can France say to This But to say no more of the pretended Usurpation of England who has told France that the Catholick King has join'd with a Usurper He has united with the Emperor his Kinsman and Ally He has join'd with the Pope the Head of the Church Against whom Against the common Enemy of the Empire against the general Enemy of Europe against the declar'd Enemy of the Holy Empire Where is the Scandal The Prince of Orange lawful Elected King of England by the Three Estates of the Kingdom is upon his March the same way What sort of Morals has the Court of France found out to prove that it is not lawful for the Catholick King to make an Alliance with him in defence of the Common Liberty of Europe Is it for us to dispute the Rights of the People and Kings of England We should take it very ill that the English should intermeddle with the Government of Castile or Arragon If there be any wrong done 't is done by all the Nation Now I cannot find that the whole Body of a Nation is answerable for its Conduct to any other than God himself If King James have any right on his side we will not take it ill that he defend his Title But this is a Quarrel to be disputed between the People and Him wherein no body has to do to concern himself much less the Catholick King who never receiv'd any Kindness but all the dammage that might be from the late Kings of England as being always in League with France to the ruine of the House of Austria This is the first time for these two hundred years past that the House of Austria has found England in a condition to be advantageous to their Interests and France is mighty unwilling that they should lay hold of the Lucky Conjuncture 'T is very unjust and the Accusation which the most Christian King raises thereupon is a Pretence without any ground After all what would be the benefit of that plausible Alliance into which his most Christian Majesty tells us that he has labour'd so much to persuade the Catholick King for the restoring King James It would produce a bloudy War. England environ'd with the Sea united to Holland and in Alliance with other Protestant Princes is able to maintain a War against all the other Princes of Europe And in this War Spain would be a loser the Empire would get nothing and France would win all For when the Allies were weaken'd by extravagant Expences and a tedious War with England then would France fall upon them and level all before him This is a true Prospect of the Designs of France so Religious so Catholick so Zealous for the Rights of lawful Sovereigns And now has not the Marquess of Gastannaga just reason to publish That the most Christian King's Declaration is injurious to his Catholick Majesty while it labours to render all his Alliances with the Princes and States his Neighbours scandalous to all the World whose glorious Aim is onely the repose of Christendom and the reciprocal Grandeur of each others Dominions The Scandal then being wip'd away as it is clear there is none in this case it is as apparent that his Catholick Majesty cannot dispence with his entring into an Alliance with all the Enemies of France let them be of what Religion they will. For this Union tends to the glorious End which is the safety and repose of Europe of which the most Christian King has been the Disturber for several years His Ambition is boundless nor will it admit of any Limits and therefore it is requisite that Bounds should be set him in spite of his teeth it being necessary as the Marquess of Gastannaga says for the reciprocal Grandeur of each others Dominions Not that the Emperour or the King of Spain or their Allies have any design of Conquest upon those Princes that acknowledge and worship Jesus Christ That Honour is left for the most Christian King to pillage and devour the Children of the Church The Emperour is contented with conquering the Countries of the Christians out of the hands of Infidels And as for his Catholick Majesty all that he desires is but to regain what has been so unjustly ravish'd from him Nor does it appear that the Protestant States the English and Hollanders either have or can have any prospect of Conquest nor any other Interest than that of the publick safety and the preservation of the Liberty of Europe But to be an Enemy of France to go about to stop the Career of her Fury is to declare War against Heaven if you will believe the Ministers and Council of Versailles His Majesty was inform'd at the same time that the Spanish Embassadonr in England was continually with the Prince of Orange And thus for the future the Court of France it seems will take upon her to regulate the Visits and motions of Forreign Embassadours in Foreign Courts so that they shall not dare to pay common Civilities without her permission Wherefore should the Catholick King forbear holding that good Correspondence with the Prince of Orange which he had always observ'd while he was at the Hague Had the Prince of Orange given the King any occasion to order his Ministers not to see him any more 'T is very true the behaviour of the Prince was quite