here is one would fain slip by what shall we say of him he seems as if he were afraid of being known He appears to me the more to be fear'd therefore let us have a care of him and let him go by quickly It seems he is not wholly well pleased for we dont any longer see that smiling Countenance which he used to shew when he was at the Hague as he went out in a Coach But I am impatient to know him therefore through Curiosity let us pull off his Mask Ho ho it is Monsieur Moreau To spare a great deal of confusion let us content our selves with making him the Complement that Seneca in his Tragedies caus'd to be made to Jason speaking to Medea purga Regnum veneficas tecum aufer herbas that he may be gone as soon as possibly and carry with him all the evil he would have done to the State and that he may come back no more As to Grandval Dumont and Leefdal the last Actors of this Tragick Scene I do not pretend to speak one word of them because I look upon them as the executioners of the Orders of the Sovereign Tribunal which made them Act and that 's sufficient for their Apology But we must not forget here the Encomiums of Madam de Maintenon who has made no scruple neither to fowl her Fair White Hands in the Plot of an Assassinate She is at least as much to be fear'd as the Goddess of Discord formerly was at the Feasts of the Marriage of Peleus and would not fail to revenge her self in a much more cruel manner than this Important and Angry Goddess did It is also to be fear'd that she would throw into the Assembly either some Carcasses or some Bombs instead of Golden Apples Let us then prevent her Jealousie and her Fury for a Woman in Wrath is dangerous Let us give her rather Incense to appease her and say in her praise that she is Virtuous Zealous and Active as may be that she strives also to render great Services to the French Monarchy and that when ever we come to a Peace she will have no less Contributed to it by her Cares than the Arms of her Monarch But let us say also at the same time that she gives a very bad example to the Ladies of the Abby of St. Cyr of which she is Superiour and that his Majesties Council of Conscience will never justifie her before God for the Crime she has committed in giving her advice to so horrible an attempt I advise her then to dispose of her self early to go make her Repentance in the Convent of Penitents by the Example of those that have gone before her Here is enough for her let us go on As for the Reverend Father La Chaize Methinks I see him appear â—olding in one hand the Sword wiâ—h which the great St. Ignatius was about to kill the Moor in going his Voyage to Spain who would maintain to him that the blâ—ssed Virgin Mary was no Virgin after the Conception Methinks also in the other Hand he carries a Book in Folio which has for Title The Art to assâ—ssinate Kings and Princes But let us not enter into a Dispute with him for fear he should be oblig'd to borrow all the Eloquence of Father Bourdalou to justifie himself To raise yet again the Glory of all these Tragical Actors we may join here to their Cabal the Ilâ—ustrious James Clement Barriere Chastel Ravaillac John Iuvrâ—gni Venero Balthuzar Gerard Peter Paine Parri and a great many more of them as we may find by the Repâ—rt of Râ—badneira the Jesuit lib. 2. ch 3. who have attempted the Lives of the Kings Henry the Third and Henry the Fourth of Great William Prince of Orange his Son Prince Maurice and of Queen Elizabeth But it is no astonishing thing that we see at this day all the Court of France and so many brave Lords who have formerly witnessed their having had a Horror for so detestablea Doctrine to be nevertheless blindly engaged in such a Cabal after having cruelly underwrit to the death of the greatest Prince of Europe After this Stroke I say may we not say That the whole Monarchy is at this day govern'd by Jesuits and that instead of one Louis the Fourteenth we see one Father la Chaize reigning and sitting upon the Throne of the French giving his Orders and making all his Tragical and Bloody Actors to perform their parts And as the Soul of Luxemburgh is an Active Soul and by consequence the most conformable to the Soul of this Reverend Father so has he been chosen to be at the Head of these Assassinates the better to command them and to add yet this Expedition to the History of his Life as the last Master-piece of it But let us come to our purpose and confess That all these Proceedings are made by France to come quickly to her end which is an advantagious Peace Let us also add for Conclâ—sion That Louis the Great often mistakes himself â—n the Execution of his vast Designs since of all the Resolutions he had taken for this Campaign Experience has shewn us that he was out in his Account about