THE INTREIGUES OF THE French King AT CONSTANTINOPLE, &c. THE INTREIGUES OF THE French King AT CONSTANTINOPLE, To Embroil CHRISTENDOM: DISCOVERED In several DISPATCHES past betwixt Him and the Late Grand signior, Grand Vizier, and Count TECKILY. All of them found among that Count's Papers seized in December last. None of them being hitherto seen in English. WITH Some REFLECTIONS upon them. Published by Authority. LONDON: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry. 1689. To the Reader. NOtwithstanding all the World lays the blame of this War of the Turks, at the French King's door; and that the Emperour in his Declaration against France, does expressly assert, That, that King by his ambassador at Constantinople, had stirred up the Ottomans to break the Truce with the Christians, and to fall in upon the Hereditary Countries of the House of Austria: Yet this Intreigue could not be made out from any demonstrative evidence till of late, when in a parcel of Count Teckly's Papers, seized in December last, the Duplicates of the following Dispatches were found among them, which has put the Affair now beyond all question. These Duplicates being mentioned in a Book printed at Rome in Italian, about four Months ago, called, The Miseries of Christendom, occasioned by the Ambition of the most Christian King, were Copied from thence, and sent hither; the Book itself being too large, and its Contents too dangerous, to be conveyed by the ordinary packet. To make these Dispatches public, and to give some few necessary hints to render them intelligible, is all that I aim at in the following Sheets, or that thou art to expect at present from me upon this Subject. THE INTREIGUES OF THE French King AT CONSTANTINOPLE, &c. THE Treaty of Nimeguen had mightily changed the Face of Europe, and the Temple of Janus seemed once more shut for good and all: The Empire, Spain, France, England, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Provinces began all of them to breath a calmer Air, and to bury the remembrance of a bloody War, in the felt Blessings of a Serener Peace. It was not Christendom alone that was thus happy; The Ottomans, though Enemies to the Religion, yet in all their Conduct appeared Friends to the Persons and Interests of the Christians, and under the sway of a peaceable Prince Mahomet the Fourth, they enjoyed without Envy or Disturbance, the fruits of the Treaty made with the Emperour, Anno 1664. The Houses of Austria and France, the two great Competitors in the late War, seemed to be united in an indissoluble Friendship, by the Marriage of his catholic Majesty, with Mademoselle d' Orleans, the French King's Niece; And the great Personal Endowments of that beautiful Princess, promised the continuance of a good understanding betwixt her Husband and her Uncle, by her means. This was the state of Europe, and thus it might have been to this day, if the boudless Ambition of Lowis the XIV. the Most Christian King, had not plunged her of new again into Miseries greater than hitherto they had fell. This restless Monarch's aims were always rolling upon the imperial Dignity; And to be the most Absolute King of France, of all that went before him, was not a sufficient quarry for this soaring Mind, unless he could attain to be Emperour of Germany at the same time: It was not the first time, that the Most Christian Kings had made, the strictest Alliances with the Turks: One of the greatest, and perhaps best of them, had above an Hundred and forty years ago, brought an Ottoman Army before the Walls of Vienna, and was within an Ace of seeing that Rampart of Christendom laid in Ashes. Lowis the XIV. entertained the same inclinations that Francis the First had, and his inveterate hatred of Leopold, came nothing short of his Predecessors to Charles: The imperial Dignity, and the Ruin of the House of Austria, were the two Whites they both equally shot at, and both of them had been disappointed of the first. Many more were the bars that obstructed the designs of Francis the First, than those which Lowis had to grapple with. Francis had no fewer Enemies than the Kingdoms of Spain, Naples, sicily and Sardignia, the whole Seventeen Provinces of the Low-Countries, and the greatest duchy in Europe, that of milan; All of them united together in the Person of Charles the Fifth, together with the unexhaustible Riches of the New-found World, to bear up his expenses. Francis had likewise to do with the other Brother Ferdinand, King of the Romans, Boheme and Hungary, and Master of all the Hereditary Countries of the House of Austria in Germany. In fine, Francis his Fate lead him to contend with the House of Austria when it was in its Vertical height, and made the greatest Figure that Europe had seen in one Family since the days of Charles the Great. Lowis the XIV. upon the contrary, had all reason in the World, to expect a better Event of his Ambitious hopes, than