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diff --git a/2669-h/2669-h.htm b/2669-h/2669-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8daea3d --- /dev/null +++ b/2669-h/2669-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5870 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.headingsummary { margin-left: 5%;} + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck, by Baron Trenck</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck, by +Baron Trenck, Edited by Henry Morley, Translated by Thomas Holcroft + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck + Vol. 2 (of 2) + + +Author: Baron Trenck + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: October 16, 2007 [eBook #2669] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF BARON +TRENCK*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1886 Cassell & Co. edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org, proofed by Kenyon, Uzma G., Marie +Gilham, L. F. Smith and David.</p> +<h1><span class="smcap">the</span><br /> +LIFE AND ADVENTURES<br /> +<span class="smcap">of</span><br /> +BARON TRENCK</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">translated +by</span><br /> +THOMAS HOLCROFT.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">Vol.</span> +II.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">CASSELL & COMPANY, <span +class="smcap">Limited</span>:<br /> +<span class="smcap"><i>london</i></span>, <span +class="smcap"><i>paris</i></span><i>, </i><span +class="smcap"><i>new york & melbourne</i></span>.<br /> +1886.</p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>Thomas Holcroft, the translator of these Memoirs of Baron +Trenck, was the author of about thirty plays, among which one, +<i>The Road to Ruin</i>, produced in 1792, has kept its place +upon the stage. He was born in December, 1745, the son of a +shoemaker who did also a little business in horse-dealing. +After early struggles, during which he contrived to learn French, +German, and Italian, Holcroft contributed to a newspaper, turned +actor, and wrote plays, which appeared between the years 1791 and +1806. He produced also four novels, the first in 1780, the +last in 1807. He was three times married, and lost his +first wife in 1790. In 1794, his sympathy with ideals of +the French revolutionists caused him to be involved with Hardy, +Horne Tooke, and Thelwall, in a charge of high treason; but when +these were acquitted, Holcroft and eight others were discharged +without trial.</p> +<p>Holcroft earned also by translation. He translated, +besides these Memoirs of Baron Trenck, Mirabeau’s <i>Secret +History of the Court of Berlin</i>, <i>Les Veillées du +Château</i> of Madame de Genlis, and the posthumous works +of Frederick II., King of Prussia, in thirteen volumes.</p> +<p>The Memoirs of Baron Trenck were first published at Berlin as +his <i>Merkwürdige Lebensbeschreibung</i>, in three volumes +octavo, in 1786 and 1787. They were first translated into +French by Baron Bock (Metz, 1787); more fully by Letourneur +(Paris, 1788); and again by himself (Strasbourg, 1788), with +considerable additions. Holcroft translated from the French +versions.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">H.M.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<p>Blessed shade of a beloved sister! The sacrifice of my +adverse and dreadful fate! Thee could I never avenge! +Thee could the blood of Weingarten never appease! No +asylum, however sacred, should have secured him, had he not +sought that last of asylums for human wickedness and human +woes—the grave! To thee do I dedicate these few +pages, a tribute of thankfulness; and, if future rewards there +are, may the brightest of these rewards be thine. For us, +and not for ours, may rewards be expected from monarchs who, in +apathy, have beheld our mortal sufferings. Rest, noble +soul, murdered though thou wert by the enemies of thy +brother. Again my blood boils, again my tears roll down my +cheeks, when I remember thee, thy sufferings in my cause, and thy +untimely end! I knew it not; I sought to thank thee; I +found thee in the grave; I would have made retribution to thy +children, but unjust, iron-hearted princes had deprived me of the +power. Can the virtuous heart conceive affliction more +cruel? My own ills I would have endured with magnanimity; +but thine are wrongs I have neither the power to forget nor +heal.</p> +<p>Enough of this.—</p> +<p>The worthy Emperor, Francis I., shed tears when I afterwards +had the honour of relating to him in person my past miseries; I +beheld them flow, and gratitude threw me at his feet. His +emotion was so great that he tore himself away. I left the +palace with all the enthusiasm of soul which such a scene must +inspire.</p> +<p>He probably would have done more than pitied me, but his death +soon followed. I relate this incident to convince posterity +that Francis I. possessed a heart worthy an emperor, worthy a +man. In the knowledge I have had of monarchs he stands +alone. Frederic and Theresa both died without doing me +justice; I am now too old, too proud, have too much apathy, to +expect it from their successors. Petition I will not, +knowing my rights; and justice from courts of law, however +evident my claims, were in these courts vain indeed to +expect. Lawyers and advocates I know but too well, and an +army to support my rights I have not.</p> +<p>What heart that can feel but will pardon me these +digressions! At the exact and simple recital of facts like +these, the whole man must be roused, and the philosopher himself +shudder.</p> +<p>Once more:—I heard nothing of what had happened for some +days; at length, however, it was the honest Gelfhardt’s +turn to mount guard; but the ports being doubled, and two +additional grenadiers placed before my door, explanation was +exceedingly difficult. He, however, in spite of precaution, +found means to inform me of what had happened to his two +unfortunate comrades.</p> +<p>The King came to a review at Magdeburg, when he visited +Star-Fort, and commanded a new cell to be immediately made, +prescribing himself the kind of irons by which I was to be +secured. The honest Gelfhardt heard the officer say this +cell was meant for me, and gave me notice of it, but assured me +it could not be ready in less than a month. I therefore +determined, as soon as possible, to complete my breach in the +wall, and escape without the aid of any one. The thing was +possible; for I had twisted the hair of my mattress into a rope, +which I meant to tie to a cannon, and descend the rampart, after +which I might endeavour to swim across the Elbe, gain the Saxon +frontiers, and thus safely escape.</p> +<p>On the 26th of May I had determined to break into the next +casemate; but when I came to work at the bricks, I found them so +hard and strongly cemented that I was obliged to defer the labour +till the following day. I left off, weary and spent, at +daybreak, and should any one enter my dungeon, they must +infallibly discover the breach. How dreadful is the destiny +by which, through life, I have been persecuted, and which has +continually plunged me headlong into calamity, when I imagined +happiness was at hand!</p> +<p>The 27th of May was a cruel day in the history of my +life. My cell in the Star-Fort had been finished sooner +than Gelfhardt had supposed; and at night, when I was preparing +to fly, I heard a carriage stop before my prison. O God! +what was my terror, what were the horrors of this moment of +despair! The locks and bolts resounded, the doors flew +open, and the last of my poor remaining resources was to conceal +my knife. The town-major, the major of the day, and a +captain entered; I saw them by the light of their two +lanterns. The only words they spoke were, “Dress +yourself,” which was immediately done. I still wore +the uniform of the regiment of Cordova. Irons were given +me, which I was obliged myself to fasten on my wrists and ankles; +the town-major tied a bandage over my eyes, and, taking me under +the arm, they thus conducted me to the carriage. It was +necessary to pass through the city to arrive at the Star-Fort; +all was silent, except the noise of the escort; but when we +entered Magdeburg I heard the people running, who were crowding +together to obtain a sight of me. Their curiosity was +raised by the report that I was going to be beheaded. That +I was executed on this occasion in the Star-Fort, after having +been conducted blindfold through the city, has since been both +affirmed and written; and the officers had then orders to +propagate this error that the world might remain in utter +ignorance concerning me. I, indeed, knew otherwise, though +I affected not to have this knowledge; and, as I was not gagged, +I behaved as if I expected death, reproached my conductors in +language that even made them shudder, and painted their King in +his true colours, as one who, unheard, had condemned an innocent +subject by a despotic exertion of power.</p> +<p>My fortitude was admired, at the moment when it was supposed I +thought myself leading to execution. No one replied, but +their sighs intimated their compassion; certain it is, few +Prussians willingly execute such commands. The carriage at +length stopped, and I was brought into my new cell. The +bandage was taken from my eyes. The dungeon was lighted by +a few torches. God of heaven! what were my feelings when I +beheld the whole floor covered with chains, a fire-pan, and two +grim men standing with their smiths’ hammers!</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>To work went these engines of despotism! Enormous chains +were fixed to my ankle at one end, and at the other to a ring +which was incorporated in the wall. This ring was three +feet from the ground, and only allowed me to move about two or +three feet to the right and left. They next riveted another +huge iron ring, of a hand’s breadth, round my naked body, +to which hung a chain, fixed into an iron bar as thick as a +man’s arm. This bar was two feet in length, and at +each end of it was a handcuff. The iron collar round my +neck was not added till the year 1756.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>No soul bade me good night. All retired in dreadful +silence; and I heard the horrible grating of four doors, that +were successively locked and bolted upon me!</p> +<p>Thus does man act by his fellow, knowing him to be innocent, +having received the commands of another man so to act.</p> +<p>O God! Thou alone knowest how my heart, void as it was +of guilt, beat at this moment. There sat I, destitute, +alone, in thick darkness, upon the bare earth, with a weight of +fetters insupportable to nature, thanking Thee that these cruel +men had not discovered my knife, by which my miseries might yet +find an end. Death is a last certain refuge that can indeed +bid defiance to the rage of tyranny. What shall I +say? How shall I make the reader feel as I then felt? +How describe my despondency, and yet account for that latent +impulse that withheld my hand on this fatal, this miserable +night?</p> +<p>This misery I foresaw was not of short duration; I had heard +of the wars that were lately broken out between Austria and +Prussia. Patiently to wait their termination, amid +sufferings and wretchedness such as mine, appeared impossible, +and freedom even then was doubtful. Sad experience had I +had of Vienna, and well I knew that those who had despoiled me of +my property most anxiously would endeavour to prevent my +return. Such were my meditations! such my night +thoughts! Day at length returned; but where was its +splendour? Fled! I beheld it not; yet was its +glimmering obscurity sufficient to show me what was my +dungeon.</p> +<p>In breadth it was about eight feet; in length, ten. Near +me once more stood a night-table; in a corner was a seat, four +bricks broad, on which I might sit, and recline against the +wall. Opposite the ring to which I was fastened, the light +was admitted through a semi-circular aperture, one foot high, and +two in diameter. This aperture ascended to the centre of +the wall, which was six feet thick, and at this central part was +a close iron grating, from which, outward, the aperture +descended, and its two extremities were again secured by strong +iron bars. My dungeon was built in the ditch of the +fortification, and the aperture by which the light entered was so +covered by the wall of the rampart that, instead of finding +immediate passage, the light only gained admission by +reflection. This, considering the smallness of the +aperture, and the impediments of grating and iron bars, must +needs make the obscurity great; yet my eyes, in time, became so +accustomed to this glimmering that I could see a mouse run. +In winter, however, when the sun did not shine into the ditch, it +was eternal night with me. Between the bars and the grating +was a glass window, most curiously formed, with a small central +casement, which might be opened to admit the air. My +night-table was daily removed, and beside me stood a jug of +water. The name of TRENCK was built in the wall, in red +brick, and under my feet was a tombstone with the name of TRENCK +also cut on it, and carved with a death’s head. The +doors to my dungeon were double, of oak, two inches thick; +without these was an open space or front cell, in which was a +window, and this space was likewise shut in by double +doors. The ditch, in which this dreadful den was built, was +enclosed on both sides by palisades, twelve feet high, the key of +the door of which was entrusted to the officer of the guard, it +being the King’s intention to prevent all possibility of +speech or communication with the sentinels. The only motion +I had the power to make was that of jumping upward, or swinging +my arms to procure myself warmth. When more accustomed to +these fetters, I became capable of moving from side to side, +about four feet; but this pained my shin-bones.</p> +<p>The cell had been finished with lime and plaster but eleven +days, and everybody supposed it would be impossible I should +exist in these damps above a fortnight. I remained six +months, continually immersed in very cold water, that trickled +upon me from the thick arches under which I was; and I can safely +affirm that, for the first three months, I was never dry; yet did +I continue in health. I was visited daily, at noon, after +relieving guard, and the doors were then obliged to be left open +for some minutes, otherwise the dampness of the air put out their +candles.</p> +<p>This was my situation, and here I sat, destitute of friends, +helplessly wretched, preyed on by all the torture of thought that +continually suggested the most gloomy, the most horrid, the most +dreadful of images. My heart was not yet wholly turned to +stone; my fortitude was sunken to despondency; my dungeon was the +very cave of despair; yet was my arm restrained, and this excess +of misery endured.</p> +<p>How then may hope be wholly eradicated from the heart of +man? My fortitude, after some time, began to revive; I +glowed with the desire of convincing the world I was capable of +suffering what man had never suffered before; perhaps of at last +emerging from this load of wretchedness triumphant over my +enemies. So long and ardently did my fancy dwell on this +picture, that my mind at length acquired a heroism which Socrates +himself certainly never possessed. Age had benumbed his +sense of pleasure, and he drank the poisonous draught with cool +indifference; but I was young, inured to high hopes, yet now +beholding deliverance impossible, or at an immense, a dreadful +distance. Such, too, were the other sufferings of soul and +body, I could not hope they might be supported and live.</p> +<p>About noon my den was opened. Sorrow and compassion were +painted on the countenances of my keepers. No one spoke; no +one bade me good morrow. Dreadful indeed was their arrival; +for, unaccustomed to the monstrous bolts and bars, they were kept +resounding for a full half-hour before such soul-chilling, such +hope-murdering impediments were removed. It was the voice +of tyranny that thundered.</p> +<p>My night-table was taken out, a camp-bed, mattress, and +blankets were brought me; a jug of water set down, and beside it +an ammunition loaf of six pounds’ weight. “That +you may no more complain of hunger,” said the town-major, +“you shall have as much bread as you can eat.” +The door was shut, and I again left to my thoughts.</p> +<p>What a strange thing is that called happiness! How shall +I express my extreme joy when, after eleven months of intolerable +hunger, I was again indulged with a full feast of coarse +ammunition bread? The fond lover never rushed more eagerly +to the arias of his expecting bride, the famished tiger more +ravenously on his prey, than I upon this loaf. I ate, +rested; surveyed the precious morsel; ate again; and absolutely +shed tears of pleasure. Breaking bit after bit, I had by +evening devoured all my loaf.</p> +<p>Oh, Nature! what delight hast thou combined with the +gratification of thy wants! Remember this, ye who gorge, ye +who rack invention to excite appetite, and yet which you cannot +procure! Remember how simple are the means that will give a +crust of mouldy bread a flavour more exquisite than all the +spices of the East, or all the profusion of land or sea! +Remember this, grow hungry, and indulge your sensuality.</p> +<p>Alas! my enjoyment was of short duration. I soon found +that excess is followed by pain and repentance. My fasting +had weakened digestion, and rendered it inactive. My body +swelled, my water-jug was emptied; cramps, colics, and at length +inordinate thirst racked me all the night. I began to pour +curses on those who seemed to refine on torture, and, after +starving me so long, to invite me to gluttony. Could I not +have reclined on my bed, I should indeed have been driven, this +night, to desperation; yet even this was but a partial relief; +for, not yet accustomed to my enormous fetters, I could not +extend myself in the same manner I was afterwards taught to do by +habit. I dragged them, however, so together as to enable me +to sit down on the bare mattress. This, of all my nights of +suffering, stands foremost. When they opened my dungeon +next day they found me in a truly pitiable situation, wondered at +my appetite, brought me another loaf; I refused to accept it, +believing I nevermore should have occasion for bread; they, +however, left me one, gave me water, shrugged up their shoulders, +wished me farewell, as, according to all appearance, they never +expected to find me alive, and shut all the doors, without asking +whether I wished or needed further assistance.</p> +<p>Three days had passed before I could again eat a morsel of +bread; and my mind, brave in health, now in a sick body became +pusillanimous, so that I determined on death. The irons, +everywhere round my body, and their weight, were insupportable; +nor could I imagine it was possible I should habituate myself to +them, or endure them long enough to expect deliverance. +Peace was a very distant prospect. The King had commanded +that such a prison should be built as should exclude all +necessity of a sentinel, in order that I might not converse with +and seduce them from what is called their duty: and, in the first +days of despair, deliverance appeared impossible; and the +fetters, the war, the pain I felt, the place, the length of time, +each circumstance seemed equally impossible to support. A +thousand reasons convinced me it was necessary to end my +sufferings. I shall not enter into theological disputes: +let those who blame me imagine themselves in my situation; or +rather let them first actually endure my miseries, and then let +them reason. I had often braved death in prosperity, and at +this moment it seemed a blessing.</p> +<p>Full of these meditations, every minute’s patience +appeared absurdity, and resolution meanness of soul; yet I wished +my mind should be satisfied that reason, and not rashness, had +induced the act. I therefore determined, that I might +examine the question coolly, to wait a week longer, and die on +the fourth of July. In the meantime I revolved in my mind +what possible means there were of escape, not fearing, naked and +chained, to rush and expire on the bayonets of my enemies.</p> +<p>The next day I observed, as the four doors were opened, that +they were only of wood, therefore questioned whether I might not +even cut off the locks with the knife that I had so fortunately +concealed: and should this and every other means fail, then would +be the time to die. I likewise determined to make an +attempt to free myself of my chains. I happily forced my +right hand through the handcuff, though the blood trickled from +my nails. My attempts on the left were long ineffectual; +but by rubbing with a brick, which I got from my seat, on the +rivet that had been negligently closed, I effected this also.</p> +<p>The chain was fastened to the run round my body by a hook, one +end of which was not inserted in the rim; therefore, by setting +my foot against the wall, I had strength enough so far to bend +this hook back, and open it, as to force out the link of the +chain. The remaining difficulty was the chain that attached +my foot to the wall: the links of this I took, doubled, twisted, +and wrenched, till at length, nature having bestowed on me great +strength, I made a desperate effort, sprang forcibly up, and two +links at once flew off.</p> +<p>Fortunate, indeed, did I think myself: I hastened to the door, +groped in the dark to find the clinkings of the nails by which +the lock was fastened, and discovered no very large piece of wood +need be cut. Immediately I went to work with my knife, and +cut through the oak door to find its thickness, which proved to +be only one inch, therefore it was possible to open all the four +doors in four-and-twenty hours.</p> +<p>Again hope revived in my heart. To prevent detection I +hastened to put on my chains; but, O God! what difficulties had I +to surmount! After much groping about, I at length found +the link that had flown off; this I hid: it being my good fortune +hitherto to escape examination, as the possibility of ridding +myself of such chains was in nowise suspected. The +separated iron links I tied together with my hair ribbon; but +when I again endeavoured to force my hand into the ring, it was +so swelled that every effort was fruitless. The whole might +was employed upon the rivet, but all labour was in vain.</p> +<p>Noon was the hour of visitation, and necessity and danger +again obliged me to attempt forcing my hand in, which at length, +after excruciating torture, I effected. My visitors came, +and everything had the appearance of order. I found it, +however, impossible to force out my right hand while it continued +swelled.</p> +<p>I therefore remained quiet till the day fixed, and on the +determined fourth of July, immediately as my visitors had closed +the doors upon me, I disencumbered myself of my irons, took my +knife, and began my Herculean labour on the door. The first +of the double doors that opened inwards was conquered in less +than an hour; the other was a very different task. The lock +was soon cut round, but it opened outwards; there was therefore +no other means left but to cut the whole door away above the +bar.</p> +<p>Incessant and incredible labour made this possible, though it +was the more difficult as everything was to be done by feeling, I +being totally in the dark; the sweat dropped, or rather flowed, +from my body; my fingers were clotted in my own blood, and my +lacerated hands were one continued wound.</p> +<p>Daylight appeared: I clambered over the door that was half cut +away, and got up to the window in the space or cell that was +between the double doors, as before described. Here I saw +my dungeon was in the ditch of the first rampart: before me I +beheld the road from the rampart, the guard but fifty paces +distant, and the high palisades that were in the ditch, and must +be scaled before I could reach the rampart. Hope grew +stronger; my efforts were redoubled. The first of the next +double doors was attacked, which likewise opened inward, and was +soon conquered. The sun set before I had ended this, and +the fourth was to be cut away as the second had been. My +strength failed; both my hands were raw; I rested awhile, began +again, and had made a cut of a foot long, when my knife snapped, +and the broken blade dropped to the ground!</p> +<p>God of Omnipotence! what was I at this moment? Was +there, God of Mercies! was there ever creature of Thine more +justified than I in despair? The moon shone very clear; I +cast a wild and distracted look up to heaven, fell on my knees, +and in the agony of my soul sought comfort: but no comfort could +be found; nor religion nor philosophy had any to give. I +cursed not Providence, I feared not annihilation, I dared not +Almighty vengeance; God the Creator was the disposer of my fate; +and if He heaped afflictions upon me He had not given me strength +to support, His justice would not therefore punish me. To +Him, the Judge of the quick and dead, I committed my soul, seized +the broken knife, gashed through the veins of my left arm and +foot, sat myself tranquilly down, and saw the blood flow. +Nature, overpowered fainted, and I know not how long I remained, +slumbering, in this state. Suddenly I heard my own name, +awoke, and again heard the words, “Baron +Trenck!” My answer was, “Who +calls?” And who indeed was it—who but my honest +grenadier Gelfhardt—my former faithful friend in the +citadel! The good, the kind fellow had got upon the +rampart, that he might comfort me.</p> +<p>“How do you do?” said Gelfhardt. +“Weltering in my blood,” answered I; “to-morrow +you will find me dead.”—“Why should you +die?” replied he. “It is much easier for you to +escape here than from the citadel! Here is no sentinel, and +I shall soon find means to provide you with tools; if you can +only break out, leave the rest to me. As often as I am on +guard, I will seek opportunity to speak to you. In the +whole Star-Fort, there are but two sentinels: the one at the +entrance, and the other at the guard-house. Do not despair; +God will succour you; trust to me.” The good +man’s kindness and discourse revived my hopes: I saw the +possibility of an escape. A secret joy diffused itself +through my soul. I immediately tore my shirt, bound up my +wounds, and waited the approach of day; and the sun soon after +shone through the window, to me, with unaccustomed +brightness.</p> +<p>Let the reader judge how far it was chance, or the effect of +Divine providence, that in this dreadful hour my heart again +received hope. Who was it sent the honest Gelfhardt, at +such a moment, to my prison? For, had it not been for him, +I had certainly, when I awoke from my slumbers, cut more +effectually through my arteries.</p> +<p>Till noon I had time to consider what might further be done: +yet what could be done, what expected, but that I should now be +much more cruelly treated, and even more insupportably ironed +than before—finding, as they must, the doors cut through +and my fetters shaken off?</p> +<p>After mature consideration, I therefore made the following +resolution, which succeeded happily, and even beyond my +hopes. Before I proceed, however, I will speak a few words +concerning my situation at this moment. It is impossible to +describe how much I was exhausted. The prison swam with +blood; and certainly but little was left in my body. With +painful wounds, swelled and torn hands, I there stood shirtless, +felt an inclination to sleep almost irresistible, and scarcely +had strength to keep my legs, yet was I obliged to rouse myself, +that I might execute my plan.</p> +<p>With the bar that separated my hands, I loosened the bricks of +my seat, which, being newly laid, was easily done, and heaped +them up in the middle of my prison. The inner door was +quite open, and with my chains I so barricaded the upper half of +the second as to prevent any one climbing over it. When +noon came and the first of the doors was unlocked, all were +astonished to find the second open. There I stood, +besmeared with blood, the picture of horror, with a brick in one +hand, and in the other my broken knife, crying, as they +approached, “Keep off, Mr. Major, keep off! Tell the +governor I will live no longer in chains, and that here I stand, +if so he pleases, to be shot; for so only will I be +conquered. Here no man shall enter—I will destroy all +that approach; here are my weapons; lucre will I die in despite +of tyranny.” The major was terrified, wanted +resolution, and made his report to the governor. I meantime +sat down on my bricks, to wait what might happen: my secret +intent, however, was not so desperate as it appeared. I +sought only to obtain a favourable capitulation.</p> +<p>The governor, General Borck, presently came, attended by the +town-major and some officers, and entered the outward cell, but +sprang back the moment he beheld a figure like me, standing with +a brick and uplifted arm. I repeated what I had told the +major, and he immediately ordered six grenadiers to force the +door. The front cell was scarcely six feet broad, so that +no more than two at a time could attack my intrenchment, and when +they saw my threatening bricks ready to descend, they leaped +terrified back. A short pause ensued, and the old +town-major, with the chaplain, advanced towards the door to +soothe me: the conversation continued some time: whose reasons +were most satisfactory, and whose cause was the most just, I +leave to the reader. The governor grew angry, and ordered a +fresh attack. The first grenadier was knocked down, and the +rest ran back to avoid my missiles.</p> +<p>The town-major again began a parley. “For +God’s sake, my dear Trenck,” said he, “in what +have I injured you, that you endeavour to effect my ruin? I +must answer for your having, through my negligence, concealed a +knife. Be persuaded, I entreat you. Be +appeased. You are not without hope, nor without +friends.” My answer was—“But will you not +load me with heavier irons than before?”</p> +<p>He went out, spoke with the governor, and gave me his word of +honour that the affair should be no further noticed, and that +everything should be exactly reinstated as formerly.</p> +<p>Here ended the capitulation, and my wretched citadel was +taken. The condition I was in was viewed with pity; my +wounds were examined, a surgeon sent to dress them, another shirt +was given me, and the bricks, clotted with blood, removed. +I, meantime, lay half dead on my mattress; my thirst was +excessive. The surgeon ordered me some wine. Two +sentinels were stationed in the front cell, and I was thus left +four days in peace, unironed. Broth also was given me +daily, and how delicious this was to taste, how much it revived +and strengthened me, is wholly impossible to describe. Two +days I lay in a slumbering kind of trance, forced by unquenchable +thirst to drink whenever I awoke. My feet and hands were +swelled; the pains in my back and limbs were excessive.</p> +<p>On the fifth day the doors were ready; the inner was entirely +plated with iron, and I was fettered as before: perhaps they +found further cruelty unnecessary. The principal chain, +however, which fastened me to the wall, like that I had before +broken, was thicker than the first. Except this, the +capitulation was strictly kept. They deeply regretted that, +without the King’s express commands, they could not lighten +my afflictions, wished me fortitude and patience, and barred up +my doors.</p> +<p>It is necessary I should here describe my dress. My +hands being fixed and kept asunder by an iron bar, and my feet +chained to the wall, I could neither put on shirt nor stockings +in the usual mode; the shirt was therefore tied, and changed once +a fortnight; the coarse ammunition stockings were buttoned on the +sides; a blue garment, of soldier’s cloth, was likewise +tied round me, and I had a pair of slippers for my feet. +The shirt was of the army linen; and when I contemplated myself +in this dress of a malefactor, chained thus to the wall in such a +dungeon, vainly imploring mercy or justice, my conscience void of +reproach, my heart of guilt—when I reflected on my former +splendour in Berlin and Moscow, and compared it with this sad, +this dreadful reverse of destiny, I was sunk in grief, or roused +to indignation, that might have hurried the greatest hero or +philosopher to madness or despair. I felt what can only be +imagined by him who has suffered like me, after having like me +flourished, if such can be found.</p> +<p>Pride, the justness of my cause, the unbounded confidence I +had in my own resolution, and the labours of an inventive head +and iron body—these only could have preserved my +life. These bodily labours, these continued inventions, and +projected plans to obtain my freedom, preserved my health. +Who would suppose that a man fettered as I was could find means +of exercising himself? By swinging my arms, acting with the +upper part of my body, and leaping upwards, I frequently put +myself in a strong perspiration. After thus wearying myself +I slept soundly, and often thought how many generals, obliged to +support the inclemencies of weather, and all the dangers of the +field—how many of those who had plunged me into this den of +misery, would have been most glad could they, like me, have slept +with a quiet conscience. Often did I reflect how much +happier I was than those tortured on the bed of sickness by gout, +stone, and other terrible diseases. How much happier was I +in innocence than the malefactor doomed to suffer the pangs of +death, the ignominy of men, and the horrors of internal +guilt!</p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<p>In the following part of my history it will appear I often had +much money concealed under the ground and in the walls of my den, +yet would I have given a hundred ducats for a morsel of bread, it +could not have been procured. Money was to me +useless. In this I resembled the miser, who hoards, yet +hives in wretchedness, having no joy in gentle acts of +benevolence. As proudly might I delight myself with my +hidden treasure as such misers; nay, more, for I was secure from +robbers.</p> +<p>Had fastidious pomp been my pleasure, I might have imagined +myself some old field-marshal bedridden, who hears two grenadier +sentinels at his door call, “Who goes there?” My +honour, indeed, was still greater; for, during my last +year’s imprisonment, my door was guarded by no less than +four. My vanity also might have been flattered: I might +hence conclude how high was the value set upon my head, since all +this trouble was taken to hold me in security. Certain it +is that in my chains I thought more rationally, more nobly, +reasoned more philosophically on man, his nature, his zeal, his +imaginary wants, the effects of his ambition, his passions, and +saw more distinctly his dream of earthly good, than those who had +imprisoned, or those who guarded me. I was void of the +fears that haunt the parasite who servilely wears the fetters of +a court, and daily trembles for the loss of what vice and cunning +have acquired. Those who had usurped the Sclavonian +estates, and feasted sumptuously from the service of plate I had +been robbed of, never ate their dainties with so sweet an +appetite as I my ammunition bread, nor did their high-flavoured +wines flow so limpid as my cold water.</p> +<p>Thus, the man who thinks, being pure of heart, will find +consolation when under the most dreadful calamities, convinced, +as he must be, that those apparently most are frequently least +happy, insensible as they are of the pleasures they might +enjoy. Evil is never so great as it appears.</p> +<blockquote><p>“Sweet are the uses of adversity,<br /> +Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,<br /> +Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.”</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><i>As you Like it</i>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Happy he who, like me, having suffered, can become an example +to his suffering brethren!</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Youth</span>, prosperous, and imagining +eternal prosperity, read my history attentively, though I should +be in my grave! Read feelingly, and bless my sleeping dust, +if it has taught thee wisdom or fortitude!</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Father</span>, reading this, say to thy +children, I felt thus like them, in blooming youth, little +prophesied of misfortune, which after fell so heavy on me, and by +which I am even still persecuted! Say that I had virtue, +ambition, was educated in noble principles; that I laboured with +all the zeal of enthusiastic youth to become wiser, better, +greater than other men; that I was guilty of no crimes, was the +friend of men, was no deceiver of man or woman; that I first +served my own country faithfully, and after, every other in which +I found bread; that I was never, during life, once intoxicated; +was no gamester, no night rambler, no contemptible idler; that +yet, through envy and arbitrary power, I have fallen to misery +such as none but the worst of criminals ought to feel.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Brother</span>, fly those countries where +the lawgiver himself knows no law, where truth and virtue are +punished as crimes; and, if fly you cannot, be it your endeavour +to remain unknown, unnoticed; in such countries, seek not favour +or honourable employ, else will you become, when your merits are +known, as I have been, the victim of slander and treachery: the +behests of power will persecute you, and innocence will not +shield you from the shafts of wicked men who are envious, or who +wish to obtain the favour of princes, though by the worst of +means.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Sire</span>, imagine not that thou readest +a romance. My head is grey, like thine. Read, yet +despise not the world, though it has treated me thus +unthankfully. Good men have I also found, who have +befriended me in misfortunes, and there, where I had least claim, +have I found them most. May my book assist thee in noble +thoughts; mayest thou die as tranquilly as I shall render up my +soul to appear before the Judge of me and my persecutors. +Be death but thought a transition from motion to rest. Few +are the delights of this world for him who, like me, has learned +to know it. Murmur not, despair not of Providence. +Me, through storms, it has brought to haven; through many griefs +to self-knowledge; and through prisons to philosophy. He +only can tranquilly descend to annihilation who finds reason not +to repent he has once existed. My rudder broke not amid the +rocks and quicksands, but my bark was cast upon the strand of +knowledge. Yet, even on these clear shores are impenetrable +clouds. I have seen more distinctly than it is supposed men +ought to see. Age will decay the faculties, and mental, +like bodily sight, must then decrease. I even grew weary of +science, and envied the blind-born, or those who, till death, +have been wilfully hoodwinked. How often have I been asked, +“What didst thou see?” And when I answered with +sincerity and truth, how often have I been derided as a liar, and +been persecuted by those who determined not to see themselves, as +an innovator singular and rash!