Pincers would he confess who inspired him to doe it but remained obstinate in the midst of the most horrid Tortures which demonstrated that he had been decoyed by such as made him believe the Fact was no less than Meritorious and that Eternal Life was entailed upon him for the Deed. And no boubt Lewis XIV is not fearless notwithstanding his Bravadoes of some such Fate if he should reject them and their Counsels which makes him so far comply with their Maxims as to involve the Nations in Blood and carry Fire and Destruction where-ever his Armies come and make himself the very Phaeton of the World Some will object in their Excuse that Lewis XIV dares not keep his Armies Idle for the Soldiers having been so long trained up in War by a long Ease would grow Luxurious and be apt like the Roman Pretorian Soldiers at every little disaster to Mutiny or if that he should disband them they for the most part being Incapable of any other Imployment than the Sword would infallibly shake his Throne by joining with those his Tyranny has reduced in a manner to Despair However any Reasonable Man might think he might employ them in other matters as fortifying his Inland-Towns and building Piramids to his Glory as the Kings of Egypt did to keep their People from Idleness upon the same Score as most Historians conjecture whose Labour produced those Lasting Monuments whose Aspiring Tops are said to penetrate the Clouds But Lewis XIV is of another Mind he is for building a Structure with the untempered Mortar of Rapin and Violence and Cementing it with Christian Blood wishing no doubt that all who oppose his designs had but one Neck as Heliogabulus did by the People of Rome that himself as a Lasting Monument of his Glory might have the Honour of cutting it off which shews the very Spirit of Jesuit-Counsels Pardon Reader this Digression if it may be so termed in a History of this Nature for where a Man pretends Conscience he is inclined to one side or other and ought to have the Awe of Religion of what persuasion soever he be upon his Mind favouring that party to which he inclines But Lewis XIV is of a contrary Temper having his Hand against all whilst all mens Hands are more justly against him We will not determine what Orders he would give in relation to Turkish Mosques or Mahomets Religion But sure we are in all the Progress wherever his Arms have carried Destruction the Christian Churches of whatsoever persuasion have felt the Marks of his Irreligion and Sacrilege Nay it is affirmed upon credible testimony that when the numerous Host of Infidels over-ran Hungary and the Success was doubtful whether the Loss or Relieving Vienna should hazard or save the Eastern part of the Empire and Prayers were put up almost every where for the Success of the Christians Anno 1683. the Most Christian King 's Intendent at St Omers gave a severe Reprimand to the Bishop for having ordered publick Prayers to be put up and a Fast to be held on that occasion And when this Inundation of Barbarians were entered Christendom carrying Fire and Sword into most of the Emperor 's Herediditary Provinces with Slaughter Bondage and all the Outrages that can be Imagined insomuch that the flaming Towns and Villages seemed but one great scene of Fire and the cries of the miserable People rent the Skies which blushed with the Ascending Heat and Reflexion of Blood even then when all good Men were overwhelmed with Sorrow Lewis XIV brought down his huge Armies on the Front of the Empire to over-awe the Little Princes and keep their Troops for the Defence of their own Territories that they might have no share in the Glory by assisting the Emperor against the Infidels And Monsieur Seppeville was a Spie upon the Emperor's Affairs giving Lewis his Master from time to time an Account of the Progress of the Turks and of their Success and that the League between him and Mahomet IV. Emperor of the Turks might be as much shadowed as it was possible Monsieur Fouchay persuaded him to make a Diversion in the Spanish Netherlands thereby to divert the Forces of the King of Spain from Aiding the Emperor And here under pretence of Dependencies and other Matters frivilous and groundless in the Opinion of the Neighbour-Princes he swep'd away many Towns though even the Turks themselves had they determined impartially could not but have judged it not only Vnchristian like but also unreasonable Or else what could any unbiassed Man conjecture but that the Turks and the French King had combined to share the Empire between them Yet it would not have been so easie to have stopped an Inundation of Barbarians flushed with Victory as Lewis XIV imagined And who can tell but if they had prevailed they might have been by this time in the Heart of France and shewed him play at his own Weapons How unjustly this King took Luxemburgh and other Places in the Netherlands few are ignorant even when it was least suspected any Hostilities would have happened But that great City could not suffice the Ambition of this Prince for he sent his Dragoons Abroad when Spain was altogether unprovided and under Pretence of Dependencies swept away whole Provinces compelling the miserable Villages who had been ruined by a lingering War to part with the small Subsistence they had reserved for the Preservation of Life under pretence of Contribution by which means many of them perished in their Houses and in the Fields when they had eaten all the Unclean Things they could find and those that refused had their Houses fired about their Ears and their persons Tortured to make them confess where they had hid their Treasure or Goods so that some of them died under the Tormentors Hands By which it appears that Lewis XIV shewed his Zeal to the Church in Dragooning as well the Papists as the Protestants and even those of Flanders which above all are accounted the most zealously Devoted to the Romish Superstition and this by way of Surprize whilst the Emperor of Germany and the other Princes his Confederates as has been hinted were acquiring Glory at the point of their Swords For this Monarch cares little for ingaging his Armies it ever having been seen that he has gained little or nothing by the fair dint of the Sword And indeed if we consider how easily many strong Towns have been delivered up to him by Garrisons that were able to defend them the World cannot but conclude false underhand Dealing has been a main Advancement to his Conquests by which Methods his vast Treasures have been frequently shrunk and his Subjects Estates stretched upon the Tenters to recruit them Upon this a French Rhimer descants as it was found in a Billet laid on the King's Dressing Table and Englished thus Thy Grandsire Harry the Name of Great he bore Thy Father Just but thou' art Lewis d'Ore A Lewis d' Ore is a piece of
Command of the Duke of Lorrain and others and the Duke Duras in vain watching an Opportunity to relieve it with an Army of between Sixteen and Eighteen thousand Men the Besieged beat a Parly and on the Eighth of August Hostages were exchanged and on the Ninth the Capitulation was Signed in pursuance whereof the Place was Surrendered and the French Garrison marched out viz. 4500 Foot 400 Dragoons 280 Horse besides six or 700 Foot that went in small parties with the Baggage being the Remainder of 10000 that were in Garrison at the beginning of the Siege The reduction of this strong Place that had cost so great a Summ in Fortifying and in which such confidence had been reposed did not a little startle the Court of France and as is usual upon such Emergencies occasioned the change of a great many Ministers of State And what heightned the Consternation more was a fear of a General Revolt of the Protestants of that Kingdom seeing many of them forced their Way through the French Barriers of Languedock Provence and Dauphin and brought Terrour upon Savoy the only stickling Prince for France joining with others in the Valleys of Piemont Lucern c. which obliged the French King to keep strong Guards on the Frontier Places of Dauphin And some French Troops attempting to burn the Corn near Ghent were so warmly received by the Cannon of the Town and an Ambushment laid in a hollow Way that most of them were cut off And now perceiving they must quit the Electorate of Trier they resolved to use it with the same Civility they had done the Palatinate burning ten Towns beside what they had formerly Consumed and laying that fruitful Country Waste like a Wilderness and farther proceeded to burn Frankendale Neustadt Lubesheim Pettersheim Dirminstheim Wachenheim with several other Places and a great many Villages in Housdurgh Which Vnchristian Proceedings demonstrated their Power to be of short Durance in those Countries The City of Bonne Fortified by the Care and Diligence of Cardinal Furstemberg at the extraordinary Charge of the French King having been a considerable time Besieged by the Elector of Brandenburgh and making a stout Resistance despairing of Relief was constrained on the 10th of October to beat a Parly and sent out three Officers to treat about Articles of Surrender which were finally concluded and Signed on the 12th under Seventeen Heads considerably Honourable to the Garrison and the same Day Three â—undred Men of the Troops of Brandenburgh Holland and Munster took Possession of one of the Gates of the Town and on the Fifteenth the Garrison which at the beginning of the Siege consisted of 7000 Men marched out to the number of 3500 and 1500 remained sick and wounded in the Town The Governour Count Alsfelt was carried out in a Litter and all the Stores and Cannon c. were delivered up to the Elector So that by the Loss of this Town the French lost their footing in those Parts and began to think of going into Winter-Quarters after having indamaged those Countries more than Forty millions can repair in one Campaign Whereupon to be rid of so cruel and wastful a People the Emperor published his Avocatoria commanding all the French to depart out of his Dominions when on the other hand Lewis XIV lay great Taxes to raise Money for his carrying on the next Campaign We might enlarge upon many other Particulars to display this Ambitious and Bloodthirsty Monarch who has been so long the Troubler of Europe as his League with the Empire his solliciting them to make no Peace and encouraging them to stand off by promises of the powerful Diversions he intends to make in the Western Parts Under the favour of which his Ambassador at the Port insinuates what they have lost in the East as we find it set forth at large in the Emperor's Declaration c. But we think we have said enough to give the World a Prospect of this great Leviathan Who floats on Seas of Blood with vast desire To out-brave Heav'n and set the World on fire But Heaven's Bolts hit sure whene'er they 're aim'd And oft have Monsters full as mighty tam'd FINIS
