Messina the Revolt thereof not only drew a new War on that side through the Protection which France gave that Town but also put a great deal of Disorder in the Affairs of the Spaniards who were obliged hastily to withdraw their Troops from Catalonia and send them into Italy By this means the French finding themselves Masters in Catalonia retook Bellegarde which they had lost pillaged all the Country from the Pyrenaean Mountains even beyond Gironne and had they had a design of making themselves Masters thereof as well as of many other Places there is a great appearance that nothing could have hindred them But not being willing to establish themselves beyond these high Mountains which Nature seems to have put for a Separation between the two Realms they contented themselves with the Prey they had got and let the People feather themselves every Winter to the end they might plume them every Spring Altho the War of Messina was of very great consequence yet should I not cross the Seas to seek a Subject for this Work were it not that I shall at the same time find a fair matter to prove the Unfaithfulness of the French They sent thither at first the Marquess de Vallavoir a Gentleman of Provence not in quality of a Viceroy but with a Command equal thereunto so that he wanted nothing but the Name He behaved himself in this Charge during the space of eighteen Months or thereabouts with great satisfaction to the People to whom he caused at his Arrival to be delivered gratis a quantity of Corn which had been brought from France and whereof the Messineses could never have more need for they had already a long time eaten Horses Rats Mice and other unclean Animals their best Repasts being only of these sorts of things with a few ill-tasted Herbs when they could get them But at the end of that time Vallavoir having had a Difference with the Intendant because they would both rob without sharing one with another was revoked and the Duke de Vivonne sent in his place who brought into that Country a greater Name but a less Sufficiency He came thither with the quality of a Viceroy which so much the more pleased the People as they believed that this would oblige France to do something more than she had hitherto done to disengage so considerable a Town which was still so closely block'd up that it received no other Succour to live upon but what came to it from France As soon as the Duke was in the Town he put all his Authority into the hands of his Secretary took care to make provision of all sorts of good Wines enquired where were the fairest Courtizans caused a Chair to be made wherein he might sleep commodiously as he was carried along and in fine forgot nothing whereby he might keep himself as portly as when he came thither At the beginning when he pass'd along the Streets every one extolled his Civility because they observed him from time to time to bow down and lift up his Head like a Man that would salute some-body but at last a Person having observed that it was because he slept and having shewn it to others there was no more such pressing to see him pass along the way which was very commodious for him because he was not very desirous that it should be always known whither he went Notwithstanding the Refreshments which Messina from time to time received from France it is impossible to say to what misery it was reduced There needed no more but to give Bread to have the richest Goods in the Town Husbands there prostituted their Wives Fathers their Daughters Brothers their Sisters and there was not so much as the Superiors of Nunneries but endeavoured to subsist by the Intrigue of some handsom religious Woman But the Hatred which the Inhabitants had conceived of the Spaniards was so strongly imprinted in their Mind that all languishing and dying as they were they chose rather their Miseries than to return under their Dominion They let themselves then be amused by the frivolous hope which the Viceroy from time to time gave them that he would soon go open the Passages but they were other Passages that he thought on which had in the mean time so ill treated him that they had brought him to his Litter The Officers according to the Example of their Chief led not a more glorious Life The Chevalier Duke General of the Horse made good provision of these sorts of Passages and tho he were above five and fifty years old yet must he have no less than four so much fear had he of wanting For the Commander of the Foot as he brought with him out of France not a Preservative against all sorts of Evil but an Evil worse than all the Evils of Italy he took of them where-ever he could find them well knowing that worse could not befall him The Sea-Officers followed the Example of the Land-ones and if they visited their Vessels it was only to bring aboard them lewd Women It was in the mean time impossible that France should not have knowledg of these sorts of Disorders but the Duke de Vivonne held her by such sweet Bonds that having committed the Fault to send him to Messina for a Viceroy she had rather Messina should perish than revoke this Sardanapalus In the mean time the War which every day grew hotter and hotter in Flanders and Germany had been so favourable to France that the English Parliament being now assembled they