the occasion of rekindling the Flames and renewing the War with more Vigour and Animosity than before the Emperour and Spain not being wanting to lay hold of this Opportunity to revive the Jealousies and to perswade the Hollanders that the King had no real Inclination for Peace his only design being by withdrawing them from the Confederacy to surprize them hereafter with the more ease Our King had given most evident Proofs of his sincere Intentions for the Peace to promote which he had recall'd his Forces out of Sicily under the Command of Francis de Aubusson la Feuillade Duke Peer and Marshal of France he had at the Intercession of the Hollanders The French leave Sicily prolonged the Term which he had fixed to the Allies for the accepting the Propositions of Peace and tho he had within the last Month extended his Conquests both in Flanders and Catalonia by the taking of two considerable places yet was he so far from taking any advantage of his good Fortune that on the other hand he offered to restore them without any equivalent But notwithstanding all these Demonstrations of his most fervent Inclinations for Peace Matters hung in suspense for some time neither could the Treaty be brought to a Conclusion till the King of Sweden declared by his Ambassadors That he not only consented but also prayed His Most Christian Majesty to restore the above mentioned Places to Spain and not to delay any longer to give Peace to Europe on account of the particular Interest of the Crown of Sweden This grand Obstacle being removed the Peace was signed betwixt the King and the States the 10th Day of August in the Year 1678. Within four Days after the Prince of Orange attack'd the Duke of Luxemburgh who whilst they were contesting at Nimeguen kept Mons block'd up with an Army of forty Thousand Men. Peace of Nimeâ—uen The Prince of Orange had in view no less than the breaking off of the whole Treaty or at least to obtain some more advantageous Conditions if he happened to succeed in this Enterprize The Duke of Luxemburgh could not in the least suspect his Intention as having received fresh Assurances that the Peace was signed Engagement near St. Denis but by his brave Resolution he diverted the danger that he had put himself into by his being too confident of his own Security by the Peace The Action was very bloody which was ended at Night without any considerable Advantage on either side unless that the Enemy retired in some Confusion and were pursued to their Camp The next Day there was a Cessation of all Hostilities the Peace was proclaimed the same Day in the Camp and ratified within a Month after After the Conclusion of this Treaty with the Dutch the Spaniards found themselves under an indispensible necessity to accept of those Conditions the Hollanders had procured for them It was in vain for the rest of the Confederates to make use of all their Perswasions and Intrigues to prevent the Spaniards from accepting of them who signed the Peace on the seventeenth of September following This done the King without losing any further time order'd his Troops towards the Rhine with an Intention to attack the Emperour and Empire with the utmost vigour before the Winter some of the German Princes dreading the Storm that threatned them began to withdraw from the rest and to make their Applications to the Spaniards and States-General to be comprehended in the Treaty But Spain pursuant to asecret Agreement as it was supposed betwixt those two Branches of the House of Austria made several Delays in the Ratification of the Peace so that the time prefixed for the said Ratification notwithstanding it had been twice prolonged at the Request of the Dutch was very near expired In the mean while the French Forces made frequent Excursions into the very Heart of Flanders not sparing even those places that had hitherto escaped from being visited by them they exacted such vast Sums from all the circumjacent Country and pillaged all such as refused to pay them Contributions that according to the computation and confession of the Enemies themselves the flat Country suffered more from the time of the signing till the Ratification of the Treaty than it had done in the heat of the War The Cries and Lamentations of the People did at last overcome the Resolution of the Spanish Council who in spite of all the opposition made by the rest of the Allies caused the Peace to be ratified in December in the Year 1678. Immediately after the King order'd his Ambassadors at Nimeguen to declare to the Emperour's Ministers that in case their Master did not think fit to accept of the same Conditions as they had been proposed in the Project of the General Peace within a limited time that after that there should be no further talk of Peace This Declaration and the fear they were in of the King's Forces that were approaching the Rhine made the Emperour and Empire at last resolve rather to chuse the Harbour than to expose themselves in the open Sea to so dreadful a Tempest as threatned their Destruction Thus a Peace was concluded betwixt the Emperour and our King in the Month of February in the Year 1679. upon condition that the Peace of Munster should remain in its full force and that the Emperour should resign all his Right and Soveraignty over the City of Friburgh and the whole Alsace to our King During the Treaty at Nimeguen the King at the Intercession of the Emperour and the rest of the Confederates had left it to the choice of Prince Charles of Lorrain whether he would accept of the Possession of the Dutchy of Lorrain without that of Bar pursuant to the Pyrenean Treaty or whether he would be satisfied if the King restored him to the Possession of both those Dutchies reserving only to himself the City of Nancy and all the Grounds and Highways by which the King's Armies were to march into Germany The Prince at first chose the last of these two but soon after repenting his Choice refused to accept either But tho the Peace was signed betwixt the Emperour and the King the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburgh protested against it continuing to make vast Preparations to maintain themselves in their Conquests taken from the Swedes in Germany But when the French Troops began to approach the Frontiers of Brandenburgh these Princes were foon brought to a compliance and shew'd as much eagerness for the Peace as they had shewn aversion against it before The King of Sweden received full satisfaction they being obliged to restore all that had been taken from that Crown without any other Equivalent but a good Sum of Money which was paid them by our King It will without all question appear surprizing and perhaps past belief to Posterity how France should have been strong enough to withstand so many Enemies at one time and that after they had been vanquish'd
p. 77 Vessels fifteen of the King's Vessels burnt p. 232 Villa Franca taken p. 230 Villeroy Commands the Grand Army in Flanders see Campaign of 1695. Bombards Brussels see Bombardment Vironne Lewis Victor de Rochechovard Duke of Peer and Marshal of France beats the Confederate Fleet. p. 136 Relieves Messina ibid. Vxelles Marquiss de defends Mayence with great Bravery p. 215 216 217 W. Walecourt the French repulsed near that place p. 214 Waldeck Count of General of the Confederate Army p. 219 Routed near Flerus see Battles War Civil War and its Origin p. 3 p. 4 5 Wesel surrendred p. 87 William III. King of Great Britain worsted at Steenkirk p. 239 At Neerwinden p. 248 At St. Denis p. 163 Takes Namur p. 272 Gains the Battle near the Boyne p. 225 Is present at the Great General Council at the Hague p. 226 His Courage and Resolution p 278 Is one of the first that Signs the Peace p. 308 Is acknowledged by France lawful King of England Scotland and Ireland p. 310 Wirtenbergh Dutchy of p. 215 Wirtenbergh Duke of made Prisoner by the Marshal de Lorge p. 243 Z. Zell Duke of routs the Marshal de Crequy p. 133 Takes Treves p. 134 Zutphen p. 94 Zwell p. 93 Books Printed and Sold by D. Midwinter and T. Leigh at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Education of Young Gentlewomen written originally in French and from thence made English and improved for a Lady of Quality Twelves 1699. Advice to Young Gentlemen in their several Conditions of Life by way of Address from a Father to his Children by the Abbot Goussalt with his Sentiments and Maxims upon what passes in a Civil Society Printed at Paris 1697 and Translated into English Octav. A compleat Doctrine of the Bones according to the newest and most resined Notions of Anatomy shewing their Nature and Substance c. By Robert Baker Chirurgeon Octav. 1699. Plain and full Instructions to raise all sorts of Fruit-Trees that prosper in England c. the Second Edition with the Addition of two entire Chapters of Greens and Green-houses by the Author T. Laugford Gent. Oct. 1699. The Lives and Characters of the English Drammatick Poets also an Account of all the Plays that were ever yet Printed in the English Tongue c. first begun by Mr. Langbain improv'd and continued down to this time by a Careful Hand Octavo A Voyage to the East-Indies giving an Account of the Isles of Madagascar and Mascarene of Surat the Coast of Malabar c. Written originally in Fr. by Mr. Dellon M. D. Octav. The Mystery of Phanaticism or the Artifices of Dissenters to support their Schism together with the Evil and Danger of them set forth in several Letters c. By a Divine of the Church of England The 2d Edit Octav. The Life of our Blessed Saviour an Heroick Poem c. with above 60 Cuts The 2d Edit Fol. Resolves Moral Divine and Political By Owen Feltham Esq Fol. Bishop Burnet's History of the Reformation of the Church of England In Two Vol. Fol. Dr. Cave's Lives of the Primitive Fathers In two Vol. Fol. Bishop Tillotson's Posthumous Sermons In Five Vol. Octav. Books sold by Rob. Knaplock at the Angel and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MR. Hole 's Letters concerning the Gift and Forms of Prayer The Mystery of Fanaticism The Government of a Wife Mr. De la Salle's Discoveries in North America Drydon's Virgil. Juvenal Pufendorf's Introduction to History A. Bishop Tillotson's Works Fol. Sir Roger L'strange's Tully Seneca M. Antonini Imp. Medit. cum Notis G. Gattakeri Graec. Lat. Gibson 's Anatomy Salmon's Dispensatory Chirurgery Synopsis Medicinae THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB I. LEWIS the XIIIth had for a considerable time after his Marriage no Issue by Ann of Austria his spouse till in the Year 1638 on the 5th day of December at eleven of the Clock 22 Minutes before Noon His Birth she was happily delivered of a Son The Imperialists vanquish'd near Rhinefels aâ—d the Spaniards at Sea With what an universal satisfaction this welcome News was received all over the Kingdom is easier to be imagined than exprest The rejoycings made upon this occasion did in a great measure obliterate the glory of famous Victories obtained about the same time by the French over their Enemies the people of France looking upon them all at that juncture as scarce worth taking notice of and of little consequence in comparison of the advantages they promised themselves from the happy birth of a Dauphin The barrenness of the Queen and the ill state of the King's health had given occasion to several Cabals and Factions and no sooner was one head of this pernicious Hydra cut off but another appeared in its stead the divisions of the Great ones being risen to that pitch as to threaten the ruine of the whole Kingdom if by the auspicious Birth of this Prince these dreadful Clouds had not been dispersed Troubles during his Minority But the Death of Lewis the XIIIth which happened when the young Prince was but four Years and nine Months old occasioned no small apprehensions of future troubles in the State great discontents reigned among the Nobility the Parliaments were exasperated by many provocations and the People exhausted by heavy Impositions all which it was feared would have broke out into an open Rebellion during the young King's Minority Cardinal Julius Mazarin The Queen Regent being absolutely satisfied in the ability of the Cardinal Mazarin had made him Chief Minister of State to the great dissatisfaction of such of the Great ones as proposed to themselves to fish in troubled Waters and to find their account in fomenting Divisions in the Kingdom They alledged that the Cardinal being a Foreigner they did not question but that he would tread the footsteps of Cardinal Richlieu and in this high station revived the same haughty Maxims his Predecessor had made use of during his Ministry But this great Minister of State managed matters with so much dexterity that by bestowing ample favours and larger promises upon those of the discontented Party he brought many of them over to his side so that beyond all expectation his Ministry was very quiet for the first five years and the present condition of the Kingdom appear'd to be more flourishing at that time Victories near Rocroy near Rotewil Friburg Nortlingen and Leantz Nâ—ar Cartagena and Castellamara than it had been for many Years before The French gained 5 Victories by Land and 2 at Sea and besides they made themselves Masters of 10 or 12 places of no small Importance But this prosperity was of no long continuance The excessive Ambition and Covetousness the Envy and Jealousies which reigned among the Nobility the pretended Zeal of some of the French Parliaments encouraged by the Favour and Acclamations of the common People which being inveigled with the hopes of an abatement of the heavy Taxes they
enough forasmuch as thereby the limits of the Empire and France might be settl'd upon a sure Foot and a firm Peace establish'd betwixt these two Potent Neighbours The Electoral College were of opinion to accept of the Conditions but most of the Princes being of a contrary sentiment two years past without coming to a final Resolution the King having from time to time prolong'd the prefix'd time out of a pure motive to generosity finding in most of the Members of the Dyet a favourable Disposition for a Peace at a time when they dreaded an Invasion from the Turks It was not long before the Ottoman Army like an impetuous Torrent over-run all Hungary and carrying all before them marched up to the Gates of Vienna which was Besieged by above an hundred thousand Turks Siege of Vienna in 1683. The Siege continued two Months and the place was reduc'd to the last extremity when upon the approach of the Imperial Army and the Auxiliaries of the Empire in conjunction with the Poles commanded by John Sobieski their King who with great Bravery attacked the Enemy in their Lines The Visier was forc'd to raise the Siege The Ministers of the House of Austria puff'd up with their late good success press'd the Dyet more than ever not to conclude either a Peace or Truce with France But as such vast Empires have many ways to recover their losses the Turks notwithstanding their late defeat appear'd again so formidable that the Emperor and Empire the better to enable themselves to resist them or to extend their Conquests accepted of the King's offers and about ten Months after concluded and Sign'd a Truce betwixt the Empire and France for twenty Years Spain also agreed to a Truce upon the same conditions Truee for twenty Years to put an end to the differences for that time arisen betwixt the King and them about the limits in Flanders After the Ratification of the Treaty of Nimeguen the King made reiterated instances to the Spaniards to send certain Commissioners to adjust matters concerning the Dependencies of such Provinces and Cities as were granted to him by vertue of the late Peace But the opening of these Conferences was delay'd for some time till the King of Spain had sent his full Power and Instructions which when they were produc'd it was found that amongst his Titles that of Count and Duke of Burgundy was left out The next Year the Commissioners appointed by both Kings met again at Courtray but the Ministers of Spain intended nothing less than to terminate these differences but in lieu of it left no Stone unturn'd to create new Jealousies as much as in them lay betwixt our King and the Hollanders The City of Alost furnish'd them with a fair opportunity to accomplish their design which place being accounted to be among the dependencies belonging to France the States-General began to be extreamly allarm'd at this Pretension They alledg'd they had in vain bestow'd so much labour and cost to fix a certain Barrier betwixt the King and them if this place so near to their Frontiers whose Territories reach'd to the Gates of Antwerp should be put into his possession The King to calm their minds and deliver them from what they dreaded so much offer'd to be contented with an equivalent and the Council of Spain endeavouring to gain time by various Intrigues he order'd the Bloccade of Luxemburgh but having receiv'd intelligence of the great Preparations made by the Turks to invade Hungary he sent his Orders to him who commanded in Chief to raise the said Blocade Spain was so far from being satisfied with this retreat Courtray and Dixmuyden taken that in a little while after they began to commit open Hostilties Whereupon the French besieg'd Courtray in November in the Year 1683 both the City and Citadel Surrender'd in five Days Dixmuyden without striking one stroke The Spaniards tho' without Money or Troops or any other hopes of relief but what they expected from their Allies whom they suppos'd would not leave them destitute upon so necessitous an occasion declar'd in a Month after War against France But it was not long before they paid dear for their folly the King's Troops having over-run during the whole Winter all Flanders to the very Gates of Brussels pillaging and exacting Contributions from the flat Country and towards the end of April in the Year 1684 a strong Body was sent to form the Siege of Luxemburgh This Place is very strong both by Nature and Art it being situate upon a Rock Luxemburgh taken 1684. surrounded on all sides by a River The King order'd a good Army to advance betwixt Conde and Valenciennes to cover the Siege The Emperor was not wanting in his sollicitations to the Dyet and the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands as well as the Prince of Orange made use of all their Interest to engage the Hollanders to endeavour the relief of a Place which was of such consequence But all in vain for no succours appearing the Place was forc'd to Surrender after a brave defence of seven and twenty Days after opening the Trenches This done the King offer'd to restore Dixmuyden and Courtray and to renounce all his pretensions provided the Spaniards would put him in quiet possession of Beaumont Bovines and Chimay three small places without any strength betwixt the Sambre and the Meuse and would resign all their pretensions to Luxemburgh which was to be the King 's for ever with the fifteen Villages belonging to it The Spaniards refus'd at first to hearken to these Propositions but the Dutch who made serious Reflections upon the present condition of the Empire the heavy War wherein the Emperor was engag'd with the Turks and the little hopes there was of receiving aid from England partly by reason of the misunderstanding that was at that time betwixt King Charles II. and his Parliament partly because they were too well acquainted with the Inclinations of that King who prefer'd Peace and his Pleasures before a War oblig'd them to accept of these conditions Thus in the Year 1684 a general Truce was concluded for twenty Years the Emperor Spain and the Empire having Sign'd the Treaty within four days one after another But in the mean while that our King was applying his thoughts to re-establish Peace in Christendom with good success Differences with the Pope the differences arisen betwixt our Court and that of Rome encreased more and more every Day the Pope being so far from hearkning to those gentle means that were propos'd for an accommodation that on the contrary his whole behaviour sufficiently testify'd to the World that he was resolv'd to carry things to the utmost extremity The occasion of the Quarrel was given by the Regale which is a certain prerogative belonging to the Sovereign by vertue of which they enjoy the benefit of the Revenues of the Bishopricks and the right of bestowing all Dignities and Prebends during the vacancies of the Episcopal
the Motions of their Army that he enclosed them betwixt the Mountains and their Entrenchment where without striking a Stroak they lost more Men than they could have done in an Engagement In Italy the Marshal de Catinat appear'd in the Field with a very numerous Army composed of some of our best Troops the King having taken a resolution either to Conquer all the Country as yet remaining under the Obedience of the Duke of Savoy or to oblige that Prince to accept of a Peace So soon as the Enemy receiv'd Intelligence that the French were preparing to pass the Mountains they employ'd a great number of Workmen to cover the City of Turin against any Attempt by making strong Lines and Entrenchments they carried all the common Cattle into places of Security and by their Army and numerous Parties which they sent abroad every Day endeavour'd to hinder our Communication with Pignerol Our Army finding nothing else to subsist on but what they were supply'd with by our Convoys did suffer Extreamly in their March which was not very hasty we being at the same time in Treaty with the Duke of Savoy and upon the point of concluding it After the Breach of the Truce the King had in his Manifest sufficiently testified his Intention of Sacrificing all his Conquests to the re-establishment of the publick Tranquility and that he had not taken up Arms to enlarge his Frontiers but to defend himself against the Attempts of the Confederate Princes Upon the same score it was that both before the Siege of Philipsbourgh and after the reduction not only of that Place but also of the whole Palatinate he pressed the Allies to change the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684. into a lasting Peace Upon the same account also after taking Villa Franca Nice and Montmelian he offer'd the Duke of Savoy to restore to him all the Conquests he had made on that side Casal being demolish'd since that time the Duke of Savoy's Inclinations began to bend strongly towards a Peace Peace is so desirable in it self that when offer'd ought not to be refus'd Happy is that Prince who knows how to improve such an Opportunity to his own Advantage 'T is true the Duke made some Preparations in the next Spring to Besiege Pignerol but his Intention was rather to oblige us to demolish it than to reduce it by force of Arms. He had Espoused one of the Daughters of the Duke of Orleance only Brother to our King who having no Daughters had Married the eldest of his Nieces to the King of Spain the second to the Duke of Savoy The Queen of Spain died without Issue but the Dutchess of Savoy had had three Princesses to one of these the King resolv'd to Marry the eldest of his Grandsons to renew by this Marriage the ancient Alliance betwixt France and the Duke of Savoy This Alliance and the present Advantage of removing these inconveniencies which attended the War at so great a distance made the King consent to the demolishing of Pignerol and to restore the Duke into the immediate Possession of all his Territories except Susa Nice and Montmelian which were to be left in the King's Hands till the Conclusion of the general Peace The Duke on the other Hand oblig'd himself by a separate Article Peace with the Duke of Savoy in August to propose to the Confederates a Neutrality in Italy and if they refused to accept of it to join his Forces with France to oblige them to it During the Treaty with Savoy the King had granted a Truce for one Month which afterwards was prolonged at the Request of the Pope and the rest of the Princes of Italy who were not willing to let slip this opportunity that offer'd to rid their hands of the German and other Forreign Forces But the Confederates were so far from accepting the Dukes Propositions that on the contrary they left no stone unturn'd by threats and Promises to perswade him to alter his Resolution But he stood immovable to all these Insinuations and the time of the Truce being expir'd Siege of Valenza join'd his Forces with those of our King 's who advanc'd towards the Milaneze Territories to form the Siege of Valenza The Marshal de Catinat Commanded both these Armies under the Duke of Savoy and the Trenches being opened before the Place towards the end of September we caried on our Works with such Success that the Place was just upon the point of Capitulating Neutrality for Italy when a Messenger arrived in the Camp on the ninth day of October with this agreeable News that at last the Ministers of the Emperor and Spain had accepted of the Neutrality the chiefest Conditions were That the Princes of Italy should allow a certain Sum to the Emperor to redeem the Winter-Quarters And that the German Forces should begin their March in order to return into their own Country the same day that the King's Army in Italy should return into France The King gain'd great Advantages by the Peace of Italy Thirty Thousand Men of his best Troops with a great General who had hitherto been Employed on that side might be made use of with much less Expence against the Enemy in another place which must needs oblige them then to make a Peace with us or to continue the War with more Vigour and greater Expences than before We reap'd also another Advantage by it which ought not to be pass'd by in Silence which was the Princess Maria Adalaida The Dutchess of Burgundy Eldest Daughter of Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy and Anna Mariae of Orleance Spouse to the Duke of Burgundy After the Ratification of the Peace this Princess was conducted into France though the Consummation of the Marriage was deferr'd for fifteen Months longer She was all that time not quite Eleven Years of Age but shew'd such a vivacity of Wit and so much Conduct in all her Actions that she was the admiration of the whole Court the Duke of Burgundy being not then above fourteen years Maria Victoria of Bavaria Dauphine of France died in the Year 1690. in the Flower of her Age Death of the Dauphiness she was a Princess of Extraordinary Merit of a great Soul whose chiefest aim was to see the Princes her Sons Educated in the love of Vertue and glorious Actions Betwixt this Princess and Lewis Dauphin of France were begotten three Princes Lewis Duke of Burgundy born the eighth day of August in the year 1682. Philip The three sons of the Dauphin Duke of Anjou born on the 29th day of December in the Year 1683. and Charles Duke of Berry on the 31st of August in the Year 1684. Never had any Princes in the World more noble Education their generous Inclinations being improved not only by their Governour Paul Duke de Beauvilliers Saint Aignant and their Tutor Francis de Salignac Fenelon Archbishop of Cambray but also by the singular Care of the King and
