the War which she unjustly declar'd against the Emperour it may be certainly said that the Acquisition of Philipsburgh cost King James his Crown as being at the same time abandon'd by Lewis the XIV to his Evil Fortune The Council of France soon after but too late acknowledg'd their Fault and could find no other way to excuse the Blunder but by entring into a War with England Spain and the United Provinces at the same time that they declar'd War against the Emperour and this same mistaken piece of Policy occasion'd that strict and sincere Confederacy which we see aâ— this day between the greatest part of the Christian Princes to preserve themselves from the Invasions of France and Lewis the XIV to wreck his Revenge upon 'em for the sad Fate of K. James his most dear Allye whose Misfortunes were only the Consequences of his having follow'd the Counsels of France and her pernicious Politicks was oblig'd to raise Great Armies and equip a Numerous Fleet to restore K. James to his Throne tho' hitherto he has not been able to accomplish any thing in his Favour but rather has liv'd to see the Disappointment of all the Hopes that flatter'd his first Attempts Whereas if the Ambitious Monarch had turn'd his whole Force against the Empire only and bent all his strength on that side he might have gone a great way into the Empire and have given Mahomet his Dear Friend and Allye a fair Opportunity to recover his Losses But while he labour'd the Re-mounting of two unhors'd Princes he ruin'd both the One and the Other And here it is that we ought to adore the Divine Providence that confounded and strook with a suddain Stupidity the Counsels of France on purpose to dissipate those unjust Designs which her False Politicks had suggested to her no less then the Assailing of all Europe at a Time according to the Proverb Covet all and Lose all There is no question but that France was sensible of her Errour after the Revolution in England for which reason she discharg'd all her Fury upon poor Germany where the French Soldiery exercis'd the utmost Extremities of Cruelty and Barbarism because that Electorate belong'd to the Emperour 's near Relation and Confederate France being thus Embark'd upon this Tempestuous Sea the Prosperity of the Imperial Arms the Revolution in England and the strict League of all the Confederate Princes for the Defence of the Common Cause could not choose but raise prodigious Storms about his Ears and therefore finding there was no repairing the Fault she had committed she was constrain'd to caress and promise the Ottoman Port whatever Succour the Infidels demanded both of Men and Money to oblige the Turks to continue the War With a Design however to deceive and forsake 'em so soon as the Court of France should find it convenient to agree with the Emperour But in regard the French have drawn in the Ottoman Port and blinded with their Presents the Principal Ministers and more especially the Mufti who holds his Dignity for Life 't is almost impossible to open the Eyes of the Grand Sultan who is willing to flatter himself with the Hopes of recovering that part of Hungary which he hast lost So that as long as the French are able to domineer at the Port as they do 't is in vain to send Embassadours thither to make proposals of Peace since it so absolutely behoves the Court Politicks of France to hinder it by all manner of means cost what it will either by Money or Poyson as we have seen 'T is not long since that the French perceiv'd that the Ministers of the Mediatours had made some Progress in the Interim that our Minister was hastning to the Port but their Emissaries both at Constantinople and Adrianople overturn'd with Money all the Measures that had been taken So that there is nothing but an Insurrection in the Ottoman Empire that can ranverse the Practices and Machinations of France and this is that which the Christians ought to meditate if they desire a Peace between the two Empires and there are ways to bring it about if they would but put 'em in Practice Nor is it to be question'd but that France drives on all the Intrigues imaginable in the Ottoman Court where she is in daily fear least early or late a sudden Truce should be clap'd up between the two Empires by reason of some unexpected Insurrection as I have already said And therefore it is that the Court of France endeavours to supplant her Confederate and to make a Peace with the Emperour and the Empire by restoring several Places which she now holds in Germany because that Lewis XIV and his Ministers see very well that they cannot continue the War so long as the Confederacy continue their Union as hitherto they have done that being alone by himself to bear the Burthen of so many Enemies he stands