am My Lord Your very humble Servant Bassampeire This Letter is found in the Cologne Edition of Mareschal Bassampeire's Memoirs page 134. in French But to return Lewis XIII made great Joy for the Birth of this Son and all France shined with Fires of Triumph And no sooner was he Christened but he was Inaugurated into his Principality as Dauphin of France and had given him his Officers and Attendents the chief of which were his Governess a Lady of a Masculine Spirit and Hardovine de Perefexi who since obtained to be Bishop of Rhodes and after that Archbishop of Paris This Man served in the nature of his Tutor being very cunning and politick Whilst Lewis XIV lay in the Cradle as we may term it nothing of Weight or Moment can be expected But scarce was he capable of distinguishing Right from Wrong before the Sceptre of France dropp'd into his Hand For Lewis XIII declining more and more at the End of Four Years and a few Months after the Birth of this Son left the Stage of this World to sleep with his Ancestors He was the Eldest Son of Henry IV. of the House of Bourbon to whom the House of Valois had given Place by the Death of Henry III. who was slain by one Clement a Jocobine Monk with a Consecrated Dagger in his Tent when surrounded by his Army His Mother was Mary de Medicis of the House of Medici of Florence The King before his Death published a Declaration bearing Date April 12. 1643 by Virtue of which he appointed the Queen as Regent during the Minority of his Son as likewise Governess of the Kingdom and the Duke of Orleance was made her Lieutenant The Chief of the Council were the Prince of Conde and Cardinal Mazarine the latter swaying all with the Queen Monsieur Seguire Chancellor of France Monsieur Bauthlier and Monsieur Chauvigny And the Conduct of the Army on Foot was given to the Duke of Enguin afterward Prince of Conde So that Lewis XIII giving up the Ghost on the Fourteenth of May 1643. this Order prevented the Contests that would have happened in the Court about Priority However a Calm did not ensue for the King was no sooner in his Grave but Discontents that in respect to him seemed stifled broke out both People and Grandees being dissatisfied with the Cardinal's management of Affairs and too great Influence upon the Queen who Acted all by his Advice and he being an Italian proceeded to impose an Italian Government in many things which were highly disgusted So that they proclaimed their displeasures at the Head of an Army with the Noise of Trumpets Drums and the thundering of Cannon c. of which the Spaniards taking the Advantage endeavoured to enlarge their Dominions in the Low Countries where Don Francisco de Melo the Vice-Roy besieged Rocroy but his Army was beaten off by the Duke of Enguin General of the French Forces and a considerable Defeat given them which happened six days after Lews XIV came to the Throne And to flush him with this Success the Colours taken were spread before him at Paris and several Applauses of Triumph made And to say true this Victory proved a Check to Spain and gave the French Army an Opportunity to enter into their Territories and take several Towns and Fortresses as Maubeuge Borlemont Aimmerikt Binch and Thionville with others Yet the small Castle of Cirke stopped the Course of the French who before rolled on like a Torrent to the endangering of all Flanders But they had not the like Success in Germany fore there the Mareschal de Guâ—briant General of the French Forces was slain and his Army worsted with the loss of a great many brave Men which drew off Enguin from Flanders But however the War ceased not for the War with Spain engaged most of the Princes of Europe in the Quarrel The Trumpets carried the Noise of War round the Borders of Savoy as likewise in Italy Navar Catalonia Germany Alsatia Flanders and other Places Nor were the Seas free from Blood for the Duke of Breze being Admiral for the French in the Straights he twice engaged the Spanish Fleet. Nor did this War end without Rivers of Blood Burnings Plunderings and great Devastations and then the Misery it had occasioned in Europe moved the Princes to send their Plenepotentiaries to Munster to compose the Differences and agree a general Peace For the Countries were so wasted and Impoverished in many Places that more died by Famine than the Sword so that Lewis XIV began early to build his aspiring Greatness upon Ruine and Desolation which threatned the World with a turbulent Prince To this Treaty which was absolutely necessary for the preventing an universal Famine the Queen Regent of France sent the Count d' Avaux and Monsieur Servien to manage the Interest of France and the Duke of Longueville soon after followed them So that after many Debates and the Interposition of the uninterested Princes on the Twenty fourth of October 1648. a Peace was concluded and the Monarchs of Europe agreed to lay down their Arms that Plenty might be restored by Peace And this had been done sooner had not the French according to their accustomed Manner even in the midst of a Treaty when others depending upon the publick Faith thought themselves secure surprized several Places and suddenly brought their Arms into Germany Lorrain Flanders Catalonia and Italy at once as they did early in the Spring 1645. which so exasperated the Spaniards that they requited it before the Peace was concluded by setting upon the French Fleet over against Naples putting it to Flight with the loss of a great many Men and some Vessels the Admiral being killed with a Cannon Bullet and the Mareschal de Gassion a great General of France as he laid Siege to Lens was wounded and being carried to Arras there died and the Spaniards recovered many considerable Towns in Flanders and other Places as Fuens Courtray and Lens and the French Army suffered very much However the Peace held not in France for the Prince of Conde with divers others of the First Quality being grieved that Mazarine once a poor Priest and of mean Birth should play the King of France making his young Pupil Lewis XIV do what he pleased Impoverishing likewise the Kingdom by sending vast Treasures into Italy to enrich his poor Kindred insomuch that his Father who had never seen such Summs before imagined it rained Gold in France These things I say and the Insolence of that proud Priest made them take up Arms to Reform Abuses in the Government publishing their Manifesto's to justifie their Proceedings and remove the Cardinal from the Young King So that the great City of Paris declared for them resolving to defend their Interest to the utmost as did many other Towns Insomuch that the Crown was visibly at Stake nor could the Cardinal's Policy have saved it had not the Courage and prudent Conduct of the Mareschal de Turin put a stop
of the French King's Intentions to Invade those Provinces or the unpreparedness of the Court of Spain to send an Army to oppose the Torrent of a French Power advantageously poured into those Countries The Town Surrendered upon Articles on the 28. of August and Lewis who then was in the Army entered into it Notwithstanding the Spaniards during the Siege made some Attempts to Relieve it but their Forces being small they were frustrated In the Year 1668. for the Glory of his Arms Lewis XIV thought of another Enterprize which was to take into his Possession by Force the French Comte which as a kind of a Palatinate or separate Principality had enjoyed many Privileges and Immunities which being altogether unarmed or capable of Defence upon such a Surprize the Inhabitants were forced to send to the King's Deputies to treat of Yielding thereby to prevent the Spoils and Ravage of a Hunger starved Army However in the midst of the Treaty Besanson was possessed by a forced Surrender on the Sixth of February Salines was also Surprized and many other places not being sufficiently Garrisoned or provided with Stores were obliged to their Gates Dole only was capable of making a shew of Resistence but the French Army being numerous and suddenly possessing themselves of the Out-works they were forced to accept of such Terms as were offered by the French King and thereupon they sent him the Keys of the City It may be guessed what little Expectation this Country had of a French Army when in the space of Twelve Days so many strong Places Yeilded that were capable of holding out many Years had they had timely Notice and well provided But it has ever been observable that this King gains most of his Advantages by this way or the force of golden Pistols charged into the Governours Pockets The French King perceiving that the Dutch weary of his Alliance who had done so little for them and pretended so much were inclined to make a Peace and join with the Spaniards and thinking he had gained sufficiently if he could keep what he had got Overtures of Peace where thereupon proposed and Monsieur Colbert was sent to Aix la Chapelle to meet the Ministers of the Mediating Princes And accordingly the Articles of Peace between France and Spain were signed on the Sixth of May and made Publick at Paris and Brussels Yet Lewis was not well pleased to be frustrated in his Expectation of swallowing the Spanish Provinces attributing his disappointment to the Dutch who declaring for the Interest of Spain had obliged him to this Peace But his Threats were retarded by another Enterprize It so happened that the Turks with a nurous Army had besieged the City of Candia situate in the Island formerly called Creet belonging to the Venetians So that may of the French Nobility who had prepared their Equipages for the ensuing Compaign and being prevented by the Peace the French King was forced to comply withal went thither and upon their Return gave an account of the place Insomuch that Lewis thinking to have the Honour of relieving that Bulwork of Christendom which had held out a long doubtful and bloody Siege and upon the Event of which the Eyes of all Europe were fixed sent an Army of French men under the Command of the Dukes of Beaufort and Navailles consisting of 10000 Men who without any detriment entered that City which was laid almost in Ruines with the Bombs shot in by the Infidels Whereupon it was concluded in a Council of War that it could be no longer tenable without performing some extraordinary Exploit and after a farther-Consult it was agreed That a vigorous Sally should be made in Order to the raising of the Siege The French indeed were very forward and to give the Duke of Beaufort his Due he behaved himself like a man of good Courage and Conduct The Sally was accordingly made with great Resolution and the Turks at first were beaten out of their Trenches But the Christians possessing themselves of a Magazine of Three hundred Barrels and Sacks of Powder whether by Matches laid on purpose by the Enemy or fired by chance it blew up and destroyed almost one whole Regiment in which it was thought the Duke of Beaufort was killed and buried by the overthrowing of the Earth for his Body was not afterwards found Which terrible thundercrack so dismayed the French-men who were the foremost in the Sally that they retired in great confusion thinking by the Earthquake it made that all the Ground was hollow and charged with Mines So that the Turks Rallying and being reinforced with great Numbers that came pouring from the Hills the Belieged were driven into the City and the French never after that could be persuaded to make any other Sally or so much as to stay for the Defence of the Place although the Governour almost with Tears besought it But the Duke of Novailles who now Commanded in Chief pretending Orders from his Master took Shipping and with those Forces he had left returned to France which was not for the Glory of the King 's Arms. For had they stayed and done what became Soldiers that famous City had undoubtedly been saved which by this Defeat was in a short time after delivered to the Turks with whom Lewis XIV has since had a better Correspondence as will appear in due Place and Order In the year 1669. the Duke of Lorrain grieved that he had so easily parted with his Countries hoping it was not yet too late to retract he required Aid of the Emperor and King of Spain labouring to engage them against France Whereupon Lewis sent the Mareschal de Crequi with an Army of 18000 Men into his Country who dismantled and pulled down the Walls of divers Towns making great Ravagement though he found little or no opposition For only the little Towns of Epinal and Chate made some shew of a Resistence But there being no Army that could promise them Relief they were compelled to surrender and the old Duke to fly his Patrimonial Country and foregoe those vast Promises the French Court had made him The Eyes of all Europe being upon this unfair dealing and greatly Regretting it to keep the Inhabitants quiet he ordered they should be treated with somewhat more Mildness than is usually observed in the French Conquests as they term them though for the most part got by Surprize or Treachery And finding the Hollanders were no way satisfied with his proceedings for he had infringed upon their Commerce he resolved to begin first and having visited and strengthened his Towns in Flanders and upon the Frontiers he by a subtil Negotiation as some Historians will have it of Henrietta Duchess of Orleance who had an Interview with her Royal Brothers at Dover drew the King of England into an Expensive War against the States But whether by the means of that Princess who died upon her return into France or otherwise we determine not However it is certain that great
