obtain'd by number will be constrain'd to acknowledge himself mistaken when he promis'd the King his Master that he would sing Te deum before the end of April in the Cathedral of Maestrich As to his hopes of attaining his Ends by means of the same Artifices which he made use of at the Peace of Nimeguen that you may be plainly convinc'd of it there needs no more then to reflect upon the Conduct which he observes in respect of every Prince in particular and of all in general to disunite and draw 'em off the one from the other He began with the Duke of Savoy upon whom he put the Duke of Orleans believing his Highness might be wrought to a Condescension when touched in the most sensible part which was when he came to be importun'd by the Dutchess his Wife It may be said that she omitted nothing to infuse into him favourable Sentiments in the behalf of France She has been seen to weep warm Tears to fall upon her Knees and imbrace the Prince her Husband beseeching him with all the Tenderness imaginable To put an end to the War to have Compassion upon his Family and his harass'd Territories and lastly to rememember that France was only able to restore him to his ancient Liberty She also deliver'd to him Letters written with the King 's own Hand wherein that Monarch promis'd him upon the Faith of a Prince that he would forget what was past and that he was ready to grant him all the Advantages that he could desire That to render the Peace the more venerable and inviolable it should be seal'd for a perpetual Alliance between the two Houses to which his Majesty would add the Marriage of one of the Sons of France with the young Dutchess of Savoy when they should be of Age which would knit those indissoluble Knots that nothing would be able to unty for the future c. After he had thus assail'd the Duke of Savoy what Springs did he not set at work in the Court of Rome to gain their Favour and incline the Pope openly to favour his Interests by inculcating into the Catholic Princes the Necessity of Breaking those Engagements â—hat united 'em with the Protestants A Union added he that drew after it the ineviâ—able Destruction of the Roman Religion and â—rected Heresie upon the Ruins of it if the Holy Father did not save it by inspiring into â—he Emperor the King of Spain and the rest of the Cotholick Princes speedy Inclinations â—o reconcile themselves with France As for his Imperial Majesty what Pains â—as he Court of France not taken to draw him off from the rest of the Confederates And finding that all the Importunities of the Court of Rome wrought no impression upon the Mind of that Prince and that nothing was able to shake his Constancy did not the most Christian King dispatch an Express to the Court of Vienna to present the Emperor with a Treaty of separate Peace and make him very advantagious Offers if he would but consent to it After he had gone thus forward did he not publish a Manifesto upon the Rhine and in all the Courts of Germany to engage the Princes and States of the Empire to lay down their Arms and stand Neuters or else to accept the Proposals already made ' em What has he left undone to obtain the Mediation of the Northern Crowns of the Republick of Venice of the laudable Cantons to incline those Potentates to espouse his Interests Has he not sent away Embassie upon Embassie and how many Millions has he offer'd besides The Count d'Avaux offer'â— Sweden the Restitution of the Dutchy of Deuâ— Ponts and repayment of all the Losses sustain'd reckoning from the very first Day thaâ— France made herself Mistress of it beside four Millions and 500000 Livres which would be actually paid down together with a Pension of 200000 Livres if his Swedisâ— Majesty would effectually interpose his Mediation with King William the most zealouâ— for continuance of the War Upon the Kinâ— of Sweden's refusal to accept these Offers Bonrepos offer'd the Court of Denmark Six millions together with Mademoiselle de to be given in Marriage to the Prince Royaâ— of Denmark according to the Project beguâ— at Paris before the departure of that Prince 〈◊〉 his most Christian Majesty offering besides 〈◊〉 pay the Dowry and to decree all things immediately after the Ratification of the Peace And the Steps which the Envoys of his Danish Majesty tread both in the Court of England and in Holland have made it appear that those Offers were not made in vain Now let us see what Proposals M. de la Haye the French Embassador made to the Republick of Venice He offer'd the Signiorie besides Three Millions in Silver which were to be paid down that the King his Master should engage to prevail with the Grand Signior to grant her Great Advantages and conclude a separate Treaty of Peace with her 〈◊〉 the Exclusion of the Emperour and â—he King of Poland if she would imploy