dominions This the Poles passionately long'd for because the Infantry began to be out of Heart for want of Provisions particularly Bread for which the Germans cannot be excus'd having the conveniency of the Danube by which they might have convey'd great plenty into the Camp had they us'd due Precautions Besides this the Poles thought they were at the fag-end of the World and long'd for their Beer their Colworts and their Cacha without which they fancy'd they could not live But the King would listen to none of these Considerations and with a steddy Resolution pursu'd that Glorious Carreer which he had form'd in his Mind from the Banks of the Danubâ—â— the Vistula across all Vpper Hungary I met with the German Army in the Isle of Komorne and because I could not tell for certain where the Polish Army was which always march'd two or three Leagues in the Van I resolv'd at Presbourg to follow a Courrier from the Emperor that was going thence to the Duke of Lorrain from whom I expected to receive a Convoy After 4 Hours march we found the Arrier-Guard compos'd of the Cravatian Regiments We went afterwards by the course of the Country towards the Place where they told us the Main Body of the Army lay but we turn'd too much towards the the Left and fell in with the Camp of the Infantry commanded by Staremberg which coasted along the Left Arm of the Danube and encamp'd this Day upon the Shore about Goutta a small City over against Newhausel By this means we could not get before Midnight to the Duke of Lorrain's Camp posted about the Middle of the Isle four large Leagues off Komorne being two Days March to that City On the Morrow being Sunday Octob. 3. I waited upon the Duke of Lorrain at his Levée who inform'd me That the King was this very Day to pass the Danube over the Bridge of Komorne his Army being march'd over the Day before That Prince order'd me to be conducted thither by one of his Adjutants upon Horses belonging to his own Equipage I arriv'd at the Bridge that very Instant the King pass'd it and his Majesty who had order'd me to rejoyn him by coming that Road in which he was pursuing the Enemy was surpris'd and at the same time glad to see me arrive so safe to his Camp During the Halt he made there he receiv'd an Express from the Prince of Transylvania with Letters writ in Cyphers dated at Buda which contain'd little else but the Re-establishment of the Grand Visier in his former Dignity and the
Particulars of the whole Intrigue at Court Much about the same time there arriv'd two Envoys from Count Teckley their Master being minded to adjust his own Particular Interests with the King of Poland when he perceiv'd the contrary Party so apparently to decline The Imperial Ministers who were near his Polish Majesty's Person were at first for treating those Envoys as Rebels and talk'd of nothing but hanging drawing and quartering them without any respect had to the presence of their Deliverer who had put them into a posture of speaking so big But the King nettled at such a groundless and unseasonable a piece of Arrogance gave 'em to understand That he was the Master and solemn Protector of all those who had any Negotiations with Him Those Envoys quarter'd in the Camp within the King's Lodgments all the time that the Army tarry'd there were treated by the Officers and sent back with all the Assurances imaginable which piece of Civility Count Teckley afterward repay'd Him with Interest Octob. 6. the Army as was said before advanc'd three Leagues beyond Komorne and encamp'd in the open Plains bounded on the Left by a ridge of Hills and on the Right by the Danube The Duke of Lorrain made a Proposal to the King of staying there October 7 to wait for the Infantry who were not yet come up and the King yielded to it So that the Duke of Lorrain retiring about Midnight to his Quarters and the Chevalier Prince Lubomirsky waiting upon him for Orders he acquainted him with the Resolution taken of staying there and accordingly order'd all Parts to go out a Forraging But a Moment after the King changing his Mind or fortified afresh by some unknown Circumstance in his Design of going to attack the Fort of Barcan he gave Orders to his Generals to dislodge the Army by Break of Day and to send before his Vanguard reinforc'd with Horse and Dragoons which were to march directly to that Post The Chevalier Lubomirsky retain'd by some secret Impulse would not send out to Forrage without sending again to the Duke of Lorrain's Quarters and his Conjecture prov'd true the Duke ordering him to march with all speed after the King of Poland who was already advanc'd a great way Such a desperate Resolution stunn'd the German Generals and was excused by none However they decamp'd without weighing things but not without murmuring and inwardly rejoycing at the Misfortune which afterwards attended our presumptuous Precipitation The Turks had two Days before pass'd over the Bridge of Strigonium and beside those who were lodg'd in the Fort there were great Platoons posted in the Gardens and Orchards round about Barcan Of this the King of Poland was not aware but was well pleas'd to rob the Germans of the Glory of this Expedition and of carrying the Place within their View and without their Assistance But God was pleas'd to mortifie this Hero by a contrary Success and to let him know that the Disposal of the whole was in his Hands having sav'd his Sacred Person by a Miracle no less Remarkable than that of the Deliverance of Vienna the Glory whereof if unblemish'd might perhaps have made the Poles too vain-glorious The Van-Guard was scarce arriv'd upon the Plains above the Bottom stretch'd out to the River and the Fort where they were to encamp on this Day but the Turks began to draw out of the Gardens in order to skirmish with our Dragoons At first their Number was inconsiderable but large Squadrons issu'd out insensibly Some out of the Fort others over the Bridge marching from Strigonium and at last the Body of Troops thus increas'd came thundring upon the Polish Van-Guard who had not so much as time to put themselves into a Posture of Fighting Horror and Confusion seis'd their Spirits no