in the World whereas others that are in the Service of other Princes find themselves with all their Ingenuity bauk'd and stopt sometimes in the midst of their Carreer when they are upon a great design by the defect and want of means which should contribute the most to make them succeed But however it be Monsieur de Vauban and de Megrini had orders to be at Versailles to assist at the finishing of this design Monsieur de Megrini who made his ordinary abode at Tournay of which he was Governour departed in all haste to place himself where his Majesties orders had call'd him and arriv'd almost at the same time as Monsieur Catinat did who had taken Post immediately after the taking of Montmellian All was now ready for the opening of the Council and all the Generals his Majesty had pleas'd to call were arriv'd The number yet was but very small the King being in what regards his Council and his Secrets a Prince as circumspect as ever was which is the cause that his Majesty confides in so few persons and that he ordinarily admits none but such as are extremely reserv'd so we we may say it is one of the principal Wheels upon which his great designs and his good fortune moves and that he is come to so many Conquests only by this means and if we say of Mony that it is the Sinew of War we may say also that Silence is the Soul and that by consequence they are both indispensably and absolutely necessary since they make Armies move and march where they think fit making them Victorious and Masters of the most Important Forts of Provinces and also of whole Kingdoms as we have experienc'd in the last Revolution that happen'd in England which we may say was the only time that the French King was deceiv'd for that ordinarily he has so many precautions and also so great a number of Emissaries well paid in all Courts that he keeps in his Pocket so to speak the Key of their Counsels and most secret Resolutions But we may say that the affair of England was miraculous for how else could King William encompass'd round with French Spies as he was in such a place as the Hague where they were seen to walk openly in Troops and with as much confidence and fierceness as if they had been in the midst of Rome or Paris find nevertheless means to hide so great an undertaking to carry it on a whole year and to trust but two Ministers of State with it to wit Pensionary Fagel of happy memory and Monsieur Dickvelt to make all the Preparations and at last to make them appear by the Reduction of three Kingdoms and to save by an undertaking as bold as successfull Europe from Slavery and that in the sight of two mighty Kings his Enemies well Arm'd who stood waiting for him without ever stirring treated him with fool-hardiness and flatter'd themselves with hopes to see him swallow'd up in his enterprize with as much shame and Confusion as the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth was Finally that I may return to my subject the great Council of War which was to be held at Versailles being assembled and all the Generals being there present his Majesty would according to his custom have a particular Conference with each General and for this reason order'd they should enter in order one after another into his Chamber Monsieur Luxemburgh was first call'd as being the greatest Favourite and him in whom his Majesty most confided looking upon him as his greatest support and him who would maintain at present the Honour of the Nation and the Glory of France It will not be alltogether foreign to our purpose before we go any farther to speak a word of the Person of this General We will say then that Monsieur Luxemburgh so much made of and so much esteem'd as now he is ought not to boast to be descended from the Illustrious and ancient House of Luxemburgh which has given so many Emperors to Germany and so many Kings to Hungary and Bohemia neither is he of the posterity of those titular Dukes of Luxemburgh and Piney Princes of Tingry but a Posthumous Son of Francis Lord of Bouteville of the House of Montmoranci who was beheaded at Paris the 21. of June 1627. for having kill'd in cold Blood in a Duel several persons of Quality This happen'd under the Ministry of the Cardinal Richelieu The present Duke of Luxemburgh was then but in the Cradle and the Countess of Bouteville his Mother retir'd her self after this disgrace to one of her Country Houses where she liv'd a Melancholy life till such time as her only Son whom she very tenderly belov'd arriv'd at the seventh year of his age an age in which it was fit to take him from the Hands of Women and put him under the care of Governors capable to give him Education suitable for a Person of Quality By this time Madam de Bouteville judg'd that the Mothers House was a place very unfit for the Education of the young Count and besides being not dissatisfied to find an occasion to shew a part of her Resentment of the shameful Death