mean time what ought I to do for the good of my People and for that of Christendom THE ORACLE Never depart from the interest of those that have assisted to invest thee with the Electoral mantle XI When the Ecclesiastical Electors had finish'd their addresses the Elector of Bavaria who had done honour to the Robe drew near and said Neither the promises of France nor my Alliance with that Crown nor even the life of the Dauphiness my dear Sister were able to draw me off from the interest of the Empire The glory of vanquishing the Infidels hath often caus'd me to hazard my life for the defence of Christendom My zeal for the good cause aswell as my valour hath attracted the envy of the malicious but heaven hath thought fit that I should survive some of them and I hope that Christendom will recover by me what it hath lost by my competitor I will give a reason to Europe no longer to resent the loss of the brave Duke of Lorrain and to France the marks of my just indignation I will make it appear that the Bavarian blood still flows in my veins and I remember the scorn put on my Alliance by their protection of the Cardinal of Furstemberg and affronts that they have offer'd to the Dauphiness ever since I resus'd to enter into the French interosts and to become their King's Son in law THE ORACLE Thy glory may procure a Crown for thy family if it be not prevented XII The Elector of Brandenbourg after having paid his last respects to the memory of the Elector his late Father and having receiv'd the homage of his Subjects came nigh the sacred Den and said I shall endeavour not to diminish the reputation and glory that the Elector my Father hath acquir'd in the World The pipe through which the infectious poison of France pass'd into my Countrey being cut off by the special favour of Heaven I will hearken to no proposition on that side and shall alwaies embrace the common Cause I will purge if it be possible my Court from the French corruption and none of their Emissaries shall be admitted therein I will follow the good counsels of the King of great Britain my Kinsman and Ally And if nature hath prov'd an unkind Step-mother to me in some particulars I will strive to repair that loss by a great and glorious name and by the considerable Forces that I shall alwaies maintain nevertheless my Artillery cannot march but on silver wheels Moreover with the help of certain subsidies allow'd me by the Allies I shall essay to make myself formidable to my enemies but without money the Machine cannot be mov'd THE ORACLE Take heed lest in milking the Cow too much she should at last overturn the pail XIII The Elector of Saxony having receiv'd but little satisfaction in his last Winter-quarters and having deliberated in his Council what measures ought to be taken this Campagne since the Emperor had already acknowledg'd the justice of his complaints and had indemnifi'd him as to part of his pretensions was resolv'd to cause his troops to march for the defense of the common cause and to go and declare his mind in the Temple which he did after this manner As to my particular I have enter'd into no engagement with France but have adher'd to the common Cause of Europe for the maintaining whereof I was only oblig'd to furnish my quota in the Forces of the Empire but at the perswasion of my Allies I have exceeded this obligation nevertheless the French understanding that my expectation was not answer'd that no regard was had to my troops and that I had carried on the War at my own charge made great offers to me only to remain neuter but I would not hearken to any of these Emissaries Therefore the King of France can expect nothing but blows from me provided that my troops be treated after a better manner than formerly otherwise I shall remayn neuter the next Campain and nothing shall be able to excite me nor to cause me to march nor even so much as to perswade me to any thing except THE ORACLE William Rex XIV The Elector Palatin came near and said Ever since my promotion to the Electorate I have been as it were a victime sacrific'd for the safety of the Empire my Countrey and People have been offer'd up to the rage and fury of the French the King of France hath honour'd me so far as to set me in the rank of his greatest enemies and hath give an apparent testimony thereof to the World by the conflagrations that he hath caus'd in the Palatinate but Heaven cannot better avenge me of this cruel enemy than by making the Queen of Spain my Daughter fruitful and by Crowning William III. King of Great Britain with victorious Laurels to the end that after the Conquest of Ireland he may advance to the relief of the oppressed Princes to compel mine enemy to retire within his own just bounds and to restore peace to Europe that is harrass'd with calamities on all sides But alass when shall this happy time come THE ORACLE Thy Children shall enjoy this advantage XV. After the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire William III. King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defendor of the Faith c. carrying the second Imperial Crown in Europe came to the Temple to consult the Oracle concerning the important affairs in which he is at present engag'd all Christendom having their eyes fix'd on him as the deliverer of the afflicted the hope of the