The late history of Europe being a narration of all remarkable actions and other various affairs, both civil and military, that have happened in the several kingdoms and republicks : from the Treaty at Nimiguen in anno 1676 to the conclusion of the late peace at Res-Wick in September 1697 : which makes up a history of one and twenty years : accuratly and succinctly abridg'd / by Captain David Kennendy.

CHAP. VIII. Anno 1683.

SECT. I.

[Sect. 1] Now the Court frames a new Plot, and father it on the Presbyterians, of surprizing the Guards, of Murdering the King and his Bro∣ther on their return from New-mercat, and of rai∣sing the People at Blackheath, on a pretended Foot-Ball match. The main design being against the Earl of Essex, and the Lord Russel, who are present∣ly apprehended and confined in the Tower, where, in a few days after, it was given out, that the Earl of Essex had cut his own Throat, but by many re∣markable circumstances, and especially, the odd proceedings at the Coroners inquest, the certainty of this lyes under great suspition, and is much doubted of by all impartial and uninterested persons.

That very day on which Essex Murder happen∣ed, the Lord Russel was on his Tryal, and being Condemned, was Executed in Lincolnes Inn fieilds, a few days after protesting his innocence at his last Hour, and leaving a Paper in the Sheriffs Hands, to declare the same to the World, dated July 21. 1683. But too long to be inserted hero

These Tragical Acts were followed with the E∣xecution of Bateman, Walcot, and Rouse.

And though some escaped with Life, yet they were oppressed with exorbitant Fines, from Ten thousand, to an hundered Thousand Pounds, for Scan∣dalous Words, against the Duke of York.

The next person of quality brought on the Stage, was the Honourable Collonel Sidney, a Man inferi∣or to few for his Noble Extract, but, for his excel∣lent vertues hardly to be matcht by any: who be∣ing ranked in the same Categorie with Essex, and R••ss••••, Con••piring to depose the King, and stirring up Rebellion, is Impeached, convicted, and Con∣demned for High Treason▪ and Executed on Tower-hill, the 7th, of December 1683▪ making such an ex∣cellent Speech on the Scaffold, as makes the name and Memory of Algernoon Sidney, Savory and fa∣mous.

SECT. 2.

[Sect. 2] Notwithstanding these Bloody pro∣ceedings, somewhat more was requisite to making the King an absolute Despotical Prince, and that was to ingross the Charters of all the Corporations in England, and get them wholly in the Kings Hands, as they had that of London, knowing that this would quite subvert, and alter the constitution of the Parliament. For the House of Commons consisting of Five hundered, and Thirteen Memb••rs, where∣of only Ninety two are Knights of Shires, near five parts of six must consist of Burgesses and Citizens, and all those (if this project take effect) must doubtless be of the Kings chusing, and must have their depen∣dency on the Court favour, and so it may be easily judged where the plurality of Votes would run, when matters fell in debate, between the Court and its opponents. So all the Wits about Court are actively employed in carrying on of this important Affair, which (by many strange and irregular methods) at last, they accomplished.

A farther step the Court made, by demolishing and quirting the Garison of Tangier, (the keeping whereof for above twenty years, had cost the King an Hundered thousand pound per annum) and by bringing over the Forces (being most part Papists, both Officers and Souldiers) and quartering them in the most considerable parts of England.

In this pitiful state we shall leave England for a while, and take a view of the terrible War en∣sueing, betwixt the Emperour of Germany, and the Turks.

In the mean time take notice, that the French King not only Seizes the Towns of Homburg and Bissul, the only two places remaining to the Duke of Lor rain, of all his Dutchy; but ripping up all the old Monuments and Records of the Parliament of Metz, he indeavours by them to prove a Title to many Coun∣tries and Villages, both in Germany and Flanders, and actually claymes them; This did so allarme all the potentats on the Continent. as the Emperour, Sw••dland, and the States of Holland, Franconia, and several other free and Imperial Cities, enter into a Mutual League of Defence, which was called the League of Ausburg; In bringing which to pass, the Prince of Orarge was Eminently active, But the King of England was not at all concerned in this grand affaires on which my Author makes a-severe re-mark.

SECT. 3.