of her Husband she resolv'd to carry her Son to Court and present him to the King She set out then for Paris without much Equipage and being arriv'd she went the next day to St. Germain and demanded Audience of the King who was then with the Prince and some Lords of the Court They were mightily surpriz'd at the arrival of this Lady who for many years had not appear'd in the World and every one strove to find out the reason of it when she enter'd into the Chamber having her Son in her Hand whom she carried straight to the King saying Sir here is the last of the Montmoranci's which I present to your Majestty to do with as you think fit The King would have reply'd something to her but Madam de Bouteville not desiring to engage in any further discourse retir'd after having perform'd her obeisance and left the young Count in the Kings Chamber The Prince of Conde who was naturally very generous was so affected at the condition of this poor Gentleman that he told the King that he having been formerly a very good friend of his Fathers and of Monsieur de Montmoranci he would do him a very great favour to let him bring up this last cast-away of a Family which had been dear to him the King consented and the Prince carried him home caus'd him to be instructed and brought up with all imaginable care particularly in the exercises of a Gentleman suâ—h as Riding the Great Horse and Fencing and as to that give me leave to tell you what an old Officer brought up from his infancy in the Lord Bouteville's House did assure me that Monsieur Luxemburgh was born straight and of a good shape and that he appear'd so to the Eyes of the World till he was ten years of age that the
the prejudice of my Son according to all Laws the Fathers have no right to alienate the Estates of their Children whilst they are Minors and when these Estates are Maternal But says Luxemburgh the Marriage was only concluded upon this condition so that the renunciation your Majesty made upon all the present and future Right that you might have upon Spain or upon the depending States was consider'd as the Ground of Marriage without which the Ministers of Spain would have been guilty of a great deal of Folly on their side to have consented to an Allyance which would have produc'd nâ—w causes of Wars and Divisions instead of a Firm and Stable Peace whiâ—h was their chief design I add to all these proofs that the Circumstance of the Oath that your Majesty was obliged to take in swearing solemnly upon the Holy Evangelists that you would keep your Royal World that you then gave was as the Seal of all the promises of the engagements and of the good Faith of your Majesty In your opinion says the King I am then very ill grounded in my pretensions and I have no right according to the Civil Law No without doubt says Luxemburgh but a hundred thousand Men a hundred pieces of Cannon and a hundred Millions will make the Ballance incline much more to your side It was a custom to represent Justice blindfolded holding a Balance in one Hand but if the other had not been arm'd with a Sword and had a Lion plac'd by her side which is the badge of Force and Might she would have been but a ridiculous Maygame expos'd to the violence and rashness of Men. So we may say he that has the power in his Hand is the Master of Justice and whether she will or no must of necessity betake her self to his side and fight under his Standards against the weakest and this is your Majesty's Right But says his Majesty since things are in this condition and that I see my self Master of Force and of Justice shall I not do well to push my good fortune to the end and to render my self by my Armies always victorious and triumphant over all the States which shall be at my discretion and serve for my convenience having placed my self safe from the opposition of mine Enemies Very well says Luxemburgh there is no other obstacle which is capable to stop your Majesty but the Faith of Treaties But that is another Gospel for your Majesty for which you care but very little We say of King John the First one of your Ancestors descended from the first Branch of Valois that that Prince was so great an observer of his Word that they gave him the Title of Good He was accustomed to say that when Fidelity and good Faith should be banished the World they ought to be found in the person of a Prince This Prince answer'd his Majesty did not know Machiavel and you should have added at the same time that he was very unhappy during his Reign and I do not doubt but his too great Goodness was in part the cause of his Misfortunes For having lost the Battle of Poictiers against the English who were commanded by the Prince of Wales a great Captain the King was taken and carried Prisoner to London from whence he came not out but by the treaty of Bretigny by which he quitted the Sovereignty of some Provinces in France in f vour of the King of England But