humbly addressed to their King who had at the end of the second Campaign made Peace with Holland That he would be pleased to recall the English Troops which were in the service of the French King whereunto they also added That he would declare War against the French unless they abandoned the Protection of Messina which was an Obstacle to the Peace that had been so long talkt of The King of England tho a Friend to France yet condescending to the Requests of his People sent to the French King to do both the one and the other if he would have him still continue his Friend This News was a Thunder-clap to France but since she must as we may say either obey or resolve upon War with England she began to shew the Choice she would make by already dismissing the English that were in her Service But it was here that her Insincerity appeared in its full extent whereof perhaps the King of England may yet one day testify his Resentment when his People when the Fanatical Party amongst them had of late Years almost frighted into a Rebellion with Dreams and Visions of Popery and Arbitrary Government shall which they begin apace to do have regained their former Loyalty and Zeal for his Service You shall know then that the English being dismiss'd instead of making them go to Dunkirk or Calais from thence to pass to Dover which was their right way they were sent through Burgundy through
do but to withdraw the Hospital he spake to the Jurats to find him out a Man with whom he might bargain for the subsistence of the said Hospital and he would lay him down Money before-hand but his Design he said was to leave as few People there as he could because he believed the ill Air did them more hurt than their Malady it self and when he should once be before Saragosa or Melazzo he would send them a League or two thence to take the Air which would contribute more to their Health than all the Remedies in the World By this means he so well cajoled them that they themselves sought him out the Man he desired to whom he gave two Months Advance for fifty poor Wretches who had their Soul upon their Lips and who were so far from being able to brook the Sea that it was judged they could not so much as get to the Vessel without certain Death As for the others they were imbarqued in a Vessel by themselves So that this being done the Duke de la Feuillade had nothing more to fear for his Horse were at Augusta all ready to imbarque expecting only Vessels for that purpose In the mean time there being fourteen Pieces of Cannon in Battery upon the Mouth of the Haven he made his Vessels go out thence into the Road whither he himself also went after he was got aboard the Admiral Thence he sent for the Jurats to whom he had given the most specious Orders in the World of what they should do in his absence and these over-credulous Jurats imagining that he had forgot to tell them something hasted diligently aboard him but were very much surprized to hear him speak in these terms That it was now no longer time to disguise any thing unto them that the Expedition he was going to make was to return into France where the King his Master had need of his Troops and his Vessels that as long as he could assist them he had done it with a great deal of Joy and Clemency since it had cost him above four and forty Millions that now he could no longer do it it was for them to find in their Constancy the Consolation which perhaps he could not give them A Complement so dry and so little expected cast these poor People into a Despair more easy to be conceived than described They endeavoured to dissuade him from his Design by the most moving Words imaginable and by Actions also the most submiss casting themselves many times at his Knees but seeing that all this operated nothing they besought him that he would at least delay his departure for eight days to the end that during that time those who could no longer hope for Mercy from the Spaniards whom they had so mortally offended might retire into France with their Families A Prayer so just and so reasonable ought not methinks to have been refused But the Duke de la Feuillade who gloried in being pitiless told them That this could not be and that all he had to say to them was That if those who would come were not ready by the Morrow-Morning he would weigh Anchor and no longer expect any one They gained however by the force of their Prayers one Day more after which they went to declare this sorrowful News to the Inhabitants who were in so terrible a despair thereat that I do not believe the like was ever seen All the Men all the Women all the Children came upon the Haven piercing the Air with their Complaints and tearing the Hair from their Heads there was heard only a dreadful Groaning whereunto succeeded a mournful Silence as it were to give the French time to make reflection on their Miseries but seeing in fine that they were not moved therewith they began again the same Lamentations with Postures so worthy of Pity that I shall never as long as I live think thereon without being touched with compassion In fine seeing that this operated no more than before every one resolved to embarque and there were four hundred of the best and richest Families in the Town which pass'd into France but with little satisfaction