</p> +<p>Sire, I further say to thee, teach thy descendants to seek the +golden mean, and say with Gellert—“The boy Fritz +needs nothing;—his stupidity will insure his success, +Examine our wealthy and titled lords, what are their abilities +and honours, then inquire how they were attained, and, if thou +canst, discover in what true happiness consists.”</p> +<p>Once more to my prison. The failure of my escape, and +the recovery of life from this state of despair, led me to +moralise deeper than I had ever done before; and in this depth of +thought I found unexpected consolation and fortitude, and a firm +persuasion I yet should accomplish my deliverance.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt, my honest grenadier, had infused fresh hope, and my +mind now busily began to meditate new plans. A sentinel was +placed before my door, that I might be more narrowly watched, and +the married men of the Prussian states were appointed to this +duty, who, as I will hereafter show, were more easy to persuade +in aiding my flight than foreign fugitives. The Pomeranian +will listen, and is by nature kind, therefore may easily be +moved, and induced to succour distress.</p> +<p>I began to be more accustomed to my irons, which I had before +found so insupportable; I could comb out my long hair, and could +tie it at last with one hand. My beard, which had so long +remained unshaven, gave me a grim appearance, and I began to +pluck it up by the roots. The pain at first was +considerable, especially about the lips; but this also custom +conquered, and I performed this operation in the following years, +once in six weeks, or two months, as the hair thus plucked up +required that length of time before the nails could again get +hold. Vermin did not molest me; the dampness of my den was +inimical to them. My limbs never swelled, because of the +exercise I gave myself, as before described. The greatest +pain I found was in the continued unvivifying dimness in which I +lived.</p> +<p>I had read much, had lived in, and seen much of the +world. Vacuity of thought, therefore, I was little troubled +with; the former transactions of my life, and the remembrance of +the persons I had known, I revolved so often in my mind, that +they became as familiar and connected as if the events had each +been written in the order it occurred. Habit made this +mental exercise so perfect to me, that I could compose speeches, +fables, odes, satires, all of which I repeated aloud, and had so +stored my memory with them that I was enabled, after I had +obtained my freedom, to commit to writing two volumes of my +prison labours. Accustomed to this exercise, days that +would otherwise have been days of misery appeared but as a +moment. The following narrative will show how munch esteem, +how many friends, these compositions procured me, even in my +dungeon; insomuch that I obtained light, paper, and finally +freedom itself. For these I have to thank the industrious +acquirements of my youth; therefore do I counsel all my readers +so to employ their time. Riches, honours, the favours of +fortune, may be showered by monarchs upon the most worthless; but +monarchs can give and take, say and unsay, raise and pull +down. Monarchs, however, can neither give wisdom nor +virtue. Arbitrary power itself, in the presence of these, +is foiled.</p> +<p>How wisely has Providence ordained that the endowments of +industry, learning, and science, given by ourselves, cannot be +taken from us; while, on the contrary, what others bestow is a +fantastical dream, from which any accident may awaken us! +The wrath of Frederic could destroy legions, and defeat armies; +but it could not take from me the sense of honour, of innocence, +and their sweet concomitant, peace of mind—could not +deprive me of fortitude and magnanimity. I defied his +power, rested on the justice of my cause, found in myself +expedients wherewith to oppose him, was at length crowned with +conquest, and came forth to the world the martyr of suffering +virtue.</p> +<p>Some of my oppressors now rot in dishonourable graves. +Others, alas! in Vienna, remain immured in houses of correction, +as Krugel and Zeto, or beg their bread, like Gravenitz and +Doo. Nor are the wealthy possessors of my estates more +fortunate, but look down with shame wherever I and my children +appear. We stand erect, esteemed, and honoured, while their +injustice is manifest to the whole world.</p> +<p>Young man, be industrious: for without industry can none of +the treasures I have described be purchased. Thy labour +will reward itself; then, when assaulted by misfortune, or even +misery, learn of me and smile; or, shouldst thou escape such +trials, still labour to acquire wisdom, that in old age thou +mayest find content and happiness.</p> +<p>The years in my dungeon passed away as days, those moments +excepted when, thinking on the great world, and the deeds of +great men, my ambition was roused: except when, contemplating the +vileness of my chains, and the wretchedness of my situation, I +laboured for liberty, and found my labours endless and +ineffectual; except while I remembered the triumph of my enemies, +and the splendour in which those lived by whom I had been +plundered. Then, indeed, did I experience intervals that +approached madness, despair, and horror: beholding myself +destitute of friend or protector, the Empress herself, for whose +sake I suffered, deserting me; reflecting on past times and past +prosperity; remembering how the good and virtuous, from the cruel +nature of my punishment, must be obliged to conclude me a wretch +and a villain, and that all means of justification were cut off: +O God! How did my heart beat! with what violence! +What would I not have undertaken, in these suffering moments, to +have put my enemies to shame! Vengeance and rage then rose +rebellious against patience; long-suffering philosophy vanished, +and the poisoned cup of Socrates would have been the nectar of +the gods.</p> +<p>Man deprived of hope is man destroyed. I found but +little probability in all my plans and projects; yet did I trust +that some of them should succeed, yet did I confide in them and +my honest Gelfhardt, and that I should still free myself from my +chains.</p> +<p>The greatest of all my incitements to patient endurance was +love. I had left behind me, in Vienna, a lady for whom the +world still was dear to me; her would I neither desert nor +afflict. To her and my sister was my existence still +necessary. For their sakes, who had lost and suffered so +much for mine, would I preserve my life; for them no difficulty, +no suffering was too great; yet, alas! when long-desired liberty +was restored, I found them both in their graves. The joy, +for which I had borne so much, was no more to be tasted.</p> +<p>About three weeks after my attempt to escape, the good +Gelfhardt first came to stand sentinel over me; and the sentinel +they had so carefully set was indeed the only hope I could have +of escape; for help must be had from without, or this was +impossible.</p> +<p>The effort I had made had excited too munch surprise and alarm +for me to pass without strict examination; since, on the ninth +day after I was confined, I had, in eighteen hours, so far broken +through a prison built purposely for myself, by a combination of +so many projectors, and with such extreme precaution, that it had +been universally declared impenetrable.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt scarcely had taken his post before we had free +opportunity of conversing together; for, when I stood with one +foot on my bedstead, I could reach the aperture through which +light was admitted.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt described the situation of my dungeon, and our first +plan was to break under the foundation which he had seen laid, +and which he affirmed to be only two feet deep.</p> +<p>Money was the first thing necessary. Gelfhardt was +relieved during his guard, and returned bringing within him a +sheet of paper rolled on a wire, which he passed through my +grating; as he also did a piece of small wax candle, some burning +amadone (a kind of tinder), a match, and a pen. I now had +light, and I pricked my finger, and wrote with my blood to my +faithful friend, Captain Ruckhardt, at Vienna, described my +situation in a few words, sent him an acquittance for three +thousand florins on my revenues, and requested he would dispose +of a thousand florins to defray the expenses of his journey to +Gummern, only two miles from Magdeburg. Here he was +positively to be on the 15th of August. About noon, on this +same day, he was to walk with a letter in his hand; and a man was +there to meet him, carrying a roll of smoking tobacco, to whom he +must remit the two thousand florins, and return to Vienna.</p> +<p>I returned the written paper to Gelfhardt by the same means it +had been received, gave him my instructions, and he sent his wife +with it to Gummern, by whom it was safely put in the post.</p> +<p>My hopes daily rose, and as often as Gelfhardt mounted guard, +so often did we continue our projects. The 15th of August +came, but it was some days before Gelfhardt was again on guard; +and oh! how did my heart palpitate when he came and exclaimed, +“All is right! we have succeeded.” He returned +in the evening, and we began to consider by what means he could +convey the money to me. I could not, with my hands chained +to an iron bar, reach the aperture of the window that admitted +air—besides that it was too small. It was therefore +agreed that Gelfhardt should, on the next guard, perform the +office of cleaning my dungeon, and that he then should convey the +money to me in the water-jug.</p> +<p>This luckily was done. How great was my astonishment +when, instead of one, I found two thousand florins! For I +had permitted him to reserve half to himself, as a reward for his +fidelity; he, however, had kept but five pistoles, which he +persisted was enough.</p> +<p>Worthy Gelfhardt! This was the act of a Pomeranian +grenadier! How rare are such examples! Be thy name +and mine ever united! Live thou while the memory of me +shall live! Never did my acquaintance with the great bring +to my knowledge a soul so noble, so disinterested!</p> +<p>It is true, I afterwards prevailed on him to accept the whole +thousand; but we shall soon see he never had them, and that his +foolish wife, three years after, suffered by their means; +however, she suffered alone, for he soon marched to the field, +and therefore was unpunished.</p> +<p>Having money to carry on my designs, I began to put my plan of +burrowing under the foundation into execution. The first +thing necessary was to free myself from my fetters. To +accomplish this, Gelfhardt supplied me with two small files, and +by the aid of these, this labour, though great, was effected.</p> +<p>The cap, or staple, of the foot ring was made so wide that I +could draw it forward a quarter of an inch. I filed the +iron which passed through it on the inside; the more I filed this +away, the farther I could draw the cap down, till at last the +whole inside iron, through which the chains passed, was cut quite +through! by this means I could slip off the ring, while the cap +on the outside continued whole, and it was impossible to discover +any cut, as only the outside could be examined. My hands, +by continued efforts, I so compressed as to be able to draw them +out of the handcuffs. I then filed the hinge, and made a +screw-driver of one of the foot-long flooring nails, by which I +could take out the screw at pleasure, so that at the time of +examination no proofs could appear. The rim round my body +was but a small impediment, except the chain, which passed from +my hand-bar: and this I removed, by filing an aperture in one of +the links, which, at the necessary hour, I closed with bread, +rubbed over with rusty-iron, first drying it by the heat of my +body; and would wager any sum that, without striking the chain +link by link, with a hammer, no one not in the secret would have +discovered the fracture.</p> +<p>The window was never strictly examined; I therefore drew the +two staples by which the iron bars were fixed to the wall, and +which I daily replaced, carefully plastering them over. I +procured wire from Gelfhardt, and tried how well I could imitate +the inner grating: finding I succeeded tolerably, I cut the real +grating totally away, and substituted an artificial one of my own +fabricating, by which I obtained a free communication with the +outside, additional fresh air, together with all necessary +implements, tinder, and candles.</p> +<p>That the light might not be seen, I hung the coverlid of my +bed before the window, so that I could work fearless and +undetected.</p> +<p>Every thing prepared, I went to work. The floor of my +dungeon was not of stone, but oak plank, three inches thick; +three beds of which were laid crossways, and were fastened to +each other by nails half an inch in diameter, and a foot +long. Raving worked round the head of a nail, I made use of +the hole at the end of the bar, which separated my hands, to draw +it out, and this nail, sharpened upon my tombstone, made an +excellent chisel.</p> +<p>I now cut through the board more than an inch in width, that I +might work downwards, and having drawn away a piece of board +which was inserted two inches under the wall, I cut this so as +exactly to fit; the small crevice it occasioned I stopped up with +bread and strewed over with dust, so as to prevent all suspicious +appearance. My labour under this was continued with less +precaution, and I had soon worked through my nine-inch +planks. Under them I came to a fine white sand, on which +the Star Fort was built. My chips I carefully distributed +beneath the boards. If I had not help from without, I could +proceed no farther; for to dig were useless, unless I could rid +myself of my rubbish. Gelfhardt supplied me with some ells +of cloth, of which I made long narrow bags, stuffed them with +earth, and passed them between the iron bars, to Gelfhardt, who, +as he was on guard, scattered or conveyed away their +contents.</p> +<p>Furnished with room to secrete them under the floor, I +obtained more instruments, together with a pair of pistols, +powder, ball, and a bayonet.</p> +<p>I now discovered that the foundation of my prison, instead of +two, was sunken four feet deep. Time, labour, and patience +were all necessary to break out unheard and undiscovered; but few +things are impossible, where resolution is not wanting.</p> +<p>The hole I made was obliged to be four feet deep, +corresponding with the foundation, and wide enough to kneel and +stoop in: the lying down on the floor to work, the continual +stooping to throw out the earth, the narrow space in which all +must be performed, these made the labour incredible: and, after +this daily labour, all things were to be replaced, and my chains +again resumed, which alone required some hours to effect. +My greatest aid was in the wax candles, and light I had procured; +but as Gelfhardt stood sentinel only once a fortnight, my work +was much delayed; the sentinels were forbidden to speak to me +under pain of death: and I was too fearful of being betrayed to +dare to seek new assistance.</p> +<p>Being without a stove, I suffered much this winter from cold; +yet my heart was cheerful as I saw the probability of freedom; +and all were astonished to find me in such good spirits.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt also brought me supplies of provisions, chiefly +consisting of sausages and salt meats, ready dressed, which +increased my strength, and when I was not digging, I wrote +satires and verses: thus time was employed, and I contented even +in prison.</p> +<p>Lulled into security, an accident happened that will appear +almost incredible, and by which every hope was nearly +frustrated.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt had been working with me, and was relieved in the +morning. As I was replacing the window, which I was obliged +to remove on these occasions, it fell out of my hand, and three +of the glass panes were broken. Gelfhardt was not to return +till guard was again relieved: I had therefore no opportunity of +speaking with him, or concerting any mode of repair. I +remained nearly an hour conjecturing and hesitating; for +certainly had the broken window been seen, as it was impossible I +should reach it when fettered, I should immediately have been +more rigidly examined, and the false grating must have been +discovered.</p> +<p>I therefore came to a resolution, and spoke to the sentinel +(who was amusing himself with whistling), thus: “My good +fellow, have pity, not upon me, but upon your comrades, who, +should you refuse, will certainly be executed: I will throw you +thirty pistoles through the window, if you will do me a small +favour.” He remained some moments silent, and at last +answered in a low voice, “What, have you money, +then?”—I immediately counted thirty pistoles, and +threw them through the window. He asked what he was to do: +I told him my difficulty, and gave him the size of the panes in +paper. The man fortunately was bold and prudent. The +door of the pallisadoes, through the negligence of the officer, +had not been shut that day: he prevailed on one of his comrades +to stand sentinel for him, during half an hour, while he meantime +ran into the town, and procured the glass, on the receipt of +which I instantly threw him out ten more pistoles. Before +the hour of noon and visitation came, everything was once more +reinstated, my glaziery performed to a miracle, and the life of +my worthy Gelfhardt preserved!—Such is the power of money +in this world! This is a very remarkable incident, for I +never spoke after to the man who did me this signal service.</p> +<p>Gelfhardt’s alarm may easily be imagined; he some days +after returned to his post, and was the more astonished as he +knew the sentinel who had done me this good office; that he had +five children, and a man most to be depended on by his officers, +of any one in the whole grenadier company.</p> +<p>I now continued my labour, and found it very possible to break +out under the foundation; but Gelfhardt had been so terrified by +the late accident, that he started a thousand difficulties, in +proportion as my end was more nearly accomplished; and at the +moment when I wished to concert with him the means of flight, he +persisted it was necessary to find additional help, to escape in +safety, and not bring both him and myself to destruction. +At length we came to the following determination, which, however, +after eight months’ incessant labour, rendered my whole +project abortive.</p> +<p>I wrote once more to Ruckhardt, at Vienna; sent him a new +assignment for money, and desired he would again repair to +Gummern, where he should wait six several nights, with two spare +horses, on the glacis of Klosterbergen, at the time appointed, +everything being prepared for flight. Within these six days +Gelfhardt would have found means, either in rotation, or by +exchanging the guard, to have been with me. Alas! the sweet +hope of again beholding the face of the sun, of once more +obtaining my freedom, endured but three days: Providence thought +proper otherwise to ordain. Gelfhardt sent his wife to +Gummern with the letter, and this silly woman told the +post-master her husband had a lawsuit at Vienna, that therefore +she begged he would take particular care of the letter, for which +purpose she slipped ten rix-dollars into his hand.</p> +<p>This unexpected liberality raised the suspicions of the Saxon +post-master, who therefore opened the letter, read the contents, +and instead of sending it to Vienna, or at least to the general +post-master at Dresden, he preferred the traitorous act of taking +it himself to the governor of Magdeburg, who then, as at present, +was Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick.</p> +<p>What were my terrors, what my despair, when I beheld the +Prince himself, about three o’clock in the afternoon, enter +my prison with his attendants, present my letter, and ask, in an +authoritative voice, who had carried it to Gummern. My +answer was, “I know not.” Strict search was +immediately made by smiths, carpenters, and masons, and after +half an hour’s examination, they discovered neither my hole +nor the manner in which I disencumbered myself of my chains; they +only saw that the middle grating, in the aperture where the light +was admitted, had been removed. This was boarded up the +next day, only a small air-hole left, of about six inches +diameter.</p> +<p>The Prince began to threaten; I persisted I had never seen the +sentinel who had rendered me this service, nor asked his +name. Seeing his attempts all ineffectual, the governor, in +a milder tone, said, “You have ever complained, Baron +Trenck, of not having been legally sentenced, or heard in your +own defence; I give you my word of honour, this you shall be, and +also that you shall be released from your fetters, if you will +only tell me who took your letter.” To this I +replied, with all the fortitude of innocence, “Everybody +knows, my lord, I have never deserved the treatment I have met +with in my country. My heart is irreproachable. I +seek to recover my liberty by every means in my power: but were I +capable of betraying the man whose compassion has induced him to +succour my distress; were I the coward that could purchase +happiness at his expense, I then should, indeed, deserve to wear +those chains with which I am loaded. For myself, do with me +what you please: yet remember I am not wholly destitute: I am +still a captain in the Imperial service, and a descendant of the +house of Trenck.”</p> +<p>Prince Ferdinand stood for a moment unable to answer; then +renewed his threats, and left my dungeon. I have since been +told that, when he was out of hearing, he said to those around +him, “I pity his hard fate, and cannot but admire his +strength of mind!”</p> +<p>I must here remark that, when we remember the usual +circumspection of this great man, we are obliged to wonder at his +imprudence in holding a conversation of such a kind with me, +which lasted a considerable time, in the presence of the +guard. The soldiers of the whole garrison had afterwards +the utmost confidence, as they were convinced I would not meanly +devote others to destruction, that I might benefit myself. +This was the way to gain me esteem and intercourse among the men, +especially as the Duke had said he knew I must have money +concealed, for that I had distributed some to the sentinels.</p> +<p>He had scarcely been gone an hour, before I heard a noise near +my prison. I listened—what could it be? I heard +talking, and learned a grenadier had hanged himself to the +pallisadoes of my prison.</p> +<p>The officer of the town-guard, and the town-major again +entered my dungeon to fetch a lanthorn they had forgotten, and +the officer at going out, told me in a whisper, “One of +your associates has just hanged himself.”</p> +<p>It was impossible to imagine my terror or sensations; I +believed it could be only my kind, my honest Gelfhardt. +After many gloomy thoughts, and lamenting the unhappy end of so +worthy a fellow, I began to recollect what the Prince had +promised me, if I would discover the accomplice. I knocked +at the door, and desired to speak to the officer; he came to the +window and asked me what I wanted; I requested he would inform +the governor that if he would send me light, pen, ink, and paper, +I would discover my whole secret.</p> +<p>These were accordingly sent, an hour’s time was granted; +the door was shut, and I was left alone. I sat myself down, +began to write on my night-table, and was about to insert the +name of Gelfhardt, but my blood thrilled, and shrank back to my +heart. I shuddered, rose, went to the aperture of the +window and called, “Is there no man who in compassion will +tell me the name of him who has hanged himself, that I may +deliver many others from destruction?” The window was +not nailed up till the next day; I therefore wrapped five +pistoles in a paper, threw them out, called to the sentinel, and +said, “Friend, take these, and save thy comrades; or go and +betray me, and bring down innocent blood upon thy +head!”</p> +<p>The paper was taken up; a pause of silence ensued: I heard +sighs, and presently after a low voice said, “his name is +Schutz; he belonged to the company of Ripps.” I had +never heard the name before, or known the man, but I however +immediately wrote <span class="smcap">Schutz</span>, instead of +Gelfhardt. Having finished the letter I called the +lieutenant, who took that and the light away, and again barred up +the door of my dungeon. The Duke, however, suspected there +must be some evasion, and everything remained in the same state: +I obtained neither hearing nor court-martial. I learned, in +the sequel, the following circumstances, which will display the +truth of this apparently incredible story.</p> +<p>While I was imprisoned in the citadel, a sentinel came to the +post under my window, cursed and blasphemed, exclaiming aloud +against the Prussian service, and saying, if Trenck only knew my +mind, he would not long continue in his hole! I entered +into discourse with him, and he told me, if I could give him +money to purchase a boat, in which he might cross the Elbe, he +would soon make my doors fly open, and set me free.</p> +<p>Money at that time I had none; but I gave him a diamond +shirt-buckle, worth five hundred ferns, which I had +concealed. I never heard more from this man; he spoke to me +no more. He often stood sentinel over me, which I knew by +his Westphalian dialect, and I as often addressed myself to him, +but ineffectually; he would make no answer.</p> +<p>This Schutz must have sold my buckle, and let his riches be +seen; for, when the Duke left me, the lieutenant on guard said to +him—“You must certainly be the rascal who carried +Trenck’s letter; you have, for some time past, spent much +money, and we have seen you with louis-d’ors. How +came you by them?” Schutz was terrified, his +conscience accused him, he imagined I should betray him, knowing +he had deceived me. He, therefore, in the first agonies of +despair, came to the pallisadoes, and hung himself before the +door of my dungeon.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<p>How wonderful is the hand of Providence! The wicked man +fell a sacrifice to his crime, after having escaped a whole year, +and the faithful, the benevolent-hearted Gelfhardt was thereby +saved.</p> +<p>The sentinels were now doubled, that any intercourse with them +might be rendered more difficult. Gelfhardt again stood +guard, but he had scarcely opportunity, without danger, to speak +a few words: he thanked me for having preserved him, wished me +better fortune, and told me the garrison, in a few days, would +take the field.</p> +<p>This was dreadful news: my whole plan was destroyed at a +breath. I, however, soon recovered fresh hopes. The +hole I had sunken was not discovered: I had five hundred florins, +candles, and implements.</p> +<p>The seven years’ war broke out about a week after, and +the regiment took the field. Major Weyner came, for the +last time, and committed me to the care of the new major of the +militia, Bruckhausen, who was one of the most surly and stupid of +men. I shall often have occasion to mention this man.</p> +<p>All the majors and lieutenants of the guard, who had treated +me with compassion and esteem, now departed, and I became an old +prisoner in a new world. I acquired greater confidence, +however, by remembering that both officers and men in the militia +were much easier to gain over than in the regulars; the truth of +which opinion was soon confirmed.</p> +<p>Four lieutenants were appointed, with their men, to mount +guard at the Star Fort in turn, and before a year had passed, +three of them were in my interest.</p> +<p>The regiments had scarcely taken the field ere the new +governor, General Borck, entered my prison, like what he was, an +imperious, cruel tyrant. The King, in giving him the +command, had informed him he must answer for my person with his +head: he therefore had full power to treat me with whatever +severity he pleased.</p> +<p>Borck was a stupid man, of an unfeeling heart, the slave of +despotic orders; and as often as he thought it possible I might +rid myself of my fetters and escape, his heart palpitated with +fear. In addition to this, he considered me as the vilest +of men and traitors, seeing his King had condemned me to +imprisonment so cruel, and his barbarity towards me was thus the +effect of character and meanness of soul. He entered my +dungeon not as an officer, to visit a brother officer in misery, +but as an executioner to a felon. Smiths then made their +appearance, and a monstrous iron collar, of a hand’s +breadth, was put round my neck, and connected with the chains of +the feet by additional heavy links. My window was walled +up, except a small air-hole. He even at length took away my +bed, gave me no straw, and quitted me with a thousand revilings +on the Empress-Queen, her whole army, and myself. In words, +however, I was little in his debt, and he was enraged even to +madness.</p> +<p>What my situation was under this additional load of tyranny, +and the command of a man so void of human pity, the reader may +imagine. My greatest good fortune consisted in the ability +I still had to disencumber myself of all the irons that were +connected with the ankle-rims, and the provision I had of light, +paper, and implements; and though it was apparently impossible I +should break out undiscovered by both sentinels, yet had I the +remaining hope of gaining some officer, by money, who, as in +Glatz, should assist my escape.</p> +<p>Had the commands of the King been literally obeyed escape +would have been wholly impossible; for, by this, all +communication would have been totally cut off with the +sentinels. To this effect the four keys of the four doors +were each to be kept by different persons; one with the governor, +another with the town-major, the third with the major of the day, +and the fourth with the lieutenant of the guard. I never +could have found opportunity to have spoken with any one of them +singly. These commands at first were rigidly observed, with +this exception, that the governor made his appearance only every +week. Magdeburg became so full of prisoners that the +town-major was obliged to deliver up his key to the major of the +day, and the governor’s visitations wholly subsided, the +citadel being an English mile and a half distant from the Star +Fort.</p> +<p>General Walrabe, who had been a prisoner ever since the year +1746, was also at the Star Fort, but he had apartments, and three +thousand rix-dollars a year. The major of the day and +officer of the guard dined with him daily, and generally stayed +till evening. Either from compassion, or a concurrence of +fortunate circumstances, these gentlemen entrusted the keys to +the lieutenant on guard, by which means I could speak with each +of them alone when they made their visits, and they themselves at +length sought these opportunities. My consequent +undertakings I shall relate, with all the arts and inventions of +a wretched prisoner endeavouring to escape.</p> +<p>Borck had selected three majors and four lieutenants for this +service as those he could best trust. My situation was +truly deplorable. The enormous iron round my neck pained +me, and prevented motion; and I durst not attempt to disengage +myself from the pendant chains till I had, for some months, +carefully observed the mode of their examination, and which parts +they supposed were perfectly secure. The cruelty of +depriving me of my bed was still greater: I was obliged to sit +upon the bare ground, and lean with my head against the damp +wall. The chains that descended from the neck collar were +obliged to be supported first with one band, and then with the +other; for, if thrown behind, they would have strangled me, and +if hanging forward occasioned most excessive headaches. The +bar between my hands held one down, while leaning on my elbow; I +supported with the other my chains; and this so benumbed the +muscles and prevented circulation, that I could perceive my arms +sensibly waste away. The little sleep I could have in such +a situation may easily be supposed, and, at length, body and mind +sank under this accumulation of miserable suffering, and I fell +ill of a burning fever.</p> +<p>The tyrant Borck was inexorable; he wished to expedite my +death, and rid himself of his troubles and his terrors. +Here did I experience what was the lamentable condition of a sick +prisoner, without bed, refreshment, or aid from human +being. Reason, fortitude, heroism, all the noble qualities +of the mind, decay when the corporal faculties are diseased; and +the remembrance of my sufferings, at this dreadful moment, still +agitates, still inflames my blood, so as almost to prevent an +attempt to describe what they were.</p> +<p>Yet hope had not totally forsaken me. Deliverance seemed +possible, especially should peace ensue; and I sustained, +perhaps, what mortal man never bore, except myself, being, as I +was, provided with pistols, or any such immediate mode of +despatch.</p> +<p>I continued ill about two months, and was so reduced at last +that I had scarcely strength to lift the water-jug to my +mouth. What must the sufferings of that man be who sits two +months on the bare ground in a dungeon so damp, so dark, so +horrible, without bed or straw, his limbs loaded as mine were, +with no refreshment but dry ammunition bread, without so much as +a drop of broth, without physic, without consoling friend, and +who, under all these afflictions, must trust, for his recovery, +to the efforts of nature alone!</p> +<p>Sickness itself is sufficient to humble the mightiest mind; +what, then, is sickness, with such an addition of torment? +The burning fever, the violent headaches, my neck swelled and +inflamed with the irons, enraged me almost to madness. The +fever and the fetters together flayed my body so that it appeared +like one continued wound—Enough! Enough! The +malefactor extended living on the wheel, to whom the cruel +executioner refuses the last stroke—the blow of +death—must yet, in some short period, expire: he suffers +nothing I did not then suffer; and these, my excruciating pangs, +continued two dreadful months—Yet, can it be +supposed? There came a day! A day of horror, when +these mortal pangs were beyond imagination increased. I sat +scorched with this intolerable fever, in which nature and death +were contending; and when attempting to quench my burning +entrails with cold water, the jug dropped from my feeble hands, +and broke! I had four-and-twenty hours to remain without +water. So intolerable, so devouring was my thirst, I could +have drank human blood! Ay, in my madness, had it been the +blood of my father!</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * * *</p> +<p>Willingly would I have seized my pistols, but strength had +forsaken me, I could not open the place I was obliged to render +so secure.</p> +<p>My visitors next day supposed me gone at last. I lay +motionless, with my tongue out of my mouth. They poured +water down my throat, and I revived.</p> +<p>Oh, God! Oh, God! How pure, how delicious, how +exquisite was this water! My insatiable thirst soon emptied +the jug; they filled it anew, bade me farewell, hoped death would +soon relieve my mortal sufferings, and departed.</p> +<p>The lamentable state in which I lay at length became the +subject of general conversation, that all the ladies of the town +united with the officers, and prevailed on the tyrant, Borck, to +restore me my bed.</p> +<p>Oh, Nature, what are thy operations? From the day I +drank water in such excess I gathered strength, and to the +astonishment of every one, soon recovered. I had moved the +heart of the officer who inspected my prison; and after six +months, six cruel months of intense misery, the day of hope again +began to dawn.</p> +<p>One of the majors of the day entrusted his key to Lieutenant +Sonntag, who came alone, spoke in confidence, and related his own +situation, complained of his debts, his poverty, his necessities; +and I made him a present of twenty-five louis-d’ors, for +which he was so grateful that our friendship became unshaken.</p> +<p>The three lieutenants all commiserated me, and would sit hours +with me, when a certain major had the inspection; and he himself, +after a time, would even pass half the day with me. He, +too, was poor: and I gave him a draft for three thousand florins; +hence new projects took birth.</p> +<p>Money became necessary; I had disbursed all I possessed, a +hundred florins excepted, among the officers. The eldest +son of Captain K---, who officiated as major, had been cashiered: +his father complained to me of his distress, and I sent him to my +sister, not far from Berlin, from whom he received a hundred +ducats. He returned and related her joy at hearing from +me. He found her exceedingly ill; and she informed me, in a +few lines, that my misfortunes, and the treachery of Weingarten, +had entailed poverty upon her, and an illness which had endured +more than two years. She wished me a happy deliverance from +my chains, and, in expectation of death, committed her children +to my protection. She, however, grew better, and married a +second time, Colonel Pape; but died in the year 1758. I +shall forbear to relate her history: it indeed does no honour to +the ashes of Frederic, and would but less dispose my own heart to +forgiveness, by reviving the memory of her oppressions and +griefs.</p> +<p>K---n returned happy with the money: all things were concerted +with the father. I wrote to the Countess Bestuchef, also to +the Grand Duke, afterwards Peter III., recommended the young +soldier, and entreated every possible succour for myself.</p> +<p>K---n departed through Hamburg, for Petersburg, where, in +consequence of my recommendation, he became a captain, and in a +short time major. He took his measures so well that I, by +the intervention of his father, and a Hamburg merchant, received +two thousand rubles from the Countess, while the service he +rendered me made his own fortune in Russia.