Folio 166. To Trenchard. Strattmann's death has been confirmed. Emperor and court...

Folio 166. To Trenchard. Strattmann's death has been confirmed. Emperor and court have gone to Wiener-Neustadt for five or six days and Strattmann's replacement will be decided upon after their return. Conjecture is rife on all sides. It is generally assumed that it may be divided into two [departments] '(which will be a great ease & dispatch in business)... into the chancery of the court where will be dispatch'd the publiq & forraine affaires of the court, & the chancery of Austria relating to the Emperor's private & domestick concerns in those provinces of his hereditary countries'. The former appointment may be conferred on count [Gottlieb] Windischgraetz, because of his general knowledge of Europe '& a particular zeal in promoting the interest of His Majesty [of England] and the States from whom he has in return received singular favours'. The latter may well go to [Johann Friedrich von, later count] Seilern, member of the aulic council and currently con-commissary at the diet of Ratisbon with count [Ferdinand Wenzel] Lobkowitz. 'He is a man of mean birth but has the reputation of being the ablest secretary and chancellor in the whole empire'. - Refers to real [and possible further] successes of generals Hofkirchen and count Heidersheim against Turks and Tartars in Upper Hungary. - Had his first audience of the electoress, supposedly pregnant. - The Grand alliance 'lies fallow' because of the continued absence of Boineburg which the elector, otherwise at present well disposed towards it, takes as a slight. The elector is also uneasy about outstanding instalments of subsidies from the Emperor, Brandenburg and Hessen-Cassel which no envoy has come to explain. Urges prompt payment of the likewise outstanding instalments from England.

Date and Place: 1693 Oct 24/Nov 3 Dresden