her Good Offices as well at Rome to perâ—wade the Duke of Savoy to restore Peace to â—taly as in other Courts of the Catholic Princes in confederacy against France I omit several private Conferences between his most Christian Majesty and the Venetian Envoy upon this Subject before his departure from Paris when he went from thence to reside in â—he Court of Spain How did Amelot labour with the laudable Cantons He display'd all his Eloquence in several Speeches which he made in their Dyets and left nothing undone to advance the King his Master's Interests His most effectual Propositions were reduc'd to an Offer of Four Millions and 500000 Livres to which he addded the Payment of all their Arrears All which Advantages said he farther would be attended with a perpetual and inviolable Alliance with the Crown of France by vertue of which the laudable Cantons would be protected at all Times and the Liberty and Repose which they have enjoy'd hitherto would be secured from the Attempts of all that sought their Disturbance And all that the King demanded for so many Favours was only that they should be Mediators for a Peace Let us proceed to the fourth Reason that engages France to sue for a Peace which is the low Estate of her Exchequer and the miserable Condition to which the People are reduc'd And to be fully satisfied in this particular there needs no more then to consider That the most Christian King has so little spar'd his People in Time of Peace that 't is no wonder to see 'em now reduc'd to utmost Misery Certain it is let him put on as good a Face as he pleases that he clearly repents of a Conduct so opposite to his real Interests Good Policy requires that a Prince should diligently labour in search of all the most probable ways to procure the flourishing Condition of his Kingdom while a sound Peace secures him from all Attempts and Interruptions of his Enemies
it will behove the Confederate Princes to make choice of able and faithful Plenipotentiaries Let 'em remember that if Mazarin had the Honour to carry away all the Advantages that France could expect from the Pyrenaean Negotiation Colbert Croissi was no less successful in that of Nimeguen And that both the one and the other of those Ministers were as cunning to improve their Interests as the t'other side were unwary and negligent in suffering themselves to be surpriz'd After the Pyrenaean Peace the first step that France made to the extending of her Limits into Germany was to take a fair occasion to despoil the Duke of Lorrain of his Territories And this that follows was the suggestion of her Crafty Ambition The King of France always made a cunning use of Marriages and we see but very few Negotiations wherein he has not affected to employ Women because they are really insinuating for that the Man must be very obdurate who can resist the effects of their Charms The King then proposed to the Duke believing that he would refuse him a Match between Prince Charles his Nephew and a Princess of France The Duke appear'd as could as Ice as having no mind to listen to the Proposal and in short refused to consent to it persuading himself that the Alliance would prove fatal to him and be the infallible Ruin of his Territories and his Nephew that was to succeed him France finding the first Hook would not take bethought her self of another Artifice She set a foot Suspitions Distrusts and Menaces Suspitions by representing to the Duke that Prince Nicholas Francis 〈◊〉 Brother and Prince Charles his Nephew betray'd him and held Intelligence with the Court of France tho' there were nothing so false Which done perceiving the Duke would not declare himself she rais'd her Tone a little higher and gave him to understand that if he continued obstinate in giving his consent to the Marriage she would seize upon his Territories and deliver 'em into ' the Hands of his Nephew The Duke who had had sufficient Experience all his Life time what France would do if she were not obey'd thought there was no way to recoil but that her unfortunate Destiny had plung'd him into an Abyss from Whence he should never be able to deliver himself but by the loss of what he had most dear and valuable in this World that is to say his Liberty and his Territories So that he resolv'd to strip himself of his Dutchies of Lorrain and Barr with their Dependences and Annexes in favour of France to the end that she should enjoy 'em after his Death with all the Rights and Priviledges of Soveraignty and that they should for ever be united and incorporated into the Demeans of the Crown only that he should enjoy 'em during his Life But the Duke of Lorrain who had shew'd so much Constancy at other times when France sought his Destruction now imprudently fell into the Springes which she set for him Which made the Politicians