the Imaginary Re-establishment of King James about the Engagement at Sea about the Entry of the Duke of Savoy into Dauphine and about the assassinating of King William It is true he made himself Master of Namur which was one of the four great Undertakings that was the object of his Ambition But then we may also own that this Triumph has been sufficiently counterbalanc'd by the ruin of his Fleet and of the Designs of King James which are all blown into the Air by the glorious Irruption of the Duke of Savoy who has put his Country under Contribution and lastly by the Shame and Infamy which will always attend the Baseness of having attempted on the Life of so great a Prince And here are the Events which have flatter'd this Monarch into the beginning of a Campaign but which nevertheless have not answer'd the great hopes he had conceiv'd Let us see at present what he will undertake anew and if his Projects will have the same Success the next Campaign Let us wait for him boldly and make him see that our People are not so weary of the War as his Subjects and that if he will come to a glorious Peace with which he flatters himself and seeks after with eagerness he must at the least surrender up all his Conquests FINIS
in the World whereas others that are in the Service of other Princes find themselves with all their Ingenuity bauk'd and stopt sometimes in the midst of their Carreer when they are upon a great design by the defect and want of means which should contribute the most to make them succeed But however it be Monsieur de Vauban and de Megrini had orders to be at Versailles to assist at the finishing of this design Monsieur de Megrini who made his ordinary abode at Tournay of which he was Governour departed in all haste to place himself where his Majesties orders had call'd him and arriv'd almost at the same time as Monsieur Catinat did who had taken Post immediately after the taking of Montmellian All was now ready for the opening of the Council and all the Generals his Majesty had pleas'd to call were arriv'd The number yet was but very small the King being in what regards his Council and his Secrets a Prince as circumspect as ever was which is the cause that his Majesty confides in so few persons and that he ordinarily admits none but such as are extremely reserv'd so we we may say it is one of the principal Wheels upon which his great designs and his good fortune moves and that he is come to so many Conquests only by this means and if we say of Mony that it is the Sinew of War we may say also that Silence is the Soul and that by consequence they are both indispensably and absolutely necessary since they make Armies move and march where they think fit making them Victorious and Masters of the most Important Forts of Provinces and also of whole Kingdoms as we have experienc'd in the last Revolution that happen'd in England which we may say was the only time that the French King was deceiv'd for that ordinarily he has so many precautions and also so great a number of Emissaries well paid in all Courts that he keeps in his Pocket so to speak the Key of their Counsels and most secret Resolutions But we may say that the affair of England was miraculous for how else could King William encompass'd round with French Spies as he was in such a place as the Hague where they were seen to walk openly in Troops and with as much confidence and fierceness as if they had been in the midst of Rome or Paris find nevertheless means to hide so great an undertaking to carry it on a whole year and to trust but two Ministers of State with it to wit Pensionary Fagel of happy memory and Monsieur Dickvelt to make all the Preparations and at last to make them appear by the Reduction of three Kingdoms and to save by an undertaking as bold as successfull Europe from Slavery and that in the sight of two mighty Kings his Enemies well Arm'd who stood waiting for him without ever stirring treated him with fool-hardiness and flatter'd themselves with hopes to see him swallow'd up in his enterprize with as much shame and Confusion as the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth was Finally that I may return to my subject the great Council of War which was to be held at Versailles being assembled and all the Generals being there present his Majesty would according to his custom have a particular Conference with each General and for this reason order'd they should enter in order one after another into his Chamber Monsieur Luxemburgh was first call'd as being the greatest Favourite and him in whom his Majesty most confided looking upon him as his greatest support and him who would maintain at present the Honour of the Nation and the Glory of France It will not be alltogether foreign to our purpose