Embassador's Quarters which served only for a Sanctuary for Robbers Bankrupts and several Assassinates nay more to fill the Embassador's or his menial Servants Purses Although the Pope be Master in his own House yet he hath had the prudence to expect the death of the Count Destrees Embassadour and the departure of the Embassador of Spain yet what a clutter make they at the French Court about the regulation the Pope makes for security of his Subjects and the quiet of his Capital City I would fain know if the Pope intermeddles with what the King doth at Paris or whether he did think it convenient to speak against the Effigies of the King which they have placed now in his Life-time in the middle of Four Lanterns in the place de Victor with leud Inscriptions to which the Magistracy and Regiments of Guards did Obeysance and Honoured as the King himself even so far as to make Speeches to it I would have any body satisfie me how the King would have taken their bare remonstrances of the Pope without doubt he would have answered him that he might meddle with his own business and that every one is Master of his own When his Holiness not approving the King 's too familiar acquaintance with Madam de Montespan and correspondence with Madam de Maintenon when he signified to the General of the Jesuits that he was much surprized that Father La Chaize made no more of giving him absolution the King appeared to be very much dissatisfied therewith and said he was bound to give an account to no body of his Actions Why did he cause his Embassador to make his Entrance as it were with Sword in hand All this doth make the temper of France to appear which would domineer every where over all even over the Altar it self But let the King make what noise he will as these Franchises bring him no profit so there would be some way found out to pacifie all things if his Holiness would grant a Dispensation for a Marriage of the Eldest Son of the Church to a Daughter of Rome I mean the City of Liege I would say by means of a Bull for the Cardinal of Furstenburg in case he could get himself elected Coadjutor to the Arch-bishop of Cologne not being in a capacity to be Arch-bishop of Cologne himself to avoid falling under the same Circumstances that the aforesaid Arch-bishop did upon the account of the Bishoprick of Munster for which he never could obtain a Bull how instant soever the solicitations have been by the late Embassador of France for obtaining the same but it is enough for the French King since no body at present can be admitted to it who is averse to his Interests Now if Fustenburg that Mercury of France should chance to be so dignified it is odds but that the zeal for his Master and Benefactor would be augmented and that nothing but this Temper and Policy of France would Reign by reason of him throughout the Electoral Dominions nay an hundred to one but the King who would have a Garrison in the Fortress would become Absolute Master But 't is to be hoped that for the benefit of Europe and the Church that his Holiness will never make such a false step so contrary to his own Interests and to all Christian People as to grant these Bulls to Cardinal Furstenburg We all know very well if once the King could be without the Pope he could save himself the trouble of going to Rome and could constitute and establish a Patriarch in France after the manner of the Greeks no question he would do it considering what was resolved on these few years last past by the French Clergy There would be a two-fold advantage by it the Mony that is carried to Rome would not go out of France the Patriarch would grant him whatsoever he should require as Parliaments do at present were it even a Dispensation to marry the Princess of Conty But he cannot shake off the Court of Rome besides the Jesuits would be upon his back if he should not appoint Father La Chaize or some one of their Society Patriarch On the other hand those Bishops that aspire to be Cardinals would not be well pleased with this new invention except the Arch-bishop of Paris who could have some pretence to this Dignity who in plain terms doth already say That the Kings of England since Henry VIII till Charles II. have done well enough without Rome besides what the Northern Kings do at this time That which makes the French King temporize so much is by reason he knows Popes are not as the King is said to be in the Inscription viro immortali that next after this Pope there may come another who perhaps may not prove so honest a Man yet may comply more with the Eldest Son of the Church but new Lords new Laws Death may as well crush and bring down diseased Kings as crazy Popes Be sure you may expect to see this politick Humour of France within a little while cock up in Avignon and the Country of Venessin as much as we see it at this day in Metz Sedam Franch Conte Burgundy Dombes and last of all in the Principality of Orange The King hath the same right of re-Union convenience of Scituation over Avignon and the County Venessin as he hath over all the other Territories I have but just named for Q. Jane could not alienate the Crown-Lands to Pope Clement V. so that the Popes to disburse Thirty Thousand Florens to keep it signifies nothing The Country of Venessin was taken from the Count de St. Gille so that albeit the Holy Sea had had the possession of these two places for some years yet be sure the King will one of these days find an opportunity whether by breeding a Quarrel or otherwise to get it into his Clutches That once done the Pope may cry out long enough he will be in a fair way if he hold not his Tongue to make his Son send some Troops against St. Peter as hath been done not long ago and if ever the French King make himself Master of Spain as he pretends by right so to be after the decease of Charles now Reigning the Pope must not think that his Rights will be better preserved at that time in Spain than they be now in France and the Dignity of Exarchat of Ravenna which Pepin granted to the Holy See would soon change its Master and who can tell whether Rome it self would be exempted so soon as ever the Pope should begin to speak of Excommunication the King would speak of a Patriarch insomuch that the Pope ought not to flatter himself that the politick disposition of France will truckle to the Holy See nor to make an estimate of the King how much a Catholick he is by the Persecution he raises against the Hugonots within his own Realms and Dominions and elsewhere he knows well enough what he doth If he persecutes them with one