</p> +<p>To old K---, who was as poor as he was honest, I gave three +hundred ducats; and he, till death, continued my grateful +friend. I distributed nearly as much to the other officers; +and matters proceeded so far that Lieutenant Glotin gave back the +keys to the major without locking my prison, himself passing half +the night with me. Money was given to the guard to drink; +and thus everything succeeded to my wish, and the tyrant Borck +was deceived. I had a supply of light; had books, +newspapers, and my days passed swiftly away. I read, I +wrote, I busied myself so thoroughly that I almost forgot I was a +prisoner. When, indeed, the surly, dull blockhead, Major +Bruckhausen, had the inspection, everything had to be carefully +reinstated. Major Z---, the second of the three, was also +wholly mine. He was particularly attached to me; for I had +promised to marry his daughter, and, should I die in prison, to +bequeath him a legacy of ten thousand florins.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Sonntag got false handcuffs made for me, that were +so wide I could easily draw my hands out; the lieutenants only +examined my irons, the new handcuffs were made perfectly similar +to the old, and Bruckhausen had too much stupidity to remark any +difference.</p> +<p>The remainder of my chains I could disencumber myself of at +pleasure. When I exercised myself, I held them in my hands, +that the sentinel might be deceived by their clanking. The +neck-iron was the only one I durst not remove; it was likewise +too strongly riveted. I filed through the upper link of the +pendant chain, however, by which means I could take it off, and +this I concealed with bread in the manner before mentioned.</p> +<p>So I could disencumber myself of most of my fetters, and sleep +in ease. I again obtained sausages and cold meat, and thus +my situation, bad as it still was, became less miserable. +Liberty, however, was most desirable: but, alas! not one of the +three lieutenants had the courage of a Schell: Saxony, too, was +in the hands of the Prussians, and flight, therefore, more +dangerous. Persuasion was in vain with men determined to +risk nothing, but, if they went, to go in safety. Will, +indeed, was not wanting in Glotin and Sonntag; but the first was +a poltroon, and the latter a man of scruples, who thought this +step might likewise be the ruin of his brother at Berlin.</p> +<p>The sentinels were doubled, therefore my escape through my +hole, which had been two years dug, could not, unperceived by +them, be effected: still less could I, in the face of the guard, +clamber the twelve feet high pallisadoes. The following +labour, therefore, though Herculean, was undertaken.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Sonntag, measuring the interval between the hole I +had dug and the entrance in the gallery in the principal rampart, +found it to be thirty-seven feet. Into this it was possible +I might, by mining, penetrate. The difficulty of the +enterprise was lessened by the nature of the ground, a fine white +sand. Could I reach the gallery my freedom was +certain. I had been informed how many steps to the right or +left must be taken, to find the door that led to the second +rampart: and, on the day when I should be ready for flight, the +officer was secretly to leave this door open. I had light, +and mining tools, and was further to rely on money and my own +discretion.</p> +<p>I began and continued this labour about six months. I +have already noticed the difficulty of scraping out the earth +with my hands, as the noise of instruments would have been heard +by the sentinels. I had scarcely mined beyond my dungeon +wall before I discovered the foundation of the rampart was not +more than a foot deep; a capital error certainly in so important +a fortress. My labour became the lighter, as I could remove +the foundation stones of my dungeon, and was not obliged to mine +so deep.</p> +<p>My work at first proceeded so rapidly, that, while I had room +to throw back my sand, I was able in one night to gain three +feet; but ere I had proceeded ten feet I discovered all my +difficulties. Before I could continue my work I was obliged +to make room for myself, by emptying the sand out of my hole upon +the floor of the prison, and this itself was an employment of +some hours. The sand was obliged to be thrown out by the +hand, and after it thus lay heaped in my prison, must again be +returned into the hole; and I have calculated that after I had +proceeded twenty feet, I was obliged to creep under ground, in my +hole, from fifteen hundred to two thousand fathoms, within +twenty-four hours, in the removal and replacing of the +sand. This labour ended, care was to be taken that in none +of the crevices of the floor there might be any appearance of +this fine white sand. The flooring was the next to be +exactly replaced, and my chains to be resumed. So severe +was the fatigue of one day, in this mode, that I was always +obliged to rest the three following.</p> +<p>To reduce my labour as much as possible, I was constrained to +make the passage so small that my body only had space to pass, +and I had not room to draw my arm back to my head. The +work, too, must all be done naked, otherwise the dirtiness of my +shirt must have been remarked; the sand was wet, water being +found at the depth of four feet, where the stratum of the gravel +began. At length the expedient of sand-bags occurred to me, +by which it might be removed out and in more expeditiously. +I obtained linen from the officers, but not in sufficient +quantities; suspicions would have been excited at observing so +much linen brought into the prison. At last I took my +sheets and the ticking that enclosed my straw, and cut them up +for sand-bags, taking care to lie down on my bed, as if ill, when +Bruckhausen paid his visit.</p> +<p>The labour, towards the conclusion, became so intolerable as +to incite despondency. I frequently sat contemplating the +heaps of sand, during a momentary respite from work; and thinking +it impossible I could have strength or time again to replace all +things as they were, resolved patiently to wait the consequence, +and leave everything in its present disorder. Yes! I can +assure the reader that, to effect concealment, I have scarcely +had time in twenty-four hours to sit down and eat a morsel of +bread. Recollecting, however, the efforts, and all the +progress I had made, hope would again revive, and exhausted +strength return: again would I begin my labours, that I might +preserve my secret and my expectations: yet has it frequently +happened that my visitors have entered a few minutes after I had +reinstated everything in its place.</p> +<p>When my work was within six or seven feet of being +accomplished, a new misfortune happened that at once frustrated +all further attempts. I worked, as I have said, under the +foundation of the rampart near where the sentinels stood. I +could disencumber myself of my fetters, except my neck collar and +its pendent chain. This, as I worked, though it was +fastened, got loose, and the clanking was heard by one of the +sentinels about fifteen feet from my dungeon. The officer +was called, they laid their ears to the ground, and heard me as I +went backward and forward to bring my earth bags. This was +reported the next day; and the major, who was my best friend, +with the town-major, and a smith and mason, entered my +prison. I was terrified. The lieutenant by a sign +gave me to understand I was discovered. An examination was +begun, but the officers would not see, and the smith and mason +found all, as they thought, safe. Had they examined my bed, +they would have seen the ticking and sheets were gone.</p> +<p>The town-major, who was a dull man, was persuaded the thing +was impossible, and said to the sentinel, “Blockhead! you +have heard some mole underground, and not Trenck. How, +indeed, could it be, that lee should work underground, at such a +distance from his dungeon?” Here the scrutiny +ended.</p> +<p>There was now no time for delay. Had they altered their +hour of coming, they must have found me at work: but this, during +ten years, never happened: for the governor and town-major were +stupid men, and the others, poor fellows, wishing me all success, +were willingly blind. In a few days I could have broken +out, but, when ready, I was desirous to wait for the visitation +of the man who had treated me so tyranically, Bruckhausen, that +his own negligence might be evident. But this man, though +he wanted understanding, did not want good fortune. He was +ill for some time, and his duty devolved on K---.</p> +<p>He recovered; and the visitation being over, the doors were no +sooner barred than I began my supposed last labour. I had +only three feet farther to proceed, and it was no longer +necessary I should bring out the sand, I having room to throw it +behind me. What my anxiety was, what my exertions were, may +well be imagined. My evil genius, however, had decreed that +the same sentinel, who had heard me before, should be that day on +guard. He was piqued by vanity, to prove he was not the +blockhead he had been called; he therefore again laid his ear to +the ground, and again heard me burrowing. Ho called his +comrades first, next thee major; lee came, and heard me likewise; +they then went without the pallisadoes, and heard me working near +the door, at which place I was to break into the gallery. +This door they immediately opened, entered the gallery with +lanthorns, and waited to catch the hunted fox when unearthed.</p> +<p>Through the first small breach I made I perceived a light, and +saw the heads of those who were expecting me. This was +indeed a thunder-stroke! I crept back, made my way through +the sand I had cast behind me, and awaited my fate with +shuddering! I had the presence of mind to conceal my +pistols, candles, paper, and some money, under the floor which I +could remove. The money was disposed of in various holes, +well concealed also between the panels of the doors; and under +different cracks in the floor I hid my small files and +knives. Scarcely were these disposed of before the doors +resounded: the floor was covered with sand and sand-bags: my +handcuffs, however, and the separating bar, I had hastily resumed +that they might suppose I had worked with them on, which they +were silly enough to credit, highly to my future advantage.</p> +<p>No man was more busy on this occasion than the brutal and +stupid Bruckhausen, who put many interrogatories, to which I made +no reply, except assuring him that I should have completed my +work some days sooner, had it not been his good fortune to fall +sick, and that this only had been the cause of my failure.</p> +<p>The man was absolutely terrified with apprehension; he began +to fear me, grew more polite, and even supposed nothing was +impossible to me.</p> +<p>It was too late to remove the sand; therefore the lieutenant +and guard continued with me, so that this night at least I did +not want company. When the morning came, the hole was first +filled up; the planking was renewed. The tyrant Borck was +ill, and could not come, otherwise my treatment would have been +still more lamentable. The smiths had ended before the +evening, and the irons were heavier than ever. The foot +chains, instead of being fastened as before, were screwed and +riveted; all else remained as formerly. They were employed +in the flooring till the next day, so that I could not sleep, and +at last I sank down with weariness.</p> +<p>The greatest of my misfortunes was they again deprived me of +my bed, because I had cut it up for sand-bags. Before the +doors were barred Bruckhausen and another major examined my body +very narrowly. They often had asked me where I concealed +all my implements? My answer was, “Gentlemen, +Beelzebub is my best and most intimate friend; he brings me +everything I want, supplies me with light: we play whole nights +at piquet, and, guard me as you please, he will finally deliver +me out of your power.”</p> +<p>Some were astonished, others laughed. At length, as they +were barring the last door, I called, “Come back, +gentlemen! you have forgotten something of great +importance.” In the interim I had taken up one of my +hidden files. When they returned, “Look ye, +gentlemen,” said I, “here is a proof of the +friendship Beelzebub has for me, he has brought me this in a +twinkling.” Again they examined, and again they shut +their doors. While they were so doing, I took out a knife, +and ten louis-d’ors, called, and they re turned, grumbling +curses; I then shewed the knife and the louis-d’ors. +Their consternation was excessive; and I diverted my misfortunes +by jesting at such blundering, short-sighted keepers. It +was soon rumoured through Magdeburg, especially among the simple +and vulgar, that I was a magician to whom the devil brought all I +asked.</p> +<p>One Major Holtzkammer, a very selfish man, profited by this +report. A foolish citizen had offered him fifty dollars if +he might only be permitted to see me through the door, being very +desirous to see a wizard. Holtzkammer told me, and we +jointly determined to sport with his credulity. The major +gave me a mask with a monstrous nose, which I put on when the +doors were opening, and threw myself in an heroic attitude. +The affrighted burger drew back; but Holtzkammer stopped him, and +said, “Have patience for some quarter of an hour, and you +shall see he will assume quite a different +countenance.” The burger waited, my mask was thrown +by, and my face appeared whitened with chalk, and made +ghastly. The burger again shrank back; Holtzkammer kept him +in conversation, and I assumed a third farcical form. I +tied my hair under my nose, and a pewter dish to my breast, and +when the door a third time opened, I thundered, “Begone, +rascals, or I’ll set your necks—awry!” +They both ran: and the silly burger, eased of his fifty dollars, +scampered first.</p> +<p>The major, in vain, laid his injunctions on the burger never +to reveal what he had beheld, it being a breach of duty in him to +admit any persons whatever to the sight of me. In a few +days, the necromancer Trenck was the theme of every alehouse in +Magdeburg, and the person was named who had seen me change my +form thrice in the space of one hour. Many false and +ridiculous circumstances were added, and at last the story +reached the governor’s ears. The citizen was cited, +and offered to take his oath of what himself and the major had +seen. Holtzkammer accordingly suffered a severe reprimand, +and was some days under arrest. We frequently laughed, +however, at this adventure, which had rendered me so much the +subject of conversation. Miraculous reports were the more +easily credited, because no one could comprehend how, in despite +of the load of irons I carried, and all the vigilance of my +guards, I should be continually able to make new attempts, while +those appointed to examine my dungeon seemed, as it were, blinded +and bewildered. A proof this, how easy it is to deceive the +credulous, and whence have originated witchcraft, prophecies, and +miracles.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<p>My last undertaking had employed me more than twelve months, +and so weakened me that I appeared little better than a +skeleton. Notwithstanding the greatness of my spirit, I +should have sunk into despondency, at seeing an end like this to +all my labours, had I not still cherished a secret hope of +escaping, founded on the friends I had gained among the +officers.</p> +<p>I soon felt the effects of the loss of my bed, and was a +second time attacked by a violent fever, which would this time +certainly have consumed me had not the officers, unknown to the +governor, treated me with all possible compassion. +Bruckhausen alone continued my enemy, and the slave of his +orders; on his day of examination rules and commands in all their +rigour were observed, nor durst I free myself from my irons, till +I had for some weeks remarked those parts on which he invariably +fixed his attention. I then cut through the link, and +closed up the vacancy with bread. My hands I could always +draw out, especially after illness had consumed the flesh off my +bones. Half a year had elapsed before I had recovered +sufficient strength to undertake, anew, labours like the +past.</p> +<p>Necessity at length taught me the means of driving Bruckhausen +from my dungeon, and of inducing him to commit his office to +another. I learnt his olfactory nerves were somewhat +delicate, and whenever I heard the doors unbar, I took care to +make a stir in my night-table. This made him give back, and +at length he would come no farther than the door. Such are +the hard expedients of a poor unhappy prisoner!</p> +<p>One day he came, bloated with pride, just after a courier had +brought the news of victory, and spoke of the Austrians, and the +august person of the Empress-Queen with so much virulence, that, +at last, enraged almost to madness, I snatched the sword of an +officer from its sheath, and should certainly have ended him, had +he not made a hasty retreat. From that day forward he durst +no more come without guards to examine the dungeon. Two men +always preceded him, with their bayonets fixed, and their pieces +presented, behind whom he stood at the door. This was +another fortunate incident, as I dreaded only his +examination.</p> +<p>The following anecdote will afford a specimen of this +man’s understanding. While digging in the earth I +found a cannon-ball, and laid it in the middle of my +prison. When he came to examine—“What in the +name of God is that?” said he. “It is a part of +the ammunition,” answered I, “that my Familiar brings +me. The cannon will be here anon, and you will then see +fine sport!” He was astonished, told this to others, +nor could conceive such a ball might by any natural means enter +my prison.</p> +<p>I wrote a satire on him, when the late Landgrave of +Hesse-Cassel was governor of Magdeburg; and I had permission to +write as will hereafter appear: the Landgrave gave it to him to +read himself; and so gross was his conception, that though his +own phraseology was introduced, part of his history and his +character painted, yet he did not perceive the jest, but laughed +heartily with the hearers. The Landgrave was highly +diverted, and after I obtained my freedom, restored me the +manuscript written in my own blood.</p> +<p>About the time that my last attempt at escaping failed, +General Krusemarck came to my prison, whom I had formerly lived +with in habits of intimacy, when cornet of the body guard. +Without testifying friendship, esteem, or compassion, he asked, +among other things, in an authoritative tone, how I could employ +my time to prevent tediousness? I answered in as haughty a +mood as he interrogated: for never could misfortune bend my +mind. I told him, “I always could find sources of +entertainment in my own thoughts; and that, as for my dreams, I +imagined they would at least be as peaceful and pleasant as those +of my oppressors.” “Had you in time,” +replied he, “curbed this fervour of yours, had you asked +pardon of the King, perhaps you would have been in very different +circumstances; but he who has committed an offence in which he +obstinately persists, endeavouring only to obtain freedom by +seducing men from their duty, deserves no better fate.”</p> +<p>Justly was my anger roused! “Sir,” answered +I, “you are a general of the King of Prussia, I am an +Austrian captain. My royal mistress will protect, perhaps +deliver me, or, at least, revenge my death; I have a conscience +void of reproach. You, yourself, well know I have not +deserved these chains. I place my hope in time, and the +justness of my cause, calumniated and condemned, as I have been, +without legal sentence or hearing. In such a situation, the +philosopher will always be able to brave and despise the +tyrant.”</p> +<p>He departed with threats, and his last words were, “The +bird shall soon be taught to sing another tune.” The +effects of this courteous visit were soon felt. An order +came that I should be prevented sleeping, and that the sentinels +should call, and wake me every quarter of an hour; which dreadful +order was immediately executed.</p> +<p>This was indeed a punishment intolerable to nature! Yet +did custom at length teach me to answer in my sleep. Four +years did this unheard of cruelty continue! The noble +Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel at length put an end to it a year +before I was released from my dungeon, and once again, in mercy, +suffered me to sleep in peace.</p> +<p>Under this new affliction, I wrote an Elegy which may be found +in the second volume of my works, a few lines of which I shall +cite.</p> +<blockquote><p>Wake me, ye guards, for hark, the quarter +strikes!<br /> +Sport with my woes, laugh loud at my miseries<br /> +Hearken if you hear my chains clank! Knock! Beat!<br +/> +Of an inexorable tyrant be ye<br /> +Th’ inexorable instruments! Wake me, ye slaves;<br /> +Ye do but as you’re bade. Soon shall he lie<br /> +Sleepless, or dreaming, the spectres of conscience<br /> +Behold and shriek, who me deprives of rest.</p> +<p> Wake me: Again the quarter strikes! +Call loud<br /> +Rip up all my bleeding wounds, and shrink not!<br /> +Yet think ’tis I that answer, God that hears!<br /> +To every wretch in chains sleep is permitted:<br /> +I, I alone, am robb’d of this last refuge<br /> +Of sinking nature! Hark! Again they thunder!<br /> +Again they iterate yells of Trenck and death.</p> +<p>Peace to thy anger, peace, thou suffering heart!<br /> +Nor indignant beat, adding tenfold pangs to pain.</p> +<p> Ye burthened limbs, arise from momentary<br +/> +Slumbers! Shake your chains! Murmur not, but rise!<br +/> +And ye! Watch-dogs of Power! let loose your rage:<br /> +Fear not, for I am helpless, unprotected.<br /> +And yet, not so—The noble mind, within<br /> +Itself, resources finds innumerable.</p> +<p>Thou, Oh God, thought’st good me t’ imprison +thus:<br /> +Thou, Oh God, in Thy good time, wilt me deliver.</p> +<p> Wake me then, nor fear! My soul +slumbers not.<br /> +And who can say but those who fetter me,<br /> +May, ere to-morrow, groan themselves in fetters!<br /> +Wake me! For lo! their sleep’s less sweet than +mine.</p> +<p>Call! Call! From night to morn, from twilight to +dawn,<br /> +Incessant! Yea, in God’s name, Call! +Call! Call!<br /> +Amen! Amen! Thy will, Oh God, be done!<br /> +Yet surely Thou at length shalt hear my sighs!<br /> +Shalt burst my prison doors! Shalt shew me fair<br /> +Creation! Yea, the very heav’n of heav’ns!</p> +</blockquote> +<p>With whom these orders originated, unexampled in the history +even of tyranny, I shall not venture to say. The major, who +was my friend, advised me to persist in not answering. I +followed his advice; and it produced this good effect that we +mutually forced each other to a capitulation: they restored me my +bed, and I was obliged to reply.</p> +<p>Immediately after this regulation, the sub-governor, General +Borck, my bitter enemy, became insane, was dispossessed of his +post, and Lieutenant-General Reichmann, the benevolent friend of +humanity, was made sub-governor.</p> +<p>About the same time the Court fled from Berlin, and the Queen, +the Prince of Prussia, the Princess Amelia, and the Margrave +Henry, chose Magdeburg for their residence. Bruckhausen +grew more polite, probably perceiving I was not wholly deserted, +and that it was yet possible I might obtain my freedom. The +cruel are usually cowards, and there is reason to suppose +Bruckhausen was actuated by his fears to treat me with greater +respect.</p> +<p>The worthy new governor had not indeed the power to lighten my +chains, or alter the general regulations; what he could, he +did. If he did not command, he connived at the doors being +occasionally at first, and at length, daily, kept open some +hours, to admit daylight and fresh air. After a time, they +were open the whole day, and only closed by the officers when +they returned from their visit to Walrabe.</p> +<p>Having light, I began to carve, with a nail, on the pewter cup +in which I drank, satirical verses and various figures, and +attained so much perfection that my cups, at last, were +considered as master-pieces, both of engraving and invention, and +were sold dear, as rare curiosities. My first attempts were +rude, as may well be imagined. My cup was carried to town, +and shown to visitors by the governor, who sent me another. +I improved, and each of the inspecting officers wished to possess +one. I grew more expert, and spent a whole year in this +employment, which thus passed swiftly away. The perfection +I had now acquired obtained me the permission of candle-light, +and this continued till I was restored to freedom.</p> +<p>The King gave orders these cups should all be inspected by +government, because I wished, by my verses and devices, to inform +the world of my fate. But this command was not obeyed; the +officers made merchandise of my cups, and sold them at last for +twelve ducats each. Their value increased so much, when I +was released from prison, that they are now to be found in +various museums throughout Europe. Twelve years ago the +late Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel presented one of them to my wife; +and another came, in a very unaccountable manner, from the +Queen-Dowager of Prussia to Paris. I have given prints of +both these, with the verses they contained, in my works; whence +it may be seen how artificially they were engraved.</p> +<p>A third fell into the hands of Prince Augustus Lobkowitz, then +a prisoner of war at Magdeburg, who, on his return to Vienna, +presented it to the Emperor, who placed it in his museum. +Among other devices on this cup, was a landscape, representing a +vineyard and husbandmen, and under it the following +words:—<i>By my labours my vineyard flourished</i>, <i>and +I hoped to have gathered the fruit</i>; <i>but Ahab +came</i>. <i>Alas</i>! <i>for Naboth</i>.</p> +<p>The allusion was so pointed, both to the wrongs done me in +Vienna, and my sufferings in Prussia, that it made a very strong +impression on the Empress-Queen, who immediately commanded her +minister to make every exertion for my deliverance. She +would probably at last have even restored me to my estates, had +not the possessors of them been so powerful, or had she herself +lived one year longer. To these my engraved cups was I +indebted for being once more remembered at Vienna. On the +same cup, also, was another engraving of a bird in a cage, held +by a Turk, with the following inscription:—<i>The bird +sings even in the storm</i>; <i>open his cage</i>, <i>break his +fetters</i>, <i>ye friends of virtue</i>, <i>and his songs shall +be the delight of your abodes</i>!</p> +<p>There is another remarkable circumstance attending these +cups. All were forbidden under pain of death to hold +conversation with me, or to supply me with pen and ink; yet by +this open permission of writing what I pleased on pewter, was I +enabled to inform the world of all I wished, and to prove a man +of merit was oppressed. The difficulties of this engraving +will be conceived, when it is remembered that I worked by +candle-light on shining pewter, attained the art of giving light +and shade, and by practice could divide a cup into two-and-thirty +compartments as regularly with a stroke of the hand as with a +pair of compasses. The writing was so minute that it could +only be read with glasses. I could use but one hand, both, +being separated by the bar, and therefore held the cup between my +knees. My sole instrument was a sharpened nail, yet did I +write two lines on the rim only.</p> +<p>My labour became so excessive, that I was in danger of +distraction or blindness. Everybody wished for cups, and I +wished to oblige everybody, so that I worked eighteen hours a +day. The reflection of the light from the pewter was +injurious to my eyes, and the labour of invention for apposite +subjects and verses was most fatiguing. I had learnt only +architectural drawing.</p> +<p>Enough of these cups, which procured me so much honour, so +many advantages, and helped to shorten so many mournful +hours. My greatest encumbrance was the huge iron collar, +with its enormous appendages, which, when suffered to press the +arteries in the back of my neck, occasioned intolerable +headaches. I sat too much, and a third time fell +sick. A Brunswick sausage, secretly given me by a friend, +occasioned an indigestion, which endangered my life; a putrid +fever followed, and my body was reduced to a skeleton. +Medicines, however, were conveyed to me by the officers, and, now +and then, warm food.</p> +<p>After my recovery, I again thought it necessary to endeavour +to regain my liberty. I had but forty louis-d’ors +remaining, and these I could not get till I had first broken up +the flooring.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Sonntag was consumptive, and obtained his +discharge. I supplied bins with money to defray the +expenses of his journey, and with an order that four hundred +florins should be annually paid him from my effects till his +death or my release. I commissioned him to seek an audience +from the Empress, endeavour to excite her compassion in my +behalf, and to remit me four thousand florins, for which I gave a +proper acquittance, by the way of Hamburgh. The money-draft +was addressed to my administrators, Counsellors Kempf and +Huttner.</p> +<p>But no one, alas! in Vienna, wished my return; they had +already begun to share my property, of which they never rendered +me an account. Poor Sonntag was arrested as a spy, +imprisoned, ill treated for some weeks, and, at last, when naked +and destitute, received a hundred florins, and was escorted +beyond the Austrian confines. The worthy man fell a +shameful sacrifice to his honesty, could never obtain an audience +of the Empress, and returned poor and miserable on foot to +Berlin, where he was twelve months secretly maintained by his +brother, and with whom he died. He wrote an account of all +this to the good Knoblauch, my Hamburgh agent, and I, from my +small store, sent him a hundred ducats.</p> +<p>How much must I despair of finding any place of refuge on +earth, hearing accounts like these from Vienna.</p> +<p>A friend, whom I will never name, by the aid of one of the +lieutenants, secretly visited me, and supplied me with six +hundred ducats. The same friend, in the year 1763, paid +four thousand florins to the imperial envoy, Baron Reidt, at +Berlin, for the furthering of my freedom, as I shall presently +more fully show. Thus I had once more money.</p> +<p>About this time the French army advanced to within five miles +of Magdeburg. This important fortress was, at that time, +the key of the whole Prussian power. It required a garrison +of sixteen thousand men, and contained not more than fifteen +hundred. The French might have marched in unopposed, and at +once have put an end to the war. The officers brought me +all the news, and my hopes rose as they approached. What +was my astonishment when the major informed me that three waggons +had entered the town in the night, had been sent back loaded with +money, and that the French were retreating. This, I can +assure my readers, on my honour, is literally truth, to the +eternal disgrace of the French general. The major, who +informed me, was himself an eye-witness of the fact. It was +pretended the money was for the army of the King, but everybody +could guess whither it was going; it left the town without a +convoy, and the French were then in the neighbourhood. Such +were the allies of Maria Theresa; the receivers of this money are +known in Paris. Not only were my hopes this way frustrated, +but in Russia likewise, where the Countess of Bestuchef and the +Chancellor had fallen into disgrace.</p> +<p>I now imagined another, and, indeed, a fearful and dangerous +project. The garrison of Magdeburg at this moment consisted +but of nine hundred militia, who were discontented men. Two +majors and two lieutenants were in my interest. The guard +of the Star Fort amounted but to a hundred and fifteen men. +Fronting the gate of this fort was the town gate, guarded only by +twelve men and an inferior officer; beside these lay the +casemates, in which were seven thousand Croat prisoners. +Baron K---y, a captain, and prisoner of war, also was in our +interest, and would hold his comrades ready at a certain place +and time to support my undertaking. Another friend was, +under some pretence, to hold his company ready, with their +muskets loaded, and the plan was such that I should have had four +hundred men in arms ready to carry it into execution.</p> +<p>The officer was to have placed the two men we most suspected +and feared, as sentinels over me; he was to command them to take +away my bed, and when encumbered, I was to spring out, and shut +them in the prison. Clothing and arms were to have been +procured, and brought me into my prison; the town-gate was to +have been surprised; I was to have run to the casemate, and +called to the Croats, “Trenck to arms!” My +friends, at the same instant, were to break forth, and the plan +was so well concerted that it could not have failed. +Magdeburg, the magazine of the army, the royal treasury, arsenal, +all would have been mine; and sixteen thousand men, who were then +prisoners of war, would have enabled me to keep possession.</p> +<p>The most essential secret, by which all this was to have been +effected, I dare not reveal; suffice it to say, everything was +provided for, everything made secure; I shall only add that the +garrison, in the harvest months, was exceedingly weakened, +because the farmers paid the captains a florin per man each day, +and the men for their labour likewise, to obtain hands. The +sub-governor connived at the practice.</p> +<p>One Lieutenant G--- procured a furlough to visit his friends; +but, supplied by me with money, he went to Vienna. I +furnished him with a letter, addressed to Counsellors Kempf and +Huttner, including a draft for two thousand ducats; wherein I +said that, by these means, I should not only soon be at liberty, +but in possession of the fortress of Magdeburg; and that the +bearer was entrusted with the rest.</p> +<p>The lieutenant came safe to Vienna, underwent a thousand +interrogatories, and his name was repeatedly asked. This, +fortunately, he concealed. They advised him not to be +concerned in so dangerous an undertaking; told him I had not so +much money due to me, and gave him, instead of two thousand +ducats, one thousand florins. With these he left Vienna, +but with very prudent suspicions which prevented him ever +returning to Magdeburg. A month had scarcely passed before +the late Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, then chief governor, entered +my prison, showed me my letter, and demanded to know who had +carried the letter, and who were to free me and betray +Magdeburg. Whether the letter was sent immediately to the +King or the governor I know not; it is sufficient that I was once +more betrayed at Vienna. The truth was, the administrators +of my effects had acted as if I were deceased, and did not choose +to refund two thousand ducats. They wished not I should +obtain my freedom, in a manner that would have obliged the +government to have rewarded me, and restore the effects they had +embezzled and the estates they had seized. What happened +afterwards at Vienna, which will be related in its place, will +incontestably prove this surmise to be well founded.</p> +<p>These bad men did not, it is true, die in the manner they +ought, but they are all dead, and I am still living, an honest, +though poor man: they did not die so. Be this read and +remembered by their luxurious heirs, who refuse to restore my +children to their rights.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<p>My consternation on the appearance of the Landgrave, with my +letter in his hand, may well be supposed; I had the presence of +mind, however, to deny my handwriting, and affect astonishment at +so crafty a trick. The Landgrave endeavoured to convict me, +told me what Lieutenant Kemnitz had repeated at Vienna concerning +my possessing myself of Magdeburg, and thereby showed me how +fully I had been betrayed. But as no such person existed as +Lieutenant Kemnitz, and as my friend had fortunately concealed +his name, the mystery remained impenetrable, especially as no one +could conceive how a prisoner, in my situation, could seduce or +subdue the whole garrison. The worthy prince left my +prison, apparently satisfied with my defence; his heart felt no +satisfaction in the misfortunes of others.</p> +<p>The next day a formal examination was taken, at which the +sub-governor Reichmann presided. I was accused as a traitor +to my country; but I obstinately denied my handwriting. +Proofs or witnesses there were none, and in answer to the +principal charge, I said, “I was no criminal, but a man +calumniated, illegally imprisoned, and loaded with irons; that +the King, in the year 1746, had cashiered me, and confiscated my +parental inheritance; that therefore the laws of nature enforced +me to seek honour and bread in a foreign service; and that, +finding these in Austria, I became an officer and a faithful +subject of the Empress-Queen; that I had been a second time +unoffendingly imprisoned; that here I was treated as the worst of +malefactors, and my only resource was to seek my liberty by such +means as I could; were I therefore in this attempt to destroy +Magdeburg, and occasion the loss of a thousand lives, I should +still be guiltless. Had I been heard and legally sentenced, +previous to my imprisonment at Glatz, I should have been, and +still continued, a criminal; but not having been guilty of any +small, much less of any great crime, equal to my punishment, if +such crime could be, I was therefore not accountable for +consequences; I owed neither fidelity nor duty to the King of +Prussia; for by the word of his power he had deprived me of +bread, honour, country, and freedom.”</p> +<p>Here the examination ended, without further discovery; the +officers, however, falling under suspicion, were all removed, and +thus I lost my best friends; yet it was not long before I had +gained two others, which was no difficult matter, as I knew the +national character, and that none but poor men were made militia +officers. Thus was the governor’s precaution +fruitless, and almost everybody secretly wished I might obtain my +freedom.</p> +<p>I shall never forget the noble manner in which I was treated +on this occasion by the Landgrave. This I personally +acknowledged, some years afterwards, in the city of Cassel, when +I heard many things which confirmed all my surmises concerning +Vienna. The Landgrave received me with all grace, favour, +and distinction. I revere his memory, and seek to honour +his name. He was the friend of misfortune. When I not +long afterwards fell ill, he sent me his own physician, and meat +from his table, nor would he suffer me, during two months, to be +wakened by the sentinels. He likewise removed the dreadful +collar from my neck; for which he was severely reprimanded by the +King, as he himself has since assured me.