in need of Numerous Armies to oppose the same Adversaries that environ him on every side in Germany Flanders Brabant Catalogna Navarr and Piemont but above all the Conjoyn'd Fleets of England and Holland that threaten his Coasts and enforce him to an Excessive Expence to guard himself from a Descent his Trade being quite lost his Subjects reduc'd to utmost Misery and his Exchequer decreasing every day through the decay of Trade and the Poverty of the Inhabitants of his Kingdom We must believe that France would fain have a Peace while she thinks she has some Advantage before any Terrible Blow befall her which would enforce Lewis the Great to accept of such a Peace as it would please the Emperour and the Confederates to afford him 'T is no less certain then that his Imperial Majesty together with the Confederates have no more to do then to continue the War a little longer to compass their Ends upon France that can never be able to make Head against 'em for any long time Which is the reason that we find her already beginning to change her Batteries at the same time that she sees her self oblig'd to alter her Designs in respect of the Empire Formerly nothing would serve Lewis the XIV but the Imperial Crown for himself and the Title of King of the Romans for the Dauphin his Son But now no more of that The Grapes are out of his Reach and therefore he cries They are sowre All those vast Designs having fail'd and all his Lofty Enterprizes being come to nothing the Policy that France made use of when the Turks were marching to the Siege of Vienna is now no farther useful the End failing the means must of necessity surcease Formerly France was all for dethroning the Emperour but now 't is well if she can keep the Crown upon her Monarch's own Head in preserving by the force of her Arms what he has usurp'd from his Neighbours Heaven has alter'd the Face of Affairs by the ill success of the Ottoman Armes and thereby confounding the Counsels of France the designs
Providence has reserv'd to it self However we see the King of France tries all Ways and Means to Support himself like a Man that strives against Death He ruins his Subjects to maintain his Armies he Impoverishes 'em to constrain 'em to turn Soldiers He calls in all their Money embases it and pays 'em with New Money enhaunc'd above a Third part of the True Value to fill his Coffers He seizes upon all the Church-Plaâ—e and what belongs to private Persons and coins it into Money and the better to inveigle the People as it were to follow his Example he sends his own Plate First of all to the Mint and sends for it back the next day There is not any Tax or Toll or Imposition that has escap'd the Invention of his Flint-Skinners so that the greatest part of all the Handycraft Tradesmen and Peasants have abandon'd their Farms and their Houses to wander about and beg their Bread or else to seek their Livelihoods in foreign Countries I have often with my own Ears heard very good Men and Old Catholicks cry out When will the Prince of Orange meaning the King of England now reigning come and deliver us from all our Miseries Rightly judging That the English are They who can only give that Lucky Blow by reason that their nearness to the Coasts of France facilitates their Entrance into the Kingdom The Court of France knows this to be true and therefore takes so much care to line their Coasts tho' the King of France's whole Army would not suffice to guard a Compass of 300 Leagues in Extent so well as they should do to prevent the Enemies landing in some part or other Where they that land have no more to do then only to stand the First Shot for the Second Discharge will prove very moderate and for the Third there will be no occasion to fear it I affirm then that the English alone are able to harrass France more then any of the Confederates to put her to an Excessive Expence which dreins her Treasury forces the King to oppress his Subjects that he may replenish his Coffers provokes the Malecontents to shake off the Yoke of a Despotick Government and to desire a Government like that of England which beyond all contradiction is the most Just and most Equitable as well for the King as for the People every one there enjoying their Rights and Privileges the King his due Prerogatives and the People their Repose If any one of the Republicks of Europe be able to infuse Jealousies and Fears into France it is the Republick of the United Provinces which is at present the most potent the most Illustrious the most glorious and the most wealthy Republick in the World I acknowledge that Venice may dispute the Point of Antiquity with her otherwise there is no Comparison to be made between ' em No wonder then that her Neighbouring Puissance