different toward Monsieur Barillon the most Christian King's Embassadour for he sent him away packing with ignominy and he had good reason so to do For that Embassadour was sent into England for nothing else but to engage King James in a Conduct entirely opposite to the Interests of Europe and the publick peace 'T was his business to cheat England and to tie he Hands that she might not oppose the Ambitious designs of the most Christian King and aster the flight of King James he staid behind for nothing else but to be a Spy and a Firebrand of Sedition But the Spanish Embassadour was there to engage England to do her duty by suppressing the Attempts of France The Prince of Orange comes into England and by the flight of King James becomes Master of Affairs and turns the Tide so that the Revolution proves altogether favourable to the Interests of his Catholick Majesty and of all Europe What reason has the most Christian King to take it ill that we should lay hold of such a lucky Circumstance for the restoring Christendom to peace and that flourishing Condition which it formerly enjoy'd One of the King of France's Reasons for declaring War against the Catholick King is That the Governour of the Spanish Netherlands we very busie in raising new Forces Is not this very fine that the King of France shall cover Land and Sea with Armies and Fleets shall declare War against the Pope and the Emperor threaten the Universe make preparations as if he were to conquer all the East and that he Princes of Christendom and their Governours must not dare to make moderate Levies
for their own security but that the King of France must take from thence and occasion to declare War against them The Method of this Ambitious Prince is to strike without giving notice and to take and burn Cities and Towns without any Declaration as was apparent by the burning of Genoa and the seizing of Strasburgh and Philipsburgh which he has wrested from the Empire However it behoves us to trust to his Honesty we must neither stir nor make any Levies in the Spanish Netherlands because that at the Court of Madrid he is endeavouring to lull the People asleep with Proposals of Peace and Neutrality It was also a very great Crime in the Governour of the Low-Countries to let in the Dutch and Brandenburgh Forces into the principal Spanish Cities of Flanders Is it not a wonderful thing that we should be so Cautious against a faithless Enemy 'T is true that since there was no War declar'd between France and Spain it behov'd our Governour to live and sleep at his ease upon the Faith and security of the Treaties since there was no necessity for him to put Forein Forces into his fortify'd Cities But who is there that does not know that there is no Faith or Trust in France That Treaties of Truce and Peace Capitulations and Promises are but Ropes of Chaff which she breaks in the first fits of her Fury and Ambition without giving warning to any body France also has found out another great Motive to declare War against Spain for that she has discover'd That the Agent of the Prince of Orange have receiv'd considerable sums at Cas diz and Madrid In good truth we are become very happy-and now the Credit of the Crown of Spain is again restor'd The pretended weakness of the Catholick King the Poverty of is exhausted Treasuries and the slowness of his Returns for the Low-Countries were the subjects of the Scoffs and Raillery of France Now thanks be to Heaven Spain is in a condition to furnish Foreiners with considerable Sums And what is this to the King of France Who ever heard it said that when Men pay their Debts or borrow money of their Friends that they incur the Crime of Infidelity toward those with whom they are otherwise at Peace This very Act of Spain in paying money to the Prince of Orange is a sufficient proof that she never intended to break the Truce first For upon Emergent occasions every body has need of his own In short France has found out that the Catholick King deserv'd the utmost of her Indignation and that he should be proceeded against with Fire and Sword because at least He would not oblige himself to observe and exact Neutrality and not promise to succour-her Enemies either directly or indirectly 'T is a very strange thing that France will take upon her to bind up other States by Treaties upon Treaties and observe none her self What need was there of a Treaty of Neutrality since the Truce of 1684. was still in force in respect of the Catholick King And if France intended to make any satisfaction to the Empire for the dismal Invasion of Germany would not things be in their former condition without any need of a Neutrality But France refusing to give the Emperour and the Pope satisfaction was not this an uncivil dishonest and ridiculous Demand that the King of Spain should look on quietly and without stirring while France push'd forward her furious Attempts against the Emperour and the Pope against whom the most Christian King had declar'd War Can this be any occasion to break a Treaty of Peace because France would not stay to see