Dauphin who with so much Application did shew them the way to true Vertue that following both the Footsteps and Instructions of such Guides there never appear'd in any Princes in the World more noble Sentiments and generous Inclinations than in these three the Eldest having given already to the French Nation by his happy disposition to Vertuous Actions all the imaginable hopes of becoming one day a great Prince If the vertuous Inclinations of Princes are like Springs which derive their noble Effects and Communicate them to their Subjects nothing is so great but what may be expected from the happy Marriage of so accomplish'd a Prince with a Princess whose Merits equalize if not surpass her high Extraction and that most eminent Station she is placed by Providence in the World The Peace of Italy proved the happy forerunner of a general Peace It was two years since several Proposals had been made upon that Account which were often changed according to the several change of Affairs in Christendom matters being at that time not brought to a perfect Maturity But towards the latter end of this Campaign there appear'd more disposition in the Confederates for a Peace than before and the People both in England and Holland shew'd much eagerness for it the Allies were for the most part discouraged by the many Disappointments they had met with and most of them having no particular Interest in the War began to hearken to these Proposals which were made on our King's behalf to give Satisfaction to some of the Confederate Princes thus every thing seem'd to tend towards the Conclusion of a general Peace if an un-foreseen Obstacle had not overturn'd all these fair hopes Charles II. Charles II. K. of spain the present King of Spain happen'd to fall ill in the beginning of October so as to have three several Relapses in less than six Weeks time This Prince having no Issue and all Europe taking Interest in the Quarrel which was like to arise after his Death about the Succession the Confederates shew'd not much forwardness to bring it to a Conclusion till after the recovery of this Monarch It was perhaps upon this score that the Ministers of the Emperor and of some of the rest of the Confederate Princes found means to raise many difficulties concerning the Passes and the place where the Ambassadours were to meet to carry on the Negotiation of Peace The Conferences were already begun at the Hague as being the Center where the Ministers of the Consederacy used to meet besides that the Dutch shewed more Inclination for the Peace than the rest and made use of all their Endeavours to promote so great a Work Money began to be so scarce among them that they were hardly put to it to find means for the raising of new Troops to furnish their Quota of Men and Money which made up the largest share of the whole Confederacy They were also under some apprehensions that the Catholick Princes might be prevail'd upon either by the Mediation of the Pope or of the Duke of Savoy to conclude a separate Peace For since the Conclusion of the Peace in Italy the Emperor's Minister remain'd still at Turin The Governour of Milan had also taken several Journeys thither the Count de Tesse resided there in our King's behalf and the Marshal de Catinat had stayed there for some time before he repassed the Alpes The long stay of these Ministers in a Court which so lately had changed its Interest their frequent Conferences the many Messengers that were continually sent forwards and backwards betwixt Paris Vienna and Madrid raised no small jealousie in the Dutch and made them fear lest if the Emperour the King of Spain the Elector of Bavaria and the other Catholick Princes should make a separate Peace they would be left a Sacrifice to France But whilst these debates lasted both Parties began to make greater Preparations than ever for the Prosecution of the War Campaign of 1697. The King's Power appear'd more formidable than it did nine Years ago for he had more Money more Troops and better Officers than at the beginning of the War His Forces both in Garrisons and in the Field were counted to consist of four hundred and twenty thousand Men to wit three hundred and fifty Thousand Foot and threescore and ten Thousand Horse without reckoning those Employed in the Sea-Service who were no less considerable this Year than at any time before the King having applied all his Care to Arm in all his Ports and Equip all the biggest and best of his Ships The Confederates on the other side having taken a resolution to make their last Efforts this Campaign the Prince of Orange King William III. and the Dutch made a defensive League with the King of Denmark by Vertue of which he was obliged to furnish them with a certain number of Troops and a Squadron of Men of War But in the midst of all these vast Preparations the Plenipotentiaries of all the Princes that were engag'd in this Bloody War began to open the Conferences for the Conclusion of the Peace Delft and the Hague were pitch'd upon for the Places of Residence of these Ministers and the Castle of Riswick which lies betwixt these two Places to hold their Conferdnces in A considerable time before the opening of these Conferences Neutrallty proposed for Catalonia a Negotiation had been set on Foot at Turin to conclude a Neutrality for Catalonia The Spaniards cannot be more sensibly touch'd in any part of their Dominions than in Catalonia which lying so near to the Center of the Kingdom and Danger threatning from that side puts the People of Spain into a Ferment which is more dreadful among the Spaniards than other Nations The King of Spain wanted the necessary Funds for the carrying on of the War the Duke of Savoy having not disbanded any of his Troops either because matters were thus concerted betwixt our Court and him or because he intended to improve the present Conjuncture to his Advantage the Spaniards could draw but few of their Troops out of the Milaneze The Confederates had no Fleet in the Mediterranean and were consequently not in a Condition to succour them with any of their Troops in Catalonia besides that these Foreign Auxiliaries prov'd more troublesome to the Inhabitants than the Enemy considering all these disadvantages the Council of Spain were inclin'd to accept of this Neutrality if it had not been represented to them by the Emperor's Ministers that if our King should be freed at once from the War both near the Alpes and the Pyrenean Mountains it would be so great an Addition to his Strength that the Confederacy would be reduc'd to a necessity of preventing their Ruin by the Conclusion of a disadvantageous Peace These Considerations were so prevailing with the Spaniards that they neglected their own Interest for that of the Confederacy and refused to accept of the Neutrality with Catalonia The glorious success of
the rest of the Confederates to follow his Example Accordingly the Peace was Sign'd with Spain England and Holland on the twentieth day of September and with Germany about six Weeks after Among other Conditions Peace Concluded one was either did propose to the Emperour one was either to keep Strasburgh and to give an Equivalent or else to keep the Equivalent and to restore Strasburgh and that in case the Empire did not within a certain limited Time accept of the Equivalent he would be at his own Liberty to alter the whole Conditions of the Peace The Imperial Cities opposed the Session of Strasburgh and were seconded by most of the Electors who knowing that the Places offered as an Equivalent for Strasburgh must be surrendred into the Emperour's hands were not a Iâ—tâ—le Jealous of this increase of his Power The Circles of Suabia and the Vpper Rhine made their Complaints against it alledging that if our King was left in the possession of Strasburgh they would be forced to keep even in time of Peace a good number of Troops on Foot for their defence against so Potent a Neighbour Whilst these Contests were in agitation in the Empire our King at the Intercession of the Prince of Orange K. William III. granted a further delay that by the Interposition of the said Prince and the Hollanders the Germans might be prevail'd upon to grant the absolute Possession of Strasburgh to him They succeeded so well in this Negotiation that at last this Famous City which had been so long the main obstacle of the Peace was at last surrendred for ever to France Our King restored to Spain all that had been taken from them since the Conclusion of the Peace of Nimeghen The young Duke of Lorrain was restored to his Estate under certain Conditions The Elector of Treves put again into possession of his Capital City of the same Name And to remove for the future all Pretences of Contest betwixt the Empire and France it was agreed that the Rhine should be the common Boundary betwixt these two Nations That France was to remain in Possession of what they had Conquer'd on the other side of this River and to restore or demolish all Places on this side King James II. K. Will. a knowledged as King by France having several times requested our King not to delay any time to put a happy Conclusion to he General Peace of Europe in respect of his particular Interest William III. Prince of Orange was acknowledg'd King of Great Britain by the French Plenipotentiaries Let us trace the most authentick Monuments of Time Let us view the most antient Histories of all Nations to be convinced whether they can furnish us with an Example parallel to the Greatness of our King Will not Posterity stand amazed when they Read that there has been a King in France who alone for ten years together has been powerful enough to carry on a War against so many and great Enemies with such Success France never was fensible of its own Strength till now but it must be confess'd that it is owing to the Conduct of their Prince who knows how to improve it to the best Advantage FINIS ERRATA ' s. PAge 2. for of famous Victories read of two famous Victories p. 3 f. revived r. revive p. 6. f. Clove r. Clou. p. 8. f. Command r. Commands p. 22. f. real Esteem r. so real an Esteem p. 27. f. this Trust r. his Trust p. 57. f. Eruption r. Irruption p. 59. f. into to r. into f. Justice on the Just r. Justice on account of the Just. ibid. on the Dutchy r. upon the Dutchy p. 61. f. but besides the r. but the. p. 70. f. that his r. that by his ibid. f. received r. revived p. 80. f. having a disgust r. having taken a disgust p. 83. f. adjudging r. as judging p. 99. f. hazard r. hazards p. 112. inst of where r. wherein p. inst of Flanders and Spain r. Flanders in Spain p. 118. inst of the Inner Guard r. Rear-Guard p. 121. f. and buries r. and to bury p. 123. f. so strong r. too p. 124. f. to their Charge r. to the Charge p. 126. inst of Port r. Post p. 135. inst of Count Calva r. Count Calvo p. 147. f. himself a brave r. himself as a brave p. 152. f. small and troublesome r. cruel and troublesome p. 156. f. of Glacis and Counter sharp r. Glacis of the Countersharp p. 159. f. some new time r. new ones p. 171. f. Nimiguen r. Nimheguen p. 174. f. whilst they pretended r. whilst others pretended ib. f. Ports r. Parts p. 175. f. Irreconciliable r. Amicable p. 176. f. to Generosity r. of Generosity p. 180. f. to the Souvereign r. to Sovereigns p. 181. f. by King and Council r. by the King and his Council ibid. f. pointed Contests r Point in Contest p. 182. f. which is r. such is p. 187. f. Bishops the r. Bishops and when the. p. 189. f. violent must r. violent means p. 192. f. But the r. But as the. p. 295. f. of the Decision to the Pope r. to the Decision of the Pope p. 197. f. and been read r. and having been ibid. f. not forced r. not only forced ibid. f. giving r. given p. 199. f. this r. his p. 214. f. Wall-court r. Wallcour p. 249. f. Patteroons r. Pontroons p. 252. f. Confusion r. Concussion p. 260. f. was so r. was not come so p. 261. f. Genove r. Genova ib. f. Forest r. Brest p. 262. f. were great r. were no great p. 267. f. Cardaign r. Sardaign p. 268. f. Men with r. Men flush'd with ib. f. that their Enterprizes r. that Enterprizes p. 273. f. or of Prince r. or Prince p. 276. f. who also r. who at p. 279. f. Cologne r. St. Olonne p. 281. f. all common Cattle r. all the Cattle p. 284. f. all that r. at that p. 294. f. actually r. coually ibid. f. Coll. Johnson r. Cardinal Johnson p. 294 f. till he had r. till they had ibid. f. Malehoor r. Melchior p. 302. f. Forts r. Ports p. 302. f. as chiefly r. chiefly
THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT TILL THE General Peace Concluded at RESWICK In the YEAR 1697. By Mr. LE GENDRE Made English from the third Edition of the French LONDON Printed for D. Brown at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar Th. Leigh and D. Midwinter at the Rose and Crown and Robert Knaplock at the Angel and Crown both in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX THE PREFACE TWO Great Men being at this time Employ'd in Writing the History of our King 't is for their most Excellent Pieces the Publick ought to reserve their Admiration mine being in comparison of theirs but an Essay It is from their most Skilful Pen the Curious must expect to be enlightned in Matters of the greatest Moment I being ready to submit the whole to their Judgment It is to them I appeal as to the true Judges of History and what Difficulties are to be surmounted to merit the Name of a good Historian His Stile ought to be lively and natural and to have an equal mixture of Sweetness and Purity He ought to have an equal Share of Wit and Judgment to represent Matters with the utmost Fidelity and an undaunted Courage to unmask Vice and give due Praise to vertuous Actions These great Talents requisite in an Historian made me tremble at the very Thougts of this Undertaking till a certain Friend of mine a Person of extraordinary Merits and Parts did in some measure recover me from the Fear that seised me representing to me that such a Combination of Perfections must be considered and numbred among those imaginary Accomplishments which are made use of in Sciences to encourage us to such great Undertakings as are sought after by many but attained to by few But if it be so great a Task to write a general History how much more difficult is it to write the History of our Time to give it a true Relish that agreeable Variety and other Embellishments by which the antient Historians have rendred their Names so Famous to Posterity They had frequent Opportunities to give most ample Demonstrations of their Eloquence in these magnificent Harangues which are to be met with in their Works under the Names of their Great Captains who before they Engaged in Battle used to Animate their Troops by representing to them the Justice of their Cause and to Encourage them with certain hopes of Victory Our Princes and Generals have laid aside this Way of Addressing themselves to their Soldiers which takes away from our Modern Historians the Advantage of Embellishing their Historical Relations with these agreeable Diversions and Events which surprise the Reader and which are of no small Moment to take away the Tediousness of the Relations of the many Sieges and Battles which happen in a long War without any other mixture of pleasing Varieties When the antient Historians represent to us a Great Minister of State in the Cabinet of his Prince or an Assembly of Wise Senatours deliberating in Council concerning some Affairs of the greatest Moment they lay hold of this Opportunity to unfold the whole Mystery of the Matrer and to lay it open to the view of the Reader and by their different Advice to discover all the Craft and Intrigues of the most refined Politicians These pretended Discoveries have a secret Charm which is infinitely pleasing to many who measure the Ability of an Historian by his Insight into Matters of State and by his diving into the Events of Things from far fetch'd Causes A Prejudice common to the greatest Part of Mankind who imagine that Princes never act according to their Inclinations but are only guided by some more secret Motives just as if Great Men by being placed in a high Station were divested of these Passions incident to the rest of Mankind But howsoever it be it is unquestionable that he who intends to give us a History of our Time cannot in any wise pretend to give entire Satisfaction to these conceited Politicians For how is it possible to imagine that a private Person should be able to discover the Secrets of the Cabinets of Princes which Time only can bring to light And supposing some of them were by chance come to his Knowledge with what face could he publish them to the World From whence it is evident that all what is to be expected from an Historian who writes the History of our Time is to give us as faithful Relation as possible can be of the Events of Things and to represent them to the Reader in their due order and places and to insert their Causes as far as they came to his Knowledge This is the whole Design of this Treatise to wit to represent to the Reader a true Idea of the Reign of our King which may serve them as a Guide to their own Judgment what Rank this Great Monarch deserves to be placed in among those Great Men whom God has raised up from time to time for the Felicity of the People and the Glory of the Common-wealth For these thirty Years last past our King has been the Admiration of all Europe even his Enemies not refusing to pay due Praises to His Great Actions and these Powerful and unsuccessful Leagues against France are the most Glorious and undeniable Instances not only of his Strength but also of his Merits and Great Qualifications THE CONTENS A. ABbeville a Physician of this City Cures the King Pag. 14 Academies of Sciencies of Painting Sculptures Architecture and Musick Establish'd by the King p. 53 Agousta taken p. 137. Near the Port of this Place Admiral Ruiter was killed in a Sea Engagement p. 137 Alexander VII Pope of Rome his Character before his Exhaltation p. 43 He Sollicits Spain for Succours p. 42 He orders the Subscription of the Formular against the five Propositions of Jansenius p. 75 Algier Bombarded three several times demands Peace p. 172 Alliance betwixt England Sweden and Holland call'd the Tripple-Alliance p. 67 Alost opens its Gates p. 65 Alsace the Viscount Turenne forces the Germans to a retreat from thence is granted to the King p. 165 173 Ambassadours and other foreign Ministers to the number of thirty are present at the Solemn Audience given by the King to the Marquis de la Fuente p. 37 Ambassadours of Muscovy and Guinea p. 79 Ambrun surrendred after a Siege of six days p. 242 Anjou Philip of France Duke of Anjou p. 285 Appeal to the next General Council p. 202 Arnheim surrendred after one days opening of the Trenches p. 92 Arts the King encourages all manner of Arts and Sciences p. 53 Asfeld Baron of defends Bonn with great Bravery p. 218 Aeth taken p. 65 p. 293 Avaux Anthony de Mesme Count de Avaux French Ambassadour at the Treaty of Nimhegen p. 166 Aubusson George d' demands and obtains Satisfaction from the King of Spain about the Enterprize of the Baron of Batteville p. 35 Aubusson Francis d' Duke of Fevillade Marshal of France p. 162 Aumont Anthony d' Marshal of
France takes Courtray Dixmuyden Furnes and Armentiers p. 65 Ausburgh League made against France here p. 193 Austria Ann of Queen of France the King's Mother and Queen Regent after the Death of Lewis XIII p. 2 Chuses the Cardinal Mazarine her Chief Minister p. 3 She is very desirous to marry the King with the Infanta of Spain p. 15 She presses the Spaniards to give Satisfaction to the King about the Just Pretensions of the Queen p. 64 Her Death p. ib. Austria Maria Theresia of Queen of France Spouse to LEWIS the Great p. 20 Makes her publick Entry in Paris p. 21 Her Just Pretensions upon some of the Provinces of the Low Countries p. 61 Nullity of her Resignation to the Succession of Spain p. 62 63 Her Death p. 170 B. Baden Prince Lewis of Baden Commands upon the Rhine Entrenches himself at the approach of the Dauphin p. 246 Had obtained two great Victories against the Turks p. ibid. Was one of the Candidates for the Crown of Poland p. 296 Barcelona besieged and defended with the utmost Bravery p. 305 Battles of Roeroy Rotheleiler Friburgh Nortlingen and Lintz p. 3 Of St. Anthony p. 5 Of St. Godard p. 57 Of Senef p. 117 Of Sintzheim p. 123 Of Entsheim p. 125 Of Turkheim p. 128 Of Cassel p. 146 Near Epoville p. 151 Of Flerus p. 219 Of St. Denis p. 163 Near the Boyne p. 224 Of Steenkirk p. 239 Of Neerwinden p. 248 Of Marsaglia p. 250 Near the River Ter. p. 258 Batteville Ambassadour of Spain his Enterprize against the Count Estrades the French Ambassadour p. 33 Bavaria Maria Victoria of Bavaria married to Lewis Dauphin of France p. 171 She has three Sons Her Death p. 285 Bavaria Charlott Elizabeth of Bavaria Dutchess of Orleance her Pretensions to the Succession of the Elector Palatine her Brother p. 194 Bavaria Maximilian II. Elector and Duke of Bavaria declares in favour of the Allies p. 207 He Assists with his Troops at the Siege of Mayence p. 216 Is present at the Great Council held at the Hague p. 226 Is made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands during Life p. 235 Commands the Spanish Troops at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 And at Neerwinden And all the following Campaigns p. 248 p. ibid. Bavaria Prince Clement of Brother to the Elector is elected Archbishop of Cologne when he was seventeen years old p. 201 Beauvilliers Paul Duke of Beauvilliers Governour of the Children of France p. 285 Beaumont taken by the Allies p. 228 Bellefonds Bernhard de Gigaut Marshal of France p. 66 Berry Charles of France Duke of Berry p. 285 Besanson Besieged and taken by the King p. 116 Brisseleau Francis defends Limerick in Ireland p. 225 Bombardment of Tripoli and Algiers p. 171 172 Of Genoa p. 172 Of Pignerol p. 250 Of St. Malo p. 252 p. 267 Of Diepe p. 261 Of Havre de Grace p. 262 Of Calais p. 262 268 Of Dunkirk p. 261 260 Of Brussels p. 273 Bonn taken by the Allies p. 218 Bossuet Jacobus Benignus Bishop of Meaux Preceptor of the Dauphine p. 170 Bouchern taken by the Duke of Orleance p. 134 Bouflers Lewis Francis Duke of Bouflers Marshal of France defends Namur p. 271 Commands one of the great Armies in Flanders p. 279 Bourbon Lewis Duke of Bourbon Son to Julius Prince of Conde signalizes himself at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 And of Neerwinden p. 248 Bournaville Prince of General of the Imperialists put to flight by the Viscount of Turenne p. 124 Brahe Count of Swedish Ambassadour in England what hapned at his publick Entry p. 33 Brandenburgh Frederick William Elector of go's into the Campaign to assist the Hollanders p. 99 Repasses the Weser upon the approach of the French Army p. 100 Makes Peace p. 101 Takes up Arms a second time p. 102 126 His success against the Swedes p. 159 Is obliged to restore what he had Conquer'd from the Swedes p. 160 161 Brandenburgh Frederick II. takes Keyserswert p. 215 Born p. 218 Reinforces the Army of the Allies after the Battle of Fleurus p. 220 Brisac A Chamber establish'd at Brisac p. 274 Bulls refused by Pope Innocent XI to those Bishops that had assisted at the Assembly of Clergy in the Year 1682. p. 187 Burgundy Lewis Duke of Burgundy Eldest Son of Lewis Dauphin of France p. 285 Burgundy The King obliges the King of Spain not to make use for the future of that Title p. 177 Burick Surrendred p. 87 C. Cadees Establishment of the Academies of Cadees p. 168 Calais The King falls dangerously ill in this Place p. 13 Bombarded See Bombardment of the French Callieres Francis Lord of Negotiates at the Hague p. 291 Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Reswick p. ibid. Calvinism its first Origin Progress and Suppression in France p. 75 187 Calvo Francis Count of defends Mastricht p. 135 Cambray The City and Cittadel taken by the King p. 135 Campaigns of 1667. p. 65 Seq of 1672. p. 85 Of 1673. p. 101 Seq Of 1674. p. 113 Of 1675. p. 128 Of 1676. p. 134. Seq Camp of 1677. p. 139 Of 1678. p. 153 Of 1688. p. 203 Of 1689. p. 213 Of 1690. p. 218 Of 1691. p. 225 Of 1692. p. 231 Of 1693. p. 244 Of 1694. p. 253 Of 1695. p. 262 Of 1696. p. 276 Of 1697. p. 292 Campredon taken by the Marshal of Noailles p. 214 Caprara Count of General of the Imperialists p. 123 242 Carmagnole Surrendred p. 230 Carthagena taken and plundered by the French p. 307 Casal possess'd by the French p. 174 Is besieged by the Allies and dâ—molish'd p. 265 266 Castle Follet p. 264 Castile that Kingdom from before the Year 1017 only an Earldom p. 32 Catinat Nicolas de Marshal of France His Exploits in Savoy and Piedmont p. 223 230 250 Takes Aeth in Flanders p. 293 Cardaigne the Country of Conquer'd by the Duke of Noailles p. 229 Chenailly Marquiss of defends Grave with great Bravery p. 120 121 Charles II. King of Spain His Sickness p. 286 Charles II. King of England sells Dunkirk to the French King p. 47 48 Engages in a War against the Dutch p. 58 Enters with them into an Alliance p. 67 Declares War against them a second time p. 95 Makes Peace with them p. 110 Makes a new Alliance with Holland against France p. 153 Is acknowledged Mediator at the Peace of Nimhegen p. 157 Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain his Character Conduct in respect to the Spaniards p. 79 80 Defeats the Marshal of Crequy and takes him Prisoner in Treves p. 133 134 Charles V. Duke of Lorrain forced to repass the Rhine p. 151 Refuses the Alteration offered him by the King at the Treaty of Nimhegen p. 166 Charles Leopold his eldest Son is put in Possession of that Dutchy p. 309 Charleroy p. 265 100 149 Chartres Philip Duke of only Son of Philip of France Duke of Orleance is wounded at Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 Chigi Cardinal Legat sent into France to
