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
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
to an Universal Monarchy he would advise his King to beg of God to prolong the World as much as he can This Malady ceasing in Spain hath passed into France but France being wiser doth not grasp so much and her King's Ambition is only confined to Europe a wish worthy of such a great Prince and who if we consider him aright could scarce demand less his Neighbours ought narrowly to watch his water for certain it is France cannot aggrandize her self without encroaching upon her nearest Neighbours as she doth really every day already When the House of Austria made broad signs of her design upon the Universe all the Princes of Christendom rose up against her and entered into an Association to prevent her Charles V. after the Battel of Pavia where Francis was taken Prisoner thought himself above all but he found business enough The Pope King of England the Venetians the Grand Duke of Tuscany the Swisse made a League against him to hinder this Emperour from bringing France and consequently the rest of Italy under his subjection It was not for any kindness the Pope and King of England bore King Francis that they combin'd together to relieve him but because Charles V. became so great that he would by his good Will have made himself Master of the World. Now at present forasmuch as this Itch is past into France All Princes of Europe for some time have run counter to whatsoever their Ancestors did in the Reign of Charles V and Philip II. and instead of opposing they have abetted and concurr'd with the designs of France some out of base compliance others out of fear There are none but the Princes of Nassau alone who have alwayes been fatal to whosoever had a mind to aspire to this sublime Monarchy of the Universe Do not Men admire with me the wretched Policy of several Princes and States in the World who look on with their Armes a cross and behold the French King to advance so fast and take Luxemburg a City of such grand Importance to Europe only the Prince of Orange presented himself upon the breach with the Low Countreys but who not being in a capacity to do any thing by himself was forced to retreat The French King would never have taken it had England and the States withstood it he hath no cause to brag of it it is a truth all the World knows but too well he was so cunning to get the King of Great Britain on his side that he consented to take what was not his own and to baffle the rest by illusory promises of an Universal Peace after the taking in of Luxemburg which they suffered him to do and this gross valiant Captain of a Trencher-man the Marquess of Grana Governour of the Low Countreys who was not promoted to this place but upon his demonstrating the means of being able to preserve this most Important place to the Court of Spain a place I say so necessary to Spain for the preservation of the Low Countreys by the assistance of Germany and albeit he should have minded nothing else but the preservation of that same City his own Honour as well as Duty to and interest of his King his Master being all engaged therein Instead of doing which this Fat-gut put into it only a pitiful Garrison of Twelve or Fifteen Hundred Men instead of Four Thousand and was wholly taken up in fortifying the City of Namur with his Regiments and some other places which were Cities on the boundaries which France would not have dared so much as to touch Would you not swear such a Fellow conspir'd to aggrandize France and concurr'd with the Designs of Lewis XIV When the King in 1667 would have undertaken the Conquest of the Spanish Netherlands England Swedeland and the Vnited Provinces associated together by the Triple League forced him soon to quit his hold they obliged him to re-procure and make a Peace with Spain and to restore to it some part of what he had usurped and taken away It would have been just so if the Neighbouring Princes had done the same at such time as he attacked Luxemburg Resist the Devil and he will fly from you But France cunning and subtle had sufficiently tryed how prejudicial this League was to her she could never be at rest till she had pluckt this Thorn out of her Foot and so soon as ever the term was expired she could not be satisfied till she had found out a way to hoodwink England and so got her disingaged from the Tripple-knot The Dutchess of Portsmouth like another Dalilah came over out of France into England to lull asleep the Sampson of this Kingdom France found out the way to act and speak so fair that she hook't in Dunkirk by Promises and Money at the beginning of the Reign of Charles II King of Great Britain A Town of so great Consequence to England in as much as it affords a good entrance into Picardy and Flanders 'T is no new thing for France to be troubled with this itching mind to sieze on the places of her Neighbours and to enlarge her Dominion from one end of Europe to the other The Duke of Rohan told us heretofore that Princes commanded People but that Self-Interest commanded Princes Without question he would have added something else had he lived in this Age and especially Lewis the XIV We may see Examples of it day by day and to secure his Ambition all times and seasons are good for him in Peace in War in Cessation of Arms. Interest is the evil Angel hath so long reigned through France we are taught out of History how Godfrey of Bulloign having a mind to take a Journey for the Conquest of the Holy Land and coming short of Money to put himself in a capacity to do it sold many of his Cities and Lands amongst others the City of Metz with the Country adjoyning which its own Citizens and Inhabitants purchased of him for the Sum of an Hundred Thousand Crowns They enjoyed this their purchase till the Year of our Lord 1551 in which Charles V. did so evilly intreat the Protestants of Germany Henry II. King of France under a pretence seemed forward to send Relief to the said Protestants of Germany In effect he dispatched the Constable of Monmorency with Four Thousand Men in all probability for this Expedition but it was quite and clean for another design as the sequel will make appear He demanded passage of the City of Metz who were for the most part of the same Religion with those who were molested in Germany between whom and the Emperour there was no good understanding They granted to the King with abundance of joy whatsoever he required of them in reference to his Troops passage and in testimony of their good will they caused Tables to be set up in the Streets to make the Soldiers eat and drink on their passage with huge demonstration of Friendship and Rejoycing But alas Their Laughter was
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
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