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
THE POLITICKS OF THE French KING LEWIS the XIV DISCOVERED With Respect to Rome Emperour and Princes of the Empire Spain England United Provinces Northern Princes Suisse Cantons And of Savoy With a short Account of His RELIGION Translated from the French. Licensed according to Order THE Policy of France And the MAXIMS of LEWIS the XIV Discovered to all EUROPE IT is not Birth which chiefly distinguishes Princes from other Men but their Parts and Abilities How many of them find we in History who having but an indifferent share of them make no other figure but to fill up Genealogy and whose Birth-days and the days of their Death are the only two which make any noise in the World. 'T is according as this Spirit or Genius is disposed in a Soveraign that he acts for the good and welfare or for the misfortune and undoing of his People Wo to thee O Land saith the Wise Man when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the Morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for Strength and not for Drunkenness The Jewish Nation were happy under David and Solomon but Rehoboam spoke to them in this manner My little Finger shall be thicker than my Fathers Loyns for whereas my Father put an heavy Yoak upon you I will put more to your Yoak My Father chastised you with Whips but I will chastise you with Scorpions Augustus Caesar was called Pater Patriae Father of the People of Rome but Nero their Hangman Philip II. was born of a wise Father who Reigned with general applause but yet he was a Blood-thirsty Man who spared not his own Blood and squandred away what Charles V. had preserved with so much Glory and Prudence Francis the First was the Idol of the French and Darling of the Nobility he acquired the Title of a mild gentle Prince in peace Victorious in War the Father and Restorer of Learning and liberal Arts but Charles IX that of Murtherer Henry IV. was surnamed the Great by reason of his great Actions he was the Darling and Father of his People and his beneficent sweet disposition seem'd to promise a happy Reign if a cursed Hand had not put a stop to the course of his Life Lewis XIII was surnamed the Just grounded without doubt upon the Gospel which assures us That blessed are the poor in Spirit and that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven It was rather Richlieu's Spirit that reigned than his Lewis XIV did not discover his Inclinations whilst he was under the Tuition of his Mother and Mazarines lash but so soon as ever this latter was dead he shewed what he was His Flatterers in imitation of his Grand father gave him the Name of Great although he had not as yet deserved it 'T is true indeed He is Great as to his Ambition a great Usurper of the Territories of his Neighbour a great Enemy to the Holy See to the Pope and a great Persecutor of the Hugonots His Reign is full of nothing but great Monopolyes and his Louis d'ors are the only passe par touts or Keys that open the Gates to his Conquests He was born Armed and his first nourishment was the Blood of his Nurses which he drew himself that ambitious Spirit he is possest withall would willingly sacrifice a good part of his Subjects to his Passion and Greatness Wo be to thee O Land that groans under the burthen of such a Prince Wo to that People enslaved under his Dominion Under the Reign of Antiochus the Illustrious the Jews often cryed to God that he would deliver them out of the hand of their Oppressor Why may not the French put up the like Petition nay and all Europe besides to be delivered out of the hands of that Usurper Lewis the Great thought he already held in his hand the Scepter of the Monarchy of all Europe when Vienna was besieged yea he thought it within two hairs breadth of its destruction which he supposed inevitable grounded upon the Prophesies of Drabitius but perceiving this way stopt up he betakes himself to his first Errors and former Road he waits with great impatience to see what the Snares which he lay'd at the time of the Queen of Spains Marriage will produce Man purposes but God disposeth Time impairs the Mind as well as the Body and Princes are oftentimes fain to let their Successors do what they were not able to do themselves and so much the more because that same Divine Providence on which Princes depend as well as the rest of Mankind doth not mete here below by the measure of their Ambition Ambitious Men build Castles in the Air and by their good will would possess the whole Earth beside This itch reigns at this day in France and this is it which quite takes up the mind of Lewis XIV as we shall see by the sequel and the course he takes to accomplish his Designs The Policy of France and its Maxims in respect of all Europe in general HEretofore Men accused Spain for aspiring to an Universal Monarchy If it was so I suppose Philip II. begun to lose this hope when he perceiv'd the Sea and Winds oppose his designs and that the Armada which he called Invincible on Board of which