Bishops of that Assembly p. 187 Is made Arbitrator by the King of the Succession in the Palatinate p. 195 Abolishes the Franchises of Quarters p. 190 Gives his Dispensation to Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 201 Interview of the French and Spanish Court p. 18 Invalides the Royal Hospital built near Paris p. 169 Ipres taken by the King p. 156 Ireland the King sends Succours into that Kingdom p. 214 L'Isle besieged by and surrendred to the King p. 66 K. Kayserswert taken by the Elector of Brandenburgh p. 215 Knock Fort the Allies lose above two thousand Men before it p. 269 L. Ladeburgh the Imperialists defeated by Tuâ—rene near this Place p. 124 Lagos about eighty Vessels were taken and burnt betwixt this place and Cadiz p. 245 246 Lavardin Marquiss of French Ambassadour at Rome p. 197 The Pope refuses him Audience p. 198 League against France betwixt the Emperour Spain and Denmark Holland and all the Princes of Germany except the Dukes of Bavaria and Hannover p. 107 111 League betwixt England and Holland against France p. 153 League of Ausburgh p. 193 League betwixt the Empire Spain England Holland and Savoy against France p. 207 p. 209 Leopold Ignatius Emperour of Germany desires Succours from the King p. 57 Enters in a League against France p. 107 Makes Peace with France p. 165 Makes a Truce with the King p. 177 Enters in another Alliance against him p. 193 Declares for the Election of Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 200 Makes Peace with France p. 308 Leuze Engagement near Leuze 229 Lewis XIII seises Lorrain p. 80 His War with the Hugonots p. 188 Lewis XIV sirnamed the Great his Birth p. 1 Troubles under his Minority p. 2 Is present at the Battle of St. Anthony p. 5 Falls dangerously ill at Calais p. 13 Marries the Infanta of Portugal p. 17 Enters Paris in Triumph p. 20 Lewis the Great his Divertisements p. 25 Obliges Spain to allow him the Precedency p. 37 Receives Satisfaction for the Affront put upon his Ambassadour at the Court of Rome p. 45 Causes a new Codex or Lambock to be compiled p. 52 Restores the decayed Commerce p. 56 Sends Succours to the Emperour p. 57 And to the Dutch p. 58 Lewis the Great besieges and takes Listle p. 66 Conquers the French Comte in eight days p. 68 Suppresles Jansinism p. 69 Builds Versailles p. 77 And takes Possession of Lorrain p. 81 LEWIS the Great declares War against Holland p. 85 His first Conquests p. 87 seq New Conquests p. 92 Draws the King of England from his Alliance with the Dutch p. 95 Besieges and takes Mastrick p. 103 seq Besieges and takes Besanson p. 114 Makes himself Master of the whole French Comte in one Months time p. 117 LEWIS the Great takes Conde p. 134 Sends Succours to Messina p. 136 Takes Valenciennes p. 142 The Town and Cittadel of Cambray p. 148 Ghent p. 156 Ipres p. ibid. Restores Peace to Europe p. 162 Erects the Academies for the Cadees p. 168 Builds the Hospital of the Invalides p. 169 Founds the Community of St. Cyr. p. ib. LEWIS the Great Chastises the Corsairs of Barbary p. 171 172 Genoeses p. ibid. Summons all his Vassals in Alsace to do him Homage p. 174 Goes to Strasburgh to receive in Person the Oath of Fidelity p. 175 Makes a Truce with the Emperour for twenty years p. 177 LEWIS the Great obliges the King of Spain to resign the Title of Duke of Burgundy p. 177 Causes Luxenburgh to be block'd up p. 178 Covers the Siege of Luxenburgh p. 179 Makes a Truce with Spain for twenty Years p. 180 Differences betwixt him and the Court of Rome p. ibid. He suppresses Calvinism in France p. 187 The whole Kingdom makes Vows for his Recovery p. 192 The Motives that obliged him to have recourse to Arms. p. 202 Takes Philipsburgh and the whole Palatinate p. 203 204 LEWIS the Great receives the King and Queen of England with an unparallell'd Generosity p. 213 Sends Succours into Ireland p. ib. Besieges and takes Mons. p. 228 The City and Cittadel of Namur p. 233 Being troubled with the Gout is carried in a Chair to all Places where his Presence was most necessary p. 236 The Prince of Conty Elected King of Poland by his Encouragement and Protection p. 299 Restores Peace to Europe p. 307 Limburgh taken by Henry Julius Prince of Conde p. 128 Limerick in Ireland bravely defended by the French p. 225 The English obliged to raise the Siege ibid. Limits see Differences Lines what they are p. 249 New Lines drawn from the Shelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side p. 268 Longueville Duke of kill'd p. 98 Longe Alphonse de Durasford Duke de Lorges Marshal of France makes good his Retreat against the Imperialists after the Death of Turenne p. 132 Takes Heidelbergh p. 246 Louvois see Tellier Luxenburgh block'd up p. 178 Besieged p. 179 Taken p. ib. Luxenburgh Francis Henry de Montmorancy Duke de Pency Luxenburgh Peer and Marshal of France takes Groll Deventer and all the Places in the Province of Over-Yssle p. 93 Obliges the Prince of Orange to raise the Siege of Voerden p. 97 Repulses the Dutch at St. Denis p. 163 Beats the Allies at Flerus p. 219 Leuze p. 229 Steenkirk p. 239 At Neerwinden p. 248 His Death p. 270 M. Machin or Engine made use of by the English against St. Malo p. 252 Maine Lewis Augustus Duke de Maine Commands the French Cavalry at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 St. Malo see Bombardment Manheim a strong Place in the Palatinate p. 204 Marcin Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Forces marches to the Relief of L' Isle p. 66 Is Routed p. ibid. Mardick a Fort. p. 13 Maria Theresia Queen of France see Austria Maria Adelhida Dutches of Burgundy see Savoy Marsal granted to the King p. 80 Mastrick besieged by the King p. 103 Taken p. 106 Besieged by the Prince of Orange p. 135 Mayence besieged p. 215 Taken p. 217 Mazarine Julius Cardinal Premier Minister under the Regency of the Queen Mother p. 2 His Conference with Don Lewis de Haro p. 18 His Death p. 22 Mehaigne a small River near Namur p. 235 Messina shakes off the Spanish Yoke p. 136 Metz Chamber of Re-union established at Metz. p. 174 Mirc-Court the ordinary Place of Residence of Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain p. 81 Missionaries preach among the Calvinists p. 189 Mons besieged and taken by the King p. 228 Montausier Charles Duke of Peer of France Governour to Lewis Dauphine p. 170 Montmelian taken p. 231 Montecuculi Count of his Character p. 129 Munster Bernhard-van Galen Bishop of invades Holland p. 58 Joyns his Troops with the French in the Dutch War p. 93 Declares against France p. 111 N. Namur besieged by the King and taken p. 233. Besieged by the Allies p. 271 Nancy fortified by the King p. 107 Naerden a small Place in Holland
p. 92 Noailles Philip de Montaut Duke de Noailles Marshal of France p. 149 Newburgh Duke of his Character p. 193 Cabals against France p. ibid. Presses the Emperour to conclude a Peace with the Turks p. 194 Endeavours to make one of his Sons Coadjutor of Cologne p. 199 Neutrality proposed for the French Comte p. 113 For Catalonia p. 289 Refused by the Allies but accepted for Italy p. 283 Nice taken p. 230 Nimhegen taken p. 94 Chosen for the Place of Treaty of Peace p. 157 Noailles Ann Julius Duke of Peer and Marshal of France Commands in Catalonia takes Campredon p. 214 Roses p. 245 Palamos p. 259 Gironne p. 269 Gains the Battle of Ter. p. 258 Noailles James Lieutenant General of the French Gallies signalizes himself at the Siege of Barcelona p. 302 Orange William III. Prince of Entrenches himself near the Issel p. 88 Besieges Voerden p. 97 Charleroy twice p. 101 149 Oudernard p. 120 Mastrick p. 135 His overthrow near Voerden p. 97 Near Senef p. 117 And near Cassel p. 146 Orange Prince of his Exploits takes Naerden p. 108 Bonn. p. ibid. Grave p. 120 O. Orange Prince of makes a Descent in England and is received with great Acclamation p. 211 Is Crown'd and acknowledged lawful King by the Emperour King of Spain and the rest of the Roman Catholick Confederate Princes and in general by all the Protestant Princes p. 212 Orleance Philip of France Duke of takes Orsoy p. 87 Besieges St. Omer p. 147 Takes it p. ibid. Defeats the Prince of Orange near Cassel p. 146 Oudernard the Siege of Oudernard raised p. 120 Oudewater a small Place in Holland p. 92 P. Peace see Treaty Palamos taken p. 259 Palatinate Conquer'd by the Dauphin p. 204 Palatine see Newburgh Palermo see Sea-fight Pamiers Bishop of makes his Complaint to Pope Innocent XI concerning the Regale p. 182 Philip IV. King of Spain conducts in Person the Infanta his Daughter to St. John de Luz p. 18 Resigns the Precedency to our King p. 37 Philipsburgh taken by the Enemy p. 139 Retaken by the Dauphin p. 203 Piedmont Conquest in Piedmont p. 230 231 Pignerol bombarded by the Allies p. 250 Pimentel Don Antonio d' employed to conclude the Marriage betwixt the Infanta of Spain and the King p. 18 Pisa see Treaty Plate the King's Plate employed to the use of the War p. 78 Plenipotentiaries assembled at Nimhegen p. 157 Frankfurt p. 175 176 At Reswick p. 291 Ponty the Sieur d' takes Carthagena in America p. 307 Poland the Diet for the chusing a King of Poland p. 295 Polignac Melchior d' French Ambassadour in Poland p. 299 Precedency disputed to France by Spain p. 33 Propositions the five Propositions of Janson condemned by Innocent X. and Alexander VII p. 72 73 R. Ratisbonne see Diet. Ravensberg ravaged p. 101 Regale in what it consists the King's Declaration about it p. 180 181 Renunciation Nullity of the Queens Renunciation to the Succession of Spain p. 62 p. 63 Re-Unions of the Dependencies in Alsace and the three Bishopricks by the Chambers of Brisac and Metz. p. 174 Revolution in England p. 210 Rhineberg surrendred p. 87 Rhine an account of the passing the Rhine p. 88 Richelieu Cardinal of p. 3 Reswick Situate betwixt Delft and the Hague the Place of Conference for the General Peace p. 288 Rome Affairs of Rome p. 180 seq Roses taken p. 245 Ruiter Admiral of Holland miscarries at Martinico p. 122 Defeated by Duquesne p. 137 Mortally wounded p. ibid. S. Salines taken p. 116 Saluzze opens its Gates p. 224 St. Andrew Fort of p. 92 St. Ann Fortress of p. 116 St. Brigit Fort of p. 250 St. Cyr a Community of three hundred young Ladies p. 169 St. Guillaine taken p. 152 St. Jean de Luz p. 18 St. Malo see Bombardment St. Omer besieged by the Duke of Orleance p. 147 Surrendred p. ibid. Saverne besieged in vain by the Enemy p. 132 Savoy Victor Amadeus II. Duke of joins with the Allies p. 209 His Defeat see Battles Enters Dauphine p. 242 Enters Casal p. 265 Makes Peace with France p. 283 Besieges Valenza in the Milaneze p. ibid. Savoy Maria Adelaida Princess of Dutchess of Burgundy is conducted into Erance in order to her Marriage p. 284 Savoy Dukedom of Conquer'd by the King p. 224 Saxony Frederick Augustus Elector of Saxony proclaimed King of Poland by the Bishop of Cujavia p. 300 Saxony Duke of Saxe Eusenach Commander in Chief of some German Troops saves himself in one of the Islands of the Rhine p. 150 Desires a Pass-port for a safe Retreat ibid. Schomberg Marshal Duke of his Exploits p. 122 Relieves Mastrick p. 135 Is kill'd at the Battle of the Boyne p. 225 Sea-Fights p. 3 60 p. 95 110 p. 222 137 p. 220 Seq p. 232 seq Shel-stadt p. 107 Shenkenshantz Fort of p. 92 Sobieski John III. his Elevation to the Crown of Poland Relieves Vienna p. 295 Sobieski Prince James one of the Candidates for the Crown of Poland p. 296 Spain its Grandeur under Philip II. p. 31 Resigns the Precedency to France p. 137 Refuses to give Satisfaction about the just Pretensions of the Queen p. 65 Enters into all the Confederacy's made against France p. 107 Spires p. 204 Strasburgh submits to the King p. 107 Sweden's Mediation of the Peace p. 112 Has all the Places restored p. 159 Swiss refuse to enter into the Confederacy p. 208 T. Tellier Michael Chancellour of France p. 50 Tellier Michael Francis Marquiss of Louvois Minister and Secretary of State his Character p. 51 Thoulouse Lewis Alexander Count de Thoulouse wounded near the King at the Siege of Namur p. 236 Tournay surrended p. 65 Tourville Ann Hilarion de Constantine Count of Vice-Admiral and Marshal of France engages and beats the Confederate Fleets of England and Holland is worsted by them see Sea-Fights Takes and Burns eighty Merchant-Men of the Enemies p. 245 246 Treaties the Pyrenean Treaty p. 18 Of Pisa p. 45 Of Breda p. 60 At Cleves p. 59 At Aixe la Chapelle p. 68 Of Nimhegen p. 162 Of Peace with Savoy p. 283 Of Reswick p. 308 Treves seised upon by the King p. 107 Taken by the Allies p. 133 Taken by the French p. 204 Tripoli see Bombardment Tromp Admiral of Holland p. 122 Truce of twenty years p. 177 Turks routed by the French near St. Godard p. 57 Turenne Henry de la Tour de Auvergne Viscount de gains the Battle of St. Anthony See Battles Commands under the King in the year 1667 His Victories in Germany See Campaigns Is killed by a Cannon Shot Is magnificently buried at the King's Charge p. 131 V. Valence Siege of p. 283 Valenciennes taken by Assault p. 142 Vaudemont Prince of his Retreat p. 270 Vendosme Lewis Joseph Duke de signalizes himself at Steenkirk p. 239 Commands in Catalonia his Exploits p. 280 Defeats the Viceroy of Catalonia p. 303 Besieges and takes Barcelona p. 305 Varjus Count de Crecy see Plenipotentiaries Versailles
at last it began to be discoursed at Court that the King was to Marry the Princess of Savoy whose Picture being presented to him he took such liking to it that he resolv'd to take a journey to Lyons to see her in Person The Queen was overjoy'd at this Journey in hopes that her Brother would once more consider of the matter and when he found himself in danger of missing this opportunity to shew henceforward as much inclination for the match as he had been opposite to it before Neither did she find her self frustrated in her hopes her wish being accomplished when she expected it least The Spaniards had during this War which lasted four and twenty Years sustained great losses they had been vanquished in six Field Fights and three Sea Engagements besides that they had lost above fifty places of note and the whole Kingdom of Portugal not to mention our Conquests in Germany and those of our Allies together with the many Encounters in most of which they had been miserably beaten By these so terrible and frequent misfortunes the Spanish Monarchy was reduced to so low an ebb that to recover its strength it stood in absolute need of a Peace and the People of Spain being quite exhausted cry'd aloud for it and in terms so pressing that the Council of Spain being cured of its former Repugnancy He Marries the Infanta Maria Theresia Eldest Daughter to Philip IV. King of Spain thought it most advisable to send an Ambassador to offer the Infanta in Marriage to the King It must be confess'd that none of these Obstacles which had hitherto retarded the Marriage were remov'd but it seems the present Exigency was judged more urgent than the danger that was to come or perhaps the Spaniards had raised these difficulties only with an Intention to try whether thereby they might obtain the better conditions of Peace The Queen was so desirous of this Match that it was easie to read the satisfaction she received by the Arrival of the Spanish Ambassador Pimentel with the Propositions in her Face the Articles were very near the same which had been proposed by our Court and every thing being thus agreed to the mutual satisfaction of both Parties it was judged convenient that the Cardinal and Don Lewis de Haro the Chief Ministers of State of both Crowns should have an interview upon the Frontiers to put the finishing stroak to this great Work The Treaties being signed on both sides Interview of the French and Spanish Courts the French Court took a Progress to St. John de Luz to meet the Infanta The King her Father had conducted her thither in Person partly to pay the more respect to our King and partly to take this opportunity to see the Queen his Sister Nothing can be imagined more magnificent than this interview Where-ever you turn'd your Eyes June 6 1660. there was nothing to be seen but the Pomp and Lustre of Precious Stones Gold and Silver every one there present striving to out-do the other in richness and magnificent Apparel with this remarkable difference however that the behaviour of the Spaniards appear'd far short from what was to be observed in our Court. The Politicians who are not so soon dazled with the outward Lustre of Things which are only invented to blind the Eyes of the Common People made certain Remarks at that time upon the appearance of these two Courts from whence they drew certain Presages and erected the Horoscope of both the Empires Our King was then about one and twenty years of Age of a vigorous Constitution Active Vigilant all his Designs tending to Glorious Actions whose principal care was to be always engaged in Affairs of State his Court was composed of Men of the first Rank not inferiour to any in Europe either at the head of an Army or to manage the secrets of the Cabinet besides which there was among all these Princes and other Persons of Quality not one but what made it his chief Ambition to serve him to the utmost of his Power and to sacrifice his Life for the Glory of his King and the welfare of his Country This Noble Emulation was the happy fore-runner of all the brave Actions performed afterwards under the Conduct of so great a King the more because France being a Kingdom abounding in Riches and all other Things Two Years Peace seem'd to be sufficient to repair its losses and to make it more flourishing than before On the contrary in the Spanish Court there was not the same appearance of Prosperity but only the slender remainders of a State that once when in its Splendour had made so great a noise in the World Their King was advanced in Years minding nothing so much as his rest Most of the Grandees had scarce been without the compass of the City of Madrid and were so fond of their own Interests as to look with a very indifferent Eye upon that of the Publick His Treasury was exhausted and the Kingdom destitute both of good Troops and expert Generals at least they had very few who had acquir'd any great Reputation abroad since the Prince of Conde who by his Valour and Conduct had for seven or eight Years upheld the tottering Fortune of that Crown was return'd to his Duty and came into France with all those brave French Volunteers of his Party Without calling to aid the assistance of the Stars it was no very difficult task to foretel in making a due comparison betwixt these two Crowns that one in all likelihood would lay the foundation of her greatness upon the ruins of the other After the Marriage of the King with the Infanta At St. John de Luz June 9th 1660. every thing was prepairing for our return to Paris All along the Road she was received by the King's Order with all the demonstrations of Honour and Respect but the Triumphs in the Provinces thro' which they passed were only the fore-runners of what they were to see in the City of Paris where every thing was prepar'd with an incredible Magnificence for the reception of their new Queen thereby to raise in her at the beginning of her Reign a high esteem of the Power and Riches of a Kingdom which a Foreign War of thirty Years and the Intestine broils of six Years had not been able to drain of its Wealth The King and Queen make their Entry in Paris Aug. 26 1660. Since the first beginning of this Monarchy there never appear'd a more glorious day in France The Streets thro' which they passed were covered with rich Tapestries the Gates adorned with Greens and Flowers the Windows and Balconies on both sides with the finest Carpets in the Squares and Market-places were erected Triumphal Arches beautified with Statues and Paintings not inferiour to what the old Rome could have produced when at the highest pitch of its Glory Besides this there was an incredible number of people flock'd hither from all parts of Europe
ranged on both sides of the Streets upon the Scaffolds that were built for that purpose before the Houses all which together made up so glorious a Show as is easier to be imagined than described All the Princes and other persons of Quality had spared no cost not only in their own Apparrel but also in their Equipages and Servants to the highest degree of profusion The Queen appear'd in a Chariot the King with all the Lords of his Court on Horseback in an Equipage so magnificent that nothing was ever seen or heard of which bore the least comparison to this glorious Cavalcade It was computed that the Charges bestowed on this occasion by particular Persons amounted to ten Millions of Livres every one striving to raise his Fortune by giving the King the most ample Proofs of their Zeal for his Honour and Service They were at a great distance met by the Acclamations of the People who wished the King a long and prosperous Reign As they passed thro' the Streets the Eyes of all the Spectators were fix'd upon him so that it might be truly said they had no Eyes but for him and scarce had he pass'd by in one place but the People run round about to meet him again and to see him as often as possibly they could Others may boast what they will of Honours these Superficial Ceremonies cannot come in the least in competition with those hearty wishes and vows which the People sent after him as he passed thro' the City it being certain that every one had so a real esteem and affection for his Person being prepossess'd with this opinion That one day he would be one of the greatest Princes that ever mounted the French Throne Neither was it long before they were sufficiently convinc'd that they had not been unfortunate in their guess when the King began to take the Reins of the Government into his own Hands and to manage the State Affairs by his own Conduct after the Death of Cardinal Mazarin who did not survive the conclusion of the Peace longer than ten Months This great Minister of State died when he was risen to the Pinacle of his Glory Cardinal Mazarin died March 9 1661. happy in that he had Triumph'd both over his own and the Enemies of the State and more happy still in that he had forced the first to acknowledge his great Deserts and the others to restore Peace to the Kingdom in a manner as glorious to himself as it was beneficial to the State AN ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB II. BY the Death of the Cardinal Things were left in such confusion that The King takes the Administration of the Government into his own Hands notwithstanding the extraordinary Idea the people had conceived of the King 's great Ability they cou'd scarce imagine that a Prince then hardly two and twenty years old would venture to take upon himself so heavy a burthen or if he did it would scarce be possible for him to bear it but they were soon convinc'd of their mistake for the King in four or five Years time setled the Government upon so firm a Basis that for above these thirty Years past he has govern'd the Kingdom in great Tranquility without the assistance of a Chief Minister has been Victorious over his Enemies and restored Prosperity to the Kingdom a convincing instance that a Man may sometimes be Master of his own Fortune at least thus much is certain that Fortune will not be of long continuance if not upheld and managed by a dextrous Hand The first thing he did was to regulate his time and to prescribe himself certain Rules and Maxims of State gathered partly from the most famous Princes in former Ages partly from the Advice of the most quick-sighted of his Council He was so far from being check'd in his Glorious designs by the fatigues that must needs attend the management of publick Affairs that on the contrary these served only for a better relish of the Enjoyment of his Pleasures There was never a day but he imployed five or six Hours with his Ministers who were to give him an exact account of every particular transaction that passed in the Government He gave constantly once or twice a Week Audience to every Body was present at all the Councils and if any thing of great moment was to be debated there he would retire into his Closet to ruminate so long upon the matter till he had chosen what he judged most advisable to be done But notwithstanding his constant application to business it is not to be imagined His Divertisements that he renounced the enjoyment of his pleasures The heavier the burthen of publick Affairs laid upon his Shoulders the more requisite it was to be relieved by some pleasant intervals The strength both of our Spirit and Body is not inexhaustible but limitted within certain bounds which if transgressed leave us destitute and void of Vigour At the beginning of his Reign there were always Rejoycings Feastings Balls Carousels and Running at the Ring at Court this young Prince taking an extraordinary delight to pass his spare time in such noble Exercises and Divertisements as have been always accounted to belong to Princes to dazle the Eyes of the People who are extreamly taken with these Things and commonly judge of the Power of the Prince by these outward appearances of Grandeur Never any Prince understood better how to manage this point to his own Advantage and how to make the Lusre of the Throne appear more Glorious in the Eyes of the People It must be confess'd that his Court has always been the publick School of Politeness and Magnificence notwithstanding which as his chief delight has been all his life time in managing his glorious Designs in order to bring them to a happy issue so his Divertisements were never enticeing enough to him to make him neglect the management of Publick Affairs And as young as he was when he took the Administration of the Government into his own Hands he shew'd as much Eagerness and Assiduity in Reforming the Disorders that were crept into the Government as he did for his Pleasures Happy Prince who remains Master of his Pleasures who is not so intoxicated with his Diversions but that he can make use of and leave them whenever he pleases He who makes himself a Slave to his Pleasures in lieu of enjoying those honourable Recreations which were invented for the Relaxation of our Minds and Bodies finds himself insensibly entangl'd by a Charm sufficient to corrupt all his generous Inclinations Among other Abuses that were crept into the Government He re-establishes good Order in the Treasury the Mis-management of the King's Revenues as it was most likely to draw after it very fatal Consequences so it wanted a speedy Redress these being the Nerves of the State which if defective in their Function the whole Body remains without Motion and Vigour There