what attended Francis the First. The Family of Austria was now sunk greatly in its Power, and was at the lowest ebb of its Fortune; Being divided to boot into two distinct Families, possessed of Countries at a great distance one from another, and neither of them in capacity to lend one another any considerable assistance: And which added greatly to its misfortune, the whole Family was now reduced to the number of Three Males only, the Emperour, the King of Spain, and the Arch-Duke; the Emperour being past the Meridian of his Age, the King of Spain not yet attained the years of Majority, and of a weak and valitudinary Constitution, and the Arch-Duke as yet but a Child. There was one thing more that flattered the Ambitious hopes of the Most Christian King, the prospect of the Crown of Spain, with all its vast Territories in the old and new Worlds, through the decease of his catholic Majesty. It's true, that in the Contract of Marriage betwixt Lowis the XIII. and the then Infanta of Spain, and in that of Lowis the XIV. with the Sister of his present catholic Majesty, both of them Ratified by the Treaty of Perinees. These two Kings did Renounce all benefit of Succession to the Crown of Spain, or to any of its Dominions, upon the failure of that Male-branch of Austria. But Lowis the XIV. has left us no ground to doubt of the little value he puts upon Treaties or Agreements of that nature, and how easily his Conscience might over-come any scruple arising therefrom, in case of the Death of his catholic Majesty without Issue, when there would be so vast an Interest at stake. I am loathe to meddle with that Affair so much talked of, about the Cause of the Queen of Spain's Barrenness: The Court of France knows best what truth is in it; and indeed one might pardonably enough conclude, That the politics of that Court would make no scruple, to hinder at any rate the further increase of the House of Spain; And that if the Art of physic could possibly effectuate the design, there might be gotten some one of that Profession, at Paris or Versailles, to lend a hand to it. But the Death of that Queen puts a stop to any further Inquiry into so mysterious an Affair, and I am willing to bury the remembrance of it in that Princesses Tomb. The most Christian King having thus in his Ambitious hopes, devoured the Crown of Spain upon supposition of the Death of its present King, there remained one thing to be done, in order to prevent any trouble from the other Branch of the House of Austria, in the points of Succession to that Crown; and at the same time to path a way to the Imperial Dignity itself; And that was to break the Treaty between the Emperour and the Turks, and to bring an Ottoman Army in upon Germany: The politic of which design lay here, That the Turks falling in upon the Empire, and the Emperours Hereditary Countries, might so far weaken the Germans, and undo the Emperours own Estate, as to render the one incapable of supporting the imperial Dignity, and to force the other to call in the French King to their assistance, and to Proclaim him Emperour, which event he had the rather reason to hope, that he had entertained Correspondence with a great many Princes of the Empire, and had been liberal enough of his Gold to gain their Friendship. But if all this should happen to fail him, the most Christian King would at least have the satisfaction to embroil the Empire, and render them and the Head of the German Body incapable to obstruct his designs upon Spain, either in part, while that King was alive; or for the whole when dead. In order to this so Christian a design, the most Christian King dispatches an Express to his ambassador at Constantinople, with Orders to him, to endeavour by all means possible to procure a rapture with the Emperour and to deliver the following Letter to the Grand signior, after having first imparted it, together with another Letter( which has not come to our hands) to the Grand Visier. The Letter being written Originally both in French and Latin, runs thus in the Duplicate found among Count Teckilies Papers. To MAHOMET the Fourth, The most Serene Emperour of the TURKS. IT being always our Design and Ambition, to promote the interest and advantage of our Allies and Friends to the uttermost of our power, especially your Highnesses, our singular good Friend and ally, whose Concerns We ever have, and shall own as our own; We have given Command to our Trusty and Faithful Servant Residing our ambassador at the Port, to acquaint your Highness as from us, of certain great and important matters, that conconcern your Highness's Greatness and Interest, with relation to your Kingdom of Hungary, and to the encroachments made upon you by Leopold Emperour of the Germans. You may give entire credit to what our said ambassador shall tell you on our part, and may safely lay your Account so without Concurrence and Assistance, in what may