But â—f the Treasures of this Monarch were more â—mmense his Ambition was also proportionâ—ble and if they have bin so far from being sufficient to satisfie it that he has bin also fain â—o sacrifize the Estates of the Church and â—he Spoils of the Altars after he has laid Imâ—osts upon all things else imaginable he must â—e forc'd at length to lay a swinging Tex upon Urine as formerly Vespasian did An unfortunate Gamester after he has lost all endeavours to recover himself by all the ways he can imagin and managing the Cards or the Dice by himself in his own Hand beâ—hinks himself at length of playing soul Thus the King of France having ruin'd himself his People and his Kingdoms by imprudently engaging himself in a burthensoâ— War and which having been prosperous aâ— the beginning has prov'd fatal to him in thâ— end endeavours to get himself out of thâ— Bryars as well as he can To which purpose he offers Peace to the Princes of the Confederacy and sets all Springs at work to breaâ— the Union He makes 'em Proposals ambiguous and full of Delusion what he offer to day he revokes to morrow He order Cardinal Fourbin to tell the Court of Rome That he is ready to lay down Arms and tâ— enter into a Negotiation with the Confederate Princes but first there must be a settlement for King James agreed upon To the Northern Crowns his Embassadorâ— talk another sort of Language and tell ' emâ— That as to the Affairs of England in regard that Royal Majesty appears to be wounded in the Person of King James he makes no question but the King of Sweden and the Emperor will take it upon 'em to propose some Expedient to determin that Difference As to the Court of Vienna 't is about ten Months since that he made Proposals of Peace to his Imperial Majesty quite different from those that appear'd in his Manifesto publish'd upon the Rhine There is not any one of the Confederate Princes or States to whom he has not offer'd Proposals altogether different from those which he now propounds Witness his Temptations to the Duke of Savoy first by Chanlais then by Catinat and then by other Ministers As to the States General of the United Provinces France made 'em Proposals first by Oxesterne formerly the Swedish Embassaâ—or who had two Audiences to that purpose â—esides the Proposals made 'em by M. Lenthe the Danish Envoy She has observ'd the same conduct at the Court of England where M. Scheel now talks at another rate Several other Projects have been presented at the Courts of all the rest of the Confederate Prinâ—es wherein there is nothing solid or constant shich is a convincing Proof that the most Christian King seeks only to draw the Confederates into a Negotiation to obtain a Cessation of Arms on purpose to amuse 'em while he on the other side assays by more powerful efforts to ruin their Union And this is Lewis XIV's foul Play and the compass which he fetches to â—attain his Ends and disintangle himself out of the Noose that hampers him by saving if possible the best part of his Conquests and delivering his Impoverish'd Dominions from the ponderous Burthens which they groan under And now 't is for the Confederate Princes to consider what they have to do and not to suffer themselves to be deluded by the false and deceitful shifts of France and seriously to reflect upon the fatal Misfortunes that will infallibly attend the conclusion of a disadvantagiou Peace if lending their Ears to the Offers oâ— France they neglect the fairest opportunitâ— that ever was to humble that haughty and perfidious Potentate at a time when he beg for Peace and when there needs no more theâ— two Campaigns to obtain all the Advantageâ— which they can expect to reap from theiâ— Perseverance Which is so much the moâ—â— Important as being the reason that has arm'â— all Europe against him and occasion'd thaâ— august and potent Confederacy of so many justly incens'd Princes and who are equally interested therein But what Assurances shall they have thaâ— the Peace which the most Christian King now proposes shall not be violated like thâ— Pyrenean Peace and the Treaties of Aix 〈◊〉 Chapelle and Nimeguen How can they rely upon the Oath of a Prince who acknowledges no other Law then that of his Ambition and Will At the Peace of Arras lip the Good Duke of Burgundy not being willing to trust Charles VII who had brok'n his word in several other Treaties was desirous that the last Article of the Treaty should run in these words That the King for assurance of the observation and full performance of the said Treaty should deliver it seal'd by the Princes of his Blood the Grandees of the Kingdom and the principal Men of the chief Cities and that in case of any Breach those Princes and Lords should be absolv'd from their Oaths of Fidelity toward the King and be oblig'd to serve the Duke