</p> +<p>I might fill a volume with incidents attending two other +efforts to escape, but I will not weary the reader’s +patience with too much repetition. I shall merely give an +abstract of both.</p> +<p>When I had once more gained the officers, I made a new attempt +at mining my way out. Not wanting for implements, my chains +and the flooring were soon cut through, and all was so carefully +replaced that I was under no fear of examination. I here +found my concealed money, pistols, and other necessaries, but +till I had rid myself of some hundredweight of sand, it was +impossible to proceed. For this purpose I made two +different openings in the floor: out of the real hole I threw a +great quantity of sand into my prison; after which I closed it +with all possible care. I then worked at the second with so +much noise, that I was certain they must hear me without. +About midnight the doors began to thunder, and in they came, +detecting me, as I intended they should. None of them could +conceive why I should wish to break out under the door, where +there was a triple guard to pass. The sentinels remained, +and in the morning prisoners were sent to wheel away the +sand. The hole was walled up and boarded, and my fetters +were renewed. They laughed at the ridiculousness of my +undertaking, but punished me by depriving me of my light and bed, +which, however, in a fortnight were both restored. Of the +other hole, out of which most of the earth had been thrown, no +one was aware. The major and lieutenant were too much my +friends to remark that they had removed thrice the quantity of +sand the false opening could contain. They supposed this +strange attempt having failed, it would be my last, and +Bruckhausen grew negligent.</p> +<p>The governor and sub-governor both visited me after some +weeks, but far from imitating the brutality of Borck, the +Landgrave spoke to me with mildness, promised me his interest to +regain my freedom, when peace should be concluded; told me I had +more friends than I supposed, and assured me I had not been +forgotten by the Court at Vienna.</p> +<p>He promised me every alleviation, and I gave him my word I +would no more attempt to escape while he remained governor. +My manner enforced conviction and he ordered my neck-collar to be +taken off, my window to be unclosed, my doors to be left open two +hours every day, a stove to be put in my dungeon, finer linen for +my shirts, and paper to amuse myself by writing my +thoughts. The sheets were to be numbered when given, and +then returned, by the town-major, that I might not abuse this +liberty.</p> +<p>Ink was not allowed me, I therefore pricked my fingers, +suffered the blood to trickle into a pot; by these means I +procured a substitute for ink, both to write and draw.</p> +<p>I now engraved my cups, and versified. I had opportunity +to display my abilities to awaken compassion. My emulation +was increased by knowing that my works were seen at Courts, that +the Princess Amelia and the Queen herself testified their +satisfaction. I had subjects to engrave from sent me; and +the wretch whom the King intended to bury alive, whose name no +man was to mention, never was more famous than while he vented +his groans in his dungeon. My writings produced their +effect, and really regained my freedom. To my cultivation +of the sciences and presence of mind I am indebted for all; these +all the power of Frederic could not deprive me of. +Yes! This liberty I procured, though he answered all +petitions in my behalf—“He is a dangerous man: and so +long as I live he shall never see the light!” Yet +have I seen it during his life: after his death I have seen it +without revenging myself, otherwise than by proving my virtue to +a monarch who oppressed because he knew me not, because he would +not recall the hasty sentence of anger, or own he might be +mistaken. He died convinced of my integrity, yet without +affording me retribution! Man is formed by misfortune; +virtue is active in adversity. It is indifferent to me that +the companions of my youth have their ears gratified, delighted +with the titles of General! Field-Marshal I have learned to +live without such additions; I am known in my works.</p> +<p>I returned to my dungeon. Here, after my last conference +with the Landgrave, I waited my fate with a mind more at ease +than that of a prince in a palace. The newspapers they +brought me bespoke approaching peace, on which my dependence was +placed, and I passed eighteen months calmly, and without further +attempt to escape.</p> +<p>The father of the Landgrave died; and Magdeburg now lost its +governor. The worthy Reichmann, however, testified for me +all compassion and esteem; I had books, and my time was +employed. Imprisonment and chains to me were become +habitual, and freedom in hope approached.</p> +<p>About this time I wrote the poems, “The Macedonian +Hero,” “The Dream Realised,” and some +fables. The best of my poems are now lost to me. The +mind’s sensibility when the body is imprisoned is strongly +roused, nor can all the aids of the library equal this +advantage. Perhaps I may recover some in Berlin; if so, the +world may learn what my thoughts then were. When I was at +liberty, I had none but such as I remembered, and these I +committed to writing. On my first visit to the Landgrave of +Hesse-Cassel I received a volume of them written in my own blood; +but there were eight of these which I shall never regain.</p> +<p>The death of Elizabeth, the deposing of Peter III., and the +accession of Catherine II. produced peace. On the receipt +of this intelligence I tried to provide for all +contingencies. The worthy Captain K--- had opened me a +correspondence with Vienna: I was assured of support; but was +assured the administrators and those who possessed my estates +would throw every impediment in the way of freedom. I tried +to persuade another officer to aid my escape, but in vain.</p> +<p>I therefore opened my old hole, and my friends assisted me to +disembarrass myself of sand. My money melted away, but they +provided me with tools, gunpowder, and a good sword. I had +remained so long quiet that my flooring was not examined.</p> +<p>My intent was to wait the peace; and should I continue in +chains, then would I have my subterranean passage to the rampart +ready for escape. For my further security, an old +lieutenant had purchased a house in the suburbs, where I might +lie concealed. Gummern, in Saxony, is two miles from +Magdeburg; here a friend, with two good horses, was to wait a +year, to ride on the glacis of Klosterbergen on the first and +fifteenth of each month, and at a given signal to hasten to my +assistance.</p> +<p>My passage had to be ready in case of emergency; I removed the +upper planking, broke up the two beds, cut the boards into chips, +and burnt them in my stove. By this I obtained so much +additional room as to proceed half way with my mine. Linen +again was brought me, sand-bags made, and thus I successfully +proceeded to all but the last operation. Everything was so +well concealed that I had nothing to fear from inspection, +especially as the new come garrison could not know what was the +original length of the planks.</p> +<p>I must here relate a dreadful accident, which I cannot +remember without shuddering, and the terror of which has often +haunted my very dreams.</p> +<p>While mining under the rampart, as I was carrying out the +sand-bag, I struck my foot against a stone which fell down and +closed up the passage.</p> +<p>What was my horror to find myself buried alive! After a +short reflection, I began to work the sand away from the side, +that I might turn round. There were some feet of empty +space, into which I threw the sand as I worked it away; but the +small quantity of air soon made it so foul that I a thousand +times wished myself dead, and made several attempts to strangle +myself. Thirst almost deprived me of my senses, but as +often as I put my mouth to the sand I inhaled fresh air. My +sufferings were incredible, and I imagine I passed eight hours in +this situation. My spirits fainted; again I recovered and +began to labour, but the earth was as high as my chin, and I had +no more space where I might throw the sand. I made a more +desperate effort, drew my body into a ball, and turned round; I +now faced the stone; there being an opening at the top, I +respired fresher air. I rooted away the sand under the +stone, and let it sink so that I might creep over; at length I +once more arrived in my dungeon!</p> +<p>The morning was advanced; I sat down so exhausted that I +supposed it was impossible I had strength to conceal my +hole. After half an hour’s rest, my fortitude +returned: again I went to work, and scarcely had I ended before +my visitors approached.</p> +<p>They found me pale: I complained of headache, and continued +some days affected by the fatigue I had sustained. After a +time strength returned; but perhaps of all my nights of horror +this was the most horrible. I repeatedly dreamt I was +buried in the centre of the earth; and now, though three and +twenty years are elapsed, my sleep is still haunted by this +vision.</p> +<p>After this accident, when I worked in my cavity, I hung a +knife round my neck, that if I should be enclosed I might shorten +my miseries. Over the stone that had fallen several others +hung tottering, under which I was obliged to creep. +Nothing, however, could deter me from trying to obtain my +liberty.</p> +<p>When my passage was ready, I wrote letters to my friends at +Vienna, and also a memorial to my Sovereign. When the +militia left Magdeburg and the regulars returned, I took leave of +my friends who had behaved so benevolently. Several weeks +elapsed before they departed and I learnt that General Reidt was +appointed ambassador from Vienna to Berlin.</p> +<p>I had seen the world; I knew this General was not averse to a +bribe: I wrote him a letter, conjuring him to act with ardour in +my behalf. I enclosed a draft for six thousand florins on +my effects at Vienna, and he received four thousand from one of +my relations. I have to thank these ten thousand florins +for my freedom, which I obtained nine months after. My +vouchers show the six thousand florins were paid in April, 1763, +to the order of General Reidt. The other four thousand I +repaid, when at liberty, to my friend.</p> +<p>I received intelligence before the garrison departed that no +stipulation had been made on my behalf at the peace of +Hubertsberg. The Vienna plenipotentiaries, after the +articles were signed, mentioned my name to Hertzberg, with but +few assurances of every effort being made to move Frederic, a +promise on which I could much better rely than on my protectors +at Vienna, who had left me in misfortune. I determined to +wait three months longer, and should I still find myself +neglected, to owe my escape to myself.</p> +<p>On the change of the garrison, the officers were more +difficult to gain than the former. The majors obeyed their +orders; their help was unnecessary; but still I sighed for my old +friends. I had only ammunition-bread again for food.</p> +<p>My time hung very heavy; everything was examined on the change +of the garrison. A stricter scrutiny might occur, and my +projects be discovered. This had nearly been effected, as I +shall here relate. I had so tamed a mouse that it would eat +from my mouth; in this small animal I discovered proofs of +intelligence.</p> +<p>This mouse had nearly been my ruin. I had diverted +myself with it one night; it had been nibbling at my door and +capering on a trencher. The sentinels hearing our +amusement, called the officers: they heard also, and thought all +was not right. At daybreak the town-major, a smith, and +mason entered; strict search was begun; flooring, walls, chains, +and my own person were all scrutinised, but in vain. They +asked what was the noise they had heard; I mentioned the mouse, +whistled, and it came and jumped upon my shoulder. Orders +were given I should be deprived of its society; I entreated they +would spare its life. The officer on guard gave me his word +he would present it to a lady, who would treat it with +tenderness.</p> +<p>He took it away and turned it loose in the guardroom, but it +was tame to me alone, and sought a hiding place. It had +fled to my prison door, and, at the hour of visitation, ran into +my dungeon, testifying its joy by leaping between my legs. +It is worthy of remark that it had been taken away blindfold, +that is to say, wrapped in a handkerchief. The guard-room +was a hundred paces from the dungeon.</p> +<p>All were desirous of obtaining this mouse, but the major +carried it off for his lady; she put it into a cage, where it +pined, and in a few days died.</p> +<p>The loss of this companion made me quite melancholy, yet, on +the last examination, I perceived it had so eaten the bread by +which I had concealed the crevices I had made in cutting the +floor, that the examiners must be blind not to discover +them. I was convinced my faithful little friend had fallen +a necessary victim to its master’s safety. This +accident determined me not to wait the three months.</p> +<p>I have related that horses were to be kept ready, on the first +and fifteenth, and I only suffered the first of August to pass, +because I would not injure Major Pfuhl, who had treated me with +more compassion than his comrades, and whose day of visitation it +was. On the fifteenth I determined to fly. This +resolution formed, I waited in expectation of the day, when a new +and remarkable succession of accidents happened.</p> +<p>An alarm of fire had obliged the major to repair to the town; +he committed the keys to the lieutenant. The latter, coming +to visit me, asked—“Dear Trenck, have you never, +during seven years that you have been under the guard of the +militia, found a man like Schell?” “Alas! +sir,” answered I, “such friends are rare; the will of +many has been good; each knew I could make his fortune, but none +had courage enough for so desperate an attempt! Money I +have distributed freely, but have received little +help.”</p> +<p>“How do you obtain money in this dungeon?” +“From a correspondent at Vienna, by whom I am still +supplied.” “If I can serve you, command me: I +will do it without asking any return.” So saying, I +took fifty ducats from between the panels, and gave them to the +lieutenant. At first he refused, but at length accepted +them with fear. He left me, promised to return, pretended +to shut the door, and kept his word. He now said debt +obliged him to desert; that this had long been his determination, +and that, desirous to assist me at the same time if he could find +the means, I had only to show how this might be effected.</p> +<p>We continued two hours in conference: a plan was formed, +approved, and a certainty of success demonstrated; especially +when I told him I had two horses waiting. We vowed eternal +friendship; I gave him fifty ducats, and his debts, not amounting +to more than two hundred rix-dollars, which he never could have +discharged out of his pay.</p> +<p>He was to prepare four keys to resemble those of my dungeon; +the latter were to be exchanged on the day of flight, being kept +in the guard-room while the major was with General Walrabe. +He was to give the grenadiers on guard leave of absence, or send +them into the town on various pretences. The sentinels he +was to call from their duty, and those placed over me were to be +sent into my dungeon to take away my bed; while encumbered with +this, I was to spring out and lock them in, after which we were +to mount our horses, which were kept ready, and ride to +Gummern. Every thing was to be prepared within a week, when +he was to mount guard. We had scarcely formed our project +before the sentinels called the major was coming; he accordingly +barred the door, and the major passed to General Walrabe.</p> +<p>No man was happier than myself; my hopes of escape were +triple; the mediation at Berlin, the mine I had made, and my +friend the lieutenant.</p> +<p>When most my mind ought to have been clear, I seemed to have +lost my understanding. I came to a resolution which will +appear extravagant and pitiable. I was stupid enough, mad +enough, to form the design of casting myself on the magnanimity +of the Great Frederic! Should this fail, I still thought my +lieutenant a saviour.</p> +<p>Having heated my imagination with this scheme, I waited the +visitation with anxiety. The major entered, I bespoke him +thus:</p> +<p>“I know, sir, the great Prince Ferdinand is again in +Magdeburg. Inform him that he may examine my prison, double +the sentinels, and give me his commands, stating what hour will +please him I should make my appearance on the glacis of +Klosterbergen. If I prove myself capable of this, I then +hope for the protection of Prince Ferdinand: and that he will +relate my proceeding to the King, who may he convinced of my +innocence.”</p> +<p>The major was astonished; the proposal he held to be +ridiculous, and the performance impossible. I persisted; he +returned with the sub-governor, Reichmann, the town-major, +Riding, and the major of inspection. The answer they +delivered was, that the Prince promised me his protection, the +King’s favour, and a release from my chains, should I prove +my assertion. I required they would appoint a time; they +ridiculed the thing as impossible, and said that it would be +sufficient could I prove the practicability of such a scheme; but +should I refuse, they would break up the flooring, and place +sentinels in my dungeon, adding, the governor would not admit of +any breaking out.</p> +<p>After promises of good faith, I disencumbered myself of my +chains, raised my flooring, gave them my implements, and two +keys, my friends had procured me, to the doors of the +subterranean gallery. This gallery I desired them to sound +with their sword hilts, at the place through which I was to +break, which might be done in a few minutes. I described +the road I was to take through the gallery, informed them that +two of the doors had not been shut for six months, and to the +others they had the keys; adding, I had horses waiting at the +glacis, that would be now ready; the stables for which were +unknown to them. They went, examined, returned, put +questions, which I answered with precision. They left me +with seeming friendship, came back, told me the Prince was +astonished at what he had heard, that he wished me all happiness, +and then took me unfettered, to the guard-house. The major +came in the evening, treated us with a supper, assured me +everything would happen to my wishes, and that Prince Ferdinand +had written to Berlin.</p> +<p>The guard was reinforced next day. The whole guard +loaded with ball before my eyes, the drawbridges were raised in +open day, and precautions were taken as if I intended to make +attempts as desperate as those I had made at Glatz.</p> +<p>I now saw workmen employed on my dungeon, and carts bringing +quarry-stones. The officers on guard behaved with kindness, +kept a good table, at which I ate; but two sentinels, and an +under-officer, never quitted the guard-room. Conversation +was cautious, and this continued five or six days; at length, it +was the lieutenant’s turn to mount guard; he appeared to be +as friendly as formerly, but conference was difficult; he found +an opportunity to express his astonishment at my ill-timed +discovery, told me the Prince knew nothing of the affair, and +that the report through the garrison was, I had been surprised in +making a new attempt.</p> +<p>My dungeon was completed in a week. The town-major +re-conducted me to it. My foot was chained to the wall with +links twice as strong as formerly; the remainder of my irons were +never after added.</p> +<p>The dungeon was paved with flag-stones. That part of my +money only was saved which I had concealed in the panels of the +door, and the chimney of my stove; some thirty louis-d’ors, +hidden about my clothes, were taken from me.</p> +<p>While the smith was riveting my chains, I addressed the +sub-governor. “Is this the fulfilment of the pledge +of the Prince? Think not you deceive me, I am acquainted +with the false reports that have been spread; the truth will soon +come to light, and the unworthy be put to shame. Nay, I +forewarn you that Trenck shall not be much longer in your power; +for were you to build your dungeon of steel, it would be +insufficient to contain me.”</p> +<p>They smiled at me. Reichmann told me I might soon obtain +my freedom in a proper manner. My firm reliance on my +friend, the lieutenant, gave me a degree of confidence that +amazed them all.</p> +<p>It is necessary to explain this affair. When I obtained +my liberty, I visited Prince Ferdinand. He informed me the +majors had not made a true report. Their story was, they +had caught me at work, and, had it not been for their diligence, +I should have made my escape. Prince Ferdinand heard the +truth, and informed the King, who only waited an opportunity to +restore me to liberty.</p> +<p>Once more I was immured. I waited in hope for the day +when my deliverer was to mount guard. What again was my +despair when I saw another lieutenant! I buoyed myself up +with the hope that accident was the occasion of this; but I +remained three weeks, and saw him no more. I heard at +length that he had left the corps of grenadiers, and was no +longer to mount guard at the Star Fort. He has my +forgiveness, and I applaud myself for never having said anything +by which he might be injured. He might have repented his +promise, he might have trusted another friend with the +enterprise, and have been himself betrayed; but, be it as it may, +his absence cut off all hope.</p> +<p>I now repented my folly and vanity; I had brought my +misfortunes on myself. I had myself rendered my dungeon +impenetrable. Death would have followed but for the +dependence I placed in the court of Vienna.</p> +<p>The officers remarked the loss of my fortitude and +thoughtfulness; the verses I wrote were desponding. The +only comfort they could give was—“Patience, dear +Trenck; your condition cannot be worse; the King may not live for +ever.” Were I sick, they told me I might hope my +sufferings would soon have an end. If I recovered they +pitied me, and lamented their continuance. What man of my +rank and expectations ever endured what I did, ever was treated +as I have been treated!</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<p>Peace had been concluded nine months. I was +forgotten. At last, when I supposed all hope lost, the 25th +of December, and the day of freedom, came. At the hour of +parade, Count Schlieben, lieutenant of the guards, brought orders +for my release!</p> +<p>The sub-governor supposed me weaker in intellect than I was, +and would not too suddenly tell me these tidings. He knew +not the presence of mind, the fortitude, which the dangers I had +seen had made habitual.</p> +<p>My doors for the <span class="smcap">last time</span> +resounded! Several people entered; their countenances were +cheerful, and the sub-governor at their head at length said, +“This time, my dear Trenck, I am the messenger of good +news. Prince Ferdinand has prevailed on the King to let +your irons be taken off.” Accordingly, to work went +the smith. “You shall also,” continued he, +“have a better apartment.” “I am free, +then,” said I. “Speak! fear not! I can +moderate my transports.”</p> +<p>“Then you are free!” was the reply.</p> +<p>The sub-governor first embraced me, and afterwards his +attendants.</p> +<p>He asked me what clothes I would wish. I answered, the +uniform of my regiment. The tailor took my measure. +Reichmann told him it must be made by the morning. The man +excused himself because it was Christmas Eve. “So, +then, this gentleman must remain in his dungeon because it is +holiday with you.” The tailor promised to be +ready.</p> +<p>I was taken to the guard-room, congratulations were universal, +and the town-major administered the oath customary to all state +prisoners.</p> +<p>1st. That I should avenge myself on no man.</p> +<p>2nd. That I should neither enter the Prussian nor Saxon +states.</p> +<p>3rd. That I should never relate by speech or in writing +what had happened to me.</p> +<p>4th. And that, so long as the King lived, I should +neither serve in a civil nor military capacity.</p> +<p>Count Schlieben delivered me a letter from the imperial +minister, General Reidt, to the following purport:—That he +rejoiced at having found an opportunity of obtaining my liberty +from the King, and that I must obey the requisitions of Count +Schlieben, whose orders were to accompany me to Prague.</p> +<p>“Yes, dear Trenck,” said Schlieben, “I am to +conduct you through Dresden to Prague, with orders not to suffer +you to speak to any one on the road. I have received three +hundred ducats, to defray the expenses of travelling. As +all things cannot be prepared today, the, sub-governor has +determined we shall depart to-morrow night.”</p> +<p>I acquiesced, and Count Schlieben remained with me; the others +returned to town, and I dined with the major and officers on +guard, with General Walrabe in his prison.</p> +<p>Once at liberty, I walked about the fortifications, to collect +the money I had concealed in my dungeon. To every man on +guard I gave a ducat, to the sentinels, each three, and ten +ducats to be divided among the relief-guard. I sent the +officer on guard a present from Prague, and the remainder of my +money I bestowed on the widow of the worthy Gelfhardt. He +was no more, and she had entrusted the thousand florins to a +young soldier, who, spending them too freely, was suspected, +betrayed her, and she passed two years in prison. Gelfhardt +never received any punishment; he was in the field. Had he +left any children, I should have provided for them. To the +widow of the man who hung himself before my prison door, in the +year 1756, I gave thirty ducats, lent me by Schlieben.</p> +<p>The night was riotous, the guard made merry, and I passed most +of it in their company. I was visited by all the generals +of the garrison on Christmas morning, for I was not allowed to +enter the town. I dressed, viewed myself in the glass, and +found pleasure; but the tumult of my passions, the +congratulations I received, and the vivacity round me, prevented +my remembering incidents minutely.</p> +<p>Yet how wonderful an alteration in the countenances of those +by whom I had been guarded! I was treated with friendship, +attention, and flattery. And why? Because these +fetters had dropped off which I had never justly borne.</p> +<p>Evening came, and with it Count Schlieben, a waggon, and four +post-horses. After an affecting farewell, we +departed. I shed tears at leaving Magdeburg. It seems +strange that I lived here ten years, yet never saw the town.</p> +<p>The duration of my imprisonment at Magdeburg was nearly ten +years, and with the term of my imprisonment at Glatz, the time is +eleven years. Thus was I robbed of time, my body weakened, +my health impaired, so that in my decline of life, a second time, +I suffer the gloom and chains of the dungeon at Magdeburg.</p> +<p>The reader would now hope that my calamities were at an end; +yet, upon my honour, I would prefer the suffering of the Star +Fort to those I have since endured in Austria, especially while +Krugel and Zetto were my referendaries and curators.</p> +<p>At this moment I am obliged to be guarded in my +expressions. I have put my enemies to shame; but the hope +of justice or reward is vain. No rewards are bestowed on +him who, with the consciousness of integrity, demands, and does +not deplore. The facts I shall relate will seem incredible, +yet I have, in my own hands, the vouchers of their veracity.</p> +<p>“If my right hand is guilty of writing untruths in this +book, may the executioner sever it from my body, and, in the +memory of posterity, may I live a villain!”</p> +<p>I will proceed with my history.</p> +<p>On the 2nd of January I arrived, with Count Schlieben, at +Prague; the same day he delivered me to the governor, the Duke of +Deuxponts. He received me with kindness; we dined with him +two days, and all Prague were anxious to see a man who had +surmounted ten years of suffering so unheard of as mine. +Here I received three thousand florins, and paid General Reidt +his three hundred ducats, which he had advanced Count Schlieben, +for my journey, the repayment of which he demanded in his letter, +although he had received ten thousand florins. The expense +of returning I also paid to Schlieben, made him a present, and +provided myself with some necessaries. After remaining a +few days at Prague, a courier arrived from Vienna, to whom I was +obliged to pay forty florins, with an order from government to +bring me from Prague to Vienna. My sword was demanded; +Captain Count Wela, and two inferior officers, entered the +carriage, which I was obliged to purchase, in company with me, +and brought me to Vienna. I took up a thousand florins +more, in Prague, to defray these expenses, and was obliged, in +Vienna, to pay the captain fifty ducats for travelling charges +back.</p> +<p>I was brought back like a criminal, was sent as a prisoner to +the barracks, there kept in the chamber of Lieutenant Blonket, +with orders that I should be suffered to write to no one, speak +to no one, without a ticket from the counsellors Kempt or +Huttner.</p> +<p>Thus I remained six weeks; at length, the colonel of the +regiment of Poniatowsky, the present field-marshal, Count Alton, +spoke to me. I related what I supposed were the reasons of +my being kept a prisoner in Vienna; and to the exertions of this +man am I indebted that the intentions of my enemies were +frustrated, which were to have me imprisoned as insane in the +fortress of Glatz. Had they once removed me from Vienna, I +should certainly have pined away my life in a madhouse. Yet +I could never obtain justice against these men. The Empress +was persuaded that my brain was affected, and that I uttered +threats against the King of Prussia. The election of a king +of the Romans was then in agitation, and the court was +apprehensive lest I should offend the Prussian envoy. +General Reidt had been obliged to promise Frederic that I should +not appear in Vienna, and that they should hold a wary eye over +me. The Empress-Queen felt compassion for my supposed +disease, and asked if no assistance could be afforded me; to +which they answered, I had several times let blood, but that I +still was a dangerous man. They added, that I had +squandered four thousand florins in six days at Prague; that it +would be proper to appoint guardians to impede such +extravagancies.</p> +<p>Count Alton spoke of me and my hard destiny to the Countess +Parr, mistress of the ceremonies to the Empress-Queen. The +late Emperor entered the chamber, and asked whether I ever had +any lucid intervals. “May it please your +Majesty,” answered Alton, “he has been seven weeks in +my barracks, and I never met a more reasonable man. There +is mystery in this affair, or he could not be treated as a +madman. That he is not so in anywise I pledge my +honour.”</p> +<p>The next day the Emperor sent Count Thurn, grand-master of the +Archduke Leopold, to speak to me. In him I found an +enlightened philosopher, and a lover of his country. To him +I related how I had twice been betrayed, twice sold at Vienna, +during my imprisonment; to him showed that my administrators had +acted in this vile manner that I might be imprisoned for life, +and they remain in possession of my effects. We conversed +for two hours, during which many things were said that prudence +will not permit me to repeat. I gained his confidence, and +he continued my friend till death. He promised me +protection, and procured me an audience of the Emperor.</p> +<p>I spoke with freedom; the audience lasted an hour. At +length the Emperor retired into the next apartment. I saw +the tears drop from his eyes. I fell at his feet, and +wished for the presence of a Rubens or Apelles, to preserve a +scene so honourable to the memory of the monarch, and paint the +sensations of an innocent man, imploring the protection of a +compassionate prince. The Emperor tore himself from me, and +I departed with sensations such as only those can know who, +themselves being virtuous, have met with wicked men. I +returned to the barracks with joy, and an order the next day came +for my release. I went with Count Alton to the Countess +Parr, and by her mediation I obtained an audience with the +Empress.</p> +<p>I cannot describe how much she pitied my sufferings and +admired my fortitude. She told me she was informed of the +artifices practised against me in Vienna; she required me to +forgive my enemies, and pass all the accounts of my +administrators. “Do not complain of anything,” +said she, “but act as I desire—I know all—you +shall be recompensed by me; you deserve reward and repose, and +these you shall enjoy.”</p> +<p>I must either sign whatever was given to sign, or be sent to a +madhouse. I received orders to accompany M. Pistrich to +Counsellor Ziegler; thither I went, and the next day was obliged +to sign, in their presence, the following conditions:—</p> +<p>First—That I acknowledged the will of Trenck to be +valid.</p> +<p>Secondly—That I renounced all claim to the Sclavonian +estates, relying alone on her Majesty’s favour.</p> +<p>Thirdly—That I solemnly acquitted my accountants and +curators. And,</p> +<p>Lastly—That I would not continue in Vienna.</p> +<p>This I must sign, or languish in prison.</p> +<p>How did my blood boil while I signed! This confidence I +had in myself assured me I could obtain employment in any country +of Europe, by the labours of my mind, and the recital of all my +woes. At that time I had no children; I little regretted +what I had lost, or the poor portion that remained.</p> +<p>I determined to avoid Austria eternally. My pride would +never suffer me, by insidious arts, to approach the throne. +I knew no such mode of soliciting for justice, hence I was not a +match for my enemies; hence my misfortunes. Appeals to +justice were represented as the splenetic effusions of a man +never to be satisfied. My too sensitive heart was corroded +by the treatment I met at Vienna. I, who with so much +fortitude had suffered so much in the cause of Vienna, I, on whom +the eyes of Germany were fixed, to behold what should be the +reward of these sufferings, I was again, in this country, kept a +prisoner, and delivered to those by whom I had been plundered as +a man insane!</p> +<p>Before my intended departure to seek my fortune, I fell ill, +and sickness almost brought me to the grave. The Empress, +in her great clemency, sent one of her physicians and a friar to +my assistance, both of whom I was obliged to pay.</p> +<p>At this time I refused a major’s commission, for which I +was obliged to pay the fees. Being excluded from actual +service, to me the title was of little value; my rank in the army +had been equal ten years before in other service. The +following words, inserted in my commission, are not unworthy of +remark:—“Her Majesty, in consequence of my fidelity +for her service, demonstrated during a long imprisonment, my +endowments and virtues, had been graciously pleased to grant me, +in the Imperial service, the rank of major.”—The rank +of major!—From this preamble who would not have expected +either the rank of general, or the restoration of my great +Sclavonian estates? I had been fifteen years a captain of +cavalry, and then was I made an invalid major three-and-twenty +years ago, and an invalid major I still remain! Let all +that has been related be called to mind, the manner in which I +had been pillaged and betrayed; let Vienna, Dantzic, and +Magdeburg he remembered; and be this my promotion remembered +also! Let it be known that the commission of major might be +bought for a few thousand florins! Thirty thousand florins +only of the money I had been robbed of would have purchased a +colonel’s commission. I should then have been a +companion for generals.</p> +<p>During the thirty-six years that I have been in the service of +Austria, I never had any man of rank, any great general, my +enemy, except Count Grassalkowitz, and he was only my enemy +because he had conceived a friendship for my estates.</p> +<p>My character was never calumniated, nor did any worthy man +ever speak of me but with respect. Who were, who are, my +enemies?—Jesuits, monks, unprincipled advocates, wishing to +become my curators, referendaries, who died despicable, or now +live in houses of correction. Such as live, live in dread +of a similar end, for the Emperor Joseph is able to discover the +truth. Alas! the truth is discovered so late; age has now +nearly rendered me an invalid. Men with hearts so base +ought, indeed, to become the scavengers of society, that, +terrified by their example, succeeding judges may not rack the +heart of an honest man, seize on the possessions of the orphan +and the widow, and expel virtue out of Austria.</p> +<p>I attended the levée of Prince Kaunitz. Not +personally known to him, he viewed in me a crawling insect. +I thought somewhat more proudly; my actions were upright, and so +should my body be. I quitted the apartment, and was +congratulated by the mercenary Swiss porter on my good fortune of +having obtained an audience!</p> +<p>I applied to the field-marshal, from whom I received this +answer—“If you cannot purchase, my dear Trenck, it +will be impossible to admit you into service; besides, you are +too old to learn our manoeuvres.” I was then +thirty-seven. I briefly replied, “Your excellency +mistakes my character. I did not come to Vienna to serve as +an invalid major. My curators have taken good care I should +have no money to purchase; but had I millions, I would never +obtain rank in the army by that mode.” I quitted the +room with a shrug. The next day I addressed a memorial to +the Empress. I did not re-demand my Sclavonian estates, I +only petitioned.</p> +<p>First—That those who had carried off quintals of silver +and gold from the premises, and had rendered no account to me or +the treasury, should refund at least a part.</p> +<p>Secondly—That they should be obliged to return the +thirty-six thousand florins taken from my inheritance, and +applied to a hospital.</p> +<p>Thirdly—That the thirty-six thousand florins might be +repaid, which Count Grassalkowitz had deducted from the allodial +estates, for three thousand six hundred pandours who had fallen +in the service of the Empress; I not being bound to pay for the +lives of men who had died in defence of the Empress.