favourable opportunity shall require it Can a Man forbear laughing when he hears the praises which these flatterers bestow on Lewis XIV perswading him he hath procured peace both to his Enemies and to all Europe These Tales are very fit to be told to the Kingdom of Siam as Mounsieur de Chaumont the French Embassador was not backward to do in his Speech to that King which is to be found at large in a Book Entituled A Voyage into Siam and they have not been wanting in like manner to put off such sort of Trifles to the King of China such like stories are good for nothing else but to be obtruded on those Countreys though not here in Europe where our Eyes have seen and Ears heard the contrary Is it not strange to meet with such Writers who commit such impertinent Trifles as these to paper Don't we know what the proceedings of the King of France have been to procure a Peace with the States of the Vnited Provinces For seeing Fortune began to change he Agreed as touching the City of Nemeghen which belonged to the Hollanders so that no body went to Versailles to demand it of him He offers them Mastricht which was still in his hands Yea If the States had not been so very hasty to grant him what he demanded with so much importunity and for which he made so many fair promises he would have been glad to have defrayed all the Expence of the War Pray who can tell what it hath cost him under hand to obtain this Peace which he sued for with so much instant Intreaties sparing nothing that he might endeavour to get the States to slip their Necks out of the Collar and forsake their Allies he went so far as to surrender divers places to Spain to serve for boundaries between his Kingdom and the Vnited Provinces In saying that if the States had not been too forward to hasten on the signing the Peace France would have paid the Expences of the War. I hope I do not speak without good grounds for what I say several Reasons obliged them to clap up this peace in all haste separately because they saw their strength decreased dayly It is certain that after the Battle at St. Dennis which was not fought out by reason of a Peace the Prince of Orange would have marcht on into France with his Troops Moreover the King knew full well that being forced to agitate a General Peace it would never be effected till he should surrender to the Duke of Lorrain all his Lands and that he could not possibly induce the Elector of Brandenburg to restore to the Sweed what he had taken from him according to his obligation thereto when the Peace in particular with him was in agitation France had a great mind to make him restore to the King of Sweden his Allie what he had lost in taking up Arms for the service of France so that here are your sufficient reasons for demanding particular Peace with the States and that it was not he that procured it for Europe as he boasts and publisheth up and down If any one was the cause of Peace to the Empire 't was the States of the Vnited Provinces for when they had made peace at the instant supplication of the King the General Peace followed immediately usher'd in by the mediation of the States General 'T is most certain the King made this Peace by compulsion he began to do things but by halves the States and his Allies reinforced themselves dayly The Hollanders were recovered out of their Lethargie the Prince of Orange day by day became more experienced the Duke of Luxemburg's familiar Spirit grew feeble and began to forsake him part of the French Troops perished the remainder were much harassed and worn out Swedeland had done her worst and was at her last shifts so that it was absolutely necessary to afford some respite and relief to the French Troops by a Peace being that this Peace was partly but a forc't one the King was obliged to give up whatsoever he had taken so also it continued but a short while and just then when the Emperour had his hands full of the Turk and when the Spaniard and his Allies had laid down their Arms and did acquiesce upon the strict performance of the Treaty of Nemeghen the most Christian King like a Lyon falls foul upon the Low Countreys Now it was convenient to stop this Torrent to deliver up a good many places and to give ground and to patch up a Truce in the midst of Peace which will continue no longer than his Interest will permit a body may say and that truly that France makes but small difference between her Subjects and her Neighbours Genoua may bear me witness of the truth of this he treads them under foot and fleeces them all alike when occasion serves and when his Will and Pleasure is who is he that dares assure us that the Truce will be a stronger Bank to put a stop to his Ambition and his own private Ends than the two Treaties of Peace of the Pyrenneans and Nemegen That Numerous Army that amounts to near One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men which he maintains as well in Peace and in time of Cessation of Arms as in time of War sufficiently declares the French Policy that hath always one foot up ready a going to march and sits on thorns having ever more Armies in a readiness to execute her designs They make them Camp and de-Camp continually to be in motion that they may use and accustom their Neighbours to it for fear they should give them occasion of suspition when they march in