Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN DRIC BATCOX TKERCK >unds AVeiolit oi'ii-ons m <>t' Magdcbiiror LIFE AND SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF Frederick Baron Trenck. CAREFULLY COLLECTED AND ABRIDGED FROM THE r EDITION o, HI. OWNMEMO.RS. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A SHORT SUPPLEMENT; LONDON: FOR . ONLY ONE SHILLING,] THE LIFE fcf ADVENTURES OF BARON TRENCK. I WAS born 1726, at Koenigfberg, in Pruflia. My father, deicended from an ancient family, was General of Cavalry: he died in 1740, after having received eighteen wounds in the fervice of Pruflia. My mother wa daughter of the Prefident of the Supreme Court of Koenigibevg : one of her brothers was Miniiter -of State, and the two others Generals of Infantry. After my father's death, flie married Count Loftange, Lieu- tenant-Colonel of the regiment of Cuirafnars of Kiow. I had two brothers and a filter: one of my brothers remained with my mother ; the other was Cornet in the regiment of Kiow ; ar.d my filter married. the only fon of old ..General Waldo w, and fettled " in ? ;4igaden- burg. My father fent me, at the age of tliivtecn, to the univcrllty of Kocnigfberg, where I made a rapid pro- greis in my education. At the end of 1740, I had a difpute with a gentleman named \Vallenrod, .who boarded in the fame iioufe : he \vas much taller and ilronger than me j and defpifing my weaknefs, thought proper to ftrike me : I demanded fatisfa6tion, which he refufing conlemptuoufly, I took a fecond, and attacked him in the open ftreet. We fought j and I had the good fortune to wound him in the hand and arm. B This S LIFE AND ADVENTURES This affair was much talked of; and Doftor Kov\- alewlki; our Prof'. ffor, ranking a complaint to the uni- A^erfity, 1 was fentenced to -three hours confinement. But M. Warfchaw, my grandfather, pleafed with my fpirit, took me out of the houfe, and placed me, as a boarder, with Profeffor Chrifiiani. There, for the firft time, I began to enjoy entire liberty : I owe to that wor- thy man my little knowledge of natural Philofophy, and other fciences. Under his aufplces 1 fupported two pub- lic Thefes, in 1742, with great fucceis j being then only ,about fixteen years old. Three days after the firft of them, a profefled bully forced me, in a manner to fight : I wounded him in the hip. Thefe fucceffes fo puffed me up, that I appeared in public with a fword of enormous length, and all the ap- pendages of a. prize-fighter. I fhould certainly have become a duellift, if the good- r.efs of my heart, and my misfortunes, had not foon after brought me to reafon. A fortnight had fcarcely flapf: d from my laft quarrel,, before 1 had another with one of my friends a Lieutenant of the garrifon, whom I infulted. We fought, and I wounded him in two places. Duelling, among the ftudents, was not punifhed at this period j it was looked upon as an honour to fend a challenge. In November 1742, Baron Lottum, the King's Ad- jutant General, a relation of- my mother, was fent by his jVlajefty to Koenigfoerg. He dined at my grandfather's, chatted a good deal with me, and, after having founded me by a vaiiety of queftions, aflied me if I ihoul.l not be tempted to ferve my country, as ,my ancefiors had always done ; adding that in the army I fhould find more convenient opportunities of giving challenges, than at the univerfity. I accepted this propofal without he- iltation ; and a few day's after we fet off for Potz- darn. I was preferred to the King, to whom I was known ncc the year 1740, as <Hie of the beft fcholars in the univerSty, OF BARON TRENCK.- 3 untvcviity. He was now much pleafed with the perti- nence of my anfvvers j my flature, for I was tall ; and my manly aflurancc. 1 obtained permilfion to enter into the Life Guards, in quality of Cadet, with promrfes of fpcedy promotion. The life Guards were at- that time the pattern and fchool of all the Pruflian Cavalry. They confifled only of one Squadron of men, chofen from the whole ar- my. Their uniform was the moil brilliant in Europe j the drefs and accoutrements of an officer coiling two thoufand crowns. The cuirafs, which was covered with filver, its appendages, and the horfe's furniture, amounted alone to feven hundred. This fquadron confined only of fix officers, and art hundred and forty-four men , but we had always fifty or fixty fupernumeraries, and as many fpare horfes ; for the King took all the handfome men he met with into his guards. The officers were the beft in the army. The King inftrufted them himfelf, and afterwards em- ployed them to drill the reft of the Cavalry. The duty of no other foldier in the world is fo hard; as was that of a Life Guard man: at the time 1 was- in th's fervice, I had net eight hours reft in eight days. The exercife ufed to begin at four o'clock in the morn- ing ; when we tried all the new evolutions the King- was defirous of introducing : we leaped ditches of three, four, five, and fix feet wide, and even more, till fome- body or other broke his neck. Sometimes, in a morn- ing's exercife, we had feveral men and horfes killed or wounded. The horfes were kept in the King's ftables j and he who could not drefs, arm himfelf, (addle his horfe, mount, and (fall into his rank in eight minutes, was put under arreft for a fortnight. The trumpet frequently founded before we had fcarcely got into bed, by way of giving the young men a habit of vigilance. The Life Guards loll more men and horfes in a time of profound peace, than they would have done in two battles. I had been fcarcely three weeks Cadet, when one day, after the parade, the King took me afide, examined B -2 me LIFE AND AEVENTU.XES me for near half an hour, on a variety of fubje&s, and ordered me to wait on him to-morrow. He was de- firous of feeing whether the favourable accounts' he had heard of me were well founded ; and, to afcertain their truth, gare me the names of fifty foldiers to learn by heart, which I did in five minutes. He then gave me the fubp'fl of two letters, and I compofed them imme- di-tely in French and Latin, writing one'nnd dilating the other. He afterwards defired me to draw the plan of a piece of ground, by the eye, and with all the dif- patch poffible ; which I did, with the fame faccefs. He then appointed me Cornet in the Life Guards. He fpoke to me like a King, and a father ; and from that moment became my tutor, and my friend. I was a Cadet only three weeks. When thus made an officer, the King gave me two horfes from his own flables, and a thoufand crowns to affift in purchafing my arms, uniform, &.c. I was highly fatisfied to find my- lelf a courtier, and an officer in the handfomeft, bravtrt, and befl difciplined corps in Europe, My military for- tune feemed to have no bounds. We paffed the winter in garrifon at Berlin, where the officers of our regiment lived with the Court, and as my reputation had preceded me thither, nobojy patted the time in a more agreeable manner than my- felf. The King ordered me to vifit the learned men, whom lie had invited to the Court j and I counted Voltaire, Maupertuis, Jordan, La MtUrie, and Pollaitz in the number of my friends. The latter was my guide, and my bofom friend. In -1743, I was five feet eleven inches * high ; till then I was a ftrnnger to love ; the Chocking fpcctacle of the hofpital ?.t Potzdam. made me dre-.d its illufions. In 1743, the King's fiiler was married to the King of Sweden, vvhofe widow me now is. Ou this occaiion I mounted the guard of honour, in quality of Officer of the Guards, and was ordered to efcort her as far as Stettin, * Near fix feet three incbe Er.glifh mcafurc. OF BARON TRESCK. 5 Stettin. In the tumult inevitable in a crowd, I loft my watch, and a {harper was alfo dexterous enough to cutoff part of the gold fringe from my waiftcoat. My lofs was the fubjeft of much pleafantry among the other officers, and a great lady took occafion to fay, that (he would make it her bufinefs to confole me. Thefe words were accompanied by a look, of which I felt all the meaning, and in a few days 1 was the hap- pieft man in Berlin. It was on both fides the firft tri- bute paid to Love. Her affeHon for me was without bounds , and while I exift I fliall never forget her kind- nefs :'but the fecret of our intimacy is one of thofe that I will carry with me to the grave. She is ftill alive, and an abfence of forty three years Has not been capa- ble of making any change in her fentiments. My chil- dren alone fliall know the name of the perlon to whom they are indebted for their father's prefervation. I lived happy and refpecled at .Berlin. The King- on every occafion gave me marks of favour j my fair millrefs fuppiied me with more money than I could fpend, and my appearance was foon more brilliant than that of any officer of the corps. My expt- nces attracted notice, for I had only inherited from my father the eftate of Scharlack, which produced about a thoufand crowns a year j and I fometiraes fpent more than that fum in a month. la the beginning of September 1744, war was de- clared between Pruiiia and the Houl'e of Auftria. We marched haflily towards Prague, and paffed through all Saxony, without meeting wjjfc the fmalleft oppoiition. 1 dare not relate here -what the Great Frederick faid iorrow;ully to us the very morning of our departure from Potzd.im, when all the officers were afTembled about his perion. This time, Frederick took the field with regret, as I was witnefs. If 1 do not mitfake, the King's army inverted Prague on the 1 4th of September: that of General Schwerin, wno had maiched through Silefia, came a day later from the other fide of the Mulda, and we were obliged to wait eight days longer for pontoons, to open a com* municatiou Detween the two armies. B 3 . General O LIFK AND ADV2NTUB.ES General Harfch was obliged to capitulate, after twelve days refiflance. Eighteen thoufand men were mnde prifor.er? of war j the number of the garrifon killed and wounded during the fiege not exceeding five hundred. So far we met with no obftacle : however, the Im'- perial army, under the command of Prince Charles, who had left the banks of the Rhine, advanced to> fave Bohemia. His light-armed troops, being three times as numerous ts our's, prevented our foraging. Famine and want therefore obliged us to retreat, having no relief to hope for, from the country behind us, which we had laid entirely wafte on our march. The feverity of the feafon in November, made the foldiers very im- patient, and in fix weeks we loit forty-two thoufand men, either by ficknefs or defertion. In fhort, \ve were obliged to abandon Bohemia. All the Cavalry was difmounted for want of forage : the feverity of the weather, the broken roads, continual marching, and repeated alarms, diffufed.a general fpirit of difcontent, and a third of the army dtferted. Prince Charles followed us as far as the frontiers of Behemia, and halted there, to put his troops into winter quarters. This gave the King time to recruit his army, efpecially by the return of his deferters, whom the Auftrians were imprudent enough to dif- mifs. In tr.is campaign I paffed few nights in my tent ; and my indefatigable activity procured me the favour and entire confidence of the King. Nothing contriba- ted fo much to keep up my emulation, as. the public praifts I received, when I returned to head quarters from foraging, with fixty or eighty waggons loaded, vhile others came back empty. I was fent one day from Bennefchen, on a foraging pTrty, with a detachment of thirty Huflars and twenty Rangers. I pofied my huflars in a convent, and went with the Rangers to a gentleman's feat, to procure a fufficient number of waggons to bring off hay and ilraw from an adjacent farm. But a Lieutenant of Aulh-ian Huffars, OF BARON TRENCK. , ^ Hufiars, who lay concealed in a wood with thirty-fix horfe, having remarked the weaknefs of my efcort, took advantage of the moment, when my people welt employed in loading the waggons, and furprifing my centinel, fell fuddenly upon them, and took the whole party prifoners in the farm-yard, i was fitting quietly in the gentleman's feat, with the miflrefs of the houfe, and faw from the window what had happened, I was afflifted beyond meafure, and the good lady was propofing to hide me, when I heard a firing at the farm. The HuflTars, ported at the convent, had been told by a peafant, that there was an Auftrian detach- ment in the wood : they faw us go into the farm-houfe, hnftened to ouivaffiftance, and came up a few minutes after the furprife. It is impcfiible to exprefs the pleafure with which I joined them. Some of ihe enemy's Huflars efcaped by the back door j however, we made twenty-two prifoners, among whom was a Lieutenant of the regiment of Kalnockichen. They had two men killed, and one wounded, and I loft on. my fide two Rangers, who were killed in the hay-loft where they were at work. After this rencounter, we continued to forage with greater precaution ; the horfes we had taken ferved in part to draw the waggons ; and having laid the convent under contribution to the nmount of a hundred and fifty ducats, which I diftri- buted among my foldicrs to purchafe their filence, we fet off to rejoin the army. The King was at table, when I came into his tent. As 1 had been abient the whole night, every body had fuppofed me taken, which had that day been the fate of many others. The inftant I came in, the King afked me if I returned alone : " No, Sire-," aniv\ered I, "I bring %vith me five and twenty waggons, loaded with forage, and twenty-two prifoners,^ with their ofhceis and horfes." The King immediately maJe me fit down -, and, turning to the Englilh Ambaffador, who was fitting befide him, tapped me on the lhau!d?r, an 1 faid j " This is one of my youthful Matadors !" The horfe intended to recon- noitre the enemy was already waiting before his tent j he LIFE AND ADVENTURES he confequently afked me few queftions, and to thofe fetf 1 could not anfwer without trembling. Some minutes after he rofe from table, caft his eyes on the prifoners, and putting the Order of Merit round my neck, order- ed me to go and reft myfclf. It is eafy to conceive that my fituation was very em- barraffing. I deferved to be broke for my unpardonable negligence, and notwithftanding received a reward. How many Generals have been indebted to a fault for the victories which they have gained, and which have been afterwards attributed to their abilities ! The non- conimillioned officers, who gave a favourable turn to the bufinefs, certainly deferved the reward better than me. I was much afraid left the truth ftiould be difco- vered, efpecially when I confidered the number of peo- ple who were in the fecret. Thefe apprehenfions kept me in continual alarm. As I was not without money, I gave each non-corn- miflioned officer twenty ducats, and each private foldier a ducat, to induce their filence. I determined, how- ever, to embrace the firft opportunity of making the King acquainted with the truth, and ^>und a convenient one two days after. We were on a march, and, in quality of Cornet, I was at the head of the troop. The King rode on before the kettle-drums, beckoning to me to come to him, and addreffed me in thefe words : " Now, Trenck, tell me the particulars of your late " fuccefs." When I heard this queftion, Idid not doubt my being betrayed j but the King afked it with fuch apparent good humour, that I related the matter exact- ly as it had paflfed. I obferved marks of aflonifhment in his countenance , but 1 faw, at the fame time, that he was not difp.leafed with my fincerity. He talked with me half an hour, more like a father than a King, praifed my candour, and concluded with thefe words, which 1 ihall never forget : *' Depend upon me, and *' follow my advice, and I will make a man of you." Jt was not long before I perceived the confidence the King placed in me after this explanation : I received many marks of it in the courfe of the following winter, which we paSed at Berlin. In OF BAKON TRENCK. 9 In our retrer.t from Bohemia, the King entered Kollin with his Horfe Guards, the piquets of Horfe belonging to head quarter?, and the fecond and third battalions of Guards : we had but four pieces of canndn, an'd our fquadron was ported in the fuburbs. Towards the evening, our advanced guards were driven in ; the Hufiars entered with them pell-mell into the fuburbs, and the enemies light troops fwarmed in all the en- virons. Our commandant fent me immediately to receive the King's orders. After having fought him a great while, I found him at Jail on the top of a fteeple, with a perfpeftive gla.s in his hand. I never faw him fo uneafy and undetermined as on that day. We were ordered to retreat immediately, and to retire through the town to the oppoiite fuburbs, where we were directed to halt, without taking the bridles or faddles off our hories. We were fcarcely there when a dark night came on, accompanied by a deluge of rain. About nine o'clock, Trenck (an Auftrian commander, and a. relation of mine) appeared with his Turjufh mufic, and fet fire to feveral houfes. As foon as we perceived it, 'we began to Cre mufketry out of the windows. The tumult was terrible 1 . The town was fo full of people, that we could not force an entrance ; the gate was {hut, and our field- pieces kept firing from above. Trenck flopped the parVage of the water j by midnight it was as high as our norfcrs bellies, and we were almoft entirely abandoned. We loft fix men, and ny horfe was wounded in the neck. It is certain tha. t'ne King, as well as the reft of us, would have been made prifoners, if my coufin could have continued the attack. But receiving a wound in the foot with a cannon-ball,, he was obliged to be carried off. and the Pandours retired. The day following NafTau's corps came to our afliftance. We left Kollin, and while on. the march the King faid to me, " Your night have played us a very unlucky trick that :jut, according to the report of the deferters, he was killed." About the middle cf December we arrived at Berlin, where 1 was received with open arms. I was lefs pru- dent IO LIFE AND ADVENTURES- dent than in the former years, and perhaps more db- ferved. A Lieutenant of the Foot Guards jetting inde- cently on the fecret of my amours, I drew upon him, and wounded him in the face. The Sunday after I went to pay my court to the King : " Sir," faid he, " the thunder roars ; and, if you do not take care, may fall upon your head." Some time after I came a few minutes too late to the parade j the King remarked it, and fent me under arreft to Potzdam, where I remained upwards of three weeks, owing to the artifices of Colonel Warteflaben. I did not recover my liberty till three days before our departure for Silefia ; towards which we marched early in May, to begin our fecond campaign. I will here re- late an incident that happened to me this winter, which became the fource of all my misfortunes. Francis Baron Trenck *, who commanded the Pan- dours in the fervice of Auftria, having been danger- oufly wounded in Bavaria in the year 1743, wrote to my- mother to tell her it was his intention to make me his heir. This letter, to which I made no anfwer, was fent to me at Potzdam. The i2th of February 1744* I was at Berlin, and went to pay a vifit to Captain lafchinzki,- commandant of the Life Guards, in company with Lieutenant Stud- nitz, and Cornet Wagnitz, who lived with me in the fame apartment. The converfation turned on the Auftrian Trenck, and lafchinzki afked me if I was related to him. I anfwered yes, and faid that he had made me his heir. He afked me, what anfwer I had made. I told him None. On this the whole company obferved, that in fuch circumstances, I ftiould be much in the wrong if I did not anfwer his letter. " Write to him," added our commandant, " and defire him to fend you fome handfotne Hungarian horfes for chargers. Give me your letter, and 1 will have it delivered by M de Boffart, Secretary of Legation to the Saxon Ambaf. fador, on condition that you give me one of the hovfes, This * Thi* Trenck was fon of my father's brother, a od conftcraently Hijr firlt co u tin. OF BARON TREVCK.. II This correfpondenee is a. family concern, and not an affair of ftate : befules, I will take the whole upon me, Sec." I fat down to write imrnrdiately, in compliance with the advice of my commanding officer. I gave my letter open to lafchinzki j he fealed it himfelf, and fcnt it away. This letter, with the following incident, was the folc caufe of all my misfortunes. In the campaign of 1744, one of my grooms with two faddle horfes was taken, as well as feveral others, by Trenck's Light Troops. On my return to camp, I was ordered to accompany the King, who was going to reconnoitre. My horfe being fatigued, his Majefty immediately made me a prefent of a .beautiful Engliih race-horfe. A few days after, I was aftonimed to fee my groom come back with my two horfes, and a trumpet from the enemy j who brought a note, in nearly thefe terms: THE Auftrian Trenck is not at war with the Pruflian Trcnck, Iiis coufin. On the contrary, he is very happy to have it in his power to fend him back hit horfes, which he has recovered from tlie hands ff his Huffars. That day I waited on the King, and was very coolly received. " Since your counn," faid he, " has fent you back your horfes, you have no longer any occafion for mine." The number of people envious of my good fortune v.-as too great to let thefe words of his Majefty pafs un- noticed : a thoufand ill-natured things were faid of me ; and I could find no better means to put a itop to thefe calumnies than by obliging Lieutenant P s, one of my moft inveterate enemies, to fight me. I wounded him dangeroully. However, the fending back of my horfes became a principal caufe of my misfortune. We marched into Silefia to begin the fecond cam- paign, which was to us as deftruclive as glorious. Prince Charles inftead of waiting for us in Bohemia, impru- dently advanced and pofted himfelf in the Plain of .Strigau. Our '2 LIFE AND ADVENTURES Our armv w;s drawn in hafte from its cantonments in 'the prtghbourhbod of K^Tienz, and in twenty-four hours was in order of battle. The 14th of June eighteen thousand dead bodies covered the Plain of Strigau j and the Irjrerial array, and that of Saxony, its ally, were totally defeated. The Life Guards were on the right : before the at- tack, the King faid to our fquadron, " Now, my friends,' prove that you are my Guards, and 'fpare no Saxon !" Three time? we cha-ged t-he Cavalrv, and' the Infantry tvice. We alone took feven frundards, and five colours, and in lefs than an hour all was over. I received a piftol-ihot in the right-hand ; my horfe was badly wounded, and at .the third charge I was obliged to mount another. The following day all the officers received the order of Merit ; for my part, I remained near a month in the hofpital at Schweidnhz. More than fixteen thoufand wounded men were dreffed there ; fome of whom could get no affiftance till the third day. I was r ear three months before I recovered the ufe of my hand : but 1 rejoined" my corps, and accompanied the King as ufual, when he went to reconnoitre. He had re'dored me his confidence, which increaied every day, and my gratitude fell nothing ihort of enthu- iiafm. I was very fond of (hooting, and though it was ftriclly forbid, full continued to follow the fport. -I came back one day loaded with pheafants j but great was my difirefs,- when I perceived the army had de- camped, and that I mould fcarcely be able to reach the rear-guard. An officer of Huffars lent me a horfe, which enabled me to rtjoin my corps. I advanced, trembling, to the head of my divifion. The King had remarked my ab- fence , the commandant of the guards, who was my enemy, had made him obferve it. When we were going to encamp, the King beckoned to me to come to him. Perceiving my embarraffment, he (aid to me with a fmile, " Have you been (hooting again' OF BAS.ON TRE.NC1C. 1J a-rain ?"_ Yes, your Majefty, I humbly beg you.'