</p> +<p>Fourthly—I required that fifteen thousand florins, which +had been deducted from my capital, and applied to the Bohemian +fortifications, should likewise be restored, together with the +fifteen thousand which had been unduly paid to the regiment of +Trenck.</p> +<p>Fifthly—I reclaimed the twelve thousand florins which I +had been robbed of at Dantzic by the treachery of the Imperial +Resident, Abramson; and public satisfaction from the magistracy +of Dantzic, who had delivered me up, so contrary to the laws of +nations, to the Prussian power.</p> +<p>I likewise claimed the interest of six per cent, for +seventy-six thousand florins, detained by the Hungarian Chamber, +which amounted to twenty thousand florins; I having been allowed +five per cent., and at last four.</p> +<p>I insisted on the restoration of my Sclavonian estates, and a +proper allowance for improvements, which the very sentence of the +court had granted, and which amounted to eighty thousand +florins.</p> +<p>I petitioned for an arbitrator; I solicited justice concerning +rights, but received no answer to this and a hundred other +petitions!</p> +<p>I must here speak of transactions during my +imprisonment. I had bought a house in Vienna in the year +1750; the price was sixteen thousand florins, thirteen thousand +of which I had paid by instalments. The receipts were among +my writings; these writings, with my other effects, were taken +from me at Dantzic, in the year 1754; nor have I, to this hour, +been able to learn more than that my writings were sent to the +administrators of my affairs at Vienna. With respect to my +houses and property in Dantzic, in what manner these were +disposed of no one could or would say.</p> +<p>After being released at Magdeburg, I inquired concerning my +house, but no longer found it mine. Those who had got +possession of my writings must have restored the acquittances to +the seller, consequently he could re-demand the whole sum. +My house was in other hands, and I was brought in debtor six +thousand florins for interest and costs of suit. Thus were +house and money gone. Whom can I accuse?</p> +<p>Again, I had maintained, at my own expense Lieutenant +Schroeder, who had deserted from Glatz, and for whom I obtained a +captain’s commission in the guard of Prince Esterhazy, at +Eisenstadt. His misconduct caused him to be +cashiered. In my administrator’s accounts I found the +following</p> +<p>“To Captain Schroeder, for capital, interest, and costs +of suit, sixteen hundred florins.”</p> +<p>It was certain I was not a penny indebted to this person; I +had no redress, having been obliged to pass and sign all their +accounts.</p> +<p>I, four years afterwards, obtained information concerning this +affair: I met Schroeder, knew him, and inquired whether he had +received these sixteen hundred florins. He answered in the +affirmative. “No one believed you would ever more see +the light. I knew you would serve me, and that you would +relieve my necessities. I went and spoke to Dr. Berger; he +agreed we should halve the sum, and his contrivance was, I should +make oath I had lent you a thousand florins, without having +received your note. The money was paid me by M. +Frauenberger, to whom I agreed to send a present of Tokay, for +Madam Huttner.”</p> +<p>This was the manner in which my curators took care of my +property! Many instances I could produce, but I am too much +agitated by the recollection. I must speak a word +concerning who and what my curators were.</p> +<p>The Court Counsellor, Kempf, was my administrator, and +Counsellor Huttner my referendary. The substitute of Kempf +was Frauenberger, who, being obliged to act as a clerk at Prague +during the war, appointed one Krebs as a sub-substitute; whether +M. Krebs had also a sub-substitute is more than I am able to +say.</p> +<p>Dr. Bertracker was <i>fidei commiss-curator</i>, though there +was no <i>fidei commissum</i> existing. Dr. Berger, as +Fidei Commiss-Advocate, was superintendent, and to them all +salaries were to be paid.</p> +<p>Let us see what was the business this company had to +transact. I had seventy-six thousand florins in the +Hungarian Chamber, the interest of which was to be yearly +received, and added to the capital: this was their employment, +and was certainly so trifling that any man would have performed +it gratis. The war made money scarce, and the discounting +of bills with my ducats was a profitable trade to my +curators. Had it been honestly employed, I should have +found my capital increased, after my imprisonment, full sixty +thousand florins. Instead of these I received three +thousand florins at Prague, and found my capital diminished seven +thousand florins.</p> +<p>Frauenberger and Berger died rich; and I must be confined as a +madman, lest this deputy should have been proved a rogue. +This is the clue to the acquittal I was obliged to +sign:—Madam K--- was a lady of the bedchamber at court; she +could approach the throne: her chamber employments, indeed, +procured her the keys of doors that to me were eternally +locked.</p> +<p>Not satisfied with this, Kempf applied to the Empress, +informed her they were acquitted, not recompensed, and that +Frauenberger required four thousand florins for +remuneration. The Empress laid an interdict on the half of +my income and pension. Thus was I obliged to live in +poverty; banished the Austrian dominions, where my seventy-six +thousand florins were reduced to sixty-three, the interest of +which I could only receive; and that burthened by the above +interdict, the <i>fidei commissum</i>, and administratorship.</p> +<p>The Empress during my sickness ordered that my captain’s +pay, during my ten years’ imprisonment, should be given me, +amounting to eight thousand florins; which pay she also settled +on me as a pension. By this pension I never profited; for, +during twenty-three years, that and more was swallowed by +journeys to Vienna, chicanery of courtiers and agents, and costs +of suits. Of the eight thousand florins three were stolen; +the court physician must be paid thrice as much as another, and +what remained after my recovery was sunk in the preparations I +had made to seek my fortune elsewhere.</p> +<p>How far my captain’s pay was matter of right or favour, +let the world judge, being told I went in the service of Vienna +to the city of Dantzic. Neither did this restitution of pay +equal the sum I had sent the Imperial Minister to obtain my +freedom. I remained nine months in my dungeon after the +articles were signed, unthought of; and, when mentioned by the +Austrians, the King had twice rejected the proposal of my being +set free. The affair happened as follows, as I received it +from Prince Henry, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, and the +Minister, Count Hertzberg:—General Reidt had received my +ten thousand florins full six months, and seemed to remember me +no more. One gala day, on the 21st of December, the King +happened to be in good humour; and Her Majesty the Queen, the +Princess Amelia, and the present monarch, said to the Imperial +Minister, “This is a fit opportunity for you to speak in +behalf of Trenck.” He accordingly waited his time, +did speak, and the King replied, “Yes.”</p> +<p>The joy of the whole company appeared so great that Frederic +<i>the Great</i> was offended!</p> +<p>Other circumstances which contributed to promote this affair, +the reader will collect from my history. That there were +persons in Vienna who desired to detain me in prison is +indubitable, from their proceedings after my return. My +friends in Berlin and my money were my deliverers.</p> +<p>Walking round Vienna, having recovered from my sickness, the +broad expanse of heaven inspired a consciousness of freedom and +pleasure indescribable. I heard the song of the lark. +My heart palpitated, my pulse quickened, for I recollected I was +not in chains. “Happen,” said I, “what +may, my will and heart are free.”</p> +<p>An incident happened which furthered my project of getting +away from Austria. Marshal Laudohn was going to +Aix-la-Chapelle to take the waters. He went to take his +leave of the Countess Parr; I was present the Empress entered the +chamber, and the conversation turning upon Laudohn’s +journey, she said to me, “The baths are necessary to the +re-establishment of your health, Trenck.” I was +ready, and followed him in two days, where we remained about +three months.</p> +<p>The mode of life at Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa pleased me, where +men of all nations meet, and where princes mingle with persons of +all ranks. One day here procured me more pleasure than a +whole life in Vienna.</p> +<p>I had scarcely remained a month before the Countess Parr wrote +to me that the Empress had provided for me, and would make my +fortune as soon as I returned to Vienna. I tried to +discover in what it consisted, but in vain. The death of +the Emperor Francis at Innsbruck occasioned the return of General +Laudohn, and I followed him, on foot, to Vienna.</p> +<p>By means of the Countess Parr I obtained an audience. +The Empress said to me, “I will prove to you, Trenck, that +I keep my word. I have insured your fortune; I will give +you a rich and prudent wife.” I replied, “Most +gracious Sovereign, I cannot determine to marry, and, if I could, +my choice is already made at +Aix-la-Chapelle.”—“How! are you married, +then?”—“Not yet, please your +Majesty.”—“Are you promised?”</p> +<p>“Yes.”—“Well, well, no matter for +that; I will take care of that affair; I am determined on +marrying you to the rich widow of M---, and she approves my +choice. She is a good, kind woman, and has fifty thousand +florins a year. You are in want of such a wife.”</p> +<p>I was thunderstruck. This bride was a canting hypocrite +of sixty-three, covetous, and a termagant. I answered, +“I must speak the truth to your Majesty; I could not +consent did she possess the treasures of the whole earth. I +have made my choice, which, as an honest man, I must not +break.” The Empress said, “Your unhappiness is +your own work. Act as you think proper; I have +done.” Here my audience ended. I was not +actually affianced at that time to my present wife, but love had +determined my choice.</p> +<p>Marshal Laudohn promoted the match. He was acquainted +with my heart and the warmth of my passion, and perceived that I +could not conquer the desire of vengeance on men by whom I had +been so cruelly treated. He and Professor Gellert advised +me to take this mode of calming passions that often inspired +projects too vast, and that I should fly the company of the +great. This counsel was seconded by my own wishes. I +returned to Aix-la-Chapelle in December, 1766, and married the +youngest daughter of the former Burgomaster De Broe. He was +dead; he had lived on his own estate in Brussels, where my wife +was born and educated. My wife’s mother was sister to +the Vice-Chancellor of Dusseldorf, Baron Robert, Lord of +Roland. My wife was with me in most parts of Europe. +She was then young, handsome, worthy, and virtuous, has borne me +eleven children, all of whom she has nursed herself; eight of +them are still living and have been properly educated. +Twenty-two years she has borne a part of all my sufferings, and +well deserves reward.</p> +<p>During my abode in Vienna I made one effort more. I +sought an audience with the present Emperor Joseph, related all +that had happened to me, and remarked such defects as I had +observed in the regulations of the country. He heard me, +and commanded me to commit my thoughts to writing. My +memorial was graciously received. I also gave a full +account of what had happened to me in various countries, which +prudence has occasioned me to express more cautiously in these +pages. My memorial produced no effect, and I hastened back +to Aix-la-Chapelle.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<p>For some years I lived in peace; my house was the rendezvous +of the first people, who came to take the waters. I began +to be more known among the very first and best people. I +visited Professor Gellert at Leipzig, and asked his advice +concerning what branch of literature he thought it was probable I +might succeed in. He most approved my fables and tales, and +blamed the excessive freedom with which I spoke in political +writings. I neglected his advice, and many of the ensuing +calamities were the consequence.</p> +<p>I received orders to correspond with His Majesty’s +private secretary, Baron Roder; suffice it to say, my attempts to +serve my country were frustrated; I saw defects too clearly, +spoke my thoughts too frankly, and wanted sufficient humility +ever to obtain favour.</p> +<p>In the year 1767 I wrote “The Macedonian Hero,” +which became famous throughout all Germany. The poem did me +honour, but entailed new persecutions; yet I never could repent: +I have had the honour of presenting it to five reigning princes, +by none of whom it has been burnt. The Empress alone was +highly enraged. I had spoken as Nathan did to David, and +the Jesuits now openly became my enemies.</p> +<p>The following trick was played me in 1768. A friend in +Brussels was commissioned to receive my pay, from whom I learnt +an interdict had been laid upon it by the court called +Hofkriegsrath, in Vienna, in which I was condemned to pay seven +hundred florins to one Bussy, with fourteen years’ +interest.</p> +<p>Bussy was a known swindler. I therefore journeyed, +post-haste, to Vienna. No hearing; no satisfactory account +was to be obtained. The answer was, “Sentence is +passed, therefore all attempts are too late.”</p> +<p>I applied to the Emperor Joseph, pledged my head to prove the +falsification of this note; and entreated a revision of the +cause. My request was granted and my attorney, Weyhrauch, +was an upright man. When he requested a day of revision to +be appointed, he was threatened to be committed by the +referendary. Zetto, should he interfere and defend the +affairs of Trenck. He answered firmly, “His defence +is my business: I know my cause to be good.”</p> +<p>Four months did I continue in Vienna before the day was +appointed to revise this cause. It now appeared there were +erasures and holes through the paper in three places; all in +court were convinced the claim ought to be annulled, and the +claimant punished. Zetto ordered the parties to withdraw, +and then so managed that the judges resolved that the case must +be laid before the court with formal and written proofs.</p> +<p>This gave time for new knavery; I was obliged to return to +Aix-la-Chapelle, and four years elapsed before this affair was +decided. Two priests, in the interim, took false oaths that +they had seen me receive money. At length, however, I +proved that the note was dated a year after I had been imprisoned +at Magdeburg. Further, my attorney proved the writs of the +court had been falsified. Zetto, referendary, and Bussy, +were the forgers; but I happened to be too active, and my +attorney too honest, to lose this case. I was obliged to +make three very expensive journeys from Aix-la-Chapelle to +Vienna, lest judgement should go by default. Sentence at +last was pronounced. I gained my cause, and the note was +declared a forgery, but the costs, amounting to three thousand +five hundred florins, I was obliged to pay, for Bussy could not: +nor was he punished, though driven from Vienna for his villainous +acts. Zetto, however, still continued for eleven years my +persecutor, till he was deprived of his office, and condemned to +the House of Correction.</p> +<p>My knowledge of the world increased at Aix-la-Chapelle, where +men of all characters met. In the morning I conversed with +a lord in opposition, in the afternoon with an orator of the +King’s party, and in the evening with an honest man of no +party. I sent Hungarian wine into England, France, Holland, +and the Empire. This occasioned me to undertake long +journeys, and as my increased acquaintance gave me opportunities +of receiving foreigners with politeness an my own house, I was +also well received wherever I went.</p> +<p>The income I should have had from Vienna was engulfed by +law-suits, attorneys, and the journeys I undertook; having been +thrice cited to appear, in person, before the +Hofkriegsrath. No hope remained. I was described as a +dangerous malcontent, who had deserted his native land. I +nevertheless remained an honest man; one who could provide for +his necessities without the favour of courts; one whose +acquaintance was esteemed. In Vienna alone was I unsought, +unemployed, and obscure.</p> +<p>One day an accident happened which made me renowned as a +magician, as one who had power over fogs and clouds.</p> +<p>I had a quarrel with the Palatine President, Baron Blankart, +concerning a hunting district. I wrote to him that he +should repair to the spot in dispute, whither I would attend with +sword and pistol, hoping he would there give me satisfaction for +the affront I had received. Thither I went, with two +huntsmen and two friends, but instead of the baron I found two +hundred armed peasants assembled.</p> +<p>I sent one of my huntsmen to the army of the enemy, informing +them that, if they did not retreat, I should fire. The day +was fine, but a thick and impenetrable fog arose. My +huntsman returned, with intelligence that, having delivered his +message just as the fog came on, these heroes had all run away +with fright.</p> +<p>I advanced, fired my piece, as did my followers, and marched +to the mansion of my adversary, where my hunting-horn was blown +in triumph in his courtyard. The runaway peasants fired, +but the fog prevented their taking aim.</p> +<p>I returned home, where many false reports had preceded +me. My wife expected I should be brought home dead; +however, not the least mischief had happened.</p> +<p>It soon was propagated through the country that I had raised a +fog to render myself invisible, and that the truth of this could +be justified by two hundred witnesses. All the monks of +Aix-la-Chapelle, Juliers, and Cologne, preached concerning me, +reviled me, and warned the people to beware of the arch-magician +and Lutheran, Trenck.</p> +<p>On a future occasion, this belief I turned to merriment. +I went to hunt the wolf in the forests of Montjoie, and invited +the townsmen to the chase. Towards evening I, and some +forty of my followers, retired to rest in the charcoal huts, +provided with wine and brandy. “My lads,” said +I, “it is necessary you should discharge your pieces, and +load them anew; that to-morrow no wolf may escape, and that none +of you excuse yourselves on your pieces missing +fire.” The guns were reloaded, and placed in a +separate chamber. While they were merry-making, my huntsman +drew the balls, and charged the pieces with powder, several of +which he loaded with double charges. Some of their notched +balls I put into my pocket.</p> +<p>In the morning away went I and my fellows to the chase. +Their conversation turned on my necromancy, and the manner in +which I could envelope myself in a cloud, or make myself +bullet-proof. “What is that you are talking +about?” said I.—“Some of these unbelieving +folks,” answered my huntsman, “affirm your honour is +unable to ward off balls.”—“Well, then,” +said I, “fire away, and try.” My huntsman +fired. I pretended to parry with my hand, and called, +“Let any man that is so inclined fire, but only one at a +time.” Accordingly they began, and, pretending to +twist and turn about, I suffered them all to discharge their +pieces. My people had carefully noticed that no man had +reloaded his gun. Some of them received such blows from the +guns that were doubly charged that they fell, terrified at the +powers of magic. I advanced, holding in my hand some of the +marked balls. “Let every one choose his own,” +called I. All stood motionless, and many of them slunk home +with their guns on their shoulders; some remained, and our sport +was excellent.</p> +<p>On Sunday the monks of Aix-la-Chapelle again began to +preach. My black art became the theme of the whole country, +and to this day many of the people make oath that they fired upon +me, and that, after catching them, I returned the balls.</p> +<p>My invulnerable qualities were published throughout Juliers, +Aix-la-Chapelle, Maestricht, and Cologne, and perhaps this belief +saved my life; the priests having propagated it from their +pulpits, in a country which swarms with highway robbers, and +where, for a single ducat, any man may hire an assassin.</p> +<p>It is no small surprise that I should have preserved my life, +in a town where there are twenty-three monasteries and churches, +and where the monks are adored as deities. The Catholic +clergy had been enraged against me by my poem of “The +Macedonian Hero;” and in 1772 I published a newspaper at +Aix-la-Chapelle, and another work entitled, “The Friend of +Men,” in which I unmasked hypocrisy. A major of the +apostolic Maria Theresa, writing thus in a town swarming with +friars, and in a tone so undaunted, was unexampled.</p> +<p>At present, now that freedom of opinion is encouraged by the +Emperor, many essayists encounter bigotry and deceit with +ridicule; or, wanting invention themselves, publish extracts from +writings of the age of Luther. But I have the honour of +having attacked the pillars of the Romish hierarchy in days more +dangerous. I may boast of being the first German who raised +a fermentation on the Upper Rhine and in Austria, so advantageous +to truth, the progress of the understanding, and the happiness of +futurity.</p> +<p>My writings contain nothing inimical to the morality taught by +Christ. I attacked the sale of indulgences, the avarice of +Rome, the laziness, deceit, gluttony, robbery, and blood-sucking +of the monks of Aix-la-Chapelle. The arch-priest, and nine +of his coadjutors, declared every Sunday that I was a +freethinker, a wizard, one whom every man, wishing well to God +and the Church, ought to assassinate. Father Zunder +declared me an outlaw, and a day was appointed on which my +writings were to be burnt before my house, and its inhabitants +massacred. My wife received letters warning her to fly for +safety, which warning she obeyed. I and two of my huntsmen +remained, provided with eighty-four loaded muskets. These I +displayed before the window, that all might be convinced that I +would make a defence. The appointed day came, and Father +Zunder, with my writings in his hand, appeared ready for the +attack; the other monks had incited the townspeople to a +storm. Thus passed the day and night in suspense.</p> +<p>In the morning a fire broke out in the town. I hastened, +with my two huntsmen, well armed, to give assistance; we dashed +the water from our buckets, and all obeyed my directions. +Father Zunder and his students were there likewise. I +struck his anointed ear with my leathern bucket, which no man +thought proper to notice. I passed undaunted through the +crowd; the people smiled, pulled off their hats, and wished me a +good-morning. The people of Aix-la-Chapelle were bigots, +but too cowardly to murder a man who was prepared for his own +defence.</p> +<p>As I was riding to Maestricht, a ball whistled by my ears, +which, no doubt, was a messenger sent after me by these +persecuting priests.</p> +<p>When hunting near the convent of Schwartzenbruck, three +Dominicans lay in ambush behind a hedge. One of their +colleagues pointed out the place. I was on my guard with my +gun, drew near, and called out, “Shoot, scoundrels! but do +not kill me, for the devil stands ready for you at your +elbow.” One fired, and all ran: The ball hit my +hat. I fired and wounded one desperately, whom the others +carried off.</p> +<p>In 1774, journeying from Spa to Limbourg, I was attacked by +eight banditti. The weather was rainy, and my musket was in +its case; my sabre was entangled in my belt, so that I was +obliged to defend myself as with a club. I sprang from the +carriage, and fought in defence of my life, striking down all +before me, while my faithful huntsman protected me behind. +I dispersed my assailants, hastened to my carriage, and drove +away. One of these fellows was soon after hanged, and owned +that the confessor of the banditti had promised absolution could +they but despatch me, but that no man could shoot me, because +Lucifer had rendered me invulnerable. My agility, fighting, +too, for life, was superior to theirs, and they buried two of +their gang, whom with my heavy sabre I had killed.</p> +<p>To such excess of cruelty may the violence of priests be +carried! I attacked only gross abuses—the deceit of +the monks of Aix-la-Chapelle, Cologne, and Liége, where +they are worse than cannibals. I wished to inculcate true +Christian duties among my fellow-citizens, and the attempt was +sufficient to irritate the selfish Church of Rome.</p> +<p>From my Empress I had nothing to hope. Her confessor had +painted me as a persecutor of the blessed Mother Church. +Nor was this all. Opinions were propagated throughout +Vienna that I was a dangerous man to the community.</p> +<p>Hence I was always wronged in courts of judicature, where +there are ever to be found wicked men. They thought they +were serving the cause of God by injuring me. Yet they were +unable to prevent my writings from producing me much money, or +from being circulated through all Germany. The +<i>Aix-la-Chapelle Journal</i> became so famous, that in the +second year I had four thousand subscribers, by each of whom I +gained a ducat.</p> +<p>The postmasters, who gained considerably by circulating +newspapers, were envious, because the <i>Aix-la-Chapelle +Journal</i> destroyed several of the others, and they therefore +formed a combination.</p> +<p>Prince Charles of Sweden placed confidence in me during his +residence at Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa, and I accompanied him into +Holland. When I took my leave of him at Maestricht, he said +to me, “When my father dies, either my brother shall be +King, or we will lose our heads.” The King died, and +Prince Charles soon after said, in the postscript of one of his +letters, “What we spoke of at Maestricht will soon be fully +accomplished, and you may then come to Stockholm.”</p> +<p>On this, I inserted an article in my journal declaring a +revolution had taken place in Sweden, that the king had made +himself absolute. The other papers expressed their doubts, +and I offered to wager a thousand ducats on the truth of the +article published in my journal under the title of +“Aix-la-Chapelle.” The news of the revolution +in Sweden was confirmed.</p> +<p>My journal foretold the Polish partition six weeks sooner than +any other; but how I obtained this news must not be +mentioned. I was active in the defence of Queen Matilda of +Denmark.</p> +<p>The French Ministry were offended at the following +pasquinade:—“The three eagles have rent the Polish +bear, without losing a feather with which any man in the Cabinet +of Versailles can write. Since the death of Mazarin, they +write only with goose-quills.”</p> +<p>By desire of the King of Poland, I wrote a narrative of the +attempt made to assassinate him, and named the nuncio who had +given absolution to the conspirators in the chapel of the Holy +Virgin.</p> +<p>The house was now in flames. Rome insisted I should +recall my words. Her nuncio, at Cologne, vented poison, +daggers, and excommunication; the Empress-Queen herself thought +proper to interfere. I obtained, for my justification, from +Warsaw a copy of the examination of the conspirators. This +I threatened to publish, and stood unmoved in the defence of +truth.</p> +<p>The Empress wrote to the Postmaster-General of the Empire, and +commanded him to lay an interdict on the <i>Aix-la-Chapelle +Journal</i>. Informed of this, I ended its publication with +the year, but wrote an essay on the partition of Poland, which +also did but increase my enemies.</p> +<p>The magistracy of Aix-la-Chapelle is elected from the people, +and the Burghers’ court consists of an ignorant +rabble. I know no exceptions but Baron Lamberte and De +Witte; and this people assume titles of dignity, for which they +are amenable to the court at Vienna. Knowing I should find +little protection at Vienna, they imagined they might drive me +from their town. I was a spy on their evil deeds, of whom +they would have rid themselves. I knew that the two +sheriffs, Kloss and Furth, and the recorder, Geyer, had robbed +the town-chamber of forty thousand dollars, and divided the +spoil. To these I was a dangerous man. For such +reasons they sought a quarrel with me, pretending I had committed +a trespass by breaking down a hedge, and cited me to appear at +the town-house.</p> +<p>The postmaster, Heinsberg, of Aix-la-Chapelle, although he had +two thousand three hundred rix-dollars of mine in his possession, +instituted false suits against me, obtained verdicts against me, +seized on a cargo of wine at Cologne, and I incurred losses to +the amount of eighteen thousand florins, which devoured the +fortune of my wife, and by which she, with myself and my +children, were reduced to poverty.</p> +<p>The Gravenitz himself, in 1778, acknowledged how much he had +injured me, affirmed he had been deceived, and promised he would +try to obtain restitution. I forgave him, and he attempted +to keep his promise; but his power declined; the bribes he had +received became too public. He was dispossessed of his +post, but, alas! too late for me. Two other of my judges +are at this time obliged to sweep the streets of Vienna, where +they are condemned to the House of Correction. Had this +been their employment instead of being seated on the seat of +judgment twenty years ago, I might have been more +fortunate. It is a remarkable circumstance that I should so +continually have been despoiled by unjust judges. Who would +have had the temerity to affirm that their evil deeds should +bring them to attend on the city scavenger? I indeed knew +them but too well, and fearlessly spoke what I knew. It was +my misfortune that I was acquainted with their malpractices +sooner than gracious Sovereign.</p> +<p>Let the scene close on my litigations at Aix-la-Chapelle and +Vienna. May God preserve every honest man from the +like! They have swallowed up my property, and that of my +wife. Enough!</p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<p>From the year 1774 to 1777, I journeyed through England and +France. I was intimate with Dr. Franklin, the American +Minister, and with the Counts St. Germain and de Vergennes, who +made me proposals to go to America; but I was prevented by my +affection for my wife and children.</p> +<p>My friend the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, who had been Governor +of Magdeburg during my imprisonment, offered me a commission +among the troops going to America, but I +answered—“Gracious prince, my heart beats in the +cause of freedom only; I will never assist in enslaving +men. Were I at the head of your brave grenadiers. I +should revolt to the Americans.”</p> +<p>During 1775 I continued at Aix-la-Chapelle my essays, +entitled, “The Friend of Men.” My writings had +made some impression; the people began to read; the monks were +ridiculed, but my partisans increased, and their leader got +himself cudgelled.</p> +<p>They did not now mention my name publicly, but catechised +their penitents at confession. During this year people came +to me from Cologne, Bonn, and Dusseldorf, to speak with me +privately. When I inquired their business, they told me +their clergy had informed them I was propagating a new religion, +in which every man must sign himself to the devil, who then would +supply them with money. They were willing to become +converts to my faith, would Beelzebub but give them money, and +revenge them on their priests. “My good +friends,” answered I, “your teachers have deceived +you; I know of no devils but themselves. Were it true that +I was founding a new religion, the converts to whom the devil +would supply money, your priests, would be the first of my +apostles, and the most catholic. I am an honest, moral man, +as a Christian ought to be. Go home, in God’s name, +and do your duty.”</p> +<p>I forgot to mention that the recorder of the sheriff’s +court at Aix-la-Chapelle, who is called Baron Geyer, had +associated himself in 1778 with a Jew convert, and that this +noble company swindled a Dutch merchant out of eighty thousand +florins, by assuming the arms of Elector Palatine, and producing +forged receipts and contracts. Geyer was taken in +Amsterdam, and would have been hanged, but, by the aid of a +servant, he escaped. He returned to Aix-la-Chapelle, where +he enjoys his office. Three years ago he robbed the +town-chamber. His wife was, at that time, <i>generis +communis</i>, and procured him friends at court. The +assertions of this gentleman found greater credit at Vienna than +those of the injured Trenck! Oh, shame! Oh, world! +world!</p> +<p>My wine trade was so successful that I had correspondents and +stores in London, Paris, Brussels, Hamburg, and the Hague, and +had gained forty thousand florins. One unfortunate day +destroyed all my hopes in the success of this traffic.</p> +<p>In London I was defrauded of eighteen hundred guineas by a +swindler. The fault was my brother-in-law’s, who +parted with the wine before he had received the money. When +I had been wronged, and asked my friends’ assistance, I was +only laughed at, as if they were happy that an Englishman had the +wit to cheat a German.</p> +<p>Finding myself defrauded, I hastened to Sir John +Fielding. He told me he knew I had been swindled, and that +his friendship would make him active in my behalf; that he also +knew the houses where my wine was deposited, and that a party of +his runners should go with me, sufficiently strong for its +recovery. I was little aware that he had, at that time, two +hundred bottles of my best Tokay in his cellar. His +pretended kindness was a snare; he was in partnership with +robbers, only the stupid among whom he hanged, and preserved the +most adroit for the promotion of trade.</p> +<p>He sent a constable and six of his runners with me, commanding +them to act under my orders. By good fortune I had a +violent headache, and sent my brother-in-law, who spoke better +English than I. Him they brought to the house of a Jew, and +told him, “Your wine, sir, is here concealed.” +Though it was broad day, the door was locked, that he might be +induced to act illegally. The constable desired him to +break the door open, which he did; the Jews came running, and +asked—“What do you want, +gentlemen?”—“I want my wine,” answered my +brother.—“Take what is your own,” replied a +Jew; “but beware of touching my property. I have +bought the wine.”</p> +<p>My brother attended the constable and runners into a cellar, +and found a great part of my wine. He wrote to Sir John +Fielding that he had found the wine, and desired to know how to +act. Fielding answered: “It must be taken by the +owner.” My brother accordingly sent me the wine.</p> +<p>Next day came a constable with a warrant, saying, “He +wanted to speak with my brother, and that he was to go to Sir +John Fielding.” When he was in the street, he told +him—“Sir, you are my prisoner.”</p> +<p>I went to Sir John Fielding, and asked him what it +meant. This justice answered that my brother had been +accused of felony. The Jews and swindlers had sworn the +wine was a legal purchase. If I had not been paid, or was +ignorant of the English laws, that was my fault. Six +swindlers had sworn the wine was paid for, which circumstance he +had not known, or he should not have granted me a warrant. +My brother had also broken open the doors, and forcibly taken +away wine which was not his own. They made oath of this, +and he was charged with burglary and robbery.</p> +<p>He desired me to give bail in a thousand guineas for my +brother for his appearance in the Court of King’s Bench; +otherwise his trial would immediately come on, and in a few days +he would be hanged.</p> +<p>I hastened to a lawyer, who confirmed what had been told me, +advised me to give bail, and he would then defend my cause. +I applied to Lord Mansfield, and received the same answer. +I told my story to all my friends, who laughed at me for +attempting to trade in London without understanding the +laws. My friend Lord Grosvenor said, “Send more wine +to London, and we will pay you so well that you will soon recover +your loss.”</p> +<p>I went to my wine-merchants, who had a stock of mine worth +upwards of a thousand guineas. They gave bail for my +brother, and he was released.</p> +<p>Fielding, in the interim, sent his runners to my house, took +back the wine, and restored it to the Jews. They threatened +to prosecute me as a receiver of stolen goods. I fled from +London to Paris, where I sold off my stock at half-price, +honoured my bills, and so ended my merchandise.</p> +<p>My brother returned to London in November, to defend his cause +in the Court of King’s Bench; but the swindlers had +disappeared, and the lawyer required a hundred pounds to +proceed. The conclusion was that my brother returned with +seventy pounds less in his pocket, spent as travelling expenses, +and the stock in the hands of my wine-merchants was detained on +pretence of paying the bail. They brought me an +apothecary’s bill, and all was lost.</p> +<p>The Swedish General Sprengporten came to Aix-la-Chapelle in +1776. He had planned and carried into execution the +revolution so favourable to the King, but had left Sweden in +discontent, and came to take the waters with a rooted +hypochondria.</p> +<p>He was the most dangerous man in Sweden, and had told the King +himself, after the revolution, in the presence of his guards, +“While Sprengporten can hold a sword, the King has nothing +to command.”</p> +<p>It was feared he would go to Russia, and Prince Charles wrote +to me in the name of the monarch, desiring I would exert myself +to persuade him to return to Sweden. He was a man of pride, +which rendered him either a fool or a madman. He despised +everything that was not Swedish.</p> +<p>The Prussian Minister, Count Hertzberg, the same year came to +Aix-la-Chapelle. I enjoyed his society for three months, +and accompanied this great man. To his liberality am I +indebted that I can return to my country with honour.</p> +<p>The time I had to spare was not spent in idleness; I attacked, +in my weekly writings, those sharpers who attend at +Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa to plunder both inhabitants and +visitants, under the connivance of the magistracy; nor are there +wanting foreign noblemen who become the associates of these pests +of society. The publication of such truths endangered my +life from the desperadoes, who, when detected, had nothing more +to lose. How powerful is an innocent life, nothing can more +fully prove than that I still exist, in despite of all the +attempts of wicked monks and despicable sharpers.