contribute to the Glory of yours, and our Arms, against our Common Enemy. God have your Highness in his Protection. Your Highnesse's good Friend, Ancient ally and Confederate, LOWIS. Given at our Palace-Royal of Versailles, in our Kingdom of France, this 3d. of April 1681. REFLECTIONS. WE may easily guess by the strain of this Letter, the subject-matter which the French ambassador was Commanded to empart to the Grand signior; since we find he tells him plainly it was something relating to Leopold, Emperour of the Germans; whom, no doubt, he likewise designs at the end of the Letter by the said Common Enemy. I confess it's an irreparable loss, that we have not got into our hands a Duplicate of the other Letter so written at the same time to the Grand Vizier, which was not among the rest of Count Teckly's Papers; among which, this to the Grand signior was found. But we may well conclude, That, that Letter was more particular than the abovementioned one to the Grand signior, if we take a view of the partial Copy of the French Ambassadour's Instructions sent him at the same time from Versailles, found likewise among Teckily's Papers, which seems, by the abruptness of them, to be indeed but a part of a greater number, contained in the principal Instructions. What's contained in this Paper, is as follows. Upon the back of the Paper it's written thus in High Dutch, and thought to be Count Teckily's own Hand: Concerning the French Ambassadour's Instructions from his Prince, Anno 1681. The Paper within, runs thus in French, and in a different hand: To assure the Grand Vizier that his Majesty of France is, and always was, a sincere Friend of the Grand signors, and this in particular; and that he has on all occasions expressed his value and esteem of them. To give him an account of the present low Condition of the Family of Austria, and of the great Jealousies entertained of that House by most of the Princes of the Empire; And that in case of an Invasion upon the Emperour's Hereditary Countries, it would be impossible for him to make any considerable Resistance, especially considering he himself understands nothing of War, being taken up altogether with his superstitious Devotion in Jubilees, Processions, and the like. Here there are above thirty Lines put out, so that they are utterly illegible. Then the Paper continues thus: To give him an account of the present state of Hungary, and of the many Grievances that Kingdom lies under, from the Oppression of the Emperour; and to persuade him, that the Noblemen and Gentry of Hungary long earnestly for an opportunity to shake off the Austrian Yoke, and to put themselves in the Protection of the Port; but more especially These of the reformed Religion. To give him all possible assurances, that in case the Grand Vizier shall attempt any thing against the Germans, He shall be sure of the Assistance of the King of France, by way of a diversion upon the Rhine; and that all Measures possible shall be taken for the Success of the Ottoman Arms, in as far as will consist with that necessary decorum which must be kept up, the more to amuse the Germans. If he find that the Grand Vizier relishes these Proposals, and that the inclines to break the Truce with the Emperour, then He shall deliver the closed Letter herewith sent, and directed for the Grand Vizier: But if he find him shy in the Proposals, then he shall return the said Letter unbroken up, by the first opportunity. If he find the Grand Vizier Cordial in the Affair, then he shall propose a League Defensive and Offensive betwixt Us and the Port, as near as possible to the draft herewith sent. This is all this Paper contains, and it's a great misfortune that it's not more large, as certainly the principal from which it has been Copied has been. And with the want of the Letter to the Grand Vizier, we must also regret that of the draft of the Offensive and Defensive League, which appears to have been sent with the Instructions. However, we have more than enough left us in this Paper, to persuade us of the Obligations that Europe has to the French King's Intreigues at Constantinople, and where we may lay the blame of all the Miseries she suffers at this day. I hope no body will doubt but that these Instructions are the same mentioned in the Letter written to the Grand signior, though the Date be not set down, since they run upon one and the same strain, relate to the same subject, and have been both of them written before the War broke out. And by the by, I cannot but admire that Expression in the Instructions, of the Emperour's superstitious Devotion; where He that pretends to be the eldest Son of the Church, gives such a bad designation to the Worship of that Religion he himself professes. The Cursed effects of these Letters and Instructions, broken out, to the astonishment of all Europe, in the Year 1682. At which time the Grand signior broke the Twenty