-- lie did not let me proceed : " 1 pardon you, for this t!n;e," added he, " on account of your recent affair at Potzdam j but take care, and do your duty better in future." Thus ended an affair, for which I deferred to have been broke. I did not perceive that his kindnefs tome was at all diminiihed by this occurrence , I only remarked, when I dined at his table, thnt he fometimes joked about peo- ple who were too fond of ihooting, or who were' hot- : , and quarrelled about trifles. The campaign pafled in marching and counter- marching : we were the inoft fatigued, becaufe the Guards encamped round the King's tent, which, placed in the middle of the camp, always formed the van- guard. The King took particular care that the officers of his Guards, whom he whhed to make proficients in tactics, mould not be id!e. In his fchool, to make a great progrels, it was ncceflary to be laborious. A fpirit of induitry, vigilance, activity, and emulation, joined to patriouim and a defire of glory, -animated all his Generals, whom he ieenv..'d to have iafpired with his own genius. Such was the fchool in which I was brought up ; and I was already counted in the number of thofe deitined to inltrucT: others. Yet the following are the very words a celebrated General made ufe of, in {peaking to me at Vienna, in my fortieth year. ' My dear Trenck, you would find cur n.w exeicile difficult ; you are already" too old for that !" It was in confequence of this ridi- culous judgment, that 1 was cbffed in Auftria among- the invalids. But this wife decifion would have been ridiculed at Berlin. J he famous battle of Sorau was fought on Septem- ber i4th. The King had fent fuch large detachments into Saxony, Sileiia, and Bohemia, that 'the grand army confuted at molt of twenty-fix thoufand men. Prince Charles, who obitinately pel-fitted in judging of his t:icmy by the number of men, had furrounded the iruali number of Brandenburgk and Pomeranian C troops 14 LIFE AND ADVENTURES troops with more than eighty-fix thoufand men, and was in hopes of taking them all prifoners. About midnight the King came into my tent, and went likewife into thofe of the other officers, to wake them: he ordered the horles to be'faddled without noife, the baggage to be left behind, and the whole ar- my to hold themfelves in readinefs for action. Eight field-pieces were placed behind a riling ground eppofite the defile through which the King meant to pafs, and where it was intended to begin the action. He muft have received information of all the defigns of the Auftrian General, for he haJ called in all the ad- vanced pofts on the heights, to infpire him with greater confidence. At the dawn of day, the Auftrian artillery, planted on the heights, cannonaded our camp, and the cavalry, ad- vancing to attack us, entered the defile. We immediately drew up in order of battle, and in lefs than ten minutes began the attack, notwithstanding our frnall number of men, (there were only five regi- ments of cavalry with our army) and fell \yith the greateft rapidity on the enemy, at .that moment em- ployed in (lowly forming their fquadrons in the front of the defile. We drove then b?.ck into the defile, which was crouded full of men. The King immediately or- dered the eight field-pieces to be unmalked, and ti.ey made terrible havoc. Nadafte, Trenck, and the light troops, that were to have attacked us in the rear, flopped to pillage our camp : it is worthy of remark, that, when news was brought to the King, that the Croats were pillaging the c.amp, he anfwered ; " So much the better, they will have fomething to do, and will not prevent our carrying the principal point." We were completely victorious j but loll all our baggage. The head quarters, It ft with- out defence, were entirely pillaged : and Trenck had, for his jhare of the plunder, the King's tent, and all his lilver plate. In the year 1/46, my eoufm Trenck having fallen icto the power of his enemies, who had fet on foot a criminal OF BAR.CN TREN'CK. IJ criminal profecution againfl him, was accufed of having- furprifed the King of Pruffia in bed at the battle of Sorau, and of having afterwards releafed him for a bribe. On this occafion the evidence of a woman of the town was taken, a native of Bruna, who gave her- felf out for a daughter of Marihal Schwerin : fhe decla- red that (he was in bed with the King when Trenck came into his tent j and that he made the King prifoner, and afterwards releafed him. I can bear witnefs, that it was impoflible the King could be furprifed, becaufe he knew that the enemy meant to attack him. 1 did not leave him myfelf from mid- night till four o'clock in the morning, the fpace of time he employed in riding through the camp, to make pre- parations for receiving the enemy, and at five o'clock the a&ion began. It was therefore impoflible that Trenek could find the King in his bed. A few days after the battle of Sorau, the poftman brought me the following letter from my coulin Trenck, dated from Effek, and written four months before. I find by your letter from Berlin, of Feb. l^. that you defire me to fend you feme Hungarian horlcs, that you may employ them againft my Huffars and Pandours. I perceived with pleafure, in the lail campaign, that the Pruifian Trenck was a good ioldier. As a proof of my attachment, I lent you back your horfes which my people had taken. But if you want Hungarian horfes, try next campaign to carry off mine by open force ; or eife come am! join your coufin, who will receive you with open arms, will treat you like his fon, and his friend, aod will procure you all the advan- tages you can ilefire, &c. Cornet Wagnitz, and Lieutenant Gratthaufon, who are both alive, were piefent : I gave them the letter, we laughed at its contents j and it was refolved that we fhould fliew it to Colonel Infchinzki, commandant of the corpj, on condition that he Ihould not fpeak of it. An hour after we did as we had agreed. When he had read my letter whii an appearance of aftoniuhment, we :'il bvgan to laugh ; and as there was a report, that a body of troops would be fent to Hungary, lafchinzki faid, " We wiil go ourfelves, and take Hungariaa horfes." Here the cunverfation dropped. 1 cannot bilp rnuhiiig ihe following obfervations on the fubiefl. 1 6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES ill. I had not obferved, that the date of the letter was four months anterior to its receipt : this my Colo- nel did not fail to do. 2d. It was probably a fnare laid by lafchinzki. The fending back of my horfes, in the preceding cam- paign, had made a noife. Perhaps I had been perfuaded to write, that I might be entrapped by a forged an- fwer j for it is certain, that my coufin maintained, till his death, that he had never received a letter from me, and that confequemly he had fent no anfwer. I there- fore Hill think (and fliall always continue in the fame mind,) that the letter was forged. lafchinzki was at this time one of the King's favour- ites, his fpy in the army, and, in faft, a malicious cha- racler j for, rathet than have nothing to relate, he fre- quently devifed the moft abominable calumnies : this obliged the King fome years after this event, to cafhier and banifh him his dominions. He owed me four hundred ducats, which fum he con- verted to his own ufe when I was taken into cuftody, and put in prifon. He likewife took pofleffion of the greateft part of my baggage. It was his interefl, there- fore, to forge fuch a letter ; and he had the means of putting it into a Saxon, or Auftrinn poft-ofFice. We had quarrelled in the firft campaign, on account of. one of my fervants, whom he had ilruck : we were even on the point of fighting with piftols, when Colo- nel Winterfield cnme up, and reconciled us. But from that day he meditated my ruin. Without the liberty of making any defence, or of being tried by a court-martial, 1 was confined as a criminal, in the citadel of Glatz j I was not in a dun- geon, but in the officer's guard-room j I was permitted to walk upon the ramparts, and was waited on by my own fervants. 1 wrote to the King, and demanded a court martial, offering to fubmit to any punilhment whatever, if found guilty. So determined a tfyle, in fo yeung a man, did not pleafe him, and I received no anfwer. From my female friend at Berlin, 1 received -fome confolation, and a thoufand ducats. OF BA3.ON TK.ENCK. 1J If, in thefe ci'rcumftances, I had allayed the heat of impatience, nothing would have been eafier than to have obtained a pardon from the King ; and to have punifhed my enemies, by proving my innocence. But the officers of the garrifon of Glatz were far from, giving fuch moderate counfels j on the contrary, they faid every thing to exafperate me. They thought that the money I lavifhed fo generoufly among them, came from Hungary, furnilhed by the military cheft of the Pandours ; they perfuaded me, in confl-quence, not to let my liberty depend upon the will of the King, but to break my fetters. I had been five months in prifon j the peace was con- cluded : the King had returned to his capital, and my commiffion in the Guards had been given away, when a Lieutenant of the regiment of Fouquet, of the name of Piafchky, and Eniign Reitz, both of whora often mounted gu-ird over me, propofed to me to make my efcape in company with them. My fituation grew every day more dilagreeable, and I confented. There was then at Glatz another prifoner, named Manget, by birth a Swift, and Captain in the regiment of Huflars of Natzmerifch. He had been broke, and condemned by a court-martial to- remain ten years in prifon, vrhere he had ojly four crowns per month for his /up- port. I had been very ferviceable to this man, and deter- mined to deliver him with myfelf : he accepted the pro- pofal, and every thing was prepared. But, to my great aftonilhment, the fcuundrel difcovered all, and obtained, as a reward, both pardon and liberry. One of the offi- cers efcaped, but the other was punifhed. I was clofcly confined to my room, and guarded with greater vigilance than before. 1 \\J11 here break, off my narrative, to mention an ad- venture 1 had with this Captain Manget, at Warfaw, in 1749 three years after his ti.ac'.ery. i met him in company ny accident. It is eafy to imagine the co.npliment 1 paid him, which I accom- panied with a caning. He lolt his temper, and chal- C 3 lcngd l8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES lenged me to fight him with piftols. We fired together, and my firft (hot killed him on the fpot j and I cannot fav that his death ever fat heavy on my confcience. To return. My fituation at Glatz was become much more difagreea'ole ', the King's fufpicions ftrengthened, aid he was additionally irritated at my attempt to efcape. Thus left to myfelf, I looked on my deftiny in the iv) -lO o-'oomy point of view, and all my thoughts were dirtied towards death or deliverance. The firft attempt I made was this. I was confined in a tower which overlooked the city, and my window was about thirty yards from the ground. It was therefore impoffible to efcape without jMnfiuig through the town, and it was neceflary to have a momentary place of refuge for that pur;:ofe. One of t! c oMic^rs, induced by my liberality, perfuaded an honefl waflierman to receive me. I cut through three ir.onftrc-iS iron bars with a pen-knife, which I had converted into a faw ; but as it was neceffary to remove eight bars from the window before I could pafs,- ano- ther officer furnithed me with a file. I was obliged to take great care not to be overheard by the fentinels. When this bufinefs was completed, I cut ray leathern portmanteau into thongs, fewed them together, and, with the addition of my flieets, got fafe to ground. It rained, the night was dark, and every thing went well. But 1 was obliged to pals through the ditch, which was full of mud, in my way to the town. This I had not forefeen. 1 funk up to the knees in the mire, and after taving ftruggled a long while, and made the greateft efforts to get out, I found myfelf grow weak, and was obliged to call to the fentinel, and defire him to ac- quaint the commandant with my fituation. General Fouq was then our Governor ; a me ft 'inhuman being, with whom my father had fought a duel, and whofe baggage the Auftrian Trenck had ta- ken in 1744, after having laid the county of Gl.;tz un- der contribution. He, in confequence, neglected .no op- portunity to give me proofs of his hatred, tfpecially on this occafion ; he left me in the mud till noon, that I might ferve as a laughing ftock to the foidiery. Wkea Oy BAR.ON TRENCK. 1C? When I was taken out, I was carried back to con- finement, and for a whole day was refufed water to walh myfelf. I was in a dreadful Hate"; worn out with fa- tigue, and covered with rcud. It was not till the fol- lowing day that two prifoners were permitted to ailut me in cleaning myfelf. The rigour of my imprifonment grew infinitely more fevere ; but I had fortunately fa- ved eighty Louis d'ors, which I afterwards found of ef- fential fervice. Eight days had fcarcely elapfed after this unfuccefsful attempt, when Major Doo, fome years afterwards ciii- mifled the fervice with infamy, came to fee me, with an Adjutant, and the officer of the guard. After having examined my room, he beftowed the appellation of treafon on the efforts I had made to recover my liberty j adding, that my attempt would certainly increafe the anger of the King. He was proceeding to talk to m^ of patience; but I interrupted him, to aik how long my imprifonment was to latt. He anfvvered that the con- finement of a traitor, who had kept up a treafonable correfpondence with the enemy, depended entirely oil the King's pleafure. At that inilaat 1 fnatched his fword, on which my eyes had long been fixed, darted out of the door, and threw the fentinel from the top to the bottom of the ftairs. I then paffed before the guard- houle, where the foldiers' were under arms to itop me ; ruihed upon them fword in hand, dillributed my blows to the right and left, to open a pailage. and wounded four men. The relt were afraid, and gave way. At length I reached the rampart, and jumped \virhout heii- tation into the diti:a. Luckily 1 did not receive the kail hurt, and fail kept the fword in rcy hand. In the mean time a fsntincl in a narrow paffage advanced to oppofe my efcape j but though he had his bayonet fixed, i fooa difarmed and wounded him in the face. Another came up at the fame moment, and at- tempted to attack me behind ; but I perceived his in- tention, and leaped over the paliifades, to which, unfor- tunately 1 hung by one of my feet. I then received a wound '.vith a bayonet, in my upper lip, and the fen- tinel 20 LIFE AND ADVEN7URBS tinel held me by the feet till forae foldiers came to his affiftance-. As I made a defperate defence, I was exceed- ingly ill treated, and carried back to prifon half dead. The bold, though ra(h defign I had formed for my ffcape not having fucceeded, I was now more clofely confined than ever ; a non-commifiioned officer and two privates were flmt up with me in my apartment, and themfelves were guarded bv fentinels without. I was terribly brulfed with the blows I had received j my right foot was fprained, and I fpit bloo'd. It was more than a month before my wounds were healed *. Notwithftanding what had occurred, I foon meditated new projects to efcape, and began by making acquaint- ance with my guards. I had money, and with this powerful agent, and the pity I found means to infpire, nothing was impoflible with wretched Pruflian foldiers. In a fhort time 1 perfuaded thirty-two men to execute, at the firft word, whatever I might think proper to command. They did not know one another, except indeed two or three, fo that they could not all be betrayed together. I chofe a non commitiionfd officer, of the name of Nicolai, to command them. The gar- rilon of the citadel cotifiited only of a hundred and twenty men, detached from a garrifon battalion, the reft of which were difptrfed through the county of Glatz, and of four officeis, tiiree or" v\hom were in the plot. All was ready, and my companions armed with piftols and fwords, lay concealed in an oven in my priibn. Our defign was to fet all the prisoners at lk>erty, and to retire with drums beating to Bohemia. Unfortunately^ an Auftrian dcfcrter, in the fecret, discovered our plot ; the Governor immediately lent orders to the officer of the * On tbis oco.fion I learned for the firft time, that the King had only condemned me to a year' impulonmcnt. My mother lolkited my pardon. " Your lim," anlweretl the K;I^, " niufl remain a year in prilon, to pur.ifh him lor his criminal ccrrJpon- dence " I \vas unfortunately ignorant of this, aod at G stz u wa reported th^t I was conhncd for .ife.- I had eujftqucntij uiiljr three weeks longer to wait to obtain my liberty with togi-our, whui I made tins dtlpcratc attempt. OF BARON TRENCK. 21 the guard, to take Nicolai into cuftody, and to have an eye to the cafemates. But Nicolai vv_ : s himfelf on guard, and the Lieutenant, who was my friend, told him that we were betrayed. Nicolai therefore inilantly leaped into the cafemates," and cried out : " Fellow foidiers, to arms ! we are betrayed !" They all followed him to the guard-houfe, where they fcized the arms, and the officer was deferted by all except eight noen. The confpirators, loading their pieces with bail, came back to deliver me , but the prifon door, of iron, was too folid, and the time too ihort, to force it open. Nicolai called me to affiit them j but all my efforts were , ineffectual. This brave man, feeing^ that nothing could be done for me, placed himlelf at the head of nineteen others, and fafely retreated to Braunaw i;i Bohemia. Every kind of precaution was ufed to prevent my efcape, except putting me in irons j and the foidiers were removed from my room : but the greateft mif- fortune was my having fpent all my money : and my female friend at Berlin wrote to me at length in theie words : I weep for you ; your misfortune h without remedy ; this is the laft letter 1 dare to rifle ; make your efcape if you can ; you will find me the fame at ail times, when it is in my power to ferve you. Farewel, unfortunate friend ; you delerve a Letter fate ! Soon after this, an adventure happened to me, which had fcarcely its fellow. A Lieutenant, named Bach, a Dane, mounted guard every fourth da} 7 , and was the terror of the garrifon. Being an excellent fencer, he frequently quarrelled with the officers, and almort always wounded them. For this failing he had been removed by way of puniihment, from two other regiments, to the garrifon battalion at Glatz. He told me one day, that, the evening before, he had wounded a Lieutenant Schell in the arm. I anfwercd, laughing, " If I were at liberty, you would not find it eafy to ferve me io , for I don't fence amifs." In a moment he took fire ', we made a pair of wretched wooden foils, and, the very firil th;uit, I hit him on the breaft. Ha 22 LIFU AND ADVENTURES He left the room in great confufion, and a minute after returned with two foldiers' fwords, concealed under his coat. He gave me one : " Now," faid he, " great talker, let us fee what you can do." I en- deavoured to find an excufe j but he ruflied on me like a madman, and I was obliged to wound him in the fword arm. He threw away his fword, embraced me, burft into tears, and, with the ftrongeft emotion, cried out r *' Friend, you are my matter ! you fliall obtain your liberty by means of me, and that as certainly as my name is Bach 1" I bound up his wounds j and he left me, fecretly fent for a furgeon to drefs his arm r and returned the fame evening. He then faid it was impoffible to efcape, unlefs th officer of the guard ac- companied my flight : that he would lofe his life to ferve me with pleafure , but that he 'could not do a thing fo very oppofite to his duty, as deferting while on guard. The fame evening he came again, and bring-- ing Lieutenant Sc'hell with him, faid, " Here is your man." Schell, embracing me, gave me his word of honour. As money was requifite to procure fome neceflary favours from the officers on duty, who were eafily to be corrupted, I requeued Bach to go to Schweidnitz, to obtain fome from a trufty friend 1 had there. Several fucceeding days were fpent in confutations and con- trivances : but in the next room to mine was a Captain Damnitz, confined, inllead of being hanged as a fpy i this fellow, difcerning that the officers did not itricily obey their orders with refpeft to me, gave information of it, which led to a difcovery of our fchemes. But Schell getting a moment's previous notice of the affair, and difdaimng t fly alone," came hattily into my prifon, and taking a Corijorai's iabre from under his coat, " My friend," faid he, " we are betrayed. Follow me, and all 1 beg is, that you will not let me fall alive into the hands of my enemies. We have not a minute to lofe." I waited only to put on a coat, and draw on my boots, not having even time to take the little money 1 had left. On going out, Schell kid to the fentinei, " The OF BAR.ON TRF.NCK.. 5 " The prifoner is going with me to the officer's guard- room : ftay where you are." We entered the guard- room, but a moment after we went out of the oppoiite door. We had hardly advanced an hundred yards, when we met Major Quaadt, with the Adjutant. Schell ftarted back, ran up the rampart, and jumped into the ditch, 1 followed him, and came fafe to the ground, with only a few bruifes j but my poor friend diflocated his foot. Immediately he prefented me his fword, and begged me to kill him, and then make my efcape : he was a very weakly, little man. Far from complying with his requeft, I took him round the waift, threw him over the pallifades ; and then, taking him oh my back, ran off, without knowing whither i was going. The fun had juft fet, when we took our flight ; a fhower of fleet was falling, and nobody chofe to hazard the dangerous leap we had taken. We were hardly at a hundred paces off, when we heard the alarm guns five. , This frightened my poor friend much, becaufe he knew that in fuch cafes it was almoft impofiible to efcape from Glatz, without a ftart of at lead two leagues j and the paflages were at that time ftridly guarded. All was in motion before and behind us. Schell had taken nothing but his fword, and I a Corporal's fahre. Among the officers ordered to purfue us, was a Lieutenant Bart, my intimate friend, and Captain Zeibft, of Fouq 's regiment, who had always expreiied the kindeft regard for me. They overtook us'on the frontiers of Bohemia, when the latter called out : ''My friend, turn to the left, on the fide where you fee a fevr fcattered houfes ; that is the road to the frontiers of Bohemia : the Huflars are gone the other way." On laying this he went away, as if iie had not feen us. We had nothing to fear from the officers, for the har- mony that then exifted among the military in Pruflia was fo complete, and the word of honour held fo facred, that during my rigorous confinement at Glatz, I was once (hooting thirty-fix hours on the grounds of tbe Baron of Stillenfried. Lieutenant Lunitz flayed in my 24 Lir~ AND ADVENTURES my place, and fhe Major who vifited the apartments vras not ignorant of my abfence. A judgment may be formed thence of the confidence placed in the word of poor Trenck, fince he was fuffered to leave his dun- geon, an/i hunt on the very confines of Bohemia. When I had carried my friend about three hundred faces, I laid him down, and looked round me ; but fuch was the darknefs of the nir;ht, that I could fee ru-itber town nor citadel. " Where are we, Schell ?' 1 faid I : " where is .Bohemia ? On > which fide does the NeifTeii run ?" My poor friend had loft his prefen,ce of mind ; and, defpairing to efcape, begged me again not to let him be taken alive. I promifed, by every thing facred, to prevent his fufftrriiig an ignominious dearth, fhould it be impoifible to do otherwife , he on this took a little coinage, looked round him, and faw by fome trees, that we were not far from the gate of the town, and mewed me the NeifTc'ii. I took him again on my back, and carried him llraight to the river. We heard the alarm-bells ringing in all the villages, and the pcafants appointed to prevent defertion, running every one to his polt. I reached the NeiiTen, that was then but little frozen; w lli.'d in with my friend on my back, and carried him as lon^ as I found bottom ; when I loll it, which was only for about the diuance of about fix yards, he took hold of my hair, and in this hazardous way we reached the oppofite bank. It is eafy to conceive what I muft have fuffered from fwimming, on the 24th of December, and from re- maining eighteen hours after in the open air. About ftven o'clock, a hard froft to ;k place of the hazv weather, an ; the moon began to ilievv herfelf. My friend, whom I carried on my back, warmed me, it is true j but I began to tire. He fullered extremely from the cold, the moil acute pain in his diflocated foot, and the fear of death awaiting us on every fide. 1 followed the courfe of the river about half an hour : and whun t had pafled the firft villages, where the line intended to prevent defertion begins, vvn;c.i in ? OF BAR.OX TRENCK.. -) which Schell was well acquainted, we found, very op- portunely, a fifhing boat fattened to the more ; we jumped 'into it, croiTed the river, and in a very fliort tune reached the mountains. Here our hopes began to revive j we fat down a moment on the fnow. I cut a (tick, to help Schell to drag hirafelf along, whenever I might be too tired to carry him, and we continued our rout. In this manner we paffed the night but advanced very little on our way. At length the day began to dawn, and we fuppofed ourfelves near the frontiers, which are at four leagues diftance from Glatz, when all at once we heard the town clock ftrike. We were equally hard prefled by cold, hunger, and fatigue, and obliged to come to a de determination. After walking half an hour more, we drew near a village, at the foot of the mountain. At fome diftance we perceived two detached houfes, which infpired us with a ftratagem. We had loft our hats in jumping from the ram- parts j but Schell had ftill his fafh and gorget on, which, it was poffible, might give him fome authority among the peafants. I cut my finger, and rubbed the blood on my face, fliirt. and coat, by way of giving myfelf the appearance of a man dangeroufly wounded, and tied a handkerchief round my head. In this fituation ' 1 carried Schell to the extremity of the wood, which ended at a little diftance from the heufes. There he tied my hands behind me, and fol- lowed me, walking on one leg with help of his flick, and calling out for afiillance. Two old peafants coming up, Schell ordered them to run and tell th Mayor to come direclly with a cart. " 1 have taken up this villain," added he : "he has killed my horfe, and is the caufe of diflocating my foot. I have wounded 1 him, and tied his hands. Make hafte with the cart, that I may hang him up before he expire !" I fuffered myfelf to be dragged into a room,. as if I were half dead. An old woman, and a pretty girl, feemed to pity me much, and gave me milk and bread: but how great was our aftonimment, when the old peafant called D ADVENT BRKS 26 L1FU Schell by his name, and told him ttat he -knew very well that we were the deferters ourfelvts, for that an crfficer, in purfuit of us, had related the hiilory of our flight. Hearing this difcourfe, I laid afide all difguife, and ran to the ftable. We were only about a league and a half's diftance from Glatz, having loft our way on the mountains, where we had long wandered to no purpofe. The girl followed me to the flable, in which I found three horfes, but no bridles. 