all these faults of John the First were gloriously repaired by Charles the Fifth his Successor who acquir'd to him self the name of Wife Sir answer'd Luxemburgh since your Majesty Laughs so at the good Faith of Treaties which other Princes look upon as Inviolable and adore as an Idol I am not surpriz'd that you have heap'd up Conquest upon Conquest There is never a little Prince in the World but may be in a condition to make himself great by this means and at last become the terror of his Enemies but it is not to be wished that such a like disorder should happen for if every Soveraign should do the like we should see a great number of Scepters overthrown to the ground become the Prey of the strongest But says his Majesty since it is not permitted to make ones self great what 's the reason that the Prince of Orange is Mounted even in our Days upon the Throne of his Father-in-Law Is not that an Usurpation Sir says Luxemburgh that is not singular Histories are full of such like instances and we see that Childerick the Third last King of the first Race was Dethron'd by Pepin the Short who before was but Mayor of the Palace which was a place almost like that of Grand Visirs and his deposing was also done by the Assembly of the States after the Pope had declar'd that the French were dispens'd with from owning that Prince So that the poor Dethroned Childerick had no other part to take but to shave himself and put himself into a Monastery And as this disgrace happen'd to him by reasons of State which would be too long to report so the Prince of Orange is not mounted upon the Throne but by the consent of the People which call'd him to it And the Parliament it self which being in England very near to what the States were formerly in France Crown'd him and confirm'd him nemine contradicente so the coming of the Prince of Orange to the Crown ought to be call'd an Acceptance and not an Vsurpation According to this sense says his Mâ—jesty you are then of opinion that the Prince of Orange is well grounded and that the poor King James has no shorter Course to take in the midst of his disgraces than to imitate Childeric that is to say to make a rennuciation of the Crown shave himself and so put himself into a Convent Sir answer'd Luxemburgh I abuse perhaps the liberty your Majesty allows me speaking open hearted my Mind and what I think of the misfortune of this Prince But as in the beginning of this Conference your Majesty was pleased to say you put a great deal of Confidence in me I desire you also to give me leave to abstain from the language of certain Parasites who applaud your Majesty in every thing No Luxemburgh says his Majesty you do me a kindness to tell me the things as you think tâ—em that does not surprise me because I have always given you more liberty to speak your thoughts than any of my Courtiers and Counsellors Sir says Luxemburgh since your Majesty gives me leave to speak what I think of King James and of the War which has been kindled in Europe upon his occasion I do not now speak of a secret itching desire that your Majesty had from your Cradle to surpass your Ancestors in enlarging your Dominions and pushing on youâ— Conquests beyond the Rhine the Sambre and Meuse I speak not neither of the Rights of the deceased Queen I pass also in silence the Right of
with my whole Fleet and as after the joining of the Eâ—glish Fleet yâ—u will be stâ—onger by half than they I flatter my self already beforehand that you will obtain one of the mâ—st signalized Victories which has yâ—t been gain'd I recommend to you above all to be I excâ—â—ble and to destroy without Pity and without Mercy my Enemies to exterminate them and to act so that not one escape Tourville call to your remembrance the Fight of 1690. and see that that happens no more to you to let the Hollanders retire without taking one unhappy Bark from them Whilst you shall be engag'd King James shall be upon the Coast to judge of the Blows waiting for the Event and the Descent into England will follow immediately after and all that without losing time The King ask'd for John Barts who was retir'd out of the way John Barts seeing his Majesty desir'd to speak with him answered Sir I am here John Barts says his Majesty how go the Prizes Do you take many of the English and Hollanders For by what I can learn these two Nations fear you Sir answered John Barts I have resolv'd saving your Majesty's good pleasure to carry the French Piracy to so high a degree that all the Capers of France shall have reason to call me their Father their Patron and their Restorer and finally after my death those of S. Malo and Dunkirk shall cannonize me in Memory of my great Actions and my name plac'd in the Kalendar shall be named The Feast of John Barts the holy Thief In short I hope by the help of the Almighty to out-do quickly by my Tricks and my good Prizes all that has been formerly most boldly done by