any likelihood of engaging therein with safety and being seconded upon occasion of which indeed there is but little probability as long as affairs shall continue in the condition wherein they are at present This indeed is the thing which of all others France would be very loth to see because the hearty Union of these two Governments would in all probability put a stop to the French Kings undertakings overturn all his designs and put him into an utter incapacity of attempting any thing against the Peace of Nimeguen or the Truce with the Emperor But France carries a watchful eye to prevent this Capital inconvenience and that by an assiduous fomenting and cherishing feuds and animosities between those two Nations and improving every occurrence to this purpose of which we have a fresh instance in the business of Bantam which had been long ago made up but that France who finds it best fishing in troubled waters thinks it more for his Interest that it should remain undertermin'd which is the very reason why it was never made an end of but kept as a reserve for a quarrel upon occasion That there can be nothing so evidently destructive of the French Designs as this Union between England and Holland is very apparent England can when it pleases overturn the projects of France against the Spanish Netherlands neither could that King ever have taken Luxemburg if the late King of England had had the least inclination to oppose him in that attempt but the French King so well knew to take him by the blind side that he did not perceive the mischief till the City was taken It was a Capital Error for England to part with Dunkirk a place that open'd a passage for them to France and the Low Countries but it would make the matter much worse if all those Countries should be fain to submit to the Tyranny of Lewis the Great and he by this means should join Newport and Ostend to Dunkirk for then would Flushing follow by Consequence and that King be put into a condition to dispute the Soveraignty of the Sea with his British Majesty and destroy the Navigation and Commerce of this flourishing Kingdom Having got thus far he would proceed to an entire conquest of the Vnited Provinces which point being once gain'd by him England would have but little reason to flatter it self with the hopes of a better Lot Renowned Queen Elizabeth of happy Memory was so sensible of what is here alledged that she told Monsieur de Sully the French Kings Ambassadour at her Majesties Court that neither France nor England nor any other Prince or State whatsoever ought to lay any claim to the Low Countries and that she would never suffer the King his Master to make the least attempt that way Upon which Monsieur de Sully sent word to his Master Henry the Fourth that notwithstanding the opposite sentiments of the Queen his Majesty might by means of great forces keep his friends within their own bounds and possess himself of such Territories and Cities in the Low Countries as should be necessary to joyn France and the United Provinces wholly and inseparably together which was said he the only way to restore France to its Primitive Grandure and glory and pitch it above the rest of Christendome for if by any means the Provinces of Luxemburg Juliers Mark Mons Aix and Cleves were once Vnited to France there was no doubt but the rest of the Country would be forc'd to follow their example being deprived of all communication and correspondence with the rest of the world Sure it is France has always inclin'd this way since they have observed that they could not compass their design by Italy as the Romans of old which Conquest tho it be the interest of all Princes of Europe to prevent as much as in them lies yet it is evident that these two States who are nearer at hand and can better do it are the most of all concern'd to put a stop to the Progress of the French in the Low Countries which would not fail to be attended with dismal consequences to them as before mention'd As for Spain it is a Body deprived of the use of its Limbs and to which nothing remains but that of its Tongue viz. To pray and entreat its good Friends and Allies not to forsake it But none can do more than England towards the Preservation of the Low Countries and if his British Majesty had not promised to stand still Luxemburg would still be in the State wherein it was formerly and a Bone for France to pick. The French King is so well aware of this that he takes all the care he can to keep the King of England on his side or at least to remain Neuter in case he will not declare himself for him To which purpose he spares nothing neither Presents Pensions nor Arts to keep all safe on that side But alas this Money and those Presents of France are like a Snake hid under Rose-leaves This is a Smiling Lip which hereafter will prove a deadly Sting They are Iron Chains gilded o're to deceive the Eyes of those who now admires what hereafter they will have occasion to lament if they do not betimes discover the Cheat of him who designs to enslave them England subsists by ballancing the Crown of France and Spain and keeping them in equal poise wherefore it must needs be the Interest of that Kingdom by all means possible to prevent the Low Countries from becoming an occasion to the overweight of France lest by this means it should be incapacitated to maintain