1 fupplicated her, with ,the moft earned entreaties, to affift me 5 me was affec- ted, and immediately gave me what 1 requefted. I led out the horfes, and put Schell on one of them. The old man began to cry, and begged us not to take away his horfes j but fortunately he haJ not the courage to Hop us. We rode awsy without fadciles a'nd without hats, Schell in regimentals with his fab and gorget, and I in the fcarlet uniform of the light guards ; but at that very moment all our hopes had nearly vanifhed, for my my horfe was reftive and would not advance j how- ever, as I was a good horfeman, I at laft found means to make him git on. Ere we got a hundred yards on our way, the pedants were coming out of the village in crowds. There was no other road than that p( Wunfchelburg ; indto make our efcape, it was neceifary to ride through the town. A month before Schell had been qua'rteree there j every body knew him j and our appcarancs plainly proclaimed us diferters. However, our horfe, were pretty good, and we got clear out of the town although eighty foot and ,tweive buffers were Rationed there to prevent defertion. We arrived at Jiummcrn at eleven in the morning. He alone, who has been in fimilar circumfiances. can figure to himfelf, but cannot defcribe, the joy .we no\v felt. Arrived at Braunaw, on tli3 frontiers of Bohemia, we tvere at length in fafcty. My firft care was to fend back to General Fouq the horfes and. the corporal's fabre which we had carried off. Frum F BARON TRENCKf. L"J From that moment all my effefts were confifcated, I tfrote, indeed, to the King, to give an account of my condudl ; I adduced proofi of my innocence, and de- manded juflice ; but obtained no anfwer : to gain my caufe, I mould have had occafion for an army. Thus did I find myfelf a flranger in Bohemia, tvith- out money, without friends, and only twenty years old. I had been quartered at Braunaw in 1744, and lodged n-t that time at the houfe of a weaver, to whom I had done fume fervice, by faving his houfe from pillage. I went to fee him ; and he received us with marks of gratitude. Our fortune confided of a Louis d'or, ,and forty grofhen. I would not go to my coufin Trenck, for fear of juftifying the imputations of treafon brought againft me. I wrote to my female friend at Berlin, but received no anfwer ; my mother was prejudiced, and abandoned me to fate j my brothers were minors, and my friend of Sweidnitz could not fend me any thing. After three weeks ftay at Braunaw, my friend reco- Tered the ufe of his leg : but to defray the expences of the cure, we fold my watch, and his falh and gorget ; and, when all was paid, we had only four florins left. I refolved to go on foot to my mother, who was in Pruffia, and to endeavour to obtain fome alliftance from. her, to enable me to enter into the Ruffian fervice. Schell refufed to leave me. We affumed fictitious names ; and pafipoits were given us as to common deftiters. I took the name o Knert, arid Schell that of Leich. We privately left Braunaw in the evening of Jan. 21, and directed our fteps towards Bilitz in Poland. A friend, whom 1 had at Xeurode, had given us a pair of pocket-piilols, a mufket, and three ducats : this money was alfo fpent at Braunaw. J mull obferve that I had lent this friend, on an urgent occafion, a hundred ducats, which he ft ill owes me, and that when I aflied him for them at this time, he lent me three, as if he were giving roe charity. D ' Extracts 2 LIFE AND AVDENTURES Extra<5U from the Journal of our Journey on foot from Braanaw, in Bohemia, to Merenirz, by way of Belitz, in Poland, and from Mcrenitz, by way of I horn, to Eiblng, making in all one hun- dred and fixty-nint German miles* ; which diftaace we travelled without begging or robbing. ^JAN. 1 8, 1747, from Braunaw to Nacliod, three miles. Our flock confifted of three florins, and forty- five groflien. The i Qth, to Newftadt. Here Schell trucked his .uniform-for an old coat. The 2Oth we proceeded to Leutomifchel, five miles* There I bought a loaf hot out of the oven, which 1 de- voured with fo much voracity, that it had nearly kill- ed me. The 2jth we reached Freyburg, nineteen miles. We found on the road, a violin and cafe. The landlord where we dined; gave us two florins for it, though it was worth at leaft twenty. Travelling till the 28th we got to Bilitz, the laft Auftrian town on the frontiers of Poland. We paffed for common Pruflian deferters j but a drummer, who had deferted from Glatz, knew us, and told Captain Ca of the garrifon who we we:a. He very rudely ordered us to be taken into cuftody, and fent us on foot to Te- fchen, at four miles diftance. The commandant of this place \vas Baron Schvart- 2er, a man of great honour. He exprefled much con- cern at our fituation, and blamed the irregular coiidudt of Captain Ca . He gave us horfes to carry us a fecond time to Belitz, and four ducats ; which enabled me to purchafe a new pair of boots, of which I was in great want. We paffed through Bilitz, and went on to Biala, the rft Polifh town, from whence I fent a challenge to Ca , offering to fight him with fword or piftol, but never received an anfvvtr. The ift of February we went from Biala to Ofwiec- zin. I determined to go and tequeit affiftanec from my * 'I he Gcrrii-n mile is upwards of feur Englifli. fitter. OF BARON TR.ENCK. 29 lifter, who had married Mr. Waldow, and refided at Hnmmer, in Brandenburg, a frontier town of Poland, and lived in affluence. In our way we fuffered much, from the fnow, and the thinnefs of our clothing, which was ill-fuited to the feverity of the weather. Schell was alfo carelefs enough to lofe our purfe, containing nine florins. I had, however, nineteen gromen in my poc- ket. The jth, we arrived at Ezenftochova, where we paiTed the night at an alehoufe : the landlord had been a Lieutenant in the Auftrian fervice, had met with many misfortunes, and was reduced to the fituation of a poor alehoufe-keeper in Poland. As we had not a fin- gle groih remaining, we afked him for a bit of bread, but the generous man made us fit down to table. 1 then told him who we were. Scarcely had we finiflied our fupper, when a carriage drove to the houfe with three perfons in it, who had the appearance of merchants. They had their own horfes with them, and were attend- ed by a footman and coachman. We went to bed ; but fo:m after our good landlord came and told us, with much furprife, that thefe gentle- men were people in difguife, fent from Pruffia to take us; that they had offered him at fir ft fifty, and then a hun- dred ducats, for his permiffion to take us in the houfe, and to fetter and carry us to Silefia : that he had refufed their propofal, although they had offered him a ftill lar- ger funi j and that they had given him fix ducats, to par- chafe his file nee. At firft I wanted to take my piftols, and attack my enemies in their chamber j but Lazare and Schell pre- vented me. Thcfe gentlemen let off early in the morn- ing, and took the road to AVarfaw. We wifhed to fet off alfo ; but Lazare kept us two days at his houfe, al- molt by force, and gave us the fix ducats he had recei- ved from the Pruffians. This fum enabled Vis to buy a Ihiit each, a fc-cond pair of pocket piltols, ftockings, and other necefiaries, which we very much wanted. We then took leave of our good landlord, after having em- braced him .iffetlionately, and thanked him for his im- portant fervice. ^d LU'E AND ADVNTt'MiS The 7th, we took the road to Parftmichi; but had fcarcely walked a league, when we perceived a carriage on the road. We difcovered it to be that of our ene- mies, feemintjly interrupted by the fnow. The gen- tlemen were {landing round it , .and when they faw us approach called out for our affirtance. But we retired about thirty paces from the path, and anfwered thst we had not time to affift them. On hearing this, they all jumped into the carriage, took their piflols, and began to drive after us, crying out, " Halt, fcoundrels, ftop !" We at firft, made off; but turning fuddenly round, I fired my mufket at the nearelt, and killed him on the fpot. Schell difcharged his piftols -, our purfuers did the fame, and my friend received a ball in his neck. I then attacked them ; and, taking but my piftols, one of them ran away. I furiouily purfued. and at length overtook him : he attempted to defend himfelf with his fword ; but I preffed hard upon him, and with one blow brought him to the ground. I returned inftantly to Schell, whom the two others were dragging towards the carriage j but when they perceived me, they ran off acrofs the fields. The coachman, feeing the event of the battle, leaped on his box, and galloped away. Schell, whom I had thus delivered, had a {hot in his neck, and a wound in his right hand, which made him drop his fword ; but not, as he affured me, till he had dangeroufly wounded one of his adverfaries. The firll whom. I had killed had a watch, of which I took pol- fcffion. I was going to take his purfe likewife, when Schell {hewed me a coach, drawn by fix horfes coming doftn the hill. I therefore took the hat and mufket of him 1 had firft killed j and both retired to a neighbour- ing wood, made a pretty long circuit, and in the evening arrived at Parfemichi. Schell, whofe wounds I had dreffed in the befl way I was able, was covered with blood ; and as no furgeon is to be found in the Polifh villages, it was confequently with difficulty that he reached the place where we flept. Of the four men who attacked us, only one returned alive to Glatz, with the coachman. , The name of the officer OF BARON TRENC.t. 3! fncer wns Gerfdorft ; and he had about him a hundred and fifty ducats, when his body was carried off. We fold the watch to a Jew, for four ducats, the hat for three florins and a half, and the mufket for a ducat, Shell being unable to carry it. We fpent the greatefl part of this money at Parfemichi, the furgeon making us pay dear for his plaiflers. After travelling five days, at Goblin we found ur- felves without bread, and withotit money. I therefore fold my coat to a Jew, who gave me in return a coarfe frock and four florins : as we approached my filler's place of refidence, I thought it was as much as we flood in need of. But Schell grew weaker and weaker every dy, his wounds healed flowly, and coft a great deal. The cold was unfavourable to them j and, being care- lefs about his perfon, his body became a receptacle of every kind of Polifh vermin. Feb. 23d. we reached Rakonitz, and from thence Karger-Holland, four miles and a half. That we might not perifh with hunger, we there fold a fhirt. and Schell his waiilcoat, for eighteen grofhen. The evening before I had killed a wood-hen, which we ate raw : we found it good j and I afterwards (hot a rook, and devoured it alone, Schell refufing to tafte it. The 24th, through Bentzen, to Littel, four miles. We Hopped there a day, to make enquiry about the road that leads to Hammer, in Brandenburg, where my filler relided. The wife of a Pruffian foldier, native of a village belonging to my brother-in-law, was by good fortune there. I made myfelf known to her, and fhe undertook to be our guide. The 27th, to Oil, and from thence, through a thick wood, to my filler's houfe, at the door of which I knocked at nine o'clock in the evening. A girl, named Mary, opened it ; and, as fhe had been brought up in the houfe, recollected me. She was much fright- ened at firfl, on feeing a tall, ill-looking man, dreffed like a beggar. My brother-in-law was fick in bed. I therefore begged her to acquaint my fifler that I wifhed to fpeak to her. Shortly my filler came in ha lie to join me, 32 LIFB AKD AW El- \ me. Her aftontfhment was the greater, as fne did not know I had made my efcape from Glatz. She ran to inform her hufband of my arrival ; and I faw her n<i more. A quarter of an hour after, the kind Mary came weeping, and faid that her mafter ordered us to leave his houfe initantly, or he fhould be obliged to have us taken into cuftody. Judge of my feelings at that moment ! Too proud toafk for money, I left the houfe like a madman, call- ing down a thoufand curfes on the heads of its inha- bitants. The good-natured Mary ran after me, and flipped three ducats into my hand. I accepted them, and we returned again to the wood, at a hundred yards diftance from the houfe, dying with hunger, fatigued, and afraid, becaufe we were in the dominions of Bran- denburg. We walked all night in the inovv and rain, and at dawn of day again reached Littel. Although our poor guide had run great rifle, I could only give her two ducats. But I promifed her more at my return ; and indeed I fcnt for her to Vienna in 1751, and took great care of her there. My filler was not concerned in the infamous treat- ment I experienced j her rich and hard-hearted hulband alone was to blame. Thus difappointed, I refolved to pay a vifit to my mother, in Prufiia, nine miles on the other fide of Koenigiburg. Five days afterwards, we reached Ra^ofen ; but had not a farthing to pay for beds, and were turned out of doors by a Jew who kept the ale-houie : not knowing- what to do, and dying with hunger, we walked all night, and at dawn of day found we had wandered two miles out tf the road. . We went into a peafant's houfe, where an old woman was drawing the bread out of the oven. As we had not wherewithal to buy any, I felt at that paoment that it was really poflVble to commit a murder for a blr ofbread. Tormented by this thought, I hafted to leave the h . <uic, and we walked to Wongrofze, where I fold my muiket for a ducat. Then, indeed, we ale our hearts con- tent. A few OF BARON TRENCK. 33 A few days after this \ve entered Thorn, in the jnidft of a fair : a robbery having been committed a few days before by feme unknown perfons, our mi- ferable appearance threw fufpicion on us j and we fuf- fered infults from the mob, confinement, and a thou- fand indignities : but our dories correfponding, though we were in feparate places, and nothing miichievous being found among our papers, we were at length libe- rated, after receiving a ducat from the Reftor, and a crown each from the Burgo-mafter, as a fort of com- penfation. ReflefHng, before we left Thorn, that to go to Elbing, we mould be obliged to pafs through feveral PrufTian villages, I afked a fhopkeeper to inform me where we could meet with any maps. He directed us to an old woman's who was Handing at her door. We addrefled ourfelves to her,, and were kindly re- ceived, becaufe I added that we were unfortunate tra- vellers, who wanted to find out the road to Ruffia. She ccndudled us to . her chamber, put a map on the table, and placed herfelf oppofite to me while I looked over it. After having gazed on me with much atten- tion, fhe cried, " Good heaven, who knows what my poor fon may be doing ! I fee, Sir, that you are alfo of a good family. My boy is gone to feek his fortune j I have not heard from him theie eight years : but I be- lieve he is a Cuirafller in the Auftrian fervice." I aiked her in what regiment. " In Hokenem ; he is exactly like you." " Js he not about my height?" " Yes, thereabout." " Is not his hair fair ?" u Yes like your's Sir." " VvMiat is his name ?" " Wil- helm." " My dear old lady," cried I, " Wilhelra is not dead , he is ftill alive, and was my moft intimate friend while I belonged to the reigment !" On hearing this the poor woman was no longer miilrcfs of her emo- tion ; (he threw herfelf into my arms, called me her guard- ian angel, and alked me a thouiand quellions, which I eafily anfweied ? for her eagernefs made her give anfwers to herfelf without her perceiving it. For this once I played the part of an impoilor, conihaincd by irrefiftible ucctiTity. 34 LIFE AND ADVENTURES I faid that I alfo was a private foldier in the regi- ment of Hokenem ; that I had obtained a forlough 10 fee my mother, and that I fhould return in .a month, and would take her letters. I even undertook to fend her fon to her, provided (he would buy his difcharge. I begged her to take care of my companion, who could go no further; and that as foon as I fhould arrive at my journey's end, I would fend him money to enable him to join me, or that 1 would come and fetch him myfelf, and pay all the expences (he might beat on his account*. The good woman, not contented with co'mg me fo great a piece of fervicr, made me dine with her, gave me a new fhirt, ftockings, provisions for three days, and fix Lunen'ourg florins. In the evening I fet off from Thorn, with the confo- lation of leaving my dear friend Schell in good hands. We parted with regret ; and I walked that day, the 1 3th, as far as Burglow, at two miles diftance. It is eafy to conceive my forrow and defpondency, on find- ing myfetf feparated from my beft friend. Tnat mo- ment was the mod diftreflTing I ever pafled in my life ; indeed, I was very near returning to fetch him, and lead him on with me>) b.ut reafon at length got the better. Ihe next two days I walked thirteen miles. At Moeva I fiept on ftraw with a number of waggoners : when I waked, I perceived I had been robbed of my piftols, and the little money that remained in my pocket -, and all my fellow lodgers gone. My fcore amounted to eighteen Pol'.fli grufiien, which 1 was under the necefilty of pay- ing, the landlord being info lent. I therefore gave him the only fpare mirt I pofleffed, and a filk handkerchief given me by the old woman at Thorn j and fet off def- titute of even a farthing. To reach Marienburg without falling into the barui? of the Pruffians, it was necevTary to crofs the Viftnla j but I had not money to pay the pafiage. Perceiving two men fifhing in a fmall boat by the river fide, 1 ad- vanced towards them, drew my fabre, and forced them to row rne.to the oppofite bank, j which when 1 OF BAR.ON TREttCK. 35 "I tock the oars from thefe timid people, leaped out of the boat, puflied it from the more, and let them drive at the mercy of th<^ ftreara. Thus, for want of half a grofh, I ran the rilkof lofing my ov;n life, or of committing a murder. At Marie nburgh were Saxon and Piuflian recruiting parties. As 1 had no money, I ate and drank with them, j liftened to their proportions, gave them hopes, and fet off before the dawn of day. At Elbing, the next town, I met with my old tutor, Brodowfky, who was now Captain and Auditor in the Poliih regiment of Golzifchen. We foon recollefled each other, and he took me to his quarters. Here end- ed my long and perilous journey. This worthy man, after haying furnifhed me with every neceflary, wrot to my mother in fo affecling a manner, that in eight hours time Qie arrived at JLlbing, and gave me all the af- fiftance I could defire. The reader will eafily figure to himfelf the pleafure I felt on feeing fo tender a parent. She put me in the way to write to my female fliend at Berlin, who foon after fent roe a bill of exchange on Dantzick, of four hundred ducats. My mother, in addition to ihis, gave me a thoufand Crowns, and a diamond crofs worth half that furn. She flayed a fortnight with me, and prevail- ed on me, fpite of my repugnance, to go and pufli my fortune at Vienna. She then bade .me farewell, and 1 ne- ver faw her more. She died in 1754. After I had provided all I was in want of, and had made a handfome prefent to my old tutor, I inftantly took the road to Thorn. - How great was my emotion when I faw my worthy Schell? The old woman-had taken the greateil care oi him : and was all amazement, when (he faw me drelTed in uniform, accompanied by two footmen. I recorr- penfed her generouily ; told her who I was, and promifed to fend her mortlyi^pofitive account of her fon. In three days Schell was aole t6 travel, when we fet for- ward to the capital of Auilria. I anived at Vienna in* April 1747. Having paid travelling expcnces, and purchafed neceffaries for my- felf. 36 LIFE AND AtiVENTURES felf and Schell, I found I had three hundred ducats re- maining, which I fliared with him. After flaying at Vienna a month, Schell fet off for Italy, to join the re- giment of Pallavicini, in which he had obtained a Lieu- tenancy. At Vienna I found my coufin Trenck in prifon at the arfenal. He was the fon of my uncle, who had been Colonel and Commandant of Leitfchau, and who pofief- fed a confiderable eftate in Sclavonia. Envy was the fole caufe of my kinftnan's misfortune : notwithftanding the great and faithful fervices he had done the flate, he was fent to pafs the reft of his days at Spielberg. When I alighted at Vienna, his Reward, Mr. Lebnor, had me prefented to the Kmperor and Prince Charles j who knowing Trenck's fervices, and that his enemies were malignant, readily granted me permiflion to vifit him in prifon. The Emprefs Queen (after my coufin's trial had been revifed in a favourable manner, by the Counfellors, whom he bribed, by my means, with thirty thoufand florins) had it intimated to h ; m, that (he de'ired he would folicit his pardon ; on which condition he \vas to obtain his liberty immediately. Prince Charles, befides, advifed me to pievail on my coufin to take this Hep. But nothing could move him : confident of his innocence, he perfiHed in demanding juftice ; and to this obftioaey owed his ruin. He was rich ; his enemies had already divided eighty thoufand florins of his property, and the reft was iequeftercd, and in their hands. Greatly affected with his fituation, I offered to pro- cure him the means of efcape j which he accepted with much feeming gratitude. However, a few days after, I received orders to wait on Field Marmal Count Koe- nigleck : Governor of Vienna. This refpeftable old man advifed me to abandon Trcnck to his fate ; faying that he had betrayed me, by declaring that I had pro- pofed to him to make his efcape j in mort, that he did not fcruple to facrifice me, by way of (hewing the Court, that he was far from employing fuch a refource, and Gf BARON TRENCK.. 