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B05780 The secret history of the confederacy, &c. discovered in a conference between the French King and his chief officers. To which is added, articles between Luxemburgh, &c. As also expedients proposed for a peace. / Translated out of French. 1693 (1693) Wing S2339A; ESTC R232789 68,982 160

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Licensed June 5th 1693. Edward Cooke THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE Confederacy c. Discovered in a CONFERENCE Between the French King AND HIS CHIEF OFFICERS To which is added ARTICLES BETWEEN LUXEMBURGH c. AS ALSO Expedients proposed for a Peace Translated out of French London Printed for Richard Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms Inn in Warwick-lane 1693. SCarce had they given over talking at Court of the taking of Mons and of the advantages that France would receive by so important a Conquest which put into her Hands the Key of all the Spanish Netherlands but a whispering began to be spread abroad that the Council had some new design in Hand which promised great things and would be the occasion of as great an umbrage yea greater than that of Mon● Whilst the Generals were gathering together and Monsieur de Luxembu●gh de Lo●ge d' Humieres Boufflers Vauban and others of the secret Council were passing to and fro it was not doubted but there was some grand Enterprize on foot The Criticks of the times and those which made it their business to foresee things to come met also by courses and did indiscreetly cast the Horoscope of the place threatned with this Thunderbolt upon which it was ready to fall making the Innocent bear the burthen of the Guilty but withall not discovering any thing of their real intentions for France is so subtle in concealing her designs that she would oblige People to believe quite another thing than what she really intends Nevertheless orders were given that all things should be in readiness The Roads were already fill'd with Waggons and Carts loaden with Ammunition and Provision which went to fill the Magazines of Mons Phillip-Ville Maubeuge and Dinant There were never seen so many Bombs and Carcasses gathered together and sent in a time when the rigour of the Winter had rendred the Roads unpassable They were not satisfied with the great Stores of Corn and Forrage that all the conquer'd Countries could furnish them withall besides an innumerable number of Provisions rais'd in the Enemies Country by way of Contributions but also the Hay and Oats of Champaign and the Neighbouring Provinces had been transported in so great abundance that it reduc'd the People of that Country to the last extremity having deprived them of their proper subsistance Besides all these Prodigious Preparations to prevent yet the disorder which might happen to a great and numerous Army if it should once come to want Provisions they made use of the same Artifice as they had done at the Siege of Mons I mean that the Victualler General found a way how to bring from Holland 100000 Crowns worth of Dutch Cheese by the intelligence he had with a Baker at Gaunt who knew the secret how to get it convey'd In the affair of Mons so great a provision was made that after the reduction of that place the Army being first furnish't the rest was publickly sold for fear it should be spoil'd so that nothing was seen in the Boats and publick Markets but Holland Cheese So that we may say that France partly maintains her Armies upon the subsistance of her Enemies and the opportunity she hath by the means of her Gold and Silver to spread Corruption in a Country as fruitful of Traytors as Brabant emboldens her and makes her undertake in the midst of Winter the Siege of the strongest places in Europe whilst the Allies who do not use so much precaution see themselves incapacitated for want of Magazines to enter the Campaign before the Month of June But it is not of Yesterday that France has been a practitioner in this mattter In the War of 1672. she managed otherwise for then Marquis de Louvois found the way some Months before the Declaration of the War to draw from the Principal Bankers of the City of Amsterdam in ready Mony full eight Millions of Silver This Summ and many others privately raised in several other Cities of these Provinces were advanced and defray'd a part of the charge of the War which had like to have overturn'd the State and to put it upon the brink of ruin But without calling in the time past for our assistance or diving into things acted in the precedent Wars and Ransacking as we say the Ashes of the Dead let us discourse of the Living and bring upon the Stage the Illustrious Marquess of Gastenaga heretofore Governour of the low Countries What has he not done to fill his Coffers The French Cavalry has lost in him one of the best Jockeys in all the Countries of Germany Liege or Brabant and I do not know how they will do after the Campaign and who shall furnish them sufficiently with Horses to remount their Cavalry For we reckon that he has conveyed into France since the Declaration of the War to the number of 40000 Horse for which he had three Pistoles per Horse for his pains But now when we unmask the cause of so many Misfortunes must we not avow whether we will or no that we know the evil and are not willing to remedy it since we see that no exact inquiry has been made into all these rotten Members who betray'd the good Party and sold by the example of Judas Iscariot their Country their Wives and Children and all that was most Sacred and Inviolable in the Government But to return to my matter in Hand After having so furnished the Magazines as we have already said Orders were dispatched which were carried in all hast by Curriers sent into Savoy Germany and Catalonia to cause all the Troops to be upon their March in order to be in Flanders at the beginning of the Month of April To cover yet better the great Design and to deceive the Enemies by Marches Countermarches which were caus'd to be made Monsieur Boufflers had orders to go to Mons to command in the absence of Monsieur Luxenburgh who staid at Paris to assist at the last Resolutions of the great Council of War which was to be held before the opening of the Campaign where several obstacles and difficulties that Monsieur de Vauban and de Megrini had proposed in the Execution of this project were to be decided Now it is acknowledged by all that these two Ingineers are beyond all controversy not only the best of this Age but also that France ever had since she was govern'd by Kings and that we may call them without Hyperbole the Right Hand of the Conquests that the King has made during the whole course of his Reign and greatest prosperities if we consider the Invention the good Order the Capacity and the quick Execution in which we may say that they have not their fellows in Europe But let us say also without Hyperbole or Flattery that it is a great advantage for an Ingenious Man when he has to do with a Prince who spares nothing for the Execution of a design and this doth not a little contribute to acquire him a great Reputation