had been for fifteen or sixteen Years last past prodigious Summs rais'd in the Kingdom notwithstanding which the Government was over-charg'd with Debts the People exhausted with Taxes the King's Revenues anticipated there being but a slender Share left for his present Use Besides that he ow'd to the Bankers above Thirty Millions of Livres It must be confess'd that besides the ordinary Charges there had been an absolute Necessity of keeping five Armies on foot at a time and the Civil War requir'd more than ordinary Charges to satisfie the greediness of the Great ones who for the greatest part put their Services and Interests to sale to those that bid most This was nevertheless not the Principal cause of these Disorders the true source of this evil was to be look'd for among the Managers and Farmers of the King's Revenues who keeping the rest from the knowledge of the true value of them Farmed them at half or a fourth part of what they were worth besides that if they were to advance any Money before it was due to supply the present Exigency of the State they were sure to make their own Market at so dear a Rate that it has been computed that sometimes out of a Million of Livres of the King 's ordinary Revenue there was not brought above two or three hundred thousand into the Exchequer These Extortions had been constantly practised against the King during his Minority partly by the connivence of those who had the management of it and consequently a share in the Booty partly by the pressing necessity of the State at a time when standing daily in need of the assistance of Monied Men it was not judged seasonable to dive too far into this Mystery of iniquity till after the Peace when there might be sufficient opportunity to remedy these abuses But the Sur Intendant or Overseer-General of the King's Revenues was more mindful of his own pleasures than this trust Yet was not this the only cause of those Disasters which befel him afterwards there were several other matters of complaint of the greatest consequence exhibited against him which deserved severe Punishment for he had caused a Seat beloning to him to be Fortified without having demanded or obtained leave for so doing and by the profusion of great Sums made himself Friends and enter'd into Cabals to avoid punishment But the King being resolv'd to strike at the root of the Evil caused him to be taken up and examined concerning such matters as were alledged against him whereof he was found guilty by his Judges This bold stroke managed with so much Prudence kept all the rest in awe the Cabal vanish'd insensibly and notwithstanding the vast sums the Sur Intendant had bestowed among the Great ones there was not one that durst appear in his behalf A convincing instance that a Confederacy founded barely upon interest is soon dissolved when the Wheel of Fortune changes and takes away the prospect of future Advantages The King having restor'd Tranquility to the Kingdom and being resolv'd to introduce an absolute Reformation in the Treasury chose for the management of his Revenues a Person well versed in business of this nature of an active Genius John Baptist Colbert Secretary of State Controuller-General of the Exchequer Chief Surveyor of the King's Buildings and Manufacturies exact in his Accounts and a Man of an unshaken Resolution to do Juftice without Partiality and immoveable to any thing that might in the least turn to the disadvantage of the State The Person I speak of was John Baptist Colbert afterwards Minister and Secretary of State a Man of an extraordinary Head-piece and who had such an insight into the management of publick Affairs that he gave innumerable Proofs of his great Capacity whilst he sat at the Helm For by the Conduct and indefatigable Care of this Minister Matters soon appear'd with quite another Face in the King's Treasury The Revenues of the Crown were Let to Farm according to their true Value without any respect to Favour or Interest The Salaries of the Officers were setled at a certain Rate Instead of those Officers who during the late Troublesome Times had abused their Commissions and under the pretext of their Titles pillaged the Country and enriched themselves with the Spoils of the People certain Commissioners were appointed to manage all Affairs of moment A Change so sudden and unexpected appear'd like an Enchantment to the People who were afraid that many Years could not redress an Evil which had taken so firm Root among the Courtiers so that by making due Reflections upon the Times past and comparing them with the present State of Affairs they fansy'd themselves to be transplanted into another Kingdom The King's Treasury was at once stor'd with Money and a just Account being made of the Extorsions and Frauds committed by the Managers of the Revenue it was found that instead of the King 's being indebted to the Bankers and Receivers they ow'd him vast Sums Their prodigious Riches and most magnificent Palaces which they had built in all Parts of France the Richness of their Furnitures the Extravagancy and Profuseness which were daily to be seen in their Houses and at their Tables not to speak of many other Things which being so many Monuments of their Pride and Luxury appear'd as so many Witnesses against them were without question more than sufficient to convict these People born for the most part to no Fortune of Extorsions and Depredations But the King being resolv'd to proceed against them in a Legal Way In December 1661. a Court of Justice was established by his Order composed of certain Judges chosen out of the several Parliaments of France who were to take Cognizance of all the Abuses committed in the Management of the King's Revenues and to punish the Guilty according to the Heinousness of their Crimes Whilst they were busie in putting their Commission in Execution there happen'd an unforeseen Accident which had been likely to have proved the Source of a most cruel War the Matter in question being not about the Possession of some Towns or Provinces but how to defend the most antient Prerogative of the French Crown attacked by the Spaniards Precedency of the French Crown in its most sensible Part. The finest Flower belonging to the French Crown is the Precedency it enjoys above all the others There is no Kingdom which surpasses it in Riches Power and Number of People and in making a due Comparison it is evident that the great Actions of all the other Kingdoms join'd together can scarce come in Competition with the glorious Exploits of the French For these Thirteen Ages last past since the first Foundation of this glorious Monarchy the Sceptre has never been devolved or surrender'd into the Hands of any Stranger And such have been the Exploits performed by the French Nation in behalf of the True Religion and maintaining the Liberty of Europe that Time will never be able to blot
that he did not want means to do himself justice for the injuries received at his Hands but being willing to shew a more than Filial respect to the Holy See he suspended his just resentment for a whole twelve Month. For if on one side the consideration of so gross an affront provok'd him to Revenge on the other Hand the miseries and inconveniencies which attend a War to be waged in a far distant Country against the common Father of the Faithful kept his resolution in suspence It is not to be denied but that without reproach to himself he could scarce delay his Vengeance especially since it might be done without the least danger to his Affairs but it was also to be consider'd that as the danger was inconsiderable so there was but little Honour to be gotten by the Victory But being at last fuly convinc'd that the Court of Rome took advantage from these delays to abuse his patience he order'd his Troops to march to wards Italy and having seized uyon Avignon every thing was put in a readiness to pass the Alps. It was then that the Pope thought it high time to open his Eyes and that it was for his Interest to make a Virtue of Necessity and to prefer an Inglorious Peace before a War which in all human appearance must prove very successful to him His Kindred themselves perswaded him to take the surest measures as judging it more for their Intrest to turn the Mony raised by the Pope for the use of the War their own use than to render themselves Obnoxious by making themselves instrumental in troubling the Peace of Italy and to betray their Vanity to the World in being so presumptuous as to measure their Power with the greatest King of Christendom A Treaty therefore being agreed upon to be set on Foot at Pisa the King refusing to accept of Rome for the place of Treaty it was concluded soon after upon the following Articles That the Pope should be obliged to send the Cardinal Patroon The Cardinal Chigi in Quality of his Legat into France to disown the whole Action of the Corsick Guards That the Legat himself should make his Protestation before the King that neither he The Pope obliged to give satisfaction for the Affrone put upon the French Ambassadour nor any of his Family had had the least Hand in that attempt and that for the time to come they would be ready to give ample demonstrations of their Real Submission and Fidelity to the King That his Holiness's Brother should be obliged to make the same protestation in Writing and to leave Rome till such time that the Legat had given the promised satisfaction to the King That the Cardinal Imperiale should likewise come in Person into France to justifie himself and to submit his Cause if required to the decision of the King That the whole Corsick Nation should for the future be declar'd incapable of serving in the Ecclesiastical State and to brand with everlasting Infamy an Action so Insolent a Pyramid should be erected just opposite to the Corps de Guard in which should be Engraven the reason of their Banishment By Virtue of the same Treaty the Dukes of Parma and Modena besides several other Roman Lords that were in the French Interest obtained considerable advantages all which was to be attributed to the protection of the most Potent King in Christendom who thus obliged the Pope to give him the most ample satisfaction that could be for the Affront put upon his Minister The Treaty was executed accordingly July 3 1664. The Legat came into France the Pyramid was Erected and remained standing for five Years after 1667. when by the intercession of Clement IX the Successor of Pope Alexander VII the King was graciously pleased to order it to be broken down What could be more glorious at the very beginning of our King's Reign than to come off Triumphantly upon two so extraordinary occasions without as much as drawing a Sword These were the marvellous effects of the King 's growing Reputation which encreasing more and more every day had acquir'd a new Lustre the Year before the conclusion of the Treaty of Pisa by the possession of Dunkirk which was bought with much less charge than in all probability it could have been taken After the taking of this place we were by Virtue of a Treaty concluded with Oliver Cromwell obliged to surrender it into his Hands It was a very unfortunate thing for us to be forced to deliver the Key of our Kingdom into the Hands of such Strangers as we were sensible would not fail to lay hold of all opportunities to trouble our repose The King being sensible of this inconveniency had no sooner taken the Reins of the Government into his own Hands but he only watch'd for a favourable juncture to send these dangerous Neighbours back to their Island and to incorporate the said place with the rest of his Conquests Charles II. King of England being lately re-established in his Throne this juncture seem'd to be the most favourable in the World to treat with him about the Surrender of this place at a time when we were sensible that he was not in a condition to be at the charge of maintaining a Fleet in the Port of Dunkirk or to provide the City with such a Garrison as might be sufficient to make a vigorous defence in case of an Attack Notwithstanding which the Negotiation advanced but slowly or at least not so well as we could have wished This was occasion'd partly by the jealousie of our Neighbours partly by the reluctancy which the King of England shew'd in parting with a place so advantageous both for its Strength and Situation For it ought to be consider'd that Dunkirk was at that time not the same little paultry Town it was before the conclusion of the Pyrenean Peace when it was taken and retaken without any opposition it being since made one of the most considerable places in Europe chiefly by the care of Cromwell who had caused it to be strongly Fortified to serve upon an occasion as a safe retreat to him and his Party or else that the English might always be sure of a Gate by which to enter into the Heart of France at their own pleasure Besides this the Spaniards making more advantageous offers than the French and the Hollanders striving to out-bid both each Party having sufficient reasons to over-ballance one another Dunkirk bought from the English It was looked upon as one of the most refined pieces of Policy in the French to have managed that grand Affair with so much dexterity as to make themselves Masters of a place of that importance at the price of four Millions of Livres in spite of all the opposition of their jealous Neighbours The King had no sooner received the News that his Forces had taken possession of it but he went thither to give the necessary Orders for the accomplishing the Fortifications of
a place which was of the highest consequence for the safety of his Kingdom These several Affairs of the highest moment tho' they took up much of the King's time who spared no labour nor care till they were brought to a happy issue yet did this not so confine his Active Genius but that at the same time he applied his thoughts towards the re-establishment of the decay'd Military Discipline and to find out suitable remedies against those abuses that were by degrees crept into the Government Lewis XIV Re-establishes the Military Discipline Before the Conclusion of the late Peace all sorts of licentiousness had been practised among the Souldiers with Impunity and the neglect of the due observance of Military Discipline had introduc'd such disorders both among the Officers and Souldiers that in all likelihood it must have in time proved fatal not only to many private Persons who extreamly suffer'd under these violences but also dangerous to the State if the King had not put a stop to these enormities As he was sufficiently accquainted with the Natural Inclinations of Mankind to know that the most Valiant Men in the World if not confin'd under certain Rules and Discipline must be more hurtful than profitable to the State so he took a firm resolution to re-establish among them such Laws as founded upon a Prudent severity should be sufficient to keep them within their due bounds As he took effectual care that his Souldiers whether in sickness or health should be provided with all things necessary for their subsistence so he would not allow any one to be exempted from the exact observation of these Rules and all the Employments in the Army from the highest to the lowest being bestowed upon such as had deserved well in proportion to their Merits there was a strange alteration to be observed in the Army For the desire of Glory the Honour to please the King the fear of Punishment and the hopes of Reward this happy mixture I say of several Interests and Passions made such powerful impressions upon the minds of the Souldiery that every one in his Station strove as much to out-do the other in the just observance of his Duty as they formerly had been eager after Rapines and negligent in performing their Military Functions Thus a good Order being re-established in the Army it may be said without boasting that possibly there scarce ever appear'd better disciplin'd Troops in the Field than the French Armies under the Reign of the present King After the conclusion of the Pyrenean Peace the greatest part of the French Forces were disbanded nevertheless as those that were kept in pay were all chosen Men so the King took care to augment them from time to time not only to serve in his Garrisons but also to have in readiness such a number of well Disciplin'd Troops as he judg'd sufficient to maintain his respect both among his Subjects and Neighbours For what real assurance can a Prince have of the Fidelity of the one and of the sincerity of the others unless he be in a condition to maintain his Authority by his Power The better to train up his Soldiers to the Wars he order'd every Year Encampments to be made in some place or other where they perform'd all the Exercises belonging either to Sieges or Battles without Blood-shed This was look'd upon as of so much consequence that even in the most peaceable times it was never discontinued afterthey had once been convinced of its usefulness it being agreed on all Hands that not any thing else contributed so much to the inuring the Soldiery to the Fatigues of Wars and consequently to the obtaining so many Victories in the following Years as these Engagements Reviews and Exercises which kept the Armies under a constant good Discipline and trained up the young Officers as well as the Soldiers to serve their Apprenticeship at home in the Action of War Michael Francis le Tellier Michael le Tellier Chancellor of France had two Sons Michael Francis Marquis of Louvois Secretary of State and Charles Maurice Archbishop and Duke of Rheims Counsellor of State and Supervisor of the Sorbonne Marquis of Louvois Minister and Secretary of State was the Person whom France next to the King stands indebted to for the re-establishment of the Military Discipline and a good Order in the Army It is unquestionable that never any Man living had a better insight into all Martial Affairs whether in the most exquisite advantages belonging to Fortifications or in regard to the raising and maintaining a great Army in the Field He was a Person of a marvellous Activity and Vigilance as Firm Resolute and Bold in his Enterprises as Fortunate in the Success and to be short never any Minister deserved better at the same time both of his Prince and the State He was Eldest Son to Michael de Tellier Minister and Secretary of State and afterwards Lord Chancellor of France who render'd himself Famous by his Prudence Fidelity and great Services under the King's Minority Neither did the King shew less eagerness for settling the Administration of Justice He would give most particular marks of his Favour and Esteem to such of the Judges as he knew to be proof against Corruption crowning their Virtues with Praises and Rewards as on the other Hand he despised those who having purchased their Places at an excessive rate made use of their Power to satisfie their Avarice and Pride these were sure to meet with deserved punishment from his Hands and to receive the rewards of their Treachery in making the Royal Authority a Cloak where withal to cover their unjust Proceedings To banish for over from among his Subjects all vexatious Suits or at least to retrench the extravagancy of litigious Persons and superfluities in the Law which serve only to create and protract Suits he caused a new Codex or Law-Book to be compiled by the Advice of the most understanding Lawyers in the Kingdom and as he was not ignorant that the best Laws are useless or at least of little effect unless those who are to put them in execution be careful in the observance of their duty so he would frequently take an account of their Transactions and be always putting the Chancellor in mind to keep a strict Hand and a watchful Eye over the Judges and Magistrates that they might not be remiss in their Duties to Administer Justice without partiality and to punish the Transgressors without respect of Persons especially in what-related to the maintaining of the publick Tranquillity To encourage the rest by his own Example After the Death of the Chancellor Seguier he kept the Great Seal in his own Hands near three Months and tho' he would sometimes Pardon such Trespasses as proceeded rather from passion or misfortune than any ill design he never spared those who were found guilty of disturbing the publick Tranquility and above all prosecuted with the utmost severity all such as were convicted
of Dueling for it having been judged absolutely necessary for the publick safety that all manner of Duels should be forbidden under pain of Death by the King he look'd upon any Act of Grace in this kind as prejudicial to the Royal Authority and an unseasonable lenity as derogatory from the respect due to the Law which made him take a firm resolution to maintain its Force by inflicting severe punishments upon the Transgressors Neither was it long before the happy effects of the King 's firm Resolution and Zeal for the impartial distribution of Justice appear'd to the Eyes of all the World his Subjects being thereby insensibly brought into a habit of doing well and performing their Duty in their several stations Hence it was that every one enjoy'd the benefit of a Sweet and Charming Tranquillity under the protection of the Laws free from all fear and the avarice of corrupted Judges and the oppressions of the Great ones who if they offered any Violences were sure to come to Condign Punishment The surest way to prevent Factions in a Kingdom is certainly when the Prince by his Authority keeps all the several Orders that compose it within their bounds for the People being thereby engaged to respect no other Authority so much as his own this removes all occasion and danger of Revolts What shall I say as to the most useful Arts and Sciences which without contradiction The King gives Encouragement to all manner of Arts. flourish'd more than ever under a Prince who as he had a true relish of Things so it was his greatest delight to heap Riches and Honours upon Persons of extraordinary merits knowing that nothing turns more to the Honour of the Prince and benefit of the State than to give due encouragement to liberal Arts he drew by his great Liberality into France the most Excellent in all Professions from all parts of Europe with these Foreigners as well as Natives he fill'd up the several Academies erected by his Order for the improvement of all manner of Sciences of Painting Carving Architecture and Musick where these Great Masters and their Scholars strove by a Praise-worthy Emulation to out-vie one another and in their several Stations to bring their Pieces to the heighth of perfection The King to improve the Talent of so many Excellent Masters employed them in making those rich Furnitures and other pieces the like of which are not to be met with in any other part whether for the design or the curiosity of the Workmanship he erected Noble Structures in several parts but especially made use of their skill in the Louvre the Front of which is accounted one of the finest pieces of Architecture in the World The Subjects encouraged by the Example of their Prince began every where to apply themselves to Building especially in the City of Paris which encreased every day by the Additions of many goodly Structures so that in a few Years the Streets of the City of Paris were made broader than before the Cross-ways were adorned with noble Fountains the Channels and River side faced with Free-stone and there was not a Street so mean but there were to be seen some neat Houses built after a manner far different from what they had appear'd before Vast numbers of Strangers and other curious Persons came flocking from all parts to partake of the charming Enjoyments of Peace and Tranquillity in a City where there was great plenty of every thing requisite for the pleasure and necessity of Human Life even at the time of a general scarcity the King having by his own liberality and care supply'd their want and reduced the price of all Things to a reasonable rate But the City of Paris was not the only place that enjoy'd the benefits of his happy Reign He caused Wheat to be distrâ—â—ted at tâ— Louvre 1662. the other Provinces of France had also their share in the publick Felicity the King by affording all imaginable encouragement to Commerce made the whole Country overflow with Riches It is beyond all question that the French could not be ignorant what prodigious advantages must needs accrue by Commerce to such a Country as France which being water'd both by the Ocean and Mediterranean and irrigated by so many fair Rivers seems to be the most conveniently situated for Traffick of any in Europe notwithstanding which it was observable that all manner of Commerce had been neglected for a considerable time either because the Genius of the French Nation is more enclinable to Warlike Exploits than Traffick or because the Civil and Foreign Wars in which the Kingdom had been entangl'd for so many Years together had robed them of these advantages But the King was not sparing in any thing which he believed might contribute to the re-establishment of Trade in the Sea-Ports he made considerable abatements in his Customs most of those that were paid in the Rivers he took off he gave all imaginable encouragement to the Manufacturies of the Kingdom he at his own proper cost and charge employ'd a great number of Workmen to joyn the two Seas by a Canal as well as several Great Rivers and to render many lesser Rivers Navigable he established a certain Council of Commerce to be held in his Presence by whose Advice he created several Companies who trafficking in all parts of the World render'd the Great Name of their Prince Glorious in far distant Countries Besides that he granted them many Privileges they were provided both with Money and Ships by the King to carry on the design and never wanted necessary Convoys to conduct them safely to the place whither they were bound It was upon the score of Commerce that an Expedition was undertaken against the Coast of Barbary The enterprise against Gigery July 19 1664. it being certain that it was not out of a motive of extending his Conquests the King sent thither his Forces but chiefly for the conveniency of a Harbour from whence to annoy and bridle those Insolent Pyrates that are continually disturbing the Trade on those Coasts The success was at first answerable to the design they having made themselves Masters of Gigery and notwithstanding they were ill provided with Provision and Ammunition maintain'd themselves in the place three whole Months But the number of the Enemies encreasing daily and the Plague and Famine which at that time October 31 1664. made great havock on the Coast of Provence having retarded the Convoys designed for their succour they were at last forced to abandon the place and to return into France This Expedition proved thus unfortunate in the end having been undertaken not without great charges besides that we lost some of our best Troops and received some disgrace But this misfortune was abundantly recompensed by the Honour the French had acquir'd two or three Months before The Turks and Tartars having made a most powerful Eruption in Hungary The King sent succour to the Emperor and the German Emperour
