with whom we are now to contend and who are resolv'd not to hearken to any Peace till France be abased but it is my misfortune that in this abasement I shall find my own The King will not give Ear to my Counsel and perhaps when he shall have a mind to take my Advice it may then be too late He always thinks that he hath strength enough to break thro' the multitude of his Enemies and to make way for a favourable Peace but this account is very different from that of the Confederates who advance on all sides to enter into France Peradventure if I were Master and should make propositions to them they would hearken to me but the King will never consent to this till the last extremity Therefore I come hither to know to which Party I ought to adhere in case the Enemies should invade the Kingdom THE ORACLE The Success of the Campain of the Year 1691 shall shew it to thee XXII THE Duke of Orleans tir'd with doing nothing and vex'd to see himself rejected and despis'd went to consult the Oracle saying I have always very well discharg'd my Trust whensoever the King hath thought fit to require my Service witness the Battel and Taking of St. Omer and altho' his Majesty hath been pleas'd to express the satisfaction he receiv'd from the Glory that I had there obtain'd nevertheless I remain without Employment and the King neither talks nor takes no more notice of me than if there were no such Person in the World Whence does this proceed THE ORACLE The King would not have his Actions Eclips'd by thine neither doth he desire any other Glory but that which he acquires himself XXIII THE King of Sweden having declar'd that he is very willing to assist his Allies but withal to keep a Neutrality with France that he might thereby promote the Commerce of his Subjects whilst the most part of other Nations were engag'd in a tedious War went to consult the Oracle saying The King of France offers great advantages to hinder me from affording any Supplies to the Confederates and to induce me to stand Neuter He hath propounded an Expedient to stop the Vessels that I am oblig'd to send to the Hollanders by vertue of a Treaty made with the States General and if I have a mind to enter into Pomerania he will not only pay all arrears and summ's of money due to me but will also restore the Dutchy of Deux ponts and defray the charge of the War moreover he promiseth that the King of Denmark shall make no attempt upon my Countrey but shall likewise remayn neuter on my account and that we shall both enter into a Treaty of Commerce with France and make a league together to oppose all that shall endeavour to incommode or disturb us therein Whereas on the one side I am allur'd by the advantage of Traffic on the other the treachery and ill usage that I have receiv'd from France deters me all these fair propositions being only the product of that necessity with which he finds himself urg'd what then shall I do THE ORACLE Relye not on a reconcil'd enemy XXIV The King of Denmark being sollicited on the one side by the fair offers of France and detain'd on the other by the interest of Prince George who stands in need of King William's assistance to establish the Crown in the Family and knowing not what to determine to preserve both came to consult the Oracle on this occasion saying The present offers of the King of France are fair and good but they are not to be compar'd with the advantages that will hereafter accrue to my Countrey by a strict union with England for if the Princess of Denmark should ascend the Throne there would be a great and indissoluble band of unity between England and my Dominions besides that the assurances which the King of Great Britain now reigning hath given me at present of his amity and the sincerity that I have always found in the word of this Prince have oblig'd me to send Forces to assist him in finishing the Conquest of Ireland my own interest also exciteth me to afford him this supply against King James since the later design'd to exclude the Princesses his Daughters and their off-spring from the Crown to transfer it to a stranger whose extraction is unknown but I would willingly assist the King of England without leaving the King of France who considering his present circumstances will not be offended as he would have been heretofore at the aid that I have sent into Ireland since he is now as Meek as he was haughty in times past THE ORACLE Beware of the French disease for that of England had its original in France XXV The King of Poland being sufficiently disgusted at France when he had caus'd the Sieur Granville to depart out of his Dominions and having declar'd to the Queen that after the marriage of the Royal Prince his Son with the Princess of Nieubourg he would no longer hearken to the Ministers of France thô they were able even to bestow on him the same faculty as Midas had heretofore of turning every thing he should touch into Gold came in this resolution to consult the Oracle saying The French baits have caus'd me to lose the high reputation that I had acquir'd before Vienna I confess my weakness