good earnest to fall upon any place or surprize it One of the King of France his Maxims is to hinder these Neighbours lest they should augment their Forces but remain alwayes in a condition not to be able to do them harm on the sudden except they have a mind to have them about their Ears as we have observed at such time as the Vnited Provinces were partly resolved to levy Sixteen Thousand Men what Solicitations what delusory Promises nay how many Journeys did the Comte D' Avaux take to hinder it He did nothing but talk up and down of the sincerity and reality of the Covenants on his part just as if no body beside his Master had any Honesty and as if he were the only Man for keeping his word in Treaties All that was because he saw plainly that this new Commission given out would obstruct the taking the City of Luxemburg promising that there his Master would stop and put an end to all his Claims and Demands But he is still as ready to take another as he was before the taking of this City as we saw lately at Mons it would be all one whether the States should oppose this proceeding or no it would be so long as the Princes of Europe should suffer themselves to be hood-winkt by base fear or complaisance wonderful
or making more ado Now that 's your best Policy which succeeds the best wherefore France seeing he would not swallow the hook breeds abundance of trouble in his Family and sets him at variance with his Neighbours against which the Emperours Council hath made seasonable provision which makes the Spirit of France that it becomes not so familiar in that Court for their Ducatoons are better beloved than Lewisses But to know what it done there thither is sent such Persons who have skill to comply and conform to the humour of the Country and more especially to quaff stoutly and by that means render themselves fit Companions at Table they must be of strong Constitution to bear Wine there they may get acquaintance make themselves familiar and make bold to skip their Glasses So likewise at the French Court when an Envoy or Resident is to be sent to the Court of Saxony they inquire in the first place whether he can hold out well at drinking that 's one Qualification together with couzening that is requisite As for the Electors of Triers and Metz as France are not afraid of them as not being Princes that are capable of doing much mischief so they let them alone till time serves for she knows that standing in need of them she will be able to attract them by the sweet charmes of her golden rayes if not she will proceed to threatnings and thereby make her do what she pleases The King needs no more but send his Forces to Triers he hath reduc't it to such a condition as not to be in a capacity to dispute his entrance and so he can make himself Master of it when he thinks fit As for the Elector of Cologne we all know what mettle he is made of that he 's a Prince that loves a quiet Life and desiring to end his dayes in peace gives himself wholly up to his Devotions to work out his Salvation this design being alwayes commendable in a Prelate and a Person of his Character But a mild peaceable disposition doth no wayes agree with that of France which is turbulent boysterous and would alwayes be in action Now here is the reason why they have given the Arch-bishop a chip of the old block who hath a good stock of the French Spirit I mean the Cardinal Bishop of Strasbourg who is as violent and as great a cheat as he that animates him nevertheless this Bishop hath got the art so well to influence the mind of the Arch-bishop that he rules him with an absolute sway and by means of the Bishoprick of Munster which France procured him with Two Millions of Crowns cannot handsomly turn tail at present I know the Pope upon very just considerations hath not been willing to dispatch the Bull hitherto yet it is enough for France that by this Election during the Electors Life the Chapter dare never let it enter into their thoughts much less supply the place so that France is sure that no one Prelate of a contrary party shall ever be admitted to that dignity and that sufficeth How many Bishops are there in France without Bulls who notwithstanding perform the Functions of their place and enjoy the benefits of their Bishopricks The Pope cannot live for ever and the King will be sure to keep the Gate open and High-wayes clear that after the Arch-bishops decease some other Emissary of France may come in at the same Golden Gate This Bishoprick being of great consequence as himself did acknowledge it to be in the year 1672. I told you that the Bishop of Cologne would have much ado to free himself from the French Interest the King having taken care for that beforehand in case of a change and all that was done at Liege was but a cunning stratagem and that through the suggestion of that Prince to foment mis-understanding between them and to set before the Citizens of Liege the Idea of their discontent by reason of the Cittadel which they have again raised whereof France is too much a Master that will occasion the Arch-bishop of Cologns Repentance at least that of his Successor after him in case they begin to waver Men were in suspense at that time concerning who should succeed him for France saw at a distance and she supposed by all that had past that she might be