Officer to be seen no Word of Command given and those who did give any were so little Masters of themselves that they order'd the Dragoons some to dismount some to remount without any reason for either of these Counter-Orders For they were open Plains where the Infantry was expos'd to the Natural Fury and Impetuosity of the Turks They therefore drew themselves up in a confus'd Line of Battle the Troops of Pancernes Cosacks and other Cavalry descended below the Curtain whose Brow the Dragoons were in possession of in the same Line the Stragenic who commanded the Body in Person caus'd a discarge to be made upon the Enemy who bore upon them with an extraordinary violence The Turks at first gave ground but soon return'd upon that Body of Horse with the same Vigour without fearing the Fire of which they bore a second Discharge after which the Cosacks were broke the rest endeavour'd to regain the top of the Curtain and terror joyn'd with the Impetuosity of the Turks routed the whole Line without resistance The Dragoons of the Grand General remounted in order to fly for it those belonging to the King who were on the Right had not time to do it and were all cut in pieces However the King march'd on with the Hussars and the other Troops of Horse who were but little prepar'd for a Battle which they had no leisure now to wait for He saw at a distance the Disorder of his defeated Vant-Guard which at first he would have dissembled but at last perceiving that they were vigorously beaten off he put himself in a posture of defending them He drew up his Cavalry in a Line which upon the first Onset receiv'd the Turks with a great deal of Bravery the Hussars likewise charg'd them twice and the rest of the Troops bore some time the terrible Shock of the Enemy who were animated by their first Success But their Squadrons stretching out to the Right and Left with a design of surrounding our whole Line our Left Wing being disorder'd began to give ground and the Right being routed at the third Onset which the Turks made upon them with their Sabres in their Hands for that was all the Weapon they made use of in this Transaction fac'd about at the same time to avoid the Fury of the Enemy The Grand General seeing the Disorder pray'd his Majesty to retreat whilst he would endeavour to bear the Charge of the Turks with some rally'd Troops to cover his Sacred Person But that Prince being seldom us'd to such a Retreat receiv'd the Proposal very ill and still fought on till the Croud of those who fled carry'd him off in spight of his Teeth Never such a Confusion was seen The Hussars threw away their Lances the Cornets their Standards which one might see heap'd up pel-mell with the Kettle-drums in the Furrows The Officers could not be so much as hearken'd to those Brave Soldiers left the King to the mercy of the Turks who eagerly pursu'd him Some of the Soldiers were for Butchering the Leaders that would have forc'd them to rally and others reply'd to those who upbraided them for their Cowardise That their Lives were as precious to
to describe the general Consternation our Army was in or the Sorrow of the Court The King almost dead with the Fatigue weak and out of Breath was laid on the Ground upon a little Hay surrounded with his Polish Lords that had escap'd the Slaughter all of 'em in a Melancholy posture with pale Countenances and Eyes fix'd on the Ground A sad and mournful Silence possess'd the Troops who this Day encamp'd without any Order being rather dispers'd in the Open Fields than lodg'd in a mark'd-out Ground for in truth we had no other place to encamp in but that which the Turks had allow'd us to take breath in a great way short of the intended Camp which now serv'd as a Burying-place to our unfortunate Comrades After this the German Generals arriv'd who stood round the King with an external Aspect suitable to the Misfortune of the Day but inwardly ravish'd at the Loss which so much eclipsed the Glory gain'd by delivering Vienna One might read even in their feign'd and mask'd looks a secret Joy which Emulation stirr'd up and which Ingratitude render'd more delightful 'T is possible the Duke of Lorrain might have more generous Thoughts and I am perswaded That the publick Interest his Polish Majesty's Person and the Honour of the Christians Arms inspir'd into him a true Sorrow but the manner whereby this Enterprize was kept secret from him That haughty Air which was affected in the Execution of it and that Vaunting which had been made of the Bravery of the Polish Troops could not chuse but make him relish some Comfort even in the Misfortune of this Day The King of Poland could not speak a Word to him and with much ado lifted up his Eyes at the Arrival of the Prince his Son whom the Grand Squire had conducted to him to remove the Dejection of his Spirits There was no farther Order given this Night but only to encamp in the Bottom between the Curtains along the Danube and to take care of interring the Dead forthwith to cover the Shame of our Defeat which was but too considerable in the Van-Guard In the mean time the Turks puffed up with this Success sent Expresses all Night to Buda to acquaint the Grand Visier therewith and desire him to send them a Reinforcement that so they might conclude by cutting off the Germans which they fancy'd they might do at a cheap rate They sent the same News to Count Teckley who was fortified about the Mountains giving him to understand that if he had reasons hitherto of complimenting the King of Poland they were now remov'd by the entire Defeat of his Army in which himself had been kill'd perhaps taken That none remain'd of that great Body of Troops but the Germans his mortal Enemies whom he might easily get himself rid of if he would but make haste with his Army which they earnestly desir'd him to do This News that was sent to Count Teckley and the Grand Visier had different Impressions on the Minds of those two Generals The Ottoman General forgot his Flight and thought he might wipe off the Disgrace of that by a Second Battle To this Purpose he order'd 12 or 15000 Horse to march to Strigonium with Anchars or Dragoons arm'd with Carabines under