hitherto in placing my Summum bonum in a little yellow clay which I have kept more carefully than holy Relicks and I have often look'd on the effigies of the Louys d'Ors as a Tutelary God and the object of my happiness However I now begin to understand that these material goods are but froth in comparison of the worth of real glory which alone can set my Son on the Throne I know that the taking of Caminiec can at present contribute more thereto than all the treasure of France but on this occasion my Allies have at least this consolation that I have taken more from the French than from the Turks and that to exhaust is to weaken That War can be but of little moment where the danger and the honour are not great therefore for the future after the example of Hannibal I shall turn to the side of glory as soon as the marriage of the Royal Prince with the Princess of Nieubourg shall be accomplish'd and to that end I have stopt my ears against all the Syrens of France since I observe that their King will have enough to do to preserve his Crown for his own Son and that the Emperor alone can establish mine on the head of my heir I am come hither to receive your wholsom Counsel THE ORACLE Endeavour thy self by thy own valour to secure the Crown for thy posterity XXVI The King of Portugal after his Alliance with the House of Nieubourg thought himself also oblig'd to imbrace the interest of the Empire and the common cause of his Allies but the French who are alwais pregnant of politic contrivances
of their Reys that belong to Sea affairs to consult the Oracle who said The French have Bombarded our City but it hath cost them dear they are come to demand a Peace and have appli'd a Golden plaister to our Wound and if we may believe them we have no better friend than their King shall we give them credit THE ORACLE There is no great difference between one Corsair and another XLIV The Czars of Moscovy having enter'd upon no considerable Action against the Turks since their Declaration of War notwithstanding all the Assurances given by their Ambassadors whom they sent into all the Courts of Europe came both together to consult the Oracle saying We have declar'd War against the Turks and altho' we have demanded Supplies of all the Christian Princes yet none comes to our Assistance insomuch that we are oblig'd to maintain this great War at our own Charges if this continues we shall be compell'd to make a Peace THE ORACLE Ye shall do no great good nor no great harm XLV The Reverend Society of the Jesuits deputed Father La Chaise and another English Father lately come from England to go and consult the Oracle in the Habit of Cavaliers lest they should meet with any of King William's Troops on the Road where they were no sooner arriv'd but they very confidently enter'd into the Temple and said Our Society is esteem'd as the Pillar of the Catholick Church for without it it would have fallen in several places and by our intercession we obtain'd a Catholick Successor in England nevertheless the Sins of Men have caus'd Heresie to prevail for a time but we are not discourag'd our Party always subsists there and another Revolution may put us in possession of what we have lost The City of Geneva was very near falling into our hands and we had already reckon'd it in the number of our Conquests It hath indeed escap'd out of the King's Power but a fair opportunity pretermitted is not irrecoverable We have had better success with the Emperor and have hitherto hinder'd him from making a Peace with the Turks The Martyrdoms that our Society hath suffer'd in England and China caus'd us justly to hope that we should have been regarded by the Holy See but it seems all our Pains and Zeal for the propagation of the Faith cannot as yet merit the esteem of the Venetians which hath in all times been of very bad consequence to us with respect to the Hereticks but if we can hope for no great matter on that side we may expect much from the Most Christian King who promiseth to himself a happy Issue of this War thro' the intercession of the grand Saint Ignatius and the Prayers of the whole Society We have entirely devoted our selves to France the King of Spain being a Saint that at present can do us neither good nor harm We had reason to hope for much from the King and Queen of England if Fortune had not been unkind to them but the whole Society labours for their Restauration Wilt thou therefore Re-establish them and us by their means THE ORACLE It is impossible to rise again after so great a fall XLVI The Right Reverend the Clergy of France being assembled together intended to depute the Arch-Bishop of Paris to go and consult the Oracle but when he was enjoin'd to speak the Truth he desir'd to be excus'd by reason that the King had promis'd him the first nomination to a Cardinal's Cap and therefore being under such Circumstances he durst not disoblige his Majesty whereupon they soon appointed the Bishop of Grenoble in his room to discharge that Office who being arrived at the Sacred Den spake to this effect I am come hither on the behalf