to an Universal Monarchy he would advise his King to beg of God to prolong the World as much as he can This Malady ceasing in Spain hath passed into France but France being wiser doth not grasp so much and her King's Ambition is only confined to Europe a wish worthy of such a great Prince and who if we consider him aright could scarce demand less his Neighbours ought narrowly to watch his water for certain it is France cannot aggrandize her self without encroaching upon her nearest Neighbours as she doth really every day already When the House of Austria made broad signs of her design upon the Universe all the Princes of Christendom rose up against her and entered into an Association to prevent her Charles V. after the Battel of Pavia where Francis was taken Prisoner thought himself above all but he found business enough The Pope King of England the Venetians the Grand Duke of Tuscany the Swisse made a League against him to hinder this Emperour from bringing France and consequently the rest of Italy under his subjection It was not for any kindness the Pope and King of England bore King Francis that they combin'd together to relieve him but because Charles V. became so great that he would by his good Will have made himself Master of the World. Now at present forasmuch as this Itch is past into France All Princes of Europe for some time have run counter to whatsoever their Ancestors did in the Reign of Charles V and Philip II. and instead of opposing they have abetted and concurr'd with the designs of France some out of base compliance others out of fear There are none but the Princes of Nassau alone who have alwayes been fatal to whosoever had a mind to aspire to this sublime Monarchy of the Universe Do not Men admire with me the wretched Policy of several Princes and States in the World who look on with their Armes a cross and behold the French King to advance so fast and take Luxemburg a City of such grand Importance to Europe only the Prince of Orange presented himself upon the breach with the Low Countreys but who not being in a capacity to do any thing by himself was forced to retreat The French King would never have taken it had England and the States withstood it he hath no cause to brag of it it is a truth all the World knows but too well he was so cunning to get the King of Great Britain on his side that he consented to take what was not his own and to baffle the rest by illusory promises of an Universal Peace after the taking in of Luxemburg which they suffered him to do and this gross valiant Captain of a Trencher-man the Marquess of Grana Governour of the Low Countreys who was not promoted to this place but upon his demonstrating the means of being able to preserve this most Important place to the Court of Spain a place I say so necessary to Spain for the preservation of the Low Countreys by the assistance of Germany and albeit he should have minded nothing else but the preservation of that same City his own Honour as well as Duty to and interest of his King his Master being all engaged therein Instead of doing which this Fat-gut put into it only a pitiful Garrison of Twelve or Fifteen Hundred Men instead of Four Thousand and was wholly taken up in fortifying the City of Namur with his Regiments and some other places which were Cities on the boundaries which France would not have dared so much as to touch Would you not swear such a Fellow conspir'd to aggrandize France and concurr'd with the Designs of Lewis XIV When the King in 1667 would have undertaken the Conquest of the Spanish Netherlands England Swedeland and the Vnited Provinces associated together by the Triple League forced him soon to quit his hold they obliged him to re-procure and make a Peace with Spain and to restore to it some part of what he had usurped and taken away It would have been just so if the Neighbouring Princes had done the same at such time as he attacked Luxemburg Resist the Devil and he will fly from you But France cunning and subtle had sufficiently tryed how prejudicial this League was to her she could never be at rest till she had pluckt this Thorn out of her Foot and so soon as ever the term was expired she could not be satisfied till she had found out a way to hoodwink England and so got her disingaged from the Tripple-knot The Dutchess of Portsmouth like another Dalilah came over out of France into England to lull asleep the Sampson of this Kingdom France found out the way to act and speak so fair that she hook't in Dunkirk by Promises and Money at the beginning of the Reign of Charles II King of Great Britain A Town of so great Consequence to England in as much as it affords a good entrance into Picardy and Flanders 'T is no new thing for France to be troubled with this itching mind to sieze on the places of her Neighbours and to enlarge her Dominion from one end of Europe to the other The Duke of Rohan told us heretofore that Princes commanded People but that Self-Interest