able to prevail with the Chapter of Liege to confer the Coadjutorship of the Principality and Bishoprick of Liege upon Cardinal Furstenburg but those that composed the Chapter better advised than any one durst have believed or hoped for had no mind to swallow the bait but laught at it which made him have recourse to the Chapter of Cologne where he hath had better success and notwithstanding all the opposition the Pope and Emperour made they went farther and the Cardinal hath obtained what France demanded They have been long about this business and immediately upon Mens saying That the Cannons knew what Gold was France prognosticated nothing but good to her self and found the Road to Cologne easier than to Munster France and the Cardinal know very well that the Pope will not give his Bull for it but they may have the same comfort in that as they had for Munster they will do well enough without it no body besides being capable of pretending to it and as I told you the Pope being aged may chance to dye and another more easie Man may succeed him Now then by what we see come to pass by the proceedings of the Policy of France Have I not great reason to say that the whole Empire Electors and other Kings Princes and States have great cause to withstand the designs of Leuis XIV to prevent his rising to an Empire for fear of becoming his Slaves whereas at present he takes special care of some and caresses them he will then Lord it over them he will put off the Foxes skin and put on the Lyons again they 'l talk of nothing then but of tel est mon bon plaisir such my Will and Pleasure is Nothing but a Peace with the Turk can hinder him from growing Great nothing but that can put the Emperour in a condition to oppose it The King will be very cautious how he makes his limits at Ratisbon during these Contests that give him an opportunity to build Fortresses to defend what he shall usurp as we see he hath done but too much already It will be requisite to have an Army to drive him out thence Have not we seen in the time of peace what the Spirit of France is capable of doing 'T is known that amongst other good qualities he is indued with the admirable gift of Usurping well finds always reasons for the doing so which he would have all Men receive for Articles of their Creed as well as the just pretentions of the King upon the Empire treated at large in a little Book wherein the Wit of one called Aubri Advocate in the Parliament of Paris hath been exercised But
of Philip IV. his Successor will have enough to do and a scurvy War to maintain The Queen who is altogether French both by her Birth and Inclinations has her Faction in the Kingdom and when the King is dead will much rather trust her Couzen-Germain than a Prince who is a Stranger at least would be so were it not for the Marriage which will be a great strengthning to his Party The Marriages of the Infanta's of Spain with Kings of France have ever been the cause of great differences between the two Crowns and very fatal to Spain but the Marriage of Maria Theresia with Lewis XIV compleats the misery which is inevitably falling upon Spain and how stifly soever the King of France may have denyed his designs yet he never intended to keep either his Word or Oath as to that matter We are sufficiently satisfied by the obstacles he puts that the Pyrenaean Treaty may not be registred in Parliament as also by his Manifesto's which have run all the World over of the Queen of France's Just Pretentions What good can Spain get by Marriages and Alliances with France On the contrary very great Mischief for 't is by reason of the last Marriage that France layes claim to all this the wiser Philip II. preferr'd the Arch-Duke Ernest and afterward Albert. The Truce which France has now made is design'd only to amuze and lull Spain and its Allies asleep Thus to make them lay down their Arms and in the mean time the French King has at least a Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men a foot who dance up and down sometimes towards Alsace sometime toward Cologne and pretty often toward the Low Countries All this is only to make them us'd to him that so they may think he has no design upon them and lay by all jealousie and suspition But when he finds a good opportunity you shall see him fall upon them as a Hawk upon her quarry and carry them off too if he pleases for what should hinder him when there 's not a Man in Arms and by that time the Allies can be prepared the King of France has done his business Thus this Truce is only to bear in hand and amuze the Princes of Europe that they may not make War upon him and that he may be constantly in a condition to take possession of the Dauphins Right so soon as ever the King of Spain is dead without any other legal Process but that of Dragoon Law The Spaniards will find themselves miserably deluded in relying upon this Truce 'T is a broken reed which will pierce through their hands and if unhappily the Emperour should be still ingaged in a War with the Turks what should hinder the two French Armies the one in Catalonia the other in the Low Countreys from being Masters of all where they go I know very well that the Interest of England and Holland are both concern'd to defend the Spanish Netherlands as the sequel will shew us But in the one the French have so