the Command of Two Visiers and Four other Bassas who had Injunctions to pass the Bridge and immediately to fall Hand-over-head upon the Christians without needlesly disputing the Ground with them that so by this bold Enterprize they might add the last Stroke to the Pannick Fear of the Foregoing Day This I learn'd from one of the Visiers who was taken in this Action Count Teckley receiv'd the News of our Misfortune with contrary Thoughts He did not desire the Turks should have the better on 't and look'd upon the King of Poland as one that ballanc'd and counterpois'd their insolent Greatness Upon this Consideration he was heartily troubl'd at our Loss especially when he consider'd his own private Interest and the occasion he had of the Polish Prince either to make his Peace with the Imperial Court or to prevent him from submitting himself entirely to the Tyrannical Yoke of the Port. He turn'd those Thoughts over and over in his disturbed Breast and open'd himself to Count Forval his Intimate Friend when he receiv'd Orders to march with his Army towards Barcan to hem in that of the Christians whilst the Turkish Cavalry charg'd them in the Front 'T is certain That if this Hungarian General had done all he could upon this Occasion and discharg'd his Trust to the Turks he would have sav'd their Army and put a new Face upon their Affairs for he was above thirty some say forty thousand strong However he march'd much against his Will towards the Champian Country of Barcan and the Turks arriv'd there Friday Night October 8th there being but six Leagues distance between Buda and Strigonium They pass'd the Bridge all Night left 500 Men in the Fort and posted themselves beyond the Low Plain on the Brow of the Curtain the very Place where the others had the Day before charg'd the Polish Van-Guard On the Morrow Octob. 9th they drew into a Line of Battle in the Plains above stretching their Right Wing towards the Mountains where is a narrow Valley cover'd with Woods and Thickets through which Teckley's Army was to pass Their Left Wing terminated very near the Curtain within sight of Barcan Fort. They made but one Line and one single Front very thick but behind upon the Brow of the Curtain there were three Columns of 14 or 15 Squadrons each plac'd behind one another which were to open in the Fight in order to surround our Army as they had done at first This is the Turkish Method of Drawing up an Army which may perhaps be of some Use For they pretend that these Columns are not so easily broke and rallying themselves with all the Ease imaginable their Squadrons thus rank'd can the better support the First Line when 't is a little shatter'd They had on the Right Wing Kara Mehemet Pacha Visier of Buda in the Centre the Visier of Silistria and next the Bassa of Caramania nam'd Alè with three others of the First Rank Whilst the Turks were thus Preparing themselves for a Battle the King of Poland thought of nothing else but Revenging the Disgrace he had receiv'd the Day before He bestow'd all Friday Oct. 8th in drawing up the two Armies and in agreeing upon the Order of Battle in a general Council the Poles being eager to regain their Credit and the Germans desirous to share in the Glory which they had in some measure been rob'd of the Day before After this the King dispatch'd a Courrier to Cracow to acquaint the Queen with his ill Success and with the Resolution he had taken either to make amends for it or not to survive the Disgrace informing her That he was to march towards the Enemy on the morrow and that she must expect to hear News
the World an Idea of the Gallantry of the Polish Officers who most of 'em desire to die calmly in their Beds whereas even Lieutenant Generals and Mareshals of France are for falling in the Field of Honour and at the Head of their Troops The City of Zetzen being thus surrender'd was guarded at first by the Polish Infantry and the Head-Captain of the Prince's Regiment Nam'd Des Forges a Frenchman and a Gentleman belonging to the Queen was plac'd in it as Commander in Chief The King gave the Inhabitants leave to go out with their Families A great many Women and Children follow'd the Soldiery after which the King put the place into the Hands of General Dunneval who took possession of it for the Emperor and made a stand there with his Detachment from whence he sent them into Winter Quarters His Polish Majesty continu'd his March after he had spent four Days about Zetzen and advanc'd towards Cassovia one of the Chief and Strongest Cities of the Kingdom fortify'd formerly with a Citadel which Count Teckley had won the Year before and demolish'd as he did the Fort of Fileck The Emperor had assign'd those revolted Cities for Winter Quarters to the Polish Army which they must first be oblig'd to force tho' they were well garrison'd so that there was no staying in an Enemy's Country with such a Handful of Men being continually harrass'd with Hungarian Parties and the Peasants who cut off several of our Army The Soldiery dead almost with Hunger and Cold oblig'd to pass Rivers half froz'n over and often swell'd above their Banks went to dry themselves in the adjacent Villages sought for some shelter on every side and were killed by the Rebels who destroy'd more of our Army that way than they had by the Battles of Vienna and Barcan Nay they were oblig'd to Count Teckley for that small number which did at last arrive in Poland For he being always the King 's trusty Friend and keeping the Engagements made between them advis'd him to draw off betimes being not able any longer to prevent the Cutting off of his Passage through the Mountains after which the Rebels would quickly make an hand of his Army The Turks were in such Expectations of it that News was brought to Newhausel of the entire Defeat of the Polish Troops which infallibly would have been had Teckley preferr'd the Interest of his Party before the Obligations he had with the King to whom his Majesty stood indebted for all the Glorious Successes of this Campaign The Turks had so certain an Intelligence of this that sometimes after they caus'd this Ring-leader of the Rebels to be arrested as we