For the French having soon after imputed to them a Conspiracy in Provence whether it were true or only a pretence to get rid of them made them go out of the Country and they are gone to linger out their Miseries in another Climate where perhaps more compassion will be taken of their Misfortunes As for those that remained at Messina their Punishment was very speedy For the French had not yet weighed Anchor when there arose in the Town a Spanish Faction which had always subsisted therein and which had several times endeavoured to reduce it under the obedience of its true Master To this there opposed it self another which would not hear speak of ever falling again under the Yoke of the Spaniards and they were going to decide their Difference by compleating the Desolation of this Town the Image whereof was already but too frightful if the Governor of Regio who was not above two Leagues off had not stept in to hinder the Disorder Whilst he was negotiating on the one and other side to make them lay down their Arms with Assurance of Pardon to both of them the Spaniards having by the help of their Faction made themselves Masters of the Town entred thereinto with Drums beating breathing forth no-but a just Vengeance but which they rendred too cruel by their manner of taking it for without demurring any farther as many People as put their Heads out of the Windows to see them pass so many did they kill at least of those who appeared to be any thing aiming particularly at Persons of Quality I will not undertake to tell how many Massacres they made in this poor desolate Town nor how much they thereby augmented the Aversion the People already had for them for besides that I should perhaps have difficulty enough to do it things were carried to such extremities it belongs not to my Subject whereunto I should do much better to return without digressing any farther The abandoning of Messina joined to the Inclination which the King of England always had for France brought again upon the Board the Propositions of Peace which had already been talk'd of before but that the Spaniards would never hearken to them because the French King spake not of restoring Messina When I speak here of Propositions of Peace it is easily understood that I will speak of what pass'd in the Cabinet of Princes and not of what pass'd at Cologne or Nimeguen where they had already wasted so long time to no purpose These Propositions did not equally please every Body For altho the Emperor and Princes of the Empire had done nothing yet so advantagious but that a good Peace was to be preferr'd before so unprofitable a War since nevertheless they considered that in the condition wherein things were they could not hope for such an one as they
make them feel her resentment The Occasion or to say better the Pretext was soon found As there is nothing suffered to be printed in France without License some French-men who were not perhaps over-well satisfied with the Government or who it may be had received some particular discontent published certain diffamatory Libels against the King and his Ministers which bearing on their Title-page the Name of Amsterdam as the place of their Impression the King took great Offence thereat as if it were not usual to put upon a Book the Name of a Printer that knows nothing of it There appeared also sometime after a Print wherein the King was represented upon a Horse without Bit or Bridle with this Inscription He knows not whither he goes Insinuating thereby that it was to no purpose for him to make so many Reviews that he might surprize one or other since he would every where find resistance But of all which at that time appeared for I mention not here the hundredth part there was not any thing better invented or more to the purpose than a certain Medal on the one side whereof was represented Monsieur van Beuningen who had the greatest share in managing the forementioned Treaty of the Triple-League and on the reverse Joshua staying the course of the Sun with these Latin Words In conspectu meo stetit Sol. Now we must know that the Sun was the French King's Device and that those who had invented this Medal meant thereby that even as Joshua had stayed the Course of the Sun for to defeat the Philistins so Monsieur van Beuningen who was called Joshua stayed the Course of the King that was upon the point to destroy the Flemings This Medal no sooner appeared abroad but France highly menaced those who had made it and since she accused the Hollanders thereof they thought it became them to shew the whole World that they were not capable of such Actions Wherefore they gave in charge to their Ambassador to disabuse the King and his Ministers but to take his time so fitly for the doing it that it might not be believed they were induced to make this Excuse through the fear of their Menaces In the mean time to say the Truth this Medal was never either invented or made in Holland I have heard say that it was made at Rome and was the Invention of the Italians who being if we may so say plunged over Head and Ears in Repose and Delights know not oftentimes what to apply themselves unto unless it be to speak ill of their Neighbour Others impute it to some discontented French-man who had perhaps been frustrated in his desires or