he thought to have brought into Spain the British Isles c. came to nothing and that his choicest Troops who were embarqued therein served only to fight against the Waves and feed the Fishes of the Sea moreover when he saw that during the whole War of the Netherlands a small handful of People whom he called Gueux or Beggers in derision were alwayes able to hold up their Head against him nay and to beat him in several Encounters until such time as in the Year 1609 he was fain to cry Quarter make a Truce with the Vnited Provinces and acknowledge them for Free States This was a very bitter Pill and would scarce go down with a Prince who was so highly ambitious But it behoved him to swallow it and it wrought so strongly upon him that he lost Seven Provinces at a clap by it and part of the Indies Insomuch That this longing desire after the Universe began to abate by reason of his Age which had already lost the first heat of Youth and by reason of the bad success of all his Enterprizes Philip III. was as little fortunate as he and Philip IV. had great disappointments towards France and the Low Countreyes and was very glad by clapping up a Peace to acknowledge those who had been his Subjects for a Free and Soveraign Commonwealth holding of none but God Almighty Charles XI Reigning at present is a good Prince who loves his ease and would willingly quit all the Claims and Titles of his Ancestors to an Universal Monarchy for a Son and Heir to the Crown of Spain to succeed him Malherbe told us long since that if it were true that Spain aspir'd
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
of Philip IV. his Successor will have enough to do and a scurvy War to maintain The Queen who is altogether French both by her Birth and Inclinations has her Faction in the Kingdom and when the King is dead will much rather trust her Couzen-Germain than a Prince who is a Stranger at least would be so were it not for the Marriage which will be a great strengthning to his Party The Marriages of the Infanta's of Spain with Kings of France have ever been the cause of great differences between the two Crowns and very fatal to Spain but the Marriage of Maria Theresia with Lewis XIV compleats the misery which is inevitably falling upon Spain and how stifly soever the King of France may have denyed his designs yet he never intended to keep either his Word or Oath as to that matter We are sufficiently satisfied by the obstacles he puts that the Pyrenaean Treaty may not be registred in Parliament as also by his Manifesto's which have run all the World over of the Queen of France's Just Pretentions What good can Spain get by Marriages and Alliances with France On the contrary very great Mischief for 't is by reason of the last Marriage that France layes claim to all this the wiser Philip II. preferr'd the Arch-Duke Ernest and afterward Albert. The Truce which France has now made is design'd only to amuze and lull Spain and its Allies asleep Thus to make them lay down their Arms and in the mean time the French King has at least a Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men a foot who dance up and down sometimes towards Alsace sometime toward Cologne and pretty often toward the Low Countries All this is only to make them us'd to him that so they may think he has no design upon them and lay by all jealousie and suspition But when he finds a good opportunity you shall see him fall upon them as a Hawk upon her quarry and carry them off too if he pleases for what should hinder him when there 's not a Man in Arms and by that time the Allies can be prepared the King of France has done his business Thus this Truce is only to bear in hand and amuze the Princes of Europe that they may not make War upon him and that he may be constantly in a condition to take possession of the Dauphins Right so soon as ever the King of Spain is dead without any other legal Process but that of Dragoon Law The Spaniards will find themselves miserably deluded in relying upon this Truce 'T is a broken reed which will pierce through their hands and if unhappily the Emperour should be still ingaged in a War with the Turks what should hinder the two French Armies the one in Catalonia the other in the Low Countreys from being Masters of all where they go I know very well that the Interest of England and Holland are both concern'd to defend the Spanish Netherlands as the sequel will shew us But in the one the French have so true a Friend who has so much business beside upon his hands at home that he will concern himself no more for the Low Countreys than his Predecessor did for Luxemburg As for the States they have but Men enough to defend their own Country and are naturally very good Husbands As for Cologne and Munster his Majesty will probably put some Men into their Towns for them as he has done heretofore I think it a vast mistake in the Spaniard to send Men into the Low Countreys for Governours who for the most part go thither only to fill their Purse as the saying is and so