</p> +<p>Though my life was much disturbed, yet I do not repent of my +manner of acting; many a youth, many a brave man, have I detained +from the gaming-table, and pointed out to them the most notorious +sharpers.</p> +<p>This was so injurious to Spa, that the Bishop of Liége +himself, who enjoys a tax on all their winnings, and therefore +protects such villains, offered me an annual pension of five +hundred guineas if I would not come to Spa; or three per cent. on +the winnings, would I but associate myself with Colonel N---t, +and raise recruits for the gaming-table. My answer may +easily be imagined; yet for this was I threatened to be +excommunicated by the Holy Catholic Church!</p> +<p>I and my family passed sixteen summers in Spa. My house +became the rendezvous of the most respectable part of the +company, and I was known to some of the most respectable +characters in Europe.</p> +<p>A contest arose between the town of Aix-la-Chapelle and Baron +Blankart, the master of the hounds to the Elector Palatine: it +originated in a dispute concerning precedence between the +before-mentioned wife of the Recorder Geyer and the sister of the +Burgomaster of Aix-la-Chapelle, Kahr, who governed that town with +despotism.</p> +<p>This quarrel was detrimental to the town and to the Elector +Palatine, but profitable to Kahr, whose office it was to protect +the rights of the town, and those persons who defended the claims +of the Elector; the latter kept a faro bank, the plunder of which +had enriched the town; and the former Kahr, under pretence of +defending their cause, embezzled the money of the people; so that +both parties endeavoured with all their power to prolong the +litigation.</p> +<p>It vexed me to see their proceedings. Those who suffered +on each side were deceived; and I conceived the project of +exposing the truth. For this purpose I journeyed to the +court at Mannheim, related the facts to the Elector, produced a +plan of accommodation, which he approved, and obtained power to +act as arbitrator. The Minister of the Elector, Bekkers, +pretended to approve my zeal, conducted me to an <i>auberge</i>, +made me dine at his house, and said a commission was made out for +my son, and forwarded to Aix-la-Chapelle—which was false; +the moment he quitted me he sent to Aix-la-Chapelle to frustrate +the attempt he pretended to applaud. He was himself in +league with the parties. In fine, this silly interference +brought me only trouble, expense, and chagrin. I made five +journeys to Mannheim, till I became so dissatisfied that I +determined to quit Aix-la-Chapelle, and purchase an estate in +Austria.</p> +<p>The Bavarian contest was at this time in agitation; my own +affairs brought me to Paris, and here I learned intelligence of +great consequence; this I communicated to the Grand Duke of +Florence, on my return to Vienna. The Duke departed to join +the army in Bohemia, and I again wrote to him, and thought it my +duty to send a courier. The Duke showed my letter to the +Emperor; but I remained unnoticed.</p> +<p>I did not think myself safe in foreign countries during this +time of war, and purchased the lordship of Zwerbach, with +appurtenances, which, with the expenses, cost me sixty thousand +florins.</p> +<p>To conclude this purchase, I was obliged to solicit the +referendary, Zetto, and his friend whom he had appointed as my +curator, for my new estate was likewise made a <i>fidei +commissum</i>, as my referendaries and curators would not let me +escape contribution. The six thousand florins of which they +emptied my purse would have done my family much service.</p> +<p>In May, 1780, I went to Aix-la-Chapelle, where my wife’s +mother died in July; and in September my wife, myself, and +family, all came to Vienna.</p> +<p>My wife solicited the mistress of the ceremonies to obtain an +audience. Her request was granted, and she gained the +favour of the Empress. Her kindness was beyond expression: +she introduced my wife to the Archduchess, and commanded her +mistress of the ceremonies to present her everywhere. +“You were unwilling,” said she, “to accompany +your husband into my country, but I hope to convince you that you +may live happier in Austria than at Aix-la-Chapelle.”</p> +<p>She next day sent me her decree, assuring me of a pension of +four hundred florins.</p> +<p>My wife petitioned the Empress to grant me an audience: her +request was complied with: and the Empress said to me: +“This is the third time in which I would have made your +fortune, had you been so disposed.” She desired to +see my children, and spoke of my writings. “How much +good might you do,” said she, “would you but write in +the cause of religion!”</p> +<p>We departed for Zwerbach, where we lived contentedly, but when +we were preparing to return to Vienna, and solicited the +restitution of part of my lost fortune, during this favour of the +court, Theresa died, and all my hopes were overcast.</p> +<p>I forgot to relate that the Archduchess, Maria Anna, desired +me to translate a religious work, written in French by the +Abbé Baudrand, into German. I replied I would obey +Her Majesty’s commands. I began my work, took +passages from Baudrand, but inserted more of my own. The +first volume was finished in six weeks; the Empress thought it +admirable. The second soon followed, and I presented this +myself.</p> +<p>She asked me if it equalled the first; I answered, I hoped it +would be found more excellent. “No,” said she; +“I never in my life read a better book:” and added, +“she wondered how I could write so well and so +quickly.” I promised another volume within a +month. Before the third was ready, Theresa died. She +gave orders on her death-bed to have the writings of Baron Trenck +read to her; and though her confessor well knew the injustice +that had been done me, yet in her last moments he kept silence, +though he had given me his sacred promise to speak in my +behalf.</p> +<p>After her death the censor commanded that I should print what +I have stated in the preface to that third volume, and this was +my only satisfaction.</p> +<p>For one-and-thirty years had I been soliciting my rights, +which I never could obtain, because the Empress was deceived by +wicked men, and believed me a heretic. In the +thirty-second, my wife had the good fortune to convince her this +was false; she had determined to make me restitution; just at +this moment she died.</p> +<p>The pension granted my wife by the Empress in consequence of +my misfortunes and our numerous family, we only enjoyed nine +months.</p> +<p>Of this she was deprived by the new monarch. He perhaps +knew nothing of the affair, as I never solicited. Yet much +has it grieved me. Perhaps I may find relief when the sighs +wrung from me shall reach the heart of the father of his people +in this my last writing. At present, nothing for me remains +but to live unknown in Zwerbach.</p> +<p>The Emperor thought proper to collect the moneys bestowed on +hospitals into one fund. The system was a wise one. +My cousin Trenck had bequeathed thirty-six thousand florins to a +hospital for the poor of Bavaria. This act he had no right +to do, having deducted the sum from the family estate. I +petitioned the Emperor that these thirty-six thousand florins +might be restored to me and my children, who were the people whom +Trenck had indeed made poor, nothing of the property of his +acquiring having been left to pay this legacy, but, on the +contrary, the money having been exacted from mine.</p> +<p>In a few days it was determined I should be answered in the +same tone in which, for six-and-thirty years past, all my +petitions had been answered:—</p> +<p>“<span class="smcap">The request of the petitioner +cannot be granted</span>.”</p> +<p>Fortune persecuted me in my retreat. Within six years +two hailstorms swept away my crops; one year was a misgrowth; +there were seven floods; a rot among my sheep: all possible +calamities befell me and my manor.</p> +<p>The estate had been ruined, the ponds were to drain, three +farms were to be put into proper condition, and the whole newly +stocked. This rendered me poor, especially as my +wife’s fortune had been sunk in lawsuits at Aix-la-Chapelle +and Cologne.</p> +<p>The miserable peasants had nothing, therefore could not pay: I +was obliged to advance them money. My sons assisted me, and +we laboured with our own hands: my wife took care of eight +children, without so much as the help of a maid. We lived +in poverty, obliged to earn our daily bread.</p> +<p>The greatest of my misfortunes was my treatment in the +military court, when Zetto and Krugel were my +referendaries. Zetto had clogged me with a curator and when +the cow had no more milk to give, they began to torture me with +deputations, sequestrations, administrations, and +executions. Nineteen times was I obliged to attend in +Vienna within two years, at my own expense. Every six years +must I pay an attorney to dispute and quarrel with the +curator. I, in conclusion, was obliged to pay. If any +affair was to be expedited, I, by a third hand, was obliged to +send the referendary some ducats. Did he give judgment, +still that judgment lay fourteen months inefficient, and, when it +then appeared, the copy was false, and so was sent to the upper +courts, the high referendary of which said I “must be +dislodged from Zwerbach.”</p> +<p>They obliged me at last to purchase my naturalisation. I +sent to Prussia for my pedigree; the attestation of this was sent +me by Count Hertzberg. Although the family of Trenck had a +hundred years been landholders in Hungary, yet was my attorney +obliged to solicit the instrument called ritter-diploma, for +which, under pain of execution, I must pay two thousand +florins.</p> +<p>By decree a Prussian nobleman is not noble in Austria, where +every lackey can purchase a diploma, making him a knight of the +Empire, for twelve hundred wretched florins!—where such men +as P--- and Grassalkowitz have purchased the dignity of a +prince!</p> +<p>Tortured by the courts, terrified by hailstorms, I determined +to publish my works, in eight volumes, and this history of my +life.</p> +<p>Fourteen months accomplished this purpose. My labours +found a favourable reception through all Germany, procured me +money, esteem, and honour. By my writings only will I seek +the means of existence, and by trying to obtain the approbation +and the love of men.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<p>On the 22nd of August, 1786, the news arrived that Frederic +the Great had left this world!</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>The present monarch, the witness of my sufferings in my native +country, sent me a royal passport to Berlin. The +confiscation of my estates was annulled, and my deceased brother, +in Prussia, had left my children his heirs.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p>I journey, within the Imperial permission, back to my country, +from which I have been two-and-forty years expelled! I +journey—not as a pardoned malefactor, but as a man whose +innocence has been established by his actions, has been proved in +his writings, and who is journeying to receive his reward.</p> +<p>Here I shall once more encounter my old friends my relations, +and those who have known me in the days of my affliction. +Here shall I appear, not as my country’s Traitor, but as my +country’s Martyr!</p> +<p>Possible, though little probable, are still future +storms. For these also I am prepared. Long had I +reason daily to curse the rising sun, and, setting, to behold it +with horror. Death to me appears a great benefit: a certain +passage from agitation to peace, from motion to rest. As +for my children, they, jocund in youth, delight in present +existence. When I have fulfilled the duties of a father, to +live or die will then be as I shall please.</p> +<p>Thou, O God! my righteous Judge, didst ordain that I should be +an example of suffering to the world; Thou madest me what I am, +gavest me these strong passions, these quick nerves, this +thrilling of the blood, when I behold injustice. Strong was +my mind, that deeply it might meditate on deep subjects; strong +my memory, that these meditations I might retain; strong my body, +that proudly it might support all it has pleased Thee to +inflict.</p> +<p>Should I continue to exist, should identity go with me, and +should I know what I was then, when I was called Trenck; when +that combination of particles which Nature commanded should +compose this body shall be decomposed, scattered, or in other +bodies united; when I have no muscles to act, no brain to think, +no retina on which pictures can mechanically be painted, my eyes +wasted, and no tongue remaining to pronounce the Creator’s +name, should I still behold a Creator—then, oh then, will +my spirit mount, and indubitably associate with spirits of the +just who expectant wait for their golden harps and glorious +crowns from the Most High God. For human weaknesses, human +failings, arising from our nature, springing from our +temperament, which the Creator has ordained, shall be even thus, +and not otherwise; for these have I suffered enough on earth.</p> +<p>Such is my confession of faith; in this have I lived, in this +will I die. The duties of a man and of a Christian I have +fulfilled; nay, often have exceeded, often have been too +benevolent, too generous; perhaps also too proud, too vain. +I could not bend, although liable to be broken.</p> +<p>That I have not served the world, in acts and employments +where best I might, is perhaps my own fault: the fault of my +manner, which is now too radical to be corrected in this, my +sixtieth year. Yes, I acknowledge my failing, acknowledge +it unblushingly; nay, glory in the pride of a noble nature.</p> +<p>For myself, I ask nothing of those who have read my history; +to them do I commit my wife and children. My eldest son is +a lieutenant in the Tuscan regiment of cavalry, under General +Lasey, and does honour to his father’s principles. +The second serves his present Prussian Majesty, as ensign in the +Posadowsky dragoons, with equal promise. The third is still +a child. My daughters will make worthy men happy, for they +have imbibed virtue and gentleness with their mother’s +milk. Monarchs may hereafter remember what I have suffered, +what I have lost, and what is due to my ashes.</p> +<p>Here do I declare—I will seek no other revenge against +my enemies than that of despising their evil deeds. It is +my wish, and shall be my endeavour, to forget the past; and +having committed no offence, neither will I solicit monarchs for +posts of honour; as I have ever lived a free man, a free man will +I die.</p> +<p>I conclude this part of my history on the evening preceding my +journey to Berlin. God grant I may encounter no new +afflictions, to be inserted in the remainder of this history.</p> +<p>This journey I prepared to undertake, but my ever-envious fate +threw me on the bed of sickness, insomuch that small hope +remained that I ever should again behold the country of my +forefathers. I seemed following the Great Frederic to the +mansions of the dead; then should I never have concluded the +history of my life, or obtained the victory by which I am now +crowned.</p> +<p>A variety of obstacles being overcome, I found it necessary to +make a journey into Hungary, which was one of the most pleasant +of my whole life.</p> +<p>I have no words to express my ardent wishes for the welfare of +a nation where I met with so many proofs of friendship. +Wherever I appeared I was welcomed with that love and enthusiasm +which only await the fathers of their country. The valour +of my cousin Trenck, who died ingloriously in the Spielberg, the +loss of my great Hungarian estates, the fame of my writings, and +the cruelty of my sufferings, had gone before me. The +officers of the army, the nobles of the land, alike testified the +warmth of their esteem.</p> +<p>Such is the reward of the upright; such too are the proofs +that this nation knows the just value of fortitude and +virtue. Have I not reason to publish my gratitude, and to +recommend my children to those who, when I am no more, shall dare +uprightly to determine concerning the rights which have unjustly +been snatched from me in Hungary?</p> +<p>Not a man in Hungary but will proclaim I have been unjustly +dealt by; yet I have good reason to suspect I never shall find +redress. Sentence had been already given; judges, more +honest, cannot, without difficulty, reverse old decrees; and the +present possessors of my estates are too powerful, too intimate +with the governors of the earth, for me to hope I shall hereafter +be more happy. God knows my heart; I wish the present +possessors may render services to the state equal to those +rendered by the family of the Trencks.</p> +<p>There is little probability I shall ever behold my noble +friends in Hungary more. Here I bid them adieu, promising +them to pass the remainder of any life so as still to merit the +approbation of a people with whose ashes I would most willingly +have mingled my own. May the God of heaven preserve every +Hungarian from a fate similar to mine!</p> +<p>The Croats have ever been reckoned uncultivated; yet, among +this uncultivated people I found more subscribers to my writings +than among all the learned men of Vienna; and in Hungary, more +than in all the Austrian dominions.</p> +<p>The Hungarians, the unlettered Croats, seek information. +The people of Vienna ask their confessors’ permission to +read instructive books. Various subscribers, having read +the first volume of my work, brought it back, and re-demanded +their money, because some monk had told them it was a book +dangerous to be read. The judges of their courts have +re-sold them to the booksellers for a few pence or given them to +those who had the care of their consciences to burn.</p> +<p>In Vienna alone was my life described as a romance; in Hungary +I found the compassion of men, their friendship, and effectual +aid. Had my book been the production of an Englishman, good +wishes would not have been his only reward.</p> +<p>We German writers have interested critics to encounter if we +would unmask injustice; and if a book finds a rapid sale, +dishonest printers issue spurious editions, defrauding the author +of his labours.</p> +<p>The encouragement of the learned produces able teachers, and +from their seminaries men of genius occasionally come +forth. The world is inundated with books and pamphlets; the +undiscerning reader knows not which to select; the more +intelligent are disgusted, or do not read at all, and thus a work +of merit becomes as little profitable to the author as to the +state.</p> +<p>I left Vienna on the 5th of January, and came to Prague. +Here I found nearly the same reception as in Hungary; my writings +were read. Citizens, noblemen, and ladies treated me with +like favour. May the monarch know how to value men of +generous feelings and enlarged understandings!</p> +<p>I bade adieu to Prague, and continued my journey to +Berlin. In Bohemia, I took leave of my son, who saw his +father and his two brothers, destined for the Prussian service, +depart. He felt the weight of this separation; I reminded +him of his duty to the state he served; I spoke of the fearful +fate of his uncle and father in Austria, and of the possessors of +our vast estates in Hungary. He shrank back—a look +from his father pierced him to the soul—tears stood in his +eyes—his youthful blood flowed quick, and the following +expression burst suddenly from his lips:—“I call God +to witness that I will prove myself worthy of my father’s +name; and that, while I live, his enemies shall be +mine!”</p> +<p>At Peterswald, on the road to Dresden, my carriage broke down: +my life was endangered; and my son received a contusion in the +arm. The erysipelas broke out on him at Berlin, and I could +not present him to the King for a month after.</p> +<p>I had been but a short time at Berlin before the well-known +minister, Count Hertzberg, received me with kindness. Every +man to whom his private worth is known will congratulate the +state that has the wisdom to bestow on him so high an +office. His scholastic and practical learning, his +knowledge of languages, his acquaintance with sciences, are +indeed wonderful. His zeal for his country is ardent, his +love of his king unprejudiced, his industry admirable, his +firmness that of a man. He is the most experienced man in +the Prussian states. The enemies of his country may rely on +his word. The artful he can encounter with art; those who +menace, with fortitude; and with wise foresight can avert the +rising storm. He seeks not splendour in sumptuous and +ostentatious retinue; but if he can only enrich the state, and +behold the poor happy, he is himself willing to remain +poor. His estate, Briess, near Berlin, is no Chanteloup, +but a model to those patriots who would study economy. Here +he, every Wednesday, enjoys recreation. The services he +renders the kingdom cost it only five thousand rix-dollars +yearly; he, therefore, lives without ostentation, yet becoming +his state, and with splendour when splendour is necessary. +He does not plunder the public treasury that he may preserve his +own private property.</p> +<p>This man will live in the annals of Prussia: who was employed +under the Great Frederic; had so much influence in the cabinets +of Europe; and was a witness of the last actions, the last +sensations, of his dying king; yet who never asked, nor ever +received, the least gratuity. This is the minister whose +conversation I had the happiness to partake at Aix-la-Chapelle +and Spa, whose welfare is the wish of my heart, and whose memory +I shall ever revere.</p> +<p>I was received with distinction at his table, and became +acquainted with those whose science had benefited the Prussian +states; nor was anything more flattering to my self-love than +that men like these should think me worthy their friendship.</p> +<p>Not many days after I was presented to the court by the +Prussian chamberlain, Prince Sacken, as it is not customary at +Berlin for a foreign subject to be presented by the minister of +his own court. Though a Prussian subject, I wore the +Imperial uniform.</p> +<p>The King received me with condescension; all eyes were +directed towards me, each welcomed me to my country. This +moved me the more as it was remarked by the foreign ministers, +who asked who that Austrian officer could be who was received +with so much affection and such evident joy in Berlin. The +gracious monarch himself gave tokens of pleasure at beholding me +thus surrounded. Among the rest came the worthy General +Prittwitz, who said aloud—</p> +<p>“This is the gentleman who might have ruined me to +effect his own deliverance.”</p> +<p>Confused at so public a declaration, I desired him to expound +this riddle; and he added—</p> +<p>“I was obliged to be one of your guards on your +unfortunate journey from Dantzic to Magdeburg, in 1754, when I +was a lieutenant. On the road I continued alone with you in +an open carriage. This gave you an opportunity to escape, +but you forbore. I afterwards saw the danger to which I had +exposed myself. Had you been less noble-minded, had such a +prisoner escaped through my negligence, I had certainly been +ruined. The King believed you alike dangerous and deserving +of punishment. I here acknowledge you as my saviour, and am +in gratitude your friend.” I knew not that the +generous man, who wished me so well, was the present General +Prittwitz. That he should himself remind me of this +incident does him the greater honour.</p> +<p>Having been introduced at court, I thought it necessary to +observe ceremonies, and was presented by the Imperial ambassador, +Prince Reuss, to all foreign ministers, and such families as are +in the habit of admitting such visits. I was received by +the Prince Royal, the reigning Queen, the Queen-Dowager, and the +royal family in their various places, with favour never to be +forgotten. His Royal Highness Prince Henry invited me to a +private audience, continued long in conversation with me, +promised me his future protection, admitted me to his private +concerts, and sometimes made me sup at court.</p> +<p>A like reception I experienced in the palace of Prince +Ferdinand of Brunswick, where I frequently dined and +supped. His princess took delight in hearing my narratives, +and loaded me with favour.</p> +<p>Prince Ferdinand’s mode of educating children is +exemplary. The sons are instructed in the soldier’s +duties, their bodies are inured to the inclemencies of weather; +they are taught to ride, to swim, and are steeled to all the +fatigue of war. Their hearts are formed for friendship, +which they cannot fail to attain. Happy the nation in +defence of which they are to act!</p> +<p>How ridiculous these their <i>Royal Highnesses</i> appear who, +though born to rule, are not deserving to be the lackeys to the +least of those whom they treat with contempt; and yet who swell, +strut, stride, and contemplate themselves as creatures +essentially different by nature, and of a superior rank in the +scale of beings, though, in reality, their minds are of the +lowest, the meanest class.</p> +<p>Happy the state whose prince is impressed with a sense that +the people are not his property, but he the property of the +people! A prince beloved by his people will ever render a +nation more happy those he whose only wish is to inspire +fear.</p> +<p>The pleasure I received at Berlin was great indeed. When +I went to court, the citizens crowded to see me, and when anyone +among them said, “That is Trenck,” the rest would +cry, “Welcome once more to your country,” while many +would reach me their hands, with the tears standing in their +eyes. Frequent were the scenes I experienced of this +kind. No malefactor would have been so received. It +was the reward of innocence; this reward was bestowed throughout +the Prussian territories.</p> +<p>Oh world, ill-judging world, deceived by show! Dost thou +not blindly follow the opinion of the prince, be he severe, +arbitrary, or just? Thy censure and thy praise equally +originate in common report. In Magdeburg I lay, chained to +the wall, ten years, sighing in wretchedness, every calamity of +hunger, cold, nakedness, and contempt. And wherefore? +Because the King, deceived by slanderers, pronounced me worthy of +punishment. Because a wise King mistook me, and treated me +with barbarity. Because a prudent King knew he had done +wrong, yet would not have it so supposed. So was his heart +turned to stone; nay, opposed by manly fortitude, was enraged to +cruelty. Most men were convinced I was an innocent +sufferer; “Yet did they all cry out the more, saying, let +him be crucified!” My relations were ashamed to hear +my name. My sister was barbarously treated because she +assisted me in my misfortunes. No man durst avow himself my +friend, durst own I merited compassion; or, much less, that the +infallible King had erred. I was the most despised, forlorn +man on earth; and when thus put on the rack, had I there expired, +my epitaph would have been, “Here lies the traitor, +Trenck.”</p> +<p>Frederic is dead, and the scene is changed; another monarch +has ascended the throne, and the grub has changed to a beautiful +butterfly! The witnesses to all I have asserted are still +living, loudly now proclaim the truth, and embrace me with +heart-felt affection.</p> +<p>Does the worth of a man depend upon his actions? his reward or +punishment upon his virtue? In arbitrary states, certainly +not. They depend on the breath of a king! Frederic +was the most penetrating prince of his age, but the most +obstinate also. A vice dreadful to those whom he selected +as victims, who must be sacrificed to the promoting of his +arbitrary views.</p> +<p>How many perished, the sin offerings of Frederic’s +obstinate self-will, whose orphan children now cry to God for +vengeance! The dead, alas! cannot plead. Trial began +and ended with execution. The few words—<span +class="smcap">It is the king’s command</span>—were +words of horror to the poor condemned wretch denied to plead his +innocence! Yet what is the Ukase (Imperial order) in +Russia, <i>Tel est notre bon plaisir</i> (Such is our pleasure) +in France, or the Allergnadigste Hofresolution (The all-gracious +sentence of the court), pronounced with the sweet tone of a +Vienna matron? In what do these differ from the arbitrary +order of a military despot?</p> +<p>Every prayer of man should be consecrated to man’s +general good; for him to obtain freedom and universal +justice! Together should we cry with one voice, and, if +unable to shackle arbitrary power, still should we endeavour to +show how dangerous it is! The priests of liberty should +offer up their thanks to the monarch who declares “the word +of power” a nullity, and “the sentence” of +justice omnipotent.</p> +<p>Who can name the court in Europe where Louis, Peter, or +Frederic, each and all surnamed The Great, have not been, and are +not, imitated as models of perfection? Lettres-de-cachet, +the knout, and cabinet-orders, superseding all right, are become +law!</p> +<p>No reasoning, says the corporal to the poor grenadier, whom he +canes!—No reasoning! exclaim judges; the court has +decided.—No reasoning, rash and pertinacious Trenck, will +the prudent reader echo. Throw thy pen in the fire, and +expose not thyself to become the martyr of a state +inquisition.</p> +<p>My fate is, and must remain, critical and undecided. I +have six-and-thirty years been in the service of Austria, +unrewarded, and beholding the repeated and generous efforts I +made effectually to serve that state, unnoticed. The +Emperor Joseph supposes me old, that the fruit is wasted, and +that the husk only remains. It is also supposed I should +not be satisfied with a little. To continue to oppress him +who has once been oppressed, and who possess qualities that may +make injustice manifest, is the policy of states. My +journey to Berlin has given the slanderer further opportunity of +painting me as a suspicious character: I smile at the ineffectual +attempt.</p> +<p>I appeared in the Imperial uniform and belied such +insinuations. To this purpose it was written to court, in +November, when I went into Hungary, “The motions of Trenck +ought to be observed in Hungary.” Ye poor malicious +blood-suckers of the virtuous! Ye shall not be able to hurt +a hair of my head. Ye cannot injure the man who has sixty +years lived in honour. I will not, in my old age, bring +upon myself the reproach of inconstancy, treachery, or desire of +revenge. I will betray no political secrets: I wish not to +injure those by whom I have been injured.—Such acts I will +never commit. I never yet descended to the office of spy, +nor will I die a rewarded villain.</p> +<p>Yes, I appeared in Berlin among the upright and the +just. Instead of being its supposed enemy, I was declared +an honour to my country. I appeared in the Imperial uniform +and fulfilled the duties of my station: and now must the Prussian +Trenck return to Austria, there to perform a father’s +duty.</p> +<p>Yet more of what happened in Berlin.</p> +<p>Some days after I had been presented to the King, I entreated +a private audience, and on the 12th of February received the +following letter:—</p> +<blockquote><p>“In answer to your letter of the 8th of this +month, I inform you that, if you will come to me to-morrow, at +five o’clock in the afternoon, I shall have the pleasure to +speak with you; meantime, I pray God to take you into his holy +keeping.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">“<span class="smcap">Frederic +William</span>.</p> +<p>“Berlin, Feb. 12, 1787.”</p> +<p>“P.S.—After signing the above, I find it more +convenient to appoint to-morrow, at nine in the morning, about +which time you will come into the apartment named the Marmor +Kammer (marble chamber).”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The anxiety with which I expected this wished-for interview +may well be conceived. I found the Prussian Titus alone, +and he continued in conversation with me more than an hour.</p> +<p>How kind was the monarch! How great! How nobly did +he console me for the past! How entirely did his assurance +of favour overpower my whole soul! He had read the history +of my life. When prince of Prussia, he had been an +eyewitness, in Magdeburg, of my martyrdom, and my attempts to +escape. His Majesty parted from me with tokens of esteem +and condescension.—My eyes bade adieu, but my heart +remained in the marble chamber, in company with a prince capable +of sensations so dignified; and my wishes for his welfare are +eternal.</p> +<p>I have since travelled through the greater part of the +Prussian states. Where is the country in which the people +are all satisfied? Many complained of hard times, or +industry unrewarded. My answer was:—</p> +<p>“Friends, kneel with the rising sun, and thank the God +of heaven that you are Prussians. I have seen and known +much of this world, and I assure you, you are among the happiest +people of Europe. Causes of complaint everywhere exist; but +you have a king, neither obstinate, ambitious, covetous, nor +cruel: his will is that his people should have cause of content, +and should he err by chance, his heart is not to blame if the +subject suffers.”</p> +<p>Prussia is neither wanting in able nor learned men. The +warmth of patriots glows in their veins. Everything remains +with equal stability, as under the reign of Frederic; and should +the thunder burst, the ready conductors will render the shock +ineffectual.</p> +<p>Hertzberg still labours in the cabinet, still thinks, writes, +and acts as he has done for years. The king is desirous +that justice shall be done to his subjects, and will punish, +perhaps, with more severity, whenever he finds himself deceived, +than from the goodness of his disposition, might be +supposed. The treasury is full, the army continues the +same, and there is little reason to doubt but that industry, +population, and wealth will increase. None but the vile and +the wicked would leave the kingdom; while the oppressed and best +subjects of other states would fly from their native country, +certain of finding encouragement and security in Prussia.</p> +<p>The personal qualities of Fredric William merit +description. He is tall and handsome, his mien is majestic, +and his accomplishments of mind and body would procure him the +love of men, were he not a king. He is affable without +deceit, friendly and kind in conversation, and stately when +stateliness is necessary. He is bountiful, but not profuse; +he knows that without economy the Prussian must sink. He is +not tormented by the spirit of conquest, he wishes harm to no +nation, yet he will certainly not suffer other nations to make +encroachments, nor will he be terrified by menaces.</p> +<p>The wise Frederic, when living, though himself learned, and a +lover of the sciences, never encouraged them in his +kingdom. Germany, under his reign, might have forgotten her +language: he preferred the literature of France. +Königsberg, once the seminary of the North, contains, at +present, few professors, or students; the former are fallen into +disrepute, and are ill paid; the latter repair to Leipsic and +Gottingen. We have every reason to suppose the present +monarch, though no studious man himself, will encourage the +academies of the literati, that men learned in jurisprudence and +the sciences may not be wanting: which want is the more to be +apprehended as the nobility must, without exception, serve in the +army, so that learning has but few adherents, and these are +deprived of the means of improvement.</p> +<p>Frederic William is also too much the friend of men to suffer +them to pine in prisons. He abhors the barbarity with which +the soldiers are beaten: his officers will not be fettered hand +and foot; slavish subordination will be banished, and the noble +in heart will be the noble of the land. May he, in his +people, find perfect content! May his people be ever worthy +of such a prince! Long may he reign, and may his ministers +be ever enlightened and honourable men!</p> +<p>He sent for me a second time, conversed much with me, and +confirmed those ideas which my first interview had inspired.</p> +<p>On the 11th of March I presented my son at another audience, +whom I intended for the Prussian service. The King bestowed +a commission on him in the Posadowsky dragoons, at my +request.</p> +<p>I saw him at the review at Velau, and his superior officers +formed great expectations from his zeal. Time will discover +whether he who is in the Austrian, or this in the Prussian +service, will first obtain the rewards due to their father. +Should they both remain unnoticed, I will bestow him on the Grand +Turk, rather than on European courts, whence equity to me and +mine is banished.</p> +<p>To Austria I owe no thanks; all that could be taken from me +was taken. I was a captain before I entered those +territories, and, after six-and-thirty years’ service, I +find myself in the rank of invalid major. The proof of all +I have asserted, and of how little I am indebted to this state is +most incontestable, since the history of my life is allowed by +the royal censor to be publicly sold in Vienna.</p> +<p>It is remarkable that one only of all the eight officers, with +whom I served, in the body guard, in 1745, is dead. +Lieutenant-colonel Count Blumenthal lives in Berlin; Pannewitz is +commander of the Knights of Malta: both gave me a friendly +reception. Wagnitz is lieutenant-general in the service of +Hesse-Cassel; he was my tent comrade, and was acquainted with all +that happened. Kalkreuter and Grethusen live on their +estates, and Jaschinsky is now alive at Königsberg, but +superannuated, and tortured by sickness, and remorse. He, +instead of punishment, has forty years enjoyed a pension of a +thousand rix-dollars. I have seen my lands confiscated, of +the income of which I have been forty-two years deprived, and +never yet received retribution.</p> +<p>Time must decide; the king is generous, and I have too much +pride to become a beggar. The name of Trenck shall be found +in the history of the acts of Frederic. A tyrant himself, +he was the slave of his passions; and even did not think an +inquiry into my innocence worth the trouble. To be ashamed +of doing right, because he has done wrong, or to persist in +error, that fools, and fools only, can think him infallible, is a +dreadful principle in a ruler.</p> +<p>Since I have been at Berlin, and was received there with so +many testimonies of friendship, the newspapers of Germany have +published various articles concerning me, intending to contribute +to my honour or ease. They said my eldest daughter is +appointed the governess of the young Princess. This has +been the joke of some witty correspondent; for my eldest daughter +is but fifteen, and stands in need of a governess herself. +Perhaps they may suppose me mean enough to circulate +falsehood.