has drawn upon her the Envy of France The Policy of her Ministers ever since the Beginning of this Reign has very Judiciously exercis'd it self in finding out the most clever and probable ways to swallow up those Provinces either by Conquest or by Ruining 'em to which purpose Measures have been taken a long while ago And Lewis XIV at the Beginning of the War 1672. did verily believe to have compass'd his Designs having invaded the States at a Time when they rely'd upon the Faith and Sincerity of Treaties and had neither any Forces a foot nor any General to lead 'em Good Husbandry being Natural to Republicks in Time of Peace Nevertheless France could not strike that Blow so home as she desir'd without the Consent of England and therefore it was that the Court of France was so careful to improve their Friendship with Charles II. sparing neither for Money nor the Allurements of Pleasure to inveigle and fasten him to their Interests and to cause him to bury in Oblivion all the Benefits he had receiv'd from the Republick and the House of Orange Nor would France quit her Hold till England had in conjunction with her declar'd War against the United Provinces where the Embassadors of France had for some Years labour'd underhand by the Inticing Baits of Gold and Silver to gain Creatures within the Republick since which time the Count d' Avaux understood so well to follow their Steps that he out-did ' em For that being Young and a Courtier he made his Love of Women serviceable to get him Admittance into certain Families that had some share in the Government and there were few Cities where he had not his Creatures who gave him Intelligence of all things that past in Council and some there were who like Nicodemus's came to him by Night not daring to appear in the day-time The Greatest Policy of France was always to foment Division between England and the United Provinces afraid of nothing more then a good Correspondence and Union between the Two Puissances Nor did she see any way more Probable to compass her Ends upon the United Provinces then by sticking close to England which had fallen out luckily for her during the two preceding Reigns while she amus'd those two Princes with Hopes of sharing in the Conquest And upon this Score Lewis XIV had very little trouble to perswade James the Second to close with him for that in his Heart he was an Enemy to the United Provinces and the House of Orange besides that he was besieg'd by the Monks and Jesuits and particularly by Father Peters who kept him under the awe of the Ferula putting him in hopes of Great Rewards from Heaven in case he would lend his Helping hand to destroy the Hereticks perswading him that the United Provinces were the Center of Heresie So that he added to his private Hatred that Biggotry which those Hypocrites of Monks continually blew in his Ears And indeed all Things were in a ready forwardness to recommence in Conjunction with France a new War against Holland The King's Inclinations were altogether bent that way and the Thing would have had the Effect desir'd so soon as James the Second had once obtain'd to be Master of his Parliament had abolish'd the Fundamental Law of the Kingdom and lay'd low the Heads of some of the principal Lords the best Affected toward the Wellfare of the Kingdom and the Preservation of the Privileges of the Nation But the Revolution in England falling out so unexpectedly toward the end of the Year 1688. and the Year following fended off the Blow and broke all the Measures of those Two Princes to which we may add the rejecting of the Cardinal of Furstenburgh from being Archbishop of Cologne All these Events so contrary to the Expectation of Lewis XIV very much contributed toward the Preservation of the Low-Countries For there is no doubt but the Cardinal who is a Man dangerous turbulent actuated by the Demon of France to whom he has sold and devoted himself since he withdrew himself from his Obedience to the
Monarch has made an excellent Use of Cardinal Mazarine's Lessons For that same Prelate being both Crafty and Cunning and somewhat of a Cheat besides fail d not frequently to lay before his Prince the Example of Alexander VI. who notwithstanding his being the Vicar of Christ never forbore to falsify his Word when he found there was a necessity for it tho' never any man promis'd things with more solemn Oaths and his Deceit prov'd successful to him Nor was Ferdinand King of Castile and Aragon beholding for his Grandeur to any thing so much as to his Breach of Faith The Emperour Charles V. was always wont to swear By the Faith of a Man of Honour when he had a Design to act contrary to what he promis'd This Mazarine maintain'd as a Maxim never to be contradicted and that it