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
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
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
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
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
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 loss of only two or three hundred Men on our side The Enemies had betwixt four or five thousand kill'd and wounded and we took above three thousand Prisoners all their Baggage Provision Ammunition and sixteen Colours Immediately after the gaining of the Battle Siege of Palamos the Marshal de Noailles besieged Palamos a small Maritime Town but well fortified There was a Garrison of three thousand Men in the place which did defend themselves only five days after the Place began to be Batter'd by our Cannon both by Sea and Land For whilst the Marshal attack'd it by Land a French Squadron of Men of War batter'd it by Sea After we had made our selves Masters of the Counterscarp there were two Breaches in the Wall but so narrow that not above one Man could mount it at a time in Front Some Soldiers having taken notice of it shew'd it to their Officers who approving of their Design they mounted the Breach entred the City and taking advantage of the general Consternation this unexpected Sight of the Enemy upon the Ramparts had put them into they soon made themselves Masters of the City on the 7th of June The Fort or Castle being forced to Surrender at Discretion within three days after the Marshal without loosing time sat down before Gironne This Place was so considerable for its Strength that in the Year 1684 Gironne taken it obliged the French Army to raise the Siege But our late Victory near the River Ter the taking of Palamos the furious discharges of our Batteries and the vast number of our Bombs which did great Execution and set the Town on fire besides the little hopes there was of being relieved obliged the Inhabitants and Garrison to Capitulate in five days We made our selves Masters of several other places betwixt Gironne and Barcelona and all the Country round was seised with such a Consternation that their Capital City it self would scarce have been able to hold out a Week against our victorious Arms if the Heats had not been so excessive as to prevent us from undertaking the Siege and the Confederate Fleet was so seasonably to their Assistance and had supply'd them both with Ammunition and Men. This was the only Fruit they reap'd from the Equipment of so numerous a Fleet it being fear'd otherwise that the Spaniards might have concluded a separate Peace with us if they had not come to their Relief It was also supposed that at the Sollicitations of the Duke of Savoy this Fleet was to endeavour the regaining of Villa Franca It was composed of one hundred and thirty Sail among which were threescore and fifteen for the Line of Battle It was given out that they were to Retake Nice to Bombard Thoulon and to lay Marseilles in Ashes There were also some who pretended that they were to chastise Genove for refusing to join with the Confederacy But all these Projects vanished into Smoak they being disenabled for want of Provisions and by the many Distempers that reigned among the Seamen to undertake any thing of moment they kept the Sea for some time after till the approaching Winter Season forced them to seek for a safe Retreat in the Spanish Ports Their Fleet in the Ocean made more Noise but did not much more Damage Descent in Camaret Bay They made an attempe upon Camaret-Bay at the neck of a Land which juts into the Sea near Forest Of eight or nine hundred Men who Landed by the help of their Chaloops betwixt three and four hundred were killed the rest made Prisoners The rest of their Forces that were to second the Attack being deterr'd by the ill Success of their Comrades and the continual Fire from our Entrenchments upon the Sea-shoar did not judge it advisable to attempt any further Descent but under the Protection of some of their Frigats return'd to their Ships On the 22th day of July Diepe Bombarded they Bombarded Diepe which was laid in Ashes most of the Houses of this City being of Wood and closely built the Inhabitants fled from their Habitations with their best Moveables the Fire consumed the whole City there being no body to stop its Fury But the Enemies were great Gainers by this Bargain it having been computed that this Expedition cost them more than the re-building of the whole City could amount to On the 20th of July they appear'd before Havre de Grace which they likewise Bombarded for some time as well as Calais but without doing any considerable Damage the Fire having been soon extinguished by the Care of the Inhabitants This done they made an attempt upon the Forts which guard the Entrance of the Port of Dunkirk two Engines not unlike to that they had made use of at St. Malo's advanced towards the said Forts with an Intention to blow them up but by the help of the Cannon mounted upon several Batteries along the Sea-shoar these two Vessels were blown up into the Air at about a thousand yards distance from the Mole The little Success of this Campaign on the Confederates side Campaign 1695. did in some measure abate the Heat of the English and Dutch who for these seven years last past had bore the greatest Share in the vast Expences of the War In Holland the common People cry'd out aloud for Peace in London tho' they did not do it so publickly yet they were very desirous of it The Parliament took an Account of the Supplies granted for the use of the War and what Share each of the Allies ought to have in the Expences pursuant to the Treaty's concluded for that purpose They excluded the Speaker of the House of Commons from their House and imprison'd several of their Members They also Summon'd the Earl of Danby Duke of Leeds President of the Privy Council but these Proceedings ceased with the Session of Parliament There were some who look'd upon this Affront put upon one of the Prince of Orange's Favourites K. William III. as a Spark of Fire which being couch'd for some time under the Ashes might in time break out into a Flame And their Conjectures seem'd not ill grounded considering that since the Death of the Princess of Orange Queen Mary eldest Daughter to the King of England who died on the 18th of December in the Year 1694. Queen of Englands Death King James's Party began to appear more formidable than before and that the Differences betwixt the Court and the Princess of Denmark only Sister of the deceased Princess Q. Mary might furnish them with an opportunity to Foment the intestine Divisions in that Kingdom or that perhaps some of the Confederates discouraged by the change of Affairs in England might not prosecute the War with the same Vigour as before But it was not long before these Hopes were frustrated in the end For the Prince K. William III. either by his good Fortune or Conduct prevented all these Dangers there being not the least appearance of any Commotion On the
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