The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck Volume 1

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In Prussia, where my sufferings might have made me supposed the
worst of traitors, is my innocence universally acknowledged; and
instead of contempt, there have I gained the love of the whole
nation, which is the best compensation for all the ills I have
suffered, and for having persevered in the virtuous principles
taught me in my youth, persecuted as I have been by envy and
malicious power. I have not time further to moralise; the numerous
incidents of my life would otherwise swell this volume to too great
an extent.

Thus in freedom at Braunau, on the Bohemian frontiers, I sent the
two horses, with the corporal's sword, back to General Fouquet, at
Glatz. The letter accompanying them was so pleasing to him that all
the sentinels before my prison door, as well as the guard under
arms, and all those we passed, were obliged to run the gauntlet,
although the very day before he had himself declared my escape was
now rendered impossible. He, however, was deceived; and thus do the
mean revenge themselves on the miserable, and the tyrant on the
innocent.

And now for the first time did I quit my country, and fly like
Joseph from the pit into which his false brethren had cast him; and
in this the present moment of joy for my escape, the loss even of
friends and country appeared to me the excess of good fortune.

The estates which had been purchased by the blood of my forefathers
were confiscated; and thus was a youth, of one of the noblest
families in the land, whose heart was all zeal for the service of
his King and country, and who was among those most capable to render
them service, banished by his unjust and misled King, and treated
like the worst of miscreants, malefactors, and traitors.

I wrote to the King, and sent him a true state of my case; sent
indubitable proofs of my innocence, and supplicated justice, but
received no answer.

In this the monarch may be justified, at least in my apprehension.
A wicked man had maliciously and falsely accused me; Colonel
Jaschinsky had made him suspect me for a traitor, and it was
impossible he should read my heart. The first act of injustice had
been hastily committed; I had been condemned unheard, unjudged; and
the injustice that had been done me was known too late; Frederic the
Great found he was not infallible. Pardon I would not ask, for I
had committed no offence; and the King would not probably own, by a
reverse of conduct, he had been guilty of injustice. My resolution
increased his obstinacy: but, in the discussion of the cause, our
power was very unequal.

The monarch once really loved me; he meant my punishment should only
be temporary, and as a trial of my fidelity. That I had been
condemned to no more than a year's imprisonment had never been told
me, and was a fact I did not learn till long after.

Major Doo, who, as I have said, was the creature of Fouquet, a mean
and covetous man, knowing I had money, had always acted the part of
a protector as he pretended to me, and continually told me I was
condemned for life. He perpetually turned the conversation on the
great credit of his general with the King, and his own great credit
with the general. For the present of a horse, on which I rode to
Glatz, he gave me freedom of walking about the fortress; and for
another, worth a hundred ducats, I rescued Ensign Reitz from death,
who had been betrayed when endeavouring to effect our escape. I
have been assured that on that very day on which I snatched his
sword from his side, desperately passed through the garrison, and
leaped the walls of the rampart, he was expressly come to tell me,
after some prefatory threats, that by his general's intercession, my
punishment was only to be a year's imprisonment, and that
consequently I should be released in a few days.

How vile were means like these to wrest money from the unfortunate!
The King, after this my mad flight, certainly was never informed of
the major's base cunning; he could only be told that, rather than
wait a few days, I had chosen, in this desperate manner, to make my
escape, and go over to the enemy.

Thus deceived and strengthened in his suspicion, must he not imagine
my desire to forsake my country, and desert to the enemy, was
unbounded? How could he do otherwise than imprison a subject who
thus endeavoured to injure him and aid his foes? Thus, by the
calumnies of wicked men, did my cruel destiny daily become more
severe; and at length render the deceived monarch irreconcilable and
cruel.

Yet how could it be supposed that I would not willingly have
remained three weeks longer in prison, to have been honourably
restored to liberty, to have prevented the confiscation of my
estate, and to have once more returned to my beloved mistress at
Berlin.

And now was I in Bohemia, a fugitive stranger without money,
protector, or friend, and only twenty years of age.

In the campaign of 1744 I had been quartered at Braunau with a
weaver, whom I advised and assisted to bury his effects, and
preserve them from being plundered. The worthy man received us with
joy and gratitude. I had lived in this same house but two years
before as absolute master of him and his fate. I had then nine
horses and five servants, with the highest and most favourable hopes
of futurity; but now I came a fugitive, seeking protection, and
having lost all a youth like me had to lose.