against him The Precautions of the Duke of Burgundy upon that occasion might in some measure serve as a Garranty to secure the observance of Charles VII's Word and Oath But it is â—o be consider'd That the condition of the Grandees of the Kingdom was not then the same as now it is Charles VII wanted a great deal of being so well belov'd and so much fear'd by the People and Nobility of France as Lewis XIV at this day The ways which he has taken to gain the Affection of his Subjects are quite different Formerly a little thing would have open'd a wide Gate to Faction and Revolt and incens'd the Grandees and Lords of the Kingdom to take Arms But now the Case is alter'd The King has reduc'd 'em all equally to such a dependance upon him that no Body dares stir and it would be in vain for the Confederate Princes to think of laying the foundation of a solid and lasting Peace upon any such Article in imitation of the Duke of Burgundy For proof of this we may observe that since the beginning of this Reign looking backward as far as the King's Minority France has no longer car'd to be sensible or take notice of the Troubles that had lacerated her very Bowels So that notwithstanding all the Efforts that were usd to re-kindle the same Sparks it was impossible to bring it to pass To which it may be said that Mazarin and the Ministers that succeeded him as also the King himself who is sharp-sighted enough did not contribute a little by means of their good management at the beginning And in regard the People are ignorant in Polities and for that it is impossible for 'em to dive into the secrets of the Cabinet 't was an easie thing for that Monarch being so good a Matchiavilian as he is to reduce his Subjects under that Bondage wherein we now behold ' em He easily brought it to pass by depriving 'em of all the means that might prove a Bait to Insurrection
To discharge his Subjects from the ponderous Burdens with which they are overwhelm'd during the War to revoke all Decrees and Declarations that tended to their Ruin and lastly to deliver 'em from all those Burthensome Impositions and chargeable Taxes with which they were oppress'd in Time of War to the end they may have liberty to take Breath and recover their decay'd Strength that they may be the better enabl'd to bear new Burthens when the Exigencies of the State require it Quite the contrary were the Proceedings of Lewis the Great for no sooner were the Pyrenean Peace the Treaties of Aix la Chapelle and Nimeguen concluded but he turns his Arms against his own Subjects and not content with the Devastations of all Europe he ransacks the Bowels of his own Kingdom â—nd causes his People to wish a thousand Times for War rather then Peace to the end that so many miserable Wretches might live â—ecure from his Ambitious Tyranny What â—s there to be imagin'd that France has left â—ndone to ruin his own Subjects Her Counâ—il has exhausted it self in Decrees no â—ooner is one made publick but three more â—re in the Press The Parliaments and Soveâ—aign Courts that were formerly Protectors of â—he People and which were erected in the Raigns of this King's Predecessors to ballance â—he Royal Authority are now reduc'd to such 〈◊〉 base and sordid Compliance with the Prince â—hat they only sit to consent to and authorize â—is incroachments upon the People The Farmers and they who have manag'd â—he Publick Treasure what have they left unâ—â—one what Artifices have they not made use â—f to draw all the Mony of the Kingdom inâ—o the King's Coffers Have we not seen a â—olbert almost murder himself by tormenting â—is Brains in finding out a thousand Tricks to â—educe the People to utmost Beggary That Great Man was the Object of Court Adoration but the Abomination of the People Nor can I here forbear to recite what one Day â—e answer'd his Majesty upon occasion of some new Imposts that were going to be laid upon his Subjects For upon the King 's telling him That such Exactions would enforce the People to cry out meerly for Wanâ— and finding themselves utterly unable to pay their Assessments for that no body could pay who had it not O Sir said he your Subjects are like a Sack of Flower the more yoâ— shake it the more Meal comes forth However it were both that Minister they that preceded and they that follow'd him in thâ— management of the Finances understood 〈◊〉 well to squeez the Kingdom of France thaâ— whereas Thirty Millions was the highest Suâ— to which the Revenue of the Crown amounted formerly they have rais'd it to above 〈◊〉 hundred and threescore We must not therefore think it strange to see that Monarchy opprest as now it is and the People reduc'd tâ— utmost Misery Besides all these ways the most Christiaâ— King still puts in practise a great number 〈◊〉 others which have equally contributed to thâ— Ruin