This incident, however, is so remarkable that I shall give in this
work a farther account of my kinsman, and what was called his
criminal process, at reading which the world will be astonished. My
own history is so connected with his that this is necessary, and the
more so because there are many ignorant or wicked people at Vienna,
who believe, or affirm, Trenck had actually taken the King of
Prussia prisoner.

Never yet was there a traitor of the name of Trenck; and I hope to
prove, in the clearest manner, the Austrian Trenck as faithfully
served the Empress-Queen as the Prussian Trenck did Frederic, his
King. Maria Theresa, speaking to me of him some time after his
death, and the snares that had been laid for him, said, "Your
kinsman has made a better end than will be the fate of his accusers
and judges."

Of this more hereafter: I approach that epoch when my misfortunes
began, and when the sufferings of martyrdom attended me from youth
onward till my hairs grew grey.



CHAPTER IV.



A few days after the battle of Sorau, the usual camp postman brought
me a letter from my cousin Trenck, the colonel of pandours,
antedated at Effek four months, of which the following is a copy:-