which way the Catholick King intended For seeing France had Enemies enough to deal with tho the Catholick King had forborn to meddle in the Affair and that he had waited to see the end of the Quarrel and the success of the War without having any hand in it the most Christian King had what he could desire The Truce had been in force and the Neutrality by consequence If his Catholic Majesty had at length declar'd War against France he had had time enough then to think of defending him himself So that this Declaration of VVar against Spain had not engag'd the most Christian King in new Expences seeing that having a War with Holland he was oblig'd to have an Army in the Netherlands But the King of France thought to perform an Act of great courage and boldness by being beforehand with the Male contents and foremost in declaring a War against all the States which he foresaw could give him any trouble as in the gaiety of his Heart he declar'd War at one time both against the Pope and the Emperour fearing they would make a Peace with the Turk to fall upon him Presently after he declar'd War against the Hollanders who were busie about their own affairs because he foresaw that in the conclusion it would not a little perplex him should they engage in the Interests of the Empire And at length he declar'd War against his Catholick Majesty at a time when he observ'd the Truce because he thought he could not prevent his assisting the Emperour his Kinsman and Ally 'T is a wonder that this Magnificent Braggard suffer'd England to get the start of him and that he let King William be the first that declar'd the War. We shall see how this Hectoring and Bouncing will thrive with the most Christian King. He has had the pleasure of declaring VVar against all Europe and to give the first Blows we shall know shortly who will strike hardest and continue longest in breath And thus much for the reasons upon which the King of France grounds his Declaration of VVar. There are others but I omit them because they are so very weak that they are not worth repeating Our Governour in his Counter-Declaration does not bring so many but they are much better and more satisfactory He grounds his Counter-Declaration only upon two Arguments The first That the Arms of France inhumanly and with all manner of cruelties and unheard of Barbarisms lay desolate all the States of the Empire without any regard to the Laws of Religion or War or the sacred Right of Capitulations The Second That the Ministers of France make use of all the tricks and slights of Negotiation and of all other means to disturb the Harmony of Christendom and to bring in the whole Ottoman Power to the Destruction of Hungary and at the same time to ranverse the Peace concluded between his Imperial Majesty his Illustrious Allies and the Ottoman Port. Upon this second Reason we could enlarge very much if all had not been said already that is to be spoken that is to say how justly and how truly we have Reason to complain of the Infamous Alliances between the Court of France and the Turk to the Ruin of Christendom We are convinc'd of it by Letters intercepted and undeniable proofs of the private Correspondence which they have always
the Treaty unless our Governour Monsieur the Marquess of Gastannaga be charg'd in particular His Majesty says the Declaration has been also inform'd of the part which the Governour of the Low-Countries had in the Enterprize which the Prince of Orange undertook against England By this it appears that his most Christian Majesty had very good Eyes to see what no body else but himself could discover But I would fain understand what part the Marquess of Gastannaga had in the Enterprize of the Prince of Orange Did he righ out any of his Masters Ships to join the Holland Fleet Did he levy any Soldiers in the Netherlands or send any Forces aboard to land in England Did he lend any Money to the Prince of Orange or the Hollanders toward their getting ready their Fleet Did he sollicit the English to revolt and favour that pretended Invasion In my opinion these are the only Acts by which it may be presum'd that he had any part in the Enterprize Now it is as clear as Daylight and notorious to all Europe that the Governour of the Netherlands was never guilty of any of these Charges and that he cannot be upbraided with any false step that ever he made either directly or indirectly to the ruine of King James but I will tell ye the truth how it was Some years since there was a Tribunal erected at Versailles altogether resembling the Judgment-Seat of God where men were to answer for their Thoughts as well as their Actions In this Tribunal which understood the hearts of Men it was that they found that the Marquess of Gastannaga was at the bottom of his heart very glad that the King of England had work enough to do at home since he minded so little those Affairs abroad that most concern'd him For King James was Garrantee for the Peace of Nimeghen for the obtaining of which his Brother had been the Mediatour It behov'd him also to be Garantee for the Truce