the Mezomortes and those of Tripoly But answer'd his Majesty if it should happen that you should fall into the Hands of your Enemies I am persuaded that they would make you pass your time very ill Sir says John Barts I fear nothing so much as the Zealand Capers formerly my joint Brothers and at present my mortal Enemies because they are so angry that I have betray'd my Country and their Party to embrace that of your Majesty's that they will call me in their Language Vrede Breeker Breaker of the Peace that they would never pardon me besides they cannot indure that I should surpass them in Malice and that I should teach the French their Art of which they are jealous even to the last degree John Barts says his Majesty this is not all I have two great Designs in hand the one in Flanders and the other in England and I see my self just upon the point of Execution and to make it succeed I shall have occasion for all my Forces by Sea and Land so it is and for that end I have call'd together all my Generals to take their Advice and conduct this Enterprize with all the Prudence imaginable My design is then to go into Flanders at the Head of an Army of 150000 Men and to form the Siege of the strongest place of Europe whilst I shall be busy in the execution of it you must get together all my Capers and form a Fleet of which I make you from this time Admiral in consideration of your good Services and you must act on one side whilst the Count de Tourville shall act on the other according to the Orders I have given him and you must make your Movements and your Courses with your flying Camp of Pirates being well settled in Concert and Intelligence with Tourville As to the rest I recommend to you the Secret Assoon as the Count de Tourville and John Barts were gone out his Majesty order d That Monsieur de Pompone should come Pompone says the King I recommend to you my Kingdom I am just upon my departure the Resolutions are taken and I am to be in Flanders at the Head of 150000 Men so I leave you the Reins of Government during my absence You are the wisest of my Ministers and after the death of poor Louvois I knew not how to make choice of a worthier Subject than you Father La Chaize my Confessor is not contented and the old Quarrels that these good Fathers have had with your Uncle Monsieur Arnaud run still in their Heads Sir says Pompone the Jansenists will always flourish in your Kingdom in spight of the Reverend Fathers of the Society and of their violent Prejudices against them I know what I have suffered upon their account having try'd many Storms which had made me resolve upon a voluntary Banishment in retireing into the Country to be secure from their Persecution and their Rage Monsieur de Louvois neither was none of my best Friends he had too much correspondence with Father la Chaize not to join Forces and attempt my Ruin every way he could but without ransaking the Ashes of the dead I rejoyce to see my Innocence applauded by the confidence your Majesty reposes in me concerning the Affairs of your Kingdom As you have been says his Majesty in Ambassy in Holland and that you know perfectly the Genius and Interest of that Republick I have but one word to say to you to make you apprehend immediately what is my end in going to the Head of my Armies it is one Home-push for the Game and the only one to come to a Peace Luxemburgh made me see it as clear as the day Sir says Pompone it is high time for your Majesty to begin to set bounds to your Ambition and that you cherish your People the whole Kingdom is oppress'd and groans under the heavy Burden of Imposts and Subsidies and therefore 't is dangerous for so great a Prince as you to expose himself too much If the Presence of your Majesty is necessary in your Army it is no less so in your Kingdom where you support your Power and Sovereignty and dissipate the Plots of the Malecontents which keeps Prosperity among your People and preserves the Harmony that is necessary between him that commands and those that obey We have experienc'd in all Ages past that those Kings who have staid at home in their Closets have executed greater things than those have done whom Ambition and an insatiable desire of Glory have carried even to the extremities of the World Charles V. and Louis XI have atchiev'd greater Exploits without going out of their Palace than did Louis the Young and Philip the August in passing the Seas and in carrying their Arms into Africa we still feel the smart of what was occasioned in France by the Imprisonment of St. Louis of King John and of Francis I. Sir these are Wounds to the State and irreparable Losses when they happâ—n Pompone says his Majesty the Resolution is taken and the Dice is thrown this Campaign will be no more dangerous for my Person than that of Mons was and so many others that I have made in my Reign Fortune cherishes me too much to leave me now I am in so fair a Career