say That he had more Folly then Judgment in his Conduct If we consider one Circumstance that happen'd the very day that he surrender'd his Territories to France and which is very remarkable it must be agreed that the Duke had in a manner lost his Senses For you must know That this same Prince being lockt up in a Chamber where he was left all alone for a while and afterwards told That he must never think to be let out again till he had renounc'd his Territories The Duke who found himself to be a Prisoner resolved at length to purchase his Liberty at the expence of all his Signiories To which purpose he took the Pen Ink and Paper that was left him upon the Table and drew up in Writing a Draught of the Resignation of his Dutchies to France After he had finish'd the Draught he fill'd the Margin of Resignation with a great number of little Birds which he drew with his Pen and sent the whole to be deliver'd to his Majesty who could not forbear Laughing to see such an Aviary in Paper An undeniable Proof that the Duke knew not what he did These were the first Fruits which France reaped from the Pyrenean Peace and the effect of the LXVII and LXIX Articles Mazarin took care to insert into the Articles of the Treaty and which he needs would undertake to dictate himself By the first it was agreed That neither Duke Charles nor any Prince of his House should continue in Arms but should be oblig'd to disband his Forces upon the Publication of the Peace The second Article confirm'd That the Duke should allow a free Thorough-fare for his Majesties Armies to march into Alsatia to Brisac or Philipsburgh when ever the King should demand it Observe the depth of the Artifice France consents the Lorrain should be restor'd to her Lawful Sovereign but she reserves Passages and Thorough-fares to return thither when she pleases She consents That a Sovereign Prince shall enjoy his Liberty for the future but first he must lay down his Arms secondly he must demolish the Fortifications of his strong Holds and France must have the keeping of the Keys of his Dominions to the end that when she has a mind to make her self Mistress of 'em she may do it without meeting any Resistance Thus you see the Bounds of the French Monarchy enlarg'd of a sudden and extended into Germany by the addition of all the Territories of a Sovereign Prince without having any Right or Pretence to Invade 'em but because they lay convenient for her Tho' Advocate Talon spent all the Reason and Argument he had to the last drop to prove the contrary in a full Parliament asserting That Lorrain had always depended upon the Crown of France and consequently that 't was but just it should be re-united to the Crown The King of France considering the good luck that had attended him on Germany side turn'd all his Designs toward the Low Countries to see whether Fortune would present him with any favourable occasion to aggrandize himself and enlarge his Frontiers that way To that purpose he cast his Eyes upon Dunkirk with a Resolution to sacrifice Hecatombs so he might but get that Important Place out of the Hands of the English And indeed the strict Ties of Amity contracted with King Charles during his Exile had decoy'd that Unfortunate Prince into an Engagement not to refuse him any thing and knowing his weak side he made him an Offer underhand of four Millions and a fair Mistress over and above the Market-price Charms sufficiently powerful to engage him to make such a false Step as render'd and will for ever render both him and his Memory odious to Posterity But the Ambition of France stopt not here there was a necessity of giving it its full swinge the Revenues and Right of the Church must not be spar'd when the Aggrandisement of France was the main thing in dispute Her Bounds were still to narrow for
as far as â—t was possible for her to do with Orders to â—her Forces to commit all the Ravages imaginable allowing no Bounds to her vast Designs then such as the opposition of a greater Force was able to prescribe her So soon as she had obtain'd her Ends and saw her Affairs in a thriving condition by the great Advantages which her victorious Arms had acquir'd she observ'd the same Conduct as she observes at this day that is to say she offer'd Propositions of Peace to the Confederates rather to disunite 'em then out of any Compassion to the Calamities of Europe as she gave out occasion'd by the most bloody and cruel War that ever was known Never was France more eager after Peace then at that time there was never a petty Prince or State that was comprehended in the League to whom she did not make advantagious Offers with a Design that if she could bring off any one they who last laid down their Arms should become Victims to her Resentment and their Territories and their Countries be