true a Friend who has so much business beside upon his hands at home that he will concern himself no more for the Low Countreys than his Predecessor did for Luxemburg As for the States they have but Men enough to defend their own Country and are naturally very good Husbands As for Cologne and Munster his Majesty will probably put some Men into their Towns for them as he has done heretofore I think it a vast mistake in the Spaniard to send Men into the Low Countreys for Governours who for the most part go thither only to fill their Purse as the saying is and so return and to do this effectually they don't scruple to rob both King and Countrey pay neither Landlords nor Men which makes them desert so that instead of One Thousand Men in a Regiment perhaps there is Fifty and once I saw a whole Regiment which was going to change Garrison carried in a Waggon In short a Man need only to have been once in Flanders to see this that I tell you the Soldiers upon the Guard hold out their Hats to you for an Alms and the very Officers are fain to live with the Capuchins upon the Alms which the good Men beg The three last Irish Regiments which the King of England granted the King of Spain for the service of the Low Countries which were effectually raised are wasted like Snow before the Sun and now I don't believe there 's Fifty Men left Spain in my poor judgment is very much in the wrong for another thing that is to rely upon its Allies for the keeping of the Low Countries and upon that score to neglect having what Men are requisite for the Countreys security Besides they may be sure that France knowing the temper of the Governours so very well do often feel their Pulse and takes advantage of their weakness Understanding Men will never be beat out on 't but that the Marquis of Grana was made a Tool and put a helping hand to the taking of Luxemburg the thing is as clear as the Sun at Noon-day Four or Five Millions which he has left behind him are a shrewd sign of it I tell you no improbable matter and nothing but what happens every day there are very few Men in our Age who are proof against a Million of Money I confess there are some but you must grant me they are very rare The Low Countreys are no Inheritance to the Governours so that they get all they can out of it as if they hired it I wont say that all who come there are of the same stamp God forbid 't would be sad indeed if Spain had no Subjects that were honest but 't is very certain that for these last Ages France has gallanted the Low Countries and thinks them highly obliged if not depending upon her There 's no trick which the French craft does not use to bring about their designs for they have ever found that little Countrey a hard bone to pick but their present King has given it devilish bites these years last past France knows very well too that if they were once Masters of it they might then bend all their strength toward Catalonia and Rousillon and having nothing left to fear or quarrel about in that Countrey march on quickly to Madrid which is no difficult matter when they have once made themselves Masters of some of the Frontiers to go in and out at 'T is for this reason that the Councils of Spain considering the strength of France should take other measures than they do for the defence of the Low Countries and I see but one only expedient in the posture that the Spanish Affairs are in at present which can give them present ease except they had rather have that Countrey fall into the French hands as without doubt it must if they don't prevent it speedily It is certain that nothing but an Army with a good General can prevent the ruine which is falling
Charles the Fifth and after that to Philip the Second and that these were in rightful possession of them till they afterwards Rebelled and by force extorted their Liberty He will offer them in case they will freely submit themselves to his Dominion to maintain their Ancient Priviledges and reserve to them the free Exercise of their Religion and also exempt them from all impositions as he does his French Subjects which if they shall refuse to do then will he attack them with his Army as he did in the year 1672. fearing no opposition from any of the Catholick Princes before whose eyes he hath all along cast a mist with the specious pretences of Religion but if the House of Austria continue still to be lull'd asleep she with all her Catholicism will be irrecoverably undone But I perceive the Estates of the Vnited Provinces next to God must depend wholly upon their own strength and need onely be afraid of France and to level their whole Forces against her whose design for these many years has been to suppress them and if not wholly to destroy them yet at least to reduce them so low as they should wholly depend upon her The King would willingly agree with them after the same manner as we read in the Fable the Wolf would have done with the Sheep dismiss your Shepherd and your Dog cries the Wolf to these poor simple Creatures and then will we enter into a strict Friendship and Alliance together and live peaceably one with another thus says Mr. King Cashier your General disband your Veterane Soldiers 't will be good Husbandry now in this time of peace and you may assure your selves of my Friendship and take your ease during this Cessation