oppress'd Princes and the Restorer of Europe which would have fallen into perpetual slavery if England had not broken its fetters Being arriv'd at the sacred Den he said The People of Great Britain have sent for me for their deliverance My Valour hath put the Scepter into my hands and Heaven hath Crown'd me after I had deliver'd the Nation from oppression that march'd on with a swift pace and from those calamities that hung over their heads Veni vidi vici I came I saw and I overcame for the Agents whom the King of France employ'd to enslave this Nation and to bring it under the yoak of a despotic and arbitrary Power gave place at my approach I was Anointed King as another David in the room of my Father in Law who chose rather to abandon the Kingdom than to stand and justify the proceedings of his Reign and the birth of his pretended Prince of Wales before a free Parliament Lawfully conven'd without any sinister courses or corruption thus he left to me the Kingdom and the Crown and Heaven having design'd me for great and glorious enterprizes hath not put the Royal Sword into my hands in vain and thus as it were unto another Hercules Ireland becomes one of my labours my Competitor is fled and durst not appear in the Battel before me thinking it more expedient to save himself by flying to his dear Ally than to run the hazard of
more ease to recover what he hath lost and that in weakening me he might make use of this Conjuncture to satisfye the ambition which he hath alwaies had to seize on my Empire and to cause the Imperial Crown to pass into his family But by the means of these violent proceedings he hath cooperated in the Election of my Son to be King of the Romans who was thereupon constituted my Successor and I am sofar from being oppress'd as this new enemy hop'd that I find myself in a condition vigorously to oppose the assaults of these two Potentates and the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits give me reason to hope that if I continue the War against the Infidels I shall be able to set up the Cross in the City of Constantinople but on the other hand all my Allies represent to me the devastations and calamities that the French have caus'd in Germany and that to conquer certain barren Lands in Bulgaria several fair Provinces on the Rhine are ruin'd What measures then are most expedient to be taken by me in such an exigence being urg'd on one side by the the desire of destroying the Infidels and incited on the other by the cruelties and outragious combustions of the French THE ORACLE Peace in the East and suffer not thy self to be seduc'd VII The King of the Romans having accompanied the Emperor to the Temple his Imperial Majesty advis'd him to consult the Oracle who said I have been contrary to the expectation of the enemies of the Emperor my Father elected King of the Romans and appointed Successor of the Empire in a time of trouble and in the midst of War and all the means that France hath us'd to avoid this blow in favour of the Dauphin could not hinder my Election from being made without any opposition all the promises and efforts of my Competitor have prov'd vain and ineffectual and the just reputation and good Reign of the Emperor my Lord and Father hath prevail'd over all the intrigues and artifices of the French Emissaries This is such a happiness that I could not expect so soon for which I 'm come to render thanks to Heaven as the principal cause and to be inform'd of the second THE ORACLE The Revolution of England but especially become Caesar and not a Jesuit VIII All the Electoral Princes having accompanied the Emperor and the King of the Romans the Elector of Mentz advanc'd near the sacred Den and spake to this effect I have been tormented and my Territories have been taken as a prey relying to much on the illusory promises that were made to me on behalf of the King of France moreover as an addition to my misfortunes I found out the cheat only with the loss of my Country and receiv'd not a penny of all the money that was promis'd to me and if the Emperor at length had not had more consideration for me than I had at the beginning fidelity to him or regard to the welfare of the Empire thô my Quality of Elector and Prince of the Empire obliged me thereto I should have utterly perish'd I stood on the brink of a dangerous precipice where my head began to turn but thanks to his Imperial Majesty who hath extended his gracious hand to me and hath as it were snacht me out of the abyss of destructions wherein the Emissaries of France had almost plung'd me contrary to my own peculiar Interest But forasmuch as in adversity and perils we are most apt to reflect on our former errors and miscarriages I 'm come to make a solemn protestation in this Temple that I will never depart from the true interest of the Empire and that I am resolv'd for the future either to overcome or to perish together with it THE ORACLE Offend no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee IX The Elector of Triers approach'd and said I have fought the good fight for the Empire and have remained faithful to the Emperor neither promises nor threats have been able to move me nor to separate me from the Empire which is my true interest I confess my Tertitories have suffer'd but I take comfort in this that it was for a