</p> +<p>I daily receive letters from all parts of Germany, wherein the +sensations of the feeling heart are evident. Among these +letters was one which I received from Bahrdt, Professor at Halle, +dated April 10, 1787 wherein he says, “Receive, noble +German, the thanks of one who, like you, has encountered +difficulties; yet, far inferior to those you have +encountered. You, with gigantic strength, have met a host +of foes, and conquered. The pests of men attacked me +also. From town to town, from land to land, I was pursued +by priestcraft and persecution; yet I acquired fame. I fled +for refuge and repose to the states of Frederic, but found them +not. I have eight years laboured under affliction with +perseverance, but have found no reward. By industry have I +made myself what I am; by ministerial favour, never. Worn +out and weak, the history of your life, worthy sir, fell into my +hands, and poured balsam into my wounds. There I saw +sufferings immeasurably greater; there, indeed, beheld fortitude +most worthy of admiration. Compared to you, of what could I +complain? Receive, noble German, my warmest thanks; while I +live they shall flow. And should you find a fortunate +moment, in the presence of your King, speak of me as one +consigned to poverty; as one whose talents are buried in +oblivion. Say to him—‘Mighty King! stretch +forth thy hand, and dry up his tears.’ I know the +nobleness of your mind, and doubt not your good +wishes.”</p> +<p>To the Professor’s letter I returned the following +answer:—</p> +<blockquote><p>“I was affected, sir, by your letter. +I never yet was unmoved, when the pen was obedient to the +dictates of the heart. I feel for your situation; and if my +example can teach wisdom even to the wise, I have cause to +triumph. This is the sweetest of rewards. At Berlin I +have received much honour, but little more. Men are deaf to +him who confides only in his right. What have I +gained? Shadowy fame for myself, and the vapour of hope for +my heirs!</p> +<p>“Truth and Trenck, my good friend, flourish not in +courts. You complain of priestcraft. He who would +disturb their covetousness, he who speaks against the false +opinions they scatter, considers not priests, and their aim, +which is to dazzle the stupid and stupefy the wise. +Deprecate their wrath! avoid their poisoned shafts, or they will +infect tiny peace: will blast thy honour. And wherefore +should we incur this danger. To cure ignorance of error is +impossible. Let us then silently steal to our graves, and +thus small we escape the breath of envy. He who should +enjoy all even thought could grasp, should yet have but +little. Having acquired this knowledge, the passions of the +soul are lulled to apathy. I behold error, and I laugh; do +thou, my friend, laugh also. If that can comfort us, men +will do our memory justice—when we are dead! Fame +plants her laurels over the grave, and there they flourish +best.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">“<span class="smcap">Baron +Trenck</span></p> +<p>“<i>Schangulach</i>, <i>near Königsberg</i>,<br /> +<i>April</i> 30<i>th</i>, 1787.”</p> +<p>“P.S—I have spoken, worthy Professor, the feelings +of my heart, in answer to your kind panegyric. You will but +do me justice, when you believe I think and act as I write with +respect to my influence at court, it is as insignificant at +Berlin as at Vienna or at Constantinople”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Among the various letters I have received, as it may answer a +good purpose, I hope the reader will not think the insertion of +the following improper.</p> +<p>In a letter from an unknown correspondent, who desired me to +speak for this person at Berlin, eight others were +enclosed. They came from the above person in distress, to +this correspondent: and I was requested to let them appear in the +Berlin Journal. I selected two of them, and here present +them to the world, as it can do me injury, while they describe an +unhappy victim of an extraordinary kind: and may perhaps obtain +him some relief.</p> +<p>Should this hope be verified, I am acquainted with him who +wishes to remain concealed, can introduce him to the knowledge of +such as might wish to interfere in his behalf. Should they +not, the reader will still find them well-written and affecting +letters; such as may inspire compassion. The following is +the first of those I selected.</p> +<h3>LETTER I</h3> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: right">“<i>Neuland</i>, +<i>Feb</i> 12<i>th</i>, 1787.</p> +<p>“I thought I had so satisfactorily answered you by my +last, that you would have left me in peaceful possession of my +sorrows! but your remarks, entreaties, and remonstrances, succeed +each other with such rapidity, that I am induced to renew the +contest. Cowardice, I believe, you are convinced, is not a +native in my heart, and should I now yield, you might suppose +that age and the miseries I have suffered, had weakened my powers +of mind as well as body; and that I ought to have been classed +among the unhappy multitudes whose sufferings have sunk them to +despondency.</p> +<p>“Baron Trenck, that man of many woes, once so despised, +but who now is held in admiration, where he was before so much +the object of hatred; who now speaks so loudly in his own +defence, where, formerly, the man who had but whispered his name +would have lived suspected; Baron Trenck you propose as an +example of salvation for me. You are wrong. Have you +considered how dissimilar our past lives have been; how +different, too, are our circumstances? Or, omitting these, +have you considered to whom you would have me appeal?</p> +<p>“In 1767, I became acquainted, in Vienna, with this +sufferer of fortitude, this agreeable companion. We are +taught that a noble aspect bespeaks a corresponding mind; this I +believe him to possess. But what expectations can I form +from Baron Trenck?</p> +<p>“I will briefly answer the questions you have put. +Baron Trenck was a man born to inherit great estates; this and +the fire of his youth, fanned by flattering hopes from his famous +kinsman, rendered him too haughty to his King; and this alone was +the origin of all his future sufferings. I, on the +contrary, though the son of a Silesian nobleman of property, did +not inherit so much as the pay of a common soldier; the family +having been robbed by the hand of power, after being accused by +wickedness under the mask of virtue. You know my +father’s fate, the esteem in which he was held by the +Empress Theresa; and that a pretended miracle was the occasion of +his fall. Suddenly was he plunged from the height to which +industry, talents, and virtue had raised him, to the depth of +poverty. At length, at the beginning of the seven +years’ war, one of the King of Prussia’s subjects +represented him to the Austrian court as a dangerous +correspondent of Marshal Schwerin’s. Then at sixty +years of age, my father was seized at Jagerndorf, and imprisoned +in the fortress of Gratz, in Styria. He had an allowance +just sufficient to keep him alive in his dungeon; but, for the +space of seven years, never beheld the sun rise or set. I +was a boy when this happened, however, I was not heard. I +only received some pecuniary relief from the Empress, with +permission to shed my blood in her defence. In this +situation we first vowed eternal friendship; but from this I soon +was snatched by my father’s enemies. What the Empress +had bestowed, her ministers tore from me. I was seized at +midnight, and was brought, in company with two other officers, to +the fortress of Gratz. Here I remained immured six +years. My true name was concealed, and another given +me.</p> +<p>“Peace being restored, Trenck, I, and my father were +released; but the mode of our release was very different. +The first obtained his freedom at the intercession of Theresa, +she, too, afforded him a provision. We, on the contrary, +according to the amnesty, stipulated in the treaty of peace, were +led from our dungeons as state prisoners, without inquiry +concerning the verity or falsehood of our crimes. Extreme +poverty, wretchedness, and misery, were our reward for the +sufferings we had endured.</p> +<p>“Not only was my health destroyed, but my jawbone was +lost, eaten away by the scurvy. I laid before Frederic the +Great the proofs of the calamities I had undergone, and the +dismal state to which I was reduced, by his foe, and for his +sake; entreated bread to preserve me and my father from starving, +but his ear was deaf to my prayer, his heart insensible to my +sighs.</p> +<p>“Providence, however, raised me up a +saviour,—Count Gellhorn was the man. After the taking +of Breslau, he had been also sent a state prisoner to +Gratz. During his imprisonment, he had heard the report of +my sufferings and my innocence. No sooner did he learn I +was released, than he became my benefactor, my friend, and +restored me to the converse of men, to which I had so long been +dead.</p> +<p>“I defer the continuance of my narrative to the next +post. The remembrance of past woes inflict new ones. +I am eternally.”</p> +</blockquote> +<h3>LETTER II.</h3> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: right">“<i>February</i> +24, 1787.</p> +<p>“Dear Friend,—After an interval of silence, +remembering my promise, I again continue my story.</p> +<p>“My personal sufferings have not been less than those of +Trenck. His, I am acquainted with only from the inaccurate +relations I have heard: my own I have felt. A colonel in +the Prussian service, whose name was Hallasch, was four years my +companion; he was insane, and believed himself the Christ that +was to appear at the millennium: he persecuted me with his +reveries, which I was obliged to listen to, and approve, or +suffer violence from one stronger than myself.</p> +<p>“The society of men or books, everything that could +console or amuse, were forbidden me; and I considered it as +wonderful that I did not myself grow mad, in the company of this +madman. Four hard winters I existed without feeling the +feeble emanation of a winter sun, much less the warmth of +fire. The madman felt more pity than my keeper, and lent me +his cloak to cover my body, though the other denied me a truss of +straw, notwithstanding I had lost the use of my hands and +feet. The place where we were confined was called a +chamber; it rather resembled the temple of Cloacina. The +noxious damps and vapours so poisoned my blood that an unskilful +surgeon, who tortured me during nine months, with insult as a +Prussian traitor, and state criminal, I lost the greatest part of +my jaw.</p> +<p>“Schottendorf was our governor and tyrant; a man who +repaid the friendship he found in the mansion of my +fathers—with cruelty. He was ripe for the sickle, and +Time cut him off. Tormentini and Galer were his successors +in office, by them we were carefully watched, but we were treated +with commiseration. Their precautions rendered imprisonment +less wretched. Ever shall I hold their memory sacred. +Yet, benevolent as they were, their goodness was exceeded by that +of Rottensteiner, the head gaoler. He considered his +prisoners as his children; and he was their benefactor. Of +this I had experience, during two years after the release of +Hallasch.</p> +<p>“Here I but cursorily describe misery, at which the +monarch shall shudder, if the blood of a tyrant flow not in his +veins. Theresa could not wish these things. But she +was fallible, and not omniscient.</p> +<p>“From the above narrative, you will perceive how +opposite the effects must be which the histories of Baron Trenck +and of myself must produce.</p> +<p>“Trenck left his dungeon shielded from contempt; the day +of freedom was the day of triumph. I, on the contrary, was +exposed to every calamity. The spirit of Trenck again +raised itself. I have laboured many a night that I might +neither beg nor perish the following day: working for judges who +neither knew law nor had powers of mind to behold the beauty of +justice: settling accounts that, item after item, did not prove +that the lord they were intended for, was an imbecile dupe.</p> +<p>“Trenck remembers his calamities, but the remembrance is +advantageous to himself and his family; while with me, the past +did but increase, did but agonise, the present and the +future. He was not like me, obliged to crouch in presence +of those vulgar, those incapable minds, that do but consider the +bent back as the footstool of pride. Every man is too busy +to act in behalf of others; pity me therefore, but advise me not +to hope assistance, by petitioning princes at second hand. +I know your good wishes, and, for these, I have nothing to return +but barren thanks.—I am, &c.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The reasons why I published the foregoing letters are already +stated, and will appear satisfactory to the reader. Once +more to affairs that concern myself.</p> +<p>I met at Berlin many old friends of both sexes; among others, +an aged invalid came to see me, who was at Glatz, in 1746, when I +cut my way through the guard. He was one of the sentinels +before my door, whom I had thrown down the stairs.</p> +<p>The hour of quitting Berlin, and continuing my journey into +Prussia, towards Königsberg, approached. On the eve of +my departure, I had the happiness of conversing with her Royal +Highness the Princess Amelia, sister of Frederic the Great. +She protected me in my hour of adversity; heaped benefits upon +me, and contributed to gain my deliverance. She received me +as a friend, as an aged patriot; and laid her commands upon me to +write to my wife, and request that she would come to Berlin, in +the month of June, with her two eldest daughters. I +received her promise that the happiness of the latter should be +her care; nay, that she would remember my wife in her will.</p> +<p>At this moment, when about to depart, she asked me if I had +money sufficient for my journey: “Yes, madam,” was my +reply; “I want nothing, ask nothing; but may you remember +my children!”</p> +<p>The deep feeling with which I pronounced these words moved the +princess; she showed me how she comprehended my meaning, and +said, “Return, my friend, quickly: I shall be most happy to +see you.”</p> +<p>I left the room: a kind of indecision came over me. I +was inclined to remain longer at Berlin. Had I done so, my +presence would have been of great advantage to my children. +Alas! under the guidance of my evil genius, I began my +journey. The purpose for which I came to Berlin was +frustrated: for after my departure, the Princess Amelia died!</p> +<p>Peace be to thy ashes, noble princess! Thy will was +good, and be that sufficient. I shall not want materials to +write a commentary on the history of Frederic, when, in company +with thee, I shall wander on the banks of Styx; there the events +that happened on this earth may be written without danger.</p> +<p>So proceed we with our story.</p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<p>On the 22nd of March I pursued my journey to Königsberg, +but remained two days at the court of the Margrave of +Brandenburg, where I was received with kindness. The +Margrave had bestowed favours on me, during my imprisonment at +Magdeburg.</p> +<p>I departed thence through Soldin to Schildberg, here to visit +my relation Sidau, who had married the daughter of my sister, +which daughter my sister had by her first husband, Waldow, of +whom I have before spoken. I found my kinsman a worthy man, +and one who made the daughter of an unfortunate sister +happy. I was received at his house within open arms; and, +for the first time after an interval of two-and-forty years, +beheld one of my own relations.</p> +<p>On my journey thither, I had the pleasure to meet with +Lieutenant-General Kowalsky: This gentleman was a lieutenant in +the garrison of Glatz, in 1745, and was a witness of my leap from +the wall of the rampart. He had read my history, some of +the principal facts of which he was acquainted with. Should +anyone therefore doubt concerning those incidents, I may refer to +him, whose testimony cannot be suspected.</p> +<p>From Schildberg I proceeded to Landsberg, on the Warta. +Here I found my brother-in-law, Colonel Pape, commander of the +Gotz dragoons, and the second husband of my deceased sister: and +here I passed a joyous day. Everybody congratulated me on +my return into my country.</p> +<p>I found relations in almost every garrison. Never did +man receive more marks of esteem throughout a kingdom. The +knowledge of my calamities procured me sweet consolation; and I +were insensible indeed, and ungrateful, did my heart remain +unmoved on occasions like these.</p> +<p>In Austria I never can expect a like reception; I am there +mistaken, and I feel little inclination to labour at removing +mistakes so rooted. Yet, even there am I by the general +voice, approved. Yes, I am admired, but not known; pitied +but not supported; honoured, but not rewarded.</p> +<p>When at Berlin, I discovered an error I had committed in the +commencement of my life. At the time I wrote I believed +that the postmaster-general of Berlin, Mr Derschau, was my +mother’s brother, and the same person who, in 1742, was +grand counsellor at Glogau, and afterwards, president in East +Friesland. I was deceived; the Derschau who is my +mother’s brother is still living, and president at Aurich +in East Friesland. The postmaster was the son of the old +Derschau who died a general, and who was only distantly related +to my mother. Neither is the younger Derschau, who is the +colonel of a regiment at Burg, the brother of my mother, but only +her first cousin; one of their sisters married Lieut.-Colonel +Ostau, whose son, the President Ostau, now lives on his own +estate, at Lablack in Prussia.</p> +<p>I was likewise deceived in having suspected a lieutenant, +named Mollinie, in the narrative I gave of my flight from Glatz, +of having acted as a spy upon me at Braunau, and of having sent +information to General Fouquet. I am sorry. This +honest man is still alive, a captain in Brandenburg. He was +affected at my suspicion, fully justified himself, and here I +publicly apologise. He then was, and again is become my +friend.</p> +<p>I have received a letter from one Lieutenant Brodowsky. +This gentleman is offended at finding his mother’s name in +my narrative, and demands I should retract my words.</p> +<p>My readers will certainly allow the virtue of Madame +Brodowsky, at Elbing, is not impeached. Although I have +said I had the fortune to be beloved by her, I have nowhere +intimated that I asked, or that she granted, improper +favours.</p> +<p>By the desire of a person of distinction, I shall insert an +incident which I omitted in a former part. This person was +an eye-witness of the incident I am about to relate, at +Magdeburg, and reminded me of the affair. It was my last +attempt but one at flight.</p> +<p>The circumstances were these:—</p> +<p>As I found myself unable to get rid of more sand, after having +again cut through the planking, and mined the foundation, I made +a hole towards the ditch, in which three sentinels were +stationed. This I executed one night, it being easy, from +the lightness of the sand, to perform the work in two hours.</p> +<p>No sooner had I broken through, than I threw one of my +slippers beside the palisades, that it might be supposed I had +lost it when climbing over them. These palisades, twelve +feet in length, were situated in the front of the principal +fosse, and my sentinels stood within. There was no +sentry-box at the place where I had broken through.</p> +<p>This done, I returned into my prison, made another hole under +the planking, where I could hide myself, and stopped up the +passage behind me, so that it was not probable I could be seen or +found.</p> +<p>When daylight came, the sentinel saw the hole and gave the +alarm, the slipper was found, and it was concluded that Trenck +had escaped over the palisades, and was no longer in prison.</p> +<p>Immediately the sub-governor came from Magdeburg, the guns +were fired, the horse scoured the country, and the subterranean +passages were all visited: no tidings came; no discovery was +made, and the conclusion was I had escaped. That I should +fly without the knowledge of the sentinels, was deemed +impossible; the officer, and all the guard, were put under +arrest, and everybody was surprised.</p> +<p>I, in the meantime, sat quiet in my hole, where I heard their +searches, and suppositions that I was gone.</p> +<p>My heart bounded with joy, and I held escape to be +indubitable. They would not place sentinels over the prison +the following night, and I should then really have left my place +of concealment, and, most probably have safely arrived in +Saxony. My destiny, however, robbed me of all hope at the +very moment when I supposed the greatest of my difficulties were +conquered.</p> +<p>Everything seemed to happen as I could wish. The whole +garrison came, and visited the casemates, and all stood +astonished at the miracle they beheld. In this state things +remained till four o’clock in the afternoon. At +length, an ensign of the militia came, a boy of about fifteen or +sixteen years of age, who had more wit than any or all of +them. He approached the hole, examined the aperture next +the fosse, thought it appeared small, tried to enter it himself, +found he could not, therefore concluded it was impossible a man +of my size could have passed through, and accordingly called for +a light.</p> +<p>This was an accident I had not foreseen. Half stifled in +my hole, I had opened the canal under the planking. No +sooner had the youth procured a light, than he perceived my +shirt, examined nearer, felt about, and laid hold of me by the +arm. The fox was caught, and the laugh was universal. +My confusion may easily be imagined. They all came round +me, paid me their compliments, and finding nothing better was to +be done, I laughed in company with them, and, thus laughing was +led back with an aching heart to be sorrowfully enchained in my +dungeon.</p> +<p>I continued my journey, and arrived, on the fourth of April, +at Königsberg, where my brother expected my arrival. +We embraced as brothers must, after the absence of two-and-forty +years. Of all the brothers and sisters I had left in this +city, he only remained. He lived a retired and peaceable +life on his own estates. He had no children living. I +continued a fortnight within him and his wife.</p> +<p>Here, for the first time, I learned what had happened to my +relations, during their absence. The wrath of the Great +Frederic extended itself to all my family. My second +brother was an ensign in the regiment of cuirassiers at Kiow, in +1746, when I first incurred disgrace from the King. Six +years he served, fought at three battles, but, because his name +was Trenck, never was promoted. Weary of expectation he +quitted the army, married, and lived on his estates at Meicken, +where he died about three years ago, and left two sons, who are +an honour to the family of the Trencks.</p> +<p>Fame spoke him a person capable of rendering the state +essential service, as a military man; but he was my brother, and +the King would never suffer his name to be mentioned.</p> +<p>My youngest brother applied himself to the sciences; it was +proposed that he should receive some civil employment, as he was +an intelligent and well-informed man; but the King answered in +the margin of the petition,</p> +<blockquote><p>“No Trenck is good for anything.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Thus have all my family suffered, because of my unjust +condemnation. My last-mentioned brother chose the life of a +private man, and lived at his ease, in independence, among the +first people of the kingdom. The hatred of the monarch +extended itself to my sister, who had married the son of General +Waldow, and lived in widowhood, from the year 1749, to her second +marriage. The misfortunes of this woman, in consequence of +the treachery of Weingarten, and the aid she sent to me in my +prison at Magdeburg, I have before related. She was +possessed of the fine estate of Hammer, near Landsberg on the +Warta. The Russian army changed the whole face of the +country, and laid it desert. She fled to Custrin, where +everything was destroyed during the siege. The Prussian +army also demolished the fine forests.</p> +<p>After the war, the King assisted all the ruined families of +Brandenburg; she alone obtained nothing, because she was my +sister. She petitioned the King, who repined she must seek +for redress from her dear brother. She died, in the flower +of her age, a short time after she had married her second +husband, the present Colonel Pape: her son, also, died last +year. He was captain in the regiment of the Gotz +dragoons. Thus were all my brothers and sisters punished +because they were mine. Could it be believed that the great +Frederic would revenge himself on the children and the +children’s children? Was it not sufficient that he +should wreak his wrath on my head alone? Why has the name +of Trenck been hateful to him, to the very hour of his death?</p> +<p>One Derschau, captain of horse, and brother of my mother, +addressed himself to the King, in 1753, alleging he was my +nearest relation and feudal heir, and petitioned that he would +bestow on him my confiscated estates of Great Sharlack. The +King demanded that the necessary proofs should be sent from the +chamber at Königsberg. He was uninformed that I had +two brothers living, that Great Sharlack was an ancient family +inheritance, and that it appertained to my brothers, and not to +Derschau. My brothers then announced themselves as the +successors to this fief, and the King bestowed on them the estate +of Great Sharlack conformable to the feudal laws. That it +might be properly divided, it was put up to auction, and bought +by the youngest of my brothers, who paid surplus to the other, +and to my sister. He likewise paid debts charged upon it, +according to the express orders of the court. The persons +who called themselves my creditors were impostors, for I had no +creditors; I was but nineteen when my estates were confiscated, +consequently was not of age. By what right therefore, could +such debts be demanded or paid? Let them explain this who +can.</p> +<p>The same thing happened when an account was given in to the +Fiscus of the guardianship, although I acknowledge my guardians +were men of probity. One of them was eight years in +possession, and when he gave it up to my brothers he did not +account with them for a single shilling. At present, +therefore, the affair stands thus:—Frederic William has +taken off the sentence of confiscation, and ordered me to be put +in possession of my estates, by a gracious rescript: empowered by +this I come and demand restitution; my brother answers, “I +have bought and paid for the estate, am the legal possessor, have +improved it so much that Great Sharlack, at present, is worth +three or four times the sum it was at the time of +confiscation. Let the Fiscus pay me its actual value, and +then let them bestow it on whom they please. If the +reigning king gives what his predecessor sold to me, I ought not +thereby to be a loser.”</p> +<p>This is a problem which the people of Berlin must +resolve. My brother has no children, and, without going to +law, will bequeath Great Sharlack to mine, when he shall happen +to die. If he is forced in effect to restore it without +being reimbursed, the King instead of granting a favour, has not +done justice. I do not request any restitution like this, +since such restitution would be made without asking it as a +favour of the King. If his Majesty takes off the +confiscation because he is convinced it was originally violent +and unjust, then have I a right to demand the rents of +two-and-forty years. This I am to require from the Fiscus, +not from my brother. And should the Fiscus only restore me +the price for which it then sold, it would commit a manifest +injustice, since all estates in the province of Prussia have, +since 1746, tripled and quadrupled their value. If the +estates descend only to my children after my death, I receive +neither right nor favour; for, in this case, I obtain nothing for +myself, and shall remain deprived of the rents, which, as the +estate is at present farmed by my brother amount to four thousand +rix-dollars per annum. This estate cannot be taken from him +legally, since he enjoys it by right of purchase.</p> +<p>Such is the present state of the business. How the +monarch shall think proper to decide, will be seen +hereafter. I have demanded of the Fiscus that it shall make +a fair valuation of Great Sharlack, reimburse my brother, and +restore it to me. My brother has other estates. These +he will dispose of by testament, according to his good +pleasure. Be these things as they may, the purpose of my +journey is accomplished.</p> +<p>Thou, great God, has preserved me amidst my trouble. The +purest gratitude penetrates my heart. Oh, that thou wouldst +shield man from arbitrary power, and banish despotism from the +earth!</p> +<p>May this my narration be a lesson to the afflicted, afford +hope to the despairing, fortitude to the wavering, and humanise +the hearts of kings. Joyfully do I journey to the shores of +death. My conscience is void of reproach, posterity shall +bless my memory, and only the unfeeling, the wicked, the +confessor of princes and the pious impostor, shall vent their +rage against my writings. My mind is desirous of repose, +and should this be denied me, still I will not murmur. I +now wish to steal gently towards that last asylum, whither if I +had gone in my youth, it must have been with colours +flying. Grant, Almighty God, that the prayer I this day +make may be heard, and that such may be the conclusion of my +eventful life!</p> +<h2>HISTORY OF<br /> +FRANCIS BARON TRENCK.<br /> +WRITTEN BY<br /> +FREDERICK BARON TRENCK,<br /> +AS A NECESSARY SUPPLEMENT TO HIS OWN HISTORY.</h2> +<p>Francis Baron Trenck was born in 1714, in Calabria, a province +of Sicily. His father was then a governor and +lieutenant-colonel there, and died in 1743, at Leitschau, in +Hungary, lord of the rich manors of Prestowacz, Pleternitz, and +Pakratz, in Sclavonia, and other estates in Hungary. His +christian name was John; he was my father’s brother, and +born in Königsberg in Prussia.</p> +<p>The name of his mother was Kettler; she was born in +Courland. Trenck was a gentleman of ancient family; and his +grandfather, who was mine also, was of Prussia. His father, +who had served Austria to the age of sixty-eight, a colonel, and +bore those wounds to his grave which attested his valour.</p> +<p>Francis Baron Trenck was his only son; he had attained the +rank of colonel during his father’s life, and served with +distinction in the army of Maria Theresa. The history of +his life, which he published in 1747, when he was under +confinement at Vienna, is so full of minute circumstances, and so +poorly written, that I shall make but little use of it. +Here I shall relate only what I have heard from his enemies +themselves, and what I have myself seen. His father, a bold +and daring soldier, idolised his only son, and wholly neglected +his education, so that the passions of this son were most +unbridled. Endowed with extraordinary talents, this ardent +youth was early allowed to indulge the impetuous fire of his +constitution. Moderation was utterly unknown to him, and +good fortune most remarkably favoured all his enterprises. +These were numerous, undertaken from no principle of virtue, nor +actuated by any motives of morality. The love of money, and +the desire of fame, were the passions of his soul. To his +warlike inclination was added the insensibility of a heart +natively wicked: and he found himself an actor, on the great +scene of life, at a time when the earth was drenched with human +gore, and when the sword decided the fate of nations: hence this +chief of pandours, this scourge of the unprotected, became an +iron-hearted enemy, a ferocious foe of the human race, a +formidable enemy in private life, and a perfidious friend.</p> +<p>Constitutionally sanguinary, addicted to pleasures, sensual, +and brave; he was unappeased when affronted, prompt to act, in +the moment of danger circumspect, and, when under the dominion of +anger, cruel even to fury; irreconcilable, artful, fertile in +invention, and ever intent on great projects. When youth +and beauty inspired love, he then became supple, insinuating, +amiable, gentle, respectful; yet, ever excited by pride, each +conquest gave but new desires of adding another slave over whom +he might domineer; and, whenever he encountered resistance, he +then even ceased to be avaricious. A prudent and +intelligent woman, turning this part of his character to +advantage, might have formed this man to virtue, probity, and the +love of the human race: but, from his infancy, his will had never +suffered restraint, and he thought nothing impossible. As a +soldier, he was bold even to temerity; capable of the most +hazardous enterprise, and laughing at the danger he +provoked. His projects were the more elevated because the +acquirement of renown was the intent of all his actions. In +council he was dangerous; everything must be conceded to his +views. To him the means by which his end was to be obtained +were indifferent.</p> +<p>The Croats at this time were undisciplined, prone to rapine, +thirsting for human blood, and only taught obedience by violence; +these had been the companions of his infancy: these he undertook +to subject, by servitude and fear, to military subordination, and +from banditti to make them soldiers.</p> +<p>With respect to his exterior, Nature had been prodigal of her +favours. His height was six feet three inches, and the +symmetry of his limbs was exact; his form was upright, his +countenance agreeable, yet masculine, and his strength almost +incredible. He could sever the head from the body of the +largest ox with one stroke of his sabre, and was so adroit at +this Turkish practice, that he at length could behead men in the +manner boys do nettles. In the latter years of his life, +his aspect had become terrible; for, during the Bavarian war, he +had been scorched by the explosion of a powder-barrel, and ever +after his face remained scarred and impregnated with black +spots. In company he rendered himself exceedingly +agreeable, spoke seven languages fluently, was jocular, possessed +wit, and in serious conversation, understanding; had learned +music, sung with taste, and had a good voice, so that he might +have been well paid as an actor, had that been his fate. He +could even, when so disposed, become gentle and complaisant.</p> +<p>His look told the man of observation that he was cunning and +choleric; and his wrath was terrible. He was ever +suspicious, because he judged others by himself. +Self-interest and avarice constituted his ruling passion, and, +whenever he had an opportunity of increasing his wealth, he +disregarded the duties of religion, the ties of honour, and human +pity. In the thirty-first year of his age, when he was +possessed of nearly two millions, he did not expend a florin per +day.</p> +<p>As he and his pandours always led the van, and as he thence +had an opportunity to ravage the enemy’s country, at the +head of troops addicted to rapine, we must not wonder that +Bavaria, Silesia, and Alsatia were so plundered. He alone +purchased the booty from his troops at a low price, and this he +sent by water to his own estates. If any one of his +officers had made a rich capture, Trenck instantly became his +enemy. He was sent on every dangerous expedition till he +fell, and the colonel became his universal heir, for Trenck +appropriated all he could to himself. He was reputed to be +a man most expert in military science, an excellent engineer, and +to possess an exact eye in estimating heights and +distances. In all enterprises he was first; inured to +fatigue, his iron body could support it without +inconvenience. Nothing escaped his vigilance, all was +turned to account, and what valour could not accomplish, cunning +supplied. His pride suffered him not to incur an +obligation, and thus he was unthankful; his actions all centred +in self, and as he was remarkably fortunate in whatever he +undertook, he ascribed even that, which accident gave, to +foresight and genius.</p> +<p>Yet was he ever, as an officer, a most useful and inestimable +man to the state. His respect for his sovereign, and his +zeal in her service, were unbounded; whenever her glory was at +stake, he devoted himself her victim. This I assert to be +truth: I knew him well. Of little consequence is it to me, +whether the historians of Maria Theresa have, or have not, +misrepresented his talents and the fame he deserved.</p> +<p>The life of Trenck I write for the following reasons. He +had the honour first to form, and command, regular troops, raised +in Sclavonia. The soldiers acquired glory under their +leader, and sustained the tottering power of Austria: they made +libations of their blood in its defence, as did Trenck, in +various battles. He served like a brave warrior, with zeal, +loyalty, and effect. The vile persecutions of his enemies +at Vienna, with whom he refused to share the plunder he had made, +lost him honour, liberty, and not only the personal property he +had acquired, but likewise the family patrimony in Hungary. +He died like a malefactor, illegally sentenced to imprisonment; +and knaves have affirmed, and fools have believed, and believe +still, he took the King of Prussia prisoner, and that he granted +him freedom in consequence of a bribe. So have the loyal +Hungarians been led to suppose that an Hungarian had really been +a traitor.</p> +<p>By my writings, I wish to prove to this noble nation on the +contrary, that Trenck, for his loyalty deserved compassion, +esteem, and honour in his country. This I have already done +in the former part of my history. The dead Trenck can speak +no more; but it is the duty of the living ever to speak in +defence of right.</p> +<p>Trenck wrote his own history while he was confined in the +arsenal at Vienna; and, in the last two sheets he openly related +the manner in which he had been treated by the council of war, of +which Count Loewenwalde, his greatest enemy, was president. +The count, however, found supporters too powerful, and these +sheets were torn from the book and publicly burnt at +Vienna. Defence after this became impossible: he groaned +under the grip of his adversaries.