Note 102 — LETTER XII.

This great General who was born the 8th of October 1663, O. S. died on the 10th of April 1736, O. S. so suddenly, that when his Gentleman went that Morning, as usual, into his Chamber to awake him, he was found dead in his Bed. He had been the day before very gay with Company whom he entertain'd at Dinner, and made not the least Complaint of any Ailment, tho' he had for some time before been so indispos'd that he did not venture abroad. 'Tis supposed that he was choak'd by an immoderate Defluxion of Rheum with which he was now and then troubled. His sudden Death cast the City and Court of Vienna into such a Consternation as did prodigious Honour to his immortal Memory. On the 15th, after having lain three days in State, he was interr'd in the Tomb of his Nephew Emanuel Prince of Savoy (which the Princess of Savoy Countess of Soissons caus'd to be erected in the Metropolitan Church of St. Stephen) with all the Military Honours, and all the Magnificence due to his illustrious Birth, and to these important Services which he perform'd to the August House of Austria during the Reigns of three successive Emperors. A Will was found among his Papers, whereby he declar'd the late Prince Eugene of Savoy his Nephew who died the year before at Manheim his universal Heir. But after that time a Codicil was made, tho' never sign'd by Prince Eugene, declaring for his Heir his Niece Louisa de Seissons of Carignan (who was born December 16, 1686.) then at a Nunnery in France. The Prince left behind him a numerous and curious library of Books, many of which he bought when at London of Christopher Bateman in Pater-noster Row, besides a fine Cabinet of Medals and other Curiosities. The Emperor has bought his Library of his Niece for 20000 Florins.

Since the Prince's Death the Count de Konigseg, Vice-President of the Council of War, has the chief Direction of Military Affairs at this Court, and signs all Dispatches and Commissions which that Prince sign'd as first President of the said Council, for thirty-three years. His Regiment of Dragoons is given to Prince Charles of Lorrain, but the Honours he held as General in Chief of the Emperor's Forces, and his Imperial Majesty's Vicar-General in Italy, are like to continue vacant by reason of the Peace.