abandon'd to the Plunder and Fury of his Souldiers I cannot here forbear to recite what the Marquiss of Louvois said one day to the King upon this occasion Sir said he if your Majesty can but once disunite the Princes of the League France will have reason to admire her Happinessâ— and to boast of never having concluded so advantageous a Peace To which purpose 't is requisite that she stoop to considerable Condescentions and that she offer to make Restitution of Places that may form a good Barrier in Flanders for which she may make her self amends by retaking 'em after the Conclusion of the Peace Charles V. having a design to enthral all Germany finding himself so far from succeeding in his Enterprises that he perceiv'd the liberty of the Princes which he endeavour'd to oppress gather Strength every day more then other and that their Union became more Potent resolv'd to make 'em very advantagious Proposals of Peace as likewise to Francis I. the most formidable of all his Enemies believing that if he consented once to an Accommodation he should easily compass the rest And this is the Course that Lewis the Great takes at this day However it were France having luckily attain'd her end after she found the knack of separating the Hollanders from their Confederates surceases her offering Peace to the rest but imposes the Law upon 'em and forces 'em to an Acceptance mangre their unwillingness So that Spain was constrain'd to resign Irrevocably and for ever Franche Conpte together with the Cities of Valencionnes Bouchain Conde Cambray Aires Sc. Omer Ipres Warâ—ic and Warnton upon the Lis Cassel Bovay Maubege with all their Signiores Appurtenances and Dependences France on the other side engages but with Mazarin's Mental Reservation to restore Charleroy Binch At h Oudenard and Countray which had been resign'd to her before the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle In like manner she restor'd the Dutchy of Limberg and the Country of Oultremouse together with the City and Citadel of Gaunt the City of Leuve in Brabant St. Ghilain in Hainault and the City of Puicerda in Catalonia Now look how much France advances in the Negotiation of the Peace at Nimeguen especially after she had found a way to satisfy the Hollanders and Spaniards whether to their content or no it matter'd not but more especially the foremost who were the principal Sinews of the League she raises her Tone a litter higher and never concerns her self with what the rest of the Confederates will do She knows what she had to do to bring 'em to her Bow So that the Emperor the Princes of the Empire and the Duke of Lorrain who are the last to be agreed with having nothing to do but to prepare for a new War if they obstinately stand out and refuse the Propositions that are made 'em Blows immediately follow Threats she marches her Forces into the Territories of those Princes and constrains 'em by the unheard of Ravages and Cruelties there committed to accept the severe Conditions which she offers 'em and so sells 'em their Peace at a dear rate After this manner the Treaty between France and Spain was concluded in 1678. and the Emperor was fain to comply the next Year Between whom and France it was agreed That his Imperial Majesty and the most Christian King should renew and confirm the Contents of the Treaty of Munster in 1648. except in some Points By this Treaty the most Christian King engages to resign and transfer to the Emperor and his Heirs and Successors the perpetual Right of Protection and Possession of the City of Philipsburgh which he possess'd by vertue of the Peace of Munster On the other side his Imperial Majesty in the name of the whole House of Austria and of the Empire promises to resign and transfer to his most Christian Majesty and his Successors the City and Cittadel of Friburgh with the three Villages depending upon it excepting the Diocesan Rights which were reserv'd to the Bishop and Church of Constance to which it belong'd Next to the Emperor the Elector of Brandenburgh was forc'd in his turn to obey France and to restore to Sweden all that he had won from that Crown so that the Elector finding himself the only innocent Victim of the Party whose Interests he had so â—enerously espous'd laid it so heinously to Heart as to vow That if he had bin so easie â—s to the time past to intermeddle with other Peoples Quarrels he would be so prudent for â—e future as to consider twice before he deâ—ar'd once What a Consolation it was to â—e most Christian King to see that all â—â—ings went to wrack on the Confederates â—de after the Hollanders had quitted that Union Therefore most Serene Princes may â—othing ever be so prevalent as to disunite â—our Confederacy for 't is by your united â—orce that you will obtain a lasting and â—urable Peace nor