return and to do this effectually they don't scruple to rob both King and Countrey pay neither Landlords nor Men which makes them desert so that instead of One Thousand Men in a Regiment perhaps there is Fifty and once I saw a whole Regiment which was going to change Garrison carried in a Waggon In short a Man need only to have been once in Flanders to see this that I tell you the Soldiers upon the Guard hold out their Hats to you for an Alms and the very Officers are fain to live with the Capuchins upon the Alms which the good Men beg The three last Irish Regiments which the King of England granted the King of Spain for the service of the Low Countries which were effectually raised are wasted like Snow before the Sun and now I don't believe there 's Fifty Men left Spain in my poor judgment is very much in the wrong for another thing that is to rely upon its Allies for the keeping of the Low Countries and upon that score to neglect having what Men are requisite for the Countreys security Besides they may be sure that France knowing the temper of the Governours so very well do often feel their Pulse and takes advantage of their weakness Understanding Men will never be beat out on 't but that the Marquis of Grana was made a Tool and put a helping hand to the taking of Luxemburg the thing is as clear as the Sun at Noon-day Four or Five Millions which he has left behind him are a shrewd sign of it I tell you no improbable matter and nothing but what happens every day there are very few Men in our Age who are proof against a Million of Money I confess there are some but you must grant me they are very rare The Low Countreys are no Inheritance to the Governours so that they get all they can out of it as if they hired it I wont say that all who come there are of the same stamp God forbid 't would be sad indeed if Spain had no Subjects that were honest but 't is very certain that for these last Ages France has gallanted the Low Countries and thinks them highly obliged if not depending upon her There 's no trick which the French craft does not use to bring about their designs for they have ever found that little Countrey a hard bone to pick but their present King has given it devilish bites these years last past France knows very well too that if they were once Masters of it they might then bend all their strength toward Catalonia and Rousillon and having nothing left to fear or quarrel about in that Countrey march on quickly to Madrid which is no difficult matter when they have once made themselves Masters of some of the Frontiers to go in and out at 'T is for this reason that the Councils of Spain considering the strength of France should take other measures than they do for the defence of the Low Countries and I see but one only expedient in the posture that the Spanish Affairs are in at present which can give them present ease except they had rather have that Countrey fall into the French hands as without doubt it must if they don't prevent it speedily It is certain that nothing but an Army with a good General can prevent the ruine which is falling
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
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
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
Provinces We see that amidst Peace the Militia Forces grew slothful Ease smiles for a little while Men quite forsake the care of Arms and give themselves only to something profitable and gainful When the Enemy approacheth Men flie oftentimes to their shame far from that Glory which was heretofore the prevailing Passion as we might have observed in the late Wars France was sure so long as the Vnited Provinces had no Captain-General the Militia would be but ill provided and no ways upon their Guard and this is the reason why she was so very careful to hinder the Prince of Orange from being advanced to those Dignities and Commands which he at present enjoys by strengthning and poysoning the contrary Party By this means the States grew weaker and weaker every day Their Forces were disperst their Fortifications neglected and their strongest places fell to decay their Magazines but ill provided with Ammunition whilst France levyed Men unawares entered into secret Alliances with England Archbishop of Cologne and Bishop of Munster Du Plessis saith very well that every State is not thought strong or weak but in comparison to the strength and weakness of their Neighbours that 't is for that end that wise Princes alwayes keep a counterpoize as much as possible that they may remain in peace and amity together and so soon as ever that fails peace and amity is dissolved not being grounded upon any thing but mutual fear or respect for one another Now this is so true that every Prince is jealous of the least Levy or Motion of his Neighbour even amidst Peace or Cessation of Arms and do perpetually observe it and labour to get a true Information of the designs of his Enemy or Neighbour even before they be hatched for thereby his resolutions are