the Balance of Europe for time to come For if ever by ill Fortune the French King should make himself Master of all the 17 Provinces as 't is his great Aim and may easily be brought to pass if the States be not seconded what condition will England then be in France will be stronger than they at Sea and in the Indies and consequently interrupt their Commerce and Navigation by keeping a great Fleet abroad especially in the Channel so that nothing shall be able to stir out of the English Havens but by their leave and upon the least occasion the total Conquest of England must needs ensue and that without Remedy there being no body in a condition to stave off their final Ruin Moreover the true Interest of England is to keep France low as well to preserve the Dominion of the Sea as to find a favourable occasion to recover those ancient Dominions the French King keeps from them as are the Dukedoms of Britany and Normandy Poictou Languedoc nay France it self for of the Marriage of the King of England with Margaret Daughter to Philip the Fair was born Henry the Fifth King of England who had the same Right to France as the Dauphin has to Spain The Three Sons of King Philip the Fair viz. Lewis Hutin Philip the Tall and Charles the Fair died all without Issue Male And it was not
THE DESIGNS OF FRANCE AGAINST England and Holland Discovered Or the Intrigues of that Crown for the utter Ruine of both those Nations laid open WITH ALLOWANCE ADVERTISEMENT to the READER THESE Papers which were intended to be publish'd before this time had the Press been open for such Truths plainly discover the cunning Intrigues Wicked Designs and Unchristian Practices of the French King for the Overthrow of England and Holland and with them the Protestant Religion If this Account be as 't is hoped approved of a further Information may be expected from the same Hand A Discovery of the Designs of France against England HENRY VIII King of England did in his time cause a Medal to be stampt with a Hand stretch'd out of a Cloud holding a Balance in equal poise whereof both the Scales represented Spain and France with this Motto Cui adhaereo praeest My Alliance weighs it down It seems that Prince well knew his own Might whereas now England may be compared to an Ox who being insensible of his own strength quietly submits himself to the Yoke Evident it is That England has many Advantages beyond other Kingdoms but especially this that being an Island it can easily secure it self against any Foreign Force they that intend an Invasion against it must be obliged to cross the Seas and struggle with the Winds and Waves and all the hazards and dangers of that unstable Element besides a very potent Fleet which alone is sufficient to deter their hardiest Enemy from any such Design Now this being so 't is manifest that the King of England having Peace and a strict Alliance with Holland can over-balance the Party he designs against This is a Truth France is so fully convinc'd of that notwithstanding the great Antipathy there is between both Nations he has hitherto spar'd nothing and is still turning every stone to take off England from its true Interest and to engage it on his side or at least oblige it to stand Neuter and to be an idle unconcern'd Spectator of the horrid Tragedy the French King acts upon the Theatre of Europe because he well knows that England is better able to prevent it and spoil his Sport than any other State or Kingdom whatsoever and rescue Europe from the Universal Slavery he prepares for it Would the King of England only be pleased to open his Eyes fast closed with the enchanted slumbers of the French Dalilah to take a view of his own Strength and true Interest he should soon find himself making another Figure amongst the Princes of Europe than of late Years he hath done and with ease mount that high degree of Power and Glory of being the profest Umpire of the Universe the Sovereign Mediator and Decider of Controversies and the Giver of Peace to all Europe which France in a vain Bravado pretends to when indeed he is the sole Troubler of it To arrive at this transcendent pitch of Grandeur and Authority two things only which the King of England may do when he pleases are requisite The first is That his Majesty do comport himself so as to engage the Love of his People and keep a right Understanding between him and his Parliament And the second That he enter into a strict Alliance with Holland living in sincere Amity perfect Union and good Correspondence with them in order to their common Defence and Security The former of these is very easie and the King will do it as soon as he shall resolve to desire nothing of his Parliament but what is agreeable with the Laws of the Realm which by his Coronation Oath he is obliged to observe and maintain and the latter will be found to be of absolute necessity as soon as the King of England shall please to stop his Ears to the false Suggestions of France and stifle those Jealousies and Resentments which his Emissaries daily buzze into his Head there being nothing to fear for England from the States whose desire is not to enlarge their Dominions as France do's by invading those of their Neighbors but only to keep what God has given them and to maintain their Subjects in the Liberty they now enjoy This France so well knows that he leaves no Stone