before we go any farther to speak a word of the Person of this General We will say then that Monsieur Luxemburgh so much made of and so much esteem'd as now he is ought not to boast to be descended from the Illustrious and ancient House of Luxemburgh which has given so many Emperors to Germany and so many Kings to Hungary and Bohemia neither is he of the posterity of those titular Dukes of Luxemburgh and Piney Princes of Tingry but a Posthumous Son of Francis Lord of Bouteville of the House of Montmoranci who was beheaded at Paris the 21. of June 1627. for having kill'd in cold Blood in a Duel several persons of Quality This happen'd under the Ministry of the Cardinal Richelieu The present Duke of Luxemburgh was then but in the Cradle and the Countess of Bouteville his Mother retir'd her self after this disgrace to one of her Country Houses where she liv'd a Melancholy life till such time as her only Son whom she very tenderly belov'd arriv'd at the seventh year of his age an age in which it was fit to take him from the Hands of Women and put him under the care of Governors capable to give him Education suitable for a Person of Quality By this time Madam de Bouteville judg'd that the Mothers House was a place very unfit for the Education of the young Count and besides being not dissatisfied to find an occasion to shew a part of her Resentment of the shameful Death of her Husband she resolv'd to carry her Son to Court and present him to the King She set out then for Paris without much Equipage and being arriv'd she went the next day to St. Germain and demanded Audience of the King who was then with the Prince and some Lords of the Court They were mightily surpriz'd at the arrival of this Lady who for many years had not appear'd in the World and every one strove to find out the reason of it when she enter'd into the Chamber having her Son in her Hand whom she carried straight to the King saying Sir here is the last of the Montmoranci's which I present to your Majestty to do with as you think fit The King would have reply'd something to her but Madam de Bouteville not desiring to engage in any further discourse retir'd after having perform'd her obeisance and left the young Count in the Kings Chamber The Prince of Conde who was naturally very generous was so affected at the condition of this poor Gentleman that he told the King that he having been formerly a very good friend of his Fathers and of Monsieur de Montmoranci he would do him a very great favour to let him bring up this last cast-away of a Family which had been dear to him the King consented and the Prince carried him home caus'd him to be instructed and brought up with all imaginable care particularly in the exercises of a Gentleman suâ—h as Riding the Great Horse and Fencing and as to that give me leave to tell you what an old Officer brought up from his infancy in the Lord Bouteville's House did assure me that Monsieur Luxemburgh was born straight and of a good shape and that he appear'd so to the Eyes of the World till he was ten years of age that the
had not he perswaded me unto them In short for the quieting of my People I am glad that his death has taken this Obstacle out of their way that was a horrour to them and as we love Novelties we always flatter our selves that the last comer will be better than the former all the World conceiv'd great hopes upon the Arrival of Pontchartrain But says Luxemburgh I think that Colbert had gather'd together great Riches which he possess'd as his own and all his Children became very great It is true says his Majesty but after his Death the Water came to it's Spring and I caus'd full and good Restitution to be made I made use of a specious pretence to drain them which brought some Millions into my Coffers Sir answer'd Luxemburgh let us let all those matters alone which do not concern the War your Majesty has no time to lose the matter in hand is now to prevent your Enemies and be early in the Field so that it's time to take a firm and solid resolution Luxemburgh you have reason says his Majesty and it is also for that purpose I caus'd you to come hither together with my other Generals to hear you one after another and to have a private conference about what I ought to undertake But as you are one of those in whom I have most confidence and that on the other side my design is to make Flanders the principal Theatre of the War where I pretend that my great designs shall appear I will impart every thing to you with an open heart You are a Man of experience and the Wars of Seventy Two has given you a particular knowledg of that Country I lament extreamly the poor Prince of Conde he also knew perfectly the Genius and Interests of the Spaniards and the Hollanders Schombergh would have