spoiled now this is the thing wherein abundance of Princes and States who stand upon cost and charges are to seek This is a piece of Covetousness that sometimes costs its Master and his People dear and at last occasioneth a War which perhaps might have been prevented with a small matter France is so well assured of the Truth of it that she lets nothing slip upon such occasions Her Embassadors in all the Courts of Europe have Money for that purpose and they can do their Master no better service nor sooner win his favour than by corrupting one or more of that Princes Council at whose Court they reside It is their chief study Night and Day and spare nothing to accomplish it When they come short of the good Man they are sure to win the Wife that she may now and then ask her Husband nay rather than fail one of the Children may serve the turn whether or no he was successful in such and such a business They apply themselves in like manner to the Servants whom they reward according to their services These Maxims prove very lucky to them in States where there are many Heads as in the Vnited Provinces who are a great rub in the King of France his way in his Conquest of the Spanish Netherlands for he knows that having some of them he may make sure of the rest so that his main business is to lull the Vnited Provinces asleep by a Truce which he breakes at pleasure supposing at that time they may neglect their Militia as heretofore they did and busie themselves only with Trading for the King knows that the States having their Wits about them and upon their Guard they will never consent to the taking of the Spanish Netherlands at least that they ought not to do it since that there lyes the bounds between France and them which they ought to have a care of as of their Neighbours House least it be set on Fire So that to bring about his Design what hath not the Count d'Avaux done to divide one Province against another nay even the Cities of Holland and especially Amsterdam What did he not promise what did he not engage to accomplish his Designs However they were not managed with such secrecy but that the very Boys in the streets smoak't them out through the frequent Journeys this Ambassador so often made to this great City neither is Mombas to be thought the only Actor in this Affair for when he retired to France he left many Agents behind him to further the design in the Night not daring to appear in the Day but the best was Count d'Avaux became at length to be better understood the People began to suspect his Doctrine for his abusing the easiness and good nature of many of them made them sensible of his practice and illude his Designs but the Policies of France are more perspicuous in fomenting the differences between England and the Vnited Provinces well knowing the uniting of both their Forces together might give France it 's Mortal Wound How sweet therefore must their Divisions be to France and especially when they spring from among themselves The last War between these two arose from some differences in point of Traffick and whilst the King of England was preparing for the War the King of France offered his Assistance towards an accommodation with the States on purpose onely to delude them as they well perceived afterwards being amazed that when they drew near to a Conclusion France on the sudden sided with England and at the same time the one gave the Assault by Sea the other by Land and so assuring to themselves an intire Conquest of the Vnited Provinces they divided their Spoils the one taking the Maritime places and France the other but they mis-understood one another about Amsterdam each imagining to possess that himself but there was no occasion for their casting Lots for it for God suffer'd it not to fall into their hands afterwards each drew home their Forces according to the Peace which the English were the first movers of Then did France labour what it could to strip the States of their Allies it 's King foreseeing the Dice would turn and that the Dutch might rally their Soldiers being in great Discipline under an experienced General then did the King give up Mastricht and did whatever else lay in his power to promote the peace at Nimeghen Since which time he has alwayes bark'd at a distance and did so much dread the States levying the last 16000 men that Count d'Avaux used all Stratagems to prevent it as he will do at all times whenever the States discover an inclination to arm because that would prove some hinderance to his encroaching designs and here I must repeat again how much it is the Interest of the States to prevent their Frontiers from being swallowed up which certainly in a short time will become a prey to the Usurper upon a more specious pretence then that King has usually made use of He may publickly declare upon what right his pretensions are grounded how that without the least dispute these Provinces did formerly belong to Mary of Burgundy to Philip the First to
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.