shall shew in its proper place The King of Poland would not venture too nigh Cassovia but encamp'd on one side out of the reach of the Cannon The Town fir'd briskly upon our Troops as they march'd along within sight of the Place and the Garrison sally'd out upon the Stragglers So that staying there only one Night they the next Day pass'd the River above Cassovia and so to continue their March to Eperies another Capital City of Hungary larger and of greater Trade than the former but not so highly Dignify'd seated at the Foot of the Mountains of Crapak upon one of the Rivers that run to Cassovia For this City is scituate in the very Centre where two large Rivulets joyn together which in going through the City make but one single River and thus through the same Channel disembogue themselves into the Theysse below Tokay These two Rivulets spring from those very Mountains and form a kind of Peninsula reaching from the Foot of the Mountains to Cassovia being a handsome Tract of Ground Eperies is upon that River which is on the Right The King approach'd it in order to besiege it so that the Cannon play'd into his Camp even beyond the Tents of his Head-Quarters Upon His Arrival the Garrison sally'd out upon our foremost Squadrons and skirmish'd with them all that Day On the Morrow they fell upon the King's Dragoons at Mid-day who quickly mounted their Horses and repuls'd the Sallyers On the third Day the King broke up from thence to seek out Winter-Quarters elsewhere Instead of Eperies which had been assign'd for his Hussars and his own Regiments He led the Army directly to Czebin three Leagues beyond in the Mountains where he arriv'd the Second Day after he had left Eperies From the Camp that lay betwixt he detach'd Miogenski with his Brigade to go and take a View of Czebin and the adjacent Places The Horse of the Town sally'd out upon his Troops Miogenski retreated into several Houses and Barns which the Disposition of the Ground had conceal'd where he form'd an Ambuscade Thirty of his Cavalry being detach'd advanc'd further up in the Plain in order to draw out the Garrison who fell into the Snare and very vigorously pursu'd our Men to the Place where they had Orders to face about but the rest of the Brigade coming up they began a regular Fight which ended in the Retreat of the Rebels who left behind them several slain and several Prisoners Miogenski had a Horse kill'd under him and his Nephew took an Hungarian Officer After this the King appear'd before the Place where the Lithuanian Army first joyn'd him It came to Cracow the latter end of September and for two Months together kept skirting upon the Frontiers or in the Entrance into Hungary leaving every where behind them tokens of their March in the open Countries and against the Peasants This very much offended Count Teckley and the Polish Court who had order'd the Lithuanian Generals to prevent any Disturbance or Acts of Hostility from being offer'd to the Subjects of that Prince These Generals began to Cannonade Czebin when the King arriv'd before it and the Town which held out against the Army of Lithuania surrender'd upon Articles to his Polish Majesty He spake very civilly to the Officers exhorting them to return to the Obedience of the Emperor their lawful Sovereign But they very freely told him That they had rather die than submit to the German Yoke begging Leave that they might follow him and serve in his Army Accordingly they did attend his Majesty for some Days but after he was advanc'd a little in his March they return'd back to Czebin from whence they beat our Troops even without charging them The same was done in other Places of these Countries where any Garrison had been left At last the whole Army return'd into Poland with the King who took his March through Lubownia the First City of his Territories and arriv'd at Cracow on Christmas Eve Lubownia is a Starosty in the Mountains 8 Leagues off Eperies and 12 or 15 from Cracow As to Czebin 't is scituated in a Bottom enclos'd with good Walls and Forts a large Trench and several Stone Bridges reaching to the Gates The Inside is vere well built as are all the other Cities of this part of Hungary which
cross'd the Designs of the Polanders who had Thoughts of entring into Valachia and by the Way of Boudziac to have pierc'd as far as the Black Sea The Court remov'd from Cracow at the end of March 1684 and had gain'd the Frontiers towards Leopold to be in a Readiness for any Enterprise Whilst the King waited at Yavorouf for the Coming up of his Troops and Recruits Count Montecuculli arriv'd there being sent by the King of Spain to Compliment his Polish Majesty upon the happy Success of the preceding Campaign The Emperor sent thither the Count of Valestein as his Ambassador Extraordinary with Order to follow the King and his Army whithersoever they mov'd Lastly the Republick of Venice being willing to enter into a League against the Turks and to take Advantage of these Favourable Junctures nominated the Procurator Morosini to go into Poland with that Character who likewise made the Campaign with his Polish Majesty The King of Poland open'd it by spoiling two or three Retreats which the Turks had preserv'd on this side Caminiec on the Confines of Podolia and Russia The nearest that lay towards this Capital City was the Castle of Yaslovietz scituated on a Hill surrounded with others more large and almost encompass'd with a River which wash'd the Bottom There was an Aga with a Garrison of about 120 Men detach'd from Caminiec some small Pieces of Artillery and Fortifications proportionable The Army encamp'd on the Eminencies which commanded that Castle and summon'd the Aga to surrender The Aga desir'd for his Honor's sake to see some Cannon play upon the Place it being pretty strong by its Scituation and by its ancient Walls M. Dupont Engineer to the Republick caus'd two Batteries to be rais'd which Beat down all the Front of the Castle which fac'd the Army They had scarce fir'd ten times when the Garrison desir'd to march out The Aga being well acquainted with the Customs of his own Country which reckons no Man innocent that is unfortunate was