also been of great use to me if his infatuation to Religion had not made him perish miserably in Ireland Poor Turenne the Flower of all my Generals hac Coelum itur via merited the same Honours that the Gods formerly gave to great Hercules in memory of his Toils I mean Immortality Be it as it will I shall never forget the good service he did me in Germany and of so many brave Captains you are the only one that is left me so I desire you not to expose your self too much and to take as much care of your dear Person as my Armies For if I should come to lose you I should not know who to give the Command to having for the most part none but Lieutenant Generals more fit to Command a party of Incendiaries than an Army so considerable as that in Flanders The Prince of Orange coming every Campaign to Command himself would desire no better than to have to do with a Novice nor the fiery Elector of Bavaria who also commands with him These two Princes fly round about my Army as a Bird of Prey about a Swallow and seek nothing else but to make me lose a Battle to make way for them into France Besides Luxemburgh here is now a trick of the Prince of Orange which puts me in despair He is not contented to mount the Throne of England after poor King James his Father-in-Law and my Ally was retired to my Court but he does yet worse in respect to me for he has found out a means to drive me out of the Low-Countries endeavouring to deprive the Dauphin my Son of the Provinces fallen to his Mother my Wife the most Christian Queen by the decease of Queen Elizabeth her Mother of Prince Don Balthazar her Brother and of the Catholick King Philip the Fourth her Father The Stratagem that he has made use of is he has brought the King of Spain Charles the Second to make a gift ad vitam of the Spanish Netherlands to the Elector of Bavaria They made a shew some years ago to have play'd this trick but I made such strong Protestations and threatnings to come into Flanders with a great Army without having any regard to the Truce that they thought fit for the Peace of those Provinces and the repose of Europe to refer the matter to another time Sir answer'd Luxemburgh all this good success we owe to the taking of Mons and the good Correspondence that the good Marquis de Gastanaga had kept with us which was thereby discover'd The Prince of Orange seeing the Spanish Netherlands were sold at a great price by the covetousness of the Governours resolv'd to play a Masterpiece in causing it to be put into better hands who would make it their glory to preserve it But says his Majesty can that be done without injustice and can they dispute with my Son the Dauphin as they would have disputed with me in the time of the Wars of Paris that the most Christian Queen Maria Tieresia formerly Infanta of Spaiâ— and immediaely after the Pirenaean Peace became my Wife was brought to Bed of a Prince at Fountain Bleau on All Saints day the first of November a little before Noon in the year 1661. Sir answer'd Luxemburgh the Dauphins Birth is not the thing in Question no Body doubts but he is truly your Majesties and the Queen Maria Tieresia's Son We are well satisfied with the fruitfulness of that Princess And as to what properly concerns your Majesties Person you have thanks to God furnish'd us with Patterns taken from the Originals of the Ladâ—s de Fontanges la Valliere and la Mourtespan who have lâ—ft enough of Illustrious young Sprigs Witness the Duke de Main Madam the Princess of Conti and Madamoiselle de Blois now Dutchess of Charters As for Madam de Maintenon who succeeded them I dare not speak of because I am perswaded it is a Soil where the best Seeds-men seem to me to loose their time and trouble unless God would make her a Sarah As to Madamoiselle de Blois I must tell your Majesty by the way that they talk very much of her Marriage with Monsieur the Duke de Charters in Foreign Countries and Principally in Holland where they Criticize even upon the least Actions of Kings and Princes All the World take upon them here to talk of Politicks nay even the Women They say that your Majesty has by this Marriage and by that of the Princess de Conti unworthily and without distinction mixt the pure with the impure and that if this should continue there would not remain in France one drop of the Noble Blood of your Great Grandfathers and that we should see no other in the Royal Family but the Children of la Valliere and la Montespan But to come to my matter in Hand that which is the Question is that the Allies pretend the renunciation your Majesty made at the Pyrenaean Peace has forfeited you your Right and Pretensions which you might have had to the Succession we were speaking of But says his Majâ—sty it was not in my power to dispose of those Rights and to renounce them to