commanded Princes Without question he would have added something else had he lived in this Age and especially Lewis the XIV We may see Examples of it day by day and to secure his Ambition all times and seasons are good for him in Peace in War in Cessation of Arms. Interest is the evil Angel hath so long reigned through France we are taught out of History how Godfrey of Bulloign having a mind to take a Journey for the Conquest of the Holy Land and coming short of Money to put himself in a capacity to do it sold many of his Cities and Lands amongst others the City of Metz with the Country adjoyning which its own Citizens and Inhabitants purchased of him for the Sum of an Hundred Thousand Crowns They enjoyed this their purchase till the Year of our Lord 1551 in which Charles V. did so evilly intreat the Protestants of Germany Henry II. King of France under a pretence seemed forward to send Relief to the said Protestants of Germany In effect he dispatched the Constable of Monmorency with Four Thousand Men in all probability for this Expedition but it was quite and clean for another design as the sequel will make appear He demanded passage of the City of Metz who were for the most part of the same Religion with those who were molested in Germany between whom and the Emperour there was no good understanding They granted to the King with abundance of joy whatsoever he required of them in reference to his Troops passage and in testimony of their good will they caused Tables to be set up in the Streets to make the Soldiers eat and drink on their passage with huge demonstration of Friendship and Rejoycing But alas Their Laughter was
but if France looses England from her true Interest and diverts her from thinking so as without doubt we shall find if this comes to pass in any reasonable time the Vnited Provinces whatever good intentions and whatever interest they may have in the preservations of the Low-Countries 'twont be in their power to stop the fury of the French which like an impetuous Torrent will in a moment sweep away the best part of Flanders So that Spain ought to think of this in good earnest and not lye asleep whilst the French policy is so active and is preparing long before-hand for so important an Affair which will never be offered them again if they let slip the opportunity of being Masters of it France takes all ways imaginable to get one and makes it her whole business it behooves Spain to do so too if she would avoid Ruine and not fall under the Yoke of France which is the greatest plague that can be sent upon her no less than the Destruction and Desolation of her people the exposing and humbling all the Grandees of Spain who will be forced to give place to the meanest French Gentleman Therefore if the Spaniards are well advis'd after the Death of their King they ought not to suffer the Monarchy to go to Lewis XIV but with the last drop of their Blood and Banish for ever this Violent Insolent Spirit of France The Policy of France and her Maximes in Reference to England HEnry VIII King of England in his time made a Golden Medal on which was Engraven a Hand coming out of the Clouds holding a pair of Scales equally poised the one Scale denoting Spain and the other France with a motto in Latin to this purpose in English I throw the Scales on that side I give my Friendship Without doubt that Prince knew his power but now I can compare England to nothing but an Ox which knows not his own strength and suffers himself tamely to be yok'd That Kingdom has this great advantage that it Guards it self and an Enemy can't invade it but with vast difficulty 'T is not to be invaded without going often to and fro upon the Sea they 'l have Wind and Water to fight against and a powerful Fleet to engage with before they set foot ashore Insomuch that if the King of England be at peace with Holland 't is undeniable in his power to make the Victory lean to that side he is of France has found this so true although there is a perfect Hatred and Antipathy between those two Nations that she has spared no Cost and compasses Sea and Land to withdraw England from its true lasting interest and bring her over to their side or at least make her stand Neuter and look on with arms-across while the King of France Acts his Tragedy upon the Theatre of Europe In the mean time t is most certain that England can rescue this same Europe from being enslaved to France better than any other Nation if she pleases If the King of Great Brittain did but know his own Strength and Real Interest he might be not only the Mediator and Umpire of the World But might make Peace when he pleases between all the Christian Princes There are but two things requisite to effect this both which are very easie nay are in the Kings power whenever he has a mind to 't The First is That the King of Great Britain take Care to be alwayes beloved by his People and that there be a good understanding between him and his Parliament The Second is To have a strict Alliance with the Vnited-Provinces and live in perfect Amity with them and maintain inviolably this Union and Correspondence in all that Concerns each other The former of these is mighty easily done and the King will obtain it effectually when he once resolves to Require nothing of his Parliament but what is agreeable to the Laws of the Realm as he already promis'd in his Coronation Oath The latter will be done so soon as His Majesty of Great Britain leaves listening to the French Emissaries and puts out of his head all Jealousies and Surmises which those Creatures continually try to possess him with having nothing that he need be afraid of from the States who don't wish to Aggrandize themselves and Usurp their Neighbours Territories as France do's but only