not for exposing himself to the Test and so retir'd into Poland where the Queen made him Keeper of one of her Country Houses His Lieutenant likewise stay'd with the King and serv'd him as an Hussar and their Janizaries were dispers'd here and there about the Country The Aga is a Man of a good Mein and a Venerable Aspect of a Warlike Air even a little rough which Adversity smooth'd afterwards The other is a mere Soldier very Fat of a Low but Brave Mein as appear'd by those dreadful Scars with which he was full especially that which he brought from Candy by a Bullet shot into the back part of his Head The Surrender of this small Castle made just as I have describ'd it did however inhance the the Reputation of the Polish Arms in Foreign Parts They talk'd as big in France of this Expedition as of the Taking of Valenciennes so true is it That Fame raises Matter of Fact in Proportion to the Distance of the Climates where they are done The same News being brought to Newhausel chear'd up the Hearts of the Polish Slaves so much that I believ'd it had been Caminiec that was taken by the King And my supposition was the more probable because I knew that the Republick had undertaken the War only with Intention of retaking that Place from the Turks being the most considerable which they held in Poland But my News-monger Suleyman the Bassa's Coffee-man undeceiv'd me and told me the truth of the Business The Queen attended the King as far as Yaslovietz and was present with her Court at the Assault of that Place which in truth deserv'd no other than an Army of Females The Turks who march'd out were very much surpriz'd having never before seen such Luggage follow the Camp But the Queen after this Exploit retir'd to Leopold from thence to Yaroslave The King march'd directly to Zwaniec there to pass the Niester His Design was to enter into Valachia to make himself Master of that Province and there to winter his Army in order to cut off the Communication between Caminiec and the Turks who had no other way thither no more than the Tartars By this means that place would have been immediately block'd up and reduc'd at last for want of Supplies to surrender within six Months without so much as discharging a Cannon Besides the King of Poland made a considerable Diversion to facilitate the Taking of Buda by the Germans and to relieve one another from the Niester to the Danube But neither were the Germans minded to share the Glory and the Fruits of their Conquests with the Poles nor were the Poles in a capacity of finishing this great Design They could not in 3 Week's Time so much as lay the Foundations of a Bridge having neither Boats nor other things necessary And after they had spent above a Month's Time in casting Baskets of Stones Fascines and other Materials in the Water an Inundation of the River occasion'd by the Rains that fell carry'd away all the Work Whilst these things were doing the Tartars appear'd on the other side the Niester to the number of near 40000 Horse from whence every Day Detachments were sent out who swam over the River a little below the Polish Camp between Cotchim and Caminiec and came to skirmish with the Poles who likewise cross'd the River sometimes with the same Vigour so that all was reduc'd into particular Skirmishes the two Armies looking on at the same time and disputing for the Ground and Forrage at the Expence of some unhappy Creatures whom the Tartars carry'd off every Day There were likewise several Interviews between the Officers of the two Armies having the River in the midst The Chancellor of the Cham who had formerly been at the Polish Court to treat about ransoming his Brother came one Day on the Bank of the River and desir'd to speak with one of the King's Touariches who accordingly was order'd thither He desir'd them to tell his Polish Majesty That he desir'd to see him to thank him again for all the Favours he had formerly shewn him The King was very glad of that Encounter and order'd this Answer to be given to the Tartars That if he would come into the Camp he would send him not only a Convoy but Hostages This Gentleman very frankly reply'd That his Polish Majesty did him wrong to think that he forgot that his single Word was more worth than all the Hostages of the Army and that he would come to him on the Morrow upon his Parole But he could not execute his Design because the Enemy decamp'd To enter into the the Particulars of this Campaign which in general pass'd without any considerable Action You must know that the King of Poland in Decamping from Yaslovietz to march towards the Niester committed the Van-guard to be led by the Castellan of Cracow Little General of the Crown with fifty Troops all Horse Hussars Pancernes and Valachians who had Orders to advance
fine after having done all things possible in vain God be thanked to frighten me I was called some Days ago to an Audience of the Visier's Deputy Our Conversation lasted an Hour and an half He talked to me of the unheard of Temerity of this enterprize and of the extream Anger of the Grand Senior and at last told me That he gave me Notice as a Friend that perhaps I might be so happy as to buy off my own and the Blood of the French for a great Summ of Money I answered him I was as secure at Constantinople as at Paris because his Emperor was just and mine very potent That I would not give one Denier towards repairing the Damages sustained at Scio That it was the Tripolins part to pay it I added several things which certainly the Turkish Minister had never heard before The Countenance and Tone wherewith I pronounced them were a la Gascogne I spoke of all that the Emperor of France would do in this Country if he were exasperated and I concluded with telling him That if the French were troublesom to the Grand Senior or the Visier I would carry them all back into France where they would soon forget Turkey The Deputy treated me very civilly He told me That he exhorted my Prudence to take other Resolutions and went immediately after to give the Visier an Account of our Conferences being much surprized at my stedfastness I do not know what will become of this Affair I shall