behov'd a Soveraign to observe this Rule if ever he design'd Grandeur and Puissance never to stick to or govern himself according to the establish'd Laws of a Monarchy when they agreed not with his present Interest and the Politicks requisite to enlarge his Power because the same Laws that were made in former Ages were good and wholesom at that time but could not always so continue As much as to say that a King may break and trample over the Fundamental Lawâ— of a Realm when they concur not with his Ambition and his Inclination to plunder his Neighbours and ruin his Subjects For this reason it is that for some Years since we have seen Lewis XIV practise all these Maxims with a vehement Swing but with little Circumspection consulting neither the Laws of his Kingdom nor the Prerogatives of other Princes However observing this Rule never to threaten before-hand but to execute his Design at the same time that he set forth his Manifesto that his Adversary might have no time or leisure to oppose his Torrent Moreover Men judge of the Inclinations of Princes by the Ministers and Great Personages that are in favour near their Persons and the Deceas'd Prince of Orange William the First was wont to say in his time with great Reason and upon solid Grounds That a True Judgment might be given of the Natural Disposition of Philip II. King of Spain by the Cruelties which the Duke of Alva his Chief Minister committed without fear of punishment in the Low-Countries If it may be lawful to say the same thing of Lewis XIV What Sentiment ought we to have of that Prince If we look narrowly into the Inclinations and Proceedings of the Ministers that have serv'd him all the whole time of his Reign to begin from Mazarine till this very time we shall find 'em to have been all Birds of Prey and most Cruel and Insatiable Blood suckers of the People Cardinal Richlieu was the First who laid the Foundations of this Policy now practis'd by the Court of France For that same Minister abusing the Simplicity of Lewis XIII made himself absolute Master in the Kingdom He was naturally Violent nor could he endure any Companion all People must submit to Him He Exil'd and Imprison'd he cunningly got rid of the Baron d'Ancre of Monsieur de Thou and Cinqmarc chose rather to establish the Security of his Person and his Fortune by Rigour and Violence then to hazard either by Clemency or by too much Complacency with those that were belov'd by the King and so he triumph'd over all even over the Protestant Party which was very numerous in France and which he endeavour'd to oppress by all manner of ways against the Edicts of Pacification and ruin'd 'em all by ruining Rochell which that he might the better bring to pass he deceiv'd the English and Hollanders who in good Policy were bound to have ventur'd all to have preserv'd that Important Place which was another State within the State it self and was a kind of Sanctuary and Place of Retreat for all the Malecontents of the Court. And it may be said that the Loss of that City was the Source of all the Calamities that befell Charles the I. King of England For France not only rais'd the Tempest in the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland sent Money into England to Kindle the Fire and feed the Civil War but encourag'd Oliver to lay hands upon the Person of the King in hopes at that time to bring down the Power of that Formidable Monarchy by Sea as is easie to judge by the Entertainment which the Court of France gave to the Princes of the Royal Family of England in that Conjuncture Moreover after what a Treacherous manner did France act with the Old Duke of Lorrain that 〈◊〉 might have an Advantage to usurp his Country For Cardinal Richlieu under pretence of Friendship drew him to Lion where Lewis the XIII then lay with a Powerful Army under a false pretence that it believ'd him to come and pay his Respects to that Monarch Thither the Prince suspecting nothing but honest and fair dealing repair'd and was receiv'd at first with Extraordinary Honour and Civility not only by the King and the Cardinal but by all the Grandees of the Court who were order'd to treat him Splendidly But that was but the Bait to draw him on for when the poor Duke laden with the Honours of the Court and satisfi'd with his Kind Reception was about to return home he was stopp'd by the Cardinal's Order nor could he procure his Release but by delivering back into the hands of France a great part of his Territories which afterwards occasion'd the loss of all the rest under pretence that the Prince was an active stirring Soldier and devoted to the House of Austria But indeed because the Policy of the Court of France could not brook so near her a Soveraign Prince whose