good cause and that I have persever'd in all the parts of my duty and fidelity and I patiently expect the deliverance of my Country by the hand of my Allies and the consolation of my People that groan under the oppression of the Usurper THE ORACLE Deliverance attends the just and Heaven it self shall make a breach in the Royal mount where thou art detain'd X. The Elector of Colen not having obtain'd an oppertunity to consult the Oracle since the death of his Uncle was ravish'd with joy at this it being the first that happen'd since his election to the Electorate and said The Negociation of my friends hath prevail'd over the pretensions of the Coadjutor that was chosen by the Chapter and all the machinations of France are frustrated Since my election all the great designs of Lewis XIV begin to fail and the Crown of the King of the Romans hath prov'd only imaginary to the Dauphin his Son My election hath serv'd as a bridle to restrain his ambition Colen hath limited his conquests Rhinberg Keiserwert and Bonne have been such hard morsels that the Cardinal of Furstemberg could not digest them notwithstanding his taking a dose of Spiritus Gall. he was oblig'd to disgorge them at the first emetic potion given him by the Allies not being any longer able to bear the Quality of Arch-Bishop of Colen however for his consolation I consent that he may please himself with that title during the War Lastly my election hath been an eclipse of this French Sun that was about to set the whole World in a flame but thanks be to my good Allies the States General of the United Provinces and to the care of his Highness the Prince of Orange now King of Great Britain to whom my election hath serv'd as the first step to ascend the Throne Thus am I now become the peaceable possessor of my Uncle's Arch-Bishopric who was indeed blinded by France to deprive the thereof on the simple promise of the Cardinal to give me the Coadjutorship But this was least in the thoughts of Lewsi XIV his interest obliging him to keep this Electorate in the hands of his Creatures therefore it hath been preserv'd by Divine Providence that extracts sweet out of bitter and I may justly affirm that the treachery of France hath open'd to me a passage into the Electorate The People of my Jurisdiction passionately desire my presence by reason of the Calamities in which many of them are now involv'd but I comfort them rather at a distance since during my minority I leave the Revenues to satisfye the debts of my Countrey However I hope that the War being ended the Pope will grant me a dispensation to exercise the Spiritual function and then I shall go and take possession of both at once In the
Algier and compell'd to engage at the Ottoman Port to send the Dauphin with a great Army to the frontiers of Germany to harass the Emperor and to give his Highness my Collegue an opportunity by dividing the Forces of the Empire to respite and to gather his Forces together to invade Leopold lest the whole burden of the War should fall on my shoulders I flatter'd myself with the expectation of great succours from Rome after the general extirpation that I had caused of the Hugonots in my Kingdom and the submissions that I had made to the Holy See since the exaltation of this present Pope who was pleas'd more over to promise that by his Pastoral authority he would procure a reconciliation with the Catholick Princes on the account of some small restitution to the end that I might be in a capacity to oppose the Hugenot Potentates to which effect I had bent my chiefest forces nevertheless with an intent to restore all afterwards to the Catholicks which I would have readily granted to them for the accommodation of my affairs But the Venetian Policy is an impenetrable mystery to my Ministers of State they bawl'd aloud at Rome that the Prince of Orange is an Usurper and a more dangerous and formidable Heretick than Calvin himself who advanc'd his Conquests only with the tongue and the pen whereas this Prince makes use of his Sword and that a remedy ought to be provided in time but all my zeal for the Catholick Religion hath hitherto produc'd no effect and it is alledg'd to me that it is not a War maintain'd for the cause of Religion but for that of Ambition In the mean time thou know'st Oh Deity that presidest in this Place that I labour to reestablish the King of England on his Throne and that I have almost exhausted my treasury to preserve Ireland for him but instead of a recompense it hath been objected to me that it is my own interest that obligeth me to act and the Catholicks are so far from assisting me with Croisades that they sing Te Deum when the Hugenots are victorious this causeth me often to deliberate whether I ought to recall the later into my Kingdom to enrage my Catholic enemies but the mischief is they will give no credit to my word nor I to their The Union of the Allies is more closely knit together than the Gordian Knot and requires another Alexander to untie it but it is a Clock that always goes and never strikes it is a Lute on which some strings are always jarring or out of tune I have devis'd an Expedient to defend my self and not to fear them for I find them to be better Travellers than Soldiers I hope that if they always March as they have begun they will soon be ready to