37 and that he expe&ed every thing from the juftice of his Aftonilhed at fuch bafe behaviour, I refolved to leave him to fate ; but going to inform Prince Charles of the ingratitude I had juft experienced, he ordered me to return again to my coufin, to feem to know nothinp- of what had paffed, and to continue to do him all the fer- vice in my power. Trenck was a man of great abilities, but of unbounded ambition : his loyalty to his Sovereign bordered on en- thufiafm, and his courage, on temerity : his mind was ilifpofed to artifice, and his heart was hard, malignant. and revengeful. His avar ! ce was fo great, that it could not increafe, though he was only thirty-three years old when he died. A fortnight had hardly pafled before I met with a new inflance of his treachery. I was returning home from his prifon one evening 1 , carrying under my coat a bag full of papers, at which I had been working for him, when I perceived that I was followed by two men in brown great coats. They trod in a manner, on my heels, and faid the mod infolent things of the Pruflnn Trenck. I turned round, and at the fame inftant received a ftab in the left fide, at the place where I had put the bag of writings, which for- tunately faved my life. The weapon had made its way through the papers, and flightly raifed the Ikin. I ira- rrkuiat,ly drew my fword, on which thefe gentlemen made off: but one of them Humbling, 1 feized him by the collar. The guard came up ; he declared that he was an officer of the regiment of Kollovrat, and {hewed his uniform. On this he was relcafed, and I taken ta pr'fjii j where I remained fix days, Laving no witnefs to prove my innocence. On rny return home, thefe fellows, Lieutenants F -- g and K --- n,fent to demand fatisradion for the fuppofed infult they had received. I accepted the challenge, and p'roraifed, at the expiration ot an hour, to repair to the Scotch gate, which they had named as the place of meeting. When I heard their names, I found that they were two famous bullies, E who $5 S LIFE AND ADVENTURES who frequently vifited Trenck at the arfcnaT, and prac- tifed fencing every day. 1 went direflly to rny cpuiin, to folicit a hundred duc'its, that I might be able to efcape, in cafe of neceflity. I had been fpending my money to Jerve him, and had not alked him for any thing. My nftonifliment was confequently gre;it, when he anfwered ine with a fneer, " My dear coufin, fince you have got into a difpute without me, you have nothing to do, but to get out of It without me likewife." Nay, when I was going away, he told me that he would confent to pay the expences of my funeral, as he had no doubt that I ihould be killed. Half mad, I ran to Baron Loprefti ; who lent me fifty ducats, and a pair of piftols, with which I repaired gaily to the field of battle j where I found half a dozen officers of the garrifon. I was obliged to take for my fecond a fuperannuated Spanifh Captain, aged at leaft eighty years. Lieut. K n I difabled in an inflant, by giving Lira a deep wound in the arm. Lieut. F g, taking his place, received a thrud in the belly, which brought him to the ground. Lieut. M f, fecond of the firlt that had been wounded, then advanced, and to'd me. in an angry tone of voice, that I ihould pay dearer for him. My o'cl Spaniard boldly offered his fcrvice, fay- 5ng that I had done enough : bat 1 declined his inter- ference. I was, however, defirous of relting a moment -; but Lieut. M f excited by his friend, would not give me time. He came furioufly on ; and though 1 gave him two wounds in an inflant, one in the hand, and another in the belly, he flill aimed to run me through the body. As I faw it was not a time to tritle, I dif- armed and threw him to the ground. This left the reft no inclination to take up the quarrel ; and my enemies returned to the city, with their wounds. Lieut. F g's blood was in a very bad ftate ', and his wound, though not dangerous in itfelf, threatening a gangrene, he lent fcr me to pay him a viut. 1 went j when he made many excufes,and gave me to underftand, that I fhould do well to be upon my guard -.igainil my j who, I learnt, had promiied this man a company, OF BAR.ON TR.ENCK, 3^ and a thoufand ducats, provided he found means to rid him effxdually of me. The Lieutenant, had, in confe- quence, made Lieut. K n his affociate. After fueh perfidy, I could no longer think of vifit- kig my ungrateful and dangerous relation, who, think- ing himfelf fure of gaining his caule, and knowing I was acquainted with all his fecrets. wiftied me to be aflafiinated, that he might be free from every kind cf obligation. I refolved, after what had happened, to quit Vienna forever. Prince Charles gave me a letter for General Brown, who then commanded near Genfa ; but chafing rather to go to the Eaft-Indies, I fet off for Holland in Auguft 1748. In the mean time, my coufm's enemies procured a fentence, condemning him to pafs the reft of his life at Spielberg. Providence, however, did not permit me to follow my firlt intention : at Nuremberg 1 met with a body of Ruffian troops, commanded by General Liewen, a relation of my mother. Major Butfchkow, whom I had known Refident of the Court of Peterfburgh at Vienna, advifed me to pay him a viiit, and undertook to introduce me. The General was pleafed with me $ and wiming me to enter iato the Ruffian fervice, gave me a company of Dragoons in the regiment of ToboHk, but on condition that i (hould not leave him, and that I ihould write in his cabinet; to which I acceded. Peace being focn after this concluded, the army returne.l to KuiTia, without having fired a mot. In. palling through Ciacovia, General Liewen ordered me to condud a hundred and forty ikk ; down the Viftula to Dantzick, where we were directed to wait till Ruffian v^fieis came, to carry us to Riga. Saon after my arrival in that city, I made an acquaintance with Lieut. N , a Prutlian officer. He vilited me every day, and we frequently took a ride ia ths fubarbs of the tovva. i was much furprifed, one morning, when my fer- vint, who had made an acquaintance with the Lieu- tenant's, told me to be on my gj.ud againit a fnare thac E 2 was 4O tlFE AND ADVENTURES , tvas laid for me : " Lieut. N ," faid lie, " wifhes t entice you out of the city, that he may deliver you into the hands of the Pruffians." A plot of this kind was fhortlf afterwards actually attempted ; which endtd much to ths credit of the Baron, and to the con- fuCon and difgrace of his hypocritical friend. Three or four days after this affair, we failed for Riga. There we joined General Liewen, who was already waiting for us. On my arrival at Mofcow, 1 was very well received by the Chancellor, Count B , for whom I had let. ters of recommendation. Oettinger, whofe friendfhip I had acquired, was a favourite of the Minifter j and I remarked that this circumftance did me no harm in the Count's opinion. Some days after I met Count Hamilton, with whom I had been intimately acquainted at Vienna. He was then Captain of Cavalry in the regiment of Bernes, and had come to Ruffia with General Bernes, who was fent thither in quality of Ambaflador. I was alfo known to Count Bernes himfelf, who was Ambaflador at Berlin, in 1743, and who had feen me at that time in high favour with Frederick. Count Hamilton introduced me to the Auftrian Minifter, who was pleafed to con- ceive fo good an opinion of me, that after a few minutes converfation, he endeavoured to perfuade me to enter into the Ruffian fcrvice, offered to fend me to Vienna with the ftrongeft recommendations, and wifhtcl me to accept a company in his regiment. But the misfortunes of my coufin had left too deep an impreffion on my mind for me to embrace his offer. He then invited me to dine with his friend Lord Hindford, the Englilh Ambaflador. I feldom experienced greater pleafure than I did that day. This great ftatefman alfo knew me at Berlin, and was at Frederick's table, when that Monarch faid, in fpeaking of me, " This is one of my youthful Matadors." He made me fit belide him, and afked me what I was come to do in Ruffia. I anfwered, To feek bread and honour, bccaufe I had undefervedly loft both in my own country. He enquired whether I had OF BARON TRENCH. 4! had much money : I told him No ; that my whole for- tune, at that moment, confifted of thirty ducats. On hearing this he replied, That I had all the qualities neceffary to make my fortune in Ruflia ; but in that country, poverty was defpifed, and outfide {how alone oonfidered, without regard to fervices or talents. You mult therefore appear rich. Bernes and I will intro- duce you to the beft company, and fiirnifh you with every thing requifite to fupport your confequence, fuch as ihowy liveries, faddle-horfes, and jewels. In the different circles you tnufl play hi^h, appear proud, and fpeak boldly to the Miniiters. Nor muft you forget to pay your court to the Ladies, and endeavour to pleafe them. Thefe are the means by which a foreigner may hope to make his fortune in this country. I was confequently carried into company, not as an adventurer, but as heir to confiderable eflates belonging to the family of the Trencks, in Hungary, and as a per- fon who had been formerly the favourite of the King of Pruflia. I wrote a poem on the anniverfary of the Emprefs Elizabeth's Coronation. Lord Kind ford conveyed it to her hands, and availed hinxfelf of the opportunity to introduce me to her Maietty. I received a thoufand marks of her favour : llie recommended me to her Chancellor, and made me a prefent of a gold-hiked, fvvord, worth a thouiai;d rou'ok-s. 1 was a pretty good prohcisat in drawing, and had free accefs to the houfe of the Chancellor. In a ftiort time I was employed in his cabinet, where I worked with Lieut. Col. Uettinger, then the firft Architect in liuffia. 1 drew the plan of a new hotel which Count .B purpofed build ing at Mofcow, and by thefc means, obtained a great.lhare of his confidence. I had been fcarcely fix weeks at Mofcow, \\hea I met with an adventure, which I will relate. One day, when at dinner at Lord Hindford's, I was feated befide u charming girl,, of one of the bell families in Ivufiia, who, though only feventeen years of age, was deftiaed for the wife of an old military man of fixty. 4'i LIFE AND AVDENTUHES Her eyes foon told me that (he would have preferred me to her intended hufband. I was not backward in comprehending their language, ventured to intimate what I thought of the matter, and declared how much 1 felt myfelf interefted in her fate. I was, however, much furprifed when flie anfwersd : ' O heaven ! Could you find means to fave me from the misfortune I dread ? If you can, there is nothing in the world that you may not afk of me.' It is eafy to conceive the impreffion fo ftidden a declaration muft make on a young man of four and twenty. The young lady's perfon was as beautiful ?.s her mind was ingenuous, and ihe was a Princefs. But the order for her marriage had already been iffued by the Court, and there remained no other expedient to avoid it than a fpeedy flight, with all its attendant dangers. The place not allowing a longer explanation, I aiked her, though our hearts were perfectly agreed, to give me a meeting. She fixed on the following day, in the garden of Troitz, where I paffed three delightful hours, thanks to her chamber- maid, who was a Georgian, and flood fentinel for us while we were there. We vowed eternal love,- and from that day I obtained permiflion to pafs whole nights in her chamber. Not having it in our power to delay the day fatal to our lovs, the marriage was celebrated with great mag- nificence, but I ftill remained the real hufband of the Princefs, in fpite of all the formalities of the Greek church. We lived happy and contented for three months, preparing the means of our future elopement. The Prijjcefs gave me her jewels, and fome thoufand roubles that fhe had received as a prefent at her marriage, to purchafe whatever was necefiary for our flight ; and it would certainly have taken place, if the death of the lady, foon after, in the fmall-pox had not intervened. In the agitations of her mind, Ihe made our amour pub- lic, by calling on me to deliver her from her hufband. This intrigue made a noife, and ferved to procure me another. The CP EARON TR.ENCK. 43 The Countefs of B was at that time the moft amiable and witty woman of the Court. Endowed with a vaft and daring genius, the governed, in the name of her hufband, the whole empire of Ruffia. She married him in the preceding reign, when he was no more than Refident at Hamburgh, and (lie, the widow of an inconfiderable merchant of the fame place. Count B afterwards became Prime Mimfter, and his Lady the firft woman in Ruffia. She was about thirty-eight years old ; and though no beauty, was itill by no means difagreeable. I dined with her as often as I thought proper, and' in company with Lieut. Col. Oettinger, often drank coffee in private in her apartment. On thefe occaiions fhe never failed to fpeak to me of my intrigue with the Princefs N , and gave me to underftand that fhe had perceived our amours. I conftantly denied every thing, although (he mentioned circumftances that I thought fhe could have heard from nobody but my deceafed friend. I did not know that die had taken the Princefs's chambermaid into her fervice. But I foon perceived that my fecrefy had produced a good effect. About eight days after the Princefs N ~'s death, the Countefs of B invited me to come alone to drink coffee in her chamber. I was no fooner there than Hie began to fay fuch obliging things about my fituation r and expreffed fo much concern on the occa- fion, that I could no longer doubt the nature of the fentiments I had excited in her breaft. Indeed, me confcffed them herfelf without difguife. Secrefy and fincerity were the conditions of this new connection. The Countefs, to prevent a difcovery, prevailed on her hufband to employ me in his cabinet ; fo that I paffed whole days in the houfe, and no mention was made of my joining the regiment of Dragoons to which I be- longed. It was not long before my credit with the Miuifler attracted notice ; and my good fortune not being agree- able to the great Frederick, who had fpies on my con- duft, he gave me new proofs of his leientment. Mr. G . '4'j LIFE AND AD VENTURES G , the Prufiian Minifter, availed himfelf of a plan of Croniladt. which 1 had copied for Lord Hindford, to charge me with being a fpy ; and, but for the good offices of the Englifli Minifter and the Countefs, I had cei^iinly fallen inlo a rooil dangerous fnare. It turned, however, to my advantage : for the Emprefs fent me a prefent to confole me for the unjuft imputations whicli my honour had fuftained ; and when I waited on her to return thanks, my reception was fo gracious, that I really forgot the dangers which 1 had efcaced. Oft. 4, 1749, my coufin died in his prifon at Spiel- berg. By his will he made me his heir general, on condition that I ihould ferve no other power but the Houfeof Auihia. In March 1750, Count Bernes received a copy of the will j and, urged by his folicitations, I fet oi? for Vienna j where I foon fell thto the labyrinth of the law, from which I found it impoflible to extricate my- felf. It was not in Trenck's power to prevent ir,y inheriting his father's fortune, which was entailed .on me j wifliing, however, to give me marks of his hatred after his death, he made a will full of abfurd and con- tradictory claufes, which ferved the withholders of his fortune, as a pretext 10 ftrip me of it. Though Trenck was an atheift, nobody had a more ardent de"fire than he to acquire an extraordinary reputation ; he therefore refolved to put an end to his existence, and to make himfelf pafs for a fain* at his death. For tii is purpofe, three days before his death, when he was in the bell ftate of health pofiible, he requeileJ the commandant to fend to Vienna for a Confeilor j St. Francis having, as he fai j, declared to him that he wooild die on his birth-day at noon' precifely. Though every bcrdy laughed at his prediction, the Capuchin Friar was fent for. The day after Trenck had confeffed himfelf, he exclaimed, " God be praifed ! my end approaches , my Confeffor is juft dead, and has appeared to me." Upon enquiry it was found that the Monk was really de .d. OF BARN TRENCK. 45 Trenck then begged all the officers of the garrifon to come to his prifon j took the tonfure, dreffed himfelf in the habit of a Capuchin Friar j made a public con- feffion', and preached an hour, exhorting his audience to think of their falvation. He then took leave of them, knelt down to fay his prayers, fell into a found fleep, rofe, and prayed again. O61. the ath he looked at his watch, at eleven o'clock in the morning,, and cried out, " God be praifed, my laft hour is not far off." Every body prefent was much entertained at feeing a man of his character play fo ridiculous a comedy. However, it was remarked that his face grew pale on the left fide. He then feated himfelf befide a table, leaned his head upon his hand, and, after faying a prayer, con- tinued motionlefs, with his eyes fliut. My coufin was acquainted with the fecret poifon called Acqua tqffana: he made his Confeffor the con. fident of all his affairs, and employed him to deliver feveral jewels, and bills of exchange, of which he 'wiihed to make prefents , among others, I know that, at that time, he fcnt back to a great Prince, a bill of exchange for two hundred thoufand florins, due to him from the Prince -, not a florin of which I ever recovered, although 1 was Trenck's only hsir. However, as it was necef- fary to put it out of the Confeflor's power to betray him, he gave him a dofe of poifon fufficient to difpatch him, in fome refremments that he made him partake of before his departure j and the Prieil actually died in a very little time after his return. Trenck took the like fort of poifon himfelf, and therefore knew the exaft hour of his death. As he could no longer procure re- fpeft while living, he was relolved to be honoured, and fainted if poflible, after his deceafe. The fuperftition of the populace was a fufficient fe- curity to him, that he mould obtain credit for the per- formance of miracles. That he might excite it the more powerfully, he ordered a fmall chapel to be efe&ed to his memory, and endowed it with fix thou- fand florins. Thus died, in his thirty-fourth year, this extraordinary man, to whom Nature had been prodigal of 46 LIFE AND ADVENTURES of her gifts, and who had been long a terror to the- enemies of the Mate under which he ferved. He lived like a tyrant, and an enemy to his fellow-creatures ; and died with a reputation of holinefs, that he certainly little deferved. In fpite of all my pains and efforts, I found it im- poffible to obtain the enjoyment of my inheritance. Thofe who had the adminiitration of the fortune my coufin had left me, were too powerful for me to make them relinquish their hold. In the mean time, the Emprefs Queen gave me a company of. cavalry in the regiment of Cuirafliers of Cordora. This fmall favour was the only mitigation of all the injuries I had fuf- fered. Difcontented with my fituatlon, and curling my fate, I went to join my regiment in Hungary j where I pro- pofed to wait till Fortune was tired of perfecuting me. In the month of March 1754, I received news of the death of my mother, and afked the Board of War for fix months leave of abfence to go to Dantzick, in order to concert with my brothers and filler the fteps neceffary to be taken, relative to my poflefiions that had been confiscated in Pruffia. I obtained it ; and, in the month of May t fet off for that city, whae I fell a fecond tiros into the hands of the Pruflians* The people of Vienna concerned in my coufin's effefls, by feveral bale fchemes, and falle iufinuations. "endea- voured to get me again into the hands of the Pruflians, that they might quietly enjoy that fortune which was juftly my due. My brothers and fitter came to me at Dantzick, in May. We pafled a fortnight together, and fhared my mother's fortune. My lifter cleared hcrfelf of all blame, as to the bad icception Ihe had been compelled to give me in 1746 : and befcre we parted, we vowed unalter- able affection. The only acquaintance I made at Dantzick, was with Mr. Abrarufon, the Aufltian Reficient, for wlu.iu. I had letters of recommendation. He was intimately acquainted with the PrufUun Refident j and proved, on thif. OF BARON TRENCK. 47 this occafi JH, the contriver of my misfortune. Abram- fon found means to detain me eight days longer than I intended, under various pretexts, that he might have time, in conjunction with Reimer. to prepare the fnare, with which he intended to entrap me. The King of Pruffia applied to the magittracy of Dantzick to deliver me up : but an action fo contrary to the laws of all nations \v ;s not thought advifable, without the previous confent of the Court of Vienna ; as I belonged to the Imperial fervice in quality of Captain of Cavalry : I had, befides, a letter of leave, and a paffport from the Board of War. The day fixed for my departure at length arrived ; and I intended to take my paflage on board a Swedifh vcffel. Abramfon, at four o'clock in the afternoon, told me that the Swedilh Captain had allured him that he fliould not fail till the following day ; that, this being the cafe, he infiftrd, that as he expedled company at his houfe, that I mull absolutely pafs the evening with him. This prevented my returning to my inn till eleven o'clock : I had juft got into bed, and was reading, when I heard a .knock at my door. It was not locked, and in a moment two Commiflaries of the town, and twenty Grenadiers, entered my apartment, a,nd furrounded my bed with fo much promptitude, that I had not time to take my arms in my defence. My three footmen were likewife takeu into cuftcdy, and it was (Ignited to me j " that being accufed of a crime, the worihipful Magiftrate thought himfelf under the necelTity of furrendering me tp his Majefty the King of Pruflia." 1 was taken in filence to the piifon of Dantzick, where I remained twenty-four hours. The Refident Abramfon came to iee me about noon ; expreffcd much affected concern at my misfortune j and told me that he had juil protefied, in itrong terms, againft the illegality of tliefe proceedings j that he found it was impoflible to refufe attention to the menaces of the King of Fruflia, uho was determined, at all events, to get me into his jpower. He adviled me to put my papers, and any- valuable 4& LIFtf AN'D' ADVEST UR.ES valuable effefts I might have, into his hands, as other- wife I mould run the rlik of lofing them. He knevv that I had received from my family, a bill of exchange for feven tboufand florins. I gave it him j but kept my ring, worth 'four thoufand, and 'about fixty Louis d'ors, which I had in my purie. He embraced me, and allured, me that he would 'do 'every thing in his power to pro* ture rriie a fpeedy deliverance. He then left me, meddinj a torrent of crocodile tears. The following night, two Coromiflaries of the town came to my prifon, with Reirner the Refident, a Prufliari Officer, and feveral Serjeants and Corporals. They put me into the hands of the non-commiffioned officers, and in a moment, the piliage began. Reimer fnatchtd my ring from my finger, took my watch, my fnuff box, and every other article I had about me. In fhort, they left me nothing but a coat and a ihirt, and then fliut me up in a coach, in the midlt of three Pruffians, with the blinds drawn up. A detachment of Dantzick Militia guarded the carriage to the gate of the town. Here they were relieved by Dragoons of the fame city, who efcorted me to Lavenburg in Pomerania. Thirty Huffars, command- ed ;:-y a Lieutenant, relieved the detachment of Dragoons at Lavenburg ; and in this manner I was carried from garrifon to garrifon, as far as Berlin, travelling two', three, and fom'etimes five German miles a day. The fourth day we arrived at , where the Duke of Wir- temberg, father of the Grand Duchefs ot Ruffia, com- manded, and where his regiment was then quartered. He defued to fee me ; was much affected by my ftory ; and made me flay with him the whole day. He even carried his kindnefs fb far, as to give orders to let me reft the whoie of the next day, which I paffed, likewife, at his houle. The third day 1 let off on my journey in an open carriage, without; any efcovt ; being only accom- panied by a Lieutenant of the Duke's regimen':. Unfor- tunately, 1 was not aware in time of the generous interf- tion of this Nobleman, who evidently fought to give m'e an opp irtunity of making my efcape. His greatnels of foul would perhaps have mads him fupport a reprimand from <T)f BAR.ON TRENCK. 4)5 "from the King without regret, to have the pleafure of laving an innocent man. In feveral places, the road \ve took was not more than two or three miles from the .frontiers ; and nothing would have been more eafy, than to Irive effected my efcape : but the fame Trenck, who, at Glatz, had dared to attack thirty men, and who was $ever acquainted with fuch a fentiment as fear, was four days without being able to take a refolution on this occafion. In 'eed, for feveral days, I had the fairefl opportunity of elcaping ; and 1 believe my conduS- ors thought me deficient in common fenfe, as they appeared much furpriied at finding me prefent, when I might, with great eafe, have purfued my own courfe. But i was fatallv milled by an idea, that the King meant to queftion me himlelf ; and even to alk my opinion on the war, then about breaking out. But, alas i my hopes were of fliort duration ; anJ were changed to defpair, when, after a journey of four days, 1 quitted the pro- vince comoianded by the Duke of Wirtemberg, and was delivered over, at Boeflin, to the firft garrilbn of Infantry. From that moment, I was conducted to Berlin by a ftrong efcort , and on my arrival, 1 was delivered over to the main guard : I had two fentinels coni>antly in my room, and a third at the door. The King was then at Pctzdam. I remained two days in ' this fituation. On the third, feveral officers of the city made their appearance j fcated themfelves round a table, and alked me feveral queftions, with the tendency of which, I was not then acquainted. lit, What I was -doing at D<u)tzick ? 2d, If I knew Mr. Goltz, the King's 'AmbalTador, at Pcterfhurgh ? $d, The names of the perfons who were concerned in the Dantzick plot, &c. &c. But to thefe queiticns, I refufed any anfvver ^ recapitulating, however, my former hardfhips. But all I could urge availed nothing ; and after my vifitors had written two hours, upon what fubjtd, I know not, a carriage diove up to the door. Strict fearch was made to fee whether I had any arms concealed ; thirteen or fourteen ducats, that 1 had ftill in my pcfleflbn, were taken from me, and I was carried under a flrong guard F through 50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES through Spandaw to Magdeburg j the Town Major of which place cor.clu61ed me immediately to a prepared dungeon. 