the Works and Trenches with his Weapon in his Hand and beat out the Defendents gaining the Half-Moon a second time and delivered it Monsieur de la Feuvilade whom then shame more than true Valour compelled to secure it And indeed it is conjectured by many that this strong Place had put a stop to the French Arms had not the English who bore all the brunt of the Siege done things to a wonder so that at last it surrendered upon honourable Conditions on the Thirteenth of June But the French fury like a blazing Comet having by this time spent it self and the Confederate Armies gathering like a black Tempest around them Lewis found that this had been but a kind of a Frolick to make him more known For he was not capable of Garrisoning the Towns he had possessed and keep an Army in the Field which made him spue them up as fast as he had swallowed them withdrawing his Garrisons and Abandoning them to their true Owners which occasioned a Comical Portraicture of Lewis the Great Spewing and Sh ing Towns and Castles However upon leaving those places many of them were dismantled and the Inhabitants obliged to part with almost all they had for their Contribution or Ransom at the discretion of the Soldiers King Charles II. of England by this time grown weary of a War into which he had been unadvisedly drawn and the which without any advantage to England had cost a great deal of Blood and Treasure whilst the French reaped the Profit a Peace was concluded with the States for himself on very honourable Terms So that the English Fleet being laid up the French durst be little at Sea yet at Land the War continued where the French Gold did the greater Service as indeed it has all along had the Luck to do And in this State things continued till the beginning of May 1674. Lewis XIV finding he had ingaged himself too far and that his violent Proceedings had drawn a great many Princes upon him for they found it high time to Confederate against the Disturber of Christendom some Overtures of Peace were made and a Treaty set on Foot in the City of Cologne where divers were assembled in hopes of bringing it to Perfection But upon the Emperor's seizing of the Prince of Furstemburg who worked the French Interest tho' a Subject of the Empire and ought to have done the contrary it greatly disgusted the French King and proved a Remora to this Treaty So that Hostilities continued and the Prince of Conde seized on Navaigne which after a short Siege was delivered up and the King himself laid Siege to Dole which made a stout resistence and killed him a great many Men. But not being timely succoured it at last fell into their Hands These proceedings made the Confederate Armies draw together to oppose them so that on the Fifteenth of June the Duke of Lorrain and the Count of Caprara gave Turin Battel but wanting Foot as having but One Regiment of Foot to Seven thousand Horse and hourly Expecting the Duke of Bournonville who was coming towards them the French on the other hand being Twelve thousand strong notwithstanding a desperate Fight they were forced to retire over the Necker many brave Men being killed and divers taken Prisoners The loss of the slain are held to be equal and had not the Duke wanted Foot the French had been utterly routed For he Charged with such Fury and Resolution at the Head of his Troops as if he had been weary of his Life and expected a Dukedom in another World rather than this Whilst these things passed the Dutch scoured the Seas with their Fleet the French not daring to peep abroad for now they had nothing to fear on the Ocean having made a Peace with the English Whereupon they braved the French in their Harbours and made a Descent on Bell Isle but could make no Advantage on that strong Place But the Dutch Forces at Land took the Grime a very strong Place after a hard Siege And now Lewis XIV betook him to the French Policy of tampering abroad And finding by his Agents that the Inhabitants of Messina in Sicily grew weary of the Spanish Government he encouraged them to Rebel and sent them Succours under the Command of the Duke de Vivone seizing that City and taking an Oath of Fidelity of the Inhabitants But when he had brought them to this Revolt and kept a Garrison there a very considerable Time contrary to the Expection of all Men and out of what Caprice none perhaps but himself knows to this Day he suddenly recalled his Forces leaving so many of the Inhabitants as would not leave all they had to Ship themselves and fly into France where they could rely upon no Succour to the Mercy of the Inraged Spaniards whom they had highly offended by this Revolt Nor had they above four Hours Notice Yet as many as could crowded on Board and afterward lived in Exile not daring to return King Charles II. of England having made a Peace with the States of the Vnited Provinces issued out a Proclamation on the Nineteenth of May 1675. commanding all his Subjects in the French Service as Soldiers since the Treaty of Peace to quit forthwith that Service and return Home and prohibiting any English-men to engage themselves in the like for the future which proved a great Detriment to the Progress of the French Arms as soon after appeared For the Army as not only overthrown but Turin the most Experienced General of France was slain But because this Action was very Memorable we shall not think it amiss to give a brief Account of it On the Eighteenth of July 1675 the Mareschal de Turin commanded out the Regiments of Horse of Campaigne and Orleance with Nine Squadron of Horse under the Command of the Marquess de Rone Mareschal to pass the River Renchau by the Means of Two Bridges he had laid over And being informed That the Imperialists had laid an Ambuscade on the other side he went in person to see if he could discover it from a certain Height near the Bridge When the Imperialists having planted Two small Pieces in a Wood hard by fired one of them without any considerable Execution but the secoud being Charged with Iron or Cartridge-shot put a period to Turin's Life killing likewise the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance and divers others of Quality about him though some Accounts say he was killed with a Cannon Shot However thus ended that great General who had been brought up in War as we may properly term it from his Infancy and seen many Rivers of Blood whose Death gave a great check to the French Affairs and the Army was so much discouraged that it immediately retired in some disorder when being pursued and hotly engaged by Montecuculi the Imperial General between Six and Seven thousand of them were slain and several Colours with some Cannon and Baggage taken the Count de Lorge who Commanded after the
1685 it was Registered and Published by the King's Attorney General And in order to its being put in Execution and the Copies being examined and compared it was sent into the several Bailiffwicks and Courts of Justice Sherifs-Courts Districts c. there to be Registered and Charge given to the Deputies of the Attorney General to take care they were put in Execution with all Imaginary Force and Rigour and to certisie the Court thereof at Paris in the Court of Vacation on the 22d of October Lewis XIV when he did this had it seems forgotten that he had on the Word of a King Ingaged the contrary or he concluded it was no dishonour for a King to break his Word whenever he pleased Wherefore before we begin to take a view of his persecuting his best Subjects it will be convenient to Insert his own Letter in Answer to a Letter of the Duke of Brandenburg's on the behalf of the Protestants Lewis XIV's Letter to his Electoral Highness of Brandenburg Brother I Would not have discoursed the matter you writ to me about on the behalf of my Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion with any other Prince beside your self But to shew you the particular Esteem I have for you I shall begin with telling you That some Persons disaffected to my Service have spread Seditious Pamphlets among Strangers as if the Acts and Edicts that were passed in Favour of my said Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion by the Kings my Predecessors and Confirmed by my self where not kept and executed in my Dominions which would have been contrary to my Intentions For I take Care that they be Maintained in all the Privileges which have been granted them and be as kindly used as my other Subjects To this I am engaged by my Royal Word and in Acknowledgment of the Proofs they have given me of their Loyalty during the late Troubles in which they took up Arms for my Service and did vigorously oppose and succesfully Overthrow the ill Designs which a Rebellious Party against my Authority Royal c. This one would think was sufficiently binding but as it appears by a Clause in the Decree bearing date long since this Letter the King never intended to be as good as his Word viz. Whereas says the Decree That it hath pleased God to grant that our Subjects enjoy a perfect Peace and we our selves being no longer taken up with the Cares of protecting them against our Enemies are now in a Condition to make good use of the said Truce viz. of Nimeguen which we have on purpose facilitated in order to the applying our selves entirely to the searching out of means which might succesfully effect and accomplish the Design of the Kings our said Grand-father and Father our Intentions ever since we came to the Crown we see at present notwithstanding a just acknowledgment of what we owe to God on that account that our endeavours have attained the end we proposed to our selves forasmuch as the greater and better part of our Subjects of the said pretended Reformed Religion have already Embraced the Catholick and since by means thereof the Execution of the Edict of Nantes and all other Ordinances in favour of the said pretended Reformed Religion become useless we judge that we can do nothing better towards the entire effacing the memory of those Troubles Confusions and Mischiefs which the Progress of that False Religion have been the cause of in our Kingdom and which have given occasion to the said Edict and to so many other Edicts and Declarations which went before it or were made since with reference