Territories were a Goad in her sides and might serve for an Inlet into France out of Germany Now in regard it is the Policy of a Minister of State to the end he may be lamented and desir'd after his Death to justifie his Conduct in the Eyes of the People Richlieu was willing to have for his Successour a Minister that should out do him and finish what he had begun therefore he recommended Cardinal Mazarine an Italian by Birth and of â—ean Extraction naturally covetous and deceitful 〈◊〉 whatever he undertook covering himself with the Foxes Skin the better to deceive others and play his own part not caring for whatever People said of him nor what Mischief was laid to his charge so he could bring about his Grand Design which was to get Money so that all the whole time of his Ministry he was call'd The Horsleech of the People By good luck he came to his Ministry during the Regency of a Credulous Queen and a Young King whom he Christen'd that he might acquire to himself the more Respect and Veneration It was easie for him both to imprint in the mind of this Young Prince and instill into him Precepts according to his own Humour which were to
England where I find that the Revolution which happen'd in the Year 1689. affords a large Field and ample Matter to supply my Discourse The Court of France not only cry'd The Town 's our's but Europe's my own so soon as she beheld James II. upon the Throne of Great Britain I shall not here enlarge upon the Accident that set him in the Throne But certain it is that France and He had long and passionately waited for the happy Minute for that according to their Saying between 'em Charles II. was a meer Slugg and had neither vigour nor courage to put in Execution the Projects that France was a Brewing But far from that Charles II. wanted neither Policy nor Ingenuity and might have gone to his Grave with the Character of Prudent and Vertuous but for his scandalous Inclinations for Women However it may be assuredly said That the Match to which he was in a manner driven against his own Consent made him disgust Matrimony and threw him into a Vein of wanton Courtship 'T is true 't was a Weakness in him too apparent for his Honour but France and his Brother the Duke of York knew how to make their Advantage of it And therefore the Joy of Lewis XIVth's Court was not to be conceiv'd so soon as both He and his Adherents understood the Death of that good Prince and the Elevation of James II. to the Throne the Jesuits rejoyc'd in particular and never was such Posting backwards and forwards between Versailles and London as after the King of England's Death came to be publickly known at the French Court And there was some reason for it for that then it was that the French Council began to take terrible Resolutions in order to the putting in Execution a Design that France had kept conceal'd in her Breast for many Years before She began with the Revocation of the Edict of Nants a Thing which she durst not meddle with so long as King Charles was alive though that Prince in his heart was none of the Devoutest Religionaries but a Politician much more and one who observ'd his Measures by reason of his Parliament that was well inform'd that England was the Garrantee of that Edict But so soon as James II. became sole Master in England the Court of France gave her self her full swinge and push'd on her Design upon Europe might and main because that then there was no longer any fear of England which was the only Puissance that could either disappoint or advance her Enterpâ—â—â—â— And this was a Truth at all times so well know◠〈◊〉 the Kings of England that Hen. VIII made a Meâ—â—â— of Gold upon which was engrav'd a Hand stretâ—â—ing it self out of a Cloud and holding a Pair of Scaâ—â—â— that were equally poiz'd with this Motto Mâ— Friendship turns the Beam But in King James's Time it was not Engâ—â—â—â— turn'd the Scale but France while England like 〈◊〉 Ox ignorant of his own Strength tamely surrender'd her Neck to the Golden Yoke of Lewiâ— XIV Formerly the Policy of France sent to the Court of England Lovely French Nymphs to cultivate the Hearts of the English Lords and of the Monarch himself But during King James's Reign another sort of Vermin were made use of and Monks and Jesuits were sent in Shoals that like so many Caterpillers and Locusts devour'd the Country and who had already dispers'd themselves over all the Kingdom and had made themselves Masters of the King and his Privy-Council to the great grief of all his good Subjects What a Heart-breaking must it needs be to the sounder Party at Court to see a Father Peters Chief in the Privy-Council pearch'd upon one of the highest Dignities in the Kingdom slighting and domineering over the Lords and