of his Subjects such are his Quartering of Soldiers Creations of New Offices and suppressing of others his pretended Extirpation of the Huguenot Heresie and hiâ— Pious Foundations of which the Kingdom iâ— full His sordid Compliance with the Monkâ— and Clergy who possessing the fairest Poâ—tion of his Realm have heap'd up vast Treasures and Riches to the impoverishment 〈◊〉 the meaner sort who subsist only by their Laâ—â—our and Industry His prodigious Expences 〈◊〉 building Royal Houses and erecting sumâ—â—uous Monuments to his future Fame The â—ast Treasures he has wasted in bringing Riâ—ers into Places in despite of Mountains the â—â—lid Oppositions of Nature which he has â—â—t through and Valleys which he has fill'd 〈◊〉 all which cost France several Millions and â—â—rty Thousand of her best Men. We may â—â—d to all this the joining of two Seas and â—â—e Royal Canal in which hard Labours the â—â—ing sacrific'd the same number of his selectâ—â—â— Subjects The enhauncing and abateâ—ent of Mony which has ruin'd Trade and â—â—ck'd his People to the last drop of their â—â—ood The vast number of Forts and Forâ—esses which he has built and rais'd upon all â—e Frontiers of the Kingdom which has cost â—m immense Sums The Pensions which he â—â—s paid in all the Courts of Europe to make â—â—liances or for the maintenance of his Emisâ—ries which costs him several Millions and â—e keeping afoot near two hundred thousand â—â—en in time of Peace and 400000 in time of â—â—ar the vast Sums which he expends in â—â—ring out great Fleets besides what his Maâ—â—zins of Ammunition and Provision upon the â—â—ontiers cost him All this I say contriâ—â—tes to the Ruin of France and to reduce it 〈◊〉 that deplorable Condition wherein we find â—â—at this day Let it be as it will the most Christiaâ— King having consum'd the most solid part 〈◊〉 the Crown Demesnes in so many extravagant ways of Expence it may be said Thaâ— he has acted like those unwary Gamesteâ—â— who having undone themselves by Play 〈◊〉 know not where to betake themselves to geâ— more But this Prince is not only contenteâ— to have plaid away his own Revenues 〈◊〉 has also gam'd away the Estates of his Subjects and by that means has reduc'd Franâ—â— to those Extremities which are enough to overturn it So that 't is no wonder to see Famiâ— rage within his Kingdom The most Christian Lewis XIV might havâ— wish'd that his Father Lewis XIII in imitation of Dagobert the ' Leventh King of Francâ— had bin so pious or rather a Person of so muâ—â— Fore-sight as to have cover'd the Church 〈◊〉 St. Denis with Silver to the end that afteâ— he had drein'd his Exchequer he might havâ— had the same shift at a Pinch as Clovis the Soâ— of Dagobert had who uncovered the Church and made use of the Mony to save Francâ— which then began to be afflicted with a moâ—â— terrible Dearth But Henry IV. and Lewiâ— XIII had so much Work upon their Handâ— that their Reigns might well be said to bâ— rather Iron then Silver Reigns and that theâ— were so far from having any Overplus's to laâ— out upon Dagobert's pious uses that they weâ—â— forc'd to borrow to supply the Exigencies 〈◊〉 the State Lewis XIV was the Prince who of all the Kings of France possess'd the vastest heap of Treaâ—ure and who beheld himself the most puissant of all his Predecessors by the prodigious Improvement of his Finances and Reâ—enues To be convinc'd of this there needs â—o more but to consider That the Revenues of the Crown hardly mounted to 16 Millions in the Reigns of the Valois's In Henry â—V.'s time they ascanded to Thirty Richlieu â—nder Lewis XIII rais'd 'em to Forty five â—nd after him Mazarine advanc'd 'em to aâ—ove sixty Which was nothing to what they are mounted at present for according to an exact Computation Colbert and the rest of â—he Publicans and Sinners have advanc'd 'em â—o above a hundred and fifty Millions
THE Bounds set to FRANCE BY THE Pyrenean Treaty And the Interest of the CONFEDERATES Not to accept of the Offers of Peace Made at this Time by the FRENCH KING To which are added Some short Reflections shewing How far England is concern'd in the Restitution of that Treaty Together with a List of the Towns and Countries that the French have taken since that Time LONDON Printed for R. Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane 1694. THE BOUNDS OF France c. FOUR Things have contributed to render France so Potent and Formidable as we behold her at this day In the first Place the ill observance of her Word in reference to Treaties of Peace or Truces concluded with other Soveraign States and which she has violated in a little time after the Exchange of the Ratifications which has been the Original of all the terrible Misfortunes that have turmoil'd Europe for above these Thirty Years and which perhaps will hardly end but with the Princes Reign that first began the fatal Disturbance The second Cause of the Grandeur of France was the easiness she met with to give her Ambition its full Swinge by pushing forward to the utmost of their Extent her Exorbitant Pretensions to the Territories and Dominions of her Neighbours with a Resolution to confine 'em within no other Bounds then those of all Europe unless a greater Force oppos'd her The third Cause of her Grandeur is the Arbitrary Power and the Soveraign Authority which the Reigning Price has made himself Master of by degrees by encroaching upon the Liberties of the People and the Authority of Parlaments And the fourth is the extraordinary Means she makes use of to encrease her Teasury and the good use she makes of it through the good Conduct of those who are entrusted with the management of it As to the first of these Causes which is The Violation of Treaties and which we have made choice of for the Subject of this Discourse All the World knows the Condition to which France was reduc'd before the Conclusion of the Pyrenean Peace or to descend a little lower during the King's Minority She could hardly then bring an Army of above thirty thousand Men into the Field and â—ind Mony proportionable to pay ' em For proof of which the Queen Mother has been often heard to say talking Face to Face with her prime Minister Mazarin Good God! where shall we find Men to continue the War and Mony to supply so many pressing Necessities And a little while after did we not see M. de Turenne reduc'd to melt down his Plate and as it were strip himself to the last Farthing to keep his Army from Perishing So hard a thing it was to get Mony from the Court for that many times the Chequer was quire drain'd and utterly unable to pay the Soldiers It may be said that the French Monarchy was supported then by the Cunning and Policy of her Ministers rather then by her own Forces Witness what Mazarin said one day to the King Sir said he in respect of the Treasure Your Majesties Conquests in your Cabinet are without all Contradiction far the greater Number then those of your Armies In a word the Negotiations and Alliances which were made during Mazarin's Ministry and afterwards under the Marquiss of Louvais contributed more to the Aggrandizing France and extending her Limits then the Force of her Arms. France then having extreamly suffer'd during the space of several Years that the War with Spain lasted she was reduced to a lamentable condition by reason of her Teasure's being exhausted and the oppression of her Subjects and it may be said that notwithstanding all the Polities of Mazarin the King was fain to put a good Face upon a bad Matter which is a thing frequently practis'd among the French Tho' at the same time she made a bouncing shew of nothing less then of being inclin'd to Peace a Conduct quite opposite to what she observes at this day And yet the Proceedings of Mazarin made it plainly appear that France had a greater Inclination to it then Spain In a word that Minister had hardly time to bid the Queen adieu so earnest he was to be upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom But some will object against this the Pains that Don Antonio Piemontel took at Paris to perswade Mazarin to hearken to the Propositions of Peace The great number of Conferences which the Cardinal had with Don Lewis de Haro the Delays and Difficulties that occurr'd before the Points of that Peace could be agreed to all which things manifestly prove the contrary and that France was not so low as I represent her to be But I answer that this was only a Master-piece of Mazarin's fine-spun Politicks who made use of all the Shifts and cunning Artifices imaginable to incline Don Lewis and Don Piemontel the Spanish Plenipotentiaries to grant him all those Advantages which he look'd for In a word Experience shews us that he was not deceiv'd since the Project which he had drawn up at Court was follow'd point by point and every way to the Advantage of France The greatest Fault that Spain at that time committed was that she did not make choice of a Plenipotentiary more sharp-sighted and more nimble-witted then Lewis de Haro who was mifinform'd of the Rights which the Princes had who were most remarkably concern'd in that Peace Don Lewis made a World of Oversights in that Negotiation and had committed many more but for the Assistance of M. d' Aigremont whom the Prince of Conde sent away Post out of Flanders to instruct him in many things of which he was ignorant It was to have bin wish'd that for the good and repose of all Europe and for the particular Interests of the House of Austria that Spain had been more circumspect in an Affair of that great Importance wherein the high Dispute was not only about concluding a solid and lasting