[Sect. 3] But tó returne to Germany, and Hungary; take notice of the ground of this War. which was oc∣casioned by a discontented party in Hungary, of whom, Count Teckeley became the sole Head after the fall of Serins; several Expedients being proposed, for accommodating matters between them, and taking no effect, nothing would satisfie the mal-contents, but the calling in of the Turks to assist them: The Emperour finding them resolved on this, thought

fit to strengthen himself by entering into a strict Al∣liance with the King of Poland, and the next year, he drew in the State of Venice, so as it became a Tripartite Confederacie.

On the sixth of May 1683. The Emperour gives the Command of his Army to Charles Duke of Lorrain, who presently Marches with the Army to Newhousel and beseidges it. on which making several sharp attacks, he was forced at last to quit it, hear∣ing that the Grand Visier was on his March to Buda with an Army of above two Hundered Thousand Men: The Duke hasts through the Isle of Schut, towards Raab, and in few days after, the Turkish Army draws thither, and Encamps within veiw of the Imperial Army. The Duke of Lorrain finding the Turkish Army far above his number, hasts to∣wards Vienna, whither the Grand Visier soon fol∣lowed. As the Duke made his retreat, on the sixth of July, three Thousand Tartars, sallying out of a Wood, suddently and furiously, attacks the left wing of his Army (Guarding the Baggadge on the Front) dissorders, and beats them back on the main Body, and tho the Germans opposed and root∣ed them yet they carryed off most part of the Bagadge with them. In this Conflict, Prince Lewis of Sa∣xony and the young Duke of Arschot were killed.

The Emperour hearing of the approach of the Turkish Army removed from Vienna to Lintz leaving the City in great dissorder and Consternation, and many fled and left it.

SECT 4

[Sect. 4] On the eight of July, the Duke comes to Vienna with his Army, in good order, which cheered up the drooping Citizens very much; And Count Sta∣remberg, the Governour▪ put all things in the best posture he could, for making a Vigorous defence against the Enemy, who on the fourteenth formed

the Seige Encamping between the Town and the south side of the Danube.

This Famous and Memorable Seige was carried on by the Visier Bassa, with better Conduct and greater Resolution, then had appeared in any of the Turkish Enterprises, for many ages preceeding, and was ••ndefatigably continued for the space of nine Weeks: And was (with no less policy and Valour Vigorously defend••d by the Noble Governour Sta∣remberg.

To enter upon a minute account of the many brisk attacks and furious Assaults made by the E∣nemy, and the no less Valiant Resistance made by the Germans, were to swell and enlarge this work be∣yond the proper and ordinary bounds of an A∣bridgement. So as for the satisfaction of the more curious, in that point, I must referre them to the O∣riginal, and intreat them to rest contented with the Summary account following.

The Duke of Lorrain lying with his small Army entrenched beyond the Da••ube, and hearing that Count Teckcley was ravaging all Moravia, Marched thither, and drove him thence: On the seventeenth of August he had a letter from Staremberg giving an account of all Remarkable Actions on both sides, preceeding the date of his letter:

That a Jamsary being taken told him that they had already lost ten Thousand men, two Bassa's and many great Officers; But he wrote withall that their losses and dangers in the Town encreassed dialy, and im∣plored roleife, with all possible speed.

To which the Duke Answered,

That the Auxiliary Forces were now almost Joyned; that the King of Poland was hasting hither, in Person; that he ex∣pected the arrival of all the joynt Forces▪ before the last day of August, that he had recovered Presburg from Count Teckcley, and beaten him once a••a••n

near the Marow. And prayed him to persevere in his duty, till releife came.

Which letter did much Encourage the Governour and the whole City. But the first of September being come, and no signe of releif, the Governour gives the Duke notice once again, of the Extremities they were reduced to; and on the sixth at night, they espyed five Rockets on the top of the Calemburg, near the Dukes Quarters, as a signe that the Succours were at hand, which fil∣led them all with exceeding joy.

The Grand Visier having Intelligence of the ap∣proach of the Confederate Forces, carryes on his attaches with great diligence, till the eleventh, and that afternoon, Decamps, and Marches with his Forces towards the Calemburg, to which the Christi∣an Army was come.