Peers of the Realm as having got the Soveraign Authority into his Hands and for that the King and the Queen a Princess transported altogether by her Passion suffer'd themselves to be deluded and govern'd by this Tartuff of a Hypocrite and he over-rul'd by Father La Chaise who had all his Orders from the Court of France By which it may be easie to judge in what Condition France was at that time what Devils haunted both 〈◊〉 Court and the Kingdom trampl'd o're the â—â—â—ks of the King 's best Subjects and were just â—â—â—osing the People to the Rage of Queen Mary's â—â—ign who allow'd her Subjects no other Choice 〈◊〉 of the Mass or the Faggot â—â—ey who seriously consider the Policy of France 〈◊〉 respect of England during the Reign of King â—ames the II. will find the Game but very ill play'd â—eeing that in so short a time it gave an occasion to â— Revolution so dangerous to France But so it happen'd because that Lewis XIV not foreseeing the Consequences after he had once given a loose Liberty to the Monks and Jesuits was no longer Master of the Affair and those Vermin pusht on King James with so much precipitancy that he being desirous to do too much at once they ranvers'd at the same time all the Designs of France and cast him headlong from the Throne into an Abyss from whence he will never be able to rise again so long as he lives nor will all the Power of France nor the detestable Wealth and Politicks of the Jesuits be able to restore him again If the Court of France were so excessive in their Rejoycing upon the Coronation of King James we may assure our selves that they were no less drown'd in Tears of Grief and Rage upon his Abandoning the Crown And then it was that all the best Head-pieces both Jesuits and Courtiers met together which way to apply some proper Remedies to a Blow so fatal and so unlookt for and then it was that Lewis XIV acknowledg'd his Error in following the Marquis of Louvois's Counsel which was to attack Philipsburgh instead of Maestritcht and give the Prince of Orange an Opportunity to pass un-disturb'd into England But that which deceiv'd France was an Army oâ— Forty thousand Men which King James had a-foot of which a great part were Irish and a Fleet of Forty Men of War riding out at Sea which indeed was a Force sufficient both by Sea and Land to have resisted so small a number as attended the Prince into England But it may be said that that same great Body was a meer Monster all Arms but no Head and whose Veins were fill'd with Water only instead of Blood And if France had bethought her self to have sounded in the first Place the Heart of King James she would have found there more of Cowardice then Courage and without question she would have march'd her Troops to the Lower instead of sendâ—ng them to the Upper Rhine But by this we see that there is a certain Destiny which all the Wisdom all the Force and Industry of mortal Man cannot escape But now the Constitution of the Court of England being chang'd by the Alteration of the Government there was a necessity for the
the Number of the Dutch in regard that the French Merchants having nothing else to do with their Vessels turn 'em all into Privateers that so they may not lie idle Insomuch that all the Ports of France are become Nests of Pyrates and Sea-rovers only Nor do we find all this while that their ill-gotten Purchases enrich either the Soveraign or the People For according to the common Proverb That which is got with the Flute is spent with the Drum And therefore it is that the Inhabitants of St. Malo's and some other Ports of France are not a little troubled that they have no better employment then to addict themselves to Pyracy but their Trade with Holland and Spain being quite ruin'd for the present they are constrain'd to turn Sea-rovers for their Subsistance Now then we may assure our selves that 't is so far from being the Interest of France to ruine and destroy the United Provinces that 't is the Study of all her most serious Policy to gain their Friendship and inveigle 'em by fair Promises to accept a Peace either separate or general because the Intercourse between the two States in times of Peace brings more Profit to France then all the rest of Europe besides But this Peace is not to be obtain'd by France either from the United Provinces or from any other of the Confederates but upon safe Conditions For to such a Dilemma has the Most Christian King reduc'd himself by beginning an Unjust and Cruel War neither provok'd nor compell'd to it by any other Motives then those of an Inordinate Ambition So that it may be said of the Sun which Lewis XIV has made choice of for his Impress that it resembles the Sun in March which stirs and raises the Humours of the Body but