Peace but the Marriage of the Infanta And I am persuaded that if the King of Spain had had any Idea of good Policy he would have taken juster Measures then he did since it was impossible but he must have foreseen that by that Alliance he went about to lay the foundation of the utter Ruin of the House of Austria Nor did he want any other Example then that of Lewis XIII to teach him that the Matches of the Infanta's of Spain with the Kings of France had bin always fatal to the Spaniards It must be acknowldg'd that the Spanish Court at that time labour'd under a most terrible Blindness that while they were moyling at the Negotiation of Peace and the Marriage of the Infanta one of the two young Infant Princes happening to die there remain'd no more then the Reigning Price to suceed to the Crown and he so young and so sickly that 't was much question'd whether he would out-live the third Year of his Age. Nevertheless the Tidings of that young Prince's death which ought to
have made the Court of Spain tremble considering the Misfortunes that threatned the Kingdom being carry'd to Don Lewis de Haro never put so much as a Minutes stop to the Negotiation True it is that de Haro had a deep sense of it but Mazarin who had his Prospects redoubl'd his Importunities and hasten'd more then ever the Conclusion of the Treaty When the Kings of France had the Misfortune to make Alliances that were likely to prove fatal to 'em and which infallibly would have prov'd the Ruin of their Dominions what did they do to break ' em Witness the Conduct that Lewis XII observ'd upon the like Occasion He had concluded a Treaty of Confederacy with the Emperor Maximilian The second and third Article of which Treaty imported that the two Princes should engage themselves to ratify and confirm the Contract of Marriage concluded between Charles Duke of Luxemburgh Son of Arch-duke Philip and Madam Claudia of France the most Christian King's Daughter Lewis promis'd that in case he died without Issue Male that the Dutchies of Milan Genoa as also the Countries of Ast and Blois and all the other Lands and Signiories of his Demesnes should be deliver'd up after his Death and immediately after the Consummation of the Marriage of the Duke of Luxemburgh with Madam Claudia of France into the Hands of that Princess his Heiress to enjoy to Perpetuity upon condition that if she happen'd to have any Sisters she should allow 'em a Dowry in Mony proportionable to their Birth The Ministers of Lewis XII after they had seriously consider'd how disadvantagious this Marriage was to France and how powerful the House of Austria was like to grow set all their Engins at work to break it To which purpose by the King's consent there was an Assembly order'd to be summon'd which was held in the year 1506. at Plesses-Les-Tours where the King was present and by a knack of Policy as daring as well found out they order'd underhand a famous Doctor of the University of Paris to appear upon the Stage who came and made a Speech to the King beseeching him in the Name of all the States of France to match the Princess his Daughter with the Duke of Valois presumptive Heir of the Crown This Doctor with so much Eloquence set before the King the Misfortunes that suddenly threatned France if he suffer'd Madam Claudia to marry Charles of Austria or any other Foreign Prince that from that very moment the Match was brok'n off and by that manner of Proceeding Lewis XII disingag'd himself from his Word and Oath and the Treaty which was made in 1501. and confirm'd by another three Years after at Blois was declar'd null and void There 's no Question to be made but that Lewis the XII himself was the Person who order'd the Duke of Valois to be nominated to him by all the States of the Kingdom to the end that by that means he might bring himself off fairly from his Agreements with Maximilian and Philip his Son who had reckned upon the word of that Prince as upon a thing that was irrevocable This is an Example past all Contradiction besides a great number of others that might be found in History sufficient to justifie the Reasons which the Court of Spain had then has she minded her own Interests to have refus'd the Marriage of the Iufanta to Lewis XIV who was a Foreign Prince that they might have bestow'd her upon the Emperor's Son who was of the House of Austria and had demanded her at the same time However it were Mazarin in this particular acted the part of a great Politician and not to mention other Important Services which he did the French Monarch it may be said that tho' he had done nothing else during the whole course of his Ministry this alone was a thing that never ought to be forgot by France So that he made no scruple to write to Monsieur le Tellier immediately after the signing of the Treaty That there