of the most considerable Assembly in Europe I mean the Clergy of France and of the Gallicane Church to pour out our just Complaints into your Bosom The King in taking away our Revenues draws the most pure Blood out of our Veins by continual Taxes and Gratuities beyond our Ability and by a prodigious Usurpation this Monarch hath lately taken from us all the Ornaments of Gold and Silver belonging to the Sanctuary without the consent of our Holy Father the Pope under pretence of a War to be prosecuted against the Hereticks and of the Re-union of the Hugenots of his Kingdom with the Church insisting moreover that he hath been oblig'd to disburse vast Sums of Money in maintaining the Royal Mission that hath brought in great Revenues to the Church But that which most affects the Conscience of our Prelates is that they must believe every thing that the King requires them and accommodate their Faith according to the Affairs that intervene between the Court of France and that of Rome It would be great matter of Joy if by your wholsome Counsels this Venerable Assembly might be deliver'd from all these Vexations that we may peaceable enjoy our Benefices and not be compell'd to believe any thing but what are commanded by our Holy Mother the Church THE ORACLE Your Kings pretend that Religion may be adapted to their Ambition XLVII The Catholicks of England in their Exile went to consult the Oracle to know their Destiny saying We thought that as soon as our Zealous Monarch had ascended his Brother's Throne the time of our Restauration was at hand and that after a tedious Captivity we should have re-enter'd upon the possession of all our Rights and Prerogatives The Reverend Fathers the Jesuits gave us great hopes thereof but by a strange Revolution we find our selves further off than we were hitherto and by hoisting our Top-gallant too high we have overset our Vessel at the first Blast of Wind the Tempest soon dispers'd us on all sides like scatter'd Sheep at the Mercy of Foreigners without any prospect of returning at least of a New Revolution which we are forc'd to wait for without so rouch as being able to foresee the least Remedy for our Calamities Alass When shall we meet with a more favourable time THE ORACLE Patience is a great Vertue XLVIII The Marshal de la Feuillade having for a long time passionately wished for an opportunity freely to disclose his Mind went to the Temple and said I had foretold long ago that the Prince of Orange would at length create us much trouble but no credit was given to my Word and for speaking the Truth I was very near being disgrac'd by the King instead of serveing Him with my wholesome Advice He would no longer hearken to me because I knew not how to flatter and I was constrain'd to hold my Tongue but now that this Prince is become King of England and hath Power in His Hand He begins to Sing a very different Tune than he did before and if ever He should pass over into France we shall see Fine-work and the Post will find good Employment My Predictions were always true that with too much squeezing the Orange it would at last become bitter but I was not heard and when they shall be willing to give Ear perhaps then it will be too late Fear hath already seiz'd the Court and they have sent me to repair the old Forts in Dauphine lest the Prince marching at the head of the Vaudois should recover his Castle The King hath charg'd me to take great care thereof but I am very desirous to declare my Opinion to him THE ORACLE Thy Master hates the Truth FINIS
to thy good fortune XXXI The Cantons of Switzerland being amaz'd at the suddain change that happen'd in their neighbourhood deputed soveral persons on the behalf of the Helvetian States to be inform'd by the Oracle of future contingencies who being arriv'd at the Sacred Den spake to this effect We have seen a great light in our Neighbourhood and have rejoyc'd in the brightness thereof The recalling of the Vaudois and the Declaration of the Duke of Savoye in favour of the Emperor and his Allies hath caus'd our heart to leap for joy moreover we never receiv'd so many caresses from France only to perswade us to remayn neuter but they do not as yet offer to demolish the Fortress of Hunninguen however if they do not set about it speedily we shall open a passage for the Germans thô as yet we divide a little spot of ground with the King of France but forasmuch as there is nothing now to be fear'd and since he can no longer bite if he do not himself begin to dismantle this Place we will apply our Batteries thereto We are in good earnest brave Switzers and will not be mock't for the future they must now deal plainly with us and set their hand to the work their Louys d'Ors are good but somewhat more must be done at this time since ours are now more currant money for by the vertue of hocus pocus Monsieur Amelot takes us for Block-heads and thinks to gull us as he hath done heretofore but we have no mind to let slip this opportunity and we will act our part before the Farce be ended We are heavy and corpulent therefore we march stowly