Princefs of Mecklenburg to afcend the throne, and not only to exclude her Imperial Majefty, but also to fout her up in a convent, on pretence that her prefence difturbed the peace of the flate. C. Ofterman is likewife charged with having fuppreffed the will of the Emprefs Catharine. He again lays the blame upon the Princes Dolgorucki; but the two juft fet at liberty load him with all the mystery of iniquity, and accufe him as author of the abuses committed in the late reigns; and C. Munich, who has been feveral times examined, throws all likewife upon C. Ofterman. 'Tis remarkable, that, fome days before the Princess Elizabeth afcended the throne, C. Lewenhaupt, having entered the Ruffian territories, difperfed a declaration in fubftance as follows: That the Swedish army had enter'd that territory, with no other view but to procure for the crown of Sweden a fatisfaction fuitable to the injuries they had received from the foreign minifters who lately governed in Ruffia, and at the fame time to obtain fecurity for the future: That the Ruffian nation having for a long time groned under the yoke and unfufferable cruelty of this ministry, by whofe tyranny a great number of well-meaning fubjects have been deprived of their eftates, or barbarously put to death, or banished, the Swedish troops will, at the fame time, ferve to deliver them from this yoke and oppreffion, and procure a more eafy and happy government, under which the Ruffian nation may quietly enjoy its advantages, and restore a friendship and good understanding with the kingdom of Sweden, which cannot be done fo long as firangers, who are only pursuing their private interefts, treat the neighbours of Ruffia as ill as their own subjects, &c. And now there is a fufpenfion of arms concluded between Ruffia and Sweden for three months. There are likewife preliminaries for a peace propofed. The Swedes demand the reftitution of Carelia, the diftricts of Wyburg and Kexholm, and a part of Livonia, or an equivalent in money, to defray the expences of the war. SWEDEN's war with Ruffia, however begun, or by whoever fomented, feems to promife a more propitious ending than fome people at firft were apt to imagine. As what the Swedes chiefly want, is to recover the provinces formerly dismembered from them by the Muscovites in the unfortunate days of Charles XII. the new Czarina has expreffed her defire to terminate the differences on this head with them: And 'tis to be hoped, that during the fufpenfion their negotiations for this purpose will have a happy iffue. The death of the Queen, and the advanced age of his present Majefty, renders the settlement of the fucceffion a very ferious and important affair: for if that remains undetermined, who knows but France may give us another specimen of her univerfal monarchy, by giving Sweden a King, as the has already given Germany an Emperor? And this may the rather be presumed, becaufe no fooner had the news of the Queen's death reached Versailles, but conferences were held upon the means of securing the fucceffion of the crown of Sweden to the Duke of Holftein, and couriers dispatched to the French minifter at Stockholm, with orders to support the intereft of that prince. DENMARK has taken no part in the prefent troubles of Europe; her King appearing wholly intent upon improving manufactures, and extending navigation and commerce, which are the fureft fources of a people's profperity and happiness. fufficient evidence of this prince's difcernment, and care for the good of his fub-jects, is his not entering into the measures of France, nor breaking with Ruffia; which would have fenfibly affected the trade of Denmark, and loft her a firm and profitable ally. How the prefent unfettled ftate of GERMANY will be put an end to, is not eafily gueffed: for, fhould the Queen of Hungary be enabled by her allies to make one bold push, her affairs feem not yet so defperate as to oblige her to fit down contented with the share of her own dominions defigned her by the confederates. Mean time the following plan for a partition is come to hand. 1. The Queen of Hungary, to have Hungary, Auftria, part of Moravia, Stiria, Carniola, Corinthia, Friole, Tuscany, and the Auftrian Netherlands. 2. The Elector of Bavaria, the kingdom of Bohemia, Upper Silefia, the country on one fide of the river Ens, and the Tyral, 3. The Elector of Saxony, part of Bohemia, and Moravia. 4. The King of Pruffia, Lower Silefia. 5. The King of France, for bis good services, the dutchy of Luxemburg, and Namur. 