and so we will live Friendly and quietly together but the Italian tells us Trust not and you will never be deceived Thus as I laid down before 't is best for them to rely wholly upon their own proper strength and be ever provided with a substantial Navy both for Cruising up and down and for Convoy's and also to have another ready to put to Sea their strength at Sea is the right-hand of the States and which will easily disperse the storms which France do often threaten her neighbours with and if the States would ever be perswaded to train up a sufficient number of Seamen to be in constant readiness to Man their Frigats whenever necessity required it would produce this double advantage 1. The State would be ever furnished with men ready for her Defence without the Trouble of seeking where to levy them and these will be skilful enough by the continual service 2. She would draw from neighbouring Havens many Mariners that would proffer their services but especially such of the States subjects as were in Foreign service would choose rather to return home when they should be sure to be in service upon the Land or the Water the whole year round those who are abroad need not be frighted to return home by sharp Proclamations 'T is certain France can't brag much upon this account for I am sure most of the ships she sends out but especially the Pilots are all Dutch she confiding more in the skil and experience of them than of her own men who never dare venture upon long Voyages and if ever the States should resolve upon so beneficial a method the Policies of France would immediately be perceived to rouse and Count d'Avaux hound-like would hunt from Town to Town to oppose it but he begins now to grow very angry because of the small effect which his large promises have hitherto produced and meerly for want of their being duly tempered with Truth and Honesty the main supporters of the Credit and Reputation of a Minister of State in a Foreign Country but the King is obliged to this great Man for putting several stories of their High and Mightinesses into his Head that they have no cause to thank him for France notwithstanding is mightily assisted in the Vnited Provinces by the Jesuits and other Foreign Priests who are hired to sift out and divert the good intentions of the People they are crept into the Prince of Orange's Court where they find private Friends to serve them on all occasions they have the impudence to brag of their Intelligence of things done in his private Chamber and they omit nothing that tends to the well acting of their parts they swarm in his Troops and Garrisons whence they transmit their intelligence to the Hague the common Office of adress and as it were the Receptacle of the other Cities and Provinces the greater caution therefore ought to be used for all these Vermine are warmed by France who is ever in action and will deny nothing to any one whom she thinks can be serviceable to her I my self remember that not long ago a Foot-man of one of the States Deputies was offered Four Ducatoons a week to betray whatever his Master should speak of either at his own Table or in Discourse with the other Deputies but the Valet with reason and height of indignation refused the baseness Thus we may observe the French Policy make use of all wayes how much therefore ought they to be upon their Guard to keep off her blows I my self observe the chief Cities about the Hague infested with Spies who hunt every Table and dayly change their Dining-places except they find some good bit or other to divert them how cautious then ought they to be who are obliged to frequent Ordinaries Others of these little Fellows screw themselves into all Companies others of them into the Court at such times when the Prince and Princess Dine and Sup publickly and all this only to observe what is said and to make report of every small accident even of the very Fire and Fewel Whenever these little News-Carriers happen upon any thing of moment away they scoure like the Basques to the French Embassadors where they are sure of a Dinner his Table being generally filled up with these kind of Cattle I could name a dozen of these Animals who to my knowledge are thus maintained besides others who manage these concerns with more privacy acting only in the dark The Count de Caravas was one of the chief of them a Man very much esteemed of though in my mind only like a chip in pottage not being so cautious as he should have been for he went about at Noon-day and through the great Gates to carry his news Two others whom I know to be Jesuits are dayly disguised in Officers Habits at the Princes Levie his times of Dining and Supping haunting the Court all the day long where they are ingaged in so many Intrigues and have such numbers of Acquaintance that they well understand what advice to give to their Friends the Catholicks for after all they are French Emissaries and wholly devoted to that Service others of this sort get to be employed in the Kitchin where these Cattle are too too