is there any other proâ—able Means to bring down the Pride of France As for Prince Charles of Lorrain it was â—greed by the XII Article That he should â—e restor'd to the Territories which Duke Charles his Uncle enjoy'd in 1670. at what â—ime France made her self Mistress of 'em â—pon condition that the City of Nanci and the Dependencies should belong to the King in Soveraignty And it was also agreed That besides the Thorough-fare which the deceased Duke had granted to his Majesty in 1667. Prince Charles should engage to allow him two more from Nanci to Metz and so unto Franche Conte In this manner France consents to the Restitution of Lorrain as she had done by the Pyrenean Peace but Colbert Croissi in imitation of Mazarin labours 〈◊〉 preserve a Thorough-fare and High Roaâ—â— for his Majesties Forces to the end that if 〈◊〉 Fancy should take him to seize upon thâ—â— Dukedom a third time he may always find 〈◊〉 open and ready to receive him Moreover the King engag'd by
been the Ruin of all the Leagues that have been formerly contracted against her You have to do with a crafty and potent Enemy and as she has found the Benefit of her Maxims practis'd in the late Wars she makes use at present of the same to break your Union How earnest is she at the Court of Rome How importunate with the Northern Crowns and the laudable Cantons to persuade 'em to take the Meditation upon ' em To this purpose she spares neither Gold nor Silver nor Embassies and it is in good part discover'd that she offer'd six Millions to any one that could procure a Peace And which is worse we find to our Sorrow that her Pains have not prov'd altogether fruitless by the Steps that some People tread who interest themselves too much in her Concerns But some zealous Adherents to that Crowâ— will object and say That 't is high time to puâ— a stop to the Miseries that afflict Europe anâ— you ought not any longer to refuse that Peacâ— to France which she demands since she makeâ— such advantagious Offers seeing the Deniaâ— will render you responsible before God foâ— all the Blood that is shed and for all the dismal Calamities that attend War The moâ—â— Christian King say they offers the Confederates Conditions altogether reasonable hâ— offers 'em Barriers sufficient to secure theiâ— Liberty and to secure 'em for the future from the prodigious Forces of that Crown Those Offers are these that follow France proposes by the Danish Envoy That first in respect of the Emperor the Princes and States of the Empire the Dutchess of Lorrain and Savoy the Advantages which his Armies have gain'd upon his Enemies shall make no alteration in the Conditions that have bin communicated to his Danish Majesty That in respect of the King of Spain his most Christian Majesty might justly keep all his Conquests after the Example of the Catholick Kings but that to facilitate a Peace he is willing to restore Roses and Belevers and in a word all that he has conquer'd in Catalonia during this last War He adds That he had still more reason to keep for the safery of his Frontiers all the Conquests that he had won in Flanders yet for the forming of 〈◊〉 Barrier that might remove all occasion of â—isquiet from the United Provinces he would â—estore to the King of Spain Mons and Naâ—â—ur and offer'd to demonish Charleroy As to the Country of Liege he would reâ—ore the City and Castle of Huy to the Biâ—hoprick and make amends for Dinant and Bouilion by reuniting such a Portion of the Country of Luxemburgh as should lie most for the convenience of the Bishoprick and as should be deem'd reasonable by chosen Arbitrators He consents to the re-settling of Trade with the States General according to the Agreements in the Treaty of Nimeguen without any Alteration In case of the King of Spain's Death he consents that the Elector of Bavaria shall enjoy those Countries provided the Emperor will declare the same to be his Will and Pleasure And that tho' the Deceased Queen's Renunciation to Spain during her Minority be Void for the Reasons already made publick to the World his Majesty is willing as well for himself as for the Dauphin to confirm he said Renunciation in favour of the Duke of Bavaria with all the requisite Formalities adding withall that he makes no question but that this Engagement will convince the Confederates beyond all other things of the reality of the Peace which he proposes to ' em As to the Affairs of England the Royal Majestyâ— being wounded in the Person of the K. of Greaâ— Britain his Most Christian Majesty makes no question but that the King of Sweeden and the Emperor himself will propose some Expedient to put an end to that Difference And moreover his Most Christian Majesty has no pretention directly nor indirectly to England excepting what he claim'd during this War to the Islands