Leopold I. demanding Succours from our King he sent him six thousand chosen Men. These Troops had signaliz'd themselves in many Encounters but more particularly in the Battle fought near St. Goddard Seven or eight thousand of the bravest among the Infidels having pass'd unperceiv'd by the Christians a River which parted both their Camps charged the right Wing of the last with such incredible fury that they made them give way without much opposition In all human appearance the whole Christian Army must have been put to an entire rout if the French who were in the left Wing had not come up very opportunely with the Turks and like lightning charged thro' them with so much bravery that they put them in confusion and made such a slaughter among them that five or six thousand remained dead upon the spot To be short the Victory was compleat they brought off a great many Standards and Colours and sixteen pieces of Cannon most of the abovementioned Turks being either slain or drown'd in the River Those few that escaped by flight put the whole Turkish Camp into such a consternation that the Grand Visier notwithstanding he had yet remaining with him an Army of above forty thousand Men in few days after concluded a Truce with the Imperialists As the French succors had been of great consequence to the Emperor The King's protection of the Dutch against the Bishop of Munster 1665. so the protection which the King was pleased to afford to the Hollanders stood them in no less stead against Bernard Van Galen then Bishop of Munster a Man of a turbulent Spirit better qualifi'd for a General than a Prelate For the King of England having declar'd War against them had at the same time stir'd up the Bishop who being a troublesome Neighbour to the Dutch never wanted pretensions but only an opportunity to quarrel with them being a Man aspiring and bold to undertake any thing and at that time when he was so well provided with good Forces and other things requisite for such an undertaking The Hollanders had all the reason in the World to be surprized at this unexpected rupture as having liv'd for five Years in perfect Tranquility and consequently disbanded their Troops except such as serv'd in Garrisons on their Frontier places The Bishop taking advantage from the ill State of their Troops made an irruption into their Territories and over-run entirely one of their Provinces where he made himself Master of their Cities and ravaged the Countrywhere-ever he came which struck such a consternation into the adjacent Provinces that it was feared they would scarce have Courage enough to resist his Victorious Arms. In this perplexity having made their Addresses to our King he order'd six thousand Foot and two thousand Horse instantly to march to their relief Hitherto nothing had been able to put a stop to the Current of the Conquests of the Bishop but the terrour of the Force of France had such a Powerful influence over him that he began to abate immediately of his fierceness and in less than three Months time matters were brought to a composition by Virtue of which he was obliged to disband his Troops to Surrender to the States all that he had taken and restore to them their former Tranquillity The Hollanders being by the Treaty of Cleves delivered from the fear of this troublesome Enemy The Dutch protected against the English 1666. they now apply'd themselves with all their might to the prosecution of the War against the English The States-General had at the first beginning of the War sollicited the King for succours against the English or at least his Mediation for the composing of the differences betwixt them The King at their request sent a Solemn Embassy to London to offer his Mediation which being accepted of by the King of England the Conferences were began in London But King Charles II. having happily suppress'd some tumultuous Assemblies of the Fanatick Party which hitherto had kept matters in suspense without expecting the issue of this Negotiation order'd his Fleet to put out to Sea in quest of the Dutch even in their Ports Our King having all the reason in the World to be dissatisfied with the King of England enter'd into to a League offensive with the States-General Thus the War being kindled 1665 1666. it broke out into so violent a Flame that for two Summers successively the Seas betwixt the English and Flanders Coast seem'd to be all on Fire there being nothing to be heard of but slaughter and the thundering of Cannons In these several most bloody Engagements neither party could boast of any real advantage over the other the Victory inclining one time on one and at another on the other side both parties at the same time claiming the Honour of the Victory and dissembling their losses The Hollanders notwithstanding they much flatter'd themselves with the Honour they believed to have gain'd against their Enemies yet were very desirous of Peace these Demi-triumphs and the loss of so many brave Seamen being but a slender recompence for the damage they receiv'd in the interruption of their Commerce The English irritated more by shame than the consideration of their losses left no Stone unturn'd to break this Alliance and to draw our King from the Dutch Interest but in vain for the King protesting he would not abandon his Allies a Peace was soon after concluded at Breda July 31 1667. which was very advantageous to the States About two Months before the conclusion of this Treaty the King was enter'd Flanders with a considerable Force to do himself Justice on the just Pretensions of the Queen Her right was so unquestionable on the Dutchy of Brabant and its Dependencies upon part of Gueldres upon Luxemburgh the Franchè Comtè Mons Antwerp Cambray Malines Limbourg Namur and some other places on the Meuse that the King having taken the Advice of the most Famous Lawyers of the Low-Countries upon the point in question under borrow'd Names they were unanimously of opinion that her Right was indisputable According to the Custom of these Provinces it is an Establish'd Law that the Children begotten in the first Marriage become Heirs to the Possessions of their Parents immediately after the Decease of one of them the Survivor enjoying only the benefit of them during Life Philip IV. King of Spain had by Isabella his first Spouse only two Children to wit Prince Balthasar one Son and one Daughter since Queen of France who surviving the Prince these Provinces by right of Succession pursuant to the Custom of the Country which regulates as well the right of Succession in respect to Soveraigns as private Persons were devolved to her It must be confess'd that at the time of her Marriage they had taken this precaution to make her renounce all her Rights and Pretensions to those Provinces but besides the Act it self was so defective in Form and full of Nullities that according to the
Lisle alone held out a Siege of eleven days after opening of the Trenches It is a large City very well Fortified and accounted the most Populous of any in the Spanish Netherlands There were at that time within the City no less than thirty thousand Inhabitants capable of bearing Arms besides four thousand Soldiers and a great number of good Officers and Volunteers who had thrown themselves into the Place to signalize themselves upon this occasion under one of the best and most experienc'd Commanders in the Spanish Service The King having received Advice that the Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Army was on his march to relieve the Place he detach'd the Marshal de Crequi who had joyn'd him before with his Flying Camp to possess himself of all the Avenues thro' which the Count de Marcin must needs approach the place The City being in the mean while forced to Capitulate the King resolved to march streight to the Enemy But the Marshal de Crequi on one and Bernard de Gigant de Bellefons likewise Marshal of France on the other side had saved the King this trouble they having before routed the Spaniards of whom they killed five hundred upon the spot took from them several Standards and Kettle-Drums and three hundred Prisoners among whom were many Colonels and some of their General Officers Count Marcin who was not insensible that the whole fortune of Flanders depended on his Army thought it most advisable to make a safe retreat and to throw his Troops into such places as were most exposed to the Victorious Enemy This prodigious progress of the King's Arms did alarm all the Neighbouring Princes who did not without great reason fear that the next Campaign he would like a torrent over-run all the rest of the Spanish Netherlands There had for many Years last past been an implacable hatred between the Spaniards and Dutch but as Love and Hatred among Sovereigns are swayed by Interest these two Nations setting aside all former Animosities were soon reconciled when the last being terrified by the late success of our Arms found their own security to depend on the preservation of the first to stop the Progress of the King's Conquests and to preserve Flanders from falling into his Hands the Hollanders enter'd into a League with England and Sueden by virtue of which Jan. 23. 1668. these three engaged themselves to furnish each of them fifteen thousand Men besides their quota at Sea for the defence of Flanders This League was called the Tripple Alliance But as their chief aim was rather to terrifie both Parties into a compliance than to enter into an open War they offer'd their Mediation with this Solemn Declaration that they were ready to take up Arms against either of these two Crowns which they should find averse to the Peace The King tho' in the midst of the Career of his Victories yet was not unwilling to hearken to their Propositions and notwithstanding what he had taken from the Spaniards did fall far short from what his just Pretensions were on the Queen's account yet he offer'd to rest contented with his Conquests A Treaty was therefore agreed on to be set on Foot at Aix la Chapelle to compose these differences But the Spanish Ambassadours only endeavouring to gain time by delays the King to oblige them to a more ready compliance and not to let slip any opportunity of pursuing his Right Fel 1668. conquer'd the Franche Compte in the very heart of the Winter Neither the Frosts nor Snow neither the overflowing of the Rivers nor badness of the Ways were able to stay him at home nor to prevent his march but with an eagerness suitable to the greatness of his design he appear'd at the Head of his Army with such success that the whole Province submitted within the space of eight days A Conquest so sudden did not only surprize the Spaniards but also the Mediators to that degree that without any further tergiversations they offer'd to grant the King 's former demands provided he would restore the Franche Compte The King was unwilling to part with so fair a Province extreamly convenient for its situation but the Love of Peace prevailing over his Interest he resolv'd rather to abandon that Province than to continue the War at a time when the Allies being more powerful at Sea than the French might in all probability have made an attempt upon our Coasts or at least have ruin'd our Trade at Sea A Peace was therefore concluded at Aix la Chapelle on the Second of May in the Year 1668. by Virtue of which our King restor'd to the Spaniards the Franche Compte all their Fortifications demolish'd and these resign'd to the King all the places they had Conquer'd in Flanders with their dependencies This Peace was soon follow'd by the re-establishment of an union in the Church Jansenism suppress'd in France which for these fifteen or twenty Years last past had been interrupted by some disputes about the true nature of Grace and were risen to that pitch as to threaten the Church and State with great Commotions if by the prudent Care of the King the Tempest had not been laid and a perfect Calm introduc'd The most surprising thing in the World That Religion which should be the strictest tye of Charity among Men proves two frequently the scource of Contests and Divisions What is more frequent than to see Mankind follow blindfold the opinion of their Leaders with so much Zeal as to involve the State in a Civil War a Prince therefore who truly understands his Interest can never be too watchful to keep a strict Hand over those who sow the first Seeds of these Discords and when he has nipp'd them in the bud to take effectual care to prevent them from growing again and taking root among his Subjects As it is beyond question that Mankind are not capable of performing any good Works meriting Eternal Salvation without God's Grace so it is very difficult to determine in what manner this Grace operates in us This is one of those Mystery's which are not to be attempted without great hazard the scrutiny proving frequently dangerous to the Undertaker who flatters himself to exhaust their meaning rather by subtilities than a plain interpretation Into what gross errors are we not apt to fall when flattering our selves to be more quick-sighted than others we bid farewel to true Humility and Submission Under Pope Clement VIII this point first began to be call'd in question betwixt two Religious Orders who in order to take cognisance of the matter appointed a Congregation composed of Cardinals and the most Learned Divines in Rome Pope Paul V. reviv'd the said Congregation with an intention to give a final decision in the matter but the differences arisen betwixt him and the Venetians having diverted his thoughts another way all these great preparations produc'd no other effect but only a Decree from the Court of Inquisition forbiding all
Prince so they left no Stone unturn'd to thwart his Design and to stop the career of his good Fortune Among others Charles IV. then Duke of Lorrain was one of the most active against him Conduct of the Duke of Lorrain He was a Person equally dexterous in advising and executing a brave Soldier and great Captain but the most unquiet and inconstant of all Men living whose delight being to fish in troubled Waters was always in motion always raising Soldiers always in the Field making a Trade of Soldiery choosing one side to Day and another to Morrow pillaging without distinction his Subjects his Friends and Foes a Character more suitable to a Cham of Tartary than to a Soveraign of a small Principality whose Interest is to be gentle and live peaceably and to observe either an exact Neutrality or to shelter himself under the Protection of the most Potent of his Neighbouring Princes Lewis XIII having seized upon Lorrain to chastise the Duke for his many malicious Intrigues he marched with his Troops into Flanders where he gather'd vast Riches by selling their Service at an excessive rate at the beginning of each Campaign putting his Soldiers Pay into his own Pocket and affording them no other Subsistence than full liberty to live at Discretion where-ever they came and to Pillage the Country at pleasure The loud Complaints of the People the little account the Duke made of the Spanish Ministers with whom he would frequently make his Sport having at last occasioned great Jealousies against him he was secured and not set at liberty till after the Conclusion of the General Peace By vertue of this Treaty he was restored to his Dominions but refusing to accept of these Conditions some more favourable were agreed on in a particular Treaty concluded not above two or three Days before the Death of Cardinal Mazarine The next following Year the said Duke having a Disgust at his Family proposed his two Dutchies as a Gift to the King and as a Pledge of his sincere Intentions offered to surrender Marsal into his Hands In Febr. 1652. The Treaty was no sooner concluded and signed but the Duke according to his wonted custom began to make many Evasions and by several Delays fifteen or sixteen Months passed without the least probability of performing his Promise till finding the place invested by the King's Troops who were ready to Besiege it he was constrained to deliver it up During the Wars in Flanders 1663. it was much against his Will that he assisted the King with four or five Regiments as it plainly appear'd the Year following when he left nothing unattempted to debauch them After the Conclusion of the Peace at Aix la Chapelle it was the Wonder of all the World to see him augment his Troops to make new Levies and enter into new Alliances The King was not wanting on his side to give him timely notice that he was not ignorant of those Transactions but his ill Stars having made him insensible of his true Interest and incapable of receiving good Council he continued his former course till the King found himself under an absolute Necessity to drive him out of his Dominions The Duke was so generally hated The King seises upon Lorrain 1670. that there appear'd not any Body that shew'd the least inclination to espouse his Interest much less to lend a helping hand towards his Restauration He himself seem'd not much concerned at his Loss it being more suitable to his Inclinations to march from place to place at the Head of a good Body of his Troops than to lie idle at Mirecourt his ordinary Residence in the Dukedom of Lorrain Living in expectation of the next War he imployed most of his time in making Cabals against France being chiefly encouraged by the Hollanders who at that time made it their Business to embroil Europe and consequently were extreamly glad to have met with a Prince of his Character who might be very serviceable to them in spreading about fears and jealousies thereby to raise against the King so many Enemies as might under pretence of protecting this Prince serve as a Check to the Greatness of France A fatal Maxim of State which had almost proved the Destruction of the United Provinces and in effect brought them to the very brink of ruine This Commonwealth Causes of the Dutch War which in the last Age was no more than a handful of Men confined to a small corner of the World penn'd in betwixt the Fenns and Waters was since become so rich by its Commerce so famous by several Victories so dreadful for its Power and prudent Management that they were the admiration of the World But for four or five Years past they had been so much blinded with Vain-glory and their Affluence of Fortune that by their Vanities they had drawn upon themselves the hatred of all their Neighbours They had been so insolent as to cause several Medals to be made containing very injurious Reflections against Crowned Heads among the rest there was one representing Hollandia leaning upon many Trophies with this Inscription That she had restored vigour to the Law reformed Religion protected maintain'd and reconcil'd Kings clear'd the Seas and secured the Common Tranquillity by the force of her Arms. After the Conclusion of the Peace of Aix la Chapelle they made it their Boast that it was by their means that the Spanish Netherlands had been preserved and that they had stop'd the Career of the King's Conquests and Victories They did without intermission form Cabals in all Courts of Europe being very prodigal of their Money to set on foot new Alliances against him and that with so little respect to his Person that they did not make any Secret of the matter adjuging it to be of such a nature as to be pass'd all Dissimulation The King to make a suitable return and to prevent their Designs against him resolved to attack them with vigour and to try whether he could humble these proud People and revive among them the Modesty and Moderation of their Ancestors and put them in mind what Obligations they had received from the French Kings his Predecessors as also from him in particular Who can be so ignorant as not to know that without the Assistance of France they would have been so far from being able to make such a Figure in the World that on the contrary it would have been impossible for them to defend themselves against the Power of Spain It is to Henry IV. and Lewis XIII they stand indebted for vast Sums and a considerable Body of their best Troops expended and maintained for their Defence and by the Confession of the Hollanders themselves they scarce ever obtain'd a considerable Victory but these Troops had some share in the Action it was but lately that the King had espoused their Interest against the Bishop of Munster and engaged himself in their Quarrel against the Crown of England and upon all
this extremity and seeing themselves in most imminent danger of becoming an absolute Prey to the K's Conquering Arms judg'd it most conducible to their present condition to sue for Peace for which reason the States deputed some to the King to know upon what terms he would be pleas'd to grant it and at the same time sent to Charles II. then King of England to be informed concerning his Pretensions against them For it is to be observed that it was not the French King alone who was offended at the Hollanders they had given great causes of complaint to the King of England by their Insolence both to him and his Subjects by troubling their Commerce and especially by fomenting divisions betwixt that Prince and his People which ever since the Peace concluded at Breda they had look'd upon as the main pont of their own security Our King being not ignorant in the Art of improving so favourable a juncture and how to represent the injuries receiv'd by the Dutch to King Charles II. it made so lively an impression upon that Monarch that he quitted the Triple-Alliance and declar'd open War to the Hollanders Having equipp'd a Gallant Fleet the same was joyn'd by the French in the Channel and the Dutch threatned with a most powerful Invasion by Sea but the Enemies had secured themselves so well at Sea and had provided a Fleet so numerous and well mann'd that when the Fleets of both Crowns engaged them on the 7th of June they could after a most bloody and obstinate Fight boast of no other advantage than to have chased them towards their own Coasts and made them retire to their own Ports The Propositions of Peace made by the two Kings were look'd upon by the Dutch as so extravagant and intolerable that they resolved rather to bury themselves in their own Ruins than to purchase the Peace at such a Rate Being therefore reduced to that Extremity as to be forced to take such Measures as were most suitable to their present desperate Condition they had recourse to their Sluces and Dikes which they opened and pierced through in many places and put the Country under Water to serve them as a Barricado against their Enemies who were upon the Point of snatching from them their so much admir'd Liberty The Remedy appear'd so dangerous in the Eyes of all the World that the most considered it to be of worse consequence than the Evil they feared but nevertheless it proved the real cause of their Safety For our King finding all his Measures broken by this insurmountable Obstacle left Holland leaving the Duke of Luxemburgh to Command in his Absence with Orders to take the opportunity of the approaching Winter to push on his Conquests with all the vigour imaginable under the favour of the Frosts and Ice At his Return into France the People charmed with his Presence after so Glorious a Campaign received him in Triumph and accompanied him through all places where-ever he pass'd with all the joyful Acclamations and Vows due to a Conqueror The Dutch Troops having taken new Courage after the King's Departure Besieged Voerden under the Command of the Prince of Orange with fourteen Thousand Men. All the Country round about it lay under Water there being only one Passage left to approach it which was a Dike on the side of Utrecht To cut off from the Town all Communication and hopes of Succours the Prince had caused two Forts to be erected on each side of the Dike and betwixt both a Battery strengthened with a good Intrenchment But all these Fortifications were not strong enough to frighten the Duke of Luxemburgh who after the Siege had lasted two Months advancing early in the Morning attack'd them in the Front but being repulsed there he was so far from giving over his Design that having caused the Depth of the Waters to be sounded and finding them not above four Foot deep in a certain place which he judged convenient for the Attack he led his Men with a marvellous Resolution through the Waters and taking them in Flank made himself Master of one of their Quarters on that side from whence assaulting the Forts he took them not without a great Slaughter on the Enemies side who being obliged to raise the Siege the Duke provided the place with a sufficient Garrison and marched back again to Utrecht with a considerable Booty and a good number of Prisoners of War The Prince of Orange raises the Siege of Voerden The bravest and most couragious Action that ever was undertaken especsally if it be considered that the Duke had not above three Thousand Men with him by reason that he was not joyn'd by some Troops which he expected to have met him in his March according to Orders and because that the French Troops were not very numerous at that time thereabouts the Viscount of Turenne having lately been reinforced from thence with a good Body of the best Regiments to observe the Motions of the Elector of Brandenburgh The more all the Neighbouring Princes were surprized at the stupendious progress of the King's Arms War with the Elector of Brandenburgh the more they judged it for their Interests to put a stop to his Conquests It is not to be imagined that it was so much out of Compassion or the Consideration of the deplorable Condition to which this so flourishing and potent Commonwealth had been reduced within the space of two Months that made them take these Measures to prevent its ruine by their assistance but their own Fears and Jealousies which represented to them Europe in Chains and as a Vassal of France if the King should Conquer the United Provinces what Wonder then if all were ready to lend a helping hand to preserve that from whence depended in a great measure their own Safeties whilst some therefore endeavoured to obtain their aim by secret Intrigues others presented themselves with their Swords in Hand The Elector of Brandenburgh was the first who shew'd himself most concern'd for the Preservation of the Dutch whether it was that their Money had had more influence over him than the rest and made him more Zealous for their Interest or whether it were that he was dissatisfied at our King for not restoring to him some Places which belonged to him and were taken by our Troops from the Dutch I will not pretend to determine It is unquestionable that he was a Prince very aspiring and ambitious one of the bravest Men living and of great Experience in Martial Affairs who maintain'd at that time an Army of twenty five Thousand Men who wanted to be employed some where or other Add to this the Sollicitations of his Nephew the Prince of Orange who earnestly intreated him to employ his Forces for the Relief of Holland which might serve as the most effectual means in the World to establish his Reputation among them So sure it is that all the Ties of Consanguinity are weak if not strengthned and link'd