</p> +<p>I have given a literal copy of these sheets in the first part +of this history; and I again repeat I am able to prove the truth +of what is there asserted, by the acts, proceedings, and judicial +registers which are in my possession. He was confined in +the Spielberg, because much was to be dreaded from an injured +man, whom they knew capable of the most desperate +enterprises. He died defenceless, the sacrifice of iniquity +and unjust judges. He died, and his honour remained +unprotected. I am by duty his defender: although he expired +my personal enemy, the author of nearly all the ills I have +suffered. I came to the knowledge of his persecutors too +late for the unfortunate Trenck. And who are those who have +divided his spoils—who slew him that they might fatten +themselves? Your titles have been paid for from the coffers +of Trenck! Yet neither can your cabals, your wealthy +protectors, your own riches, nor your credit at court, deprive me +of the right of vindicating his fame.</p> +<p>I have boldly written, have openly shown, that Trenck was +pillaged by you; that he served the house of Austria as a worthy +man, with zeal; not in court-martials and committees of inquiry, +but fighting for his country, sharing the soldier’s glory, +falling the victim of envy and power; falling by the hands of +those who are unworthy of judging merit. He take the King +of Prussia! They might as well say he took the Emperor of +Morocco.</p> +<p>Yes, he is dead. But should any man dare affirm that the +Hungarian or the Prussian Trenck were capable of treason, that +either of them merited punishment for having betrayed their +country, he will not have long to seek before he will be informed +that he has done us both injustice. After this preface, I +shall continue my narrative on the plan I proposed. Trenck, +the father, was a miser, yet a well-meaning man. Trenck the +son, was a youthful soldier, who stood in need of money to +indulge his pleasures. Many curious pranks he played, when +an ensign in I know not what regiment of foot. He went to +one of the collectors of his father’s rents, and demanded +money; the collector refused to give him any, and Trenck clove +his skull with his sabre. A prosecution was entered against +him, but, war breaking out in 1756, between the Russians and the +Turks, he raised a squadron of hussars, and went with it into the +Russian service, contrary to the will of his father.</p> +<p>In this war he distinguished himself highly, and acquired the +protection of Field-marshal Munich. He was so successful as +a leader against the Tartars, that he became very famous in the +army, and at the end of the campaign, was appointed major.</p> +<p>It happened that flying parties of Turks approached his +regiment when on march, and Trenck seeing a favourable moment for +attacking them, went to Colonel Rumin, desiring the regiment +might be led to the charge, and that they might profit by so fair +an opportunity. The colonel answered, “I have no such +orders.” Trenck then demanded permission to charge +the Turks only with his own squadron; but this was refused. +He became furious, for he had never been acquainted with +contradiction or subordination, and cried aloud to the soldiers, +“If there be one brave man among you, let him follow +me.” About two hundred stepped from the ranks; he put +himself at their head, routed the enemy, made a horrible carnage, +and returned intoxicated with joy, accompanied by prisoners, and +loaded with dissevered heads. Once more arrived in presence +of the regiment, he attacked the colonel, treated him like the +rankest coward, called him opprobrious names, without the other +daring to make the least resistance. The adventure, +however, became known; Trenck was arrested, and ordered to be +tried. His judges condemned him to be shot, and the day was +appointed, but the evening before execution, Field-marshal Munich +passed near the tent in which he was confined, Trenck saw him, +came forward, and said, “Certainly your excellency will not +suffer a foreign cavalier to die an ignominious death because he +has chastised a cowardly Russian! If I must die, at least +give me permission to saddle my horse, and with my sabre in my +hand, let me fall surrounded by the enemy.”</p> +<p>The Tartars happened to be at this time harassing the advanced +posts; the Field-marshal shrugged his shoulders, and was +silent. Trenck, not discouraged, added, “I will +undertake to bring your excellency three heads or lose my +own. Will you, if I do, be pleased to grant me my +pardon?” The Field-marshal replied, +“Yes.” The horse of Trenck was brought: he +galloped to the enemy, and returned within four heads knotted to +the horse’s mane, himself only slightly wounded in the +shoulder. Munich immediately appointed him major in another +regiment. Various and almost incredible were his feats: +among others, a Tartar ran him through the belly with his lance: +Trenck grasped the projecting end with his hands, exerted his +prodigious strength, broke the lance, set spurs to his horse, and +happily escaped. Of this wound, dreadful as it was, he was +soon cured. I myself have seen the two scars, and can +affirm the fact; I also learned this, and many others in 1746, +from officers who had served in the same army.</p> +<p>During this campaign he behaved with great honour, was wounded +by an arrow in the leg, and gained the affection of Field-marshal +Munich, but excited the envy of all the Russians. Towards +the conclusion of the war he had a new misfortune; his regiment +was incommoded on all sides by the enemy: he entreated his +colonel, for leave to attack them. The colonel was once +more a Russian, and he was refused. Trenck gave him a blow, +and called aloud to the soldiers to follow him. They +however being Russians, remained motionless, and he was put under +arrest. The court-martial sentenced him to death, and all +hope of reprieve seemed over. The general would have +granted his pardon, but as he was himself a foreigner, he was +fearful of offending the Russians. The day of execution +came, and he was led to the place of death, Munich so contrived +it that Field-marshal Löwenthal should pass by, at this +moment, in company within his lady. Trenck profited by the +opportunity, spoke boldly, and prevailed. A reprieve was +requested, and the sentence was changed into banishment and +labour in Siberia.</p> +<p>Trenck protested against this sentence. The +Field-marshal wrote to Petersburg, and an order came that he +should be broken, and conducted out of the Russian +territories. This order was executed, and he returned into +Hungary to his father. At this period he espoused the +daughter of Field-marshal Baron Tillier, one of the first +families in Switzerland. The two brothers of his wife each +became lieutenant-general, one of whom died honourably during the +seven years’ war. The other was made +commander-general in Croatia, where he is still living, and is at +the head of a regiment of infantry that bears his name. +Trenck did not live long with his lady. She was pregnant, +and he took her to hunt with him in a marsh: she returned ill, +and died without leaving him an heir.</p> +<p>Having no opportunity to indulge his warlike inclination, +because of the general peace, he conceived the project of +extirpating the Sclavonian banditti.</p> +<p>Trenck, to execute this enterprise, employed his own +pandours. The contest now commenced and activity and +courage were necessary to ensure success in such a war. +Trenck seemed born for this murderous trade. Day and night +he chased them like wild beasts, killing now one, then another, +and without distinction, treating them with the utmost +barbarity.</p> +<p>Two incidents will sufficiently paint the character of this +unaccountable man. He had impaled alive the father of a +Harum-Bashaw. One evening he was going on patrol, along the +banks of a brook, which separated two provinces. On the +opposite shore was the son of this impaled father, with his +Croats. It was moonlight, and the latter called +aloud—“I heard thy voice, Trenck! Thou hast +impaled my father! If thou hast a heart in thy body, come +hither over the bridge, I will send away my followers; leave thy +firearms, come only with thy sabre, and we will then see who +shall remain the victor.” The agreement was +made—and the Harum-Bashaw sent away his Croats, and laid +down his musket. Trenck passed the wooden bridge, both drew +their sabres; but Trenck treacherously killed his adversary with +a pistol, that he had concealed, after which he severed his head +from his body, took it with him, and stuck it upon a pole.</p> +<p>One day, when hunting, he heard music in a lone house which +belonged to one of his vassals. He was thirsty, entered, +and found the guests seated at table. He sat down and ate +within them, not knowing this was a rendezvous for the +banditti. As he was seated opposite the door, he saw two +Harum-Bashaws enter. His musket stood in a corner; he was +struck with terror, but one of them addressed him +thus:—“Neither thee, nor thy vassals, Trenck, have we +ever injured, yet thou dost pursue us with cruelty. Eat thy +fill. When thou hast satisfied thy hunger, we will then, +sabre in thy hand, see who has most justice on his side, and +whether thou art as courageous as men speak thee.”</p> +<p>Hereupon they sat down and began to eat and drink and make +merry. The situation of Trenck could not be very +pleasant. He recollected that besides these, there might be +more of their companions, without, ready to fall upon him; he, +therefore, privately drew his pistols, held them under the table +while he cocked them, presented each hand to the body of a +Harum-Bashaw, fired them both at the same instant, overset the +table on the guests, and escaped from the house. As he went +he had time to seize on one of their muskets, which was standing +at the door. One of the Croats was left weltering in his +blood; the other disengaged himself from the table, and ran after +Trenck, who suffered him to approach, killed him within his own +gun, struck off his head and brought it home in triumph. By +this action the banditti were deprived of their two most valorous +chiefs.</p> +<p>War broke out about this time, in 1740, when all the +Hungarians took up arms in defence of their beloved queen. +Trenck offered to raise a free corps of pandours, and requested +an amnesty for the banditti who should join his troops. His +request was granted, he published the amnesty, and began to raise +recruits; he therefore enrolled his own vassals, formed a corps +of 500 men, went in search of the robbers, drove them into a +strait between the Save and Sarsaws, where they capitulated, and +300 of them enrolled themselves with his pandours. Most of +these men were six feet in height, determined, and experienced +soldiers. To indulge them on certain occasions in their +thirst of pillage were means which he successfully employed to +lead them where he pleased, and to render them victorious. +By means like these Trenck became at once the terror of the +enemies of Austria, and rendered signal services to his +Empress.</p> +<p>In 1741, while he was exercising his regiment, a company fired +upon Trenck, and killed his horse, and his servant that stood by +his side. He ran to the company, counted one, two, three, +and beheaded the fourth. He was continuing this, when a +Harum-Bashaw left the ranks, drew his sword, and called aloud, +“It is I who fired upon thee, defend thyself.” +The soldiers stood motionless spectators. Trenck attacked +him and hewed him down. He was proceeding to continue the +execution of the fourth man, but the whole regiment presented +their arms. The revolt became general, and Trenck, still +holding his drawn sabre, ran amidst them, hacking about him on +all sides. The excess of his rage was terrific; the +soldiers all called “Hold!” each fell on their knees, +and promised obedience. After this he addressed them in +language suitable to their character, and from that time they +became invincible soldiers whenever they were headed by +himself. Let the situation of Trenck be considered; he was +the chief of a band of robbers who supposed they were authorised +to take whatever they pleased in an enemy’s country, a +banditti that had so often defied the gallows, and had never +known military subordination. Let such men be led to the +field and opposed to regular troops. That they are never +actuated by honour is evident: their leader is obliged to excite +their avidity by the hope of plunder to engage them in action; +for if they perceive no personal advantage, the interest of the +sovereign is insufficient to make them act.</p> +<p>Trenck had need of a particular species of officers. +They must be daring, yet cautious. They are partisans, and +must be capable of supporting fatigue, desirous of daily seeking +the enemy, and hazarding their lives. As he was himself +never absent at the time of action, he soon became acquainted +with those whom he called old women, and sent them from his +regiment. These officers then repaired to Vienna, vented +their complaints, and were heard. His avarice prevented him +from making any division of his booty with those gentlemen who +constituted the military courts, thus neglecting what was +customary at Vienna: and in this originated the prosecution to +which he fell a victim. Scarcely had he entered Austria +with his troops before he found an opportunity of reaping +laurels. The French army was defeated at Lintz. +Trenck pursued them, treated his prisoners with barbarity; and, +never granting quarter in battle, the very appearance of his +pandours inspired terror.</p> +<p>Trenck was a great warrior, and knew how to profit by the +slightest advantage. From this time he became renowned, +gained the confidence of Prince Charles, and the esteem of the +Field-marshal Count Kevenhuller, who discovered the worth of the +man. No partisan had ever before obtained so much power as +Trenck; he everywhere pursued the enemy as far as Bavaria, +carrying fire and sword wherever he went. As it was known +Trenck gave no quarter, the Bavarians and the French flew at the +sight of a red mantle. Pillage and murder attended the +pandours wherever they went, and their colonel bought up all the +booty they acquired. Chamb, in particular, was a scene of a +dreadful massacre. The city was set on fire and the people +perished in the flames; women and children who endeavoured to +fly, were obliged to pass over a bridge, where they were first +stripped, and afterwards thrown into the water. This action +was one of the accusations brought against Trenck when he was +prosecuted, but he alleged his justification.</p> +<p>The banks of the Iser to this day reverberate groans for the +barbarities of Trenck. Deckendorf and Filtzhofen felt all +his fury. In the first of these towns 600 French prisoners +capitulated, although his forces were four miles distant; but he +formed a kind of straw men, on which he put pandour caps and +cloaks, and set them up as sentinels; and the garrison, deceived +by this stratagem, signed the capitulation. The services he +rendered the army during the Bavarian war are well known in the +history of Maria Theresa. The good he has done has been +passed over in silence, because he died under misfortunes, and +did not leave his historian a legacy. He was informed that +either at Deckendorf or Filtzhofen there was a barrel containing +20,000 florins, concealed at the house of an apothecary. +Impelled by the desire of booty, Trenck hastened to the place, +with a candle in his hand, searching everywhere, and, in his +hurry, dropped a spark into a quantity of gunpowder, by the +explosion of which he was dreadfully scorched. They carried +him off, but the scars and the gunpowder with which his skin was +blackened rendered his countenance terrific.</p> +<p>The present Field-marshal Laudohn was at that time a +lieutenant in his regiment, and happened to be at the door when +his colonel was burnt. Scarcely was Trenck cured before his +spies informed him that Laudohn had plenty of money. +Immediately he suspected that Laudohn had found the barrel of +florins, and from that moment he persecuted him by all imaginable +arts. Wherever there was danger he sent him, at the head of +30 men, against 300, hoping to have him cut off, and to make +himself his heir. This was so often repeated that Laudohn +returned to Vienna, where, joining the crowd of the enemies of +Trenck, he became instrumental in his destruction. Yet it +is certain that, in the beginning, Trenck had shown a friendship +for Laudohn, had given him a commission, and that this great man +learned, under the command of Trenck, his military +principles. General Tillier was likewise formed in this +nursery of soldiers, where officers were taught activity, +stratagem, and enterprise. And who are more capable of +commanding a Hungarian army than Tillier and Laudohn? I, +one day said to Trenck, when he was in Vienna, embarrassed by his +prosecution, and when he had published a defamatory writing +against all his accusers, excepting no man,—“You have +always told me that Laudohn was one of the most capable of your +officers, and that he is a worthy man. Wherefore then do +you class him among such wretches?” He replied, +“What! would you have me praise a man who labours, at the +head of my enemies, to rob me of honour, property, and +life!” I have related this incident to prove by the +testimony of so honourable a man, that Trenck was a great +soldier, and a zealous patriot, and that he never took the King +of Prussia prisoner, as has been falsely affirmed, and as is +still believed by the multitude. Had such a thing happened, +Laudohn must have been present, and would have supported this +charge.</p> +<p>Bavaria was plundered by Trenck; barges were loaded with gold, +silver, and effects, which he sent to his estates in Sclavonia; +Prince Charles and Count Kevenhuller countenanced his +proceedings; but when Field-marshal Neuperg was at the head of +the army, he had other principles. He was connected with +Baron Tiebes, a counsellor of the Hofkriegsrath who was the enemy +of Trenck. Persecution was at that time instituted against +him, and Trenck was imprisoned; but he defended himself so +powerfully that in a month he was set at liberty. Mentzel, +meanwhile, had the command of the pandours; and this man +appropriated to himself the fame that Trenck had acquired by the +warriors he himself had formed. Mentzel never was the equal +of Trenck. Trenck now increased the number of his Croats to +4,000, from whom, in 1743, a regiment of Hungarian regulars was +formed, but who still retained the name of pandours. It was +a regiment of infantry. Trenck also had 600 hussars and 150 +chasseurs, whom he equipped at his own expense. Yet, when +this corps was reduced, all was sold for the profit of the +imperial treasury, without bringing a shilling to account.</p> +<p>With a corps so numerous, he undertook great +enterprises. The enemy fled wherever he appeared. He +led the van, raised contributions which amounted to several +millions, delivered unto the Empress, in five years, 7,000 +prisoners, French and Bavarian, and more than 3,000 +Prussians. He never was defeated. He gained +confidence among his troops, and will remain in history the first +man who rendered the savage Croats efficient soldiers. This +it was impossible to perform among a bloodthirsty people without +being guilty himself of cruel acts. The necessity of the +excesses he committed, when the army was in want of forage, was +so evident that he received permission of Prince Charles, though +for this he was afterwards prosecuted; while the plunders of +Brenklau, Mentzel, and the whole army, were never once +questioned. That Trenck advanced more than 100,000 florins +to his regiment, I clearly proved, in 1750. This proof came +too late. He was dead. The evidence I brought +occasioned a quartermaster, Frederici, to be imprisoned. He +confessed the embezzlement of this money, yet found so many +friends among the enemies of Trenck that he refunded nothing, but +was released in the year 1754, when I was thrown into the dungeon +of Magdeburg.</p> +<p>My cousin, who had lived like a miser, did not, at his death, +leave half of the property he had inherited from his father, and +which legally descended to me; it was torn from me by +violence.</p> +<p>In 1744 he obliged the French to retire beyond the Rhine, +seized on a fort near Phillipsburg, swam across the river with 70 +pandours, attacked the fortifications, slew the Marquis de +Crevecoeur, with his own hand manned the post, traversed the +other arm of the Rhine, surprised two Bavarian regiments of +cavalry, and by this daring manoeuvre, secured the passage of the +Rhine to the whole army, which, but for him, would not have been +effected. Wherever he came, he laid the country under +contribution, and, at this moment of triumph for the Austrian +arms, opened himself a passage to enter the territories of +France. In September, 1744, war having broken out between +Austria and Prussia, the imperial army was obliged to return, +abandon Alsatia, and hasten to the succour of the Austrian +states. Trenck succeeded in covering its retreat. The +history of Maria Theresa declares the damages he did the enemy, +during this campaign. He gave proof of his capacity at +Tabor and Budweis. With 300 men he attacked one of these +towns, which was defended by the two Prussian regiments of +Walrabe and Kreutz. He found the water in the moats was +deeper than his spies had declared, and the scaling ladders too +short: most of those led to the attack were killed, or drowned in +the water, and the small number that crossed the moats were made +prisoners. The garrison of Tabor, of Budweis, and of the +castle of Frauenburg, were, nevertheless, induced to capitulate, +and yield themselves prisoners, although the main body under +Trenck was more than five miles distant. His corps did not +come up till the morrow, and it was ridiculous enough to see the +pandours dressed in the caps of the Prussian fusiliers and +pioneers, which they wore instead of their own, and which they +afterwards continued to wear.</p> +<p>The campaign to him was glorious, and the enemy’s want +of light troops gave free scope to his enterprises, highly to +their prejudice. He never returned without prisoners. +He passed the Elbe near Pardubitz, took the magazines, and was +the cause of the great dearth and desertion among the Prussians, +and of that hasty retreat to which they were forced. The +King was at Cohn with his headquarters, where I was with him, +when Trenck attacked the town, which he must have carried, had he +not been wounded by a cannon-ball, which shattered his +foot. He was taken away, the attack did not succeed, and +his men, without him, remained but so many ciphers.</p> +<p>In 1745, he went to Vienna, where his entrance resembled a +triumph. The Empress received him with distinction. +He appeared on crutches; she, by her condescending speech, +inflamed his zeal to extravagance. Who would have supposed +that the favourite of the people would that year be abandoned to +the power of his enemies; who had not rendered, during their +whole lives, so much essential service to the state as Trenck had +done in a single day? He returned to his estate, raised +eight hundred recruits that he might aid in the next campaign, +and gather new laurels. He rejoined the army. At the +battle of Sorau he fell upon the Prussian camp, and seized upon +the tent of the King, but he came too late to attack the rear, as +had been preconcerted. Frederic gave up his camp to be +plundered, for the Croats could not be drawn off to attack the +army, and the King was prepared to receive them, even if they +should. In the meantime, the imperial army was +defeated.</p> +<p>Here was a field for the enemies of Trenck to incite the +people against him. They accused him of having made the +King of Prussia a prisoner in his tent; that he also pillaged the +camp instead of attacking the rear of the army. After +having ended the campaign, he returned to Vienna to defend +himself. Here he found twenty-three officers, whom he +expelled his regiment, most of them for cowardice or mean +actions. They were ready to bear false testimony. +Counsellor Weber and Gen. Loewenwalde, had sworn his downfall, +which they effected. Trenck despised their attacks. +While things remained thus, they instructed one of the +Empress’s attendants to profit by every opportunity to +deprive him of her confidence. It was affirmed, Trenck is +an atheist! who never prayed to the holy Virgin! The +officers, whom he had broken, whispered it in coffee-houses, that +Trenck had taken and set free the King of Prussia! This +raised the cry among the fanatical mob of Vienna. Teased by +their complaints, and at the requisition of Trenck himself, the +Empress commanded that examination should be undertaken of these +accusations. Field-marshal Cordova was chosen to preside +over this inquiry. He spoke the truth, and drew up a +statement of the case; it was presented to the Court, and which I +shall here insert.</p> +<p>“The complaints brought against him did not require a +court-martial. Trenck had broken some officers by his own +authority; their demands ought to be satisfied by the payment of +12,000 florins. The remaining accusations were all the +attempts of revenge and calumny, and were insufficient to detain +at Vienna, entangled in law-suits, a man so necessary to the +army. Moreover, it would be prudent not to inquire into +trifles, in consideration of his important services.”</p> +<p>Trenck, dissatisfied by this sentence, and animated by avarice +and pride, refused to pay a single florin, and returned to +Sclavonia. His presence was necessary at Vienna, to obtain +other advantages against his enemies. They gave the Empress +to understand, that being a man excessively dangerous, whenever +he supposed himself injured, Trenck had spread pernicious views +in Sclavonia, where all men were dependent on him. He +raised six hundred more men, with whom he made a campaign in the +Netherlands, and in October, 1746, returned to Vienna. +After the peace of Dresden, his regiment was incorporated among +the regulars, and served against France.</p> +<p>Scarcely had he arrived at Vienna, before an order came from +the Empress that he must remain under arrest in his +chamber. Here he rendered himself guilty by the most +imprudent action of his whole life. He ordered his carriage +and horses, despising the imperial mandate, went to the theatre, +when the Empress was present. In one of the boxes he saw +Count Gossau, in company with a comrade of his own, whom he had +cashiered: these persons were among the foremost of his +accusers. Inflamed with the desire of revenge, he entered +the box, seized Count Gossau, and would have thrown him into the +pit in the presence of the Sovereign herself. Gossau drew +his sword, and tried to run him through, but the latter seizing +it, wounded himself in the hand. Everybody ran to save +Gossau, who was unable to defend himself. After this +exploit, the colonel of the pandours returned foaming home.</p> +<p>Such an action rendered it impossible for Maria Theresa to +declare herself the protectress of a man so rash. Sentinels +were placed over him, and his enemies profiting by his imprudence +and passion, he was ordered to be tried by a court-martial. +General Loewenwalde intrigued so successfully, that he procured +himself to be named, by the Hofkriegsrath, president of the +court-martial, and to be charged with the sequestration of the +property of Trenck. In vain did the latter protest against +his judge. The very man, whom the year before he had kicked +out of the ante-chamber of Prince Charles, received full power to +denounce him guilty. Then was it that public notice was +given that all those who would prefer complaints against Colonel +Baron Trenck should receive a ducat per day while the council +continued to sit. They soon amounted to fifty-four, who, in +a space of four months, received 15,000 florins from the property +of Trenck. The judge himself purchased the depositions of +false witnesses; and Count Loewenwalde offered me one thousand +ducats, if I would betray the secrets of my cousin, and promised +me I should be put in possession of my confiscated estates in +Prussia, and have a company in a regiment.</p> +<p>That the indictment and the examinations of the witnesses were +falsified, has already been proved in the revision of the cause; +but as the indictment did not contain one article that could +affect his life, they invented the following stratagem. A +courtesan, a mistress of Baron Rippenda, who was a member of the +court-martial, was bribed, and made oath she was the daughter of +Count Schwerin, Field-marshal in the Prussian service, and that +she was in bed with the King of Prussia, when Trenck surprised +the camp at Sorau, made her and the King prisoners, and restored +them their freedom. She even ventured to name Baron +Hilaire, aide-de-camp to Frederic, whom she affirmed was then +present. Hilaire, who afterwards married the Baroness +Tillier, and who consequently was brother-in-law to Trenck, +fortunately happened to be in Vienna. He was confronted +with this woman, and through her falsehoods, the gentleman was +obliged to remain in prison, where they offered him bribes, which +be refused to accept; and, to prevent his speaking, he continued +in prison some weeks, and was not released till this shameful +proceeding was made public.</p> +<p>Count Loewenwalde invented another artifice; he drew up a +false indictment; and, that he might be prevented all means of +justification, he chose a day to put it in practice, when the +Emperor and Prince Charles were hunting at Holitzsch. +Loewenwalde’s court-martial had already signed a sentence +of death, and every preparation for the erection of a scaffold +was made. His intention was then to go to the Empress and +induce her to sign the sentence, under a pretence that there was +some imminent peril at hand, if a man so dangerous to the state +was not immediately put out of the way, and that it would be +necessary to execute the sentence of death before the Emperor +could return. He well knew the Emperor was better +acquainted with Trenck, and had ever been his protector.</p> +<p>Had this succeeded, Trenck would have died like a traitor; +Miss Schwerin would have espoused the aide-de-camp of +Loewenwalde, with fifty thousand florins, taken from the funds of +Trenck, and his property would have been divided between his +judges and his accusers. As it happened, however, the +valet-de-chambre of Count Loewenwalde, who was an honest man, and +who had an intimacy with a former mistress of Trenck, confided +the whole secret to her. She immediately flew to Colonel +Baron Lopresti, who was the sincere friend of my kinsman, and, +being then powerful at Court, was his deliverer. The +Emperor and Prince Charles were informed of what was in +agitation, but they thought proper to keep it secret. The +hunting at Holitzsch took place on the appointed day. Count +Loewenwalde made his appearance before the Empress, and solicited +her to sign the sentence. She, however, had been +pre-informed, the Emperor having returned on the same day, and +their abominable project proved abortive. Miss Schwerin was +imprisoned; Loewenwalde was deprived of his power, as well as of +the sequestration of the effects of Trenck; a total revision of +the proceedings of the court-martial, and of the prosecution of +my cousin, was ordered, which was an event, that, till then, was +unexampled at Vienna.</p> +<p>Trenck was freed from his fetters, removed to the arsenal, an +officer guarded him, and he had every convenience he could +wish. He was also permitted the use of a counsellor to +defend his cause. I obtained by the influence of the +Emperor leave to visit him and to aid him in all things. It +was at this epoch that I arrived at Vienna, and, at this very +instant, when the revision of the prosecution was commanded and +determined on. Count Loewenwalde, supposing me a needy, +thoughtless youth, endeavoured to bribe me, and prevail on me to +betray my kinsman. Prince Charles of Lorraine then desired +me seriously to represent to Trenck that his avarice had been the +cause of all these troubles, for he hind refused to pay the +paltry sum of 12,000 florins, by which he might have silenced all +his accusers; but that, as at present, affairs had become so +serious, he ought himself to secure his judges for the revision +of the suit; to spare no money, and then he might be certain of +every protection the prince could afford.</p> +<p>The respectable Field-marshal Konigseck, governor of Vienna, +was appointed president; but, being an old man, he was unable to +preside at any one sitting of the court. Count S--- was the +vice-president, a subtle, insatiable judge, who never thought he +had money enough. I took 3,000 ducats, which Baron Lopresti +gave me, to this most worthy counsellor. The two +counsellors, Komerkansquy and Zetto, each received 4,000 +rix-dollars, with a promise of double the sum if Trenck were +acquitted; there was a formal contract drawn up, which a certain +noble lord secretly signed. Trenck was defended by the +advocate Gerhauer and by Berger. They began with the +self-created daughter of Marshal Schwerin; and, to conceal the +iniquitous proceedings of the late court-martial, it was thought +proper that she should appear insane, and return incoherent +answers to the questions put by the examiners. Trenck +insisted that a more severe inquiry should be instituted; but +they affirmed that she had been conducted out of the Austrian +territories.</p> +<p>Trenck was accused of having ordered a certain pandour, named +Paul Diack, to suffer the bastinado of 1,000 blows, and that he +had died under the punishment. This was sworn to by two +officers, now great men in the army, who said they were +eye-witnesses of the fact. When the revision of the suit +began, Trenck sent me into Sclavonia, where I found the dead Paul +Diack alive, and brought him to Vienna. He was examined by +the court, where it appeared that the two officers, who had sworn +they were present when he expired, and had seen him buried, were +at that time 160 miles from the regiment, and recruiting in +Sclavonia. Paul Diack had engaged in plots, and had +mutinied three times. Trenck had pardoned him, but +afterwards mutinying once more, with forty others, he was +condemned to death. At the place of execution he called to +his colonel: “Father, if I receive a thousand blows, will +you pardon me?” Trenck replied in the +affirmative. He received the punishment, was taken to the +hospital, and cured.</p> +<p>I brought fourteen more witnesses from Sclavonia, who attested +the falsity of other articles of accusation which were not worthy +of attention. The cause wore a new aspect; and the +wickedness of those who were so desirous to have seen Trenck +executed became apparent.</p> +<p>One of the chief articles in the prosecution, which for ever +deprived him of favour from his virtuous and apostolic mistress, +and for which alone he was condemned to the Spielberg, was, that +he had ravished the daughter of a miller in Silesia. This +was made oath of, and he was not entirely cleared of the charge +in the revision, because his accusers had excluded all means of +justification. Two years after his death, I discovered the +truth of this affair. Mainstein accused him of this crime +that he might prevent his return to the regiment; his motive was, +because he, in conjunction with Frederici, had appropriated to +their own purposes 8,000 florins of regimental money.</p> +<p>This miller’s daughter was the mistress of Mainstein, +before she had been seen by Trenck. Maria Theresa, however, +would never forgive him; and, to satisfy the honour of this +damsel, he was condemned to pay 8,000 florins to her, and 15,000 +to the chest of the invalids, and to suffer perpetual +imprisonment. Sixty-three civil suits had I to defend, and +all the appeals of his accusers to terminate after his +death. I gained them all and his accusers were condemned in +costs, also to refund the so much per day which had been paid +them by General Loewenwalde; but they were all poor, and I might +seek the money where I could. In justice, Loewenwalde ought +to have reimbursed me. The total of the sum they received +was 15,000 florins.</p> +<p>Most of the other articles of accusation consisted in +Trenck’s having beheaded some mutinous pandours, and broken +his officers without a court-martial; that he had bought of his +soldiers, and melted down the holy vessels of the church, +chalices, and rosaries; had bastinadoed some priests, had not +heard mass every Sunday, and had dragged malefactors from +convents, in which they had taken refuge. When the officers +were no longer protected by Loewenwalde, or Weber, they decamped, +but did not cease to labour to gain their purpose, which they +attained by the aid of the Court-confessor. This monk found +means to render Maria Theresa insensible of pity towards a man +who had been so prodigal of his blood in her defence. +Loewenwalde knew how to profit by the opportunity. Gerhauer +discovered the secret proceedings; and Loewenwalde, now deeply +interested in the ruin of Trenck, went to the Empress, related +the manner in which the judges had been bribed, and threatened +that should he, through the protection of the Emperor and Prince +Charles, be declared innocent, he would publicly vindicate the +honour of the court-martial.</p> +<p>Had my cousin followed my advice and plan of flight he would +not have died in prison nor should I have lain in the dungeon of +Magdeburg. With respect to individuals whom he robbed, +innocent men whom he massacred, and many other worthy people whom +he made miserable; with respect to his father, aged eighty-four, +and his virtuous wife, whom he treated with barbarity; with +respect to myself, to the duties of consanguinity and of man, he +merited punishment, the pursuit of the avenging arm of justice, +and to be extirpated from all human society.</p> +<h2>EPILOGUE.</h2> +<p>Thomas Carlyle’s opinion of the author of this History +is expressed in the following passages from his <i>History of +Friedrich II. of Prussia</i>: “‘Frederick Baron +Trenck,’ loud sounding phantasm, once famous in the world, +now gone to the nurseries as mythical, was of this carnival +(1742-3.) . . . A tall actuality in that time, swaggering about +in sumptuous Life Guard uniform in his mess-rooms and +assembly-rooms; much in love with himself, the fool! And I +rather think, in spite of his dog insinuations, neither Princess +had heard of him till twenty years hence, in a very different +phasis of his life! The empty, noisy, quasi-tragic fellow; +sounds throughout quasi-tragical, like an empty barrel; +well-built, longing to be filled.”—Book xiv., ch. +3.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF BARON +TRENCK***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 2669-h.htm or 2669-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/6/6/2669 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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