advantage of the distance of the German Troops which were found dispers'd here and there in several Countries and to lay Siege to Montmelian and secure by this important Fort the Conquests with which it had pleas'd God to bless your Arms in Savoy I undertook then this Siege in a time when the rigors of the Season making us feel the utmost extremity not to speak of a great number of other unhappy obstacles which seem'd to oppose so great an undertaking I found my self several times oblig'd to quit it but as your Majesty had expresly order'd me to hazard all I at last made it submit to your obedience in less time than I had propos'd to my self Catinat answer me I pray you says the King to what I shall ask you I have a great design in Flanders that I pretend to execute some weeks hence and for this purpose I shall have occasion for an Army of one hundred and fifty thousand Men. As the Troops that I have in Brabant and Germany are not sufficient to make this number may I well dispose of fifteen or sixteen thousand Men of the Tâ—oops which are under your command in Savoy As you are the only one of all my Generals who knows the Map of Italy best the designs of the Duke of Savoy and the Genius of the Italian Nation having travel'd in the habit of a Carmelite thro' all those Countries according to the order I had given you in hopes that you would be one day more proper to do me important Services on that side and it was you who had the care of the buying of the City of Cazal having received the Sum which I had agreed with the Duke of Mantoua to pay unto him for it Answer me I pray you do you believe me to be in a condition safe enough to withdraw my Troops and could you well make head against the Germans if I only leave you an Army of nine thousand Men Sir answer'd Catinat your Province of Dauphine which was the most expos'd of all your Kingdom and into which your Enemies have often flatter'd themselves to enter with a great Army need to fear nothing further since the taking of Monmelian This place as well as Pignerol Susa and Nice of the side of Provence are more than sufficient to cover it and to put all into a profound security But let us turn the Scale says his Majesty If the Duke of Savoy making advantage of your weakness and of the small number you will have there should happen on a sudden to take a Resolution of forcing the Passages and of entring into my Kingdom and that jointly with Schombergh who commands the Hugonots and the old return'd Refugees they should come to enter into Dauphiâ—e and put all that Province under Contribution for without flatteriâ—g my self I fear the old return'd Refugees and my new Converts coming once to form themselves into Troops and to joyn them would mâ—ke a formidable Army for they would procure me a great deal of trouble and might in time make this Province to rise which is already but too much disaffected because it is that part of my Kingdom that I have always the least minded and which has been the most oppress'd by the great Taxes that it pays me and lately by the passage of the Souldiers and the Winter Quarters which has almost made them desolate That if once this Barrier come to be forc'd my Enemies might from Dauphine enter into the Country of Lyons Forests and Boucollois all being open on that side and do me more hurt in one Campaign than I have done to them since the War was declar'd Sir answers Catinat rest satisfied in this and let not your Majesty for this stop the course of your great undertakings I will take care of Dauphine give me only the charge of it as you have done for the time pass'd and confide entirely in me But says the King you may be mistaken Catirat Do not you know that Men alter as well as their Opinions and that such a Resolution is quickly taken Sir answers Catinat that your Majesty may not trouble you self I engage you my word upon the Faith of an honest Man that your Enemies shall undertake nothing on that side and that the disunion amongst them will always be the ruin of their undertakings I wish it might be so says his Majesty for if I were assured of the contrary I would chuse rather to remain all the Campaign upon the defensive waiting for the Winter to make a Siege than to suffer that my Enemies should give me on that side any blemish to my glory and that a Duke of Savoy whom I formerly treated as one of my Pages should boast to have encamp'd at the Gates of Grenoble I believe I should dye with grief if that should come to my Ears For what shame would not that be to receive Law from a Prince to whom I gave it all the course of my Reign Sir answer'd Catinat I add for Conclusion that your Majesty needs not to fear any thing from the Duke of Savoy nor from the old return'd Refugees