6. The King of Sardinia, Mantua, Parma and Placentia, with the title of King of Lombardy. 7. The Infante Don Philip, the kingdom of Sardinia; to which is to be annexed the island of Corfica, with the country on one fide of the Po. The King of PRUSSIA acts with no dependence on the views or intrigues of any of his neighbours; his own schemes he contrives, determines and executes with the fame steadiness; and tho', fince the reduction of Silefia, he has entered into the measures of France and Bavaria, this seems to be done only with a view to put an end to the war in Germany, and fecure his conquefts. For this purpose he is fet out for his army in Moravia; and if the Queen of Hungary perfifts in her refufal to accept the forefaid plan, the army is then to march towards Lower Auftria; but if the accepts it, his Majefty will recal his forces, and join his guaranty to that of the other princes interested. The differences between the houses of Brandenburg and Sultzbach, with regard to the fucceffion to the dutchies of JuLIERS and BERGUES, are amicably fettled, by the mediation of France. The treaty was figned at Manheim the 10th of January, and the King of France and the Elector of Bavaria are guarantees. By it the King of Pruffia cedes to the house of Sultzbach the whole and fole property of both dutchies, and acknowledges the fucceffion both in the male and female line of that houfe; and the King of France and the Elector of Bavaria guaranty to his Majefty the poffeffion of the dutchy of Silefia in the most folemn manner. Charles Albert Cajetan, Elector of BAVARIA, has at laft attained that dignity his ambition long afpired to: for he was elected King of the Romans and Emperor of Germany by the Electoral college at Frankfort on the 24th of January N. S. He was thought, during the life of Charles VI. to ftand fair for the empire, as that Emperor was very likely to die without male-iffue; efpecially as there were two of the Electoral college in his houfe, and he had the greatest hopes of having his election fupported by France, and the other princes that crown could bring into her measures. 'Tis true, thefe views feemed difconcerted by his Moft Christian Majefty's guaranty of the pragmatick fanétion; but time has difcovered, that France's engagements on that account were not of force enough to hinder the execution of her ambitious schemes, to fortify her intereft in the empire, and overthrow her rival of Auftria, by feating a prince, who is thoroughly devoted to her, upon the Imperial throne: and he will be ungrateful indeed, if he forgets his obligations to that power to whom he owes his exaltation. The Elector of SAXONY was for fome time thought to be fincerely in the intereft of the Queen of Hungary; but feeing how the tide went against her, he declared himself of the winning party, that he might not only partake of the fpoils, but procure his fon to be elected King of the Romans. The affairs of ITALY feem greatly perplexed, and it is not eafy to conceive how they will be regulated. Mantua, we are informed, is in a good state of defence; where the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghaufen is with a body of Auftrians. Milan the Auftrians feem difpofed to give up to his Sardinian Majefty; who, 'tis faid, has fent orders to his forces to abandon Sardinia, which, by a private treaty with Spain, is to be yielded to Don Philip. The views of the King of SARDINIA are quite a fecret; for, notwithstanding he has marched 30,000 men into the dutchy of Milan, the friends of the Queen of Hungary affirm, that they are to act in conjunction with her forces, in oppofition to the defigns of the Spaniards; while her enemies endeavour to have it believed he is in good understanding with them. Mean time their opinion feems most probable, who hold, that this prince will act upon his own intereft entirely, and obtain a fhare in the intended partition of the dominions of the unfortunate houfe of Auftria, by the conqueft of the Milanefe; to which he afferts right in a manifefto lately published, wherein, among other things, he obferves, That in 1585, when Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy married A 2 the the Infanta Catharine, fecond daughter of Philip II. King of Spain, it was ftipulated in a convention made between the two courts, that the eldest fon of this marriage should have the Milanefe, which being joined to Piedmont, he should have the title of King of Lombardy.