sacrificed so many brave men for the service grandeur and maintaining of that State yet that nevertheless they will stand to their Treaty of Peace and Allyance in the hopes they have always entertained and do still entertain that his Majesty to whom with the Royal Family they wish all happiness will on his part be responsable As for our part in particular though we have not had the happiness to see his Majesty yet we cannot chose but wish him all Personal Health and do assure your Excellency of the esteem and high value we put and all ways shall upon your deserts and incomparable vertue protesting to you that we are more particularly your most humble Servant After such a base affront who would not undervallue such Embassadours the Representatives and their Superiours also who durst present them with a Golden Chain of 500 Crowns value One would think they had an hand in it and that they were covetous of Money and Presents If an Embassadour after taking such an affront should have accepted it he would have deserved to be hanged with that Golden Coller By the refusal of Audience you may well understand what France is made of and its designs Whoever heard or saw a free and absolute Republique referr'd to a Parliament under his Authority as the King refers Geneva to the Parliament at Dijon it would have been more legal and just to have refer'd them to the Parliament at Turin Now behold the equity of this great King who would always be both Judge and Party in his own Cause who would make all Europe depend on his Judges some upon those of Metz others on those of Dijon and Aix in Provence as he forces the people of Orange to do but we hope those of Geneva will not submit to those unjust Judges and supposing they do they will not miss losing their Cause and after that they will make a new pretension upon them till they have fettered them and losing their City and Liberty they become the slaves of France a Victim offered up to the Jesuit and the Conquest of Lewis the great and it is odds but that will be so indeed if they don't look about them betime and prepare themselves for its coming upon them for he 'l come and give them a visit as he did the Genoueses Let them not flatter themselves with the contrary when he shall make them resolve to sacrifice themselves for their Liberty rather then to a Prince who would be their Antiochus their bloody Master and would snatch the Children from their Mothers embraces to deliver them into the hands of the Jesuits make them forsake Relations Religion and all duty of Christians and refusing to obey this ambition would hale them to the Scaffold and throw their Carcasses to dogs nay if so be they should deal more gently with them it would be only to make them bear company with his own Subjects in Dungeons in the Gallies and in the West-Indies Now take notice of this Spirit of France and beware of it That Lewis XIV is no good Christian I Shall finish this Treatise in demonstrating that this King is no good Christian that it is but a cloak for his Knavery the better to play fast and loose the better to bring about his ambitious designs that albeit he makes a great clutter with the title of most Christian King at Rome yet we find him to be nothing less All who are baptized are not Christians for then we might reckon Julian the Apostate and Arrius to be such whom men look upon as Apostates and Antichrists I am perswaded the Marquiss de Montespan will justifie what I say I cannot think that Prince worthy the name of a Christian who covets his Neighbours Wife nay before all the World takes her from her Husband makes use of her and begets Children of her whom he would fain get declared natural never before Lewis his time practiced in France He cannot assume the name of Christian who makes little Conscience to break the most solemn Oaths and Engagements made at the Communion as he did at the Peace concluded at the Perinees upon his Marriage with the Infanta of Spain And then the Oath taken at his Coronation to observe the Edicts of pacification are they not dayly violated and retracted upon every frivolous pretence Good Christians are such who live up to those Vows they have made even to very Infidels The Marquiss de Laverdin making his publick entrance into Rome did choose rather to do it like a Fox than a Lyon as since it appears without ever determining any thing positively concerning it when they demanded him to explain himself before he made his entrance so that engaging himself neither pro nor con it will always be time enough and seasonable to make his Masters will to stand him in stead as we shall see hereafter when the Provencal Fleet shall be before Civita Vechia and other Ports of the Popes Dominion besides that it was convenient to carry it fair to obtain the Bull for the Cardinal of Furstenburg whom France was assured would be nominated to the Coadjutorship of Cologn the Dean and Chapter as 't is credibly given out fingered the Kings Money to that in effect it was registred and their Votes sold so that it was not possible to go back with their word When the Marquiss de Lavardin entred Rome the business was as good as done and the King made sure of it but he found himself mistaken as to the Bull for he believed the Pope who is wise and good natured enough of himself not loving noise would yield at the Embassadors arrival that the Spiritual would give place to the Temporal but he was deceived in his account meeting with such stiffness and vigour in an old man which it may be one durst not have hoped for in a young man. In the mean time behold the Marquiss de Lavardin keeping watch