the Swedes the Elector of Brandenburg and the States of the Vnited Provinces whose pecial Interest it is to hold fast and be firmly united as well by reason of the nearness of their States as upon the account of Trading and that fair correspondence which hath alwayes reigned amongst them So that a Man may safely avouch they serve to maintain and mutually preserve one another Now France hath a design in it in meaning to oblige the Princes of Lunenbourg to come over to her Interest for should the King of England or Spain chance to dye suddenly she would have occasion for those three forementioned Powers to be able to oppose them with the French Troops joyned to theirs in case any one of them should be in action 'T is most evident that Lewis XIV ought to labour as he doth to procure himself Allies to second his Designs upon the same score as he doth for Denmark whether it be to hinder the Prince of Oranges passage into England or when he means to fall upon Holland in good earnest these two concerns go to his heart and is his sole grief considering the Grand Conquest of the Emperour who will be like to grieve him to the heart with his Victorious Army after peace made nay and perhaps make him lose his longing to put some of his great designs in Execution for which he labours tooth and nail and now begins to cool upon it to the end he may so well order his business that he may neither meet with any impediment or at least that he may divert and busie those who mean to withstand it I dare safely affirm that the Prince of Orange is the only Man the French King dreads and that the very thoughts of the Succession of a Royal Princess to the English Crown puts him in a deadly fright which gives him a Stool without a Pill knowing withal that this as great a Politician as Captain not knowing what Corruption means perfectly verst in the true interest of Europe will say as Q. Elizabeth did that none had any thing to do to pretend to the Low Countreys and will not endure that either the King of France nor any other should make himself Master of it which will be very feasable when he shall be advanced to this Dignity and this is the reason why the Spirit of Lewis the Great encompasseth the Earth and would fain associate himself with as many Princes as possibly he can to shelter himself from the impending Storm and Tempest and secure him from that Thunder that is ready to break out against him Poland is at a great distance from France can neither hurt it by Sea or Land but can do him great service indirectly as crossing the Designs of the Emperour or by falling upon Swedeland especially Swedeland when France thinks good for there wants not a plausible excuse when a Prince means to make an attempt Casimir Son of Sigismond had a lawful one indeed for this Sigismond being as yet King of Sweeden was elected King of Poland He kept nevertheless his first Kingdom until Prince Charles his Uncle was proclaimed King in the absence of his Nephew King Sigismund who sent a Senate consisting of Forty Jesuits to have full power of deciding all State-Matters and were to reside at Stockholm being dispatched with full instructions by Patent impowering them with Royal Authority But when the Senate was arrived in Stockholm Road Prince Charles with all the Nobility went out to meet them with Twenty or Thirty Ships to do the more Honour to these new Senate This Squadron coming round about the Vessel of their Reverend Senators gave them a broad-side seeming to welcom them Their Ships immediately sprung divers leaks and the Jesuits went down to hold their first Session in Quality of Senators at the bottom of the Salt Sea none using any means to save one of them In the upshot Prince Charles was Elected King the Arch-bishop dispensed with the Subjects Oath of Allegiance which they took to Sigismond and his Uncle was proclaimed King. The French King thinks himself concern'd in the Election of a King of Poland thither he usually sends an Embassador with some Lewisses to carry on the Election in favour of some Prince of his Faction but especially that he may not be true and stedfast to the Faction of the House of Austria King John now Reigning his Queen being a French Lady hath contributed very much to the Bishop of Beauvais the French Embassador to solicite in her behalf because the Most Christian King always thought that by the Queens Intercession he should prevail with the King to come over to his Interests and he was not altogether mistaken True indeed the repulse she suffered from the King of bestowing the Titles of Duke and Peer upon the Marquiss D' Arquier her Father and acknowledging her to be his Daughter and of giving her the honour of Queen in case she should come into France had a little cooled her but when it will cost the King but a little sheet of Parchment to please a Prince the King is extraordinary liberal of it at Court especially if he have need of him So likewise out of acknowledgment of these favours you see the King of Poland doth whatsoever his Benefactour will have him and St. Lewis is in great power in that Realm Yet I don't look upon it as the true interest of Poland to make such a stop the wayes being so good since the deliverance and relief of Vienna the issue and result of his great exploits would have Eternized his memory by giving a peace to the Grand Seignior upon advantageous terms for Poland but the best of all was he might