together by Interest The Hollanders offered to one of the Elector's Sons all the Dignities belonging to the Prince of Orange in Holland if that Family should happen to be extinct the Prince of Orange was of a weak Constitution and Unmarried at that time who exposed his Person unto the hazard of War upon a thousand occasions These glorious Hopes tho very remote a good Sum of ready Money and the Glory of being the first that had so much Courage as to oppose the Victorious Arms of our King and consequently to prove the Deliverer of so great and famous a Commonwealth all these Considerations I say joyn'd together induced the Elector to declare against France The number of his Forces was very considerable in comparison of ours at a time when the King having been obliged to disperse most of his Troops in his late Conquests which amounted to fifty or threescore strong places there was but a slender share left to keep the Field So soon as we received Intelligence that the Elector's Army was ready to march the Viscount de Turenne was ordered to march with all speed to meet him on the other side of the Rhing with his small Army consisting only of twelve Thousand Men the Elector's Army by several Reinforcements was near thirty five thousand But if the Elector was stronger in number of Men the Viscount was superiour in Officers and such as were all true Soldiers who being all chosen Men and flush'd with their late good Success did breath after nothing so much as fresh opportunity of acquiring new Glory No sooner had the Elector been advertised of our March but he first made a Halt and perceiving that the Viscount intended to expect his coming he retreated and repassed the River Weser if it was a Surprize to all the World to see the Elector fly from an Army much inferiour in number to his it was the more astonishing to see the French pursue him over the Weser with an incredible Swiftness to force all the Places that durst oppose them to ravage the flat Country and to take up their Winter-Quarters in his Territories In the mean while the Prince of Orange having got together an Army of near fourscore Thousand Men Siege of Charleroy was advanced towards Mastrick with an intention to free in some measure his own Country from the Burthen of the War by carrying it into another for which purpose after several Marches and Countermarches seeming to threaten sometimes Tongres sometimes Mastrick he at last Besieged Charleroy a place situate upon the Sambre and of no small consequence to us by reason of its most convenient situation to conduct our Convoys and Recruits into Holland The Spaniards tho they had very lately given the King fresh assurances of their sincere Intentions and that they desired nothing so much as to cultivate a good Understanding with him nevertheless had furnished ten Thousand Men for the better carrying on of this Enterprize The Place was at that time unprovided with a sufficient Garrison to make a vigorous Defence the Governour was absent and the French had no Army ready at hand to relieve it so that every thing seem'd to concur for the advantage of the Prince of Orange who it was believ'd would be Master of the place in eight Days But our King in the same moment he received the News of the Siege dispatch'd his Orders into Flanders to assemble his Troops with all possible speed he himself left Versailles in a few Days after to hasten their March and to put himself at the Head of them in order to relieve the Place The Rumour of the King's Departure being soon spread in the Enemies Camp Siege of Charleroy raised struck such a Terrour among them that without more ado they raised the Siege This was a killing stroak to the Elector of Brandenburgh who being in hopes that by so powerful a Diversion the face of Affairs would soon change for the better on his side and that the French would be obliged to recal their Troops out of his Territories in order to succour Charleroy but finding himself absolutely disappointed in his Expectation he took other Measures and sued for Peace The King to make him sensible of his Errour kept him in suspense for two or three Months in the mean while that his Troops consumed all what was left in the Countries of Marck and Ravensbergh This obliged the Elector to be more pressing than ever for a Peace which he at last obtain'd from the King who in consideration of his Submission granted him more than he could have expected to have got by the War and his own Courage For the King promised to restore to him within a certain time limitted all the Places belonging to him in the Dutchy of Cleves which was executed accordingly in the next following Year but the Treaty was but little observed on the Elector's side who was no sooner got into possession of these Places but took up Arms again and declared against France After the Conclusion of this Treaty the King having now laid aside his design of Conquering Holland nevertheless had taken a Resolution to make himself Master of Mastricht at the beginning of this Campaign knowing it to be one of the main Bull-works of the Dutch This City has been famous ever since the last Age when it was first surrounded with a good Fortification by the Duke of Alva afterwards taken by the Forces of the States and retaken by Storm by the Duke of Parma and in the Year 1632. once more taken by the Dutch after a Siege of two Months It s situation is one of the most convenient in the World being built on purpose to keep the whole Province of Brabant the Bishoprick of Liege the Country of Limburgh Cleves and Gueldres in awe which together with the Fertility of the adjacent Country Description of Mastricht its Traffick Number and Industry of the Inhabitants has made it at all times to be considered as the Key and Bullwork of all the circumjaceat Provinces which has been the reason the Dutch have not been sparing in any thing which might add to its strength It is situate upon the Meuse which separates it from the Suburbs called the Wick very well fortify'd and joyn'd to the City by a Stone-Bridge The Body of the Place to the Land-side is fortify'd with the finest and most regular Fortifications that are to be seen in all Flanders with Ravelins Demilines and many Hornworks all secured with deep Ditches Their Magazines were at that time well provided with all things necessary to sustain a Siege There was in the Place without counting the Inhabitants that were capable of bearing Arms a Garrison of six or seven thousand Men of their best Troops under the Command of an old Officer whose Name was Fariaux a Man no less Brave than expert in all Matters relating to the Defence of a Place of such importance and the States seem'd to be resolved to Sacrifice every
thousand Men which he ordered to march towards the Rhine At their approach the Viscount of Turenne who was General of the King's Army on that side met them as far as in Franconia in hopes to draw them to a Battle but they being careful in avoiding an Engagement the Viscount could not prevent them from passing the Rhine in conjunction with the Prince of Orange and besieging Bonn. This place was without a Ditch its Fortifications being not quite brought to perfection notwithstanding which the French Governor with his Garrison consisting only of fifteen hundred Men defended himself so valiantly against so powerful an Army composed of three several Nations that they did not become Masters of it till after a fourteen Nights Siege As the Conquest of this City as well as that of Naerden Siege of Bonn. a small but well Fortified Place in Holland taken from us in the foregoing Month of September by the Prince of Orange seem'd to be the happy Fore-runners of the good success of this Alliance so the Emperor and Spain flatter'd themselves with the hopes of all those Advantages which the Dutch Ministers had put them in hopes of when they enter'd into the League The Emperor enter'd into the Alliance not only upon that score as having in view thereby to put a stop to the greatness of France which if it should over-run Holland and the Low-Countries would like an impetuous Torrent spread all over Germany but as looking upon this as a favourable juncture to encrease his Authority in the Empire It is very well known that for a considerable time past it has been the main design of the House of Austria to make themselves absolute in Germany by reducing these Princes under their Obedience This seem'd to be the most Critical juncture that could be to put this so long projected design in execution the Kings Conquests in Holland and his taking the City of Treves were the most plausible pretences in the World to bring a good Army into Germany without giving any suspicion to these Princes whom they hop'd to ruin one after another by drawing them into the Quarrel under the glorious pretext of taking up Arms for the defence of the Empire As for what concern'd the Spaniards they were cajol'd into a League by the fair promises of the Dutch who offer'd no less than the Restitution of Maestrick after it should be retaken and engaged themselves not to make either Peace or Truce with us before the French King should have surrender'd to them all what he had taken from them since the Pyrenean Peace A meer Tinsey wherewith to dazzle the Eyes of the Spaniards their intention being to keep no further to their promises than they should find it suitable to their own Interest as it sufficiently appear'd at the Treaty of Nimeguen when they oblig'd the Spaniards to accept of the same Propositions as they were projected by our King The Alliance of so many powerful Princes seem'd to foretel something extraordinary against France but thinking themselves not in a condition to undertake any thing of moment unless strengthen'd by the Power of England they left no stone unturn'd all that Winter to bring that King over to their side But all their great offers and fair promises would have proved fruitless upon this King who stood immoveable in his Resolution of adhering to our Interest if at last some of the Parliament Men who being perhaps overcome with the charms of the Dutch Gold Peace betwixt England and Holland had not pressed so hard upon that King that being no longer able to resist their importunities he made Peace with the Hollanders without declaring against France Our King was no considerable loser by the conclusion of this Peace his chiefest loss consisting in the recalling of a few English Troops for what had been concerted betwixt these two Kings about a Descent to be made upon the Dutch Coast had been found impracticable they having been sufficiently convinced by Experience that nothing of great moment ought to be expected from Sea Engagements as to the decision of the Fate of a War witness those three several Sea fights betwixt the Fleets of the two Kings and that of the Dutch in all which the ballance appear'd so little different that it was no easie matter to determine which of them ought with Justice carry away the Honour of the Victory there having been scarce any other advantage obtained on either side but to make a great noise without doing any considerable hurt Thus the Hollanders imagined that being now Masters at Sea they could not want an opportunity of ravaging our Coasts and to make themselves Masters of some places in France but they have been sufficiently convinc'd by their ill Success that unless an Enemy be assured of a good Port it is a very difficult task to make a Descent and cannot be undertaken without vast Charges which scarce ever quit cost However the Peace betwixt England and Holland appear'd to be the Signal to all the other Princes of Germany who now began to throw off the mask one after another and declar'd against us except the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Hanover who continued stedfast in their Neutrality For the Electors of Saxony Mayence of Treves and the Elector Palatin Germany and Denmark enters into a League as well as the Landtgraves of Hesse and Princes of Baden with most of the Circles of Germany did immediately take up Arms in favour of the Alliance The Elector of Cologne and Bishop of Munster left our Party to embrace that of the Allies and tho' the King of Denmark the Dukes of Brunswick and the Elector of Brandenburgh did not immediately declare against France yet did they engage in the Alliance from that time and promised to put themselves in a posture of assisting and promoting the common cause Now it was that the Hollanders had all the reason in the World to rejoyce at their good Success seeing they had by their good Management transferred the Burthen of the War from their own into their Neighbours Countries the King surrounded on all sides by his Enemies which the Dutch had raised against him having been obliged to abandon all his Conquests in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht which served to bridle them to make use of these Garrisons against the numerous Armies of the Allies Notwithstanding all these Advantages the States desired nothing so much as Peace considering that having now recovered what they had lost it would be very hard for them to maintain at their own Charge a War where now they had no further Interest but what they had in common with their Allies After a whole Twelve Months Debate about a Peace all Parties concern'd having at last accepted the Mediation of the King of Sweden sent their Plenipotentiaries to Cologne the place appointed for the carrying on of the Treaty The Conferences were frequently interrupted by several Accidents and new Difficulties which
arise from time to time the Plenipotentiaries of the States-General applied themselves with great Assiduity and were not without hopes of bringing this grand Affair to a happy Conclusion if the Emperour who was for continuing the War had not caused Prince William of Furstembergh since made Cardinal to be seized by force in the open Streets without the least Respect to his Character he being Minister and Plenipotentiary of the Arch-bishop of Cologne and carried him afterwards Prisoner to Vienna He also caused a House to be Pillaged about fourteen Days after where there was some Money belonging to the French King and refususg to give any reasonable Satisfaction for these Outrages the Conferences broke off and both sides renewed their Preparations with more vigour than ever for the prosecution of the War All Europe stood in expectation of the success of this War there being very few but what were of Opinion that the King would be forced to be upon the defensive forasmuch as it was sufficiently known that the Allies had entred into a mutual Engagement not to hearken to any Peace unless Lorrain were restored to that Duke Alsace to the Emperour and to Spain all what had been taken from them since the Pyrenean Peace But they were not satisfied thus they had laid their Designs to invade Burgundy Picardy and Champaign and to ravage as far as to the very Gates of Paris but those vast Projects were less difficult to be conceived than to be put in execution For whilst the Allies were concerting measures The Campaign of 1674. and buoying up one another with these Chimera's the King laid a real Design to make himself once more Master of the Franche Compte thereby to cover his Frontiers which lay almost exposed on that side to encourage his Subjects by some great Enterprize and to make his Enemies sensible that he was in a condition not only to defend himself but also to act offensively against them When the State is threatned by some great and imminent danger it must needs be oppress'd under the weight of it unless the Prince do uphold and cherish his Subjects by his good Conduct and firm Resolution for if the Head prove defective the Functions of the whole Body begin to cease When the Spaniards declared War against us the King proposed a Neutrality for that Province and the Swiss Cantons did all what in them lay to second the King's Endeavours as being unwilling to see a Province bordering so near upon them to become the Seat of War but the Allies refused to accept the King's offer which in lieu of proving advantageous to them caused the loss of it or at least facilitated the King's Conquests there the Cantons being exasperated at their refusal having not only given their Consent for the King to attempt the Reduction of it but also denied a Passage to those Troops that were intended for its relief This was the only Obstacle the King had to surmount or at least the most difficult for tho the Spaniards since the Conclusion of the Peace of Aix la Chapelle had re-fortified most of their Places yet it was look'd upon as a much harder task to dispose a Free People to give their consent that a Potent and Victorious King should settle himself in their Neighbourhood than to conquer two or three strong Holds that were without hopes of relief Accordingly the King ordred his Troops to march into the Franche Compte Conquest of the Franche Compte who immediately in the Month of February made themselves Masters of Gray and Vesoul besides many other small Places But this being only the beginning of the Fray the rest was reserved for the King 's coming in Person For Besancon being invested by his Forces in May following Siege of â—esancon the King came himself into the Camp his Presence being absolutely necessary there to qualifie the Minds of the Soldiers who were forced to undergo incredible Hardships in this Siege It was extream bad Weather when the Court set out for the Camp and grew almost insupportable soon after which continued thus to the end of the Siege The great Rains that fell without intermission the high Winds and cold Nights the Waters that overflowed the Trenches and the whole Camp where the Soldiers stood Knee deep in Mud and Dirt all these Fatigues would questionless have tired out the Patience of the Soldiers if the King who exposed his Person to the same Hardships had not by his Example and Liberality upheld their drooping Courage Besancon is situate in a small Plain upon a very ill Ground so rocky and full of Stones that we had much ado to carry on our Trenches It is divided into the higher and lower Town the last is surrounded by the River Doux which serves for a Ditch and being at that time overflown by the frequent Rains did extreamly annoy us in the carrying on of our Trenches The place was provided with a Garrison of four Thousand Men one half being of the Militia besides a good number of Volunteers all under the Command of an Old and Brave Officer Notwithstanding all this they made but a slender Defence the Citadel it self which was esteemed impregnable not being able to hold out above eight Days This Citadel was newly fortified on the very point of a Rock very near perpendicular on all sides having no more than one Avenue leading to the top which was well fortified with several Intrenchments strengthned with Bastions and Half-Moons The place however had this disadvantage belonging to it that it was commanded by two adjacent Rocky Hills but of so steep and difficult an Ascent that in all humane appearance it was impossible to bring any Cannon to the tops of them As they lay on the back side of the Citadel and within full reach of the Cannon the King went in Person to view them The Attempt seem'd to be the boldest and most dangerous that ever was undertaken but Nature having not framed any thing unaccessible to the Couragious the King commanded That all the Night long by the light of a great number of Torches and Links they should draw up the Cannon to the top of one of these Hills and he did not stir from thence till he saw it put in execution The Besieged surprized at the boldness of the Enterprize however ply'd them warmly with their Cannon but in spite of their Fire which play'd without intermission they continued their Work and raised a Battery which the next following Day began to play against the Citadel The inside being all built of Stone the Cannon Bullets made a most terrible havock in a Fort which was of no great compass so that you might see at every moment the Stones fly about as thick as Hail which did great execution among the Garrison many of whom were slain by the Stones the rest not daring to appear but in the Night time Thus the Out-Works being taken in a few Days the Governour was forced to
the Dutch would in all likelihood have been forced to quit the Enterprise if the Governour the Marquiss of Chamilly had not received Orders from our King to Capitulate who after he had given a thousand Proofs of his Conduct and Courage surrendred upon such Conditions as he himself thought fit to propose the Prince of Orange being willing enough to grant him any thing partly in consideration of his Bravery partly for fear lest the Siege by the obstinate Defence of the Besieged should protract till Winter when the Season would oblige them to raise it The Garrison was extreamly diminished not so much by the Enemies Swords as by Sickness and tho' they were streightned for Provisions yet were they resolved to have endured all the extremities and bury themselves under the Ruins of the Place if the King who would not suffer that so many brave Men should Sacrifice themselves for the defence of a Place which he judged of no great consequence to his Affairs had not sent them his Orders to Capitulate The King had at the beginning of the War made himself Master of this Place without the loss of one single Man but the Dutch did not take it till after a Siege of three Months with a prodigious Charge and the loss of twelve thousand Men besides they run no small hazard of coming off with disgrace But they were less successful in their Expedition at Sea this Year they had near an hundred and fifty Men of War and after the Peace with England were become absolute Masters of the Ocean the King having sent most of his great Ships into the Mediterranean One part of this great Fleet was sent to endeavour the Conquest of the French Plantations in the West-Indies the rest were to be employed in making a Descent upon our Coast but the best concerted measures prove not always infallible For Admiral Ruiter did not succeed in his Enterprise against the Isle of Martinico and Admiral Trump who for four or five Months threatned our Coasts with a desent did no other feats but to Land in a small Island from whence he carried away some Cattel and plunder'd a certain Abby The ill success of the Allies in this Campaign seem'd to be very ill presages to the League especially if it be taken into consideration that the King's Arms were Crown'd with the same success in several other places for Frederick Duke of Schomberg had beaten the Spaniards in the Plains of Russilion as the Vicount of Turenne had been Victorious over the Germans in three or four several Encounters For after he had prevented the Duke of Lorrain from passing the Rhine and consequently secur'd the King's Conquests on that side he receiv'd Orders to hinder if possible the conjunction of the Duke with a Body of Imperialists commanded by the Imperial General the Count of Caprara Pursuant to these Orders he marched three Days and Nights without intermission and on the fourth came within sight of the Enemy whom he found so advantageously posted that it seem'd impossible to attack them without the greatest hazard in the World For they were drawn up in order of Battle upon a rising Ground being secured in the Front by a small Town with a deep Rivulet and many Hedges and Ditches all which must be pass'd before they could be attack'd But what is so strong or inaccessible to a Man who has an equal share of Conduct and Courage To be short the Town was taken in less than two Hours and the Enemies Infantry which defended it either cut in pieces or taken Prisoners But this was only the Introduction to the rest our Troops were extreamly fatigued with so long a March and the heat of the Season besides that the Enemy having the advantage of the Wind they were incommoded with the Smoak and Dust which almost choak'd them as they advanc'd towards the Enemy where the Enemy stood ready to receive them Notwithstanding all these disadvantages they were resolute in attacking them the Viscount of Turenne's Army consisted of nine or ten thousand Men and that of the Duke of Loerain was near equal in number to his with this difference only that the last had more Horse the other exceeded in Foot The first attack was made with equal bravery on both sides there being not a Squadron but what charged four or five times and the Dukes Forces rallied and return'd to their charge seven or eight times neither were they put to the rout till after a bloody and obstinate Fight of eight Hours About three Weeks after the Prince of Bourneville General of the Imperial Forces being with a Body of seven or eight thousand Men joyn'd to the broken remainders of the Confederate Army July 6th The Viscount of Turenne passed the River Neckar at Ladenburgh in sight of them and followed them so closely that he fell in with their Rear which he put to the rout forcing their Infantry to seek for shelter among the neighbouring Woods and Mountains but their Horse being briskly pursued by the French did not face about till they came to Franckfort twenty Leagues from thence where being cover'd by the River Maine the Viscount could not pursue them any further but they were scatter'd to that degree that they were not in a condition to appear again in the Field till being reinforced with fresh Supplies and Troops from the Emperor from the Elector Palatin the Elector of Cologne Bishop of Munster Duke of Wolfenbuttel and all the neighbouring Circles they made up an Army of thirty five or thirty six thousand Effiective Men. But this great Body was commanded by five Generals independant from one another who being swayed by so many different Interests did not agree in what measures to take one being for the attempting the recovery of the Dukedom of Lorrain another for the Siege of Treves or Philipsburgh another for attacking the Viscount of Turenne with their joynt Forces thereby to retrieve their former disgrace The French Army was at that time not above fifteen thousand strong but the renown of their General and their late Victories had made them so dreadful to the Enemy that they durst not attempt to attack them With this small Army he kept them in play for two Months together in the Lower Alsace till having at last receiv'd a reinforcement of some Regiments he march'd directly against the Allies to give them Battle before they could be joyn'd by the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces and those of the Duke of Brunswick The Name of the Viscount of Turenne famous by so many Victories was become so terrible to the Enemy that most were of opinion they would scarce care to face him but beyond all expectation they receiv'd him with all imaginable bravery so that the fight was very obstinate and dubious for some time till at last Victory of Entsheim Octob. 4. having brought them into confusion they were forc'd to quit the Field with the loss of three thousand Men ten pieces of Cannon