thereto than by a total Revocation of the said Edict of Nantes and particular Articles and Concessions granted therein and whatsoever hath been Enacted since in Favour of that Religion c. By this 't is evident That when he passed his Word to the Elector and approved the Loyalty of his Protestant Subjects he had it in his thoughts upon his first coming to the Crown to suppress them But this is the very Genius of Lewis XIV and now let us see how gently he deals with them and what Reward they have for their Fidelity and the Expence of their Blood and Treasure to keep him in the Throne against a powerful Faction under the Prince of Conde and others who were at the point of supplanting him why those that were to see the bloody Decree Executed fell to Consulting how they should raise theâ—r Malice high enough in Cruelty against People that had never injured them whilst the Protestants like the Jews when Ahasuerus's Decree went forth mourned their hard Fate and made their Application to the King but Hester's Tears could not prevail with his Most Christian Majesty though they had power to make a Heathen relent The Intendent of the Vpper Guienne who Resided at Montauban summoned the Chief Protestants of that City to appear before him and let them know That it was the unalterable Pleasure of the King to have but one Religion in his Kingdom and that they must prepare to comply with it giving them time to assemble themselves in the Town-house where they unanimously agreed rather to die than violate their Consciences and by one deputed by the rest sent their Resolution when the following Day a Batallion of La Ferre consisting of Sixteen Companies entered the City and were followed by a greater Number The Protestants thereupon consulted each other and resolved to submit to what should befal them not caring for the Spoil of their Goods so they might preserve their Religion resolving to rely on Providence and the Richer agreed to help the Poorer to the last of their Substance But whilst they were thus consulting the Dragoons entered their Houses like the Locusts of Egypt and having eaten up all they found fell to destroying their Goods suffering their Wines and other Liquors to run about the Cellers scattering also their Corn in the Streets And when they grew even weary of this wasteful Destruction they carried Linnen Plate Puter and other things to the Market-place and offered it to Sail where the Jesuits and Popish Priests bought them for trivial Prices and encouraged the Lay-Papists to do the like So that the Protestants in four or five days lost to the value of a Million yet they might be said even to take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods But when this availed not to shake their Constancy these Missionaries of Lewis XIV very proper Fellows to convert Souls fell to Out-raging their Persons with Cruelties and Barbarities worse than Death One Bervois they dragged to the Guards and there for a whole Night the Soldiers continued in turns to kick and buffet him Monsieur Solignack's Hand they bound to a Spit and forced him to turn it till by the Excessive Fire they made he himself was near Roasted to Death And to shew their farther Malice made a Stable of his Dining-room where the Furniture was worth Ten thousand Livres which they afterward destroyed
Another Person they dragged to Mass and because he hung back and cryed out He would never do it they beat him to Death But should we come to particular Persons the Numbers would fill a Volume as large as those of the Martyrs Monsieur de Garrison a Venerable Man who had done great Kindness for the Intendent went to wait upon him in this extremity to intreat his Protection but he like a true Papist who holds no Faith to be kept with Hereticks notwithstanding he offered him all his Goods not only rejected his suit but caused him beyond what he had suffered to be dragged through the Streets and miserably misused as a means to deterr others from Petitioning him This sort of converting was not only used in this City but throughout all the Dominions of the King though in different Methods of studied Cruelty Some they tossed from one Soldier to another kicking buffeting and beating them with Rods three or four Days and Nights together to keep them waking and when at any time they fainted or sunk down then they used them in that manner on the Ground or on Beds and when they had rested roused them again Some they hung up by the Heels and smoaked them with burning wet Straw till they were almost dead Some again they blew up almost to bursting by putting a pair Bellows into their Fundaments They basted the Soles of the Feet of others with Lard and held them to a Fire till almost Roasted One Isaac Favin a Citizen of Negroplisse they hung up by the Armpits a whole Night and pinched off his Flesh with Pincers yet could not prevail to make him abjure These Cruelties and many more were committed not only upon Men but also upon Women and even upon Children that were of any Years The younger Infants were every where taken from their Parents by force and thrust into Monasteries and Nunneries Wives Widows and Virgins were in many Places Ravished and Deflowred Some Children though of very tender Years they kept fasting till they fainted and then brought them before their Parents as imagining they would rather turn than see their Children Perish Many times the Priests would persuade some to Abjure declaring it should be only seemingly to comply with the King's Decree but when they had unadvisedly done that in hopes of some respite then they compelled them to torment their Friends and Relations into an Abjuration the which if they did not in three Days or so much time as was given them the Booted Apostles are sent to them again upon a scruple of their not being thorowly Converted Sometimes they bind the Mothers that give suck to Posts and lay their Infants to perish in their sight unless they will Abjure And when these Dragoons were weary of tormenting and inventing new manner of Torments tired with the patience of the Sufferers and despairing to bring them to their Terms the Officers Rate them and send them back to torture them worse saying The King has Commanded it and it must be done bawling out That the King intends to have but one Religion in his Dominions These are the pleasant Paths by which Lewis XIV invites his Protestant Subjects to enter into the Bosom of Mother-Church exceeding those of the Heathen Emperors for they only killed and made way for the triumphing Martyr to enter into Glory but here they have a lingering Death and by a Series of Torments above what humane Nature is able to bear their Hearts are sometimes forced to give their Tongues the Lye Some Persons they tortured with Engines and put brass Pans or Kettles over the Heads of others and with continual beating upon them made the Party in a manner distracted Those of the better Sort fled to Paris thinking the Dragoons would not come so near the King's Palace But alas there they found no Reâ—uge for a Decree was set forth commanding them to depart the City and retire to their respective Habitations on greater Pains and Penalties Nor did these Monsters of Converters only spightfully misuse their Persons but likewise shewed their Malice upon the poor Cattle as if the King had commanded them to bring the Hogs Cows Sheep and Oxen over to the Church as well as their Owners for some of them they Hoxed and so suffered them for want of Legs to go to perish in the Fields others they killed out-right and suffered to rot on the Ground Some again they drove into Rivers and drowned They cut down the Timber and burnt it destroyed their Vineyards and sold their Houses drew their Fish-ponds and threw their Fish into the Street These Missionaries exceeding the Barbarity of Tartars were attended by a multitude of Rascally Friars and Priests to take Confessions and Abjurations as likewise by a Bishop before whom they were to be Examined And when those that through Torments and being tired out had Abjured were at Mass they had Spies set upon them and if it appeared that they did it not sincerely then they were thrown back into their former Misery And although these Loyal People as the King himself confessed them to be would have left all they had and forsaken the Country yet that was forbid them on strict Penalties as even Death or perpetual Imprisonment The Ports were strictly watch'd and Ships on pain of Forfeiture forbidden to take them in yet through Providence many escaped into England Holland Germany c. and found Succour and Shelter Their Ministers only found the Favour to be Banished but to leave behind them their Wives Children and Relations Nay they hardly escaped sending to the Gallies for such are the Vnchristian Ways of the Most Christian King that he will have it a Crime in his Country for Men to be Learned and Vertuous So by this means a Million of Families were ruined and many Thousands perished through Want Torture and in Prisons for all the Gaols of the Provinces were filled with these distressed People Nor did their Malice and Cruelty stop here for although the Ministers had Liberty to go into Banishment under the hardest of Conditions yet the King's Ministers on the Frontiers frequently stopped them under frivolous pretences till the time given them to depart was expired and then charged them with breaking the Orders in not departing within the limited time and that they must go to the Gallies by which means they stripped them of all that little they had left and well they thought it if they so escaped to wander in strange Lands and relie upon Providence which indeed did almost every where plentifully provide for them The Elector of Brandenburgh put out a Declaration in Favour of them inviting and encouraging as many as would or could Escape to take up their Habitations in his Territories commanding all his Subjects to Comfort Harbour Cherish and Entertain them and gave Order to his Ministers to see it carefully observed in all his Cities and Towns throughout his Dominions The like in effect was observed in England Holland and other