have secured the Crown upon his Sons head for questionless they could not in Justice have denyed it him as an acknowledgment of all his Victories We are not ignorant that the Spirit of France very prodigal of promises and fertile in cunningness do ascertain the King and Queen that Prince Alexander their Son shall not fail of a Crown and your Golden Lewisses work wonders But who pray will give Lewis a lease of his Life till then I must needs say he caused to be put under his Statue Viro immortali but I have found also in the same place Cum fistula in ano So that he may dye before the King of Poland and if he do dye it may so come to pass that his Successour may have so many Irons in the fire at home that he will never think of seeking any more abroad But now France offers the young Prince Royal of Poland for pledge of their Truth and Friendship the Princess de Conti la Valliere whom they also offered to the Prince of Bavaria as if there were no more Legitimate Princesses in Europe I am perswaded the King of France thinks he doth the Polonians a great deal of Honour by offering them one of his Natural Daughters for to be their Queen This would be fine to employ
sacrificed so many brave men for the service grandeur and maintaining of that State yet that nevertheless they will stand to their Treaty of Peace and Allyance in the hopes they have always entertained and do still entertain that his Majesty to whom with the Royal Family they wish all happiness will on his part be responsable As for our part in particular though we have not had the happiness to see his Majesty yet we cannot chose but wish him all Personal Health and do assure your Excellency of the esteem and high value we put and all ways shall upon your deserts and incomparable vertue protesting to you that we are more particularly your most humble Servant After such a base affront who would not undervallue such Embassadours the Representatives and their Superiours also who durst present them with a Golden Chain of 500 Crowns value One would think they had an hand in it and that they were covetous of Money and Presents If an Embassadour after taking such an affront should have accepted it he would have deserved to be hanged with that Golden Coller By the refusal of Audience you may well understand what France is made of and its designs Whoever heard or saw a free and absolute Republique referr'd to a Parliament under his Authority as the King refers Geneva to the Parliament at Dijon it would have been more legal and just to have refer'd them to the Parliament at Turin Now behold the equity of this great King who would always be both Judge and Party in his own Cause who would make all Europe depend on his Judges some upon those of Metz others on those of Dijon and Aix in Provence as he forces the people of Orange to do but we hope those of Geneva will not submit to those unjust Judges and supposing they do they will not miss losing their Cause and after that they will make a new pretension upon them till they have fettered them and losing their City and Liberty they become the slaves of France a Victim offered up to the Jesuit and the Conquest of Lewis the great and it is odds but that will be so indeed if they don't look about them betime and prepare themselves for its coming upon them for he 'l come and give them a visit as he did the Genoueses Let them not flatter themselves with the contrary when he shall make them resolve to sacrifice themselves for their Liberty rather then to a Prince who would be their Antiochus their bloody Master and would snatch the Children from their Mothers embraces to deliver them into the hands of the Jesuits make them forsake Relations Religion and all duty of Christians and refusing to obey this ambition would hale them to the Scaffold and throw their Carcasses to dogs nay if so be they should deal more gently with them it would be only to make them bear company with his own Subjects in Dungeons in the Gallies and in the West-Indies Now take notice of this Spirit of France and beware of it That Lewis XIV is no good Christian I Shall finish this Treatise in demonstrating that this King is no good Christian that it is but a cloak for his Knavery the better to play fast and loose the better to bring about his ambitious designs that albeit he makes a great clutter with the title of most Christian King at Rome yet we find him to be nothing less All who are baptized are not Christians for then we might reckon Julian the Apostate and Arrius to be such whom men look upon as Apostates and Antichrists I am perswaded the Marquiss de Montespan will justifie what I say I cannot think that Prince worthy the name of a Christian who covets his Neighbours Wife nay before all the World takes her from her Husband makes use of her and begets Children of her whom he would fain get declared natural never before Lewis his time practiced in France He cannot assume the name of Christian who makes little Conscience to break the most solemn Oaths and Engagements made at the Communion as he did at the Peace concluded at the Perinees upon his Marriage with the Infanta of Spain And then the Oath taken at his Coronation to observe the Edicts of pacification are they not dayly violated and retracted upon every frivolous pretence Good Christians are such who live up to those Vows they have made even to very Infidels The Marquiss de Laverdin making