This Train pass’d before the Palace call’d la Favorita, in View of the Emperor and Empress, and then went thro’ the City, passing the Bridge over the Danube, into the Suburb of Leopoldstat, where a House was prepar’d for him, according to antient Custom, which is, that no Turkish Ambassador must ever lodge in the City of Vienna.
The Ambassador seem’d to be very scrupulous in his Observation of the Ceremonial: He was loth to consent, that the Janizaries should carry their Muskets on their Shoulders, when they pass’d before the Emperor at his Palace la Favorita; and pleaded in Excuse, that the Janizaries did not march so even in Presence of the Sultan. He stood also upon his Punctilio in some other Trifles, to which however he was oblig’d to submit, or he was threaten’d that he should not make his Entry. The Ambassador on his Part to shew his Resentment, caus’d only Two Horse-Tails to be carry’d erect, and the Third downwards;
but seeing that no body car’d for his being out of Humour, he soon came to himself again, and then was treated with Civility. He seem’d to be very fond of good Order, and caus’d some of his Domestics, who had committed certain Enormities, to be severely punish’d.
While the Ambassador stay’d at Leopoldstat, Vienna swarm’d with Turks, most of whom having never been out of their own Country, star’d with so much Surprise at every thing they saw, that it afforded daily Diversion to the Public. One Day I observ’d a Turk entring St. Stephen’s Church at the Time when there was no Service, nor so much as a Soul in the Church. I was so curious as to follow him at a Distance, and to observe all his Motions, which made me very merry: The Place at which he discover’d the greatest Astonishment was the Choir, the Form of the Clergy’s Stalls there, the Construction of the High Altar; in a Word, every thing was to him a perfect Novelty: But the Thing which seem’d to puzzle him most of all was, a noble Lamp burning in the midst of the Choir: He turn’d round and round it again, and view’d it on every Side for a long while, but seem’d as much confounded as at first, wondring to be sure how they did to kindle it. Mean time, after a little Pause, he observ’d a String underneath it, which he took into his Head to pull, and finding that all came towards him, he brought the Lamp down to the Ground. I observ’d that he was mightily pleas’d that he had found out the Meaning of the Difficulty which had so much perplex’d him; and when the Fire was so near him, he pull’d a long Pipe out of his Pocket with so much Gravity, that I could not help
smiling; and after he had lighted it at the Lamp, he hoisted it to the Place it was in before, and then went out.
Not many Days after the Entry of the Turkish Ambassador was the Ceremony of the Marriage of the Archduchess Maria-Josepha to the Electoral Prince of Saxony. The Marriage had been projected a long time, and ’tis even said, that the Emperor Joseph had promis’d the King of Poland in Writing to give his Eldest Daughter to the Electoral Prince, on Condition that he would turn to the Catholic Religion. Meantime, while this Match hung in Suspence, the Electoral Prince of Bavaria enter’d the List, which very much embarras’d the Court of Vienna, who did not know for which Match to determine. The Person employ’d in this Negotiation by the Saxon Court was the Count de Wackerbarth. Soon after him the Electoral Prince in Person came to the Court of Vienna, and when he was oblig’d to return, he left the Count de Lagnasco there to take Care of his Interest; who at length obtain’d the Emperor’s Consent, and the Count de F—— came with the Character of Ambassador to demand the Princess of the Emperor, which was done with very great Solemnity. As I was curious to know the Ceremonies usual upon such Occasions, I went to the Count de F——, on the Day that he was to go on the Emperor for his Audience. Who should I see arrive but the Count D’Oropesa, a Grandee of Spain, Knight of the Golden Fleece, and one of the Emperor’s Chamberlains, in a Coach drawn by Six Horses, follow’d by a second Coach and Six, with the Emperor’s Arms and Liveries: His Imperial Majesty’s Footmen and the Count’s Lackeys walk’d on each Side of