I had but a single louis-d'or in my purse, and Schell forty
kreutzers, or some three shillings; with this small sum, in a
strange country, we had to cure his sprain, and provide for all our
wants.

I was determined not to go to my cousin Trenck at Vienna, fearful
this should seem a justification of all my imputed treasons; I
rather wished to embark for the East Indies, than to have recourse
to this expedient. The greater my delicacy was the greater became
my distress. I wrote to my mistress at Berlin, but received no
answer; possibly because I could not indicate any certain mode of
conveyance. My mother believed me guilty, and abandoned me; my
brothers were still minors, and my friend at Schweidnitz could not
aid me, being gone to Konigsberg.

After three weeks' abode at Braunau, my friend recovered of his
lameness. We had been obliged to sell my watch, with his scarf and
gorget, to supply our necessities, and had only four florins
remaining.

From the public papers I learned my cousin, the Austrian Trenck, was
at this time closely confined, and under criminal prosecution. It
will easily be imagined what effect this news had upon me.

Never till now had I felt any inconvenience from poverty; my wants
had all been amply supplied, and I had ever lived among, and been
highly loved and esteemed by, the first people of the land. I was
destitute, without aid, and undetermined how to seek employment, or
obtain fame.

At length I determined to travel on foot to Prussia to my mother,
and obtain money from her, and afterwards enter into the Russian
service. Schell, whose destiny was linked to mine, would not
forsake me. We assumed false names: I called myself Knert, and
Schell, Lesch; then, obtaining passports, like common deserters, we
left Braunau on the 21st of January, in the evening, unseen of any
person, and proceeded towards Bielitz in Poland. A friend I had at
Neurode gave me a pair of pocket pistols, a musket, and three
ducats; the money was spent at Braunau. Here let me take occasion
to remark I had lent this friend, in urgent necessity, a hundred
ducats, which he still owed me; and when I sent to request payment,
he returned me three, as if I had asked charity.

Though a circumstantial description of our travels alone would fill
a volume, I shall only relate the most singular accidents which
happened to us; I shall also insert the journal of our route, which
Schell had preserved, and gave me in 1776, when he came to see me at
Aix-la-Chapelle, after an absence of thirty years.

This may be called the first scene in which I appeared as an
adventurer, and perhaps my good fortune may even have overbalanced
the bad, since I have escaped death full thirty times when the
chances were a hundred to one against me; certain it is I undertook
many things in which I seemed to have owed my preservation to the
very rashness of the action, and in which others equally brave would
have found death.

JOURNAL OF TRAVELS ON FOOT.

From Braunau, in Bohemia, through Bielitz, in Poland, to Meseritsch,
and from Meseritsch, by Thorn, to Ebling; in the whole 169 miles,
{3} performed without begging or stealing.

January 18th, 1747.--From Braunau, by Politz, to Nachod, three
miles, we having three florins forty-five kreutzers in our purse.

Jan. 19.--To Neustadt. Here Schell bartered his uniform for an old
coat, and a Jew gave him two florins fifteen kreutzers in exchange;
from hence we went to Reichenau; in all, three miles.

Jan. 20.--We went to Leitomischl, five miles. Here I bought a loaf
hot out of the oven, which eating greedily, had nearly caused my
death. This obliged us to rest a day, and the extravagant charge of
the landlord almost emptied our purse.

Jan. 22.--From Trubau, to Zwittau, in Moravia, four miles.

Jan. 23.--To Sternberg, six miles. This day's journey excessively
fatigued poor Schell, his sprained ankle being still extremely weak.

Jan. 24.--To Leipnik, four miles, in a deep snow, and with empty
stomachs. Here I sold my stock-buckle for four florins.

Jan. 25.--To Freiberg, by Weiskirch, to Drahotusch, five miles.
Early in the morning we found a violin and case on the road; the
innkeeper in Weiskirch gave us two florins for it, on condition that
he should return it to the owner on proving his right, it being
worth at least twenty.

Jan. 26.--To Friedek, in Upper Silesia, two miles.

Jan. 27.--To a village, four miles and a half.

Jan. 28.--Through Skotschau, to Bielitz, three miles. This was the
last Austrian town on the frontiers of Poland, and Captain Capi, of
the regiment of Marischall, who commanded the garrison, demanded our
passports. We had false names, and called ourselves common Prussian
deserters; but a drummer, who had deserted from Glatz, knew us, and
betrayed us to the captain, who immediately arrested us very rudely,
and sent us on foot to Teschin (refusing us a hearing), four miles
distant.