and ward night and day and that round about the Palace of Fernese just as if it were a Fort surrounded with enemies before the Pope and the Conclave of Cardinals Noses By all these riots and indignities done to the most eminent person of the Church Vicar of Christ and St. Peters Successor is nothing in comparison to that which Talon the Kings Advocate hath belched forth against his Holiness and the Cardinals his Counsellors accusing the former to be a favourer of Heresie Jansenisme and of Quietists and a thousand other impertinences which is to be seen more at large in the demand of the abovesaid Talon to the Parliament of Paris and by the Embassadors protestation publickly affixed at Rome the expressions therein are scandalous that they might deservedly procure the fire for a private person but when one hath the power in his own hand he thinks he may Lawfully say and do whatsoever likes him But the Pope who is grave and wise will let him go on yea peradventure his great modesty and prudent behaviour may make the King come to himself again and acknowledge the wrong and that the Pope is Master at home in his own House and may be able to disannul and take away the Franchises of the Embassadors quarters when he shall see it convenient for the repose of his People and his own Conscience It is not his frequenting Mass which is a Characteristical mark of being a Christian or for being kind to the Jesuits for fear awes Princes sometimes to make much of Jesuits and shew much respect to them Hen. IV. was not free from this fear when he would have restored them in France for when the Duke of Sully advised him to the contrary he started up and replyed secure me my Life then for 't was more then probable that those who sued for their return had assured the King that if he did not do it he would be in imminent danger of being Murthered When Life is at stake what will not a man do to save it Who can tell but these good Fathers have told the King now Reigning if in case he did not root out all the Huguenots out of his Dominions this must come in alwayes ad majorem Dei Gloriam that he would endanger his Life What sign of a Christian was there in the King when he made a League with Cromwel to fall upon the Low Countries and to banish Charles II. from his Kingdom who was rightful Successor to the Crown of England and a good Catholick in his heart although afterwards out of Policy he was fain to appear otherwise Again what sign of Christianity doth there appear in a Prince who assists Count Tekely in league with the Turks against the Emperour A King who forbids all Bishops and Curats throughout his Dominion to cause Te Deum to be sung for the Victories of the Christians obtained over the Turks who impedes by force of Lewisses the progress of the King of Polands Forces against the same Turks that they may have the opportunity to employ all the Ottoman Forces against the Emperour thereby to make him abandon what he hath got at the dear rate of so much Christian blood What Christianity do you observe in the Kings proceeding at the Cities of Genoua and Orange where he hath no right at all So that by all that I have alledged all these Titles of most Christian and Catholick Zeal the King is so much taken with and affects is only a deceitful mask of hypocrisie to lull the Catholick Princes asleep the better to play his game and make himself Master of them one after another Although the King of England would hinder him as being the only man that could best do it he would endeavour to cause an insurrection of the Church of England men against him he would send them Money and Officers as he did to Cromwel so that one may say of the French King that he becomes all things to all men when his interest is at stake He enters into Covenant with Turk or Huguenot Pagans or Infidels against Catholicks themselves if it be necessary for promoting his greatness and to attain to the Monarchy of all Europe And for a conclusion this is the Kings Religion and your Wit and Policy of France FINIS
soon changed into Weeping so soon as ever the Constable who was received by the Magistrates with all Tokens of Honour and Benevolence had entered the City he feigned himself to have a fit of the Gout and to feel intolerable pains he declared his great desire to have his Will made not knowing what might befal him in the War he was about to commence and intreated the Magistrates of the City and all the Nobility that they would assist as Witnesses of it In the mean time he had given order to two Colonels to sieze one of them upon the Gate by which the Troops entered and the other on that by which they went out To the first He gave order to cause part of the Army which was still without to advance and to the other to bid those who were already gone out to enter in again Now the Constable seeing the Magistrates and chief Nobility round his Bed expecting his Orders up starts he like a Lyon enraged and sheathed his Ponyard in the Mayors Breast and at the Signal given his Guards rusht in and Assassinated all the Nobility they met with in his Chamber whereupon the Army that had entered the City at the same time cryed up and down the City The Town is won It was plundred and subdued to the Bloody Dominion of the King and of an Allie as it was soon became a Subject This was the Bloody