to the Progress of their Arms whereby he became a great Instrument of keeping Lewis the Great in his Throne who else had by this time been Little and Insignificant But in what manner he requited him the Sequel will demonstrate The Prince of Conde after much Blood-shed in an intestine War retreated into Flanders with divers of his Party who would not leave him and there was set at the Head of the Spanish Forces Whereupon Hostilities ensued and the Spaniards recovered a great many of the Towns that had been taken from them So that where Force could not prevail Insinuation and Flattery took place and at last the Prince was gained upon to return Home as did the Dukes of Conti and Longueville being highly Caressed and a Pardon was published to all that had been in the Civil War and Lewis who hitherto had acted nothing memorable in his own Person being arrived at the Thirteenth Year of his Age Anno 1651 he was declared to be of sufficient Years to take upon him the Government and to act in Person which Declaration was approved by the Parliament of Paris and Proclaimed throughout the Kingdom Yet the War continued with Spain and many Battels were fought and Towns lost and won things being carried on with various Success So that the King that he might say he had been on Horse-back got up at the Head of his Troops to shew himself to the People which did indeed give a little hopes to those that were ready to revolt that things might go better than they had done But how they were mistaken will appear in its proper place In the Year 1654 great Preparations were made to Crown Lewis King of France and Navar and on the Fourth of June the Court arrived at Rhemes and was received by about Two thousand of the Citizens on Horseback about a League from that place to which was made a Guard of about Five thousand of the Inhabitants in Arms and the Suburbs were crouded with the Soldiery At the Entry were divers Triumphal Arches beautified with golded Lilies and many flattering Devices the Streets being hung with Tapestry and other Ornaments And upon his approach the Cannons were thundred off and volleys of small Shot discharged and the Aldermen of the City taking him for some petty Deity fell on their Knees and in that posture presented him the Silver Keys of the Town And Cardinal Mazarine being at the Church of Nostrodame with the Clergy the King alighted there The Bishop of Soissons officiated in the stead of the Archbishop of Rhemes who was a little before dead the Bishop of Caesaria being his Coadjutor The Bishops of Noyon and Beauvais attended in their Pontificals the first making an Oration in which he gave the King many flattering Epithets scarce due to mortal Man However knowing that Air of Vanity possessed his Mind that makes him value himself much upon his own Praises nothing was omitted that a Court-parasite could industriously produce Then the Archdeacon did the like and the Deacon gave him a Missal to kiss who kneeled down upon two Velvet Cushions placed on a Foot-cloath under a Canopy of State and from thence he went unto the Choire to assist at the Te Deum and the Vespers were performed in Musick The Vespers over he went to the Archbishop's Palace which was prepared to receive him and the next day the Coronation was Solemnized with great Pomp the Queen-Mother of England and the Dukes of York and Gloucester being present And there he was annointed with the Holy Oil which the Priest makes the ignorant People believe was miraculously sent from Heaven on purpose to annoint their Kings that they may be the more Dreaded and Reverenced And now this spruce young Monsieur being on the Throne began to make some Figure in the World though he still acted by others Heads and Advice And to give the World a proof of French Fidelity he clapp'd up a Peace contrary to all Mens Expectation with Oliver Cromwell the English Protector at the time when King Charles II. with his two Brothers were at the French Court and had been promised not only Protection but also aid to regain the usurped Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland c. Nor was this all but he proceeded more treacherously with his near Kinsmen for in the Treaty amongst other things there was an Article to Banish them France and its Territories Of which King Charles having private Notice and finding it fruitless to complain where the Royal engagement was so little regarded to avoid a ceremonious Expulsion with generous disdain he turned his Back upon that ungrateful Court and with his faithful Followers as Prince Rupert and other Nobles he retired into Germany and was there received with all imaginable Joy and found amongst Strangers that Reception without any promise or word given which his Cousin of France had so generously promised and afterward so basely denied But his Brothers the Dukes of York and Gloucester stayed behind the first having a Command in the Army under Mareschâ—l de Turin against the Spaniards But that weighed nothing for the League being made he was ordered to be Packing Nay it went so far that a Message was sent to their Mother though Daughter to Henry the Great of France to be gone but she sent Word That she knew her Right to be in France if the King knew not what belonged to his Dignity and that a Daughter of Henry IV. from whom he was descended and held the Crown was not so easily expelled from her Native Country This resolute Answer of the Queen's made Lewis XIV dissemble the Matter and her stay was winked at though not approved Here you may see French Faith to distressed Princes who though never so near Ally'd to that King could obtain Refuge no longer than his Interest moved him to break his Promises And this early beginning has been very much improved as will appear in the Series of this History The League Offensive and Defensive being made with England against Spain Six thousand Men were sent into Flanders who beat the Spaniard and took Dunkirk whilst the French in a manner stood still and looked on For as an Historian of their own truly has it Though France abound with Men it is wont to make use of the Valour of its Neighbours in all Wars against Strangers For it hath continues he been found by Experience That the French are only for the first Onset but cannot abide nor weather so many Discouragements as the English Scots and Switzers can in War Besides their Foot are not to be compared to Strangers therefore they may ascribe their most difficult Conquests to their Money and the Valour of the English Scotch Irish and Switzers According to the Treaty Dunkirk was secured by the English For the crafty Protector not being ignorant of the Falshood of the French Court had given secret Orders to Lockhart who Commanded in Chief immediately upon surrender to enter it and Post his
Places where Briefs were granted and large Contributions given for the Support of such poor Refugees as took shelter and by many Difficulties escaped the Vnchristian Cruelties of the Most Christian King Nor will it be improper for the better informing the Protestant Reader to give a brief Account of what the Manner and Form of the Abjurations and Subscriptions those of the Reformed Religion were to make for the Pleasure of Lewis XIV in which Popery is briefly anatomized viz. IN the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen I Believe and Confess with a firm Faith all and every thing and things contain'd in the Creed which is used by the Holy Church of Rome viz. I Receive and Embrace most Sincerely the Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and other Observances of the said Church In like manner I Receive the Scriptures but in the same sense as Mother-Church hath and doth now understand and expound the same for whom and to whom it only doth belong to Judge of Interpretation of the sacred Scriptures and I will never take them or understand them otherwise than according to the Unanimous Consent of the Fathers I profess that there be truly and properly Seven Sacraments of the New Law Instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ and necessary for the Salvation of Mankind although not Equally needful for every one viz. Baptism Confirmation the Eucharist Penance Extream Vnction Orders and Marriage and that they do confer Grace and that Baptism and Orders may not be reiterated without Sacrilege I receive and Admit also the Ceremonies Approved by the Catholick Church in the Solemn Administration of the forementioned Sacraments I Receive and Embrace all and every thing and things which have been determined concerning Original Sin and Justification by the Holy Council of Trent I likewise profess that in the Mass there is offered up to God a true proper and propitiatory Sacrafice for the Living and Dead and that in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly realy and Substantially the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and that in it there is made a Change of the whole Substance of Bread into his Body and of the whole Substance of the Wine into his Blood Which Change the Catholick Church calls Transubstantiation I confess also that under one only of these two Elements whole Christ and the true Sacrament is Received I constantly believe and Affirm that there is a Purgatory and the Souls there detained are relieved by the suffrages of the faithful In like manner I believe that the Saints Reigning in Glory with Jesus Christ are to be worshipped and Invocated by us and that they offer up Prayers to God for us and that their Relicks ought to be honoured Moreover I do most stedfastly Avow that the Images of Jesus Christ of the blessed Virgin the Mother of God and of other Saints ought to be kept and â—â—ained and that due Honour and Veneration must be yeilded unto them I also do affirm that the Power of Indulgences was left to the Church by Christ Jesus and that the use thereof is very beneficial to Christians I do acknowledge the Holy Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church to be the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches and I profess and swear true Obedience to the Pope of Rome Successor of the blessed St. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ In like manner I own and profess without doubting all other things left defined and declared by the Holy Canons and General Councils especially by the most Holy Council of Trent and withal I do condemn reject and hold accursed all things that are contrary thereto and all those Heresies that have been condemned Rejected and Accursed by the Church This is the Goodly stuff to be Imposed on the Consciences of the Protestants which even an Ignorant Indian almost by the Light of Nature might detect And for refusin this they were forced to undergoe all the Torments that witty Horrour could Invent. And to this those that Recanted were obliged to swear in the following Words I Promise Vow and Swear and most constantly profess by God's Assistence to keep entirely and inviolably till death this self-same Catholick and Apostolick Faith out of which no Person can be saved And this I do most truly and willingly profess and that I will to the utmost of my power endeavour that it may be maintained and upheld as far as any ways belongs to my charge So help me God and the Holy Virgin And now to conclude this part of the Glorious Actions of Lewis XIV who would be taken for the very Champion of Mother-Church we shall give you a Copy of the Certificate that the Recanting party is to leave with the Preist when he makes his Abjuration I A. B. of the Parish of C. do certifie to all whom it may concern that having acknowledged the Falsness of the Protestant or pretended Reformed Religion and the Truth of the Catholick Religion of my own free Will without any Compulsion have accordingly made profession of the said Catholick Roman Religion in the Church of D. in the Hands of W. G. In testimony of the Truth whereof I have signed this Act in the presence of the Witnesses whose names are under-written This _____ day of the Month of _____ in the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord the King _____ and of our Redemption _____ c. By this the Reader may see how Innocent Lewis XIV would appear when the Person is compelled to say he makes his Abjuration without any manner of Force and Compulsion voluntarily and willingly when indeed all People even the Preist that takes it knows it to be a palpable Lye Indeed Pope Innocent XI and the Pope we must conclude to be no Friend to the Protestant Religion which is diametrically opposed to his Interest when Lewis XIV by his Ambassador at Rome bore himself so much upon the Meritorious Service he had done the Church in converting such a number of Hereticks as he styled them told the Ambassador That if his Master had nothing else to boast of it would be little to his Glory for his manner of Converting Hereticks was neither pleasing to God nor Man But to trace this ambitious Prince a little farther let us see how little he regards Religion when his Interest or Wilfulness calls him on to Violent and Arbitrary Motions For even the Pope himself fared little better in his Hands as far as lay in his power to attempt against him though he would be styled the Eldest and most obedient Son of the Church Whereby it will appear that his Hand is against all without distinction Whilst Lewis the Great was so earnestly persecuting his Protestant Subjects Pope Innocent XI of a Pope reckoned to be the best that has been for some hundreds of Years finding an Increase of Murthers Outrages and Villanies in the City of Rome and that those