certainly support it to the end nay to the last extremity M. du Quêne is still before Scio where the Tripolins design to refit They have done no sort of Violence nor made no Threats to any French Man 'T is certain that if such a like thing had happened to any other Nation it would have been the utter ruine of them I was told about six Days ago That they expected News of the Captain Bassa who is to go to Scio with the Grand Senior's Gallies I wait the Consequences and the Success of his Interview with M. du Quesne with impatience I am c. A Letter from the Duke of Lorrain to the King of Poland Most Serene King I received with a due Respect the Letters which your Majesty was pleased to do me the honour to transmit to me dated the 25th Inst And from them I understood how much your Majesty's Royal Mind is moved to accelerate the Succour of the City of Vienna and how much inclined to the Defence of the Christian Empire and Austrian Territories Of which indeed I have been always so much perswaded that in relation hereunto I have received from your Majesty's Letters nothing new nor what I did not before believe In the mean time I esteem it a great Favour and honour to me that your Majesty does not vouchsafe to trust to your own most prudent Judgment in these things that are still to be done I have hitherto indeavoured to guard my self against the Watchfulness of the Enemy by the Scituation of my incampments which though indeed I did not look upon as walled about yet I have thought them to be as good as such from the Scituation of the Rivers and the disposition of the Ground they take up I have provided for the Security of the Bridge of Crems and am advising the building of a second about Tulm a Place nearer to Vienna and which is reckoned to be secure That which is hardest to me is that I can scare send any Person into the Town nor on the other hand receive any News from the besieged But seeing I understand from the magnificent Marshal of the Court of the Kingdom of Poland that the particular Relations of what things are acted in the Imperial Army do not displease your Majesty I have communicated something to your Majesty in Writing which hath Relation to the same from which and from the said Marshal's Letters your Majesty may distinctly understand every thing particularly what was done against the flying Rebels and Turks about Presburg on the 29th Instant by Prince Lubomirski and his Polish Officers and Soldiers alone most prudently valiantly and with the natural Vigor of the renowned Polish Nation Your Majesty will also understand in what Condition this Army is and also the Progress of the German Auxiliaries It is my Hope and Prayer to see the Christian Army defeat this most inveterate Enemy and deliver the Austrian Territories under your Majesty's Conduct being sensible that in such a Field I shall have an Opportunity of further deserving your Royal Majesty's Favour and Benevolence to whom I wish a healthful and long Reign from the very Heart of Your Majesty's most Humble and most Obedient Servant and Allie Charles Duke of Lorrain Dated in the Imperial Camp near Mayerech the 31st of July 1683. The Duke of Lorrain's Account whereof mention is made in the foregoing Letter given to Prince Lubomirski to be sent with his Dispatches to the King of Poland THE Turks having opened their Trenches on the 14th instant before Vienna pretty near the City from the 16th they advanced their Works to within 60 Paces of the Counterscarp and took Post in an Island of the Danube over-against Vienna called Tabor from whence I was obliged to retire I would willingly have kept that Post to have had Communication with the City but this Island extending about two Leagues and the Arm of the Danube which runs near the City being almost fordable every where and the Squadrons and the Infantry being able to pass in Battalia in many Places of the Fords the Banks on that side where the Turkish Camp was being raised and their Cannon commanding the whole Island even to the Bridges which being broke down by their Artillery there was no other retreat left me but the City or to swim over the Danube which were two Extremities equally dangerous And though the Bridges had been covered it was in Teckley's power to come and post himself at the end on this side I remained in the Island without Forrage and Subsistance insomuch that that Post not being tenable and particularly with Cavalry alone having been obliged to put the Infantry into the City to defend it I thought that I was obliged to pass the Danube with the Imperial Cavalry in order to preserve them for their relief The Communication being thus cut off we have had no News of them since the 22d when the Enemy had advanced their Works to the Palissado's which the besieged defended with dint of Sword They extended their Works to the Right and Left and had already made them reach three Points of the Counterscarpe They had not yet begun to batter the Walls and had only 10 or 12 great Pieces of Cannon mounted in Battery Having received Advice of the Auxiliaries of Poland by the Count de la Tour I endeavored to send some Persons into the Town to acquaint the Governor therewith but I have as yet no Advice of their being got in not having received