1 hen, and not till then, a miniature picture of my female friend ^t Petersburg, let round with diamonds, which 1 had hitherto fecreted under my fl.irt, was taken from me. The dungeon was built in a cafemate. ten feet long and fix broad. Two doors (hut clofe on each other j and there was a third at the enirance of the cafemate. The light came through a window, at the opening of the arch of the vaulted roof, and went through a wall feven feet thick. Though it gave light enough, it was placed in fuch a manner that I could neither iee heaven nor earth ; I could only preceive the roof of the maga- zine. On the infide and outfide of this window wtre bars of iron, and in the fubftance of the wall between them a grate of wire, worked b clofe together, that it was impoflible to diftinguiih any objefl either within or without. Befides all this, the window was guarded with pallifades on the outfides, to prevent the fentinels from approaching, and giving me any aflirtance. My furniture in this horrible abode, confiiled cf a bedftead, fattened to the floor ; a mattrafs , a fruajl itove j and near the ftove, a box, fixed againft the wall, and intended to ferve rne for a feat. I was not permitted to have any inflrumeat of iron ; and my allowance, for four and twenty hours, was a pound and a half of ammunition bread, and a jug of water. J was obliged to throw aw?.y half ncy bread, it was fo exceedingly mouldy : this pic-, ceded from the Major's avrrice, who derived a profit from this article. Judge, reader, of what 1 fuffered from hunger, the eleven long months that I lived on this involuntary re- gimen ! for I mould have required, at leaft, fix pounds of bread a day, to fatisfy my appetite. 1 had no fooner received and devoured my allowance, than I felt again the attacks of hunger. 1 was, however, obliged to wait the revolution of the twenty-four hours, before 1 could hope for relief. How willingly would 1 have given a bill of exchange for a thoufand ducats, on my rr.oney at OF BA&ON TR-XCK. j J lit Vienna, to fatisfy my appetite for once with dry bread ! Hunger feldora permitted me to fleep ; and, when it did, I inftantly dreamed that I was fitting at a table covered with the mod delicious viands, and that I was devouring them with the greateft voracity. My hunger failed npt constantly to increafe , and the firm- nefs with which I fupported this kind of fortune fo many months, is, in my opinion, the greateit proof of fortitude I ever gave in my life. The three doors were ihut, and I was left to myfelf* My bread and water was brought me every day about noon: but, after two months experience, finding that my dungeon was regulaily opened once a week, for the purpofe of infpeclion, I began a work, which I did not find impracticable. A part of the floor was paved with brick, and extended from the lill of the door and the ftove, to the wall that feparated my prifon from the neighbouring cafemate, which fortunately was unin- habited. As there was a fentintl before my window, I foon found two worthy fellows, who, notwithllanding their orders to the contrary, confented to fpeak to me, and made me acquainted with the fituation of my wretch- ed abode. I judged from thence that it would not be difficult to efcape, if I could mjkc rny way into the ca&awte, the door of which was open. Nothing would then remain but to puls the Elbe, and make for the frontiers of Saxony, which were only at a mill's ciillance. I began by Ibofemng the iron bars that held clown the fill of the door j they were near eighteen inches long, and were nailed to the box with three nails, which 1 drew out, and of which I preferved the heads, that I might put them in their places, at the (tated times, when, my prifon was viiited. Having thus obtained the means of in. iking a breach, I took up the bricks of the tloor, and found earth underneath. I then determined to penetrate through the wall behind the box, where it was fsven feet thick. The firft lining was brick, but I came afterwards to large hewn flones. I counted the number of bricks I F z had $2 LIFB AND AD7ENTURSS had removed both from the floor and the wall, that I might replace them, fo as to avoid lufpicion , and when 1 was lure of fucceeding, continued my work. The evening before the vilit of my prifun, every thing was in its place. I had already dercoliiled a. portion of the wall, a foot in height ; but 1 took care to place the bricks as they were before, and to fill the interfaces with the dufl of the mortar, which I wetttd for that purpofe. I fcraped the walls that had peihaps been whitewamed an hundred times ; made a bruih of my hair, and employed it to whiten the bricks I had taken up, drying them with the heat of my body. The iron work was alfo replaced in fuch a manner, that it was impcfiible to perceive the fmallefl alteration. The rubbHh 1 hid under my bed. It is difficult to conceive the trouble I met with, when I had once worked two feet into the ftone wall. The iron work that I had taken from the ftep of the door, and from my bedrlead, coinpofed my only tools j except, indeed, an old ramrod, and a little knife with a wooden haft, which were given me by a charitable fen- tinel, and which did me good lervice. It was not till after fix months inccffant labour, that I found means to pierce the wall, and open a paffage to the adjoining cafemate. 'During this time I had opportunities offpeak- ing to fevtral fenlinels ; among whom was an old Gre- nadier of the name cf Gefhard, from whom I learned the exaft fit nation of my^ dungeon, and the noeafures proper to be taken. All that I v\ss now in want of, was money to buy a fmall boat, that 1 might be able to crofs the Elbe to Saxony, with Geihard, who offered to be the com- panion of my rlight. For this purpofe, he procured me the afiiftsnce of a Jewefs, whole father had been ten years in prifoti. This vyorthy girl gained over two other Grenadiers, wilh whom, when on duty, I entered into converfation. i made with (havings, tied to one another, a flick long enough, to reach beyond the palli- iades, that furrounded my window, and by this means procured paper, a fecond knife, and a file. I then Of^ BAR.OM TRE.NCS. 53 I then wrote to my fitter, who lived about fourteen miles 'from Berlin, and begged her to give the Jewefs three hundred crowns, to further my efcape from prifon. I inclofed a letter for Count Puebla, the Auttrian Mirutfer at Berlin, which contained a bill of exchange for a thoufand florins, payable out of the mo- ney I had at Vienna, with my rtqueft to him to give the amount to the Jewefs, having promifed her this fum as a reward for her fidelity. As Toon as Either received my packet, (he fet off for Berlin, to the Count, who took my letter, and the bill of exchange that accompanied it, and ordered her to go and fpeak to Mr. Weingarten, Secretary of the Em- ban^. This man giving her a good reception, (he dif- clofed to him the whole of her bufmefs, unfortunately for herfelf and feveral others. He gave her two ducats, and promifed to obtain the amount of the bill by the time (he could return from my fitter. Efther arrived at Hammer, and found my fitter, who was then a widow; and being no longer, as in 1746, afraid of incurring her huflictnd's difpleafure, was over- joyed to hear I was aKve ; and immediately produced the three hundred crowns. Ell her returned expedi- tioutty to Berlin, with a letter to rne from my fitter 5 but full (hewed the whole to Mr. Weingarten, in the full confidence of his friendship. He read the letter ; aiked the names of the two grenadiers ; told her that the thoufand florins from Vienna were not yet come to hand , gave her twelve ducats, and defired her to hatten to Magdeburg, and carry me the good news (he had to communicate. Ellher accordingly came ftraight to the citadel, but fortunately mc-t at the g;ite the wife of one of the grenadieis in our ferret ; who told her, that her hufband and his comrade had been confined and fetter- ed the evening before : Either immediately conjectured that we had been betrayed j and, turning inftantly back \ver.t to DefYiu. Mr. Weingarten was a traitor, in whom Count Piubh placed too much confidence. He was in the pay of Pruffia, and fervcd that cjurt as a fpy. He F 3 betraved 54 1IFE AND ADVENTURES betrayed me, that he might appropriate to his own ufe the thoufand florins, arifing from the bill of exchange drawn on Vienna ; for it appears, by a receipt bearing date the 24th of May 1755. ^ iat ^ ie a ount was paid out of my effe&s to Count Puebla ; and, fince my de- liverance, it has been charged to my account. Thus, Weingarten, to fteal a thoufand florins with impunity, plunged me into an abyfs of misfortunes ; occafiored the premature death of my fifter, and was the caufe -of one of the Grenadiers being hanged, and of the other's running the gauntlet on three fuccefiive days. More than a hundred blows were given with a ilick to the poor father of the Jcwefs, to compel him to reveal what he knew of the plot, as well as the place of his daughter's retreat. He died in the midft of his pu- iiiihment, crying out, in vain, for mercy. My unfortu- nate fifter was forced to build, at her o^n expence, a horrid dungeon in fort Etoile, where 1 was confined nine years like a favage beaft. She was condemned to pay an enormous fine, her fortune : was reduced to njthing, her children were beggared, and flic died, broken hearted, at thirty-three years of age. 1 was ftveral days without knowing what had hap- pened. Soon a'tcr, however, Geihard mounting guard over my priion, found means to make me acquainted with the fate of his two couirades. The king, ihortly alter, ordered a new dungeon to l>e built oil puipofe for me, and prefcribed the form of Uie chains 1 was to wear. The worthy Gefhard in- formed me, however, that it could not be ready be- fore the end of the month : I therefore determined to laake my eicape through the aperture in the wall, with- out waiting for any ?.lTiftance. But my dungt'on at Fort Etoiie w::s f.niihed fooner than had been tx-^ecled ; and at the fail of t're nu;ht. May 27th, in the midft of rry preparations, I heard a carriage Hop before my prifon. My doors and locks were fiddtnly opened, with .much noile ; and 1 had only time to hide my knift, when i faw the town Majur, the Major of .the day, and a captain with two lanthorns, enter my wretched Of BARQN TRENCK. 5J; wretched habitation. All they faid was, Drefs your- felf. Fetters were given me, which I was obliged to fatten myfelf on my hands and feet. The Town Ma- jor tied a bandage over ray eyes, took me under the arm, and in this manner conducted me to the carriage. The way from the citadel to Fort Etoile is through the town. When the carriage flopped, 1 was led to my new dungeon : there, by the light of feveral candles, the bandage that covered my eyes was taken off. But good Heaven ! what did I perceive ? Two lockfmiths, \vitii their hammers and anvil, and the whole floor covered with chains. They went immediately to wmk: my feet were fattened with enormous chains to a ring funk in the wall, at about three fedt from the ground, fo that I could only take two or three fleps on each fide. They then girt my naked body with a broad iron girdle, from which defcendtd a chain, fattened at the other extremity to a bar of iron, two feet long. At each end of this bar was a handcuff, that confined my hands ; and a collar was adde~d in 1756. As foon as the work was completed, every body retired in filence , and I heard the dreadful creaking of four doors, which ftiut clofe upon one another. Here then did I remain, without confolation, and without affiftance, ftretchtd out, in the dark, upon a damp pavement. My chains Itemed infupportable bef.jtc i \vns ac.ufloaied to them : and 1 thanked Pro- vidence, t'.>ai had prevented the difcovery of my knife, with which I could ia a moment put an end to my fuf- ferings. I cannot give an idea of what I fuffered the firil ni^ht. in the imperfect darknefs that prevailed, I could dtftmguUh he foim of my dungeon. It was ten jett rung, and eight broad j in one corner was a kind of bench of buck, intended for a feat; and oppofite the place where I was chained, was a window of femir circular form, which was opened through a wall, fix feet thick : it was one fuot in height, qnd two feet in breadth. The pafla^e through which the light pene- trated iiito my piih .>, u; k ha ','i't.clion upwards, as far as the middle of the vsalL ana then defcended out- ward 5* i.:**: AND ADVEH PI-RES wards towards the earth, forming an angle, with ft'rong iron tais at each extremity. My eyes, after fume time, htcanie fo accuftomed to the darknefs of the hole, that I could fee a moufe run along the floor ; but in the winter, when the fun was not vilible, I might be truly faid to live in eternal night. The name of Trenck had been mcrufted on the wall with red bricks j and nnder my feet was a tomb intended for me, on which alfo was my name, and a Death's head. There were two oaken doors to the dungeon ; and in the way to it a kind of lobby, into which a window had been opened, and whit h was like- wife fecured by two dcors of the fanve kind. It was the King's intention thp.t this dungeon (hould be bui)t in fuch a manner, as to put it out of my power to have the leaft communication with the fentinel : it vv?s fur- rounded with pallifades twelve feet high, forming a kind of park ; and the key was depo/ited with the guard officer. My prifon having been built of lime and plafter, in the ftiort fpace of eleven days, and I having been com- mitted to it inmr.ed lately after, it was thought that my furYerings could not be of long continuance. During the firii half year, the water dropped inceffantly from the vaulted roof upon my body ; and for the firil three months I was never dry. M-y health, however, did not fuffer much. I cannot, to this day, conceive what it was that with- held my hand from completing the tragedy. Twelve o'clock, however, (truck, and my tomb was opened for the firft time. My chair was removed, ai -1 a btdfttad, with a matrafs, and a good blanket, put in its place, A whole ammunition loat was given me, weighing fix pounds, with a jug of water, containing about four quarts j and then the doors were fiiut. It would be difficult to defcribe' the excefs of my joy, on thinking that I was about to fatisfy my appetite, after having for eleven months fuffered the torments of hunger. There is no happinefc in the world, that, in the firft inrtant, feemed preferable to mine. I atrr -, I devoured j OP BARON TRENCK. 57 devoured ', now and then I flopped for a moment, that J might the better favour my pleafure, and then I ate again : I thought my fate lefs hard j I wept for joy ! L {wallowed one bit after another j and, before the even* ing came, the whole loaf was devoured. My pleafure, however, was of fhort duration ; my fiomach was: weakened by long fading, and unable to digeft the bread ; my body, fwelled, and my jug was exhaufted. The cramp and the cholic, followed by infatiablc thirft, and accompanied with acute pain, tormented roe till the following day. I was not yet accuflomed to the enormous weight of my chains, nor had I learnt to fup- jiort them without inconvenience. This was the motl cruel night imaginable. My keepers, the day after, found me in a dreadful fituation : they were furprifed at my appetite, and gave me another loaf, with a frefh fupply of water. Wifhing me happinefs, as my fuffer- inys feemed to be drawing to an end, they (hut the doors, without afldng whether I wanted any other af- ii fiance. Three days elapfcd before I found any inclination to eat. Both my body and mind grew weaker, and I re- folved to put an end to my exigence. Indeed, patience feemed a folly, and any longer delay a wan! of courage. Yet, as I wilhed to take my refolution with a manly coolnefs, I determined to wait eight days longer, after having inevocably fixed the 4th of July for the period of my death. But the following day, when the four doors of my prifon were opeaed, obferving they were only of wood, the idea ftruck me, that it might be pof- fible to take off the locks with the knife I had brought from the citadel; and that, at any rate, if my projeft did not fucceed, it would not afterwards be too late to die. I firft tried to get rid of my fetters : I freed my right iiand from, the handcuff without much difficulty, but was at more trouble to extricate the left. The iron hock about my body was only fattened to the chain by a bit of twifted iron: I put my fett againft the wall, and by a fudden jerk, it gave way. Nothing then re- mained but the heavy chain which 1 had about my feet, 58 LIFE ANO ADVENTtfllES and which met with the fame fate. I now thought myfelf already at liberty. 1 ran to the door, tried to find, in the dark, the points of the nails that held on the lock, and perceived that 1 had not much to do to remove it from iis place. 1 returned to my chains, full of hope j but it was no eafy matter to put them on again. When I tried to replace the handcuff, 1 met with the gieateil difficulty, on account of a fwelling which my former exertions had occafioned. I fpent all the night in try- ing to open this handcuff; but ray endeavours were ineffectual, till about noon the next day ; when the fear of being deteded, infpired me with more than natural ftrength, and I happily obtained my wifhes. July 4, the vifit being over, I threw afide my chains, and began, with my knife, at the firlt door ; which 1 forced open in lefs than an hour : but the feccnd, which fhut in a contrary direction, fatigued me to a great degtee. When opened, I faw light through the window of the entry, and found that my dungeon was built in a ditch of the firil rampart. I faw like wile the way that led to it j the guard at fifty paces diftance; and the high pallifades that iurrounded it, which it waj neceffary to efcalade before I could reach the ramparts. The third, dpening inwards l.ke the firlt, by fun-fet I accompli&ed rcy point. 1 attacked the fourth ', bul when half the work was over, the blade of my kniie broke, and part of it fell outfkie of the door. Heavens ! what were my feelings at this cruel moment ! It was a beautiful moonlight night i feil to prayers on my knees ; and then, riling again, feized the remaining part of my knife, opened the veins of my arm, and left foot, and fating down quietly in a corner of my prifon, let my blood ilow. A deep llcep foou took pclfeffiort of my fenfes: but how long I remained in this happy Hate, I know not. On a fudden 1 heard myfelf called by my name j and who Ihould it be but my faithful friend Gefhard, the Grenadier. When I heard hi5 name, I anfwered, " I am fwimtuing in ray blood j and to-morrow you will find me dead." '* How !" replied he, " dead 1 It .is rnuch ealier to make your efcape ftoox OF BARON TRENCK. 59 lYom hence, than from the citadel. There is no fen- tinel near, and I will find means to procure you the neceffaiy inllruments. Only get out of your prifon, and leave the reft to me," Seeing a pofiibility of yet making my efcape, a fecret joy took poffeflion of my mind , I inrtantly tore my thirt to pieces, and bound up my wounds. I was exceedingly weak, and my prifon full of blood ; and it is certain, that but little remained in my veins. I fuffered much from my wounds ', my hands were ftiff, and fwelled by the extraordinary labour I had under- gone ', and J had no fliirt left : I was fo overcome with fleep, that I could fcarcely ftand, and yet it was necef- fary to keep myftlf awake, in order to execute my pro- jea. I demolifhed the brick feat with the bar of iron that was failened to my chains, and heaped up the ruins in the middle of my prifon. At noon, when the outer door was opened, every body was aftonifhed to fee the others open alfo ; and the Major and his attendants came into the entry with trepidation : from hence they perceived me at the inner door of my prifon, my clothes covered with blood, and looking like a madman. I had a brick in one hand, and the remaining half of my knife in the .other. " Keep back, Major !" cried I, " nobody frail enter here : 1 will kill fifty men, before one (hall force .his way. This knife is my lalt refource j and I fet your power at defiance !" The Major, frightened, feat to the Commandant. ID the mean time, 1 tat down on the heap of bricks in the middle of my prifon. My fecret defign wa& 'to'; obtain better treatment. A moment aflfer, Gtneral Borck ar- rived with the Town Major, and feveral other officers : he came into the entry, but retreated when he faw me ready to hurl a brick at him. He inftantly ordered the Grenadiers to force a paffage. The entry was hardly fix feet wide , therefore not more than one or two at moft, could advance a breaft ; and as foon as they faw me lift up my arm to throw nay bricks, they all ftarted back. The Commandant ordered another attack ; but the firft Grenadier that advanced, I inftantly knocked down, 6o L!FH AKD ADVJZNTOS.ES down, and the others fled. The Major then made hir, appearance a fecond time : " In the name of Gou, my dear Trenckl" faid he, " what have I done, that you fhould wiih to make me unhappy ? I alone (hall be obliged to anfwer for having left' you a knife, when you quitted the citadel." " Shall I not," faid I, " be load- ed with heavier chains, than thofe 1 .had on before ? The Major, after fpeaking to the commandant, gave me his word of honour, that this incident fnoald make no dif- ference in my future treatment. I therefore allowed a free entrance into my prifon j when my fhuation excited compaflion. A lu.gcon was fent for to dreis my wounds ; a fhirt was givea n e, and the blood and bricks were taken away. Diul.ig this time, 1 lay half dead upon my bed, and felt an iufatiable thirft. The furgeon or. : e/-d me forne wine and foup ; two fentincls were planted iit my door, and 1 was left four days without chains. !Eight and forty hours I remained in a kind of lethargy j every time I waked I was obliged to-drink, and yet my thirlt did not di.niniih. My feet and hands fwelled prodigioufly, and I felt violent pains in my back and limbs. The new doors were fmiflied on the fifth day, and the inner one was ftiengthened with iron. My chains were fixed as before ; that one faftened to the wall was alone replaced by a heavier. By infenfible degrees I became lo accuilomed to the chains, that I learnt to comb ray hair, and even to tie it. As I was never ihived, my beard gave me a frightful appea:ance j I therefore, v. ith much pain, plucked it out. My limbs vreis prevented from fwe])ing. by frequently jumping in my chains 5 or, when I freed myfc'f from :hern, by the different occupations in w'uc'> I npfTe,! rr.y time. About three \vctks after my lait enterprile, the wor- thy Gefhard mounted his firit guard. This afforded us an opportunity of tonverfing freely together. He gave me a faithful defcriptiou of the environs of my prifon. I formed a plan of efcaping under the foun- dations, which he had leen built, and which he affured roe were only two feet thick. Money, 6K BARON TS.ENCK. Ol Money, above all things, being neceffary, I employed '/he following means to procure feme. Grfhard rolled ;i (licet of paper round a long wire, and conveyed it to me through the window grate ; a bit of wax candle, a pen, and a lighted match, followed next ; and, for ink, I pricked my finger, and ufed blood as a fubftitute. i then wrote to Captain Ruckhardt, at Vienna. I communicated my fituation in few words ; fent him an order for three thoufand florins on the income of my fortune, and begged him to apply it to the following ufes. A thoufand florins for his journey to Gummern, a little town in Saxony, two miles from Magdeburg, whither he was to repair on the 15th of Auguft. I begged him, when there, to ihew himfelf the fame day about noon, with a letter in his hand, and to give the other two thoufand florins to a perfon whom he would fee holding a roll of fm6king tobacco, and who would advance to meet him j after which I defired that he "would return to Vienna. I gave this letter, and the neceflary inftruftions, to Gefhard, in the fame manner he conveyed the "paper to me : his wife took the packet to Gummern, and put it fafe 1 ^ into the poll. At length, the ijth of Auguft arrived. Some time, however, elapfed before Gef hard was placed fentinel near ray prifon j but how great was my joy, when I heard him fay one day, " Every thing has fucceeded i" It was agreed on, that the firft time Gefhard fhould mount guard, he fhould undertake to clean out my durf- geon, and that, while filling my jug with water, he fhould avail hirnftlf of the opportunity to convey the money into it. This he happily accomplished : I was only furprifed to find, inftead of a thoufand florins, having promifed the other thoufand to Gefhard, the entire fum, five piftoles excepted, which was all he would, on any account, confent to take for his trouble. I found means afterwards, however, to prevail on him, to accept the thoufand florins j but he never ufed them ' y and they occafioncd, fome years after, much, trouble .to his filly wife. G I began LIFE ANI> ADVENT-URLS I began now to think of executing my firfl prcjefl ; that of efcaping by a fubterrarsecus paffi-ge, excavated under the foundations of riy prifon. To effeft this, it v.as neccffary to get rid of ray chains. Gefhard pivo- cured me two files, with which I managed matters fo veil, that I could put on my fetters at a proper time without rifking a difcovery. I next endeavoured to remove the wire grate, fixed midway between the ex- tremities of my window j and I fucceeded. replacing it every morning. I had now free communication with the fentinels, and obtained all the inftruments of which I ftood in need, even candles, tinder-box, &c. That nobody might perceive I had a light, 1 hung up my blanket before the window j by which means I worked fafely. My priion fioor was compofed of flout oaken planks, each three inches thick j of yvhich there were three layers in contrary directions, held together by iron faftenings a foot long. 1 tmployed the bar of nay handcuffs to life up a plank of the firft laying; a part of which 1 cut off by means of the fame bar, which I had converted into a duffel. I afterwards returned the plank into its place, and filled up the interftice vi. 1 ' crumbs of bre;:d, and a little curt. I foon made my wy through the three planks ; when I came to a very fins land, on which Fort Etoile is built. I got rid of a canfiderable quantity of find, by the lielp of ftveral yards of linen, procured by my grena- dier, with which I made bags fix feet Jong, and fuffi. ciently narrow to pafs between the bars ; thefe I filled .v.