-Philip Emanuel, who was born in 1586, was brought up as PrinceRoyal; but Philip II. foon repented of having entered into this engagement, tho' with out showing it; be therefore engaged his fon-in-law to fend the young prince to Madrid, under a pretence of making him early acquainted with the manners of the Spaniards. Charles Emanuel being pleased with this propofal, not only fent Philip his eldeft fon, but also Victor Amadeus his fecond fon. The eldeft died in 1605, aged 19 years; and 'tis pretended he was poisoned by order of the Duke de Lermes, a favourite of the King of Spain, whom the young prince had affronted in the King's chamber. -By the death of this Prince Victor Amadeus fucceeded him in all his pretenfions: but the King of Spain judged quite otherwife; he interpreted the treaty in his own favour, and failed in his promife to the Duke of Savoy; who, in order to oblige him to perform it, made an alliance with Henry IV. King of France. This prince engaged to make a conqueft of the dutchy of Milan, and afterwards give it up to the house of Savoy, in exchange for the dutchy of Geneva, the counties of Nice and Soucigny, and the part of Savoy on this fide the Alps, to the end that France might be bounded on the east by the Alps, and on the fouth by the Pyrenees: but the affafination of that prince by Ravillac put a stop to fo fine a project, and deprived the court of Turin of the advantage it would have gained by it, tho' without diminishing in the least the pretenfions of the house of Savoy. The malcontents of CORSICA, who were thought to be totally difabled, have for fome time seemed more obftinate than ever, meeting often together to hold conferences; and fome of them as good as own, that their leader is ftill at hand to fupport them, in cafe they are treated with rigour, and obliged to own fubjection to their old mafters the Genoefe; whence it is conjectured, Baron de Newhoff is returned to that ifland. Advices from Chur in Switzerland fay, that this quondam mo narch appeared lately there at the house of his old friend General Salis ; whence, after a ftay of four days in the character of an English Gentleman, he fet out with four attendants for Italy. When the grand partition takes place, probably the fate of poor Corfica will be determined; and perhaps is already alloted, in the scheme of an eminent Cardinal, for part of the kingdom intended to be patch'd up for the Infante Don Philip. It is faid to be the intereft of FRANCE, to render herself formidable by her arms, or by her politicks; and with what fuccefs he has lately employed both, all Europe is a feeling witnefs. Under her feet lie the mournful ruins of her once dreaded rival, and around her not a power is to be seen able to stop her progrefs to the univerfal monarchy the aims at. The Cardinal, whofe politicks have acquired more power to his country than the arms of:: Louis le Grand, has contrived a scheme for parcelling out the eftates of the house of Auftria; and his influence will no doubt procure it the approbation of the powers concerned, at least as many of them as are neceffary for his purpose. In this scheme it is not probable his Eminence forgets to whofe fhare he would have Luxemburg and part of the Netherlands to fall. France's labours for the tranquillity of Europe must not pass unrewarded, and the immenfe fums expended in intrigues and hoftilities, for preferving the liberties of Germany, and providing it an Emperor, ought to be amply reimbursed! The STATES GENERAL perceive, with great uneafinefs, the grafping projects of France; and, to prevent being too nearly affected, hold frequent extraordinary af femblies, wherein their refolutions are very vigorous for putting themselves in a pofture of defence, by augmenting their troops, refitting their marine, and fortifying their frontiers. Their fears from the ambition of France, the menaces of his Pruffian Majefty, the ill ufage of Spain, and the late demands of Denmark, have roufed up a spirit in the republick, that only the most imminent danger can account for. But their perplexed fituation is beft defcribed in a petition to their High Mightineffes by the council of ftate, part of of the preamble of which follows: "Notwithstanding the neceffity of preferving and maintaining peace as the first and fureft pledge of religion and liberty, yet nothing is more important than to prepare forwar; and that to avoid very great expences, fuch fhould be made as, in the prefent conjunature, are of indifpenfable neceflity." The preamble concludes with exhorting the provinces to confent fpeedily to what is defired in the petition; which is divided into fix claffes. The first fhews the neceffity of a third