his publick entrance into Rome did choose rather to do it like a Fox than a Lyon as since it appears without ever determining any thing positively concerning it when they demanded him to explain himself before he made his entrance so that engaging himself neither pro nor con it will always be time enough and seasonable to make his Masters will to stand him in stead as we shall see hereafter when the Provencal Fleet shall be before Civita Vechia and other Ports of the Popes Dominion besides that it was convenient to carry it fair to obtain the Bull for the Cardinal of Furstenburg whom France was assured would be nominated to the Coadjutorship of Cologn the Dean and Chapter as 't is credibly given out fingered the Kings Money to that in effect it was registred and their Votes sold so that it was not possible to go back with their word When the Marquiss de Lavardin entred Rome the business was as good as done and the King made sure of it but he found himself mistaken as to the Bull for he believed the Pope who is wise and good natured enough of himself not loving noise would yield at the Embassadors arrival that the Spiritual would give place to the Temporal but he was deceived in his account meeting with such stiffness and vigour in an old man which it may be one durst not have hoped for in a young man. In the mean time behold the Marquiss de Lavardin keeping watch and ward night and day and that round about the Palace of Fernese just as if it were a Fort surrounded with enemies before the Pope and the Conclave of Cardinals Noses By all these riots and indignities done to the most eminent person of the Church Vicar of Christ and St. Peters Successor is nothing in comparison to that which Talon the Kings Advocate hath belched forth against his Holiness and the Cardinals his Counsellors accusing the former to be a favourer of Heresie Jansenisme and of Quietists and a thousand other impertinences which is to be seen more at large in the demand of the abovesaid Talon to the Parliament of Paris and by the Embassadors protestation publickly affixed at Rome the expressions therein are scandalous that they might deservedly procure the fire for a private person but when one hath the power in his own hand he thinks he may Lawfully say and do whatsoever likes him But the Pope who is grave and wise will let him go on yea peradventure his great modesty and prudent behaviour may make the King come to himself again and acknowledge the wrong and that the Pope is Master at home in his own House and may be able to disannul and take away the Franchises of the Embassadors quarters when he shall see it convenient for the repose of his People and his own Conscience It is not his frequenting Mass which is a Characteristical mark of being a Christian or for being kind to the Jesuits for fear awes Princes sometimes to make much of Jesuits and shew much respect to them Hen. IV. was not free from this fear when he would have restored them in France for when the Duke of Sully advised him to the contrary he started up and replyed secure me my Life then for 't was more then probable that those who sued for their return had assured the King that if he did not do it he would be in imminent danger of being Murthered When Life is at stake what will not a man do to save it Who can tell but these good Fathers have told the King now Reigning if in case he did not root out all the Huguenots out of his Dominions this must come in alwayes ad majorem Dei Gloriam that he would endanger his Life What sign of a Christian was there in the King when he made a League with Cromwel to fall upon the Low Countries and to banish Charles II. from his Kingdom who was rightful Successor to the Crown of England and a good Catholick in his heart although afterwards out of Policy he was fain to appear otherwise Again what sign of Christianity doth there appear in a Prince who assists Count Tekely in league with the Turks against the Emperour A King who forbids all Bishops and Curats throughout his Dominion to cause Te Deum to be sung for the Victories of the Christians obtained over the Turks who impedes by force of Lewisses the progress of the King of Polands Forces against the same Turks that they may have the opportunity to employ all the Ottoman Forces against the Emperour thereby to make him abandon what he hath got at the dear rate of so much Christian blood What Christianity do you observe in the Kings proceeding at the Cities of Genoua and Orange where he hath no right at all So that by all that I have alledged all these Titles of most Christian and Catholick Zeal the King is so much taken with and affects is only a deceitful mask of hypocrisie to lull the Catholick Princes asleep the better to play his game and make himself Master of them one after another Although the King of England would hinder him as being the only man that could best do it he would endeavour to cause an insurrection of the Church of England men against him he would send them Money and Officers as he did to Cromwel so that one may say of the French King that he becomes all things to all men when his interest is at stake He enters into Covenant with Turk or Huguenot Pagans or Infidels against Catholicks themselves if it be necessary for promoting his greatness and to attain to the Monarchy of all Europe And for a conclusion this is the Kings Religion and your Wit and Policy of France FINIS