Here we found Lieut.-Colonel Baron Schwarzer, a perfectly worthy
man, who was highly interested in our behalf, and who blamed the
irregular arbitrary conduct of Captain Capi. I frankly related my
adventures, and he used every possible argument to persuade me,
instead of continuing my journey through Poland to go to Vienna, but
in vain; my good genius, this time, preserved me--would to God it
ever had! How many miseries had I then avoided, and how easily
might I have escaped the snares spread for me by the powerful, who
have seized on my property, and in order to secure it, have hitherto
rendered me useless to the state by depriving me of all post or
preferment.

I returned, therefore, a second time to Beilitz, travelling these
four miles once more. Schwarzer lent us his own horse and four
ducats, which I have since repaid, but which I shall never forget,
as they were of signal service to me, and procured me a pair of new
boots.

Irritated against Captain Capi, we passed through Beilitz without
stopping, went immediately to Biala, the first town in Poland, and
from thence sent Capi a challenge to fight me, with sword or pistol,
but received no answer; and his non-appearance has ever confirmed
him in my opinion a rascal.

And here suffer me to take a retrospective view of what was my then
situation. By the orders of Capi I was sent prisoner as a
contemptible common deserter, and was unable to call him to account.
In Poland, indeed, I had that power, but was despised as a vagabond
because of my poverty. What, alas! are the advantages which the
love of honour, science, courage, or desire of fame can bestow,
wanting the means that should introduce us to, and bid us walk erect
in the presence of our equals? Youth depressed by poverty, is
robbed of the society of those who best can afford example and
instruction. I had lived familiar with the great, men of genius had
formed and enlightened me; I had been enumerated among the
favourites of a court; and now was I a stranger, unknown,
unesteemed, nay, condemned, obliged to endure the extremes of cold,
hunger, and thirst; to wander many a weary mile, suffering both in
body and mind, while every step led me farther from her whom most I
loved, and dearest; yet had I no fixed plan, no certain knowledge in
what these my labours and sufferings should end.

I was too proud to discover myself; and, indeed, to whom could I
discover myself in a strange land? My name might have availed me in
Austria, but in Austria, where this name was known, would I not
remain; rather than seek my fortune there, I was determined to shun
whatever might tend to render me suspicious in the eyes of my
country. How liable was a temper so ardent as mine, in the midst of
difficulties, fatigues, and disappointments, hard to endure, to
betray me into all those errors of which rash youth, unaccustomed to
hardship, impatient of contrariety, are so often guilty! But I had
taken my resolution, and my faithful Schell, to whom hunger or ease,
contempt or fame, for my sake, were become indifferent, did whatever
I desired.

Once more to my journal.

Feb. 1.--We proceeded four miles from Biala to Oswintzen, I having
determined to ask aid from my sister, who had married Waldow, and
lived much at her case on a fine estate at Hanmer, in Brandenburg,
between Lansberg, on the Warta and Meseritsch, a frontier town of
Poland. For this reason we continued our route all along the
Silesian confines to Meseritsch.

Feb. 2.--To Bobrek and Elkusch, five miles. We suffered much this
day because of the snow, and that the lightness of our dress was ill
suited to such severe weather. Schell, negligently, lost our purse,
in which were nine florins. I had still, however, nineteen grosch
in my pocket (about half-a-crown).

Feb. 3.--To Crumelew, three miles; and

Feb. 4.--To Wladowiegud Joreck, three miles more; and from thence,
on.

Feb. 5.--To Czenstochowa, where there is a magnificent convent,
concerning which, had I room, I might write many remarkable things,
much to the disgrace of its inhabitants.

We slept at an inn kept by a very worthy man, whose name was Lazar.
He had been a lieutenant in the Austrian service, where he had
suffered much, and was now become a poor innkeeper in Poland. We
had not a penny in our purse, and requested a bit of bread. The
generous man had compassion on us, and desired us to sit down and
eat with himself. I then told him who we were, and trusted him with
the motives of our journey. Scarcely had we supped, before a
carriage arrived with three people. They had their own horses, a
servant and a coachman.

This is a remarkable incident, and I must relate it
circumstantially, though as briefly as possible.

