The letter of the King of Poland to His Excellency, the Marquess de Grana from the Turkish camp in the visiers tent at Vienna, the 13 of September 1683 ...

The LETTER of the King of Poland, To His Excellency the Marquess De Grana, From the Turkish Camp in the Visiers Tent at Vienna, the 13 of September 1683. John the III, by the Grace of God, King of Poland, Great Duke of Lithuania, Russia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Kiovia, Volhinia, Podolia, Podlachia, Smolensco, Severia, and Czernichoven.

According to the Original Copy Printed in Latin at Brussells.

MOst Illustrious, and well-beloved. Being called to the Relief of endangered Vienna, with such Military Forces as were call'd in hast, in how short a tract of time we Master'd first the difficulties of the ways, the distances of Place, the Banks of the Danow, and then the Ridges of Mountains, and the Thichets of the Forrest of Vienna; we make no doubt but Fame hath Informed you. We only shall choose to Report to your Illustriousness, what without Injury to the Christians in com∣m••n, we cannot conceal. God being our Leader, and the good Fortune of the most Serene Princes, Dukes, and Electors our Com∣panion, the Christian Forces, of which the Van was by all commit∣ted to us, yesterday, in the present Fields, obtained an extraordi∣nary, and never to be forgotten Victory over the Turks and Tartars. For the Turkish Gran Visier, swell'd bigg with the entire Force of the East, and of the Crim-Tartars, already swallowing in hope, not only what (without Relief) was within three days of its Fate, Vienna; but with that, even all Christendom; was notwithstanding in one days Battle and Onset, entirely Routed and put to Flight. Their Infantry (in the common Style Janizaries) as being a slower Force, and no wayes equal in Flight to their Horse, was left be∣hind in the Tents, and abandoned to the Discretion of the Con∣queror. The Tents themselves taking up well nigh two Miles in length and breadth taken. Their Canon, all their Powder, and Amunition, with the Richest of their Spoils, became the just Re∣ward

of the Victors Arms. Vienna freed thus from so hard a Siege, and from such Dangers as had almost proved Fatal, and the Imperial Seat restored to its own Caesar.

Night put a stop to compleating the Victory, the Enemy be∣taking themselves to a base flight, a Panick Terror Leading the way to Pannonia, darkness befriended them; nevertheless our Light Horse follows them close at the Heels, and of their Straglers, cut in pieces part, and part they take Prisoners. Moreover, we our selves, to the Honour of God, are not wanting to Pursue the same Victory, nor will we leave, if it so please the Heavenly Powers to favour us till such time as Winter Quarters shall open to the Christians, in the Enemies Country. If therefore, the Power of Europe with its experienc'd Troops on every Side prepared for War, might contend at any time, to dare any thing worthy the Name of Christendom, never could any more seasonable Moments of Affairs be possibly obtained than the present.

For if after the Noise of a Victory so fresh in Memory, there should follow but even a slender appearance of War by Sea and Land, it is not to be doubted, but that Greece Groaning under its Tyranny, and even Constantinople it self would shake off the Usurper, and look back to their first Originals. The same we may believe of Epyrus, Macedon, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Walachia, Moldavia, and the rest of the Usurpt Kingdoms and Provinces, as we have no slight Indications of the premises: Parhaps, that constant Vicissitude which is seen in all Humane Affairs, may even now wait the Turkish Empire, that as proceeding from small beginnings, it hath Increas∣ed to that Pass, as it Labours under its own Weight; so Fate changing its course, and the Wheel of Variable Fortune turning round, it may Roul Back again to its first beginnings, and now that it hath Rose to a sufficient Height, it may Tumble down with the greater Fall. But leaving all this to the Supream Disposer of Crowns and Empires, we altogether perswade our selves from your Illustriousness, that you have that sense of Piety, and a Generous Inclination for the Christian Affairs, as not only to rejoyce together with us for these happy Successes, but at some time also to Store them in common with us, and that you will let slip no opportuni∣ties for the Mutual Advantages of Christendom: For which, as we Multiply our most Hearty desires, so we wish your Illustriousness the greatest Health and Prosperity of Affairs. Given from the Turkish Camp, in the Visiers Tent at Vienna, the 13th of September, (being the day after that great Victory) in the Year of our Lord, 1683. In the Tenth Year of our Reign.