return into their Winter-quarters and then I shall have no longer any cause of Fear on the side of Germany My Cousin of Luxemburgh who is as subtil as a Fox hath promis'd to deceive the Prince of Waldeck once more I have drain'd my Subjects and Churches of all their Money because I knew it is the sinews of War and with this familiar Spirit all things may be effected with the help thereof I penetrate every where even into the most secret Counsels and it is my only Refuge my Life-guard and the best Ally that I have at this time It often performs the function of a General by gaining the Victory for me as well as that of an Orator amongst the Ladies and by its Vertue I subdue many Obstinate Enemies But alas it is my sad misfortune that this familiar Spirit could never tame the Prince of Orange who is the Enemy that I most dread above all others and I am very much afraid lest he should have a powerful party in my Kingdom as he hath had in England moreover I have been assur'd that he is Cannon-proof and that he fears no danger what course then shall I take to defend my self against him THE ORACLE Restore unto God and Men that which belongs to them otherwise thou shalt drink the Juice of ORANGE XX. MADAM de Maintonon who had accompanied the King into the Temple afterwards entreated the Priestess to conduct her to a convenient place and to set her in a decent posture that she might interrogate the Oracle which being accordingly done she said By the favour and assistance of the Reverend Father La Chaise I have quieted my Conscience and secur'd my Honour against all Obloquy and Slander never any poor Lady in France ascended to that high degree of Glory to which I have arriv'd only by my Intrigues I have refus'd the chief Honours of the Court but I have exercis'd in a manner all the functions of a Queen I had a respect for Madam the late Dauphiness because she preceeded me at Court but when another shall come I do not intend to give her the same Honour or Deference since I am at present the first in right Shall it be said that I who have attain'd to so great Intimacy and Familiarity with the King and his Female Counsellors should give place to an upstart this I confess would be a very great vexation to me therefore I come hither to consult thee on this occasion THE ORACLE Women and Fruits have their Flowers and Seasons XXI WHEN the King was gone out of the Temple the Dauphin succeeded in his place and said I fear lest being as yet Dauphin I should become greater than my Father which is a thing without a president in France but Woe to him that is to be the first Example Madam the late Dauphiness often reproach'd me by reason of the little share that I had in managing the Affairs of the Kingdom to whom it chiefly belong'd and because very often the pleasure of a Minister of State hath prevail'd over mine indeed it is their Conduit through which I have frequently receiv'd favours from the King who hath too much Ambition to suffer me to Rule during his Life and after the example of Charles the Fifth to put the Royal Authority into my hands Tho' the People have much inclination to me ever since the Troubles in which they are involv'd the Catholicks are desirous of me and the Hugenots wait for me with great Devotion notwithstanding that the Dauphiness as many others were to make her self to be regarded was accessary in tormenting them but they are perswaded that I was not engag'd in causing the Vexations that were offer'd to them and that the good Precepts of the Duke of Montausier my Governour were prevalent in me neither indeed could I ever approve of all the violent proceedings that have been promoted with respect to them because I well fore-saw that they would be attended by mischievous Consequences and would partly kindle all those Combustions that we see at this Day inflam'd in the Kingdom which cannot but produce most dangerous effects The King 's Evil Council hath rais'd up this vast number of Enemies
spent it in treating my dear Niece who by her fond caresses caus'd me to imitate the Crow in the Fable and that which torments me most of all is that the matter is irrecoverable since the Holy See hath again ratified all that was done in this affair and that my Competitor is younger than I Thus my fortune is limitted within the narrow bounds of the Abbey of Saint Germain However the King gives me hopes of obtaining an Arch-Bishopric in his Kingdom to sweeten the remorse that I might have for betraying my own lawful Soveraign but I cannot relye upon it The fear of some foul and unexpected chastisement caus'd me to withdraw from Rome incognito to take shelter under the Culverins of the great Lewes but in regard that the unfortunate are never welcome at the French Court I can make but a sorry figure and it will be yet so much the worse if the Emperor and his Allies should gain any considerable advantages over France for then I might serve as a Victime to a Peace not knowing whither to flye since all Europe only desires my ruin Thus on whatsoever side I turn I can see nothing but crosses and tribulation ready to attend me I am come therefore to know my destiny THE ORACLE It will follow the fortune of thy new Master XXXVII The King of Siam being disengag'd from the French and the Jesuits went to consult the Oracle and said my Predecessor