We had before met this carriage at Elkusch, and one of these people
had asked Schell where we were going; he had replied, to
Czenstochowa; we therefore had not the least suspicion of them,
notwithstanding the danger we ran.

They lay at the inn, saluted us, but with indifference, not seeming
to notice us, and spoke little. We had not been long in bed, before
our host came to awaken us, and told us with surprise, these
pretended merchants were sent to arrest us from Prussia; that they
had offered, first, fifty, afterwards, a hundred ducats, if he would
permit them to take us in his house, and carry us into Silesia:
that he had firmly rejected the proposal, though they had increased
their promises: and that at last they had given him six ducats to
engage his silence.

We clearly saw these were an officer and under-officers sent by
General Fouquet, to recover us. We conjectured by what means they
had discovered our route, and imagined the information they had
received could only come from one Lieutenant Molinie, of the
garrison of Habelschwert, who had come to visit Schell, as a friend,
during our stay at Braunau. He had remained with us two days, and
had asked many questions concerning the road we should take, and he
was the only one who knew it. He was probably the spy of Fouquet,
and the cause of what happened afterwards, which, however, ended in
the defeat of our enemies.

The moment I heard of this infamous treachery, I was for entering
with my pistols primed, into the enemy's chamber, but was prevented
by Schell and Lazar: the latter entreated me, in the strongest
manner, to remain at his house till I should receive a supply from
my mother, that I might be enabled to continue my journey with more
ease and less danger: but his entreaties were ineffectual; I was
determined to see her, uncertain as I was of what effect my letter
had produced. Lazar assured me, we should, most infallibly, be
attacked on the road. "So much the better," retorted I; "that will
give me an opportunity of despatching them, sending them to the
other world, and shooting them as I would highwayman." They
departed at break of day, and took the road to Warsaw.

We would have been gone, likewise, but Lazar, in some sort, forcibly
detained us, and gave us the six ducats he had received from the
Prussians, with which we bought us each a shirt, another pair of
pocket pistols, and other urgent necessaries; then took an
affectionate leave of our host, who directed us on our way, and we
testified our gratitude for the great services done us.

Feb. 6.--From Czenstochowa to Dankow, two miles. Here we expected
an attack. Lazar had told us our enemies had one musket: I also
had a musket, and an excellent sabre, and each of us was provided
with a pair of pistols. They knew not we were so well armed, which
perhaps was the cause of their panic, when they came to engage.

Feb. 7.--We took the road to Parsemechi: we had not been an hour on
the road, before we saw a carriage; as we drew near, we knew it to
be that of our enemies, who pretended it was set in the snow. They
were round it, and when they saw us approach, began to call for
help. This, we guessed, was an artifice to entrap us. Schell was
not strong; they would all have fallen upon me, and we should easily
have been carried off, for they wanted to take us alive.

We left the causeway about thirty paces, answering--"we had not time
to give them help;" at which they all ran to their carriage, drew
out their pistols, and returning full speed after us, called, "Stop,
rascals!" We began to run, but I suddenly turning round, presented
my piece, and shot the nearest dead on the spot. Schell fired his
pistols; our oppressors did the same, and Schell received a ball in
the neck at this discharge. It was now my turn; I took out my
pistols, one of the assailants fled, and I enraged, pursued him
three hundred paces, overtook him, and as he was defending himself
with his sword, perceiving he bled, and made a feeble resistance,
pressed upon him, and gave him a stroke that brought him down. I
instantly returned to Schell, whom I found in the power of two
others that were dragging him towards the carriage, but when they
saw me at their heels, they fled over the fields. The coachman,
perceiving which way the battle went, leaped on his box, and drove
off full speed.

Schell, though delivered, was wounded with a ball in the neck, and
by a cut in the right hand, which had made him drop his sword,
though he affirmed he had run one of his adversaries through.

I took a silver watch from the man I had killed, and was going to
make free with his purse, when Schell called, and showed me a coach
and six coming down a hill. To stay would have exposed us to have
been imprisoned as highwaymen; for the two fugitives who had escaped
us would certainly have borne witness against us. Safety could only
be found in flight. I, however, seized the musket and hat of him I
had first killed, and we then gained the copse, and after that the
forest. The road was round about, and it was night before we
reached Parsemechi.