The Turkish Army amounted to an Hundred and twenty Thousand Fighting Men, above sixty Thousand being lost in the seige; The Christian Army not exceeding eighty Thousand, and six Thousand in the Town.

The King of Poland Commanded the Right wing. The Dukes of Bavaria and Lorrain, the left, the Duke of Saxony and Prince Waldeck Commanding the main body. Whereupon Ensued a fierce and cruel Battle, being maintained with a great obsti∣nacie and resolution on both sides, for a long time. Durcing the hottest of the Battle, the Turks (left at the Seige by the Grand Visier) attached the Town with incredible Vigour▪ and Furie, which put the beseiged so to it, that the Governour was forced to send to the Duke of Lorrain for Assistance, who sent presently Prince Lewis of Baden with a body of Horse, Foot, and Dragoons into the City, with whose help all the Turks that were in the attack were cut in peices.

In short, towards the evening, the Enemy gave

way, and fled, the Christians pursuing them be∣yond their Camp, and standing to their Arms all night, the next morning being the thirteenth, they plundered the Enemyes Catrip, took fifty peice of Cannon, two Horse tayles, the Grand Seigniors Standard, and the Grand Visiers own Horse, with all their Tents and Provisions; In this ba••tle, which was on the twelth of September, 1683. the Turks lost above fifteen Thousand Men, and the Christi∣ans not above on Thousand.

The Princes Assisting the Emperour in this battle, were, The King of Poland, the Electors of Saxony and Bavaria, The Duke of Lorrain, Prince Waldeck. the two Princes of Baden, the Prince of Anhalt the Duke of Croy, the Prince de Salm, the Marquesse of Bran∣denburg Bareith, the Landtgrave of Hesse, the Prince of Hannover, the two Princes of Newburg, four Princes of the House of Saxony, three of Wirtemburg, and the Prince of Hoenzelles.

The Emperour being informed of this Glorious Victory, came the next day to Vienna, and going to St Stevens Church, with the two Electors, and many other Princes and Nobles, caused Te Deum to be sung, which was followed with a Triple discharge of all the Cannon.

The Polish and Emperial Armies, having re∣freshed themselves a few days, persue the Enemy, and near the Fort of Barkan, they find fourteen Thou∣sand Turks Encamped, whom they attack and root so intirely, as scarce four Thousand of them got safe in to the Garison of Barkan, which the Christians presently attacked, and took it by storme, putting all to the sword, except five hundered Janisaries: in this place the D••ke of Lorrain put a good Garison, and on the twentieth of October he passed the Dannbe with the Imperial Army, and Marched towards Gran.

The Duke of Lorrain Beseiged this Town, and

plyed it so warmely, as on the twenty seventh of October (which was but three dayes after the opening of the Trenches) the Turks desired to Capitu∣late which the Duke listened to, and the Ar∣ticles being agreed on, the Turks marched out, to the number of two Thousand Jānisaries, and four Thousand of the Inhabitants, and were conducted by a safe Convoy in their way to Buda. So Gran was reco∣vered, with the loss of an Hundered and fifty Men, after it had been seventy eight years in Possession of the Turks.

Notes

• Presbyte∣rian Plot
• Essex mur∣dered in the Tower.
• Lord Russel Executed July 21th. 1683
• And three more soon after.
• Algernoon Si••ney, Impeached Condemn∣ed▪ and Executed
• The Char∣ters of all Corpo∣rations questioned
• Tangier quitted and demo∣lished, and the Forces brought o∣ver to En∣land.
• The French Kings pre∣tensions in Germany, Flanders &c.
• The league of Ausburg.
• Alliance between the Emper∣our, Pole and Venice.
• Duke of Lorrain General of the Imperi∣al Army.
• Beseiges Newhousel, but quits it on the Turks a∣proach.
• Retreats to Vienna, the Turks fol∣low him.
• Vienna bi∣seiged by the Turks.
• A breife account of the Seige.
• The Turks decamp.
• The battle of Calem∣burg.
• The Turks desea••ed.
• Names of the Auxili∣aries.
• Emperour returns to Vienna.
• Battle of Barkan
• Turk•• de∣feated.
• Gra•• 〈…〉〈…〉
• An. 1684.