was much addicted to the French that were brought to Siam by the Jesuits who having made themselves in a manner necessary by the profession of the Mathematics and Astrology with the study whereof they had amus'd him soon insinuated themselves into his favour and by that means got possession of the most principal Places in his Dominions with a prospect of becoming at length Masters of the whole Kingdom designing to set one of their own Creatures on the Throne and to seize on our Golden Gods that attract all their admiration neither would they have preach'd there Religion here but to that end however having perceiv'd their subtilty with the advice of my chief Mandarins I got rid of them as also of their principal abetters and adherents After the King's Death I took possession of the Kingdom lest it should fall together with our Gods into the hands of the French I am not ignorant that their King will make pretensions against me but I fear him not as long as I can maintain an Alliance and good correspondence with the Hollanders my neighbours at least if they do not come to demand the presents that they gave to my Predecessor and to Constantius his chief Minister of State who was the instrument of all their designs and the wheel that set the engine of the Jesuits on motion but the first that shall presume to enter into my Kingdom I will deliver as a prey to the wild Beasts for I can no longer suffer such vermin in my Dominions THE ORACLE Be alwaies Master XXXVIII The Republic of Geneva being deliver'd from those terrible alarms that the King of France continually caus'd in their neighbourhood on the occasion of the marching of that vast number of the enemies against whom he is now engag'd and of the great War in which he is involv'd sent two Syndics to consult the Oracle in the name of the whole City who spake after this manner Our condition being alter'd and the tempestuous Storm having pass'd over our Heads he that so lately threatn'd us begins now to caress us thus we breath in a clear and wholsom air and we may certainly affirm that King William is a great Physitian and that his most efficacious remedies operate at a very great distance but for asmuch as in all distempers relapses are very dangerous by what means shall we preserve the good health that we now enjoy THE ORACLE By the vertue of Spiritus Angliae XXXIX The City of Hambourgh being oblig'd to publish the Emperor's Avocatoria was not a little disgusted and in this perplexity sent two Licenciats to consult the Oracle who spake in the name of their Principals saying We hoped that all our neighbours being engag'd in War we might have monopoliz'd the greatest part of their Traffic by the means of a neutrality but since jealousy often creates violence insomuch that we have found an embrago laid on all our Vessels in England with the Emperor's consent we have been compell'd to submit to the Avocatoria and to cause the French Resident to depart from our Tertitories but the King may clearly see that we have been constrain'd thereto to avoid the ruin of our inhabitants for the King of England who knows not how to dally persists in obligng us to observe the Avocatoria Thus we are perplex'd being depriv'd of our Commerce with France and not knowing what party to adhere unto in this Conjuncture THE ORACLE Follow the strongest XL. The Princes of the House of Lunembourg spake thus to the Oracle We have had no regard to all the offers of France and they could not hinder us from cleving to the interest of the common Cause of Europe and from furnishing our Allies with Troops notwithstanding the vast summes of money offer'd to us by the most Christian King to prevent it but we have no mind to be harrass'd we would act as we think fit and be Masters of our own Forces we would willingly assist our Allies and especially the King of England for whose valour we have a particular esteem as our Friend and true Ally and we are ready to concur in any thing to the utmost of our Power that may tend to his satisfaction THE ORACLE Glory and Victory flye before him and Heaven is his Protector XLI The Marquess de Gastanaga Governor of the Spanish Neitherlands after the Battel of Fleury fearing lest the enemies might invade Flanders went immediately to consult the Oracle and said May the Heavens protect us in this Conjuncture for if the Hollanders should retreat my Master's Countrey is lost and if the French should enter therein they would spare neither Virgin nor Saint nor the most Sacred Relicks I have caus'd several Masses to be celebrated and have made several vows for the prosperity of the King's Aâ—ms but I hope that when the King of Great Britain shall come he will defend us from all disasters with the aid of our good Lady of Hal. THE ORACLE Help thy self and the Gods shall assist thee XLII The Prince of Waldeck after the same Battel of Fleury was also very glad of an oppertunity to consult the Oracle on this occasion saying I have been unfortunate in the last Battel althô at the same time the French have no reason to boast I did what I could nevertheless I know that I am not respected by the People Men give Battel but the event comes from Heaven whence then proceeds my misfortune THE ORACLE Consult thy strength and thy age and be a friend to Spies XLIII The Kingdom of Algers sent two