-ith fand, and configned to Gefhard, when on guard. Under the fioor I concealed powder, ball, a pair of j.'ccket-piilols, a kcife, and a bayonet. \Vorking fome cUvs longer, 1 perceived that the foundations of my .dungeon were four feet thick inftead of two, as Gef- hard had told me. I fuffered much this winter for want of a ftove ; Lut Gefhard furnifhing me with pro- vifions, principally falted meat, I kept up my ilrength , .and when rot employed in mining the wall, 1 wrote irttires, Leing abundantly provided with paper, j.- \, ink, OF BARON TRENCK. 6j ink, and candles. Thus did my time pafs away, not totally without pleafure, although cloftly confined in a gloomy dungeon. My work, however, advanced very fart, and I found it eafy to penetrate underneath the foundations. I wrote a fecond Ittter to my friend at Vienna j fent him another bill of exchange, and begged him to repair to Gummern, and to wait fix fuccelfive nights, with two faddle holies on the glacis of Kloiterberg, at an appoint- ed hour. Gefhard fent his wife to Gnmmern with my letter: and me told the poft-mafter, that her hufband having a Jaw-fuit pending at Vienna, begged him to forward the letter j and in order to prevail on his diligence, gave him ten crowns. But this unexpected liberality giving the Saxon polt-raafter reafon to iufpedl the contents of the letter j to aicertain the truth, he opened, read, and carried it to Duke Ferdinand of Brunlwick, then Go- vernor of Magdeburg. Entirely ignorant of this tranfacliorT, I was much aftoniihed to fee the Duke at my prifon by three in the afternoon, with {everal attendants. Giving me the In- tercepted letter, he allied mildly who had carried it to Gumroern ? L anfwered, i did not know : on which a Jtric"l examination of my prifon followed j the lock- fmiths, carpenters, and mafons, fcrupuloufly performed their duty j but after an hour's fearch, difcovened no- thing, except that the wire grate, fixed on the wall of the window, had been changed. The Governor, after finding all his (jueftions ineffectual, as to the carrier of my letter, added, with feigned moderation, " Trenck I I give you my word of honour, that you {hall be heard in your defence, and brought to legal trial, provided you will name your meflenger." " Every body knows," I aniwered, " that 1 never defcrved the hard treatment I receive ; my heart is unconlcious of crime. I en- dtavour, it is true, to recover my liberty by every means in my power : but were I cjpable of betraying the compadionate man, whofe pity led him- to aflill mej if 1 were bafe enough to purchafe happinefs at another's G z exence expence , I ihouid indeed deferve the fetters which 1 wear. Do with me what you pleaie ; but remember that my name is Trenck !" The Duke went out, faying t o his attendants, as I was afterwards told, '' 1 pity him much, and am aflcniih- cd at his fortitude." The foldiers, convinced, from this converfation, that I was incapable of treachery, from that moment placed the inoft implicit confidence in me ; efpecially when they heard 1 had money, and that I had given Ibme to the fentinels. An hour after the Duke's departure, a grenadier hung himfelf, with the firing of his hair, to the palli- lades that furrounded my prifon. This event alarmed me the more, as I fuppofed it was honeft Gefhard. Agitated, I knocked at the door, and defired to fpeak with the Officer of the Guard, lie ~s;e to my window, and i requefted him to inform the Governor, that I was determined to intruft him with my fecret, if he would fend me pen, ink, paper, and a light. My defire being complied with, I fat down to write j and was juft going to name poor Gefhard, as I concluded him dead, when all, at once, i felt fo much uneafinefs, that I rofe up, and from the hole in my window, called out, " My God ! has nobody humanity enough to tell me the name of the man who has hung himfelf, that 1 may favc the lives of many others !" At the fame time, I threw out five piitoles. wrapped up in paper j and at length, I heard the following anfwer, in a low voice : " His name was Schutz, of Ripps' company. I there- fore inferted Schutz inftcad of Gefhard, though I had never heard the name before : when I had finished, I gave the. letter to the Lieutenant of the Guard ; but the Duke being ftill fufpicious, I obtained no part of what lie had promifed me. Soon after the feven years war was declared : the whole garrifon was changed in confequence, and replaced by a militia regiment. Thus I lofl all my acquaintance, and became an old prifoner in a new world. Four OF BARON TkENCK. 65 Four Lieutenants were felected to mount guard by turns at Fort Etoile ; in lefs than a year, however, I gained over three to my intereft : but fcarcely had the different regiments marched to join the'army, when Ge- neral Borck arrived, who was appointed Commandant. This cruel man came immediately to my prifon, but like a hnngman r/jout to take charge of his vicliin. He was accompanied by lockfmiths, carrying a weighty collar ; which tliey put round my neck, and a ftrong chain that was joined to that I had already at my feet : and to thefe were added two additional ones ; fo that I was really chained like a favage beaft. My window was entirely walled up, except a little wicket, which remain - ed to circulate the air. The tyrant took away my be<// refufed me ftraw, and It/ft me, after having abufed, in the groffeft manner, not only my fell', but the Emprefs Queen, in whole fervice I was. But I was not back- ward in returning his compliments. The Pruffian Ge- neral, Walrabe, was alfo prifoner in this fort ; but he had a houfe in the Polygon, and was allowed three thou- f.iud crowns a year. The major of the day, and the Of- ficer of the Guard, always dined, and often ftayed with him till evening. Thefe gentlemen, after fome time, in- terelted themfebes in my favour ; and gave the keys to the Lieutenant of the guard, when the hour of viiiting my piifon came. By their means I afterwards made ftfveral attempts to efcape. Three Majors and three Lieutenants compofed my guard. P/Iy iituation was dreadful : my collar, and the enormous chain hanging to it, prevented my ftirring j and 1 did not dare to remove them, till I had for feme months- obferved the condudl of my keepers. The moil infupportable evil, was the lofs of my bed : I was obliged in confequence, to fit on the ground, and lean my head againft the damp wall ; while one of my hands was conflantly employed in Supporting the chain of the col- lar, which galled my neck, and by too ftrong a coin- preiTion of the nerves, gave me the moll infupportable head-ach. Being obliged at the fame time, on ac:count of the b?,r that ieparated my hands, to have one of them G 3 con- 66 _ LIFJS AND ADVENTURES continually on my knees, my arms became fo benumb ed, that I could fcarcely move them. In this fituation, I flept but little. I at Itngth fell dangeroufly ill. The tyrant Borck . defired my death, that he might be freed from his care. My. illnefs lafted near two months ; and I became fo weak, that I could hardly lift t'ue ju of water to my mouth. I lay ftretched on the rluor of a damp prifon, without a bed, without ftraw, loaded with chains, deni.d proper nourilhment, and without either phyfician to attend me, or a friend to give me confutation : afflic- ted with a burning fever, a head-ach, a fvvelled neck, comprefied by nn iron collar ; and my hands, feet, and whole body galled. A. criminal to be broken on the wheel, feels not the pain I Oadured two long months. At laft came a dreadful day : I lud a violent attack of the fever, and was going to drink, when the jug (til out cf my hand and broke ; and I was obliged to xvait four and twenty hours for a freili fupply cf water. In this terrible fituation I believe I could have quench- ed my third with human blood. 1 wanted to get my piilols, that I migl.t terminate my fuIFerings at o:v:e, but I had not ftren-gth enough to lift up the planks under which they were coi-cealcd. When my priiba was viiited the following day, 1 was found it retched out, r.nd in^nfibltr, with ruy tongue hanging out of my mouth ; but, af er being fiiouk a little, 1 recover- ed my fenfes. and drank Ibuie water with eager avidity. Jn fhort, I e.Tjpt'ed my jag j and it was filled again ; riy keepers wilhed me a f[jeejy death, and Ihut the pri- fon doors. From the day on which 1 fatiated my third vrith fo much waler, I btgan to recover my ftvength: and was foon after reiiored to perfect health, to my great alto- aill rrtnt. Jjuriug this f^'.inefs, I gained the goodwill of the officers cliar;>ed with the in! 4 )cclion of my prifon. One of the Majors having given the keys of my piifon to Lieut. Sr.nrjtag, he came uue day to fee me, alone, fpoke to me with cojifiutuce, ana laratnttd his inability to pay OP B'ARON TR2NCK. 6% pay his debts. I gladly gave him twenty-five Louis d'ors: and we vowed an eternal friendfhip. I formed by degrees a fimilar connexion with the other two officers appointed to guard me : and they ftayed whole hours with me when the before-mentioned Major was charged with the infpeHoft of my prifon : nor wss it long be- fore this man alfo, interesting himfelf in my favour, kept me as faithful company as the Lieutenants. I made him a preient of a bill of exchange of two thou- fand florins ; and indeed fo liberal had I been to all the officers, that I had only about a hundred florins remain- ing, when an opportunity offered of obtaining a f^p- ply. The eldefl fon of Captain K having been camiercd, was reduced {o the greateft poverty. His father, who did the duty of Major, making me ac- quainted with his embarraffment, I fent him to my fifter j and fhe gave him a hundred ducats *. K re- turned full of joy with this fum ; and then I gave him a letter for my friend the Countefs of B , and ano- ther for the Great Duke Peter. I recommended this young man to their notice, and begged them to afford me forne affiltance. Younk K , on his arrival at Peterfburgh, obtain- ed a company, and was ibon after appointed Major. Pie conveyed to me, through his correfpondent at Hamburgh, two thoufand roubles, being a prefent from the Countefs of B . When my liberality and honour had been long ex- perienced by my guards, they were lefs rigorous than lu fore. Lieut. Glotin at lalt returned the keys to the Major, without (hutting my prifon doors, and paffed * The Captain found my fifter a!nv>fl expiring. She wrote to me in few words, that my misfortune, and the treachery of Weingarten in 1755, had not only occafioned her ruin, l.ut had heen the caufe of her difeafe, v.ifh which (he had been afflidltd for two years ; that fhe earneUiy prayed that the in-.all fum fhe fent rue might contribute to my tkape, and conduced by recommend- ing her children to me. she, however, grew better fome time after, and married a fetond lu.fbund, but died the following year in I? ) 8. half LIFE ANB ADVENTURES half the night with me, after having treated the guard: and thus the tyrant Borck was deceived. By enjoying 'one degree of liberty, I was anxious to effecl an entire elcape. But there was only one method to he purfued. Lieut. S- meafured the diftance between the hole I had made and the entrance of the gallery under the firit rampait, which he found to be thirty feven feet. I undertook to mine my way into it j and, when once there, the officers promifed to open the doors frcretly, on the day I might chufe for my efcapc. 1 immediately began this arduous tafk, which lafted fix months, and coll me a world of pains : I very narrowly efcaped being buried alive one day by a large itonc, which fell down behind me, and Oopped up the paffuge. The thicknefs of the air almoft deprived me of breath : but, urged by my diftrefs, I made fuch powerful exertions', that I removed the ftone, and got back to my dungeon, in a moft wretched fituation. Notwithftanding all ob- ftacles, I at length fueceeded in opening a communica- tion between my prifon and the lubterraneous gallery under the rampart j but my mining operations being overheard, I was furprifed, with my prifon full of fand : in confequence of which, the floor was immediately mended, and my chains doubled. But the greatelt mif- fortune was the lofs of my bed, which had been previ- oufly reftored at the earnert felicitation of feveral ladies in the town, who had heard of the cruelty of my treat- ment. Having made fand bags of my mattrafs, occa- fioned this order. Nor was it long before I felt the con- fequences of this privation : I was again taken ill , and ihould certainly have fallen a viftim to difeufe, if my friends, the officers, had not procured me all' the affiit- ance in their power. Major Bruckaufen alone was inexorable, and on the days he vilited my prifon, I was obliged to keep my fetters on ; but as icon as he was gone, I laid them afide without difficulty. I received a vifit fome time after, from General Krufemarck, with whom I had been Cornet in the Life Guards. This man infulted me: but" I anfwered him OT BARON TRENCK.. 6$ in {Trains of equal elegance : when he went out, he faid, "'The bird will foon be taught to whittle another tune." He was no falfe prophet j an order was actually iffued to prevent my enjoying any repofe, by waking me every quarter of an hour. This new fpecies of torture appear- ed to me, like that which had preceded, infupportable at firft \ but I became at length fo accuftomed to it, that I anfwered my tormentors when really afleep. This unparalleled ill treatment continued four years j the ge- nerous Landgrave of Heffe Caffel, then Governor of Magdeburg, revoked the fentence a year previous to my enlargement. Some time after the above infernal order, General Borck was fucceeded by Colonel Reichmann, one of the belt characters in the world : but as it was not in his power to alter eitablilhed orders, he foftened them by permitting the officers appointed to infpecl: my prifon r to leave the two firft doors open for an hour or two, that I might enjoy a fmall mare of frefh air and day- light. By degrees this permiffioa was extended to the vening. Tire day -light I enjoyed, induced me to amufe myfelf by engraving fatires, and little drawings, with the point of my nail, on the tin cup out of which I drank j and I foon brought this art to fo much perfection, that my firft attempt, though imperfect, was sarried to the city. The Commandant ordered another cup to be given me j and in this I fucceeded better than the firft ; in ihort, the dif- ferent Majors, under whofe care I was, requclted each a {"ample of my productions. A year pafled away in this occupation, .with much feeming rapidity j and at length it obtained for me permiffion to have a light. As 1 ufed to write, or draw on my cups, in emble- matic figures, fuch of the events of my life as 1 wilhed to make public, an wder was given that all I might engrave fhould be (hewn to the Governor before they were made public : but this order was neglected ; the officers who mounted guard over me, making a traffic of my productions, which they fold as high at lull it* twelve ducats a-piece j and fince I have recovered my liberty. }O LIFE AND ADVENTURES liberty, their value is become fo great, that they are coniidered as cuiiofities. One of thefe cups fell by chance into the hands of Prince Auguftus Lobkovvitz, who was then prifoner of war at Magdeburg. At his return to Vienna, he made a prefent of it to the late Emperor Francis. On it I had engraved the reprefentation of a vineyard, with feveral hufbandmen at work, and writttn underneath ; My vineyard flourifli'd by my toil and care, I hop'd, as a reward, the iruits to fharc. Says Jezabcl, " That Tineyard (hall be mine. 1 ' Naboth was flain : another drank his wine. The auguft Maria Therefa was fo ftruck with the affi- nity (he remarked between the paffage I had copied from the Bible, and my unworthy treatment at Vienna, that fhe immediately ordered her minister to employ all his influence at the Court of Berlin, to obtain my en- largement. On the fame cup another drawing repre- fented a bird in a cage, held in a Turk's hand, with this iufcription : No haplefs fparrow dwells Within this narrow cage, No, 'tis the bird which lings Arr.idft the tenipeft's rage. Tricnds to the good and wife, Ah ! break his galling chain ; He'll thank you in his groves, With many a grateful ftrain. My misfortune at length infpired the Landgrave of Hefle Caffel wjth fo much pity, th.it he \r.id a ftove fixed in the entry to my miferable abode. He likeuife or- dered the window of my dungeon to be again opened, the collar to be taken off my neck, and pens and paper to be given me. After this, I vwrote down the different pieces I had compoicd by heart j and as I had no ink, 1 fupplied the want of it with my blood, which I drew out occasionally. Copies of my works were multiplied and read with the greattit avidity at Court, and in the City. They procured GF BAR.ON TRENCK. fl procured me a great number of friends, and at laft my liberty j though the King for a long while continued to anfvver thole who fpoke in ray favour, " He is a dan- gerous man, and while I live {hall never be enlarged." 1 had tamed a moufe fo perfectly, that the little ani- mal was continually playing with me, and uled to cat out of ray mouth. One night it flapped about fo much, that the fentinels hearing a noife, made their repoit to the Officer of the Guard. The Town Mnjor arriv- ed early in the morning, accompanied by lockfmiths and mafons. The floor, the walls, my chains, and my body, were ftriftly examined : but finding all in order, they alked me the caufe of lift evening's buftle. Hav- ing heard the rnoufe myfelf, I frankly told them by what it had been occafioned ; on which they defired me to call my little favourite ; I whittled, and the moufe immediately leaped upon ray fhoulder. I folicited its pardon, but the Officer of the Guard took it into his poffeffton, prornifing, however, to give it to a. lady for whofe care he would anfwer. Turning it afterwards l->ofe in his chamber, the moufc foon difappeared, and hid in a hole. But at the ufual hour of vifiting my pri- "ibn, when the officers were juft going away, the poor little animal darted in, climbed up my legs, feated itfelf on my ftioulder, and played a thoufand tricks, to exprefs its joy. Every one was aftoniihed at this ftriking inftance of animal fenfibility. The Major carried the moufe a- way, and gave it to his wife, who had a light cage made for it j but the little animal refufing to ea", was a few- days after found dead. I had now fo completely fiaiflied my fabterraneous pailtge, that I could eicape whenever I pieafed. 1 knew the Imperial Ambafl'ador was employing his influence to procure my deliverance j and a Lieutenant of the gavrifon, whom 1 had gained over to ray intereft, pro- iniied to deiert with me publicly, as Schell had done. But, in Head of availing myfelf in good earneft of my advantages, I refolved to put the Great Frederick's genercfity to the tell j referving the refource of the .Lieutenant, in cafe my experiment with L.s mailer mould j2 LIFE AND ihould not fucceed. As foon as tlie Major came in, I addreffed him thus : " I kuow Major, that Duke Fer- uin >.nd of Brunfwick, Governor of'the Town, is now at Magdeburg j be kind enough to tell him, from me, that he may have my prifon examined, double the fenlinels, and then appoint what hour he pleafes to fee me with- out the works of Fort Etoile in open -day, and on the glacis of Klofterbcrg st foil liberty ! that if I make good what I promife, I dare hope he will not/refufe to grant me his protection, and that he will deign to inform the King of the fle^s 1 have taken, that they may ferve to juftify me in his opinion, and prove the fincerity that has always been the rule of my conducl." The Major thinking me ftark mad, looked ftedfaftly at the Lieutenant, as if for his opinion : but as 1 per- fifted in begging him to carry my nufiage, he went, and foon after returned, accompanied by the Commandant, the Town Major, and an Infpecting Major. His an- fwer was ; That if I could execute what I propofed, the Duke would give me his protection, obtain my pardon from the King, and of courfe free me from my chains. I then afked him ferioufly to appoint the hour ; but he laughed at my queftion, and told me, that it would be fufficicnt if 1 explained the nature of the means I intended to employ, without carrying my project into execution j that if I refufed to give this explanation, the door of my prifon would be taken up, and t\vo fen- tinels placed there night and day , that the Governor, in b word, withed only to afcertain the poffibiiity of the undertaking, without making the matter public. H.'vinc capitulated a long while, and-obtaincd the faireft p omifts, 1 Suddenly threw my chains *t their feet, opened my hole, End gave them my arms, my in- fhuuients. tnd the two keys of the pofbi-as, that led ouc of the fubterraneous paflages of th'. lo I then cieQred them to go down into the gallery >.: thirty-feven feet, that communicated with thefe paffages, and to make the neceflary opening into them with their Iwords, which was only the work of a few minutes. I told them there had OF BARON TRENCK. 