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diff --git a/2669.txt b/2669.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7da1073 --- /dev/null +++ b/2669.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5682 @@ +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*** + + + + +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. + + + + + +THE +LIFE AND ADVENTURES +OF +BARON TRENCK + + +TRANSLATED BY +THOMAS HOLCROFT. + +VOL. II. + +CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED: +_LONDON_, _PARIS, NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_. +1886. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Thomas Holcroft, the translator of these Memoirs of Baron Trenck, was the +author of about thirty plays, among which one, _The Road to Ruin_, +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. + +Holcroft earned also by translation. He translated, besides these +Memoirs of Baron Trenck, Mirabeau's _Secret History of the Court of +Berlin_, _Les Veillees du Chateau_ of Madame de Genlis, and the +posthumous works of Frederick II., King of Prussia, in thirteen volumes. + +The Memoirs of Baron Trenck were first published at Berlin as his +_Merkwurdige Lebensbeschreibung_, 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. + +H.M. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +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. + +Enough of this.-- + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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! + +* * * * * + +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. + +* * * * * + +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! + +Thus does man act by his fellow, knowing him to be innocent, having +received the commands of another man so to act. + +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? + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +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? + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + + "Sweet are the uses of adversity, + Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, + Wears yet a precious jewel in his head." + + _As you Like it_. + +Happy he who, like me, having suffered, can become an example to his +suffering brethren! + +YOUTH, 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! + +FATHER, 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. + +BROTHER, 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. + +SIRE, 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! + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Furnished with room to secrete them under the floor, I obtained more +instruments, together with a pair of pistols, powder, ball, and a +bayonet. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Lulled into security, an accident happened that will appear almost +incredible, and by which every hope was nearly frustrated. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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!" + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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!" + +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 SCHUTZ, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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! + +* * * * * * + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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---. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The man was absolutely terrified with apprehension; he began to fear me, +grew more polite, and even supposed nothing was impossible to me. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + + Wake me, ye guards, for hark, the quarter strikes! + Sport with my woes, laugh loud at my miseries + Hearken if you hear my chains clank! Knock! Beat! + Of an inexorable tyrant be ye + Th' inexorable instruments! Wake me, ye slaves; + Ye do but as you're bade. Soon shall he lie + Sleepless, or dreaming, the spectres of conscience + Behold and shriek, who me deprives of rest. + + Wake me: Again the quarter strikes! Call loud + Rip up all my bleeding wounds, and shrink not! + Yet think 'tis I that answer, God that hears! + To every wretch in chains sleep is permitted: + I, I alone, am robb'd of this last refuge + Of sinking nature! Hark! Again they thunder! + Again they iterate yells of Trenck and death. + + Peace to thy anger, peace, thou suffering heart! + Nor indignant beat, adding tenfold pangs to pain. + + Ye burthened limbs, arise from momentary + Slumbers! Shake your chains! Murmur not, but rise! + And ye! Watch-dogs of Power! let loose your rage: + Fear not, for I am helpless, unprotected. + And yet, not so--The noble mind, within + Itself, resources finds innumerable. + + Thou, Oh God, thought'st good me t' imprison thus: + Thou, Oh God, in Thy good time, wilt me deliver. + + Wake me then, nor fear! My soul slumbers not. + And who can say but those who fetter me, + May, ere to-morrow, groan themselves in fetters! + Wake me! For lo! their sleep's less sweet than mine. + + Call! Call! From night to morn, from twilight to dawn, + Incessant! Yea, in God's name, Call! Call! Call! + Amen! Amen! Thy will, Oh God, be done! + Yet surely Thou at length shalt hear my sighs! + Shalt burst my prison doors! Shalt shew me fair + Creation! Yea, the very heav'n of heav'ns! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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:--_By my labours my vineyard flourished_, _and I hoped to +have gathered the fruit_; _but Ahab came_. _Alas_! _for Naboth_. + +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:--_The bird sings even in the +storm_; _open his cage_, _break his fetters_, _ye friends of virtue_, +_and his songs shall be the delight of your abodes_! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +How much must I despair of finding any place of refuge on earth, hearing +accounts like these from Vienna. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I must here relate a dreadful accident, which I cannot remember without +shuddering, and the terror of which has often haunted my very dreams. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Having heated my imagination with this scheme, I waited the visitation +with anxiety. The major entered, I bespoke him thus: + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +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! + +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. + +My doors for the LAST TIME 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." + +"Then you are free!" was the reply. + +The sub-governor first embraced me, and afterwards his attendants. + +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. + +I was taken to the guard-room, congratulations were universal, and the +town-major administered the oath customary to all state prisoners. + +1st. That I should avenge myself on no man. + +2nd. That I should neither enter the Prussian nor Saxon states. + +3rd. That I should never relate by speech or in writing what had +happened to me. + +4th. And that, so long as the King lived, I should neither serve in a +civil nor military capacity. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +I will proceed with my history. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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:-- + +First--That I acknowledged the will of Trenck to be valid. + +Secondly--That I renounced all claim to the Sclavonian estates, relying +alone on her Majesty's favour. + +Thirdly--That I solemnly acquitted my accountants and curators. And, + +Lastly--That I would not continue in Vienna. + +This I must sign, or languish in prison. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I attended the levee 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! + +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. + +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. + +Secondly--That they should be obliged to return the thirty-six thousand +florins taken from my inheritance, and applied to a hospital. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I petitioned for an arbitrator; I solicited justice concerning rights, +but received no answer to this and a hundred other petitions! + +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. + +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? + +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 + +"To Captain Schroeder, for capital, interest, and costs of suit, sixteen +hundred florins." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +Dr. Bertracker was _fidei commiss-curator_, though there was no _fidei +commissum_ existing. Dr. Berger, as Fidei Commiss-Advocate, was +superintendent, and to them all salaries were to be paid. + +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. + +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. + +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 _fidei commissum_, and +administratorship. + +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. + +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." + +The joy of the whole company appeared so great that Frederic _the Great_ +was offended! + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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?" + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +One day an accident happened which made me renowned as a magician, as one +who had power over fogs and clouds. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Liege, 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. + +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. + +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 _Aix-la-Chapelle Journal_ became so famous, that in the second year I +had four thousand subscribers, by each of whom I gained a ducat. + +The postmasters, who gained considerably by circulating newspapers, were +envious, because the _Aix-la-Chapelle Journal_ destroyed several of the +others, and they therefore formed a combination. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +The Empress wrote to the Postmaster-General of the Empire, and commanded +him to lay an interdict on the _Aix-la-Chapelle Journal_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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, _generis +communis_, 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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +This was so injurious to Spa, that the Bishop of Liege 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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _auberge_, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _fidei commissum_, 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. + +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. + +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." + +She next day sent me her decree, assuring me of a pension of four hundred +florins. + +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!" + +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. + +I forgot to relate that the Archduchess, Maria Anna, desired me to +translate a religious work, written in French by the Abbe 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The pension granted my wife by the Empress in consequence of my +misfortunes and our numerous family, we only enjoyed nine months. + +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. + +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. + +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:-- + +"THE REQUEST OF THE PETITIONER CANNOT BE GRANTED." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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! + +Tortured by the courts, terrified by hailstorms, I determined to publish +my works, in eight volumes, and this history of my life. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +On the 22nd of August, 1786, the news arrived that Frederic the Great had +left this world! + +* * * * * + +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. + +* * * * * + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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? + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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-- + +"This is the gentleman who might have ruined me to effect his own +deliverance." + +Confused at so public a declaration, I desired him to expound this +riddle; and he added-- + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +How ridiculous these their _Royal Highnesses_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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--IT +IS THE KING'S COMMAND--were words of horror to the poor condemned wretch +denied to plead his innocence! Yet what is the Ukase (Imperial order) in +Russia, _Tel est notre bon plaisir_ (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? + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Yet more of what happened in Berlin. + +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:-- + + "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. + + "FREDERIC WILLIAM. + + "Berlin, Feb. 12, 1787." + + "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)." + +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. + +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. + +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:-- + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. Konigsberg, 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. + +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! + +He sent for me a second time, conversed much with me, and confirmed those +ideas which my first interview had inspired. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 Konigsberg, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +To the Professor's letter I returned the following answer:-- + + "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! + + "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. + + "BARON TRENCK + + "_Schangulach_, _near Konigsberg_, + _April_ 30_th_, 1787." + + "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" + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + +LETTER I + + + "_Neuland_, _Feb_ 12_th_, 1787. + + "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. + + "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? + + "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? + + "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. + + "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. + + "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. + + "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. + + "I defer the continuance of my narrative to the next post. The + remembrance of past woes inflict new ones. I am eternally." + + + +LETTER II. + + + "_February_ 24, 1787. + + "Dear Friend,--After an interval of silence, remembering my promise, I + again continue my story. + + "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. + + "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. + + "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. + + "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. + + "From the above narrative, you will perceive how opposite the effects + must be which the histories of Baron Trenck and of myself must + produce. + + "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. + + "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." + +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. + +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. + +The hour of quitting Berlin, and continuing my journey into Prussia, +towards Konigsberg, 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. + +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!" + +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." + +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! + +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. + +So proceed we with our story. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +On the 22nd of March I pursued my journey to Konigsberg, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The circumstances were these:-- + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I, in the meantime, sat quiet in my hole, where I heard their searches, +and suppositions that I was gone. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +I continued my journey, and arrived, on the fourth of April, at +Konigsberg, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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, + + "No Trenck is good for anything." + +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. + +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? + +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 Konigsberg. 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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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! + + + + +HISTORY OF +FRANCIS BARON TRENCK. +WRITTEN BY +FREDERICK BARON TRENCK, +AS A NECESSARY SUPPLEMENT TO HIS OWN HISTORY. + + +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 +Konigsberg in Prussia. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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 Lowenthal 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. + +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. + +Having no opportunity to indulge his warlike inclination, because of the +general peace, he conceived the project of extirpating the Sclavonian +banditti. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +EPILOGUE. + + +Thomas Carlyle's opinion of the author of this History is expressed in +the following passages from his _History of Friedrich II. of Prussia_: +"'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. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF BARON +TRENCK*** + + +******* This file should be named 2669.txt or 2669.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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