unturn'd to prevent it and continually sends forth some crafty turbulent Spirits to sowe the Seeds of Division and Misunderstanding between the King and his Parliament Thus the Spirit of France was at work to exasperate the Episcopal Party against the Presbyterians and again the Presbyterians and other Nonconformists against them making them believe that the Bishops favoured Popery and would not fail to prove Turn-coats as soon as a favourable Opportunity should be offer'd them and that the King did incline the same way with a thousand like Suggestions which so set the People against the King and filled the Parliament with such Jealousies that they often granted his then Majesty but very little of what he demanded and gave him so much work at Home that he had no leisure to consider what was done Abroad It was France that first kindled the Civil Wars in the time of Charles I. which cost England so much Blood the French Ambassador that was then at that Court boasting at his Return from thence That he had kindled a Fire in England which should not be quenched of a long time and that the English for 20 Years to come would not be in a condition to claim any thing of France To the kindling of this Unhappy Flame one Father Joseph a Capuchine Fryar did much contribute under-hand by means of the Papists especially those that were in the Parliament's Army But now since the King of England has thought good to change his Religion France also has alter'd his Battery and turn'd all his great Guns against the Church of England and so far are the minds of Men irritated against one another that his British Majesty will not this good while be in a condition to look any where else but at Home where he is like to meet with so many Crossings and Thwartings of the Designs he is carrying on that he will find it a hard matter to break through them and accomplish the thing he aims at and so zealously affects And whil'st these Heart-burnings continue between the King and his People he will be forced continually to be upon his Guard and to keep his Forces about him and cast about his Thoughts how to raise a Fund to maintain them and thereby give an opportunity to France to possess himself of the Low-Countries and of Spain too in case that King should chance to dye which happy hour France with a great deal of Impatience looks for As for the second point viz. a League with the Vnited Privinces and a right understanding and good Correspondence between those two Governments to oppose all Powers that would invade and trouble the Peace of Christendom it is certain that the States for their parts would most gladly embrace the Proposal if they saw
till after this when the King of England prosecuted his Right to the Kingdom of France that the Salick Law was made upon a Speech of the Bishop of Beauvais's in the Assembly of the States in which he endeavoured to make out from an allusion to that place of the Gospel The Lillies Spin not that the Crown of France ought not to fall to the Distaff But that Law could not prescribe to time past but only to that which was to come and consequently could not invalidate the King of England's Pretensions After this Henry the Fifth entring France with a powerful Army and having defeated the French in several Battels Married Catharin Daughter to Charles the Sixth and in the Year 1441 it was concluded that Henry should be King of France Isabella also who was Queen of France and Mother to Catharin Queen of England made her last Will in Favour of her Son in Law declaring him therein the sole Heir of all her Estate and of the Crown which encreases the just Pretensions and strengthens the Rights of England to the Kingdom of France Had the French King but half the Pretensions to England which the King of England has to France the World would soon hear of nothing but Manifesto's to prove them just as he calls all he does So that the King of England ought upon all occasions and in all respects to suspect France and to beware of him as a most dangerous Enemy who flatter'd and humour'd his late Majesty only to lull him asleep that he might play his game without being disturb'd or interrupted by him who whenever it shall please him to mind and be true to his own Interest will undoubtedly carry the greatest stroke in the Affairs of Europe 'T is therefore no wonder that King Lewis the Fourteenth spared nothing that might supply the Necessities or provide for the Pleasures of the late King Charles the Second as Monsieur Barillon and the Dutchess of Portsmouth can Witness But I must tell you that the French King confiders no Body whether Prince or private Person any further than as they may be servicable to promote his own ends Yea Vertue it self is not esteemed by him except it go hand in hand with his Interest Do but confider what account he made of the Princes and Princesses of England in Cromwels time were they not obliged to leave France and to seek for Entertainment elsewhere And it is notorious that he never contributed any thing towards the late Kings Restauration till it was past his skill to hinder it So that upon the whole neither the Resentment of the Royal Family nor the Interest of England will allow of such strict Alliances with France as might tie up the King of Englands hands and make him an idle Spectator whilst Lewis the Great makes himself Master of