73 had been horfes watting for me a long time on the glacis of Klofterberg, to carry me off when I chofe. Nothing could equal their furprife at finding my bold affertions not devoid of truth , they went oat, examined every fide, returned, and a(ked me a thoufand queftions j to all which I anfwered as well as if I had been the engineer who fuperintended the building of Fort Etoile. At the officer's guard room, the Major gave us that evening an excellent fupper j and allured me that my affair had taken a favourable turn, the Duke having written immediately to Berlin in my behalf. But thefe fair promifes were illufory , on the following day, the guard was reinforced ; two Grena- diers placed fentinels in the room where 1 now was ; the mulkets of the whole detachment loaded with ball in my prefence., and the bridge drawn up. I perceived a number of malons at work in my dungeon, and wag- gons loaded with large blocks of hewn flone, to replace the flooring of plank. This bufinef? continued, five days, .in the courfe of which, I had a final converfatiort with my friend the Lieutenant, who told me, to my utter aftoniihment, that the Duke was entirely ignorant of all that had paffed. My priiun being foon repaired, I was conducted thither. Only one of my feet was chained to the wall, nnd the reft of my fetters were taken away. The new floor was of hewn ftone, and my dungeon therefore im- penetrable. To preferve the innocent from reproach, it may not be amifs in this place to obferve, that, after my enlarge- ment, I went to Brunfwick, and learned, from the Duke' own mouth, that the Major appointed to gu.ird me, had impofed on him, by reporting, that he had furprifed me at work, and preparing to eicape, and that, but for his vigilance, I lliould certainly have fucceeded > that the truth had come' to his knowledge fame time after j that he had communicated it to the King ; and from .that moment the Monarch only waited for a fit oppor- tunity to let me at liberty. As to the Lieutenant who had promifed to be the <';Tinanion of ray flight, having paid his debts, my pre- H fenc 74 -tlFE .AND ABVENTtTKE-S fence was become fo odious to him, that he exchanged with another officer. Peace had taken place nine months; when, on the 24th of December, at the very moment when I considered myfelf as ruined beyond redemption, the joyful, heart- cheering news ot" my deliverance arrived. It was brought by Count Scblieben, Lieutenant in the Guards, who came to Magdeburg at the hour of the parade. The King's order imported that I mould be fee at liberty immediately. This news diftufed umverfal joy throughout the city j for there was no one in whojfe breaft I had not awakened the fentiraents. of friendfhip or compaffipn. The Commandant, not knowing my fortitude, was afraid to announce this interefting event all at once. Soon, v . however, my prifon doors were opened, and I faw him enter, accompanied by a crowd of people, who all eagerly gazed on roe. The Commandant breaking filence, " My dear Trenck," faid he, " for once I have the pleafure of bringing you good news ; Duke Ferdi- nand has prevailed on the Kin^ to order your chains to be taken off." The lockfmith immediately approached to execute his office. "You will likewife," continued he, " have a better apartment." " I fufpect," faid I, interrupting him, " that I have obtained my liberty, and that you break it to me by degrees, for fear of making too great an imprefllon on my fpirits. If thart be tht cafe, tell it frankly j 1 (hall ,know how to reftrain tny joy within bounds." " Yes," anfwered he, " you are at liberty !" and inftantly fprang forward to embrace ane : his example was followed by every body prefent. I was aiked, at length, what drefs I preferred j I anfwered my uniform. The taylor being already pre- fent, took meafure, and promifed to be ready, the fol- lowing morning. When the lockfmith had executed his bufinefs, I wa: conducted to the officer's apartment in the guard-houfe. Here every body paid their compliments of congratu- lation, and the Town Major read to me the ufual oath udminiftered to ft ate prifoners. -Court OF BARON TR.SNCK?. 75 Count Schlieben next delivered me a letter from Ge- neral Riedt, Imperial Minilter at Berlin, in which he told me that he was overjoyed to have found an oppor- tunity of obtaining my enlargement from 'the King ; that 1 ought to perform, with a good grace, whatever might be required from me ; and that the Count was charged to accompany me to Prague. Before I departed, 1 treated the guard generoufly, giving every man a ducat : to the fentinels who were on duty when I received the news of my deliverance, three : and ten I ordered among the foldiers who had that day been previoufly relieved. As to the officer, I fent him a prefent from Prague, and gave the reft of my money to the wife of honeit Gefhard. He, poor fellow ! was dead. I gave, in the latt place, thirty ducats to die widow of the foldier who hung himielf near my prifon in 1756. On the following day I received a vifit from all the field officers of the garrifon. By noon I was completely equipped from head to foot, and Was overwhelmed with a variety of compliments. What enjoyment could equal this fudden and unex* pefted change of fortune ! I was the felf-lame man, who but twenty-four hours before, was lying in a dungeon j aud yet what a difference in the behaviour, and attention, of thofe, who, but a little while previous to my libera- tion, treated me with rigour ! The night came, Count Schlieben made his appear- ance, with a coach drawn by four poft-horfes, and we fet off. My confinement at Magdeburg lafted nine years, five months, and fome days : if to this fpace of time, the feventeen months I was confined at Glatz be added, it will be found that I pafled eleven years of my youth in prifon j and thoi'e too, the molt valuable part of my' life. After the Baron had cfcaped federal fnares at Vienna, where he was contiiied a (hurt ti.ne, at che inftig-ition of thofe who enjoyed hi* property, under a faife charge tf madaefs, he found hiaifelf necefluated to withdraw his pecuniary cUiiru; and, after thefc loffcs, only received the brevet ruok ef M;jor in the Auflrian fervke H 2 Field ^ LIFE- AND ADVENTtfRKS Field Marflial Laudohn fet off for Aix la Chapefie, to drink the waters. I accompanied him, and during my flay in that city, fell in love with the youngeft daugh- ter of Mr. Brce du Deipenbendt, one of the Burgo- mafters, and married her, contrary to the intentions of the Emprefs Queen ; for (he wifhed me to marry a rich widow, whofe fortune amounted to fifty thoufand florins a year. The bad temper of the lady, her avarice, and her age, ((he was fixty-three years old) gave me an in- vincible averfion to the match j and my want of fub- miffion to the Emprefs, completely ruined me in her Majefty's fervice. Mifs Broe was beautiful in her perfon, young, vir- tuous, and of a charming difpofition. She made me the father of eleven children, eight of whom are ftill alive. I fettled at Aix la Chapelle, and it was not long before my houfe became the rendezvous of all the people of confideration who came to drink the waters. 1 lived there fixteen years: but fome difagreeable circumfiances I met with latterly, determined me to employ the re- mains of my fortune, which amounted to frxty thoufand florins, in the purchafe of a fmall eftate, c?.lled Zwerbach., in Auftria, where I fettled with my wife and family, after the death of my mother-in-law, which happened in- September 1780. Here I lived in tranquillity, working v^th my hands and my pen, till on the 22d of Auguft 1786, when I heard of the death of the Great Frederick, and that his fucceffor, one of the witneffes of my misfortunes, had granted roe a paflport to return to Berlin > with the promife of rcftoring my confifcated eftates. I was fur- ther informed, that a rich brother I had in Pruflia, had chofcn my children for his heirs. This determined me to undertake a journey to Berlin, where, however, I met with frefh difappointments. The rmmttry con- ceived that the reftoration of my confifcated property, would ftigmatize the memory of Frederick the Great, with an ail of public injuftice ; and as fuch, advifed his T-refent Pruflian Maieity, King William, rather to he.ft.qvfe Or BARON TRENCK. 77 beftow a penfion upon me, without annulling or con- firming the fentence of the Court of Glatz. Finding, therefore, all my hopes of recovering my confitcated eftate of Great Scharlock abortive, I left Berlin in Auguft 1787, after the King had graciouily conferred upon me an annual pennon of twelve hundred dollars*; which, by the bye, does not amount to the intereft of the principal fum which 1 had loft, and which amounted to two hundred and thirty th.oufand Pruffian florins. I now hailened to Vienna j had an audience of the Emperor 5 fpoke to him as on fucb occafions, I am accultomed to fpeak ; but Jofeph had then no doubt, but with his three hundred thouCind invincible warriors, he mould find Berlin an eafy conqueft. I fhrugged my Shoulders when he told me fo ; and my plain dealing immediately rendered me obnoxious to that weak and ambitious Monarch. I enjoyed, however} in Vienna that triumph, which rn honeft man never fails to obtain over thofe who can ftoop to bafe actions. I could carry my head ereft, v/hilft my enemies were aihamed to ihew their faces j being convinced, from the whole hiftory of my life, that they had little reafon to Hatter themfelves with the hopes of being fpared by me j as they knew I wanted neither courage nor opportunity to llrip off the mafk from every enemy to Virtue, and to hold him up to public fcorn. 1 was ftyled, indeed, a reftlefs mortal, and a fingular being: yet that reillefs mortal was every where received with honour; and cheerfully will I fub- mit to be deemed fingular by thole who eftimate a man's worth only by the weight of his purfe, or the degree of favour in which he (lands at Court. From Vienna I haftened to Zvverbach, and till No- vember 1788, remained at reft in the bofom of my family. At reft I remained, but not in idlenefs j for the father of eight children, who educates them himfelf, and has fons in the army, unable to fupport the cha- racl;r of officers, on their bare pny, can never want futilcient employment ; efpeciaily if he have to fill up * About . 230. H 3 old 7 . LIP* AND ADVENTURES Id gaps made by Agents, Attornies, Coonfellors, and ether Gentlemen of the Long Robe. In November I undertook a new journey to Berlin, in order to try once more whether any thing, and what could be done in my behalf. Here I perceived in the fpace of a Cngle year fo many changes and viciffitudes ; fo many cabals contefting together,, and fo many claufes militating againll my proipedts of fuccefs. that I deferred my defign till fome more favourable opportunity. His Majefty, however, I found difpofed to ferve me ; and in- deed he granted me every thing, that, as affairs were cir- cumftanced, I could reafonably demand. On leaving Berlin I went to Schildberg near Soldin> to my niece, Madame Waldow, took my youngeft fon, whom I had left there the preceding year to profeciite' his.ftudies with her children, and carried him to Deffau, where I placed him in the Philanthropeia, as it is called. From Deffau I fet off for Drefden. There the Prime Minifler, Count Marcolini, (hewed me a fignal mark of diftinclion, ar.d a degree of civility exceeding rare in Saxony , coming to meet me himfelf at the inn, from, whence he conducted me to Court, arid prefented me to the Electoral Fan.iiy : and, indeed, I mull con-fefs, that in general, every poflible honour was paid me at Drtfden. The market-place where I dwelt, wasconftantly crowded like a fair, and wherever I went y the people followed me with loud acclamations. I paid my refpefts likewife to Charles of Saxony, Duke of Ccurland, at Elileiwerde. Here alfo I was gracioufly received , as wett as by the reigning Prince of Deffau, whofe little territory is perhaps one of the happi- eft in Europe. Hence I repaired to Konigftein, to vifit the com- mandant, Count Solmes. That werthy old General- was advifed of my coming, ind, feeble as he was, qame, notwithftanding it rained violently, down to the foot of the ftupendous rock to meet me. He gave me the rnoft hearty embrace, together with a look which at firft fight, eternally rivets two noble minds. We fpent only a fiagle day together : that d^y ; however, was well OF BARON TRENCK. ft) nlkd" up with converfation. At parting, die tears fell copioufly from our eyes, and each of us exclaimed : " Ah ! *' were we not fo near the grave !" Konigftein is not a fortrefs which an enemy muft f-ubdue before he can conquer Saxony, but a valt enor- mous rock. It contains but a fmall garrifon, incapable of making a fally j and referves chierly to fecurc tl:s records of the country, and prifoners of ftatc. Koaig- ftein is, in fa ft-, the Baftille of Saxony \ in which many a brave and worthy man has groaned under the lafli o arbitrary power. Whilft 1 was there, large parts of the lock were blown up to form cafemate's. In the courfe of this operation, a dungeon was difcovered, bored in the (olid itone, to the depth of fixty fathoms. At the bottom of this dungeon, appeared a beditead, on which die fkeleton of a man it ill repofed, and by its fide, the remains- of a dead dog. Mournful fight for a heart pof- feffed of the fmalleil feelings of humanity. How favage inutt the tyrant be that can invent fuch tortures for his fellow-creatures, and yet lie down upon his pillow, with- out feeling any remorfe for the vidlirn of his wrath j who, in a hole like this, is flowly confuming the lamp of- life, without even the (lender confolation of pity ! Even row the walls of this prifon confine three perfons not un- wo; thy of notice. One of thefe was formerly Private Secretary to the Court of Saxony $ but betrayed, in the year 1756 the fecrets of the Drefden Archives to the King of Pruffia. He was taken in Poland ; and has now been confined four and thirty years in a difmal dungeon : he ftill lives but his appearance refembles more that df a wild beaft, than of a man. The fecond is one Colonel Afton. Thofe who are acquainted with the fecret hiilory of Drefden, will re- member the horrid poifon fcheme, which was dete&ed,. but was thought proper to be kept fecret. A6lon was the chief in this confpiracy. He was an Italian by birth; pofleffed a true Calabrian heart ; was bold and handfomej and the favourite of the Dowager Eledrefs. '1 his is a fufficient key, to his hiitory for thofe who arc delkous of knowing what is become of A&an. The 8b" LlfE A*D ADVENTURES The third is a fine young Swede. Six years ago, TT.5 was arrefted at Leipfic, at the private requeil of the Ring of Sweden, and brought to Kbnigftein in a raafk. When he was taken he defended himfclf like a lion, claiming his right to be protected by the laws of nations. This man is excluded from the light of day. No one fees him ; no one fpeaks to him. And en pain of death no one muft know what his name is. From what I could learn, he is no criminal ; has had no trial ; but fome ilate or love intrigue at the Swediih Court has brought on him this fate. Pity him, reader 1 he has no deliver- ance to hope but death : for the Eleftor has promiftd the King of Sweden, that he fliall never more behold the beams of tHe fun. He is now under thirty years of age, and the- worthy Governor cannot fpeak of him, without the tear of companion in his eye : he fhrugs his moulders, looks up to heaven, and fays It is the Eleclor's ora'er, and I muft obey. God help him. Yet let not this unhappy captive defpair. Let him learn from my fufferings, to cherifh hope, and look forward for better days. Wh'en 1 lay in the Baftille of Ma^de- isurg. the mighty Frederick the Great faid " Whilft my name is Frederick, Trenck mall never fee day." Yet circumftances fo fell out, that he himfelf fet me free ; after which he lived three and twenty years, and ftill bore the name of Frederick. Every prifon has an entrance ; and who can tell but this Swede may find an exit alfo. Not long before the definition of the Baftille, a man was liberated, who had daily bedewed its ftones with his tears for nearly 40 years, for having written, in the thcughtltffnefs of youth, a fatire on a , Court fl rum pet, Madame Pompadour. It is a horrible reflection, that any one may intercede for a robber or muidererj but fur a prifcner of ilnte, no one dare fpeak, no one muft endeavour to mitigate his doom. Dreadful refle&icn for every honeft citizen, who, when he hears fuch a ftory, cannot help thinking " to-day it is tfiy turn ; to-morrow perhaps mir.c, if foiie mi'iifterial cabal be formed again'.i me, or my gracious Sovereign be perfuaded to an unaae itielch of authority !" r lerc CF BAR.ON TR.ENCK. 8f Here I muft draw the curtain. Pity the humane Governor, who dares not, in the Itaft degree, alleviate the fuffcrings of the victim committed to his charge. My blood curdled when, at departing, I caft an eye back on the grave of a living being : and when 1 recolledled, that I loo was in Korngftein, I looked forwards with terror, leit the door fliould be (hut on me likewife. My defign was to return immediately to Vienna*, but I fuddenly changed my intentions, and determined upon a journey to France. I had already heard at Berlin, that I was almoft idolized in Paris : that every man in France had read my hiitory : that all the new fafhions there were a la Trenck : that almoft every night, I was exhibited on the Parifian Theatre, to crowded houfes^ as a martyr of arbitrary power: and laftly, that a frightful figure of me, as large as life, was publicly fliewn for money. All this was confirmed to me by a friend at Drefdcn, who perfuaded me to go to France, to gather my laurels, which I accordingly refolved upon. At Frankfort, through which I had many times in my life pafied unnoticed, I was now looked upon in a very different manner,, and received in triumph; as my fufferings had rendered me noted, fmce the hilloiy o my life had been read. Balls and entertainments were given in honour of me.. The whole town Itemed in motion ; and fo much love and eileem were ihewn me, that I never fhall forget the plealure 1 enjoyed there,, and cannot refrain from here offering the kind inhabitants my heartiest thanks. I now repaired to .Straflmrg, and in every town upon the road I met with the fame honours. In Strafburg I immediately perceived that I was- fallen amongil a people endued with fcnfibility. The concourfe to fee me was incredible. I was overwhelmed with civilities. Balls at:d feafts were given in honour of me. All the beauties of the town appeared in full luftre : they furrounded me j and every dancer turned me with his partner. In ihort, no man upon earth was ever better welcomed, more kindly treated; or more coucteoufly received. Count J 2 LIFE AND ADVENTURES Count Flaxhnd, the Governor, invited me to accom- pany him to the play. The piece announced for per- formance was Baron Trenck; but the police countermand- ed it, at my requeft, to prevent tumult ; as the people had already crowded me airfoil to death. We entered the French Theatre with' fbrne of the firft ladies of the place. Scarcely had I taken my feat in the box, when the urcheltra welcomed me with drums and trumpets, and the pit with clapping and (hooting, u Vive la Baron Trenck .' Long live .Baron Trenck !" I was now obliged to come forward, and thank the audience. From thence we adjourned to the German Theatre ; where I experienced the fame honours. The evening clofed with a ball and fupper, at which foogs made in honour of me were fung. I can fay with truth, that my fortune was indeed enviable j nor could I repent my ten years imprisonment at Magde- burg, as it in reality led the way to my prefent enjoy- ments. I actually fancied myfelf in the paradife of Mo- hammed, fo many divine beauties fmiling on me front every quarter, with melting eyes, and exprefling with every look how ardently they wifhed the renovation of my youth. I left Strafburg with regret, and pofted on to Pari. Jn Nanci, a thoufand people had expe&ed me for Uvo days, and the receivers of the tolls at the turnpikes had taken a conGdernble fum of money by way of prefcnts, that they might make my arrival known. I flipped through, however, in the dufk, when nobody expected me, and thvs eluded their curiofity. I arrived at Paris in the middle of February j where, at different periods of my life, I had already been five times, wholly unnoticed. Eut now the cafe was totally altered, and Trenck was the fashionable fubjeft of gublic curiofuy and conversation. The whole city had feen, pitied, and admired me at Curtkis's j who had exhibited me as large as life, in my chains, together with Frederick the Great, at the Palais Royal. Two pJays had bten> written under the title of Baron Trenck, thar OF -BARON TREN6K. 8 j that for tli re e months had been performed almoft daily. One of them was particularly calculated to promote a general fpirit of revolt egainft unlimited monarchical power, as it tended to excite in the audience, firil com- pallion., and thence led them to a defire of vengeance. It was performed too in a manner that could not fail of awakening in the heart thofe emotions, which, at that critical period, the people were wished to feel. Thus was all Paris prepoffeffed-in my favour; and, by means of my hiftory and of the ftage, the name of Trenck was unlverf.illy known. The wifli to be con- vinced by ocular demonftration that this Trenck was actually alive, and not the raere hero of romance, was fc prevalent, when i pei'fbnally vilited Paris, that no one but an eye witnefs can conceive the eagernefs of all ranks and ordeis of people to behold and converle with me. And this was not the effect of novelty alone, which is coramonly fatiated in three days j for I re- mained fix months in Paris, and to the very moment of :ny departure I experienced the fame unbounded love and elteem as at my fir ft arrival. The day aiter my arrival, curiofity prompted me to vifit incogtufu the Palais Royal, where Mr. Curtius was exhibiting me in wax to the gaping multitude. I went up to him, and faid,- Sir, 1 faw Baron Trenck him- felf a few years ago, and I perceive this figure no more reiembles him than it does the .Great Mogul." He looked at me with a mixture of furprife and contempt ,j .and allured me, .on his honour, that he v,-as perfon- . slly acquainted with Baron Trenck, and had model- lid the face-of his figure frum the Barpn himfelf at Frankfort. I faid nothing before the company., but taking him afide into another room, difcovered myfelf. The poor follow was confounded 5 and, by way of apology, ^Hedged the cuitomary artifices of people of his pro* feilion to gratify the curiofity of the public j alluring me, that he had gained a great deal of money by me, and had fent a fimilar figure to London with the fame 4'ewgn. Hereupon he begged me to favour him with half 84 L*FE AND ADVENTORLS half an hour's fitting, that he might copy my real fea- tures. This requtfl, however, for fufficient reafons, I did not think proper to grant. The original being now at Paris, the figure would no longer anfwer the purpofe of Mr. Curtius in that city j it was therefore tranfport- ed to Madrid, to induce the Dons to draw their purfe- ft rings as freely as the Parifians had done. I had fcarcely been three days in Paris, before the whole city was apprized of it, and I received vifits from all the people of difHn&ion in it. Ladies came among the reft, excited by curiofity to fee me. I had no refource but to follow the dream, and to fyend the whole day till midnight in company. Wherever I dined, or flipped, all the friends and relatives of the family were invited, that they might have a fight of me j and after meals the company eagerly crowded round me with the fame view. Thus in fix days I was generally known; and for the whole fix months I was aclually perfecuted, having engagements on my hands for a month to come. Every dinner was a fcaft. In many houfes the defert was enriched, in honour of me, with allufions to my imprisonment and adventures, with triumphal arches, and laurel crowns. The ladies like- wife lung airs cornpofed in honour of roe, and preL-nted me with laurel wreuths. Sometimes the fcene was lo aftecling, that the whole company could not refrain from fhedding tears. I myfelf wept at the firit fen- fations of joy and gratitude. The conclufion was a general embrace, expreffive of the big emotions of the heart. Thus pafled my days amid ft the tumultuous noife of t'le great world, and with iuch maiks of honour and friendfliip, as certainly no foreigner, like me, ever before received in France. No martyr to the perfe- cutions of fortune ever furvived its rage, and enjoyed greater rewards than I. To obtain the univerfariove and unbounded confidence of a people, and the laftinjj friendship of a nation always deemed volatile and capricious, is a fingular phenomenon in' my cale. and wouid render me vain, could I entertain fo ridiculous a paffica OF BARON TRENCH. Sj| p&iVion as vanity. In 'all companies the chief place was ceded to me. And as in France the ladies ftamp a man's current value ; as my natural cheerfulnefs was wonderfully pleafmg to thofe who expe6ted to find in me a fuperamuiated, morofe old fellow, a mifanthropill four- ed by repented misfortune , as I ftill mewed myfelf a pleafant companion, and was not incapable ofVendering my (elf agreeable to the fair-fex, my reception was the more favourable and more general. Count Olivadez, who lived at Paris under the name of Count Pilo, was one of the -firft at whcfe houfe I din- ed. This worthy old gentleman came himfelf to fetch. me, end carried me -in triumph to his palace, where I was received with drums and trumpets, and with vocal ami inilrurnental mafic. The Count was a Grandee of Spain, one of the firfi; men in that kingdom, where he formerly poffefied eltates to the amount of three millions a year, and is well knowa in modern hiftory. He procured from Germany, at vaft expence, fcvernl families, whom he fettled comfort- ably in Spain, with a view to augment the induftry and population of that country. Among It thefe, however, fome were Prottltants. The Count was wealthy, powerful, and a friend to mankind. This was enough, for the Inquifition. His houfe was fearched, and Voltaire's works being found in his library, he was dragged before the Holy Tribunal as a delinquent ; was condemned, tortured, and his property confiscated. Four years, he lay in a wretched prifon, treated like, the vileft malefactor, without the lea ft hope of ever re~ covering his liberty. At the expiration of this term, the Count found means to eicape out of the execrable talons of the Inquiiition, aml'iled to Paris, with the lofs of a pix'-perty of tixty millions. -Fortunately, fome years before his difaftsr, he had placed in the French funds a confulera'ole capital, the intereft of which brings him about eighty thoufand livres a year : thus he has enough left, being childlefs, to maintain him in Paris, as a phi- lofopher, in. a Rate of quiet and reip. Stability, under the name of Count Pilo. I When 86 L.l'i ANl> ADVENTURES \Vhen ;t inan who has himfelf groaned under the Lfa of mbioitune reads the hiftory of another equally un- fortunate, there aiifcs in his niiud a certain fjKQpatbetk defire to know him perfonally, and reciprocally to compare their fate, their evils, their efcapes, and tlic grounds of their coufolation. 