keep what God has given them and be able to protect their Countrey in the enjoyment of that Liberty they have at present France who is satisfied of the Truth of what I have said takes all occasions to obstruct it She is never without some of those Hellish Restless Spirits in the Kingdom to sow the Tares of mis-understandings between the King and his Parliament Ever since the Kings of England have appeared to be Protestants this Catholicon has wrought well and the Spirit of France has been at work to set the Episcopal Party against the Presbyterian and to insinuate into the Minds of the latter that the Bishops were inclined to Popery and that most of them were Jesuites in Bishops Cloaths Who would certainly seduce the people little by little and be Turn Coates so soon as they have a good Opportunity and dare discover their Opinion That the King himself was Popishly-affected and a thousand things of this nature which exasperated the people and made his Parliament jealous of him for which reason they Granted nothing at all or but very little of what the King ask't and by this means his own private Occasions grew so very urgent that he neglected the Publick In the Reign of Charles the First t was France which kindled the first Sparks of the Civil War which caused so much Bloodshed both to King and People insomuch that when the French Ambassador return'd home from England he boasted how he had kindled a fire which would not be put out a good while and that for one twenty years England should not be in a Condition to do France any harm One Father Joseph a Capuchin was instrumental in fomenting the Division among the Catholicks under-hand and I can assure you there were some of those Catholicks in the Parliament Army King Charles himself affirms it and tells you that the Rebellion among them proceeded from his having denied them places and as soon as War was declared between the King and Parliament the King of France sent Cromwel Six Hundred Thousand Livres to pay his Army at the beginning This is publickly known and all who liv'd in that Age know it to be true But at present the King of Great Brittain having chang'd his Religion France has chang'd her Battery too and the Church of England is now her main Piece of Ordinance The people are so exasperated against each other that his Majesty of Great Brittain must think of little else this good while and will find work enough in his Kingdom to compass his Ends even though he had got a Parliament at his Devotion and if he should live Twenty
Daughter of Philip the Fair from this Match came Henry V. of England who had as much Right to France as the Dauphin has to Spain For the three Sons of Philip the Fair Lovis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair dyed all without Issue-male and it was after this when the King of England sued for his Right to the Kingdom of France that the Salique Law was first introduc't usher'd in by a Sermon which the Bishop of Beauvais preacht before the Convention of the States proving by the Gospel which sayes The Lillies spin not that by consequence the Flower de lis which represents France ought never to fall to the Distaff But that Law could only affect what was to come and not what was past Afterward Henry V. King of England came over into France with a Potent Army won several Victories and at last Married Catherine Daughter of Charles VI. and in the year 1421 it was sinally decreed and concluded that Henry should be King of France Now Isabel Queen of France Mother to Catherine Queen of England made her last Will in favour of her Son in Law and declared him Heir to all her Estate and to the Crown which in my judgment is a great addition to the Right which the Kings of England have to the Realm of France If the King of France had but had that Right to England which the King of England has to France what a Company of Manifestoes and Writings should we have flie about to demonstrate his just pretentions as he calls every thing he is pleased to lay a claim to So that let the King of England take a view of France which way soever he will he ought alway to suspect her and stand upon his guard as against one whom he certainly knows to be his Enemy He may justly be assured that he does not coaks him so without a design to get something out of him and because he knows him the only one who is able to counterpoize his Affairs Therefore 't is no wonder that Lewis XIV took so much pains to supply the late King Charles II. Necessities and satisfie his Pleasure Mounsieur Barillen and Madam Portsmouth can justifie what I say but I can assure you that the King of France regards neither Princes nor private Persons one jot farther than as they are for his turn Nay farther Even Vertue it self is only esteem'd by him so long as she squares with his Interest What value pray did he put upon either Princes or Princesses during Cromwel's Government Were they not obliged to retire not to say driven out of France What subsistnance or help had their Princes in their Exile from France No 't is to the Family of Orange that they are obliged which furnisht them with considerable Sums of Money but on the contrary France was the promoter of the late Troubles of England she gave the Princes no protection and never contributed the least toward the re-establishing of the late King in his Throne All this considered neither just resentment from the Royal Family nor the English Interest can decently allow of such close Alliances with France as shall be able to make England shut her Eyes or be a by-stander whilst Lewis XIV takes the Low Countries But on the other side she ought to be continually in a posture to hinder her in every the least attempt she makes towards it and to make use of the Six Regiments