Majesty's Friendship but could not enter into any such Alliance as he required However he persisted to encroach upon the Empire suffering his Troops that should have been withdrawn to quarter at discretion eating up that little the Inhabitants had left them to subsist withal winking at the many Complaints that were made and proving deaf to the Cries of the People This occasioned the King of England to complain by his Ambassadors but this prevailed little or nothing till he found a Defensive Alliance was carrying on against him and then under pretence of Winter Quarter he drew off some of his Troops Let us look a little back upon the Proceeding of Lewis le Grand in the Principality of Orange a place of Sovereign Right for some Ages belonging to the Illustrious House of Nassaw and the Inheritance of his present Majesty of Great Britain This Principality and City of Orange is very advantageously Situate exceeding fruitful and for the most part Inhabited by Protestants These Considerations made the French King Long to be Master of it for he seldom troubles himself to War on the Alps or in cold barren Countries Whereupon during the Minority of the Prince without the least Title or just Pretence to warrant his Actions he sent an Army to take Possession of it in the Year 1660. exercising a great deal of Cruelty and Inhumanities upon the Subjects contrary to the Law of Arms and of Nations demolishing the Bastions and strong Fortifications thereby purposing to himself if he should be obliged by the Princes who looked upon him as an Intruder and an Oppressor to relinquish it he might with more Ease repossess himself of it as he saw occasion Nay so far extended his Malice that he not only ruined the Cittadel but caused the Magnificent Monuments of Prince Maurice's Greatness to be laid in Ruines And indeed in the Year 1665. he was obliged to Relinquish that Principality and the Sieur Zuilychem to take Possession of it for his Master When in April that year as a presage of the Prince's good Fortune and future Greatness a Crown of Light darting Rays appeared over the City of Orange hanging as it were in the Air over the Palace or place of State appointed for his Reception to Consolate his distressed Subjects who for five years had groaned under the Tyranny of France But their Tranquillity lasted no longer than the Year 1673 for then the French King supposing to make his Arms the Terrour of Europe that so he might at pleasure become the great Arbitre of Peace and War he on a sudden and very unexpectedly entered it with his Troops And although after by an express Article of the Treaty of Nimeguen the Principality of Orange was restored and the King of England was Guarrantee of that Peace yet the unwearied Incroachments of the French Troops of Provence and the Intrigues of the Popish Bishop of Orange rendered daily the Subjects of the Principality more uneasie till in the Year 1682. Lewis XIV in a time of full Peace as well with the States as Confederate Princes commanded a powerful Army to take possession of it without any manner of colour or pretext but the Turkish Motto viz. Sic Volo sic Jubeo stat pro Ratione Voluntas This I will this I command My Will it does for Reason stand And thereby his booted Missionaries or Dragoons acted inhumane Barbarities on the Inhabitants unparallel'd in any Reign but his own And here for an Essay of his insupportable Vanity or rather of a Kindness unusual amongst Princes and derogatory to Majesty it self we must not omit That in a Breve in Favour of the late Prince of Conde as Administrator of the Duke of Long aville Lewis XIV had the foolish Confidence to treat his present Majesty of Great Britain with the Title of Messire William Count of Nassaw living at Amsterdam in Holland as if thereby he had entailed upon himself the Principality of Orange which at that time was the Supream Title of King William As for the Actings of the French King in this Principality we shall give you a brief Account in the words of Monsieur â—e Chambrun viz. The dismal Cruelties says he acted upon my unhappy Country and the City of Orange so famous by the Greatness of its Princes is at this day nought but a dismal Heap where one cannot enter without treading upon its Ruines She is at this day a doleful Monument of Cruelty and Injustice I cannot persuade my self that the Ruines of Troy or Carthage were more terrible than these I have mentioned since to one that beholds them at a distance they appear the Habitations of Ostriches and Owls If Posterity shall enquire the cause of this horrid Desolation as certainly it must the Account that shall be given of them will no doubt tend to the dishonour of France History will not forget to hand down to succeeding Ages the heroick Vertues of our Prince when she comes to relate the Ruine of his Territories and Desolation of his Subjects and when they shall understand that the Justice the Sincerity the Valour and indefatigable Care of maintaining the Liberty of Europe were the only Motives that induced the French King thus to treat an Illustrious Prince doubtless they will say This has been the most dismal and most corrupt of all Ages since that which ought to have been the Admiration of the Great Ones of the Earth was the Object of their Aversion and Hatred If this great Prince would have consented to the overturning of the Government of his Country as he was earnestly courted so to doe if he would have taken part with those that aim at the enslaving Europe In a word If he would have betrayed his Country and broken his Faith to his Allies he might have mounted a Throne then offered him But because he loved his Country better than his Interest and preferred his Honour to the richest Advantages and the Liberty of Europe to a Crown it behoved his great Actions should be regarded with Hatred and followed with the unjustest of Treatments But although this Conduct has been blamed in all the Courts of Europe yet nothing has been done to oppose it And I am forced to say 'T is the dishonour of all Europe to have suffered a great Prince to expose so often his Life with the greatest Bravery for its Good and Liberty and at the same time to abandon his Interest with such an unaccountable Neglect England was obliged to protect and assist this Prince not only as being the Guarrantee of the Peace of Nimeguen but from the Principle of Blood and Alliance And indeed what Honour can Accrue to England to see a Sovereignty wrested by unjust violence from a Prince that had Married the Heiress of Three Kingdoms As for me I cannot think of the Desolation of my Country without saying amidst my Tears with Jeremiah How doth the City sit solitary c. Is it nothing to you all you that pass by
Christian Majesty had farther directed him to let the States know how well satisfied he is with the Orders they had given the Count de Stirum and with his prudent Conduct in pursuance of them By this we may see whilst the Dutch made a Conscience of the least Breach and had their hands tied from assisting their Allies by a Treaty they would not break with Lewis XIV who could never find any strong enough for his Conscience when he saw it advantageous to break it However Heaven does not wink at such Actions nor leave them unpunished for much about this time Lewis the Great fell into a raging Torture occasioned by an ulcerous Fistula in his Fundament and knew in some kind what it was to be miserable who had made many thousands so All the chief Chirurgions of France were consulted about this matter and concluded his Life was in danger unless his Royal Bum was Cut and Launced And in fine an Incision was made and after that divers others which kept him long in Bed and consequently put the thoughts quite out of his Head of plotting a farther Disturbance in the World at that time Yet his Creatures were not Idle for to pick a new Quarrel the Governour of Maeubuge set up the Arms of France in divers parts of the Spanish Netherlands under the old pretence of Boundaries and Limits of Dependencies and although Complaints were made yet little was returned in Satisfaction but a few Excuses and a Promise that it should be considered at a more convenient time and that Persons on either side should be appointed to adjust the Limits And at the fame time they proceeded to build strong Fortresses contrary to the Treaty near Huneguen and in the Territories of the Margrave of Baden of which the Emperor complained by his Ambassadors declaring how Religiously himself and all the Princes of the Empire intended to observe the Treaty But this little availed for the French went on with their Designs and upon the setting out the Boundaries in the Spanish Netherlands and on the Frontiers of the Empire made unreasonable Exactions of Places no ways belonging to them nor any where assigned in the Treaty of Nimeguen 〈◊〉 which the King of Spain was obliged to acquiesce as having Exhausted his Treasures in a tedious War and not in a condition to contend alone when the Confederates did not hold themselves obliged to take his part Lewis XIV not content with Matters and the Extraordinary Trouble he had given his Neighbours on this side the Alps began to breath towards the Dominion of Italy He remembred his Predecessors by making Inroads to that fruitful Country had snatched many a pleasant Morsel and not only satiated their Ambition but enriched themselves till the Time of Charles V. Emperor and King of Spain as likewise Philip II. King of Spain in whose Reigns the Spanish Monarchy was at the highest it ever was known to be when it was grasped from the French with a hard hand and they have since had little pretensions to any place beyond that vast ridge of Mountains But this King strikes in with the Duke of Mantua for his strong Fortress on the Frontier for an Inlet into Italy and though it was opposed by all the Italian Princes the French Gold out-balanced their Sollieitations to prevent that Duke's surreâ—dering a place which would at one time or other be the occasion of swallowing up his other Territories The French King having possessed himself of Cassel delayed not to threaten an Invasion of Italy This made most of the Princes combine in a strict League and sollicite the Pope to his immediate Protection and that he would become Head of the League These Proceedings stop the Ambitious Monarch at that time but hindered him not from framing several pretensions Nor did he defer to shew his angry Resentment by picking a Quarrel with the City of Genoa an Italian City and the Head of a famous Republick situate advantageously on the Sea upon a rising Hill there being a large Bay before it So that he conjectured that getting this Inlet and Harbour he might facilitate the large Enterprizes he had cast in his mind The occasion or Grounds of his Quarrel was about Ceremonies and trivial Matters but where the Power is and in a hand like that of Lewis XIV it is easie to find occasion of Offence or to suggest one Long he stood not