augmentation, the deficiency of fome provinces in completing their quota of troops, and the neceffity of proceeding to a promotion of general officers. The fecond represents the condition of the frontier towns, and the neceffity of raising fums neceffary for repairing the fortifications. The third fhews the state of the magazines, which are in a great measure in want of every thing. The fourth difcovers the bad condition of the navy, and the neceffity of augmenting it with twenty five fhips, and of equipping twenty five others. The fifth fhews the neceffity of preferving publick credit. The fixth, that of finding out the means of uniting the different fentiments of the provinces in affairs which interest the welfare and security of the state, and to constrain those who shall remain refractory. SPAIN, not fatisfied with being already engaged in one expenfive war, is involving herself in another; and in all likelihood her Catholick Majefty will allow her fubjects little reft till her ambition is thoroughly gratified in the perfons of her children. It is not enough that Italy affords a fovereignty for one of her fons; fhe muft refolve on fettling another there. Don Philip is unprovided for, and affairs happen very propitious for her defires; for the drooping condition of the houfe of Auftria encourages every claimant to make the best of his pretenfions; and in the intended partition, Sardinia and Corfica are faid to be cut out for the Infante. To purfue her fchemes with the more vigour this way, Spain is endeavouring, by the mediation of France, to make up her differences with G. Britain. But these are gone too far already, to be eafily accommodated; nor can a juft and impartial peace be con cluded but upon fuch terms as, it may be prefumed, Spain will be extremely loth to fubfcribe to. 'Tis the opinion of not a few, that that nation has not been fufficiently harraffed, nor the war carried on with that fpirit it ought on our part; but it is hoped, from the patriotifm of the new parliament, that they will concur in fuch measures as will procure us a quick revenge, or a glorious and lafting peace; and, above all, in the mean time, protection for our merchant-fhips, great numbers of which have lately been made a prey to the Spanish privateers. THE TO CHLOE wearing Patches. To Sir JOHN TURNER, Bart. Riend, born to die; in Fortune's bade, Avoid all falfe extremes. Or fpend your happy hour, With Nuthal's thirty-four ; Abate the noon-tide ray, Bids us enjoy the inftant hour, While life and youth's our own. Whether Whether from Kings you drew your G Entis humanæ pater atque cuftos Dexteram fortem dedit intuenAttamen nemo monitis prophetæ [dam; Arrigit aures. Ille, quem patres coluere prifci, Prodit in lucem viduus nitore Splendido, æterno: pudet, ah! tueri Mentis angores pietate mirá, Ille & ingratos, miferos, rebelles, Agnus ut laciens, calidas ad aras Nuda quotannis: Morte non æquá, ceciditque trifti Funere raptus. Dividet victor, tumido/que franget Marte tyrannos, Qui tulit multorum humilis reatum Criminis, vitam meruitque morte, Datque placatum Domini Deique Ο Cernere vultum. Idem fecundum hiftoriam N. T. confcriptum. Noctes atque dies gemitu precordia rumpit Quem fugitis miferi? (inclamat) : me cernite aNec dubitate humeris involuiffe meis, [micum ; Quicquid id eft: falvos præftabo in nomine noftro, Exequar & que vos poftulat ira Dei: Tramite de recto vos flexit devius error, Nec fine me cuiquam poffe redire datur." Spernitur, heu! generofus amor divinus; ab illo Lumina deflexit turba inimica, fera, Cernere ne quis eum: tenebris obfeffa putares Pectora, & æterno diriguiffe gelu. Ductus ad infamem (fcelerata o fecula) mortem Dum properat miferis ferre benignus opem, Atque invifus erat propriæ, ceu fabula, genti ; Erumnas patiens, opprobriumque tulit: Non fecus ad calidas agnus deducitur aras, Et nudata pecus conticuiffe folet. Infuper & rerum genitor, qui cuncta gubernat, Ut pro peccatis victima grata foret, Tradidit æternam fobolem; capit ocyus ille Juffa lubens magni perficienda patris, Ethereafque animum effudit cum fanguine in auTerra capit tumulo membra tegenda novo. [ras; Poft aliquot luces, mortis gelidique fepulchri Enthea vis atris faucibus eripiet Auctorem vitæ atque necis: lætabitur orbis, Largus &e tumulo, Rex, tibi furget honos. Arduus aftrigert fuperans fafligia cæli Ante pedes cernes cuncta voluta tuos, Quæque colunt terræ fines, Erebumque profundum, Quæque colunt celfi lucida regna poli: Tuque pios fifies placido, fine labe, parenti, Pollicitique memor præmia læta dabis. ARISTUS. |