in Holland which the States won't refuse upon such an occasion to prevent the King of France his bringing more Men down upon Flanders I am perswaded that those Six Regiments would be able to cope with double the number of the French and thus by Englands only showing of her Teeth Europe will be safe Resist the Devil and he will flie from you But if you are afraid of him he 'l soon master you France has cut out work for King James now Reigning The Enterprize which he has taken in hand is so great that many Men fear and others hope that he will never get quit of it with his Life 'T is no time to change Laws when the Enemy is at the Gate 'T is not convenient at all times to think of working great Conversions some Battles must be fought to let the World see a Character both of a Soldier and a Polititian All the World expected this and more from the King. His Mighty Courage put all Europe in hopes that he would be an Universal Comforter to them and would afford some respite to Spain But alas What can his Allies and Spain hope for whilst his sole business is to please the Jesuits kindles a fire in his own Kingdom which it may be he won't be able to quench when he pleases and so long as he does so he dares not call a Legal Free Parliament Spain lost her self by banishing the Moors out of the Kingdom France is weakned by the Conversions she has wrought and by driving out the Hugonots and she has a great mind that the King of England would follow her Example We must not rob God of his Right Conversions only belong to him and he is able to convert the whole World with one Word Therefore leaving the care of this to God the King of England ought to mind the safety of his States avoid being made the King of France his Cully and make him keep at home and not fall upon his Neighbours Lands which ought to be the Barrier between them Thus the King will do his Honour and Conduct but Justice and satisfie the expectation of all Europe The Politick Spirit of France and its Maxims in reference to the United Provinces THE States of the Vnited Provinces after they had constrained Spain by force of Arms to acknowledge them for Free High and Mighty States depending on none but God alone were for some time the admiration of their Neighbours and every one laboured to procure their Friendship and Alliance and it may be said that they were looked upon as the Umpires of Europe but since the War in 1672 this High Reputation hath been lessened and France hath been so cunning to play her Cards so well that she had well nigh reduc't them to nothing if by an unlookt for change the People had not put the whole management and command into the Prince of Orange's hands and if some persons of ill designs had not been brought to condign punishment But God whom it pleased by his Providence to protect and preserve this little Country did after the siege of Norden send such a panick fear amongst its Enemies that they broke up their Camp with more speed than they came yet the thing which did most contribute to these misfortunes besides the Treachery of France was their being unprovided of good Forces and a good Head for the Army These Provinces relyed wholly upon the Peace and treacherous deceitful promises of France which all a long in time of Peace carryed on a design against the said
easily became Master of Holstein but alas good man can he imagine to keep it for surely that Country will take caâ—e to oblige him to quit it as soon as ever his Master the K. of France shall be routed out of the Vnited Provinces Were there but once a Peace concluded between the two Emperors the victorious Christian Army would certainly make the Usurper disgorge and reduce his Stomach to temper Soft and fair goes far Had it not been for the Alliance with France the Dane had never made that Assault upon Hamburgh which became the Grave to so many brave Danes and French that served in that Attempt the unlucky Fort of the Starr stopt them in their Career from whence with the loss of Two Thousand men they were obliged to retreat with shame and confusion thereby becoming the laughing-stock to all Europe besides The King of Denmark as well as many others is not really sensible of his own Interest but suffers himself to be dazl'd by this Golden Sun which France immediately displayes to such as she has a mind to corrupt she ever has in reserve her Nimigen Olives to gratifie such whose assistance she shall stand in need of But 't is a thing much to be hoped for that his Majestie of Denmarks Eyes may be opened as well as the Swedes and that he would retrieve himself from these Shackles and have recourse to his other Allies in whose power it is to make the Trade of his Kingdoms to flourish and his Revenues to increase without being obliged to keep up such a number of useless Troops as he does at present But France well knows the necessity of having at her beck one of those Northern Princes for fear they should unite in a strict Alliance and so league with her Enemies This Policy of France is the Apple of discord and she not being able to be without a Northern Allie if Denmark had stood off a while France must have purchased her Friendship at a double rate The Marriage which France proposed for P G with the P s A was only to strengthen her Party and to make her Alliance the surer this made her willing to defray the Charges thereof P G himself nor the King his Brother having not much Money to spare for that purpose this cost France a Hundred Thousand Crowns to secure to her side as she thought a Creature in England who should on all occasions further her designs and to knit this the stronger he would have had him believe he should succeed to the Crown after the Death of King James II. to the apparent prejudice of the next undoubted