that follow'd and yet he sat still without ever concerning himself while the King of France both openly broke the Truce and invaded the Empire It is natural not to close too far with the Interests of those who do not close with ours especially when they are obliged thereto It may be that the Marque4ss of Gastannaga who is deeply engaged in the Interests of the Empire not a little perplex'd that the King of England so strangely neglected the peace of Europe was nothing at all troubl'd to see him depriv'd of that Peace himself which he would not preserve to others This was a Thing divin'd in France as it was divin'd that the Emperour would make a Peace with the Turk to make War upon the Rhine And this was the great Crime of the Governour of the Low-Countreys He was a Friend to the Prince of Orange before the enterprize of England nor has he yet abandon'd his Friendship but has always preserv'd the good Correspondence which was between the Prince and Him. This was another of his Crimes For from this time forward the World is to be inform'd that France is not onely the Arbitratour and judg of the general conclusions of Peace but she is also the Mistress of private and particular tyes and Obligations of Friendship People of honesty and Integrity are no longer to have any other Friends but those whom she will allow them Otherwise he must be a Criminal a Violator of Treaties and an Infringer of Alliances It may be that the Marquess of Gastannaga at what time there was no news in Holland of what pass'd in England gave advice to the Spanish Minister residing at the Hague of what Intelligence he had by the way of Newport and that the News was carry'd to the Princess of Orange and the States And this was having a part in the Enterprize of the Prince of Orange according to the Interpretation of France for that without this Intelligence the Prince of Orange's Enterprize could never have succeeded this was that which terrify'd King James this was that which caus'd him to abdicate his Kingdom this was that which had such an influence upon his Army that they refus'd to fight in a word this was that which did the work Thus it is that France derides and laughs at all the World and takes us all for a company of Beasts Nevertheless these specious Pretences are the Ingredients of a Delcaration of War and make up the principal Grounds and foundations of it Now let us listen to the following part of the Declaration His Majesty not being able to believe that the conduct of the Governour of the Low-Countries in this particular Affair was every by the Directions of Order of the King of Spain who by so many ties of Religion Bloud and assurance of all Kings one toward another was oblig'd to oppose a Usurpation of that nature His Majesty was in hopes that he might have been able to persuade his most Christian Majesty to a Union for the Re-establishment of the lawful King in England and the preservation of the Catholick Religion against the Protestant League c. His Majesty was inform'd at the same time that the Spanish Ambassadour in England was every day with the Prince of Orange c. And bad Counsels prevailing his Majesty had intelligence that a resolution was taken to favour the Usurper of England and to join with the Protestant Prince Behold another most pious and most Catholick Article of the Declaration and now after this who can ever accuse the King of France of not behaving himself answerable to his Title of Most Christian It is clear from hence that the King of Spain is no longer to be accounted Catholick since he is become a Friend and favourer of the Protestants He refuses to succour a Catholick Prince dispossess'd by an Usurper he joins his Forces with those of the Enemies of the Church Nevertheless the Marquess of Gastannaga does not relish this specious Article And therefore he finds himself oblig'd to tell the VVorld in his Counter Declaration That that same piece of the most Christian King is injurious to the Devotion and Piety of his Master as being labour'd with all the Art imaginable to render his Alliances wih the Princes and States his Neighbours scandalous to the World. In the Declaration of the most Christian King of which we have already repeated the words it appears that his Majesty seems to have a peculiar abhorrence of Usurpers and would by no means be thought a friend to Usurpations but altogether a Zealot for the Rights and Priviledges of lawful Sovereigns For he calls the Prince of Orange a Vsurper and would have all the World to be his Enemy King James he calls the Lawful King of England and would have all the World to succour him But it is an easie thing to look through all these feigned shews of his good Nature for if they be real 't is to be hop'd that the consideration of these things will bring him to look