has not Heat sufficient to consume their Malignity To say Truth France may be look'd upon as one of the worst Neighbours in the World for she lets no Prince alone that has the Misfortune to lie near her So that after Lorraine the Spanish Low-Countries and the United Provinces had felt the Effects of her Fury she began again to prosecute her Old Designs upon Savoy And the First course she took to get footing in that Family was by the means of several Matches with French Princesses to the End she might have her Spies and Creatures in the very Beds of those Princes For that is one of the most Refin'd Pieces of French Policy for the King to make the Matches himself and to give 'em their Dowry to engage 'em the more Cordially to his Interests And at the same time he sends 'em home to their New Spouses full of Great Idea's of the Monarch of France and the vast Obligations which they owe him besides that before their Departure he causes 'em to Swear upon the Holy Evangelists That for the future they shall be absolutely devoted to France that they shall uphold the Interests of that Crown at all Times and against all Persons whatever in the Courts where they reside and shall inform either him or his Ministers of all that passes in their Husbands Cabinets and blindly obey the Orders that are sent 'em by the King or given by his Minister residing in the Court. And then there is no reason to wonder at the Troubles which Henrietta Maria and Christina the Daughters of Hen. IV. marry'd by Lewis XIII into England and Savoy occasion'd in those Countries The first never ceasing till by her ill Conduct and exasperating her Husband to act contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom she had brought Charles I. to an Untimely End and her going into England may be said to be as it were the Source and Leaven of all the Misfortunes that ensu'd in our days Leaving England take a view of the greatest part of all the other Courts of Europe and you shall find French Princesses who play their Parts with the Louidores of France In Tuscany we have seen the present Grand Duke that he might procure his own Peace at home send a Bill of Divorce to the Grand Dutchess his Wife who is a Princess of the House of Orleance and return her back to France to undergo the same hard Fortune as Henrietta Maria wasting the remainder of her Days in a mean Condition depending upon the Inconstant Humour of the King of France To whom such a return cannot choose but be a tacit Reproach of the Misfortune befallen her for upholding his Interests But in regard that Large Consciences are all the Mode of the Court of France they can never be injur'd by Petty Stings or little Keckings If you look upon Portugal you shall find there Mademoiselle d' Aumale marry'd to two Brothers one after another tho' the first were alive at the time of the second Marriage King Alphonso VI. somewhat morose by nature and not willing to comply with the Counsels and Caresses of that Princess the Court of France found a way to be rid of that Prince who was banish'd to the Islands of Tercera and his Marriage after dissolv'd by the Duke of Mercoeur the Queen's Uncle made a Cardinal at the Sollicitation of France and sent Legate into Portugal with a design to cut the Nuptial knot a Secret all this while unknown to the Pope who was ignorant of the Contrivances of the French Court and tho' that during the Three first Months of the Marriage it was given out that the Queen was with Child yet they parted the Wedded Couple for all that under pretence of Impotency and marry'd her to Don Pedro Successour to the Crown and her Husband's Brother and if Charles II. of England would have consented to a Divorce between Him and Queen Katherine the Court of France had design'd him the Princess of Nevers Spain has several times experienc'd to her cost the fatal Consequences of Matches with France and his Royal Highness of Savoy at present ruling had been within a Finger's breadth of losing his Territories had he pursu'd his Journey into Portugal to espouse the Infanta at the earnest Sollicitation of the Princess his Mother who is a French Woman and by the Perswasion and Management of the Court of France who were very Industrious to procure that Match on purpose to remove the Duke out of his Dominions and oblige him to stay in Portugal in Hopes of a Crown while France took the Opportunity to make himself Master of Piemont and Savoy France has been a long time contriving and studying for a favourable Pretence to colour the the Execution of this Design Harry the Great in his time agreed with the Duke of Savoy that upon his resigning up to him all the Pretensions that the Duke had in Milanois he should oblige himself to conquer it and afterwards exchange it for such Lands as the Duke held on this side the Mountains which consist in Genevois all the Principality of Nissa the County of Foussigni and a part of Savoy as far as the Alps to the end it might be in