otherwise ill treated However it was this I well know that there is not so much as one Person in all Holland who will grant that it was made in their Country which yet if it were so they would easily acknowledg since they are not over-guilty of concealing what they do The Treaty of Peace whereof I ere-while spake was still in being but withal it was plainly seen that in the Estate wherein things were it could not long continue France who was sensible of her own Power daily as we may say provoked every one with her Bravadoes and there was none but the King of England whom she managed because she knew he was strong at Sea and would be a great Succour to those in whose favour he should declare himself The Hollanders who knew all the Steps which France made towards him endeavoured on their side to keep up the good Intelligence which was between the two Nations tho not with their ancient submissiveness as believing it no less the Interest of the English to hold a good Correspondence with them than it was theirs to live in amity with the English Things were in this condition when there arose a Difference between that Republick and England upon the Subject of Commerce The Republick endeavoured speedily and amicably to terminate this Affair but the King of England who was highly sensible of some former Indignities of theirs being incessantly sollicited by France to declare War against them was so resolute to make his own Terms in this Treaty that the Republick thought fit to have recourse to France whose Interest it was not to suffer the King of England to become so powerful France for some time amused their Ambassador as if she had a design to make a League with them but as what she did was only to have time to gain the King of England whose Friendship she courted at an high rate she had no sooner perfected her Treaty with him but she began clearly to manifest her Intentions Besides I might here say That the Hollanders were somewhat deficient in their Conduct towards the King of England with whom matters might have been accommodated notwithstanding his great Pretensions But since I know that the sole Obstacle herein was Mr. de Witt Pensionary of Holland who had a great influence on that Commonwealth I should be to blame should I cast upon many what was the Fault of one alone For in fine it was none but he that hindred the terminating the Difference with the King of England who was willing to remit many things in favour of the Prince of Orange for whom he demanded some Establishment but de Witt 's Jealousy of this Prince was so great that he preferr'd his own particular Interests before the common Utility Not but that he was a Man of great Wit and who foresaw well enough vvhatever might be the Consequence of an Affair but he had his Heart too much envenomed against the House of Orange vvhereunto I shall attribute all the Infelicities vvhich soon after befell that Republick In the mean time I will not say here as many others have done that this was an Effect of the Intelligence he had with the French For let none believe that to make my Court to the Living I will dig up the Dead and make their Process Believe not I say that I will assert a thing which I know not and whereof it is necessary I should be very well assured before I speak In effect a Writer who desires to have the Reputation of an honest Man must be very careful to write nothing whereof he is not exceeding certain Not but that there are very often things related which are somewhat problematical but it is then the Author's duty to let the Reader understand that he is left to the liberty of believing as he shall think fit I say then speaking of Mr. de Witt that altho he were a very wise Man he was nevertheless mightily overseen in not making his Peace with the King of England For to to come a little closer to the matter It behoved him either to satisfy that King in what he required or to be sure of the Alliance with the French that he might not have at the same time these two Powers upon his Back but since instead of having the French for him it was
Lionnois and so through the Provinces which lead to the Ports of Guienne that they might have time to debauch the Officers and the Souldiers In effect the Souldiers who since their being in France had been accustomed to Wine seeing themselves in a Country where 't is almost as common as Water would not cross the Sea to go and drink Beer but took Pay under the Captains of the Army of Catalonia who were for that purpose posted in their way As for the Officers all those that had nothing to lose in their own Country were likewise debauched and placed at the same time in the Regiment of Furstemberg which was in Garrison at Perpignan Thus when the English arrived at the place where they were to imbarque they were not the tenth part of what they should have been if France had dealt faithfully in the matter But let us see whether she will keep Faith any better with those of Messina Being as I have just now told you necessitated either to abandon it or to fall out with England she had chosen the first she was in the mean time at a very great stand how to bring it about without the knowledg of the Messineses who had they known it would not have failed to renew the Sicilian Vespers To keep them then