Heiress To make which the more feasible he would have fomented Jealousies between the two Sisters and their Husbands well foreseeing a terrible blow if Affairs should change and the Succession be kept in the right Line 'T is true the King of France might think to engage P G into a Scurvy business by contriving a Civil War in England after the Decease of the King now Reigning but I cannot devise after he should have involved him in this Labyrinth how he will extricate him The Duke of Monmouth for all he was the Son of a King is a caution to every Subject 'T is well known the French King is very earnest with the King of England by his Jesuites to demand of the First Parliament he can get at his beck and Devotion the Power to chose a Successor after the Example of Henry VIII and once gaining that to advance the P s A to the Crown before any other but many weary step and a far Compass must be taken before he get so far First of all The King of England must have a Parliament at his Devotion Secondly This Parliament must grant his Request Thirdly The King must choose nay who can tell but Death may prevent all these In the Fourth place 'T is meet the People consent to this Choice Nay last of all 'T is absolutely convenient that the P s of O as Lawful Heiress acquiesce in such determinations The French King who is no admirer of Vertue but as it keeps pace with his Interests understanding those Noble Qualities and Great Vertues the Princess of Orange is indued withal that she will no sooner shine upon the Throne of her Ancestors but she will attract and win the Hearts of all her Subjects both by her Wisdom and also strict Alliance with her Neighbours He sees that these Ties and Bonds may in time make him disgorge what he hath swallowed and repent of all the sorrows he hath caused and still doth cause Christendom to suffer Who knows but God may have marked out this Great and Vertuous Princess as a second Judith to put this Blasphemous Holofernes to Death Yea this is what this Usurper and Disturber of Christendom is so sensibly apprehensive of and endeavours to hinder by feeing and corrupting the Great Men of England by making sure of all the Catholicks and of Ireland it self thereby to give them relief in case of necessity But P G and his Consort P s A will look better about them and will not suffer themselves to be deluded by this deceitful Spirit of France They see all its pernicious and deceitful Maxims and will wait for the time Providence hath determined for their Succession to the Crown they have already gained the Peoples Hearts the Esteem and Reputation of Europe and of their Allies and by this means may be assured to back and justifie their rightful Titles at that time in case any one should dare to oppose it As for the Princes of the House of Lunenburg they are taken notice of and watched they are encompast with French Emissaries on all sides who do nothing but continually set before them the Advantages that may accrew to them by accepting of the French Kings Pensions or to speak the truth make themselves Slaves to Lewis le Grand just following the King of Denmarks Example to dance after his pipe The French pence often stick too close to the fingers of the Ministers of those Courts Bois-David and his Kinsman St. Pouage could tell us fine stories of their tricks and certain too they could deliver brave Memorials concerning that Court had not Bois-David been for the Kings turn he durst never have had the face to have come home into France as he did being found guilty upon the score of a Duel with Aubjou for there is no fault how hainous soever but the King pardons if the Malefactor be judged needful for his Interest and Ambition We are confident the King proffers vast Sums to withdraw the Princes of the House of Lunenburg from their true Interest and so bring them under the French Yoak but I would have them disabus'd 'T is no wayes Honourable nor creditable for Free and Soveraign Princes to stoop so low as to be Mercenary to France and 't is certain all these offers are for nothing else but to loosen themselves from their honest true Allies viz.
advantagious indeed to promote the designs of France in Europe no body taking notice that France is as sordid as her Master and that both of them are afraid of cold Iron All these new Conversions of some and Persecutions of others which we see in France is nothing but to blind the Catholick Princes and to amuse them so long till he fall upon some City or State professing the Protestant Religion The House of Austria knows too well this Stratagem she practised it her self heretofore when she had higher designs on foot than now she hath when she attacked a Protestant Prince her pretence then was that she would Extirpate Heresie This is the French King's trade at this day it was expedient for him out of meer necessity to begin at home with his own Subjects and as that could not choose but have weaken'd him he solicites others to do as much as he What pains hath he taken to set the Swisse at variance and induce the Catholick Cantons to fall out with the Protestants and then afterwards when they are at odds to fall upon them But the Pope hath redressed that and accommodated the matter betwixt them France hath brought it so to pass that she hath forced the Duke of Savoy to rid himself of his best Subjects the Inhabitants of the Vallies being under a premunier as he is he could not go back with his word nay I am fully perswaded France would be extreamly glad that England would do the like by that means to weaken her to such a degree that she shall not be able to do any thing when Lewis XIV has a mind to fall upon the Low Countreys and remove from the States of the Vnited Provinces all possible means to prevent it