years Truce with the Emperour, and fell in upon Hungary with a formidable Army. And in the Month of July 1683, the Ottoman Army sat down before Vienna, the Emperour and his Family being obliged to retire to Lintz in the greatest Consternation, and leaving Count Staremberg governor within the Town. There is another Duplicate of a Letter found among Count Teckly's Papers, written to him by the French King in the Month of August, during the Siege of Vienna; and which by its strain, appears to be one, of a great many others, written about that time, and to be the effect of a constant Correspondence betwixt them, and gives further light to this Affair. The Paper in French, is in these words. To the Illustrious Prince, and our good Friend, ally and Confederate, The Count of TECKILY, &c. Prince of the Holy Empire, and Palatine in Hungary. My LORD, WE have given you so many demonstrations of our Friendship to you, and of our Zealous Concern for your Interest, that We believe you have no ground to doubt of it, long before this time. I am extraordinarily glad of the good effects of our Friendship, and that our Enemies are brought to the state they are in. Your Fortune depends entirely upon the pushing it forward, for the Emperour will try all means to raise the Siege by his Allies. What We wrote last, We refer you to it; and you may lay your Account with another supply of the same kind, when ever the Passages can allow of it; For We will not be a Friend by halves only, but to the utmost extent of our Power. We wait with impatience the event of this great Affair; and We are preparing to be as good as our Word upon our part. This Currier you may trust without reserve, and dispatch him by the way of Denmark after he has— Here are two Lines razed out, so that it's impossible to make any thing of them; and then follows, God keep you in his Holy Protection. My Lord and good Friend, Your good Friend and Confederate, LOWIS. Given at our Palace of Versailles the 30th of August, 1683. REFLECTIONS. IN this Letter we have the most Christian King expressing a Cordial affection to a person that was in Arms with the mahometans against the Christians; we have him testifying his extraordinary gladness, that his and their Enemies, viz. the Christian Emperour, is brought low; and encouraging them to push forward the Siege of Vienna, lost it should be relieved There is one expression of his sending him a Supply of the same kind when the Passages can allow of it; which must certainly be Money, since no Supply could thereby be meant, but either that of Men or Money; and Men he had not sent before, as that kind of Supply he promises now is insinuated to have been; and consequently it must be Money. But how much and how often the most Christian King did supply Count Teckily in this kind, we are in the mist; yet probably He cost the French King vast Sums of Money, considering that Teckily's Army was constantly well paid, when at that same time; that of the Serasquier's was always upon the Mutenying for want of theirs. The glorious Actions of Raising the Siege of Vienna by his Majesty of Poland, the Duke of lorraine, and the Elector of Bavaria, was an Event too great and too important ever to be forgotten; And the News of it was so unwelcome at Versailles, that none of the Most Christian King's Minions durst venture to tell him of it, till Monsieur de Montauzier, the Cato of France, undertook it with the same freedom he uses to tell that King his Faults; And indeed never did Lowis the XIV receive any thing with greater Concern of Mind, and more Resentment of Wrath and Revenge, than this so happy an event for Christendom: He shut himself up in his Chamber for two days, without allowing his nearest Favourites to come near him; And such was the Impression this News had upon him, that it threw him into a kind of Fever, which kept him in Bed another day more; so mightily was the Most Christian King afflicted at the ill success of his ally and Confederate the Grand signior. His Majesty of Poland deserves more of Christendom, than to be accused of his slackness in pursuing his Victory against the Ottomans; and it were the height of Ingratitude to mention the Motives that prevailed with that War-like Prince to return so soon with his Victorious Army to his own country. Only this we may venture to say, That Prince found it much easier to Conquer the Turks, than to Resist a French Lady that lay in his Bosom, whose Solicitation stopped him in the very midst of his Career of Glory. So universal an influence has the Most Christian King in all Places, and upon all Sexes, where his Money can reach. The Ottomans were strangely humbled by their disaster before the Walls of Vienna, and Count Teckily of all Men, had most reason to doubt his Fate, considering it's ordinary among Princes, especially these of the mahometan Religion, to sacrifice, to their Revenge, the persons that have