Conquest of Henry II. And there is your French Policy Lewis XIII not knowing how to get possession of Lorain by the Advice and Counsel of that most Subtle and Crafty Polititian Cardinal Richlieu comes to Lions with an Army under pretence of some design against Savoy The Cardinal gave notice beforehand to Duke Charles of Lorrain that he should make his personal appearance before the King to pay him his respects and assure him by word of mouth of his good intentions towards his Person This Duke thinking no harm suffered himself to be perswaded to it in earnest departs from Nancy to salute the King at the head of his Troops After he had complemented him thinking he might return home again he found it to be a Lions Den arrested he was upon pretence of some old claims His Eminence at that time performing the Office of Mediator propounded that to make his peace with the King and that he might enjoy his Liberty to put into the Kings hands Nancy his chief City and the Key of his Dutchy Thus far he must go to be freed from his Arrest Well Nancy was delivered up the King entered into it like a Conquerour with his Army at his heels Observe the Policy of France in this particular The demolishing of the Castle at Orange is just such another trick shews their temper for upon some little difference that arose between the two Princesses Royal and Dowager Lewis XIV King of France as usually he doth would intermeddle with it and that he might make them agree and that the young Prince then under Age avoid the Expences of maintaining a Garrison there he caused the Bastions of the Castle to be pull'd down and left nothing but the Dungeon which together with the Town he could take at pleasure as since he hath done What the same King did at Strasburg is much the same This City look't upon its self secure after the Treaty at Nemegen confirmed by the powerful Letters the King writ to them time after time after the assurances his Resident then in the City gave them that his Master desired nothing more than to live in a fair correspondence with the Emperour and with the Cities of the Empire last of all by the suits and importunities of the same Resident a Traitor was Elected Burgomaster who did nothing but by the Council of France The Magistracy and Citizens thus lull'd asleep by all these fair promises and protestations dismist the Swisses their Guards but they were no sooner without doors but Mr. Louvois with a puissant Army began to invest their City obliges them to surrender on what conditions soever he thought fit to prescribe them even at this present they make no Conscience to violate those sorry Articles which were granted to them and to misuse them like Slaves as he does all the rest of his Subjects Take notice of your Humour of France which is always restless After the peace at Nemeghen how many Cities and Towns hath he taken in Flanders How many of them hath he burnt and pull'd down to the Ground to occasion the peoples revolt to cause them to rely wholly upon him to defend them from utter ruine and to get free from all those great Contributions wherewith he loads and oppresses them Take notice of the French Policy After the Pyrennean Treaty which was but just signed whereof this present King's Marriage was as it were the Seal and Condition notwithstanding all those Oaths and Promises this King took and made to his Father in Law Philip IV. not to assist Portugal no sooner did he return to Paris but he sent Mounsieur Schomberg with some Regiments and Money and all this to weaken Spain which made a ballance with him of the Empire of Europe so that neither Peace Truce nor Promise nor Protestation are able to sway him when his Interest is at stake no nor Religion it self How zealous a Catholick soever he would fain seem to be is not a Fence strong enough to restrain him as we shall make appear in the following Discourse When Lewis XIV sent an Embassadour to the King of Siam under the pretence of converting him do you really believe this King endeavoured to extend his Mission so far No no he works no Conversion but where he may send his Dragoons who are his booted Apostles It is to spie the Country by his Jesuits to endeavour by means of the Sieur Constance a Venetian by Nation and Chief Manager of that King's Affairs to drive out other Nations to settle some sort of Commerce in that same Countrey that he may there have certain Emissaries who may ever and anon put Jealousies into the King of Siam's Head by reason of the Hollanders growing Greatness in the Indies to make the business of Bantam serve as a pretence making another construction of it Observe the Policy of France She hath her politick tricks which succeed wondrous well This is the reason why she sends none but notable Men into all the Courts of Europe and such who are wonderful quick sighted and versed in Affairs whom it's all one to her whether she fetch from the Camp the Bar or from the Church it self as occasion serves according to the places wherein she would have them imployed But more especially it is requisite they should be dextrous and cunning brazen-faced that they have the knack of promising fair that they don't insist too much upon certain petty scruples which honest men ought to have In a word to express it more intelligibly they must be Cheats and Knaves as for Spain they