Schell was besmeared with blood; I had bound up his wound the best I
could; but in Polish villages no surgeons are to be found: and he
performed his journey with great difficulty. We met with two Saxon
under-officers here, who were recruiting for the regiment of guards
at Dresden. My six feet height and person pleased them, and they
immediately made themselves acquainted with me. I found them
intelligent, and entrusted them with our secret, told them who we
were, related the battle we had that day had with our pursuers, and
I had not reason to repent of my confidence in them. Schell had his
wounds dressed, and we remained seven days with these good Saxons,
who faithfully kept us company.

I learned, meantime, that of the four men by whom we had been
assaulted, one only, and the coachman, returned to Glatz. The name
of the officer who undertook this vile business was Gersdorf; he had
a hundred and fifty ducats in his pocket when found dead. How great
would our good fortune have been, had not that cursed coach and six,
by its appearance, made us take to flight; since the booty would
have been most just! Fortune, this time, did not favour the
innocent; and though treacherously attacked, I was obliged to escape
like a guilty wretch. We sold the watch to a Jew for four ducats,
the hat for three florins and a half, and the musket for a ducat,
Schell being unable to carry it farther. We left most of this money
behind us at Parsemechi. A Jew surgeon sold us some dear plaisters,
which we took with us and departed.

Feb. 15.--From Parsemechi, through Vielum, to Biala, four miles.

Feb. 16.--Through Jerischow to Misorcen, four miles and a half.

Feb. 17.--To Osterkow and Schwarzwald, three miles.

Feb. 18.--To Sdune, four miles.

Feb. 19.--To Goblin two miles.

Here we arrived wholly destitute of money. I sold my coat to a Jew,
who gave me four florins and a coarse waggoner's frock, in exchange,
which I did not think I should long need, as we now drew nearer to
where my sister lived, and where I hoped I should be better
equipped. Schell, however, grew weaker and weaker; his wounds
healed slowly, and were expensive; the cold was also injurious to
him, and, as he was not by nature cleanly in his person, his body
soon became the harbour of every species of vermin to be picked up
in Poland. We often arrived wet and weary, to our smoky, reeking
stove-room. Often were we obliged to lie on straw, or bare boards;
and the various hardships we suffered are almost incredible.
Wandering as we did, in the midst of winter, through Poland, where
humanity, hospitality, and gentle pity, are scarcely so much as
known by name; where merciless Jews deny the poor traveller a bed,
and where we disconsolately strayed, without bread, and almost
naked: these were sufferings, the full extent of which he only can
conceive by whom they have been felt. My musket now and then
procured us an occasional meal of tame geese, and cocks and hens,
when these were to be had; otherwise, we never took or touched
anything that was not our own. We met with Saxon and Prussian
recruiters at various places; all of whom, on account of my youth
and stature, were eager to inveigle me. I was highly diverted to
hear them enumerate all the possibilities of future greatness, and
how liable I was hereafter to become a corporal: nor was I less
merry with their mead, ale, and brandy, given with an intent to make
me drunk. Thus we had many artifices to guard against; but thus had
we likewise, very luckily for us, many a good meal gratis.

Feb. 21.--We went from Goblin to Pugnitz, three miles and a half.

Feb. 22.--Through Storchnest to Schmiegel, four miles.

Here happened a singular adventure. The peasants at this place were
dancing to a vile scraper on the violin: I took the instrument
myself, and played while they continued their hilarity. They were
much pleased with my playing: but when I was tired, and desired to
have done, they obliged me, first by importunities, and afterwards
by threats, to play on all night. I was so fatigued, I thought I
should have fainted; at length they quarrelled among themselves.
Schell was sleeping on a bench, and some of them fell upon his
wounded hand: he rose furious: I seized our arms, began to lay
about me, and while all was in confusion, we escaped, without
further ill-treatment.

What ample subject of meditation on the various turns of fate did
this night afford! But two years before I danced at Berlin with the
daughters and sisters of kings: and here was I, in a Polish hut, a
ragged, almost naked musician, playing for the sport of ignorant
rustics, whom I was at last obliged to fight.

I was myself the cause of the trifling misfortune that befell me on
this occasion. Had not my vanity led me to show these poor peasants
I was a musician, I might have slept in peace and safety. The same
vain desire of proving I knew more than other men, made me through
life the continued victim of envy and slander. Had nature, too,
bestowed on me a weaker or a deformed body, I had been less
observed, less courted, less sought, and my adventures and mishaps
had been fewer. Thus the merits of the man often become his
miseries; and thus the bear, having learned to dance, must live and
die in chains.

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