and so by little and little make himself Master of Europe as we shall see by the following story of the French Policy and its Maxims in respect of Soveraigns in particular The Policy of France in respect of Rome and His Holiness ALL the World knows the Veneration and Respect all Catholick People have for the Holy See and the Holy Father that they look upon him as Christ's Vicar upon Earth St. Peter's Successor Universal Bishop and as we are taught by the Council of Trent the most Holy Lord to whom all Kings Princes and People owe an intire Obedience fail but in this Duty and you smell rank of Heresie according to the Council of Constance it deserves Fire and Faggot Would you not swear to see Lewis XIV persecute the Protestants at that rate he doth that he is the most Devout Son his Holiness hath whereas others do but kiss his Toe he would out of Devotion kiss something else But it is quite contrary He is a very Rebellious Son who cares not a fig for all the Holy Father's Remonstrances and Declarations who dispoyles him of his Goods ravishes from him his State and makes an entry into Rome by his Embassador as loftily and haughtily as Artaban And here is the French Spirit to invade the Holy Father in his Patrimony Authority and Conduct First In his Patrimony of the Church by depriving him of his Regalities in France which is a Right the Popes have enjoyed this many Ages which the Kings Lewis the XIV his Predecessors have granted to St. Peters Successors What Submission what Remonstrance hath not the present Pope made to oblige the King not to incroach and seize upon the Rights of the Church withal telling him that such like Usurpations as these have proved alwayes satal to Kings and Princes Families Yet all this hath had none effect upon him only the King said sometimes the Pope is a mighty good man I would not vex him But in the mean time never restores what he had deprived him of Just such another trick as he played with Spain when in time of Peace he took from it part of the Low Countreys he protested every where that he had no Intent to break the Peace but only took his Dependances and what of Right was his own You may turn the French Policy loose which way you will it presently finds out a way to oblige his Holiness to permit an Assembly of the Clergy of his Kingdom in the year 1682 wherein it was declared as we all know that he was not Infallible that he had no Power over the Temporalities of Kings that he was subject to Counsels and by himself he had not any power to make any one Article of Faith. Could he have thwarted the Pope more sensibly in his Authority than he did at that time besides he obliged all the Preachers Monks and Jesuits themselves to teach the same in the Pulpit and in their Colledges to their Auditors The Arch-bishop of Paris who was President of this Assembly who as you may well think was not too well beloved at Rome thought at least it was fit to make himself fear'd that they might come and offer him a Cardinals Cap. To this effect he writ into England to be informed what course Henry VIII took when he altered the Religion in that Kingdom yet all this had not the least effect upon the Popes mind who knows his own Tribe better than so and Mounsieur Arch-bishop was in great danger to stand bare a long time without a Cardinals Cap although he might catch cold When this Prelate perceived that by this means his Affairs went rather backbard than forward he bethought himself of another course prefers himself and takes upon him not like a Converter but Persecutor in causing the Hugonots of his Diocess to be tormented and those of all France by his wicked Counsel hoping thereby to curry favour with the Pope and regain his credit by his zeal and forwardness for the propagation of Religion But his Holiness who hath abundance of reason and whose disposition is not violent whose intent and meaning is that Conversions should be effected by Reason by good Examples not by Dragoons and Rackings and by an Holy Life which is not consistant with the Archbishop of Paris who is taken with the Female Sex and love their Company This change of shapes procured him but ill will and disdain he had no share in the last promotion nor never will so long as Innocent XI lives nor perhaps after him when of necessity there will happen great changes at Rome In the mean time Mounsieur Camus Bishop of Grenoble whose unblameable Life and Conversation might serve for a Mirrour to a many of your Court Bishops hath been honoured with the Purple without ever seeking for it without persecuting any body nor so much as suffering it within his Diocess this Prelate being not a-la-mode de la Court this new Dignity he so lately received cannot choose but be a great heart-burning to the King and greater to the Arch-bishop to see himself shut out of doors Last of all Can a Man more visibly cross the Popes behaviour than the King doth at present in respect of the Franchises of his