therefore the Policy of the Court of France very sillily believ'd that the Persecution of the Huguenots would draw all the Catholicks into her Snares which she had thus baited with her Pretended Zeal But the same Catholicks being more discreet and wary and well acquainted with the Tricks and Finesses of France compar'd the French Zeal to Crocodiles Tears that weep to drill Passengers within their reach and then darting themselves upon their Prey seize and devour it Nay the Pope himself smelt out the Cheat and did all that lay in his Power to oppose it as was apparently seen by the Business of Furstenberg But tho' the Event has shew'd us that France was mistaken in her Calculation yet she still goes on with her Prosecutions of the Protestants tho' less at one time then another in regard that 't is the best way for Princes to go through with Follies begun and for that the King's meaning was to make all Europe believe that he had no other End then to make Proselytes and to propagate the Catholick Religion which is a thing that most prudent and moderate Persons of the same Religion could never perceive by what is past nor discover in any Prospect of Futurity Nor has the King of France procur'd the least Advantage to the Roman Church by his Oppressions within his Kingdom or by his persuading and inveigling the Duke of Savoy to persecute the Vaudois with the same Severity quite contrary to the Sentiments of Innocent XI who openly disapprov'd Violence in Matters of Religion and who could not forbear saying That at the same time that the French Embassadour made Bonfires at Rome and rejoyc'd for the Destruction of the French Huguenots That his Heart bled Tears of Blood foreseeing that all those Forc'd Conversions would one day prove extreamly Prejudicial to the Church and that the King of France did but dispoil himself of the Lovely Robe of Primitive Charity to put on the Old Rags of Paganism dy'd with the Blood of so many Martyrs Moreover these abominable Proceedings of France have only serv'd to render the Catholicks suspected to the Protestants and to beget a Scorn and Hatred of 'em in Places where before they liv'd together in Brotherly Love and good Correspondence But what is more Considerable and for which Rome and all the Catholicks will have just Reason eternally to reproach France and complain of her Monarch Lewis XIV is this That he preferr'd the Advancement of Mahometism before the Support and Preservation of the Catholick Religion in England quite ruin'd by the Dethroning of King James whom he forsook in his Greatest Necessity more-especially seeing that unfortunate Prince had never fallen into such â—n Abyss of Misery had he not follow'd the Pernicious Counsels of his Confederate who incens'd him to persecute his Subjects in England as he had done his own in France and to alter the Religion and Laws of his Realm to serve the Interests and Designs of France But the English more Prudent and Circumspect then the French foreseeing the Tempest that began to gather already over their Heads and of which the Consequences could not but produce a Shipwrack like to that which had swallow'd up the Protestants of France seeing that the Dragoons began already to cross over out of France into England where there was a Father Peters animated with the same preposterous Zeal as Father La Chaise and a Chancellor Jefferies no less wicked and bloody then Tellier or Louvois the English I say beholding the Scaffolds erected and the Fires just ready to be kindl'd withdrew themselves in time from the Yoke that France was preparing for their Necks and by that Resolution for ever dash'd the vain-glorious Hopes of all the English Catholicks In short the King of France has great Reason to repent of Two Things his Persecution of the Protestants of his Kingdom and his last Siege of Philipsburgh For that those two Things were the Original Cause of the War and the Basis of all the Calamities with which France is at present overwhelm'd and which daily augment beyond any Help or Remedy which all the Policy of that Court all the Wiles the Artifices and Knavery of her Ministers and all the Bigotry of her Male and Female Hypocrites can apply to stop their spreading or prevent the same Destiny from befalling the Reign of Lewis the Great as befell Antiochus sirnam'd Epiphanes or The Illustrious there being so great a Uniformity in their Manner of Acting the Beginning and Progress of their Atchievements that we have great Reason to hope that their Exits will be the same FINIS