the present and will cut off the Communication which I apprehended with so much reason That the Rebels will not easily present themselves before this Army That Teckley's Troops will be deserted by a great Number of Hungarians who will not rejoin him and that the Misunderstanding between him and the two Bassa's will not be disadvantagious to him In the mean time after having ruined every thing that might serve to make Bridges I thought it advisable to rejoin the Infantry and the Bagage and to put my self within reach to cover the passage of the Succours from Poland and to hasten the others The News I have of them are that the Bavarians ought to be arrived near to Krems where I believe there may be 15 or 16000 Foot as well Bavarians as Imperialists within these few Days I believe that the Troops of Saxony and Franconia are upon their march and I hasten them as much as I can I cannot deny but that I very much doubt the holding out of Vienna for though I may very well hope that it is strong enough with a good Garison and good Troops yet the forwardness of the Enemies Approaches and the Accidents that may Occasion a Confusion in a City that did not expect to be besieged oblige me to hasten the Succours that they may show themselves to the Besiegers c. A Letter from the Emperor to the King of Poland LEopold by the Favor of the Divine Clemency chosen Emperor of the Romans always Augustus King of Germany Hungary Bohemia Dalmatia Croatia and Sclavonia Arch-Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Stiria Carinthia Carniola and Wirtemberg and Count of Tirol To the most Serene and most Potent Prince John III. King of Poland Great Duke of Lithuania Russia Prussia Masovia and Samogitia our most dear Brother and Neighbor greeting and mutual Friendship Most Serene and most Potent Prince our most dear Brother and Neighbour In this most calamitous Condition into which the Treachery of the Hungarians and the most impetuous Barbarity of the Turks hath cast our Country of Austria Your Serenities most kind Letters wrote to us on the 7th of July have wonderfully refreshed us It was indeed a most joyful Message to us when we understood that your Serenity having laid aside all other Military Expeditions was marching your Army with utmost Diligence to rescue Vienna which is so closely besieged out of the Jaws of the Barbarous Enemy With how grateful and true a Sense we accept this Readiness to assist us as not proceeding only from the League betwixt us but from your Serenities kind Affection and Inclination which you have towards us and our Interests and with what Returns of Kindness we shall acknowledge this obligation which tends to the safety of Christendom We have given Orders to our faithful and beloved John Christopher Free Baron of Zieroua Ziorouski our Envoy and magnificent Counsellor to us and to the Sacred Empire to explain more at large He hath also Instructions to acquaint and submit to your Serenities sublime Prudence what we have thought necessary and useful on the present Occasion for the more vigorous carrying on of the War and raising the Siege of the said Town Wherefore out of friendly and brotherly confidence we obtest your Serenity to give entire Credit unto our said Envoy in every thing he shall say to you in our Name and that you would cheerfully prosecute what you have begun whereas by this Assistance and delivering and rescuing the City of Vienna you will purchase Glory and eternal Fame and more and more engage our Affection which hath long ago been fixed upon your Serenity unto your Royal Off-spring To which end we pray That God would vouchsafe you the height of all sorts of Felicity Given at Passaw Aug. 3. 1683. of our Reigns over the Roman Empire the 26th over Hungary the 29th and over Bohemia the 27th Your Serenity's Brother and Neighbour The Reader may observe from this Letter that the Emperor does not give the Title of Majesty to the King of Poland nevertheless he did it once in an Italian Letter wrote with his own Hand which is preciously kept in Poland as a Piece upon which they may found their Right of Pretensions for the future A Letter from the Duke of Lorrain to Mons Yablonowski Great General of Poland Dated from the Camp at Angres the 16th of August 1683. SIR THE Count de Caraffa General of the Battle set out Yesterday in order to go to the King I have given him Charge of a Letter for your Excellency wherein I signified to you that the Counterscarp of Vienna was after having held out twenty three Days taken by the Turks under the Covert of three great heaps of Earth which they had cast up to clear three Points from whence they entred into the covered way And after having lodged themselves there they applied themselves to the Descent of the Ditch which they sounded on the 8th of this Month. Altho' the Garison chased them them thence with loss yet the Enemy had time to fix their Miners to the Ravelins which they blew up on the 12th and there assaulted the Place They were repulsed insomuch that they think of nothing but mining and blowing up the Bastions which they attack Your Excellency who knows what it is for Places to be besieged may judge of the State of Vienna which the Turks think fit now only to attack by Mines and as they are already in the Ditch you may easily comprehend the Danger and the Importance of not loosing one Minute of coming to the Succour of a Place which is of so great Moment to the common Cause and to all Christendom I have given your Excellency all these Particulars because that knowing how much you understand the State of all things I should have done an Injury to your Merit and Zeal if I did not tell you the true State of the Besieged and the Importance of hastening to their Assistance I pray the King to succour us his presence alone is worth an Army so I beg him to advance his march with the first Troops By the same reason I pray your Excellency to hasten your march to join me I should be overjoyed to see you both for the Advantage I promise my self from the Troops you command and for the Satisfaction that I hope to see so great a General as your Excellency with us Count Oberstoff will tell you more particularly how much I pray your Excellency to join us with all possible diligence how much I esteem you and how much I am SIR Your Excellency's most Affectionate Servant Charles de Lorrain I pray your Excellency to march directly towards the Bridges of Vienna from whence you shall hear further from me You will do me a pleasure to give an Account of Your march so soon as the Count ' dOberstoff shall have joined You being impatient to have it in my power to testifie to Your Excellency the Esteem I have for Your Person