to digest or debate the matter before a considerable Fleet was equipped which put some of the neighbouring Nations into doubt to what it might tend Discourses were given out it was designed against the Infidel Piratical Governments of Argier Tripoly c. though People of better Understanding considering how he had favoured and incouraged those Miscreants to make Spoil and Robbery upon the Seas whilst himself was doing the like at Land and shedding Streams of Christian Blood were of a contrary Opinion Nor did the wonder last for the Fleet being ready immediately set Sail and stood away for the Coast of Italy and his Threats were sent to the Doge and Senate of Genoua to comply with his demands of Satisfaction and Reparation which appeared to them so unreasonable that they were rejected and the City prepared for its Defence The French Fleet of about Thirty Men of War besides Fireships and Tenders being come to an Anchor before the Bay drew into a Line to block up the Harbour and fired very furiously which was answered from the Cannon of the Town those in the few Ships that lay under the Shoar and the Forts and other Works that lay as Curtains and Bullworks But the Cannon from the French Fleet doing little other damage than beating down some Chimneys the Tops of Steeples and a few of the Battlements they drew in under the Favour of the Night several heavy Galleys with Gabbions and Earth on their Decks gaurded by Men of War and Fireships from whence they played their Bombs without considering the Churches and Religious Houses that for the most part stood near the Sea and had with them such Fatal Success that a great part of that Famous City was layed in Ruines by their beating down and blowing up Yet the French attempting to Land were beaten off with considerable Loss who finding the Governour of Milain was preparing to come down with Forces to the Assistence of the Genoise and that in all likelihood the Princes of Italy would not stand neuter the French Admiral admitted those that were sent off to come on board him in order to treat of Conditions but was so extravagant in his Demands that nothing was concluded at that time But the Inhabitants finding the City almost ruined by the Bombs which played upon them continually and despairing of any Relief by Sea began to Murmur and Mutiny which hastened the Agreement very dishonourable to that State which had sometimes Lorded it over the Ocean and often defended it self against the most powerful of States and Kings For nothing would satisfie
Lewis the Great but that their Senators should come into France and beg his Pardon and humble themselves before his Greatness A strange sort of Acknowledgment when themselves had received the Injury which four Millions could not make Good Yet what must be must be Many other things were considered which mainly puffed up Lewis the Great who now slattered himself to be the Terrour of Europe as well by Sea as Land not imagining but this dreadful Example and the fear of bombing would make others cautious how they incurred the Fury of such a Fire-Drake But it seems his Terrour reached not so far as the Shoar of Africa For even the Pirates of Argiers whom he had so much countenanced and to whom he had allowed his Ports as a safegaurd of Retreat and for bringing in Prizes and thereby a better Opportunity to rob his Neighbours made no Scruple to break with him and brave him by taking his Ships even in the Mouth of his own Harbours This no doubt vexed Lewis the Great and made him think himself undervalued if he should put up such Affronts And though perhaps he was loth to shed Infidel Blood having so long deal'd in that of Christians which he had poured out in Rivolets he found the Eyes of the Neighbouring Princes were upon him and that his Greatness would suffer an Eclipse if he dissembled it and that he should become cheap to the World notwithstanding his being in League with the Grand Signiour under whose protection this Government is he set forth a Fleet to bomb it but had not the Success as before Genoa For the obstinate Turks being strongly fortified made a vigorous Defence whereby his Ships were constrained to keep off at Sea However having spent a great many of his Fireballs at a Distance without doing any extraordinary Damage and not daring to land any Force when Count D'Estrees the Admiral sent to demand the French Slaves and Reparation for several Ships taken and the breaking the Truce all the Answer that could be obtained was to have his Consul that resided there to negotiate Affairs halled out of Prison and Rammed into a Cannon or Mortarpeice and by its being fired shot towards the Fleet. So that this great Preparation was frustrated and the French could only boast of some few Slaves that scaped on boards as they lay before the City pretending they were Constrained to return by reason of the boisterousness of those Seas through the far Advancement of the Season when on the contrary it may be said to the Honour of the English Nation that a small Squadron of our Ships has reduced those Barbarians frequently to such straits that they have been obliged to truckle under what Terms has been thought fit to have been imposed Lewis XIV having procured Cardinal Furstemburg his Creature to be Coadjutor to the Elector of Collogne and that Elector dying in June 1688 he immediately struck in to make a Party and to support the Interest of Furstemburg and to procure his being chosen as knowing himself should have the Advantage and supposing to hector others out of their Pretentions the Count D' Avaux on the 10 of June presented the following Memorial to the States General viz. That he was commanded to let them know that the King his Master desiring nothing more than to preserve the Peace of Christendom his Majesty was willing to prevent whatever might trouble it And seeing nothing is more capable of preserving the publick Tranquillity in the present Conjuncture than if the Princes Neighbours of the Electorate of Cologne should not leave the Chapter in an entire Liberty to proceed Canonically to the Election of a new Archbishop That his Majesty in such case could not refuse the Canons and Chapter the Assistence they might stand in need of for the Preservation of their Rights and for the Security of the Peace of the Country that depended on the Electorate And if any one should go about to cause any Troops to march towards the said Electorate under what pretence soever it may be and to force the Canons and Chapter in any Manner whatever or to use any force or violence against the Places or Country of the said Archbishoprick his Majesty will send thither at the same time all the Succor that is necessary to Maintain those that have the Administration thereof in all the Rights that belong to them But if the States neighbouring to the Archbishoprick do leave the Chapter in an intire Liberty to chuse a sit and worthy Person and in case there be no moving of Troops either in the Empire or in the Territories of this State or in the Spanish Netherlands to Intimidate the said Chapter those of his Majesty will not likewise doe any thing that may be able to trouble the publick Tranquillity or ever give the least Apprehensions to those that are well Intentioned for the Maintenance of the Peace These were the pretences of Lewis XIV to Amuse his Neighbours but they were too Apprehensive and knew him too well to be lulled into a Security For indeed he longed for this Electorate and knew no better ways to gain it than by placing a Person in it wholly devoted to his Interest and to accomplish this Parties were made and vast Treasures expended But finding the Pope not any way inclined to Furstemburg insomuch as he had not approved or confirmed his Coadjutorship and thinking he should fail in his Expectation he caused his Troops contrary to what had been proposed to march to the Frontiers and a great many French came privately Armed into the Cities of Cologne and Bonne and the Cardinal not like a peaceable Church man but like a Martial Prince came with Armed Troops at his heels which gave Apprehensions to some of the Danger that might befal them if they refused to give their Voice and on the 19 of July they proceeded to Election where after some Contest of the 24 Canons that have Voices 13 were gained for Furstemburg 9 gave their Voices for the Prince Clement of Bavaria Brother to the Duke of Bavaria and one for the Prince of Neuburg This puffed up the Cardinal's mind as thinking certianly he had carried the day and was capable of gratifying his Master to the full But then there arose other Scruples for those that had voted against him made their protest alledging that the Cardinal as being Bishop of Strasburgh could not without the Popâ—'s Dispensation be chosen but by Postulation which required two Thirds of the Electors to be for him and that it was sufficient for any other to have nine in case the Voices were divided between two but if they were divided amongst several it was necessary that he that was postulated should have double the number that any other had So that Prince Clement having 9 Voices and the Cardinal but 13 he was by virtue of his Holiness's Dispensation duly elected However the Cardinal and his Party went and Proclaimed himself in the Choire of the Metropolitan
had an Influence upon hindering the Cardinal of Furstemburgh whom he says he for many Reasons was bound to Influence and Protect from being Invested in the Electorate of Cologne And for this Reason and no other given he declares War against them by Sea and Land commanding his Subjects to fall upon them forbidding Trade or Commerce upon pain of Death and Revokes all Pasports and Safe Conduct c. By this we may see that he bore himself mightily upon the Election of that Cardinal whom not only a great part of the Roman Clergy but the Pope himself looked upon as an Enemy to the Church By which it may appear That the French King's Pretensions to Support him tended only to sinister Ends and hopes by this means to annex that Electorate to the Crown of France Upon this Declaration contrary to the Law of Nations a Guard was set upon the Dutch Ambassador which obliged the States General to do the like upon Monsieur d' Avaux by which means an Exchange was made and either of them permitted to return And now though in the depth of Winter the French were abroad ravaging the Country and although this King had not declared against Spain yet a great Impost was laid on Goods to be brought out of the Spanish Netherlnads But perceiving the Confederate Armies drawing together in great Bodies he caused several of the Towns he had possessed himself of in the Palatinate to be slighted and many Dismantled or Demolished the Souldiers requiring great Summs of the Inhabitants to save them from plundering Yet many after they had paid what was demanded had their Goods taken away and their Persons miserably misused To retaliate in some Measure these Proceedings the Governour of the Spanish Netherlands laid an Impost upon Wines and Brandy of which when the Mareschal complained his Excellency told him He could not but wonder that his Master having done the like on the Goods of that Country he should find any Reason to complain The Emperor moreover commanded the French Envoy to leave Vienna and the Plenepotentiary of Ratisbone Prince Clement of Bavaria refused to see the French Minister sent to Complement him because he denied to give him the Style of Elector and those Canons of the Electorate were commanded to leave him and return to their Dignities on pain