held with the Rebels of Hungary and their furnishing them with the Assistance both of Men and Money and all this since the General Peace of Nimeghen We know that it was France that sollicited the Port to invade the Emperor's Dominions and to undertake the Siege of Vienna We know that it was France that practised whatever could be devis'd to break the Peace between the Emperor and the Turk All this is so notorious that there is no necessity to prove it the Court of France moreover makes her brags of it We accuse her and she glories in it We agree the matter of Fact the dispute is onely concerning the Nature of it Let the World judge whether it be just and honest for a Christian Prince that would be thought so zealous a Catholick to sollicit the Forces of Infidels to overthrow and extirpate Christianity and whether the Emperor and the King of Spain have not more than sufficient reason to abhor Peace with a Prince that declares War against Jesus Christ by uniting with the profess'd Enemies of the Cross The next Reason which the Marquess of Gastannage alledges is founded upon the unheard of Inhumanities Cruelties and Barbarisms perpetrated in the States of the Empire by the French Forces by the peculiar Order of the most Christian King. This was a sound Argument when our Governour produc'd it but it is very much improv'd since that time in regard those Cruelties are multiply'd since at a strange rate There was enough then to priviledge our Governor to speak what he said But what might he not now have said had he seen what since has befall'n us The fair Cities of Wormes Spire and Oppenheim and all those other Towns that lie upon the Rhine from Philipsburg to Mayence have undergone the same Fate That lovely Canton of Germany the Delight of the Earth and true Terrestrial Paradise is now a dreadful Desert where there is nothing to be seen but smoaking Ruins the Crys of which mount up to Heaven Spire the Seat of Imperial Justice where God voic'd forth his Oracles to determine the differences between Man and Man and preserve the Peace of private Families is at present a heap of Ashes The very Names of considerable Lineages are annihilated the Seeds of Eternal Discord are sown in the Ground and the effects of the French Fury have extended themselves even to future Ages by the Destruction of so many German Families Wormes a spatious and renowned City is now become an Object that terrifies the Sight Nothing but Ruins are there to be seen which bespeak the most execrable Cruelty that ever was committed The whole Country round about presents nothing to your view but Desolation not to be imagined Neither Trees nor Vineyards no planted Orchards or Gardens no Corn no verdant Fields or Meadows nor any hope of Harvest All is become one dreadful Object all alike Conflagration Fire and Ashes Depopulation intermix'd with smoaking heaps of Ruin and Rubbish And what occasion'd these Extravagant Outrages Perhaps they might be done upon the first motions of an Indignation not easily master'd Perhaps it might be the effect of sudden Rage upon the Sacking of a City taken by Storm where the Soldiers incens'd by the dangers they have escaped and greedy of Plunder put all to the Sword. No it was in cold blood that these horrid Inhumanities were exercis'd and upon Cities and Provinces of which they had been in Possession for several Months upon People that endur'd their slavery with Patience and of whom they had not the least reason in the World to complain It was done after mature Deliberations and Resolutions taken in the Cabinet and Cabal at Versailles consisting of the King Louvay and de Croissy Did ever the whole Senate of Devils fix upon Resolutions so horrid and Infernal Lucifer and his Angels never imagin'd or executed any thing so dismal to the Destruction of Mankind Suppose you saw the Inhabitants of that spacious and lovely Country hurrying out of the midst of Fire and Flames Mothers with their Infants in their Arms bathing their Cheeks with Tears and sending up their piercing Crys to Heaven disconsolate Husbands dragging their Wives and Children after them old Men slowly creeping from the danger tottering at every step and bewailing the Loss and Desolation of a Country where they had enjoy'd Tranquillity and Pleasure for so many years together young Men abandoning the hopes of those Fortunes and Estates they were just ready to inherit by the Death of their Parents whom old Age was about to dispose to a better Life Set before your Eyes this numerous Multitude dispers'd among the Woods wandring over the Mountains laden with those small remains of that same fatal Shipwreck which every one could save consum'd with Weariness over-whelm'd with Grief surrounded with Affliction and making the Banks of the River eccho with the Plaints and Lamentations Lastly consider that as an Accumulation of Cruelty they refus'd these miserable Creatures the Consolation of seeking Sanctuary and Relief among their fellow Country-men beyond the Rhine All that they desir'd was to die Freemen and to breath forth their last gasp in the Arms of their Friends and Relations But they constrain'd them only to change the Place of their Captivity and to retire into the Cities which the French as yet are Masters of upon the Rhine on purpose to redouble their Affliction in seeing their abodes newly assign'd them