the Low Countries but on the contrary he must always be ready to oppose any the least Attempt he shall make toward it making use in the mean time of the Six Regiments he has in Holland which the States will not deny him on that account till he can send some other Troops over to Flanders I am perswaded that those Six Regiments will be able to make Head against double the number of Frenchmen and when England shall thus be pleased but to shew its Teeth all Europe will thereby be safe Resist the Devil and he will fly from you but if you fear him he will make you his Slaves France has cut out work enough for King James the Second and the business that he hath taken in hand is so great that many people fear and others hope he 'l never compass it 'T is not a time to alter old Laws when the Enemy is at the Gates 't is not always seasonable for a King to act the Missionary but much more requisite that he shew himself a brave Soldier and good Politician All the World was in expectation of great things from his Majesty his Courage put all Europe in hopes of an universal Relief and some Respite for Spain but how has he frustrated and befool'd their Hopes whilst his sole Study is to please the Jesuits and to kindle a Fire in his own Kingdom which probably he will never be able to quench when he would as long as he dares not Convene a Free Parliament As Spain became depopulated by the departure of the Moors so is France greatly weaken'd and impoverished by the Dragoon Conversions and flight of the Protestants and the French King would fain see England brought to the same pass 'T is a high Presumption to rob God of his Right 't is to him the Honour of Converting does belong that work surpassing the Power and Activity of a Creature So leaving that care to God the King of England ought to lay out his Endeavours about preserving his Dominions from becoming a Prey to that Ambitious Prince by obliging him to keep within his own bounds and not to encroach upon his Neighbours Territories and in so doing the King will make good the Hopes and Expectation Europe had conceived of him The Designs of France against theVnited Provinces AFter the States of the Vnited Provinces had by their Powerful Arms constrained Spain to acknowledge them a Free State who owed Allegiance to none but God alone they were for a time the Object of their Neighbours Admiration and Envy every one endeavouring to Court and make Alliances with this growing State which began to be lookt upon as the Umpire of Europe But this high Reputation of theirs has suffer'd a notable Eclipse since the War of 1672 when France having brought them to the very brink of Destruction pleas'd himself with the thoughts of seeing them tumble headlong into the Pit he had digged for them neither would he have been mistaken in his hopes had not the people given a sudden and unlookt for turn to the face of Affairs by declaring the Prince of Orange Stadthouder the Providence of Almighty God at the same time concurring with their Endeavours to preserve that small Spot of Ground by confounding and daunting their Enemies who after the taking of Naerden were struck with such a Panick Fear that theâ— ran away none pursuing them Now what contributed most to the Mischiefs they were involved in at that time was that besides the Treasonable Correspondences which France held with some principal Members of that Government they had neither any good Troops nor a Commander in Chief and relying on the Peace and fair Promises of France they were well nigh lull'd asleep by that fatal Melody whilst that King was hard at work to undermine the Foundation of their dear bought Liberties and Government We find in time of Peace the Soldiers grow Idle as well as their Arms rusty Ease pleaseth and flatters us and Men are soon perswaded to lay aside the Exercise of Arms to betake themselves to a more gainful way of Living so that when the Enemy approached they are readier to embrace shame
when joyned with Profit and Pleasure than to strive for Glory surrounded with difficulties and dangers France knew very well that so long as the Vnited Provinces had no General that Soldiery could not be but in a very bad Condition and incapable of defending them from the Attempts of a powerful Enemy wherefore he took special Care by cunning Practices and false Suggestions exasperating the Minds of the opposite Party to prevent the Prince of Orange's being advanced to those places of Trust and Dignity His Royal Highness is now so deservedly possessed of By this means the States grew daily weaker and weaker their Troops were dissipated their Fortifications neglected their Strongest Holds went to decay their Magazins were unfurnish'd whilst France was raising Troops under-hand and making Secret Alliances with England the Elector of Cologne and Bâ—shop of Munster in order to their final Ruin Du Plessis is much in the right when he saith That a State is not to be judged strong or weak but with relation to the strength or weakness of its Neighbours and that it is upon that score that Wise Princes endeavour to keep themselves as much as they can in equal potse with their Neighbours to the end they continue in Peace and Amity together for as soon as this fails all Peace and Good Correspondence are dissolved as being only grounded upon a mutual fear or esteem for one another Which