well disciplin'd Troops and inur'd to the Fatigues of War His Frontiers were enclos'd on all sides with strong Forts and well Fortifi'd Cities his Treasury in a good condition and the whole Kingdom in a profound Tranquility He himself both delighted in and understood the Art of War His Affairs being in so flourishing a condition what could hinder him from making new Conquests if his desire of Glory had not been Counterbalanc'd by his Inclination for Peace and seeing that his Enemies were reduc'd to a state of moderation and his Frontiers secured on all sides he resolved to restore tranquillity to Europe After Charles II. King of England was enter'd into the Alliance with the Dutch King Ch. II. Mediator at the Treaty of Nimeguen his chief aim was to make himself a happy instrument in procuring a general Peace in which he succeeded so well that his Mediation was accepted For hitherto matters had advanced but slowly at the Treaty of Nimeguen where two Years were spent in setling some Preliminaries of little moment in respect of the great Work they were to transact to wit in Disputes about the place of Treaty in fixing the bounds of the Neutrality in exchanging their Credentials and examining their Commissions and such other Preliminaries as are commonly made use of to protract these Conferences whilst in the mean while the longest Sword decides the principal differences in the Field It is sufficiently known that scarce a Year had passed since the Declaration of the War wherein Spain had not been a considerable loser nevertheless they were the first who protested with all the solemn expressions in the World that they would never consent to the Peace unless our King did restore all what he had taken from them and the Emperor's Pretensions were as exorbitant as those of the Spaniards For which purpose the King made his chief application to the Hollanders being sensible that if he could draw them from the Interest of the Confederacy and perswade them to accept of a separate Peace the other Princes would soon follow their Example The King was sufficiently convinc'd that the Jealousy fomented by a certain Faction in Holland against the Prince and their fear lest if the War should continue much longer they might be involved in some troubles by the Prince's departure for England the decay of their Trade and the immense charges they were at by bearing the burthen of the War in maintaining not only their own Troops but also most of the Confederate Forces made them very desirous after a Peace but the more it was their Interest to promote it the more difficulties were to be surmounted before it could be brought to a happy conclusion For tho' the Emperor and Spain had acted but with indifferent success in this War yet on the other Hand the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburgh had had considerable advantages over Sueden which had declared for us against the Confederacy in the Year 1675. In three Years time that the War lasted betwixt the Northern Princes the Suedes had gain'd three Battles by Land but they had been worsted in three several Sea-Engagements and had lost the Isle of Rugen and all Pomerania This success against the Suedes seem'd to intimate to the Confederates that the French might also be vanquish'd in their turn The Emperor and Spain shew'd more inclination for the continuation of the War than for the Peace tho' it be evident that their hopes were built but upon a very slippery foundation to wit upon the chance of Fortune and those continual vicissitudes which are the constant Attendants of all human Affairs This was the reason that notwithstanding all the earnest applications of the States-General to obtain a General Peace yet the Treaty advanced but slowly and might perhaps have been quite rendred ineffectual if the King had not taken a firm resolution to see it brought to a happy conclusion by taking such measures as should oblige the rest of the Confederates to accept of the Peace The King himself drew up the Articles which he sent to his Plenipotentiaries at Nimeguen to be communicated to the Mediators under this condition that in case the Confederates did not think fit to accept of them in forty Days the King should be at liberty to alter them or to propose some new time By vertue of these Articles he was to remain in possession of all his Conquests unless Maestricht and six Places in Flanders to wit Ghent Courtray Aeth Oudenarde Charleroy Limbourgh and St. Gillian demolished That the King promised to restore Maestricht to the Hollanders and the six above-mentioned places to the Spaniards That the Peace of Munster should remain in its full force That if the Emperour kept Philipsbourg the King should remain in possession of Fribourg That the Prince of Furstemberg should be set at Liberty and restored to his Honour Dignities and Estate And that lastly the Northern Princes should restore to the Suedes what they had taken from them in this War Most of the Confederates exclaim'd against these Articles but notwithstanding all their Protestations and Clamours their Threats Intreagues and Cabals they were at last oblig'd to accept of the same terms The Hollanders had no sooner embrac'd the King's offer but the Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh loudly exclaim'd against their Proceedings upbraiding them with breach of Faith and Ingratitude But who is so unacquained in publick Affairs as to look for acknowledgment among Princes or to imagine they think themselves oblig'd to one another for the assistance they give when it is evident that the same proceeds more from a motive of Interest than Friendship how can a State therefore be charg'd with Ingratitude unless it be call'd so when they search too narrowly into the true causes of a benefit they have receiv'd But to be short these reproaches made but slender impressions upon the States who were so far from changing their opinion that they prevail'd upon the Spaniards to follow their Example but when the Spanish Ambassadours were upon the point of signing the Articles there arose an unforeseen difficulty which was likely to have broken off the whole Treaty For in the Article concerning Spain wherein the King had promised to restore to them six Places in Flanders there being no certain time limitted the States had interpreted it thus that the Evacuation of the said Places should be made immediately after the Ratification of the Peace betwixt France and Spain But the King's Intention being not so much that by restoring these Places to Spain they should serve as a Barricado betwixt him and the Hollanders and to remove the Jealousie they had conceived at the Neighbourhood of so potent a Prince as to be in lieu of an equivalent for those Places that were to be restored to Sweden he refused to surrender these Cities into the Hands of the Spaniards before the Swedes had received full satisfaction as to their Demands This Spark was like to have proved
they should have been obliged to accept of a Peace upon the same Terms as they were proposed by our King It is certain that France never made a Peace which proved more Glorious or more for its Interest than this or which has been managed with more dexterity The chief Glory of it is due only to our King who not only himself made the first Project but also according to the different progress of the Treaty directed every step to be taken by his Ambassadours and Plenipotentiaries Godfrey de Estrades Marshal of France Charles Colbert Marquis de Croissy afterwards Minister and Secretary of State and Anthony de Mesmes Count de Avaux Thus Crown'd both with Lawrel and Olive-Branches he was ever after the Object of Admiration not only of his Subjects but also of all Europe AN ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB IV. THE King having restored Peace to Europe employed all his care in rendering it as durable as possibly could be and having now laid aside his further thoughts of extending the limits of his Kingdom he judged it most conducing to his Affairs to secure his Frontiers on all sides by good Fortifications For which purpose after he had consulted with his best Engineers he himself made the Draughts of the most considerable Fortifications appointed the Charges and all other particulars belonging to the perfecting of the Works according to the best modern Rules Never were any places seen exceeding either in strength or beauty some of those that were by the King's Orders built in Flanders and Alsace the Franche Compte to defend the Passages of the Lis the Rhine the Saar the Moselle the Meuse and several other Rivers that border upon his Dominions it has been computed that since his accession to the Crown two hundred and twenty Towns Forts Citadels Ports and Harbours have been fortified by his Orders As he was not insensible that the best safeguard of a Prince is to maintain his Respect among his Enemies so not contented with having fortified his Frontiers unless they were also guarded by a good number of Troops he did only disband some of his Forces retaining the best in his Service to render himself at all times invincible tho his thoughts were now more bent to preserve Tranquility in his Dominions than to conquer his Enemies He kept all the Officers of the Disbanded Regiments in Pay and that he might never want a constant supply of good Officers The Academies for the Cadies even in time of Peace he erected many Companies of young Gentlemen these were brought up in all Warlike-Exercises and entertain'd at the King's Charge in the Citadels and when a Captain or Lieutenant's place became vacant it was these that supplied those Posts proportionable to their Deserts The better to encourage his Troops to glorious Actions by the assurance of a safe Retreat in their Native Country The Invalids he caused that Hospital called the Invalids to be built in one of the Suburbs of Paris a truly magnificent Structure where those that are render'd unserviceable either by Age or their Wounds find an honourable Retreat and Reward for their past Labours and Toils To afford also fome relief to such Gentlemen as often ruine their Estates in the Service of their Country The House of St. Lewis at St. Cyr. he founded a Community for three Hundred young Gentlewomen at St. Cyr. These young Ladies are educated in this House with particular care from the Age of Seven till Twenty when they are either provided with some advantageous Match or else if their inclination be otherwise are sent into a Nunnery This Noble Community is without parallel in Europe For the rest the King order'd his Troops to encamp every Year when he used frequently to take a view of them in Person and in his Progress to visit some of his Frontier Places to keep the Governours and Overseers of his Works and Places in awe and to encourage them by his Presence to perform their Duty As he was in the Year 1683. returning from one of these Progresses Death of the Queen of France where he had been accompanied by the whole Court the Queen Maria Theresia of Austria fell dangerously ill of a Fever which put an end to her Life on the 30th of July after four Days Sickness She was a Princess endowed with extraordinary Qualities very Devout Charitable to the Poor Liberal to her Domesticks and Affable to all the World She had the Happiness before her Death to see the Dauphin who was Born at Fontainbleau in the Year 1661. the first of November seven Minutes after Twelve a Clock at Noon Married to a vertuous Princess and a Father of a very fine young Prince Of six Children which she had brought into the World The Dauphin of France Lewis the Dauphin of France was the only surviving a very Handsome and Wise Prince of great Moderation and Vigorous Constitution as active and dextrous in his Military Exercises as courageous in encountring of Danger Never any Prince had the advantage of a more Noble Education in respect of the Ability of those to whose Care and Tuition he was committed the King having made choice of Charles de St. Maurice Duke of Montausier and Peer of France for his Governour and of James Bossuet Bishop of Meaux so famous for his many Works for his Preceptor but not satisfied with this he never was sparing in his Paternal Care to give him in Person all the necessary Instructions for the Accomplishment of a great Prince A King who really loves his Subjects does in vain strive to raise the Glory of his Country by his great Actions unless he also be careful to instruct his Successour to follow his Footsteps and to preserve by his own Courage and Conduct the Reputation which he has acquired It is easie to be imagined that there was never a Court in Europe but what most earnestly desired to be joyn'd to us in Alliance by so advantageous a Match especially since that Engagement which was some Years before negotiated with the Elector and Electoress of Bavaria on the account of Marriage betwixt the Dauphin and the Princess of Bavaria seem'd to be broken by the Death of the Parents of the said Princess but notwithstanding this Change and that the said Match was not attended with the same Advantages as before Dauphin Married the King jealous of his Honour and Royal Word Married the Dauphin to their Eldest Daughter on the 7th of March in the Year 1680. Notwithstanding all the Obstacles and Difficulties raised by the Imperial and Spanish Ministers about the execution of the Treaty of Nimiguen Europe enjoyed the Fruits of a Happy Peace for three Years In the mean while the King looking upon it as a most Glorious Work to turn his Arms against the Enemies of the Christian Name he resolved to employ his Forces against the Corsairs of Africa a Nation whose chief Glory Commerce and
Employment consists in pillaging and plundering several of their Ships were sunk the Sieur Du Quesne burnt eight more in the Port of Chio in the Year 1681 and the Marshal de Estree Vice-Admiral of France Tripoli Bombarded in 1685. Bombarded Tripoli four Years after till at last at the Intercession of the Grand Seignior the King was pleased to grant them a Peace a second time The Algerines the most famous of all the Pyrates on the Coast of Barbary for having in the last Age out-braved the power of that great Monarch Charles V. were so presumptuous as to declare War against France To chastise their Insolence the City of Algier was Bombarded three several times In the Year 1682 1683 1684. after the second Bombardment they were forced to release six hundred French Slaves without Ransom and in the third they received so much damage that notwithstanding the Offers of the Genoueses and Spaniards to assist them against us they sent their Deputies into France to sue for Peace The Genoueses had also given great occasion of Displeasure to our King They were accused of having fomented and encouraged a Conspiracy which was laid to burn the King's Ships and Gallies in the Ports of Marseilles and Thoulon they had lately embraced the Interest and Protection of Spain and had built four new Gallies in order to joyn them with the Spanish Squadron To make them sensible of their errour the King ordered the City of Genoua to be Bombarded Thirteen Thousand Bombs were thrown into the City with good Success and the proud City of Genoua would certainly have been laid quite in Ashes by a second Bombardment Genoua Bombarded if by the Intercession of the Pope and their timely repentance they had not prevented their own ruine The King of Spain had at that time among other Titles taken upon him that of the Protector of the Republick of Genoua but could not prevail with our King that the said Commonwealth should be comprehended in the Truce which was about the same time concluded betwixt these two Crowns but to extirpate their former Miscarriages they were forced to send in the Year 1685. in May their Doge with four Senators to make their Submission to the King in the Name of the whole Republick to implore his Mercy and to receive such Conditions as he was pleased to grant them But we have detain'd our selves too long in relating these Trifles there are so many things of greater consequence to be taken notice of in the glorious Reign of so great a King that these frivolous Matters ought only to be touch'd upon en passant that we may have the more leisure to pursue the Thread of our History in relation to other Affairs of moment By Vertue of the Treaty of Nimeguen the whole Upper and Lower Alsace being granted to the King with an absolute Soveraignty over it and all its Dependencies the King sent the next following Year his Summons to all the Princes Cities and other Vassals depending on the said Province to give their appearance to do Homage and Swear Fealty to him Some obeyed but the most refused to appear Upon their Refusal the King erected a certain Chamber of Re-union at Brisack who adjudged their Lands and Fiefs forfeited to the King according to the Laws of Fiefs which enjoyn the forfeiture of the Estate of a Vassal who either neglects or refuses to pay the Homage due to his Lord. At the same time the Chamber of Re-union establish'd by the King's Order at Brisac Chambers of Re-union at Brisac and Metz. took the same Method in respect of those Fiefs which had formerly belonged to and were since dismembred from the three Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun As these Re-unions extended over a vast Tract of Ground so the Neighbouring Princes taking the alarm made their complaints to the Dyet at Ratisbonne solliciting for aid to stop the further progress of these Proceedings They were not wanting on their side to represent to the Dyet the pressing necessity of applying a speedy remedy but they were very slow in their Debates and much slower in their Resolutions These Re-unions being look'd upon by some of the Princes of the Empire as an infraction of the Peace whilst they pretended to evince them to be no more than the natural consequences of the Treaty of Nimeguen the first were for taking up Arms for the Defence of the Empire the others representing the danger of coming to these extremities in so critical a juncture Whilst they thus spent their time in contests Strasburgh Surrenders without coming to any final resolution the City of Strasbourg the Capital of the Lower Alsace and one of the most considerable in all Germany submitted to the King in September in the Year 1681 before the King's Forces that were on their March from all the circumjacent Ports in order to Besiege it came in sight of the Place They enter'd the City on the same Day that some of the King's Troops took possession of the Citadel of Casal in Italy Casal Surrender'd which the King had bought from the Duke of Mantua As the King set out on his Journey to Strasburgh before he had receiv'd the News of its Surrender he pretended to take a Progress to one of his Country Houses but turning short took the Road towards Germany Before he came to the Frontiers he was advertis'd that his Troops were already receiv'd within the City but this did not hinder him from pursuing his Journey thither where he receiv'd the Oath of Fidelity from his new Subjects The taking of this City which was of vast consequence serv'd only to augment the divisions among the Members of the Empire at the Dyet of Ratisbonne the more because the King propos'd to adjust all those Differences if they pleas'd in an irreconcilable way The Ministers of the House of Austria at first rejected these Propositions but dreading an Invasion from the Turks they gave their consent so that Plenipotentiaries were appointed on both sides to meet at Frankfort upon the Main for setling the limits betwixt the Empire and France But a whole twelve Months being spent before the Conferences were open'd by reason of some contests about Titles and Precedency betwixt the Deputies of the Emperor and those of the Empire the King thought fit to recall his Plenipotentiaries and to remove all occasions of further delay declared by his Minister Lewis Verjus Count of Creci then residing at the Dyet of Ratisbonne that he was willing to renounce for ever to all the other Dependencies of Alsace and the three above-mention'd Bishopricks notwithstanding that his Pretensions comprehended a vast tract of Ground provided the Emperor and the Empire would within a limitted time oblige themselves to resign to him the City of Strasbourg with all its Territories and those Lands which he was possessed off by vertue of the Re-union before the meeting of the Assembly at Frankfort These Propositions were advantageous
inhabited by the last and that a good number of Prudent and Zealous Missionaries should be sent among them who by their Instructions and good Examples might bring back these lost Sheep to the Sheep-fold To back their Zeal and Endeavours by his Royal Authority he promised ample Rewards Honours and Privileges to such of his Subjects as would return into the bosom of the Church and to punish those that remain'd obstinate he not only excluded them from his Household and all other employments of Honour or Profit but order'd also that Soldiers should be quarter'd in their Houses till such time that they might be prevail'd upon to change their Opinion In such a case as this it is not sufficient to give good and wholesome Instructions there being a certain benummedness as it may be said in Mankind which oweing its Off-spring to a long Custom makes them look with too much indifferency after the means of their Salvation unless they be spurr'd on by fear Most Men are so prepossessed with prejudices especially if degenerated into a habit of carelesness that they think it scarce ever worth their while to make a due search after Truth unless they be forc'd thereunto by the apprehensions of danger and the desire of living in quiet The King order'd all the Courts of Justice erected by vertue of the Edict of Nantes to be abolish'd and in lieu of them made several Laws in favour of the Catholick Religion which debarr'd them from that pernicious liberty of abjuring the true Religion and those of the Protestants who had embrac'd it to return to their former Errors and Heresie under severe punishments to shut up all such Churches as receive them and to forbid the Ministerial Function to their Preachers But these were too fond of maintaining and encouraging their Faction to give ear to the King's Commands who to punish their disobedience order'd many of their Churches to be pull'd down and laid level with the ground especially in such places where the had exercis'd their Divine Worship contrary even to those Edicts which were made in their behalf It is in this place that with all the reason in the World may be apply'd this saying That there are certain Truths which appear so little probable that they resemble more a Fable than Truth it self Will it not appear incredible to Posterity when they shall read that we have seen in our times so strong a Faction dwindle away to nothing without any violence or commotion For in four or five Years time whole Cities were re-united to the Obedience of the Church who had this comfort to see by the conduct of her eldest Son Two Millions of her Children return into her Bosom Thus the King in the Year 1685 on the 22th of October annull'd the Edicts of Nantes and Nismes their Churches were all laid level with the Ground their Ministers banish'd the Kingdom and Calvinism was entirely rooted out without the least commotion As by these so many and great Actions the love which the People bore to the King encreased more and more every Day so it is scarce to be express'd with what a general consternation the whole Kingdom was seiz'd when about a Year after his Life was in danger For seven or eighth Months before In Decem. 1678. he had been much out of order having at several times been seized either with a Fever or some other Distemper till at last it breaking out into an Ulcer an incision was judg'd the only remedy against the Evil which being applied accordingly prov'd so dangerous that he could not possibly have escaped with his Life if the Fever had return'd But the cause of it is attributed by many to the excess of fear which seizes the faint hearted Patient in such an operation so the King having born it without the least commotion he scarce found any alteration having receiv'd the visits of many the same Day appear'd in Council the next and during the whole time he was afflicted with this Evil which lasted above five Weeks he manag'd all State-Affairs and dispatch'd his Orders with the same activity as he was us'd to do before As long as he was judg'd to be in danger the whole Kingdom offer'd up their Vows for his recovery Nothing was more frequent than to see the Handycrafts Men leave their Employments and to run in prodigious numbers to the Churches which were always full from Morning till Night the People flocking in vast numbers to Pray for the King's Health But as they had given most evident proofs of their sorrow and grief hitherto so they strove to out-do one another in their demonstrations of Joy at his Recovery the rejoycings made upon this Occasion being risen to that degree of extravagancy that it was judged convenient to put a stop to them by publick Authority But if his recovery fill'd all his Subjects with joy and satisfaction his Enemies jealous of his greatness were the more surprised when they found themselves deceiv'd in their expectation It was above a Year since the Prince of Orange the Ministers of the Emperor and the Duke of Neuburgh had fomented the jealousie which the other Princes of Europe had conceived at our King's Prosperity The Duke of Neuburgh especially being a very active Prince and a great Politician who never miss'd the least opportunity of promoting his own Interests had made many Cabals against France especially in Germany and Spain where by his perswasions he animated these Princes to enter into a League against us insinuating to them the danger that threatned them smâ—e the conclusion of the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684 which he represented to them more disgraceful than the Peace it self made at Nimeguen and that therefore it would be more for their Interest to take up Arms for the recovery of their Losses and Reputation an open War being less dangerous than to suffer France to bid defiance to them in the midst of Peace that they could scarce hope for a more favourable juncture than this the present greatness of France being owing to their King whose health being now impaired to that degree as not to be able to get on Horseback and to animate his Subjects by his Presence These insinuations and intrigues were at last so prevailing that in the Year 1686 in July an Alliance was concluded at Augsburgh against France betwixt the Emperor the King of Spain the States-General of the United Provinces the Elector Palatin and the Electors of Brandenburgh and Saxony many Catholick and generally all the Protestant Princes of Germany After the taking of Luxemburgh and the conclusion of the Truce the King had shewn more inclinâ—… than ever to maintain the Peace of Christendom he had let the Emperor gain several Battles and Conquer a whole Kingdom without any opposition or making the least Diversion which might in all probability have prevented the Imperialists from extending their Conquests and ruining the Ottoman Empire which seem'd at that time to