A Letter from the Emperor to the King of Poland wrote by his own Hand Dated at Passaw Aug. 24. 1683. To the most Serene Lord the King of Poland my most dearly beloved Brother and Neighbour I Have seen by Your Majesty's Letter wrote with Your own Hand dated the 15th Instant how that You have already sent a good part of Your Army before and given order that they shall join very speedily with the Troops of Lithuania and the Cossacks and that You had begun Your march on that great Day of the Feast of our Lady with Your whole Army to come and succour with all Your might my City of Vienna which is ready to surrender being closely besieged by the most powerful Army of the Turks So puissant and opportune a Succour makes me sufficiently to see the brotherly Love You have for me to preserve my Dominions as well as the Zeal You have for the Good of Christendom So I return You most hearty Thanks and shall endeavour upon all Occasions to acknowledge Your brotherly Love I have been also willing to confess the same by this my devout Acknowledgment which will be presented by the Count de Schafsgoutz who will acquaint You that I am to set out to Morrow for Lintz in order to be nearer the City and have News of it the sooner and to have an Opportunity to consult more easily with You to whom I wish a perfect Health and all Prosperity Your Majesty's most Affectionate Brother and Neighbour Leopoldus A Letter from the King of Poland to the Pope Dated at Ratibor Aug. 24. 1683. This Letter properly speaking is only the rough Draught drawn by the King himself and wrote with his own Hand from which I copied it For he afterwards gave this rough Draught to an Italian Secretary who translated it into his own Language with the Ceremonies and Titles agreed on LAst Year I ordered the Imperial Minister at my Court to acquaint his Master That Vienna would be besieged the beginning of this because I had Advice of it from good Hands So soon as the Confederacy and the Diet were over I caused my Secretary to write to Cardinal Barbarini that in case Vienna should be besieged I would go in Person to succour it I received the News of its being besieged on the Twenty Third of July between Warsaw and Cracow In a Months time I have raised an Army without Money for the Provinces have scarce begun to pay their Contributions I gathered together the Troops that were in Podolia towards Caminiec and those which cover the Frontiers of Ukrania I caused them to make long marched insomuch that in a little time they have marches above an hundred German Leagues without having had Rest or Intermission And seeing I have Advice every Moment that the City which has been besieged only forty Days and defended by a whole Army is notwithstanding reduced to a great extremity I send part of my Army before with the Lieutenant General who will join the Duke of Lorrain the Day after to Morrow But seeing every Body wants my presence and that my Hussars Cannon and Infantry can march but four German Leagues a Day I take this Day some Troops of light Horse with me and by the Blessing of God shall be upon the Banks of the Danube by the last Day of this Instant to see and determine with the Duke of Lorrain and the other Generals how and by which way we shall succour Vienna and we shall forthwith pass the River which we wish to render yet more glorious by the defeat of the Infidels Let your Holiness now judge if you ought to give Credit to those who would have made you believe that the Polanders would do nothing this Campagne and that the King would never go out of his own Kingdom The King and his Army shall be sooner at the Gates of Vienna that one could have expected to have heard of his departure out of his own Territories And then you may reflect whether or no one can do more for a Friend and Allie but in so far as it concerns the good of the Church and Christendom I and my Kingdom shall be always ready to shed the last drop of our Blood as a true Shield of Christianity AN ACCOUNT OF THE Raising of the SIEGE OF VIENNA Written by Order of the Queen of POLAND THIS Account is properly an Abstract of the Letter which the King of Poland wrote to the Queen by the ordinary Post five or six Days after the departure of the Courier which he had sent the Day after the raising of the Siege who only carried the News by Word of Mouth whereof the King afterwards made an ample Relation to the Queen This is an Abstract of the Circumstances and particularly of the very Words in which the King wrote them connected together The Reader may observe some Verbosity and extravagant Praises therein but it is the Genius of the Nation and of the Polish Language which is full of Periphrases and Circumlocutions which in that Country they reck on to be great and sublime so that they make a Harangue at saluting one or for a Compliment of nothing The Victory which the King of Poland hath obtained over the Infidels is so great and so compleat that past Ages can scarce parallel the same and perphaps future Ages will never see any thing like it All its Circumstances are as profitable to Christendom in general and to the Empire in particular as glorious to that Monarch On one hand we see Vienna besieged by three hundred thousand Turks reduced to the last extremity its Outworks taken the Enemy fixed to the Body of the Place Masters of one Point of the Bastions having frightful Mines under the Retrenchments of the besieged We see an Emperor chased from his Capital retired to a Corner of his Dominions all his Country at the mercy of the Tartars who have filled the Camp with an infinite Number of unfortunate Slaves that had been forcibly carried away out of Austria On the other hand we see the King of Poland who goes out of his Kingdom with part of his Army and hastens to succour his Allies who abandons what is dearest to him to march against the Enemies of the Christian Religion willing to act in Person on this Occasion as a true Buckler of Religion and will not spare his eldest Son the Prince of Poland whom he carries with him even in a tender Age to so dangerous an Expedition as this was That which preceded the battle is no less surprizing The Empire assembles on all sides the Elector's of Saxony and Bavaria come in Person to join their Troops with the Imperialists under the command of the Duke of Lorrain Thirty other Princes repair out of Emulation to one another to the Army which nevertheless before they will enter upon Action stay for the presence of the K of Poland whose presence alone is worth an Army They all march with this Confidence The