In the mean time what shall we do THE ORACLE Follow the light that goes before you XXXII The Republic of Genoa being very glad to see so many dogs set on the wolf and all the Powers of Europe combin'd against France the most formidable enemy that she ever had sent to consult the Oracle to know what ought to be done in this conjuncture saying The whole World hath seen the submission that we have been forc'd to make to the King of France after he had bombarded our City we have been constrain'd to kiss the rod with which we were scourg'd without murmuring and the Senate hath been oblig'd to go in a body to Versailles to thank the King for his great justice but we hope that the time is now come wherein Heaven will avenge us on them and that the Allies will cause reparation to be made for the Dammage that we have sustain'd What means shall we now use to take some satisfaction our selves of our conceal'd enemy THE ORACLE Let not thine inhabitants furnish him with armes to beat thee XXXIII The late King James being oblig'd to abandon his Kingdoms a second time and to depart out of Ireland and not knowing what Saint to invocate nor of what materials to make weapons in France where the unfortunate are not at all welcome went very mournfully to consult the Oracle and said I now acknowledge my fault and that my misfortunes have had their original only from the wicked instigations of the Queen my Wife and her pernicious Counsels that induc'd me to seek for means to make my self absolute by vertue of an Arbitrary power independant of the Statutes of the Realm and authority of Parliaments and to abolish the Test and Penal Laws This model came from France and hath lead me to the precipice and to this unhappy Labyrinth My People could not endure neither an alteration in Religion nor in the Succession of the Crown but sent for a Competitor who easily got possession of my Kingdoms without hopes that I shall ever be able to reenter therein as long as he shall live The greatest part of my Subjects have forsaken me and my Friends durst not so much as lift up their head My Forces have abandon'd me and they of my own Family have turn'd their backs on me Thus am I left destitute in the hands of the French reduc'd to the necessity of imploring their aid and of making a most lamentable figure not knowing whither to betake my self when the King of France shall be weary of me Alass will my banishment from my Kingdoms continue much longer THE ORACLE Until thy Successor shall have a mind to abrogate the Laws as thou hast done XXXIV The Queen Jacomina having seen with much consternation the return of the King her Husband to Saint Germain went accompanied with Father Peters and the little Urchin her Son to the Temple of the Oracle to know the reason thereof and spake thus I have been alwaies very exact in my devotions to our Lady of Loretto and have made many vowes to her to the end that I might re-enter into my Kingdom nevertheless we are so far from approaching it by the way of Ireland as the King of France vainly promis'd that we are now driven back farther than ever by the retreat of the King who hath been totally defeated feated with his Army at the first shock of our enemies Whence to so many misfortunes proceed that have happen'd to us in this World THE ORACLE From thy self XXXV Father Peters having entreated the Queen to permit him to speak in his turn said I have incessantly labour'd day and night for the good of the Society and considering that a Prince of Wales created by our hand might hereafter be a very powerful instrument for the propagation of the Catholic Faith and the encreasing of our Revenues in England our good Lady of Loretto hath by a miracle brought this Prince to light which was very necessary to protect us after the King's death none but the Society know the depth of this Mystery but in the mean time some spiteful person dis-affected to our interest having discover'd the mine brought the storm on the King's person and all the Royal Family and at the same time on our Holy Society thus to avoid exposing our selves to the mercy of the Conqueror we were compell'd to follow the fortune of the King and Royal Family by retiring into a place of safety to the end that by our Prayers we might be able to merit our return into England as soon as possibly it can be effected for the consolation of the party that we have left there and which impatiently expects our coming Shall we be speedily re-establish'd for we are all ready to repass the Sea THE ORACLE Immediately send for all that thou hast left there XXXVI The Cardinal of Fustemberg having lost all hopes of obtaining the Electorate and having turn'd that Arch-Bishopric into an Abbacy went full of despair to consult the Oracle and said I have foolishly neglected the opportunity of advancing my fortune having voluntarily renounc'd my right of Coadjutorship to the Arch-Bishopric of Colen I have converted the money that I receiv'd from France to procure me friends to a very different use and not doubting but that I should certainly accomplish my design I