years longer he would scarce see a Conclusion but must be fain to leave that business for his Successour So that the King had need stand upon his Guard while the people are thus dis-affected He not being in a Condition to send his Army abroad nor having Money to maintain them France in the mean time may do what she pleases may take the Low-Countries and all Spain too if the King of Spain happens to dye which is the thing France waits for so impatiently For the Second thing which is an Alliance with the Vnited Provinces and a perfect Harmony and Agreement between those two Potentates to oppose all Kings or Princes whatever who shall offer to violate the peace of Christendom 'T is an undoubted Truth that the States desire it of all things provided it be done so securely as they may venture to rely upon it and be back't upon occasion Of which there is small likelihood so long as things are as they are in England This is what France would not willingly see since the joyning of these two powers would probably divert her from many Enterprizes and make her lose her longing to undertake any thing contrary to the late Treaties of peace at Nimeghen and the Truce But France takes Care to hinder this and the mistrust and jealousie which she keeps afoot in England like magnifying Glasses makes the triviallest Objects look greater than they are both in publick and private Affairs We need go no farther than the business of Bantam which might long ago have been accommodated but France thinks it more useful to her that things be let alone as they are and neither go forward nor backward for fear of a happy Result An Union of England with the Vnited Provinces would give no great encouragement to the French designs upon the Spanish Netherlands for if England were so minded the King of France could never do any good if the late King would but have seemed to have stir'd the French had never taken Luxemburg but they knew his weakness and were so cunning to blind him that he good Prince never saw the mischief on 't till after the City was taken England acted very much against her own Interest when she parted with Dunkirk that City opened the Gate to go into France and the Low Countries But now 't will be otherwise if those Countreys fall under the yoak of Lewis le Grand and if he by his Conquests joins Neuport and Ostend to Dunkirk Flussing in a little time will be thought convenient for him and then he may very well begin to dispute the Dominion of the Seas with England and obstruct her Commerce and if at last the King of France Masters Holland which misfortune may happen the Low Countries being lost England may very well think 't is her turn next As 't was for this Reason that Queen Elizabeth told heretofore Mounsieur Sully the Most Christian Kings Embassador that neither France nor England nor any other Prince had any right to pretend to the Low-Countreys and further that she would never suffer that his King should so much as think on 't This very Sully in a Letter to Henry IV. sent him word That with a great Army for all what the Queen had said he might take a course to keep them in order and take possession of such Lands and Cities in the Low Countries as he should think fit for his turn and join France intirely with the United Provinces which is the only means says he to restore France to its Antient splendour and make her Superiour to all the rest of Christendom For if once by hook or by crook the Provinces of Luxemburg Juliers la Marck Mons Limburg Aix and Cleves were united to France without doubt all the rest of the Country would be forc't to follow their example being separated from any communication with the rest of the World. France has been fixt that way ever since she saw there was no good to be done towards Italy but all the Princes of Europe are highly concerned to put a stop to that Conquest And there are only those two Neighbouring Powers which are able and whose Interest it is most to hinder the progress that France makes in the Low Countries which will draw after it as I have said before dire effects As for Spain of it self 't is only a Body standing aloof off from its Members which has nothing left but her Tongue She is reduc't so low as even to say her Prayers to Notre Dame Charite and to beg her good Masters and Friends to take care of her and not forsake her England can do much toward the preserving the Low Countries and if her King had not promis't to sit still Luxemburg would have been at this time as 't was before a bone for France to pick. His Most Christian Majesty knows this very well and 't is for this reason that he takes so much pains to keep his Britanique Majesty firm to his Interests and if he wont declare for him at least that he will look on and accept a neutrality To bring this about he spares nothing neither Presents nor Pension nor Tricks and I may safely say that the Money which France gives is a venomous Serpent lurking under the Rose-leaves it smiles for the present but will frown severely afterward 't is an Iron Chain plaited over with Gold beautiful in appearance to attract and deceive the English but they will one day feel its weight and hardness if they don't make an early discovery of the base ends he has who offers it who will be their ruine at last since they can't subsist but by a due ballance between France and Spain I conclude then that 't is the King of Englands apparent Interest for self-preservation and advancing of Trade to oppose the King of France his Conquests in the Law Countries for if he does not and supposing that after the loss of that Countrey Fortune favours him and lets him be Master of all the Seventeen Provinces which may very well come to pass if the States are not seconded and stand only upon their own Leggs in what a condition will England be France will be stronger at Sea and more Potent in the Indies than she France will interfere with her in Traffique every day she will constantly have a brave Navy at Sea and especially in the Spring which will not let a mouse stir out of the English Ports without leave and upon the least resentment farewel England to all intents and purposes since there 's no body left who will or dare lift up a finger in her defence Moreover Englands best Policy is to keep France under not only to maintain her Dominion of the Seas but also to find a convenient opportunity for the recovery of her Antient Demesnes which France keeps from her for Example Britain Normandy Poitou Languedock and all France too which belongs to it by the Marriage of the King of England with Margaret