ring worth two thousand rubles, a diamond stuff box with my mistress's picture, and my purse, containing about eighteen ducats, stolen from my bedside, and Schenck became invisible. Little affected by the loss of my money, at any time, I yet was grieved for my snuff-box. The rascal however escaped, and it was fortunate the remainder of my money, with my bills of exchange, were safely locked up.

I now pursued my journey without company, and arrived at Vienna. I cannot exactly recollect in what month, but I had been absent two years, and the reader will allow that it was barely possible for any man, in so short a time, to have experienced more various changes of fate, though smaller incidents have been suppressed.

Francis baron Trenck died in the Spielberg, October 4, 1749. It has been erroneously believed in Vienna that his estates were confiscated by the sentence which condemned him to the Spielberg. He had committed no offence against the state, was accused of none, much less convicted. The court sentence was, that the administration of his estate should be committed to counsellor Kempt and baron Peyaczewitz, who were selected by himself, and the accounts of his stewards and farmers were to be sent to him yearly. He continued till his death to have the free and entire disposal of his property.

The father of baron Trenck, who died in the year 1743, governor of Leitschau, in Hungary, named me in his will, the successor of his son, should he die without heirs male.

He knew I was the legal claimant to his fath er's estates. His father had bought with the

family money remitted from Prussia, the lordships of Prestowacz and Pleternitz, in Sclavonia; and he himself, during his father's life, and with his father's money, had purchased the lordship of Pakratz, for forty thousand florins: this must therefore descend also to me, he having no more power to will this from me than he had the remainder of his paternal inheritance.

Such was the state of affairs, as willed by Trenck, when I came to Vienna in 1750, where I arrived with money and jewels to the amount of twenty thousand florins.

Instead of profiting by the wealth Trenck had acquired, I expended an hundred and twenty thousand florins of my own money, including what devolved to me by my uncle, his father, in the prosecution of his suits.

How often have I repented I did not return to Berlin! I should have escaped ten year's imprisonment; should have recovered the estates of Trenck; should not have wasted my prime of life in the litigation of suits, and the writing of memorials, and should have certainly been ranked among the first men in my native country. Vienna was no place for a man who could not fawn and flatter; yet here was I destined to remain six and thirty years, unrewarded, unemployed, and through youth and age, to continue on the list of invalid majors.

Once more to my story: I was now obliged to declare myself heir, but always cum reservaseone juris mei, not as simply claiming under the will of Francis Trenck. I was obliged to take upon myself the management of sixty-three suits, and the expense attending any one of these are well known

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to those acquainted with Vienna. My situation may be imagined, when I inform the reader I only received from the whole estate of Trenck 3600 florins in three years, which were scarcely sufficient to defray the expense of new year's gifts to the solicitors and masters in chancery.

In three years, however, I brought my sixtythree suits to a kind of conclusion; the probabilities were, this could not have been effected in fifty.

In the year 1754, and the month of March, my mother died in Prussia, and I requested permission of the court that held the inheritance of Trenck, as a fidei commissum, to make a journey to Dantzic, to settle with my brothers and sister, my estates being confiscated. This permission was granted, and thither I went in May, where I once more fell into the hands of the Prussians, which forms the second great and still more gloomy epocha in my life. All who read what follows will shudder, will commiserate him who feels himself innocent, relate afflictions he has miserably encountered, and gloriously overcame.

I left Hungary, where I was in garrison, for Dantzic, where I had desired my brothers and sister to meet me, that we might settle our affairs.My principal intent, however, was a journey to Petersburg, there to seek the advice and aid of my friends, for law and persecution were not yet ended at Vienna; and my captain's pay, and small income, were scarcely sufficient to defray the charges of attornies and counsellors.

I was immediately visited by my brothers and sister on my arrival at Dantzic, where we lived happy in each other's company during a fortnight, and an amicable partition was made of my moth

er's effects; my sister perfectly justified herself concerning the manner in which I was obliged to fly in the year 1746: our parting was kind, and as brother and sister ought to part.

The day of supposed departure, on board a Swedish ship for Riga approached, and the deceitful resident Abramson, promised me to send one of his servants to the port, to know the hour.-About four in the afternoon he had himself spoken to the captain, who said he should not sail till the next day; adding that he, Abramson, would expect me to breakfast and would then accompany me to the vessel. I felt a secret inquietude, which made me desirous of leaving Dantzic, and immediately to send all my baggage, and sleep on board. Abramson prevented me, dragged me almost forcibly along with him, telling me he had much company, and that I must absolutely dine and sup at his house: accordingly I did not return to my inn till eleven at night,

I was but just in my bed when I heard a knocking at my door, which was not shut, and two of the city magistrates, with twenty grenadiers, entered my chamber, and surrounded my bed só suddenly, that I had no time to take my arms and defend myself. My three servants had been secured, and I was told that the most worthy magistracy of Dantzic was obliged to deliver me up as a delinquent to his majesty, king of Prussia.

The next night, two magistrates, with their posse, came to my prison, attended by resident Reimer, a Prussian officer, and other officers, and into their hands I was delivered. The pillage instantly began: Reimer tore off my ring, seized my watch, snuff-box, and all I had, not so much as

sending me a coat, or shirt, from my effects: after which, they put me into a close coach, with three Prussians. The Dantzic guard accompanied the carriage to the city gate, that was opened to let me pass, after which, the Dantzic dragoons escorted me as far as Lauenburg, in Pomerania.

I have forgotten the date of this miserable day, but to the best of my knowledge, it must have been in the beginning of June. Prussian hussars, commanded by a lieutenant, relieved the dragroons at Lauenburg, and thus was I guarded till I arrived at Berlin.

I was escorted from garrison to garrison, which were distant from each other two, three, or at most five miles. Wherever I came, I found compassion and respect. The detachment of hus sars only attended me two days; it consisted of twelve men, and an officer who rode with me in the carriage.

where the

The fourth day I arrived atDuke of Wirtemberg, father of the present grand duchess of Russia, was commander, and where his regiment was in quarters. The Duke conversed with me, was auch moved, invited me to dine, and detained me all day, where I was not treated as a prisoner. I so far gained his esteem that I was allowed to remain there the next day. The chief persons of the place were assembled, and the dutchess, whom he had lately married, testified every mark of pity and esteem. I staid at dinner with him also on the third day, after which I departed in an open carriage, without escort, attended only by a lieutenant of his regiment.

In a small garrison town, I lodged in the house of a captain of cavalry, and continually was treat