occasioned their misfortunes. In this perplexity of Count Teckily's affairs, his constant ally and Confederate Lowis the XIV. was not wanting to create in him fresh hopes, and to raise his drooping spirits by the promises of his faithfuluess to his Interest: In order to which, he dispatches him an Express with this Letter, a Duplicate whereof, among that Count's Papers, runs thus in the French. To the Illustrious Prince, and our good Friend, ally and Confederate, The Court of TECKILY, &c. Prince of the Holy Empire, and Palatine in Hungary. Illustrious Lord and ally, WE have dispatched this our Trusty Servant, the Siour de Vennes, to let you know the Affliction of our Mind upon the account of the Misfortune at Vienna; And We shall not at present reflect upon the Mismanagements of that Affair, nor upon the Methods taken by the Serasquier Bassa, contrary to what We formerly wrote by Monsieur de Lees. It's more reasonable We should fall upon the Consideration of what is next to be done in order to retrieve our Affairs, than idly to regret what's past. To this effect We have given de Vennes our ample Instructions what to propose to you, and by you to the Serasquier Bassa; in which We desire you to give him full credit. I have ordered him to show You and the Serasquier the Instructions Signed by us, and refers the rest to your own discretion and his. And because there is one thing in the Instructions which We resolve to put in practise before We can possibly have your Answer, viz. that of making a Diversion; We desire you may rest assured, that We will not fail therein; and to that purpose We have ordered a considerable part of our Armies to march instantly to the Frontiers. We have sent herewith by our said Servant. Here is above nine Lines altogether blotted out, and only these following words remaining: Illustrious Lord and ally, Your good Friend, ally, and Confederate, LOWIS. Given at our Royal Court at Versailles the 2d. of December 1683. REFLECTIONS. IN this pathetic Letter His most Christian Majesty condoles with Count Teckily the Misfortune of Raising the Siege of Vienna, and encourages him against it, by giving Instructions to the Messenger, to propose some things both to him and to the Serasquier Bassa, in order to retrieve their Affairs. But what these Instructions, signed with that King's hand, were, we cannot know any further, than in so far as concerns the making of a Diversion, and sending of a considerable part of his Armies to the Frontiers. Which Expressions may easily be interpnted by what followed some Months after the date of this Letter, I mean the most Christian King sitting down before Luxemburgh, which indeed was a considerable Diversion, as being one of the most important places belonging to the Spanish Netherlands, and of the greatest consequence to the Empire itself. I am very inclinable to think that the Lines blotted out at the end of the Letter, contains something of so strange a nature, that Count Teckily himself thought it not fit to keep the Copy of it beside him: But what that was, I leave it to others to divine. All the World knows that this Affair of Luxemburgh awakened His late Majesty Charles the Second; And that the English Nation espousing so briskly the King of Spain's Interest at that time, occasioned the subsequent Truce of Twenty years. Yet it's not to be imagined, but His most Christian Majesty did cordially sympathise with the Losses that his Allies sustained in Hungary, and that the constant Tract of Victories, acquired by his Highness the Duke of lorraine, and the Elector of Bavaria, were matters of the greatest grief to him. But what Letters or good Offices past betwixt him and Count Teckily, or the Serasquier, after the date of the last Letter to Teckily above-mentioned, we have attained no other knowledge of, but by common famed; there being, for any thing I can learn, no other Papers found as yet, to give light into them. All we can say further from convincing proofs, in relation to His most Chriftian Majesty's Intreigues with the Turks since that time, is that which was publicly transacted at Constantinople, after the Dethroning of the late Grand signior Mahomet, and setting up this soliman; which was thus: soliman, upon his coming to the Throne, did sand Commissioners to the Emperour to Treat of a Peace, and their Instructions were very favourable to the Emperour, yielding him all Hungary, except two Towns. This Overture of Peace, so favourable to the House of Austria, was so unwelcome News to the most Christian King, that he was resolved to leave no means unessayed, to obstruct its taking effect: And in order thereto, he dispatches an Express to his ambassador at the Port, to demand a private Audience of the new Grand Vizier, and there-after of the Grand signior himself, and to propose some plausible things to encourage them to continue the War. Fortune has not been so kind to us, as to