was great Reason to hope a long continuation of the Treaty in regard that both Parties were equally satisfy'd But that in his Opinion the King had reason to be more contented because that all the advantage was on his side And besides that there was also this farther Benefit that Don Lewis believing he had don his Business admirably well would never dream of laying hold upon Opportunities for the furture should they present themselves to repair the great Prejudices that Spain had receiv'd by the Conclusion of that Peace However had France stook to this Treaty how disadvantagious soever it was for Spain and had not transgress'd the Limits that were prescrib'd him we should not have now beheld all Eurpoe in Arms and the Princes of the August League unanimously resolv'd not to surcease the War till France has restor'd to every one what she has wrested from 'em since the Conclusion of that Treaty Her want of Faith and Sincerity not only transported her to declare her self the Irreconcileable Enemy of the House of Austria by vertue of those Rights which she pretends to claim as yielded up to her by vertue of that Peace but has openly invaded the Dominions of other Sovereigns of Europe and without any other Right and Title then the Challenges of her Ambition and Power she has run her self into those Excesses that now make her lookt upon with Detestation and Abhorrency We have shew'd ye the Fault never to be repair'd that the Court of Spain committed in consenting to the Marriage of the Infanta with Lewis XIV and to a Treaty of Peace so disadvantagious to her Interests Now let us see the fatal Event that attended 'em and begin with the Bounds that were prescrib'd to France by the Treaty which done we will examin the Conduct which she observ'd to extend those Limits as far as we see 'em now extended And lastly we shall conclude with representing to the Princes of the League the necessity of being inexorable to the Importunities of France for Peace unless extreamly to their Advantage Their Interest to keep inviolably united together and never to listen to the Proposals of France unless she makes Restitution of all that she has usurp'd since the Pyrenean Peace All the World knows that the main thing that obstructed the Pyrenean Treaty was the Accommodation of the Prince of Conde We shall not therefore trouble our selves to recite all the Particulars that pass'd in the great number of Conferences between the Ministers of the two Crowns upon this Subject as being otherwhere to be met with 'T is sufficient to say that Mazarin had the Honour of the Triumph and that he obtain'd of Don Lewis all that he could expect So true it is that the Right and Justice of a good Cause are not battry proof against the Artifices of a Crafty Minister and that Honesty and Sincerity frequently become the Cullies of wily Cunning. Don Lewis demanded that the Prince in consideration
Peace For as to what remains said he I should make no scruple to acknowledge the seeking after Peace when the Progress and Reputation of the King's Arms in the next Campain shall have advanced his Majesties Renown to the highest pitch it can arrive at c. These were the Sentiments of the most Subtle and Crafty Minister that ever France had who decides the Question in few words The Most Christian King has so well profited by the Maxims of that great Politician that 't is with him an inviolable Law not to swerve from the Practice thereof to this day Nor was Mazarin alone of this Opinion The Marquess of Louvois jumps with him in the same Sentiments And tho' he were not of so â—ublime a Genius as Mazarin the Reputation he acquir'd during his Ministry renders â—im Authentic enough to be quoted for a good Author You shall hear what he said to Colbert Croissi when he gave him his last Instructions how to carry himself at the Negotiation of Nimeguen whither he was sent with the Character of a Plenipotentiary I know very well said he that the Confederate Princes will make a Judgment to the Prejudice of his Majesty of his Conduct in inviting 'em to a Peace but it matters not the Advantages he will receive thereby will amply recompence the Wrong which his Honour will suffer besides that we shall come off well enough by giving out that his Majesty vouchsaf'd to afford Peace to Europe Thus you see what has been all along the Temper of France this is no Maxim of Yesterday as being practis'd by several of his Majesty's Ancestors Witness what Comines reports of Lewis XI That that same Prince to get himself out of the Bryars at a time when Paris the Capital City of his Kingdom was within a very little of being Besieg'd by the Burgundians deem'd it the only way in the World he could take to Temporize He thought it by no means proper to venture his Kingdom upon the Hazard of a Battle and therefore