the first Coach. The Count de F—— receiv’d the Count D’Oropesa as he alighted out of his Coach, and conducted him into a Room, where Two Chairs of State were plac’d under a Canopy of Crimson Velvet, inrich’d with Embroidery and Gold Fringe; and over the Chairs was plac’d the Picture of the King of Poland. The Two Counts seated themselves in the Chairs of State, the Ambassador giving the Right Hand to the Count. They were both cover’d, talk’d for about a Quarter of an Hour, and then went out. The Ambassador stepp’d first into the Emperor’s Coach, and then the Count D’Oropesa, the former riding forwards, and the latter backwards over-against him. Four of the principal Saxon Gentlemen in the Ambassador’s Retinue went into the second Coach. Then the March began, when one of the Coaches of the Court led the Way, follow’d by one of the Ambassador’s Officers, at the Head of Twenty-four of his Excellency’s Lackeys; the Coach wherein the Two Counts rode follow’d next; the Emperor’s Footmen and the Count D’Oropesa’s Lackeys walking on each Side: Then came Eight of the Ambassador’s Pages, Four of whom were in the German, and Four in the Polish Dress; their Coats were of blue Velvet lac’d with Gold: Four Pages of the Back-stairs clad in blue Cloth lac’d with Gold follow’d the other Pages, and Three of the Ambassador’s Coaches with Six Horses each clos’d the March: In this Order did the Train arrive at the Palace; the Ambassador’s first Coach enter’d alone into the Inner Court, the Two others stay’d in the Outer Court. The Ambassador found the Emperor under a Canopy, and in the Name of the King his Master demanded the Archduchess of him in Marriage for
the Electoral Prince: The Emperor made him Answer, that he was very willing, on condition that the Empress, Mother to the Archduchess, and the Archduchess herself gave their Consent. After this Audience the Ambassador was conducted to the Empress Regent, and to the Empress Mother, of whom he made the same Demand, almost in the same Terms. The Princesses answer’d, That if the Emperor was willing, and the Empress Amelia and the Archduchess consented to it, they should see the Marriage concluded with Pleasure: Then the Ambassador was conducted to an Audience of the Empress Amelia, of whom he made the same Demand, telling her too of the Answer he had receiv’d from the Emperor and the Empresses. This Empress made Answer, That the Emperor’s Will was always Her’s, that the Electoral Prince was a Match that she lik’d, and that she hop’d the Archduchess her Daughter would not be against it; and that she would go that Instant, and let her know what he came about: At the same time she turn’d to the Countess of Caraffa, her Lady of Honour, and bad her send for the Archduchess: This Princess, being in an adjacent Room, came that Moment, dress’d most richly: And the Empress told her what the Ambassador had just declar’d to her on the Part of the King of Poland, relating to her Marriage with his Son the Electoral Prince: She added, that the Emperor, the Empresses and Herself had agreed to the Match; that nevertheless she was left absolutely to her own Disposal, and that the Emperor did not mean to constrain her: The Archduchess made Answer, That she had no Objection to the Marriage, and that she obey’d their Imperial Majesties Orders with Respect.
After this Declaration the Ambassador advanc’d, and addressing himself to the Archduchess, presented her with the Electoral Prince’s Picture adorn’d with Diamonds, which this Princess accepted, and without looking on it gave it to the Empress her Mother: The Empress, after having diligently view’d it, went to fasten it to the Body of the Archduchess’s Gown, but the Ambassador desir’d her Imperial Majesty to grant him that Honour; and after this Ceremony he return’d to his Palace as he came.
The Emperor, the Empress Regent and the Empress Mother went to the Apartment of the Empress Dowager, where, after mutual Compliments of Congratulation, their Majesties din’d together. In the Evening the Emperor and the Empresses went to pay a Visit to the Archduchess, that was to be marry’d, where the whole Court was present, and there was great Play, after which their Imperial Majesties and the Archduchess went and supp’d with the Empress Amelia.