allow us a Copy of this Letter, and the Overtures then proposed by the French ambassador. But this is certain, that the only method the new Sultan did fall upon at that time, to quiet the Minds of his enraged Subjects, was to cause his Ministers to tell them, That the Emperour of the Franks,( meaning his most Christian Majesty) would presently fall upon the Germans, on the other side, with so considerable an Army, as would necessary oblige the Emperour of the Germans to turn the most of his Forces that way, and thereby leave all his Conquest in Hungary to be re-taken by the Ottomans. And that something of this nature must necessary have been the Subject of the French Ambassadour's Audience, appears yet more fully from these two Heads: First, Immediately upon that Audience, there was an Express Courier dispatched from the Grand Vizier to the Turkish Commissioners in Hungary, to stand upon higher terms than first they had offered. And, Secondly, Within less than two Months thereafter, the most Christian King did actually lay Siege to Philipsburgh, and thereby made a final rapture with the Empire. What followed upon the taking of Philips-burgh, the Palatinate, and the Territories upon the Rhine now in Ashes, have reason never to forget: And the most Christian King has not failed his Confederate the Grand signior in making a terrible Diversion from him, of the Imperial Forces; but has far out-done the Turks themselves in the severest manner of making War against his Fellow-Christians; and has done his utmost to deserve the Character given by the late Pope, viz. the Christian Turk, and as great an Enemy to Europe as the mahometan one. FINIS. BOOKS, &c. lately Printed for Dorman Newman at the King's Arms in the Poultry, London. I. THE History of the Treaty at Nimeguen, with Reflections on the Interest of Europe, in Relation to that Affair. Translated out of French. Price 2 s. 6 d. II. A Vindication of the present Great Revolution in England, in Five Letters, passed between James Welwood, M. D. and Mr. John March, Vicar of Newcastle upon Tine: occasioned by a Sermon preached by him on Jan. 30. 1688 / 9. before the Mayor and Aldermen for Passive Obedience and Non-resistance. Price 6 d. III. An Answer to the late King James's Declaration, dated at Dublin-Castle the 8th of May last, To all his pretended Subjects of the Kingdom of England. And Ordered, by a Vote of the Honourable House of Commons, to be Burnt by the Hands of the Common Hangman. Price 6 d. IV. A Seasonable Discourse, wherein is Examined what is Lawful, during the Confusions and Revolutions of Government, especially in the Case of A King Deserting his Kingdom; And how far a Man may Lawfully comform to the Powers and Commands of those who with various successses hold Kingdoms. Whether it be Lawful, 1. In paying Taxes. 2. In personal Service. 3. In taking Oaths. 4. In giving himself up to a final Allegiance: As also, Whether the Nature of War be inconsistent with the Nature of the Christian Religion. V. Orange-Cards, Representing the late King's Reign, and Expedition of the Prince of Orange:( Viz.) The Earl of Essex's murder; Dr. Otes's Whipping: Defacing the Monument; My Lord Jessries in the West; Hanging of Magdalen-Colledge; trial of the Bishops; Castlemain at Rome; The Popish Midwife; A Jesuit Preaching against our Bible; Consecrated Smock; My Lord Chancellor at the Beds-seet; Birth of the Prince of Wales; The Audience; Mass-houses pulling down and burning by Captain Tom and his Mobile; Mortarpieces on the Tower; Prince of ORANGE's Landing; The Jesuits scampering; Father Peter's Transactions; The Fight at Reading; The Army going over to the Prince of Orange; Tyrconnel in Ireland; My Lord Chancellor in the Tower; With many other remarkable Passages of the Times. To which is added, The Effigies of our Gracious King William and Queen Mary. Curiously Illustrated and Engraven in sively Figures; done by the Performers of the first Popish Plot Cards: And is the only true Sort, if there be any others they are Counterseit. VI. The Murmurers; a Poem: To which is added the Character of a Grumbletonian. Price 6 d. VII. Johannis Georgii Graevii Oratio de Auspicatissima Expeditione Britannica, cum Potentissimus & Invictissimus Guilielmus Aransionensis Princeps, Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Rex Inauguraretur, die xi. Aprilis: Auctori latae Praepotentium & Illustrium Ordinum Trajectinae Diaesesis habita. 1689. Price 8 d. VIII. Reasons why the Parliament of Scotland cannot comply with the late King James's Proclamation, sent lately to that Kingdom, and Prosecuted by the late Viscount Dundee, containing an Answer to every Paragraph of the said Proclamation, and Vindicating the said Parliament, their present Proceedings against him. Price 6 d. IX. An Encomium on the Reverend and Valiant Mr. George Walker. Price 1 d. X. 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