The Empress Dowager of the Emperor Joseph resides also at the Court of Vienna, and her Name is Wilhelmina-Amelia: She is the Daughter of the late Duke of Hanover, Uncle to the King of England. After the Death of her Father, who left no Male Issue, this Princess went and stay’d some time in France, and her Sister having marry’d the Prince of Modena, she accompany’d her into that Country, where she stay’d till her Marriage, which was concluded at Modena with the Emperor Joseph, then King of the Romans; for whom the Duke her Brother-in-Law marry’d her as Proxy: She went afterwards to Vienna, where she was the Admiration of the whole Court, not only for the Lustre of her Person, but for the other Qualities with which Nature has endow’d
her: She took Care to cultivate her Mind with much Reading, and especially by the Study of the Languages, to which she gave great Application with Success, and she understands French and Italian as well as her native Language. This Princess had several Children by the Emperor her Husband, of whom there are but Two Princesses living; the one call’d Maria-Josepha, marry’d to the Electoral Prince of Saxony, now King of Poland; and the other call’d Maria-Amelia, marry’d to the Electoral Prince, now the Elector, of Bavaria.
These, Madame, were the Persons of whom the Imperial Family then consisted: I had the Honour in a few Days after my Arrival to kiss the Hands of all this august Family, and was afterwards introduc’d to the Ministers; so that in a very little time I was known by the whole Court, and was so happy, as to acquire some Friends of Distinction, who gave me Marks of their good Will, without putting me to the Trouble of dancing Attendance, and desir’d Prince Eugene to give me an Employment: I had the Honour to wait on that Prince with particular Letters of Recommendation, that I brought from the Elector Palatine. The Prince, who receiv’d me very kindly, told me, that he could not insure me a Place, because the Colonels dispos’d of all the Employments in their Regiments; but that he would oblige me to the utmost of his Power; and indeed some time after, he was so good as to speak for me to the Count Max—— of S——, who gave me a Company in his Regiment, which was then in Sicily. I was mightily charm’d with this Present, and imagin’d that Fortune was at length weary of having so long thwarted me: Yet when I began to think coolly
of the Matter, I had some Reflections which made me relapse into my former Melancholy: I was not in Cash, and I saw that I could not avoid being at a considerable Expence. Besides, I had contracted some dribbling Debts, which I wanted to clear before I left Vienna: My Equipage was so much out of Repair, that it would cost some Money to remount it; and finally, there was a Necessity for my going to Sicily; all which Things were not to be done with a trifling Expence: Upon this Occasion I receiv’d fresh Proofs of the Affection of my Friends, who all interested themselves for me effectually: Madamoseille de K——, Maid of Honour to the Empress Dowager, procur’d me a Gratuity from her Imperial Majesty; and the Countess of W——, at whose House I was every Day, advanc’d me a Thousand Ducats, saying, That I should pay her when I was able, or rather, when I was preferr’d to be a Lieutenant-General. She accompany’d her Generosity too with some Advice, that was truly wise and christian, and seem’d to come rather from the Lips of a Mother than a Friend. This Lady was heartily glad that I had chang’d my Religion, and was the more willing to assist me in making an End of my Affairs, for Fear that I should be overcome by the Temptation of turning Protestant again, for the Sake of getting Employment in my own Country.
You see, Madame, by what I have just had the Honour to mention to you, that I was now in a Condition to quit Vienna with Credit, and indeed my Stay there was no longer than to be a Spectator of Two great Solemnities, of which I am next to give you a Description: The first was the Entry of a Turkish Ambassador, and the second the Marriage of the Archduchess Maria-Josepha
with the Electoral Prince of Saxony; upon both which Occasions the Imperial Court made the fullest Display of its Magnificence.
As to the Entry of the Ambassador, I may venture to say, it was only magnificent on the Part of the Imperial Court, for in Truth the Mahometan’s whole Train and Equipage were very inconsiderable. This Ambassador’s Name was Ibrahim Basha; he had 600 Men in his Retinue, but they were all very shabbily rigg’d. Till the Day of his Entry he stay’d in a Camp, which he had caus’d to be form’d Two Leagues from Vienna; I went thither with some Friends to see him: He receiv’d us with very great Civility, and made us a Present of Coffee and Sweetmeats. During this Collation I took a minute View of the Inside of his Tent, which was really stately, and the largest that I ever saw: On the Ground there was a noble Carpet spread, and over that a Sort of Foot-cloth of Crimson Sattin, embroider’d with Gold, on which sate the Ambassador, with rich Cushions about him of the same: On this same Foot-cloth, at the Ambassador’s Right Hand sate the Secretary of the Embassy: Round the Ambassador there was about a Score of Turks tolerably well dress’d, and among them Three or Four clever likely young Fellows; in particular I observ’d a Moor there, that was the handsomest Man I ever saw: His Dress was richer than the Garb of the other Turks, and, as I was told, he was the Ambassador’s special Favourite. After we had talk’d awhile with him, and were taking our Leave of him, he was so civil as to offer to shew us his Camp, which we with Pleasure accepted, and set out accordingly with a Person that the Ambassador gave us for our Guide.
This Camp took up more Space of Ground than would have serv’d for 2000 Men. The Tents were a great way from one another, and plac’d without any Order. Their Horses, Oxen and Camels were all stow’d higledy pigledy. But the Ambassador’s particular Equipage was in a Sort of Park, inclos’d by Toils like those that are us’d in Hunting: Every thing was to the last Degree slovenly, the inferior Domestics especially were the most disagreeable Gentry I ever saw; they had not Cloaths to their Backs, but what were in Rags and Tatters; and the chief Domestics were but little better rigg’d; several of them however were mighty civil to us, and desirous to regale us in their Tents.
Some Days after this our Visit, the Ambassador made his Entry with great Ceremony; the Marshal of the Court went and met him Half a League out of Vienna, at the Head of the Magistrates of the City, those made free by the Court, all the Trading Companies and Gentlemen, all well mounted and richly dress’d: The Ambassador was dragg’d along by a Pair of wretched Horses in one of his own Coaches, which was a little low Chariot, made almost like the cover’d Waggons of Holland, except that instead of Wax Cloth and Leather, it was cover’d with a red Cloth. When the Ambassador and the Marshal of the Court came near to one another, they both alighted, and after mutual Compliments mounted their Horses: There were carry’d before the Ambassador Three Horse-Tails and the Standard of Mahomet, which is a great Pair of Colours of green Taffeta, all sprinkled with Crescents of Gold: He who carry’d it was on Horseback, and that the End of the Colours might not trail upon the Ground, a Man that was on Foot held
up the Corners of it. The Ambassador was preceded by all his Equipage, in which there was Half a Dozen of Waggons, cover’d with ragged Tilts, and drawn each by Four scrubbed Horses, that were led by Carters, whose Cloaths were in a very bad Pickle. After this Equipage came the Ambassador’s Officers, and then twelve Horses, of which the Sultan made a Present to the Emperor. Behind the Ambassador there march’d a Company of Spahis, that carry’d Pikes, with small Standards at the End of various Colours. These were follow’d by a Company of Janizaries, who, tho’ but meanly clad, made a very warlike Appearance, their Arms and Legs being both naked: The March was closed by a Regiment of Hussars.