1 his Olivadez felt for me : on this account he fought nor, and folemnized the day of our meeting, which gave us both reafon highly to value each other, and to elteera ourlelves as raifcd fon.e- vvhat above the common level of mankind. He was the innocent victim of the Holy Inqut/ition, an infamous, ae- curft Tribunal, affuming the mafk of religion ; as I was to the State Inquyition cf a Monarch, as unmerciful as a Father Inqui/itor. \Ve were both remarkable for having found means of rendering impoflibilities poflible. We have both rifen victorious over our powerful enemies ; we both are free ; and, thank God, we have loit no- thing but our poffelilons. Olivadez was my friend in Paris ; to his death I honoured him ; and ever {hall I remain the avowed ene- my or all thole beaded and becuwled rafcals, who could perftcute fuch a worthy citizen. He died lull year, biU not before he had fhewn me the tears ofthofe wound* which had been iuilitled on him by implements of tor- ture i.i the infernal dungeons of the In'juifition. Gra- cious God 1 what is a Monk, where his power can ra^e uncontrolled! how little dots the world know, evea now, of thofe unfeeling raonilers i I fliall now relate another ad venture, .that does honour to the national character, i dined with the imperial -AmbaiTador, Count Mercy. 'I he company was large. Next me fat a worthy old General, of the corps of Engineers, who without knowing my name. had converfed \\iih me a ccnfiderable time. After dinner he alked who I was. Scarcely had lie been told my name, when he ran to me, and embraced nic with j^nthufiafm : hi> hear't was fo full, that, overpoweied by his feelings, he funk motionlefs in my arms. The fceue .was truly aiTcc'ting to every byftandcr. All prc- llm thouirlit v;e h:id been friends in our voutli, whp hajj. o;" BARON Tr,~\cr. 87 hud acciJentally met in our old age. I myfelf was aiionilhed and delighted. The old General, on coming to himftrlf, wept for joy, at having obtained in this world, the fight of a man, of whom, from reading his hiitory, he had entertained (b high an idea. He took me by the band, and I was obliged f> accompany hifri home. I was now ftrongly importuned to viiit the Theatre, to fee myfelf reprtlented on the itage. Greatly as I dcfired it, ftill prudence forbade me. I was well aware, that I flrould meet with the fame reception here as at Strafburg. In the piece that bore my name, the Great Frederick gathered no laurels ; and as I was, in general, flriflly watched, 1 would not give my ermies an oppor- tunity of charging me with e.xcefs of pride : as it might have been imagined, that I had gone for the avowed pur- pofe of courting public appkiufe. Twice had the Manager announced in his bl!'^ that I (hould be at the Theatre on a certain day. So great was the concourfe, that double prices were paid for places in the pit. I did net make r.w appear- ance, and this had nearly occafioned a riot. At length, after I had refided five months in P.iris, I fuffered my- felf to be prevailed on, by a large party, whom I accompanied to the play. The clapping was inceffant. From every quarter refounded, " five Is Baron Trench I" 1 " 1 11 Long live Baron Trenck !" I was obliged, at the end t f each aft, to ftep forward, and thank the people for the reception they gave me. At going out, we were fo crowded, that I could fcarcely get to my coach j and when it drove off, I was faluted with loud and repeated huzzas. I was accuftomed to fperd many hours in the Palais Royal, where the foundations of the fubfequent revo- Iniion were then hying. Pofleflcd of the confidence of the whole nation, it was an eafy tnatter for me to 'earn every tiling I wiihed to know. I particularly irequented the club, or meeting of the Dutch and Bra- bantine patriots. Thefe held their private meetings, and every two months difpatched confidential deputies i 2 to 18 o_:s AND ADVENTURES to Brufiels mil Amfterdam : ?. nd as they were grtacry interefted in the revolution then fecretly fermenting at Paris, and fpartd no money to be minutely informed of what was guing forward at Veifailles, their fociety afforded me the fine ft opportunity of gratifying my curiofity. Sometimes I fpent 3 few days at Verfailles, where 1 paffed my time very agreeably. I was prefented at Court by the Imperial Ambaflador, Count Mercy. Thofe who are "unacquainted with the etiquette of the French Court, will find the following, account of my reception fomewhat fingular. The King muft not fpeak a fingle woid to any foreigner, who is preftnted to him by an Ambaflador, through his Mioifter. At the fame time it is next to an impofiibility to procure a private audience of him. This is moil probably an old minifte- rial artifice, to prevent the King from hearing what they do not with-bioi to- know. Now Trenck- had been a common topic of converfation for fome months j and I had been credibly affured, that the King, who never m his life read a printed bock, had ordered my hiftory to be read to him, which moved him fo much in my favour, 'that he wiftied perfonally to fee me. Accordingly when I was prefenttd, he, flood Piill for at lead two minutes before me, furveycd me with the greateft attention from head to foot, fmiled gracioufly upon me, wer.t to the door, then retrarned again, came up quite clofe to me, furveycd me again as before, fmiled again, gave me a . token of his favour by a flight inclination of his head, and thereupon wen; away, after looking back at me when he came to the door. I was immediately furrounded as by a fwarm of bees, eveny one tellifying. their joy at feeing me at court. I was next prefented to the Queen and Royal Family, and afterwards dined, with all the foreign Minillers at Count Mo n t mo r in's, whofe amiable lady infilled on giving me the fitil place at her fide, as a matk of par- ticular dillinclion. As both the imperial and Pruflian "Minillers behaved to rae with great familiarity on this occ&fion, it added not a little to my confequencc with thole , Off BARON tRENCn:. 8^ t':oie who had read my hiftory, in which I had depicted the condu6l of their refpeclive Court? towards me in no favourable colours. This, to my credit, fealed likewifc the truth of my account, and added greatly to the cfteem (hewn my perfon. Spurious editions and perverted trnnflations of my life, having appeared in great numbers, I was impor- tuned by feveral of the firtl diflinction in Frnnce, to publilh a genuine edition on my own account ; every body affuring me, that I could not fail of felling ten thoufand copies in France. Thus I undertook an Herculean taik, living in the manner as I did, the whole day and Ivtlf the night fpent in the tumult of the great world. Notwithstanding, it was refolvcd on ; UK! within two months, I was re.idy with three oftavo volumes. To embelliih this edition, I procured ten defcriptive copper-plates to be engraven by the bell matters, and the expence of the work amounted in the whole, to near fixteen thoufnnd livres. A confiderable profit was, no doubt, to be evjefted i but unfortunately I could not get it ready till three days before the revo- lution : and now, every one was fully occupied in read- ing the prodigious number of pamphlets, which daily iJued from the prefs, to excite the people to revolt. Delay abated the ardour of th.t curiofity which had been raifed on my account, and the great change in the ftate, caufcd men to find more important employ- ments for their time. Soon after my arrival at Paris, appeared that deteftable work of Count Mirabsau, entitled, Corre/pvm/encc fecrette d" 1 vn Voyageur Franc. its, in which the Pruflian Monarch, Prince Henry, and the whole of the Pruflian Miniftry, were molt grofsly -abulVd. It is true, the book was publicly burnt by the hands of the common hangman, at the command of the Parliament ; yet, though the author, printer, and publisher, all of whom then refided ;-t Paris, were avowedly known, not the leail inquiry after them was made, nor a fingle individual puniihcd and the book Hill continued to be fold in every (hop, without obllruclion. 13 As AND ADVENTURES As I had continual opportunities of witnefling tbe bad impreflion which this deteftable book made upon a foreign nation ; where the affairs of Berlin were judged only from hearfay j and was ' frequently confidentially queftioned refpecling the fu'oftance of Mirabeau's work, I conceived it my duty, as indeed it is the duty of every liOiieft man, to defend the cattfe of calumniated Virtue, and accordingly wrote a pamphlet in refutation of JYI'rabeau's malicious libel. By this (lep I laid myftlf open to the vindictive jealoufy of that dangerous man, who knows how to employ either digger or poifbr, At the time of my writing againll him in. Paris, when I publiclv announced him as a villain, he was actually a Deputy to the States General, and had great fway with the- people. Courage fuflicient he did not pofis.fs to call me into the field ; but his p!ot was to get me feized by a ir.o'.j, and tifd up to a lantern poll. This- was eafily practicable in the tumults which then prevail- ed. My party, however, was too great, and I appeared daily, without fear, in the midil of the multitude, but well guarded againft treachery. At Verfailles, in the midttofthe afiembly. I paficd publicly under his very nofe with a haughty and threat- ening air. Every body cxpf cled an immediate quarrel ) but the contemptible fellow (hur.iK'd my prefcnce. "When my work apninll him WHS advertiiad, as the revolution was then j.urt break-ing out, and he was th-e lavourite of the people, he gave my publilher to andcrftand, t'.:at liis ho.ife- iliculd b: rafcd, and himfelf hanged, if he dar-^d to fell a fingle copy. This fright- ened the hontft bookfeller fo much, that he declined 'having any thing to do with it. What advantage did 'the covetous Mirabsau reap from this ? He fecretly pirated my work, and his edition was fold, before my 'oublifUer came forward. Thus were my profits lolt, and a fcoundrel reaped the fruits of my labour- I was .informed, likewife, that he had bribed my bookftller, p.:/F.tely, to let l.im have the meets : thefe he caufed to ' Le reprinted fit Ltipfic, and at the fame time had a ' German, tranilation publiiiied in the empire: thus my edition Of BAlON TftENCK-.' 9-J edition was fuperfeded. By thefe means he fought at once to gratify his revenge, and at the fame time indulg- ed his tuling paflion of avarice, by filching from me whrit ought to have been the jirft reward of ray labour, ray rifque, and my vexation. Nor did his artifices flop here. In his furreptitlovjs edition he malicioufly inferted many words, that per- verted the fenfe of the original, and threw odium en thofe whom I was defending : tcx this it was probably owing, that the Pruflian Minifter, Count Hertzberg, once my great protector, was incenfed and exafperatetl again ft me. Thus is the world deceived , and thus do villains find opportunities of playing their dirty tricks on worthy meQ. The fame villainy has been pracYifed with the hiilory of rny life, in malicious reimpreffions, where, by the infer- tion or omiffion of a few words, the fenfe of the whole p-jges has been twitted to my prejudice ; my facts btiag altered to bare-faced lies, that wounded the reputation I had acquired of a (hit lover of truth, and flumped dif- credit on my writings. . To - re fume,, however, the thread of my hiftory, I was ifivited to fpend my laft days in France, where I was offered the port of Camp-Marfhal, with a penfion of eight thoufand livres*, and 1 might there, have well provided for all rcy children. Such an offer was never made me by the country for which 1 had laboured two and forty years. But my circumftances allowed me not to accept of offers fo highly advantageous. Having feen every thing I wifhed in Paris, and my domeflic affairs calling me home, I went to the Hotel dt Ville to Mr. de la Fa>ette,and Mr. iiailly, the Mayor, the only perfons~who had then the power to., grant paff- ports j the privileges of foreign Ambaffadors being neither regarded nor allowed in the general ferment. Both the leaders of the armed citizens were my friends, and earnestly intreated me to defer my journey, as they could not anfwer for my not being troubled and da- jC.333.6j.8i tamed LITE AND ADVENTURES tained fifty times on the road, by the armed citizens and peafants , as at this period the ariilocrates and the chiefs of the vanquiihed party were endeavouring fecretly to make their efcape out of the kingdom. 1 continued, however, firm in my requeft, and the paffport was ac- cordingly granted me. On my arrival at the barrier I was flopped by a num- ber of armed citizens, who demanded my paffport ^but on obferving rny face, one of them exclaimed, " This is our old friend Trenck : purfue your journey, in God'i name, and take our belt wifhes with you ; you need no pafifport in Fiance !"' Thus did it fare with me throughout every part of the country. My bare name was a fufF.cient paflport for me : and even in the villages the armed peafants recognised me I paffed through Metz when the people were raging in full fury, and burning the barriers. My equipage \vas German and fufpicious ; but as foon as they law n>y paffport with my name, they let me pafs on fecurcly through the collected crowd. About a mile from Verdun I fell in with a regiment of Huffnrs, commanded by Colonel Count Peltalozzi, on their return from Sablons. The officers knew ITU-, and received me in their ruidft with great ple^fare. I was proceeding with the regiment, when I was met by a coach full of ladies. Thefe, on their arrival in Paris, related, that they had fallen in with me on the road, as a prifoner, attended by a party of Huffars. The account was in no. wife improbable, and therefore greatly alarm- ed my friends. From Verdun I proceeded to Deux Fonts, where I had promifed the Duke a vifit. Here 1 ilaid four days, and received every poffible honour. Being now on German ground, I laid afiae my French national cockade. The revolution had defeated my hopes of feeing my daughters handfomely provided for in fome convent, which my friends in France had promifed to take care of; but with the downfal of the Court party, this profpeft was rendered fruhlefs. I mult OK BARON TR.ENCK. j I'muft here relate another circumftance, which (hews the malice of ray fate. A lady of Normandy, who had an only daughter fifteen years old, with a paternal eitate of eighty thoufand livres * a-year, was fo much pvepofieffed in my favour, that ihe offered me this daughter for my eldeft fon, and gave me her word for the performance. I wrote immediately to him. at Vi- enna, defiring him to come to me as quickly as pof- fi'blc. He returned me for anfvver That it was im- pofTible for him to comply with my wifties j as he was fuisfied with his fituation in Auftria, was beloved in his regiment, and would remain a zealous and faithful fervnnt of the Emperor. Hereupon 1 made the pre- pcfal to my fecond fon, who was in the Pruflian fer- vice. His anfwer was That all his ambition was to be a good Pruffian officer ; and that he wiihed no other fortune. On my return to Vienna, every one's curiofity was on the flretch, to hear my account, of the French revo- lution. But I cautioully avoided declaring my ienti- ments, though I neglected not to inform the Emperor of the Brabantine revolution j as in Paris I had been enabled to invefligate the whole tranfaclkm. I demon- ftrated to him that Brabant was irrecoverably loft. But the Emperor paid no attention to- what i laid, thinking the whole affair a mere trifle of no importance. Wheji I perceived this, 1 retired to my country feat, and fent him an account of every thing in. \vri:ing ; concluding with this ftrong expreflion : " If your majefty do not lofe Brabant within- three months, I will forfeit my head from my moulders." But alas 1 no anfwer followe<L Upon his death-bod he was a(ked whether he had received and read my paper. His anfwer was : " Yes : Trenck was in the right, but 1 could not believe it, and it is now too late." Forty-three years have I laboured and fuffered in the, Auiiiiau dominions, neglecting every opportunity * 3333 = 6,: 8. of 94 LIFE AND ADVEN'TCRE* of aggrandizement, that my memory might never be branded with the reproach of inconfiftency : and I am rewarded at laft with ingratitude. Long ago, indeed, I ought to have been fenlible, that I was aflirg unwiftly in letting flip an occafion, on which I might have left with honour, a- country, v>here prieftly vengeance found its full range, to keep men of my flamp out of the field of action. But thefe years are irrecoverably lied ; and repentance comes too late. Suffice it, that 1 have aft- ed my part with repute, with honour, and general ap- probation. God grant, that my hitherto frotrny snd unquiet courfe of life may at length end in peace ; of which how- ever, I have no great hopes, as fortune feems unwearied in perfecuting me, of which the following inftance af- fords a ftriking proof. I had received foine money in Paris for my writings ; and ES no one durft take more than five and twenty guineas in fpecie with him, w nil ft all the ariftocrats were endeavouring to tfcape out of the country, and the people were every where up in arms, T gave my cafh to the banker Pinet, my intimate friend, and received from him in exchange a bill on Vienna. At parting he wept bitterly, fqueezed ray hand, and faid, We mail never fee each other again, my friend, I aflured him that I would foon return, as it v.-?s rny intention to fpend the remainder of my days in France. With a forrowful countenance he repeated I {hall never fee you again. My defign was to go ilraight to Vienna , there firft to pay all my debts, to let my affairs in order, snd then proceed to Z\verbach to my efiate ; and mix no more in th* bufy fcencs of the world j but to fufter rny lamp to go out gently in the midft of my family. When I arrived at the poft-houfe at Remmelbnch, which was but two hours journey from Zwerbach, 1 found my wife and two eldeft daughters, who weje come to an auction. What an unfortunate meeting far me ! -J could not poffibly p.void going home with Of EAR.GN TRENCH. >J '.hem. A fecrct inclination to go on to Vienna, render- ed me uneafy : yet I iiaid with them five days. On my arrival at Vienna 1 prefentcd the bill of ex- change for eight hundred and fixty pounds. What way my aftoniftiment, when the perfon to whom I presented it laid You come too late : yeilerday we received news, that Pinet has failed for fifty millions of livres, and has fliot hhnfelf through the head ! Accuftomed to the llrokcs of misfortune, and fteeled again ft them, I wonder at my own calmnefs, that 1 could ftill patiently await what might be yet to come, without exclaiming againft Providence, who had fent my wife to Remmelbach, juft at the moment, to divert, me from my purpoie of proceeding with fpeed to Vienna. It is true that 1 was difquieted in my mind the .vhole five days I fpent at Zwerbach, without knowing why. Perhaps my good genius was prefled to give me warning : but ethereal beings poflefs not the organs of fpeech, and .1 was unable to divine the meaning of my uneafinefs. A prefentiment of ap- proaching misfortune is a vifion, the operation of which, on my mind, J never could explain. Three days earlier I ihould have received my money at Vienna ; but by letting thefe ilip, I loft all, and mull form new plans^" engage in new undertakings, to fupply my neceifities. Surely, a veiTel of wrath have I been appointed from all eternity to unctafing labour and vexation. Rich and happy (hall I never be on this earth. The Baron then gives a long and circumflantial de- tail of the chicanes of the Auftrian courts of juftice, in which, it feerns, that he himfelf experienced great in- juftice and opprtifion. This, together with his character ot the late ilmperor, Jofeph, occupies no lefs than an hundred and fixty pages. He concludes with this bold i::d ipnited ailertion : '* i will venture to declare, upon my honour, to the " Emperor, and to the whole world) that for fix and- " twenty years I have not enjoyed a fmgle penny of my " penfion, 96 LIFE AND ADVENTCR.ES " penfion, or of the income of my property : all has " been fwall:wed up by law-fuits, chicane, and injuftice. " This certainly juftifies me in declaring the plain truth ' to the whole world , and I have for this purpofe " chofen an abode, where I can utter it without the " leaft circumlocution or difguife. Forty years and '" upwa ds of my life I have faorificed in Auftria, and " have maintained myfelf and family by the employment 44 of my pen, ;,y the exerciu- of my talents. Ingratitude *' has been my fole reward: contempt the fole revenge " I have taken." On the acctflion of Leopold, the Baron's profpecls appeared for iome time to brighten. He was honoured with the confidence of that Prince, of whom he had rivate audiences two or three times a week. Leopold nowing that Trenck had great influence and many friends in Hungary, propofed to him to go to Breda, againft the approaching affcmbly of the Diet, and there, as a private perfon, to employ his pen and literary talents in his behalf. Trenck acquiefced in the Emperor's pro- pofal, and publiihed feveral fmall treatifes in Hungary to appeafe the minds of the difcontented. -It lafted not long, however, before his enemies, and particularly 'the eccleiiaitics, found means to prejudice the Emperor againll him j and, in the end, Trenck received a fummons to appear l .efore the Prefident of the Military Court, Count Tige, where he was com- pelled to lign a curious bond, at the inftance of the Emperor, by which^ he tied himfelf down wholly to renounce every branch of authorfhip, efpeciaily with regard to affairs of tfate ; it being contended, that the profejfion of letters was derogatory to Lit military cha- ruEler ! From this bond he was iniit''.i reK-afed in the lequel j but finding that fuipicion llill fixed upon him, in the eyes of the Emperor, and dl&ouraged by his continual difappointraents, he took his final leave of Vienna, and the Auilrian territories, where, according to his own expreffion, " an bone/1 man has nothing bui *' ingratitude and perfccuilon to fxpcci." The OF BARON TR.ENCK. 97 The reader has already feen, in the former part of thefe Memoirs, the flattering reception which Trenck met with in France : the greater then mud be his aitonifhment at the tragical fate which the Baron at laft iuffered in that nation. It does not appear what part our hero took in politics , or upon what fpecific charge he was fentenced to the Guillotine, upon the downfall of Robefpierre's party in July laft. To us it remains a myftery, how a man of Trenck's character, who had been the conftant martyr of arbitrary power, could be deemed obnoxious to the caufe of Liberty. Surely the molt ftern and rigid tribunal might have felt fome fymptoms of remorfe in pronouncing fentence of death upon the hoary head, that for fixty-eight years, had ftruggled inceflantly with the wayward perfections of Fate, and had fuffered more than human Nature is, in general, thought capable .of bearing ! For the reft, we make no doubt but Trenck evinced the fame heroic fortitude in his laft moments, which characterized the whole tenor of his life. We ftiall finifli the prefent biographical {ketch, with quoting the Baron's addrefs to his readers, with which he concludes the fourth and laft Volume of his Life. It is ftrikingly pathetic, and, we might add, ominous : for it would almoft tempt us to conjecture, that Trenck, at the time of writing this addrefs, had a pre~ fcntiment of the fate that awaited him. He writes as follows : " God, who hitherto has enabled me, amidft a " thoufand perils, to acl: the part of an honeft man, " and of a real martyr to the caufe of Truth, will, I " truft, proteft and ftrengthen me in the laft fcene of " tay tragedy, nor fufier my fortitude to fail me, when I " meet with obftacles infurmountable ! " Meanwhile, to you, ye friends of human kind, " who have not read my hiftory without emotion, I *' commend my children, when I mall be ftretched on '' the field, and mouldering in the duft. In the grave ' I (hall be deaf to the voice of Fame j there fhall my K weary <)8 LIFE, &.C. OF BARON TRENCK. " weary limbs at length find reft. My head is already " g re y> an ^ I have had reafon to imprecate each rifing ' kin, that fheds its beams on fo many tyrants and knaves. O! were this the lafl day of my beholding ' them ! Long has my inquifitive eye been weary of viewing mankind. The haplefs victim, who, like me, has been for fixty-eight years expofed to the perfecuting fury of relentlefs Fate, mud wifh for repofe in the filent fliades of Death!" F INI University of California W REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY SOUTHERN REGK 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. REC'D LD-URL APR 15 1991 FBBl sW A 000018208 9