is so true that a Prudent Prince is always jealous of the least advance or motion of his Neighbour tho in a time of Truce or Peace and is continually upon his Watch endeavouring to be informed of his Designs before they be brought forth for by this means he puts him by his Measures and frustrates his Purposes In which point many Princes and States who are too saving fail very oft and this Covetousness of theirs costs them and their People very dear by occasioning a most Expensive War vvhich at the first by Precaution might have been prevented with a small Matter France is so well Informed of this Truth that they neglect nothing in such Cases and their Ambassadors in all the Courts of Europe are supplied with Moneys for that very purpose who knowing they cannot please their Master better than by Corrupting one or more of the Ministers of the Prince or State at whose Court they reside are Day and Night contriving for it and spare nothing to bring it about Yea when it happens that they cannot prevail with the Man himself they aim at they endeavour to gain his Wife or in case they chance to be so unhappy as to fail there also they condescend to make their Application to some of their Children nay so humble are they and such Slaves to their Master's Ambition that they will not stick to bribe their Servants and furnish them with Moneys proportionable to the Service they are able and willing to do them These are the Maxims that speed their Designs wonderful well in such States as are governed by many Heads as the Vnited Provinces which are a great Bar to the French King in his aim of Conquering the Spanish Netherlands who very well knows that being Master of the one he cannot miss of the other His great business therefore is to lull the States of the Vnited Provinces asleep with a Truce which he will break when he pleases being in hopes that their Forces will in the mean time be neglected in laying out themselves wholly to propagate and encourage Trade and Navigation For that King is well aware that the States being awake and standing on their Guard will never consent to his possessing himself of the Spanish Netherlands at least they ought not to do it since that it is the only Bar and Rampart which hinders France from overwhelming them which they ought therefore by all means to endeavour to preserve whole and entire as one would his Neighbours House from being set on Fire What pains did not Count d' Avaux take to set one Province against the other and to sow Divisions among the Cities of Holland how busie was he at Amsterdam What Proffers or Promises did he spare to bring it about Which is a thing so publickly known from that Ambassador's frequent Journeys to that great City that the very Children were not ignorant of it We must not imagine that Mombas was alone engag'd in his Treason against that State but rather that he escaping into France has left several behind him that walk in the dark and are not yet discovered The best on 't is that Count d' Avaux begins now to be known and his Insinuations not believed he having but too long imposed upon the Credulity and good Nature of many who now perceiving the Cheat will scarcely suffer themselves to be decoy'd a second time And as France was diligent to sow these Divisions and Jealousies amongst them at home so was he no less Industrious in fomenting Differences between England and them as knowing very well that these Neighbouring Powers when joyn'd together are able to give check to his Pride and set bounds to his Ambition How pleasing a sight is it to the French King to see them engag'd against each other and pursuing his Interests at so vast an Expence of their own Blood and Treasure The last War betweeen those two States was some difference about Matters of Commerce and whilst the King of England was Arming the French King offer'd to engage in a Treaty with Holland on purpose to amuse and divert them from putting themselves in a posture of Defence as they soon after perceived when France instead of concluding the Treaty begun with them declared himself for England and whilst the latter Attacked them by Sea he Invaded their Country with a Puissant Army and supposing the Conquest of those Provinces indubitable they had afore-hand divided them amongst themselves England being to have for his share the Maritime Places and France all the rest Amsterdam only proved a Bone of Contention and occasion'd some Difference between them both the one and the other desiring it for his share tho indeed they had no reason to be in a heat about it seeing all this was but reckoning without their Host God preserving it from falling into either of their Hands Thus a Peace being at last concluded with England the Spirit of France was at work again to with draw the States from their Allies and finding that things were about to change face and that the Outch being row sed by a Discovery of the Artifices and Treachery of France began to look about them and their Troops having a good General at the Head of them became considerable and formidable he thought fit for a while to dismiss the Lion and act the Fox restoring Maestricht unto them in order to obtain the Peace of Nimeguen Since which time that King has contented himself to bark afar off and was so apprehensive of the States raising the last 6000 Men that Count d' Avaux spar'd