destin'd to the same Desolation as their native Soil In these firs of general Fury there was nothing spar'd Things the most Sacred were prophan'd The Bishops and they that officiated at the Altars were dragg'd about the Streets in Pomp and Triumph They were constrain'd to save those sorry Remnants which the Soldiers left and what they could rescue out of their Churches among the Rocks and Forests The Religious Orders were hal'd from their Solitudes and the Spouses of Christ were expos'd to the Insolencies of the Victorious Soldiers Those Churches that were formerly the Sanctuaries of the unfortunate were laid level with the Earth the Devotion of our Ancestors that rear'd them not being able to preserve them Who would have thought or Age could have produced such dreadful Extravagancies And yet for all this we are Debtors to the King of France There needs no more to distinguish him from all the Princes in the World. Tho he was well enough known before by his new Law while he pretended that whatever had belonged or had formerly been annex'd to the Countries which had been conceded to him by the Treaties of Munster and Nimeghen ought to return to him Observe a Maxim of War which is no less new but very terrible That there is a necessity of burning destroying and annihilating whatever cannot be kept lest the Enemy should make any benefit of it Never was any conception of Hell so dreadful What would have become of the world if this Maxim had been in force two Ages ago What would have become of Germany
during a War of fifty Years from the unfortunate Overthrow of Frederick Elector Palatine who aspir'd to the Crown of Bohemia to the Peace of Munster There is not a City in Germany that was not subjected several times to the change of various Masters If a War were made upon their foundation that nothing is to be left for the Enemy to make a benefit of all the Cities in the World would be reduced to Ashes The Hollanders are happy in this that that same Devil which now possesses France did not enter her sooner For then the great City of Vtrecht the Cities of Arnheim Nimeghen Campen Zwoll Deventer Doesburgh Bommel Thiel and in a word all the Towns of Guelders Overyssel and the Province of Vtrecht which France abandon'd had been utterly destroyed the famous City of Messina had been like the top of Mount Gibello not far distant from it Has not our Governour reason enough to say That the French have no regard to the Laws of Religion or War We know that the Laws of War do authorize many Acts which in Peace are look'd upon to be wicked and villainous when we quit a City that we cannot keep we carry away whatever may render it formidable to those that are forc'd to leave it We demand Ransom and take the chief Inhabitants for Hostages Nor were the French ignorant how to make the best Advantage of these Priviledges during the Dutch War. Thus also when we abandon any strong Garrisons we take care to ruin the principal Fortifications Lastly when we are sorely prest upon by the Enemy Necessity constrains us to destroy whatever may be serviceable in the Country to the Enemies Army VVe burn up the Hay carry away the Corn set on fire what we cannot carry away and destroy all the Mills But to fall without mercy upon Cities and Houses and to burn them and lay them in Ashes is a monstruous and unparallel'd Extravagance contrary to all the Laws of VVar And then consider the time at the beginning of a VVar before any Brush or Defeat received So that it could be no fear of urging Mischief that occasion'd these Madnesses And now to what purposs is all this Would the Germans and their Horses have eaten the Walls of the magnificent Castle of Heydelbergh or the Houses of so many Cities had they been left standing Are these the Provision and Amunition that maintain Armies What tho the French had left the Cities of Heydelbergh Manheim Frankendale Spire Worms and Oppenheim with their Houses entire but empty however without Corn Wine or Cattle would the Enemy have been a whit the better or at least would not they themselves have been though to have some moderation in their Anger But these Stones and these Houses will remain eternal Witnesses that the Spirit of the French Cabal is a thousand times worse than that of the Turks since the Infidels were never guilty of the like 'T is such a reproach to the Christian Name that when the News of it shall reach the Ottaman Port there is no doubt but all the Divan will lift up their hands to Heaven and give God thanks for revenging them upon the Christians by the Christians themselves who commit those heinous Impieties which their Janisaries and Spahi's would be afraid to do And therefore I wish that all Europe would make the following Reflections upon these enormous Irregularities of France The first is That France neither desires nor hopes for Peace as Affairs stand For she leaves no room either to hope for or to ask Can we make a Peace with France without reparation of our Damages What satisfaction can she give us for so many Wrongs The Revenue of France for ten Years together will