and Continents of America of which he demands Restitution being ready to renew with that Crown the last Treaty of Commerce which was in force when the War began As for what concerns Germany his Most Christian Majesty-consents that the Treaty of Munster and Nimeguen shall remain in full Force and Vigour That the Truce in 1684. might be chang'd into a Definitive Treaty of Peace nevertheless with these Exceptions That in compensation for Strasburg France shall Surrender up Mont Royal and Trarbag after the Fortifications are Demolish'd granting that it be for the security of the Empire Besides that his most Christian Majesty will restore Philipsbourg and Fribourg to the Emperor and the Empire together with the Fortifications in the same condition as now they are That Fort Lewis and Huninghen shall be Demolish'd That Heydelburg and the Palatinat shall be restor'd to the Palatinate France taking upon her to make Madam amends for the Succession of the Electors her Father and Brother an Article which his Most Christian Majesty stands very much upon In regard of the Duke of Lorrain the Most Christian King consents that the Treaty of Nimeguen shall be observ'd Sar Louis Briche and Hombourg excepted for which there shall be an Equivalent given of an equal Revenue That the most Serene Republic of Venice shall be Arbitratrix if there be any Reunions to make and for the putting a conclusion to all Differences between France and the rest of the Princes she will agree to any just and reasonable Proposals that shall be made on their Part and in their Name In truth we must acknowledge that France is become all on a sudden very Tractable and very Consciencious she who was wont to gripe all and restore nothing now offers the Confederates the Restitution of all the Places during the last War Most Serene Princes here is a particular Favour which the Most Christian King vouchsafes ye He is willing notwithstanding your Obstinacy to continue the War to heap his Graces upon ye to the end you may have reason to forget the Mischiefs he has done ye He offers to be Reconcil'd with ye and lay down his Arms provided you will accept of his Propositions of Peace and rely upon his Promises After this 't is to be thought that you will have no cause to Complain And the Adherents of France will be apt to tell ye that Lewis XIV is at this day Triumphant and Victorious and consequently that 't is for him to give Laws to his Enemies and to make no Restitutions at all but what he pleases himself But to this I answer If France has got such great Advantages over the Princes of the League and is so much a gainer by the War why do's she talk of Peace To spare you therefore the pains of alledging some good Reason or other in justification of a Prince whose Interests you so heartily Maintain I shall only repeat what Mazarine upon the like occasion wrote to M. Lionne Secretary of State concerning the Negotiation of the Pyrenaean
But â—f the Treasures of this Monarch were more â—mmense his Ambition was also proportionâ—ble and if they have bin so far from being sufficient to satisfie it that he has bin also fain â—o sacrifize the Estates of the Church and â—he Spoils of the Altars after he has laid Imâ—osts upon all things else imaginable he must â—e forc'd at length to lay a swinging Tex upon Urine as formerly Vespasian did An unfortunate Gamester after he has lost all endeavours to recover himself by all the ways he can imagin and managing the Cards or the Dice by himself in his own Hand beâ—hinks himself at length of playing soul Thus the King of France having ruin'd himself his People and his Kingdoms by imprudently engaging himself in a burthensoâ— War and which having been prosperous aâ— the beginning has prov'd fatal to him in thâ— end endeavours to get himself out of thâ— Bryars as well as he can To which purpose he offers Peace to the Princes of the Confederacy and sets all Springs at work to breaâ— the Union He makes 'em Proposals ambiguous and full of Delusion what he offer to day he revokes to morrow He order Cardinal Fourbin to tell the Court of Rome That he is ready to lay down Arms and tâ— enter into a Negotiation with the Confederate Princes but first there must be a settlement for King James agreed upon To the Northern Crowns his Embassadorâ— talk another sort of Language and tell ' emâ— That as to the Affairs of England in regard that Royal Majesty appears to be wounded in the Person of King James he makes no question but the King of Sweden and the Emperor will take it upon 'em to propose some Expedient to determin that Difference As to the Court of Vienna 't is about ten Months since that he made Proposals of Peace to his Imperial Majesty quite different from those that appear'd in his Manifesto publish'd upon the Rhine There is not any one of the