6. 'Tis true, thy tuneful Reed I blam'd, 7. My Heart forebodes that I'm betray'd; Laft Night with Delia's Dog he play'd: 8. The Youth stepp'd forth with hafty Pace, Ad JOHANNEM GIBSON, Schole Etonenfis * His Brother had not long fince been removed higher in the School, as had the young Gentleman himself fome time before. T The prefent State of Affairs in EUROPE. HAT Our News, and the political Reflections we shall hereafter make, may be the better understood, it will be necessary to give the Reader a fhort, but juft Idea of the present Posture of Affairs, and of the different Views and Interefts that are purfuing in Europe, and fome other Parts of the World. D 2 Altho Altho' PERSIA be fituated in Afia, yet will it be proper to begin with that Kingdom, not becaufe 'tis at prefent a Seat of Action, and Theatre of War; but because that War will very much affect feveral European Powers, and influence and alter their Measures. This Kingdom had long been in a flourishing Condition; its most powerful Enemies were the Turks, who had often wag'd war againft it; but the Perfians generally were Conquerors, and had taken feveral confiderable Places from the Ottomans, and this had fecured to 'em a glorious Peace. But Pride and Ambition fired the Breast of Meriweys, a Perfian General, who arm'd himself against the Sophi his Mafter; and the better to colour his Defigns, made ufe of the common Cloak, Religion. The Generality of the Perfians, and amongst 'em the Royal Family, are not of the Mahometan Sect followed by the Turks, but are Diffenters of the Sect of Hali; and Meriweys, to engage the Turks on his Side, fet up for a Muffulman, and fucceeded fo far in his Defign, that he defeated and destroy'd the old Sophi, and the greatest Part of his Family; but one of his Sons, Schab Tamas, efcap'd, who rais'd a fmall Army, and fent to beg the Affiftance of the victorious Czar of Muscovy, offering him for his Succour feveral Places in Perfia, which he readily accepted. The Turks, on the other hand, march'd an Army into Perfia under Pretence of oppofing the Muscovites, but with an Intent chiefly to retake thofe Places that had formerly been conquer'd from them, and to make what farther Progrefs they could. In the interim, the Czar dies, and the Czarina, unable to pursue her Conquefts on the other Side the Caspian Sea, is forced to abandon the farther Designs of the late Emperor on that Side. Meriweys is put to death by fome of his own Party, with Efref, who fucceeds him in Command at the Head of 'em. From hence arife new Confufions. The divided Perfians become an eafy Prey to their powerful Neighbours. Every thing falls before the victorious Arms of the Ottomans; Cities furrender, and Provinces are conquer'd. They are now marching towards Ifpaban, in hopes of reducing that Metropolis, and fhortly after the whole Kingdom. The Grand Mogul is arming for its Relief; but in all Probability his Forces will come too late. This additional Power will make the Grand Signior a more formidable Prince; and the Turks flufh'd with their Succefs, and looking upon their Work in Perfia as good as finifh'd, call out for the hold ing ing a Grand Divan to concert proper Meafures for the carrying on a War in Europe. Which of the Imperial Powers their Deligns are againft, is unknown; but the Apprehenfion of their Arms has already alter'd the Face of Affairs in Europe, as will appear by the Sequel. From hence let us turn our Eyes on POLAND, as on a Scene without which we neither can understand, nor unravel the Plot. Auguftus, Elector of Saxony, renounces his Religion to gain that Crown; but it proves to him a real Crown of Thorns. An unfortunate War begun against the late King of Sweden brings that Monarch with his victorious Army into Poland; and nothing lefs could fatisfy him than the dethroning King Auguftus: The Throne is declared vacant, and Stanislaus Leczinski, a Grandee of the Kingdom, is elected to fill it; but his Fortune falls with that of his Patron, and whilft the one is Prifoner at Bender, the other is forced to feek Refuge in a foreign Country. Auguftus reafcends the Throne. From hence follow perpetual Divifions, Cabals and Plots to disturb the Quiet of the Kingdom, and to make the reigning Monarch odious to his Subjects and Neighbours. The Poles are naturally very great Bigots, and notwithstanding that by feveral Treaties, efpecially by that of Oliva, they have engag'd themselves to protect the Proteftants in their Rights, and the Exercise of their Religion; yet has their chief Study been to exterminate them. A religious A religious Quarrel happens at Thorn; the Jefuits are a Party concern'd, who never fail of compaffing Revenge. The Zealots are influenc'd, and the difcontented Politicians blow the Coals. A cruel and unheard-of Sentence is pronounced against a Number of Perfons, whofe only Guilt is their being of a different Religion. The Proteftant Powers immediately appear for their innocent fuffering Brethren, and apply in their Behalf to the Emperor as a Mediator; and to the King of Poland. Both promife to do whatever lies in their Power: but fpite of that, the Sentence is executed, and that even before the Time appointed. In vain the Kings of England, Pruffia and Sweden,the States of Holland,and the late Czar of Mufcovy intercede and threaten; their Bigotry makes 'em deaf to every thing; it blinds 'em, and they cannot fee the approaching Danger. On a fudden the Poles take Courage, they threaten in their turn, they make Reprifals, they defpife |