from knowing it she began to spread a Report that she would send into that Country another Person in the room of Mr. de Vivonne insomuch that a Merchant who had heard it at Rome having related it at Messina was put in Prison by the Order of the Viceroy who was no way pleased with such sorts of News but the Misfortune of the Merchant having more divulged the matter every one was soon possess'd that there was a new Viceroy coming and also that it was the Duke de la Feuillade Certainly altho I here blame France for her Dissimulation I shall not forbear praising this new General who acted with so much Order and Discretion at his Arrival that no-body entred into distrust of that which brought him thither and I can even say that there was not the least suspicion of it till such time as he was quite ready to set Sail. Before he arrived at Messina he went ashore at Augusta where La Villedieu who had been Captain of the Guards was Governor whom not having found at home because he was like the rest making love to a Nun he took one of his Horses rode round the Ramparts ordered new Fortifications and in fine gave his Orders like a Man that knew how to do something else than eat drink and sleep afterwards without staying a moment he again went aboard his Vessel and having continued his course came into the Road of Messina whither the Jurats came in a Barque to receive him in Peace The Duke de Vivonne came also to meet him upon the Harbor where he gave him the right-hand as having no longer any Authority in the Country In effect after he had dined with him he went aboard a Vessel set Sail for Provence and endeavoured afterward to gain Lions to get himself cured of a Malady which began much to incommode him The Duke de la Feuillade after he had discoursed with the Jurats went upon the Harbor whither he had sent for the Captains of the Gallies whom he ask'd whether they were ready to put to Sea And when they answered that they were not he demanded what hindred them and against what time they could be ready And they telling him that it was impossible for them to be ready in less than a Months time the Duke de la Feuillade who knew what kind of life they led made them so severe a Reprimand that they well saw they had another manner of Man to deal with than Mr. de Vivonne He told them they might do as they thought good but if they were not ready in eight days he would put the Oars to his Vessels and leave them to make love as long as they would In the mean time to cover this Haste with some considerable Design he caused a Map to be drawn of all the neighbouring Towns which appertained to the Enemies as Saragosa Melazzo Palermo and Sema spreading a report that he would soon march to reduce them In the mean time he sware upon the Holy Gospels in the Name of the King his Master to protect the Country against all Persons whatever and to keep their Privileges an Oath which nevertheless he soon after brake as I will shew you in its place The Ceremony of taking it was very fine it was performed in the great Church which they had hung with the richest Hangings in the Town and whither the People came in so great a Croud that they did not on that day think on their Misery The Streets also through which the Viceroy was to pass were hung and Scaffolds erected every where to see him go For tho he seemed to be come to deprive the Women of their Pleasures yet since it was nothing but their Misery which made them do as they did they look'd upon him however as the Messias that was come to deliver every one from the Tyranny of Satan I mean the Oppression of the Spaniards He observed moreover as he pass'd along that one of the Citizens the more to shew his Zeal for the Service of the Crown of France had placed on the side of his Chamber-window a Canopy under which was the Portrait of the King and as he came back he caused his Coach wherein were the Jurats to stop before that House and told them That since they came from making him swear before GOD to protect them and all the People and to keep their Privileges he desired that they also should swear before the Portraiture of the King his Master which was there present that they would keep all Fidelity to him would never speak of returning under the Dominion of Spain and would cause to be severely punished the first that should be so bold as to mention any such thing At the same time these poor People to whom an Interpreter had explicated what he said for he spake no otherwise to the Jurats nor the Jurats to him fell upon their Knees and putting forth their hands out of the door of the Coach sware before the Portraiture of the King all he would have them swear This profound Dissimulation produced all the Effect he expected from it they were confirmed daily more and more by his Conduct that he would be the Deliverer of the State Thus as he persisted always in the Resolution as he said of besieging Saragosa or Melazzo for he spake no more of Palermo they not only suffered him to embarque Store of Victuals without suspicion but the Jurats also offered to encrease his Troops with some Companies of Citizens if he thought he had not Forces sufficient for so great a Design When the Provisions were inmbarqued he caused the Foot to go aboard the Vessels and there being now nothing to