Confederate Princes or States to whom he has not offer'd Proposals altogether different from those which he now propounds Witness his Temptations to the Duke of Savoy first by Chanlais then by Catinat and then by other Ministers As to the States General of the United Provinces France made 'em Proposals first by Oxesterne formerly the Swedish Embassaâ—or who had two Audiences to that purpose â—esides the Proposals made 'em by M. Lenthe the Danish Envoy She has observ'd the same conduct at the Court of England where M. Scheel now talks at another rate Several other Projects have been presented at the Courts of all the rest of the Confederate Prinâ—es wherein there is nothing solid or constant shich is a convincing Proof that the most Christian King seeks only to draw the Confederates into a Negotiation to obtain a Cessation of Arms on purpose to amuse 'em while he on the other side assays by more powerful efforts to ruin their Union And this is Lewis XIV's foul Play and the compass which he fetches to â—attain his Ends and disintangle himself out of the Noose that hampers him by saving if possible the best part of his Conquests and delivering his Impoverish'd Dominions from the ponderous Burthens which they groan under And now 't is for the Confederate Princes to consider what they have to do and not to suffer themselves to be deluded by the false and deceitful shifts of France and seriously to reflect upon the fatal Misfortunes that will infallibly attend the conclusion of a disadvantagiou Peace if lending their Ears to the Offers oâ— France they neglect the fairest opportunitâ— that ever was to humble that haughty and perfidious Potentate at a time when he beg for Peace and when there needs no more theâ— two Campaigns to obtain all the Advantageâ— which they can expect to reap from theiâ— Perseverance Which is so much the moâ—â— Important as being the reason that has arm'â— all Europe against him and occasion'd thaâ— august and potent Confederacy of so many justly incens'd Princes and who are equally interested therein But what Assurances shall they have thaâ— the Peace which the most Christian King now proposes shall not be violated like thâ— Pyrenean Peace and the Treaties of Aix 〈◊〉 Chapelle and Nimeguen How can they rely upon the Oath of a Prince who acknowledges no other Law then that of his Ambition and Will At the Peace of Arras lip the Good Duke of Burgundy not being willing to trust Charles VII who had brok'n his word in several other Treaties was desirous that the last Article of the Treaty should run in these words That the King for assurance of the observation and full performance of the said Treaty should deliver it seal'd by the Princes of his Blood the Grandees of the Kingdom and the principal Men of the chief Cities and that in case of any Breach those Princes and Lords should be absolv'd from their Oaths of Fidelity toward the King and be oblig'd to serve the Duke against him The Precautions of the Duke of Burgundy upon that occasion might in some measure serve as a Garranty to secure the observance of Charles VII's Word and Oath But it is â—o be consider'd That the condition of the Grandees of the Kingdom was not then the same as now it is Charles VII wanted a great deal of being so well belov'd and so much fear'd by the People and Nobility of France as Lewis XIV at this day The ways which he has taken to gain the Affection of his Subjects are quite different Formerly a little thing would have open'd a wide Gate to Faction and Revolt and incens'd the Grandees and Lords of the Kingdom to take Arms But now the Case is alter'd The King has reduc'd 'em all equally to such a dependance upon him that no Body dares stir and it would be in vain for the Confederate Princes to think of laying the foundation of a solid and lasting Peace upon any such Article in imitation of the Duke of Burgundy For proof of this we may observe that since the beginning of this Reign looking backward as far as the King's Minority France has no longer car'd to be sensible or take notice of the Troubles that had lacerated her very Bowels So that notwithstanding all the Efforts that were usd to re-kindle the same Sparks it was impossible to bring it to pass To which it may be said that Mazarin and the Ministers that succeeded him as also the King himself who is sharp-sighted enough did not contribute a little by means of their good management at the beginning And in regard the People are ignorant in Polities and for that it is impossible for 'em to dive into the secrets of the Cabinet 't was an easie thing for that Monarch being so good a Matchiavilian as he is to reduce his Subjects under that Bondage wherein we now behold ' em He easily brought it to pass by depriving 'em of all the means that might prove a Bait to Insurrection