Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
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A35780
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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.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing D1177; ESTC R197
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13,358
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14
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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