by which means they hop'd to strengthen their Party to such a degree as to be able to cope with the power of France for which reason also the Elector Palatin made pressing instances at the Emperor's his Father-in-Law's Court to conclude a Peace with the Ottoman Port and to sacrifice some of his Conquests in Hungary to enable them to prosecute the War with the more vigour near the Rhine The Turks shew'd about that time great Inclinations for a Peace which they stood much in need of to recover themselves of the losses and troubles which their misfortunes abroad and Intestine Divisions at home had caus'd in their Empire But having observ'd the Imperialists to act with too much eagerness in what they desir'd themselves they began to take fresh Courage and Resolution not to make Peace unless upon very good terms Peace is a thing so good and desirable in it self as ought not easily to be refus'd when offer'd but nevertheless it is not always advantageous to act in a matter of such consequence with too much precipitation In the mean while the Confederates left no stone unturn'd to strengthen their Party near the Rhine by the choice of a new Elector of Cologne such a one as they knew to be absolutely devoted to their Interest and who should grant a free passage to their Troops upon all occasions The old Archbishop was so aged and decay'd in strength The Affairs of Cologne 1688. that seeing but little probability to live many Years longer he gave leave to the Chapter of Cologne to chuse a Coadjutor The Elector Palatin being a Prince who knew how to improve all opportunities to his own advantage made use of all his Interest to advance one of the Princes his Sons to that Dignity being sensible that if he could succeed in this design to make one of them Coadjutor of this Bishoprick and consequently thereby to make himself Master of two Electorates there was nothing so great that he might not hope for in time and there were not a few who suspected that notwithstanding this strict Alliance with the House of Austria he had not laid aside all thoughts of meeting with a favourable opportunity to make way for his Sons to the Empire However it was both the Emperor and Hollanders made use of all their Interest to back his pretensions but all their intrigues prov'd of so little effect that of two and twenty of which the Chapter was compos'd nineteen gave their Voices for William Eugene of Furstembergh Cardinal and Bishop of Strasburgh Dean of the Church and Chief Minister of the Archbishop of Cologne The extraordinary merits of the Cardinal his great Age and Experience his past Services but above all the recommendations both of our King and the Archishop of Cologne had been so prevailing with them as to prefer him before all others But these reasons were not convincing enough to his Holiness who in opposition to all the remonstrances made to him in the Cardinal's behalf persisted in his resolution of not confirming the said Postulation tho' it was confess'd on all sides that every thing had been transacted in due form and that his Confirmation was look'd upon as the most proper means to secure the Peace of Christendom The King writ a Letter to the Pope with his own Hand which being given to a trusty Messenger the said Envoy shew'd the Letter to the Ministers of his Holiness and without discovering to them his Instructions told them that he had something to propose to the Pope in the King's Name which would give him all imaginable satisfaction But what is more frequent than to see even the wisest to be mistaken when they are only guided and rely too much upon their own Counsels For how dangerous soever the consequences of this refusal were represented to the Pope he could not be prevail'd upon to receive either the Letter or to admit the Envoy into his presence In the mean while that these contests were in agitation in the Court of Rome the Archbishop of Cologne came to die and the Confederates to counter-balance the Interest of the Cardinal of Furstenbergh rais'd up Prince Clement Brother to Maximilian II. the present Elector of Bavaria as a Competitor against him He was a young Prince of no small hopes but being not then above seventeen Years of Age and no Member of the Chapter of Cologne the Pope was forc'd to recede at this juncture from his wonted rigor and the strict rules of the Church Canons and to grant him a Dispensation to qualifie him to be Elected Archbishop of the said Church The Confederates strengthned by the Pope's Brief spared neither threats offers nor promises or intrigues And the Emperor's Envoy told in the Assembly of the Chapter and in the presence of the Cardinal himself that if they chose the Cardinal they must expect to be depriv'd of all their privileges But notwithstanding all these violent proceedures fourteen remain'd stedfast to the Cardinal there being only nine that gave their voices for Prince Clement of Bavaria The decision of this grand affair belonging to the Court of Rome Prince Clement of Bavaria Electâ—r of Cologne both these Competitors back'd by the interest of those Princes that had espous'd their Quarrel made all their credit to obtain their Confirmation by the Pope's Bull who call'd together a Congregation strictly to examine the matter in all its circumstances But a business of such vast quence and that in so nice a juncture was not likely to be decided by such formalities as those but by the powerful influence of the stronger party The Enemies of France were not backward to represent to the Pope that by making the Cardinal Archbishop of Cologne was in effect to put our King in the possession of Cologne and the whole Electorate that the King when once Master of Cologne would in a little time be also Master not only of the Low-Countries but also of the Empire it self Cologne being the Gate which open'd the way into the Empire to over-run the neighbouring Countries at pleasure There needed no more to create a jealousie in the Pope who being already prepossess'd either with a prejudice or ill will against the Cardinal and with a fear of augmenting the King's Power was ready enough to give ear to the insinuations of these Emissaries and to exclude the Cardinal from the hopes of the Archbishoprick in preferring a Prince of seventeen Years before him whom he himself thought worthy of the Cardinal 's Cap. Our King having thus in vain try'd all possible means to preserve the Peace of Christendom The King takes up Arms in 1688. took at last a resolution to come to a rupture with the Pope and without any diminution to the respect due to the Holy Chair to defend himself against his Aggressors chusing rather to carry the War into his Enemies Countries than to expect it in his own To divert the storm that was arising from Rome he order'd
his Attorney-General to bring in an Appeal to the next General Council against all the injustices receiv'd or which for the future might be to be fear'd from the Pope's partiality This kind of Appeal when founded upon just reasons making void and ineffectual all the Church Censures intended against this Act the King could not have pitch'd upon a more Prudent and Commodious expedient to prevent the Popes future resolutions of hurting him or at least to take away the means of puting them in Execution He publish'd at the same time a Manifesto In Sept. 1688. containing the reasons which had oblig'd him to take up Arms once more and as his chief design was rather to be upon the defensive than to act offensively against his Enemies the said Manifesto had much more resemblance to a new project of Peace than to a Declaration of War For the King proposed To put an end to the differences in Hand by an amicable composition in reference to the Succession in dispute concerning the Fiefs in the Palatinate He offer'd to demolish Friburgh and Philipsbourg after he should become Master of the last provided the Emperor and Empire would agree on their side to convert the twenty Years Truce into a Peace and would leave the Cardinal of Furstemburgh in the quiet possession of the Archbishoprick and the Chapter of Cologne in the enjoyment of their Rights and Privileges To back these pretensions by the force of his Arms Philipsburgh taken in 1688 he order'd a good Army to advance towards Philipsburgh which was besieged by the Dauphin on the sixth of October This being the first time that the Prince appear'd at the head of an Army in the Field he gave such eminent proofs both of his Valour and Conduct in this Campaign which lasted not above six Weeks that thereby he gain'd the esteem of the whole French Army There were many difficulties to be surmounted in this Siege the far advanc'd Season continual Rains and situation of the Place which was surrounded with marshy Grounds and the resolution of the Governor who defended himself with great bravery were such obstacles as seem'd to render the success of this Enterprise very doubtful But the Place being destitute of all hopes of relief and not in a condition to resist any longer the fury of our Bombs and vigorous Attacks was forc'd to Capitulate on the twenty ninth of October and the Dauphin celebrated his Birth-day three Days after being the first of November by his Solemn Entry into the Place During the Siege of Philipsburgh the King reiterated his former instances for the conclusion of a Peace in hopes that these lightnings being the fore-runners of those thunder-claps that threatned the adjacent Countries might serve as a warning to the Confederates But finding all his endeavours in vain and fore-seeing he must prepare himself to sustain a long War he order'd the Dauphin to make himself Master of the whole Palatinate The Conquest of the Palatinate in 1688. by the Conquest of the strong Fortresses of Manheim and Frankendal and at the same time sent several flying Armies towards Spires Mayence Treves and Wormes to take possession of these places by which means he did not question but to oblige the Enemies either to accept of a Peace or at least to put them under a necessity of regaining these places with vast charges and great loss of their Men which had only cost him the trouble of being seiz'd upon by his Troops AN ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB V. THE whole German Empire was extreamly alarm'd at these Conquests made by our King's Forces but they were so far from being cast down at their loss that on the contrary they seem'd to have assum'd new Courage each Circle in particular dreading the neighbourhood of so potent a Prince strove to out-vye the other in making new Levies with great expedition without entring upon the dispute as they us'd to do formerly about the Quota each of them was to furnish for the defence of the Empire All the Electors and Princes of Germany not excepting even the Elector of Bavaria declar'd unanimously against France notwithstanding the Sister of the last was Married to the Dauphin He had signaliz'd himself upon several occasions in Hungary and was now resolv'd to maintain his Brother in the Archbishoprick of Cologne besides that he was flatter'd with the hopes of Succession in Spain These Obligations were so prevailing with this Prince that contrary to the Maxim practis'd in the House of Bavaria for many Years past to balance the power of the House of Austria he became one of the Heads and the most passionate adherents to the Confederacy It is scarce possible to be conceiv'd that so many Sovereigns as compose the German Empire should be sway'd by the same interest The whole Empire declares against France and be all of the same opinion the more since History can scarce furnish us with an instance for many Ages past when they have been thus united in one League especially in espousing the Emperor's Quarrel it being look'd upon as one of the fundamental Maxims to maintain the Liberty of the Empire rather to diminish than to favour the designs and growing power of their Emperors It appear'd to most Politicians a thing the most improbable in the World to see these Princes so forward in running themselves in a War the benefit whereof would only redound to the Emperor whilst they in the mean while disinabled themselves to resist his power when at any time hereafter he should meet with a favourable juncture to fall upon them Notwithstanding the conjunction of the forces of Germany the Emperor and Empire scarce thinking themselves strong enough to resist the King 's Victorious Arms without further supplies they made their applications to all the Princes of Europe even the King of Poland and to the other Northern Princes who by their vast distance feem'd to have but little concerns in the affairs of those parts of Europe The Swiss Cantons were more than once sollicited to enter into the Confederacy or at least to grant a free passage to their Troops But as they did not fear their threats so they rejected all their advantageous offers persisting in their resolution to keep an exact neutrality according to the examples of their Ancestors who thereby drew the Money of the neighbouring Countries into their Country and made themselves to be esteemed and courted by the most powerful Princes of Europe among all the Princes of Italy tho' there were very few but what were glad to see a check put to the King's power yet not one declar'd against us except Victor Amadeus II. the present Duke of Savoy The Glorious Name of being Generalissimo over a great Army which the Confederates had promis'd to send to his assistance the fair prospect of enriching himself by the great subsidies from England and Holland the hopes of having a share in the Conquests
the French Arms for these nine or ten Years last past had given new occasion of Jealousie to the Emperor The Continuation of the War was a plausible pretence to augment his Authority in the Empire he had all the Reason in the World to be afraid of the ill state of the King of Spain's Health and his infirm Constitution he did also imagine that after the Conclusion of the Peace the German Princes would not be very forward to assist him against the Turks all which Inducements were sufficient to diminish the Emperor's Inclinations for a Peace It was supposed that the Prince of Orange K. William III. was also rather inclined to continue the War but considering that both the English and Dutch so earnestly desir'd it there was not any reason which could oblige him to oppose this Negotiation For the several Plots which had been contrived against him since his Elevation to the Throne the decay of Commerce the vast quantity of false and clipt Money and the scarcity of good Coin had caused ' such Confusions in England as could not be better repair'd than by a speedy Peace especially since the English sustain'd such considerable Losses both by our Privateers and the heavy Taxes that many of their richest Merchants were ruin'd by the War Add to this that the People in Holland were so pressing for a Peace that for fear the States-General should be prevail'd upon to consent to a separate Peace with France the Emperor and the other Princes judged it most adviceable not to delay any longer to send their Plenipotentiaries to assist at the opening of the Conferences The King had for some time before sent Francis de Calliere a person in whom he put a singular Confidence to the Hague to adjust the main Preliminary Points with the States General of the United Provinces and to remove all Obstacles which might retard or obstruct this grand Affair he kept upon the defensive for fear of raising new Jealousies against him among the Confederates But finding that this only served for a means to retard than promote the Peace some of the Confederates being buoyed up with the vain hopes of obtaining more advantageous Conditions by these delays he took a resolution to act with more Vigour this Campaign Since the end of the last Campaign the King had ordered his Magazines upon the Rhine to be fill'd with all manner of Provisions The French Forces which hitherto had been Employ'd in Italy were put into Winter-Quarters in Alsace and other adjacent Countries and our Troops had been in Motion all the Winter the better to amuse the Enemy The Neighbouring Princes being greatly Alarm'd at these vast Preparations caused their Territories to be cover'd by strong Entrenchments defended by a vast number of Pallisadoes and Batteries with Redoubts and Forts built on all the principal Avenues as if they all were to sustain the whole Force of France the following Campaign A Rumour being also industriously spread abroad which was confirm'd by the Motions of our Forces on that side that the King intended to have two great Armies in Germany one near the Vpper Rhine to give a Diversion to the Enemy the other under the Marshal de Catinat to undertake a Siege upon the Lower-Rhine the Confederates fortified Mayence and provided this as well as other places thereabouts with fufficient Garrisons This Rumor continued till towards the end of April the King having managed the whole Design with somuch Conduct and Secrecy that the Generals who were to serve under the Marshal de Catinat were upon the Road towards Germany in expectation to make the Campaign there when they receiv'd Orders to the contrary and that they should with all speed repair to Flanders whither the said Marshal was gone to form the Siege of Aeth This Enterprize was look'd upon as the most glorious that could be undertaken Siege of Aeth the Place being strongly fortified with eight Bastions surrounded with a broad and deep Ditch full of Water It was the sixteenth day of May when the Town was Invested at which time there was a Garrison in it of three thousand seven hundred Men. Never was a place attack'd with more precaution and so much vigour at the same time the King having given express Orders to the Marshal to spare as much as possible could be his Troops but to play against the Place the more furiously with his great Artillery But the besieged made but a feeble Resistance they fired not very briskly nor made one Sally when our Men made the Assault upon the covert Way they left their Post after the first Discharge so that as soon as we had made two breaches large enough to mount them this strong Place which by reason of its many Outworks Surrender of Aeth was fear'd would cost us a great many Men surrendred by Composition the 6th day of June in thirteen days after opening of the Trenches with the loss only of a hundred Men on our Side The Confederates had at the same two great Armies in Flanders being both computed at a hundred and twenty thousand Men. Our King to disappoint the Enemies design of relieving the Place had order'd the Marshal de Villeroy to post himself on that side where there was the most appearance of danger The Marshal de Bouflers was Encamped on the other side of the Town and three other Bodies were to guard some other Avenues leading to it all which were posted at such convenient distance as to be able to second one another in case of an Attack so soon as the Enemy had been advertised of the Siege they advanced towards our Lines but whither it were that they fear'd the Desertion of many of their Soldiers who were very ill paid or that they did not think it for their Interest to hazard a Battle at this juncture of time when the Peace was so near a Conclusion for fear that if the Success should not answer their Expectation they should be forced to rest contented with the less advantageous Conditions they divided their Army into several Bodies the better to cover their other Places in Flanders without attempting the Relief of Aeth Soon after the taking of Aeth they received a fresh Reinforcement of eighteen thousand Men but notwithstanding their vast Number they Entrenched themselves in their Camp which they made impregnable by many Redoubts and Batteries The French Army's continued all this Summer in the Spanish Territories without being distubr'd by the Confederates who avoided a Battle or Engagement The remaining part of the Campaign was spent without any further Action the Allies seeming to have no other Aim than to prevent our Forces from undertaking any thing of moment and both Parties being actually inclin'd to expect the issue of the Siege of Barcelona and of the Diet Assembled in Poland for the chusing of a Successor to their lately deceased King John John Sobieski Grand Marshal of Poland ow'd his Elevation to the Throne of Poland not so much
Viceroy's Quarter where there was nothing but Confusion as may easily be supposed to be the Effects of such a Surprize Every one was for following the Example of the Viceroy who saved himself in his Shirt without being able to take along with him his Papers or Scrutore in which was a good Sum of Gold Two or three hundred of the bravest among them who made some resistance were cut in pieces and the rest dispersed in an instant The whole Camp with all their Baggage fell a Prey to our Soldiers who burnt their Tents and every thing else that was not portable The Count d' Vsson having at the same time had the good Fortune to drive the Spaniards from their Post in the Mountains we had all the reason to believe that the Besieged being discouraged by this ill Success would alter their measures and give over their Design of holding out to the last Extremity Assault up on Barcelona But we found our selves deceiv'd in our hopes for they received us with incredible Bravery as we were giving the Assault about a Week after upon the Breaches of the two Bastions They retook one of these Bastions with great Slaughter and after they were drove from thence a second time retreated into a strong Entrenchment they had made behind the Breach of the Bastion Thus we were to encounter the Danger of a new Siege there being behind the Entrenchment a strong old Wall fortified with Towers Our Miners were set at Work and every thing ready for a general Assault when the Besieged were again summon'd to a Surrender but without being in the least terrified at the Danger that threatned them in case the Town should be be taken by Assault they refused to hearken to a Capitulation till at last being overcome by the Lamentations of the Cirizens and the Consideration of their present Condition which was such as not to be able to sustain another Assault without hazarding all they accepted of the Conditions offer'd them by the Duke de Vendosme who to shew the Esteem he had for their Bravery allow'd them very honourable Conditions to wit to march out thro' the Breach with six Mortars and thirty pieces of Cannon Besides which we found in the place six Mortars Surrendeâ— of Barcelona more and one hundred pieces of Cannon This Siege cost the Lives of many brave Men we having lost betwixt four and five thousand on our side and the Enemy above six housand It was was much about the same time that we receiveed the welcome News of the good Success of an Expedition against Carthagena a Place belonging to the Spaniards in the West-Indies The Spaniards are so over-jealous of their great Riches and vast Possessions in the new World that they do not suffer any Foreigner among them there This Project had been in Debate several times before but never came to Maturity till the Sieur de Ponty obtain'd Leave from the King to undertake this Eppedition in Person The King to encourage the Design provided the Ships many particular Persons furnishing their Quota for the Equipment of them in proportion to the Share they expected to have in the Booty The Sieur de Ponty was an expert Seaman and had rendred himself Famous in several Exploits Accordingly he set Sail in the Month of January Expedition against Carthagena with seven Men of War three Frigats two other Ships and one Bomb-Vessel He met with all the imaginable Success in his Voyage and in the beginning of March following without having met with any Tempest or other Encounter at Sea came to an Anchor before the Port of St. Domingo where being reinforced with fifteen hundred Buckaneers he pursued his Voyage to Carthagena where at his Arrival he found the Enemies who had received Intelligence of his Design making preparations to receive him Carthagena is one of the most Famous and best Ports the Sponiards are Masters of in America Description of Carthagena It is a very large and populous City built upon a Peninsula its Avenues is being guraded by several Forts There the Lower and the Upper City The last is defended by several Bastions and the first by a strong Fort. There were above one hundred pieces of Cannons mounted upon their Walls and Forts their main Hopes they avoiding all Opportunities of coming to Handy-blows Our Troops acting not with the usual Precautions betwixt eight and nine hundred of them were killed at their Landing by the Enemy's Cannon In the Assault of the first Fort the Buckaneers attack'd them with such Bravery that they took it with little Resistance the other Forts were also abandoned by the Spaniards without striking a Blow They defended the Fort which guards the Lower Town for some time but that being carried by Assault we fired so furiously with our great Artillery against the Upper Town that they were forced to capitulate on the third day after The Sieur de Ponty entred the City in Triumph The taking of Carthagena and after he had put them to Ransom he demolished all their Bastions and Forts We got a prodigious Booty in the Place For without reckoning the vast Sums which each Officer and Soldier squeez'd out of their Landlords betwixt eight and nine Millions of Livres in ready Coin and Ingots were brought into France and a Million more in Emeralds other precious Stones Moveables and Gold and one hundred Brass Pieces of Cannon With this vast Treasure they set Sail from Carthagena but were not long before at about fifty Leagues distance from that place Ponty escaped the English they were met by a Squadron of twenty English Men of War they made a running Fight for two days but on the third the Sieur de Ponty sound means under favour of a thick Mist to alter his Course and to escape the Danger without loosing any thing of his Booty The Expedition made much Noise in all Parts of the World every body standing amaz'd at the Boldness of the Buckaneers it being chiefly owing to their Bravery that this dangerous Expedition was brought to a happy issue tho' carried on with a much less Number of Ships and Men than seem'd proportionable to the Greatness of the Enterprize These Advantages so lately obtained on our side prov'd very instrumental to hasten the Peace The Jealousy which the Confederate Princes had conceived at the King 's good Fortune and Power The General Peace and the hopes of reducing him into more narrow Bounds had been the chief occasion of this War But finding themselves deceived in these great Expectations there was nothing left now but to restore Tranquility to Europe by a solid and durable Peace founded upon the same Basis with that of Nimhegen In this nice Conjuncture the Prince of Orange King William III. acted the Part of a great Politician and finding that the Desires of the People were absolutely bent for Peace he made the first steps towards Accomplishing it and by his Perswasions prevailed upon