labour'd under-hand to Dis-unite the Princes and Lords of the Confederacy which succeeded very luckily and by that means he got the better of his Enemies Henry IV. and Lewis XIII took the same Course And still when France has been overwhelm'd with the great number of her Enemies it has been always her way to ruin their Union with fair and plausible Proposals of Peace But if it may be said that the French Monarchy had always Great Masters in this Scienice Lewis XIV has out-done 'em all His Reign has been a continued Series of deceitful Promises violated Faith and Treaties broken In a word this Prince observing himself Attack'd by the most Potent Confederacy that ever was entred into against France can never take a better opportunity to propose Peace then when her Triumphant Arms may seem to boast of some Advantages The same Arms are fickle and uncertain and Fortune that has favour'd him hitherto may forsake him and reduce his Affairs to the most Pitiful Condition in the World It looks then if we may judge of Events by the disposal and management of things as if France affraid of strange Revolutions sufficient to ravish from him in an instant all the Honour and Glories he has hitherto enjoy'd and despoil her Conquests gain'd by breach of Treaties sought to effect by Policy what she cannot compass by Force There are four things that urge the Crown of France to press the Confederates so earnestly for a Treaty of Peace The First is the â—ondition of her Affairs which at present is savourable enough in regard of the Progresses which her Arms have made The Second is her Apprehensions lest the Confederates considerably augmenting their Forces and redoubling their Efforts should weaken her in such a manner as to disable her for the future from making a further Progress upon her Neighbours if they permit her to keep her own The Third is the hopes that she has of luckily obtaining her ends by the same Artifices which she made use of at the Peace of Nimiguen And the Fourth is the low ebb of her Exchequer and the deplorable condition of the People reduc'd to utmost Misery by Famin and want of Corn. As to the condition of her Affairs most certain it is that France is well advis'd in taking this time to make her Proposals of Peace She was never so happy nor so much caress'd by Fortune as now For five Years together that the War has bin declar'd excepting the First Campaign wherein the Confederates triumph'd upon the reducing of Mayence Keiserwart Bon c. to which we may add that famous Atchievment at the Boyn the memorable Victory with which it was attended the Engagement by Sea and the Duke of Savoy's Irruption into the Dauphinate all other things may be said to have been prosperous for France So that if she could inveagle the Confederate Princes into a Negotiation at a time when every thing smiles upoâ— her she may have just reason to expect thaâ— such a Negotiation will be attended with 〈◊〉 Peace no less glorious and advantagious foâ— her then that of the Pyreneans Aix la Chapelle or Nimeguen For proof of which then needs no more but to reflect upon the Offer of the Envoys of Denmark to the Court oâ— England and the States of the United Provinces which we have already recited Which Offers are so inconsiderable That 't is a meeâ— Insulting and an Affront put upon the Honour of so many Princes to presume that they would ever listen to such Proposals As to the Apprehensions of France lest the Confederates should redouble their Efforts and constrain the most Christian King to confine himself within much narrower Limits 't is as certain That her Fears are not groundless and that 't is but good Counsel given to the most Christian King to advise him to bid his Generals and his Souldiers whet their Swords betimes and have their Arms in a readiness because that in all Likelihood we shall have a warm Campaign of it The most Christian King perhaps did ne're expect that England turmoil'd as she had been with Factions and Dissentions that harrass'd the Peace and Tranquility of the Kingdom would have taken a Resolution to conclude the War by Efforts of Puissance and constant Opposition by granting the Men â—nd Mony which King William desir'd Nor 〈◊〉 England the only Confederate so well inâ—in'd to the common Cause The United â—rovinces and the rest of the Princes and â—tates that compose the League unanimously â—onclude to sacrifice the whole toward the â—btaining a lasting and durable Peace And â—ence it is that we behold such numerous Armies such prodigious Forces muster'd together on the Confederates side amounting â—â—s they say to no less then 400000 Men Which if it be true France will find it a difficult Task to fend off the Blows on every side And I am persuaded that Marshal Luxemburgh as much pufft up as he is with the Advantages that he