of being Dispossessed and of incurring Excommunication Whereupon the Cardinal in a Pet made a new Protestation against the Pope's Proceedings touching the Electorate of Cologne Whilst these things were doing the French Troops quitted Heylbourn after having Plundered it blown up the Gates and part of the Walls carrying with them four Hostages for the payment of Fifty thousand Crowns laid as a Tax They likewise flighted Offemburgh demolished Manheim and burnt Oberadt with the Villages belonging to that City declaring they would burn and destroy all the Places of the Palatinate and Electorate of Mentz except Philipsburgh And indeed the whole Country at a distance seemed in the Night time for some space but one Fire the Villages and Towns every where flaming which shew how little Lewis XIV notwithstanding his specious Pretences regards the Peace and Tranquillity of Europe this way of burning being altogether a Turkish Fashion which is not for his Glory to imitate These Proceedings made the Swisses that were in the French Service in the Electorate of Cologne quit it declaring They could not fight against the Empire and thereupon the Cardinal sent to the French Court for more Assistence to secure Bonne the Cittadel of Liege was commanded to be blown up and accordingly performed except one Bastion and its Works and although the Castle of Montjoy Surrendered upon good Articles the Soldiers contrary to Faith given were made Prisoners of War and slighting Huy they blew up the Walls and either destroyed or much defaced all the Places in the Diocese except Chinay which they Garrisoned On the 12th of February 1688. the States of the Empire assembled at Ratisbone having taken into their Consideration the Mischief the French had done contrary to the Truce of Twenty Years concluded at Nimeguen proceeded to give their Resolutions to stand by the Emperor and assist him with all their Forces for the suppressing the Disturber of Christendom setting forth at large their Resentments of his Proceedings Upon this and the like Resolution the French bethought themselves of slighting Heydelburgh and Frankendale and Fortified Mentz Bonne and such other Places as they conceived tenable And now the States of Holland finding the French Men of War and Privateers had taken many of their Merchants and that open Hostilities were begun proceeded to proclaim War against France and accordingly a Declaration of War was published at the Hague and at other Places setting forth That considering the French King had openly broke the Treaties and Peace conluded without any just Reason or manner of cause and had declared War against them on groundless Pretences they find themselves constrained to make a publick Declaration of War against France And towards the Conclusion they strictly command viz. 1. That none of the Inhabitants of this State or any Foreigner residing within their Territories shall Transport any thing to France that is prejudicial to the State 2. That all Counterband Goods that shall be taken going to France shall be declared Prize 3. That good Security shall be given by all Persons carrying any Goods out of these Countries that they are not designed for France 4. That all Ships laden with Counterband Goods that shall be found on the French Coast shall be taken for good Prize 5. That all Ships ought to have lawful Pasports 6. The Men of War not to molest any Ships having such Pasports and not bound with Counterband Goods to the Ports of France 7. That such as shall be offending herein shall be punished with Confiscation of Ship and Goods 8. That the Commanders of the Ships of War shall punctually govern themselves in this matter according to the Treaties made in relation thereto with other Kings Princes and States 9. That the Admiralties shall have the Cognizances of these Offences 10 11 12. The Money arising by such Confiscations shall be disposed of as has been practised in like Cases and as to the Seizures c. Former Placates to be observed 13. None of the Inhabitants of this State shall Insure any French Ships or Goods or others bound to France on Penalty of forfeiting the Summ Insurred The Confederates being early Abroad this Spring the French had not so good Success as the former For the Brandenburgh Forces defeated a great Party of the Garrison of Nuis as likewise gave another Defeat to the Chevalier de Sourdis who came with a strong Party to the Relief of the other killing a great number in the Fight and pursuit gaining a good Booty Upon these Defeats the Castles of Lintz Nuis Zons c. surrendered and the French set Fire to and blew up many places they despaired to keep which so astonished the
where they pleased but not any more enter into the French Service Whereupon most of them entered into the Duke's Pay and a great Number of French Soldiers deserted their Army notwithstanding the severe Discipline to prevent it by hanging up some Hundreds who had been taken going off Nor did their Army in Flanders escape the angry Skies for a violent Tempest happening accompanied with extraordinary Rains and Floods divers Persons perished a great deal of Baggage was spoiled and carried away in by the Rapidity of the Torrent and the Mareschal d' Humiers who commanded in Chief hardly escaped drowning And although the French King laboured by many secret Intrigues and Contrivances to widen or keep on foot the Differences between the King of Denmark and Duke of Holstein yet by the Mediation of the Emperor and Electors of Saxony and Bandenburgh an Accomodation was made and Signed on the Thirtieth of June upon sundry Articles Upon this News upon what Account we are yet to learn the Duke De la Force and the Marquess Vivaus were clapped up in the Bastile at Paris and their Papers secured The Duchess De la Force was likewise sent Prisoner to the Castle of Anger 's And about the same time a French Man of War of Thirty six Guns and Two hundred Men was taken by two Dutch Ships and carried into Amsterdam And the French and Irish Forces Besieging London-Derry were beaten off with great Slaughter and amongst others many Principal Officers were killed which obliged them upon the City's being Relieved with Provision to raise the Siege and retire in some Confusion The French Forces likewise in Catalonia were beaten by the Spaniards and upon the Approach of the Imperial Army quitted all or most of the Places they yet held in the Palatinate And now the Storm of War threatning Montz and Bonne the only strong Places the Frence held in those Parts the Marquess Vxelles Governour of the former sent to the Court of France to demand speedy Aid but had no other Answer returned him as to that particular than that the King had sent the Arrear-Ban towards the Coasts and that by reason of some Disappointments he must not expect very Powerful Succours for that there were every where too great Occasion for their Troops the Enemy having never had such numerous Forces in the Field as at present For at that time the Army Commanded by the Duke of Lorrain was composed of 20000 Imperial Foot and 8000 Horse 10000 Saxons 8000 Lunenburghers and 6000 of Hesse-Cassel The Bavarian Army with the Troops of Suabia 14000 with which were joined 8000 Imperialists under Caprapra The Forces of the Duke of Brandenburgh amounted to 32000 those of Munster 6000 which with the 3000 Hollanders that were in that Country and the 8000 afterward sent by the Duke of Hanouer amounted to 123000 Men not accounting the Dutch and Spanish Armies in the Netherlands These extraordinary Forces made Lewis the Great begin to look about him more than ever labouring with the King of Denmark to hold a Neutrality to which he found him no ways inclinable And the Pope's Nuntio being called Home to prevent the Clergy flocking to him in his way an Officer contrary to Custom was sent to him out of the Kingdom and published an Ordinance commanding all the Subjects of France whose Fathers Children or Brothers are in the Service of his Enemies and the Women whose Husbands are in that Service to depart the Kingdom within the space of a Month which was in many Places put rigorously in Execution The French Troops under the Command of the Duke Duras making an Attempt upon Heidelburgh the Regiment of Wertemburgh got opportunely into the Town and beat them off with the loss of Three or Four hundred of their Men. And in Flanders about Forty English Horse meeting with a greater Number of French killed Fifteen and took Eight Prisoners These bad Successes one upon the Neck of another made the French King cause his Orders to be published Commanding the Inhabitants of Sedan Mezieres and other Places not to Sow their Ground with Corn this Year on pain of Death promising they should be furnished other ways It would be too tedious to mention all the Skirmishes that passed this Campaign with various Success though mostly to the Advantage of the Confederates Wherefore passing many over we come to Instance that great Engagement between the French under the Command of the Mareschal d' Humiers and the English and Dutch under the Command of Prince Waldeck c. The French Troops Attacking the Village Forge where Eight hundred Men were Posted under the Command of Collonel Hodges and Lieutenant-Collonel Goes they bravely defended it till sending one Party after another on both sides the two Armies in a manner Engaged where the English more especially behaved themselves with such Bravery and Resolution that after a long and obstinate Fight the French gave Ground and retired in some Confusion leaving behind them their Cannon and Ammunition and about Three thousand Killed and Wounded And the Six Battalions of Guards were for the most part cut off which Loss may be best guessed at by the following Account Monsieur de Gelais Mareschal of the Camp was killed with a Cannon-Shot as likewise were Monsieur de Metz Tirecelin Commissary of the Artillery Killed of the Guards the Count d' Artuagan four Captains five Lieutenants a Gentleman-Voluntier wounded Three Captains eleven Lieutenants the Aid-Major and two Voluntiers of the Regiment of Campaign the Chavalier de Colbert Brigadier and Collonel mortally wounded the Lieutenant-Collonel wounded the Major mortally wounded two Captains killed two Lieutenants killed five Captains and seven Lieutenants wounded the Liutenant of the Artillery wounded of the Gensd'arms an Exempt of the Guards wounded of Vilpians Regiment of Horse killed one Captain wounded a Cornet and Aid-Major of Greders Regiment of Foot killed one Captain and Aid-Major wounded two Captains one Aid-Major and a Lieutenant several of the wounded dying of their Wounds soon after the Battel This blow greatly allarmed the Court of France and might have put Lewis XIV into another Fit of his Ague had not cordial News come from Rome of the Death of Pope Innocent XI upon which he immediately sent away the Count de Chaulms his Ambassador and the French Cardinals such as he would trust with his Interest prepared to follow him in order to make his Party in the Election of a new Pope But when they came to Rome their Admission into the Conclave was disputed till such time the French King should relinquish his Pretensions to the franchises which at last was agreed to be done during the time of Election But it so fell out that neither the French Interest nor Gold was so Powerful as heretofore for after some Contest amongst the Factions Cardinal Ottoboni a Noble Venetian was Elected and Confirmed Pope by the Name of Alexander VIII The City of Mentz having been violently Attacked by the Confederates under the