never come near what we have reason to demand for above forty or fifty Cities burnt and thirty Leagues of a fruitful and populous Country laid waste and desolate Therefore France never desires any Peace 'T is true she complains as if we intended to perpetuate the War by Alliances wherein we engage our selves not to lay down Arms till France be reduced to that condition wherein she was after the Peace of Munster But indeed it is she that would perpetuate the War and render Peace impossible by such dismal Desolations And then since Peace is not the desire of France it behoves us never to give over till we have subdu'd her by War. The second Reflection is That since France is thus dispos'd all the Allies must resolve upon this either to dye or vanquish for there is no Medium Therefore Generous Germans be assured that whatever Cities you suffer her no take will be only a Prey to her devouring Flames and for that reason defend them to the last extremity If you are besieg'd bury your selves under your own Ruins and perish nobly As for you Hollanders whose Cities are the VVonders of the VVorld Consider likewise that if you are too sparing of your selves you will become a Prey to an Enemy that will not be sparing of You but lay your goodly Palaces all in Ashes And thou the conquer'd Part of Flanders and you Cambray Valenciennes S. Omer Lisle Tournay and Douay and the rest that groan under the Bondage of France behold in the Mirror of others Sufferings your own approaching Fate For if the French are constrained to draw out their Garrisons to reinforce their Armies be assured they will set ye all on Fire to the end you may be useless to their Enemies Therefore take your opportunity betimes to shake off so terrible a Yoke and prevent so dreadful a Misfortune And you the Cities of Brabant and Flanders still remaining under the Dominion of your Lawful Sovereign and make up one of the most lovely Ornaments of the Christian VVorld be afraid of the same Fate and be ascertain'd that you will not escape it if you fall into the hands of the French and therefore be not Niggards either of your Money or Lives to answer the Expectations of that illustrious Governour who is your Tutelar Angel. But as for you French. Men accustom'd to Servitude for so many Years in whose Breasts there is nothing remaining of the old Generosity of the Ancient Franks do you believe your selves secure from these Outrages Assure your selves you live under a Monarch who looks upon himself to be All in All and all the VVorld to be nothing At this time he burns and ransacks Germany He tells you 'T is to save the State. But know that he looks upon himself alone to be the State And therefore for his own preservation he will burn you as he now burns his Neighbors When the Germans shall be entered into Lorrain be assur'd he will reduce Champaigne to the same condition with the Countries upon the Rhine if they enter through Picardy he will burn that also to secure himself if we land an Army he will burn Normandy to secure Versailles Neither are these Conjectures for we have good Intelligence and are well assur'd of it Consider therefore how to prevent the Crew of Firebrands set your selves at Liberty and lend your hands to those that are ready to set you free My last Reflection is that as he makes War without giving any Quarter so we ought to use as little Mercy in making War upon him Not that we would counsel the Allies to deal by France as the French have dealt by Germany God forbid We ought not to punish the Innocent for the Crimes of the guilty We ought to spare the People to deliver them from the Thraldom under which they groan and to gain them by all manner of gentle Usage But as for those that shall be found in Arms those Firebrands in pay under the most destructive Burner in the World by no means have any pity upon them but burn all those Incendiaries without compassion Let us not forbear chasing them till we come to the very Gates of that bloody cruel and fiery Cabal that so those detestable Counsellors may be forced to pay the full Penalty for all those Calamities which their accursed Counsels have brought upon all Europe By this means we may be serviceable to the most Christian King himself by delivering him out of the infamous Clutches of those that tarnish his Glory and render him the common Enemy of all the Earth The END Books Printed for ROBERT CLAVEL AN Account of the present State of Ireland giving a full Relation of the new Establishment made by the late K. James as it was presented to the Right Honorable the Earl of Shrewsbury His Majesties principal Secretary of State and others of His Majesties most Honorable Privy-Council With an Account of what Sums of Mony Arms and number of Officers arrived there from France together with the State of Derry and Eniskilling and several other Affairs relating to that Kingdom particularly of the Proceedings of the Parliament there The Journal of the Proceedings of the Parliament in Ireland with the Establishment of their Forces there The Charge of subduing the Irish Rebellion in 1641.