Your Majesty has given me with the Command of your Army a golden Key which has the secret to open the Hearts and as the head of Medusa to convert Men into Rocks and make them immoveable so that when the Skin of the Lion shall fail me I shall always have that of the Fox and that will be more than sufficient to stop all the undertakings of the Savoyards and Germans if so be they should seem to undertake more than the last Campaign I add to all these Reflections that they being used to come into the Field after that the Troops of your Majesty have done their business if occasion should require it it would always be time enough to form an Army of Detachments that we shall have to oppose them in all their designs Besides I will manage so well the nine thousand that your Majesty shall leave me and I will cause Monsieur de la Rai de Bache Villiers and de Vins to go to their Posts who shall cover the Province so advantageously that we shall have nothing to fear The King being sufficiently inform'd of the affairs of Piedmont pass'd to those of Cattalonia and said in presence of Monsieur de Catinat that he had not judg'd it fit to call Monsieur de Nouailles to this Council of War because that having nothing to apprehend from the part of the Spaniards but some feeble Rodomontades and that the Duke de Villa Hermosa their General having more care to say his Prayers by his great Pater Noster Beads which he carries hanging at the Guard of his Sword than of the Stratagems of War he had also made choice of a General fitter to regulate the Affairs of the House of the deceased Poor Madam de Fontange of which he had the charge whilst she liv'd than to have commanded an Army any thing considerable that having besides
says his Majesty if the Emperour Leopold stirr'd up by my Example or by Imitation of the Roman Emperours his Predecessors should of a sudden take the resolution to come himself at the Head of the Army upon the Rhine to govern it and see what passes there I must own I should be in a great deal of trouble upon this account and that you would be in no less than I because I am perswaded that the presence of a Prince who shews and exposes himself to danger in sight of his Soldiers and of his Generals is a mighty Example If the Ottoman Emperour my Allie would have believ'd me and have hearken'd to my Ambassadour the Baron de Chasteau Neuf he would have come in Person to have put himself at the Head of his Armies in Hungary I doubt not but he would thereby have preserv'd all his Conquests carryed the dread for the second time to the Gates of Vienna and sav'd many Battles lost by the fault of his Viziers Sir answer'd the Duke de Lorge the Emperour Leopold and his Nephew Charles the II. King of Spain are not so Ambitious as your Majesty These are two good Princes who seek only Repose and Peace and shun the Cruelties of the War And if your Majesty had not constrain'd them to take up Arms to maintain their Interests and those of all Europe they would not have troubled themselves at this time to go and gather Lawrels in the Field of Mars this God doth not Sympathize with those Princes Apollo has many other Charms and Mount Parnassus other Enchantments Formerly Orpheus by the sweetness of Instruments drew to him all the Beasts and also the insensible Creatures the Rocks and the Woods could not defend themselves from his attractive Harmony It is true that if Charlemaigne Charles the V. and Phillip the II. should come from the other World this reproach would without doubt be made them But every Prince has his Passions his Inclinations and his Weaknesses your Majesty loves War the late King Charls the II. King of England lov'd the fair Sex and your Majesty took care to make him a Present of Mistresses The Roman Emperor loves a Harmony make him a Present of Musicians and they will take care to inform you of all that passes at the Court of Vienna I understand also Sir that the Electors at present for the most part Study the Inclinations of their Prince and strive to imitate him in all things which is the reason they are all almost lovers of Musick So there remains no more for your Majesty to do than to make a provision of Musicians Brabant above all abounds of such and send them into all the Courts of Germany and this will be a Sovereign remedy to know and discover all What I have just now said furnishes me yet with one thought which is that it is not to be wonder'd at as a politick Spaniard did once very judiciously say that your Majesty has surpas'd Henry the IV. Lewis the XIII and in a word all your predecessors by a great number of events which have happn'd during your Reign and which are solely owing to the Wisdom and to the good fortune of your Majesty since we see that the Imbecility of Princes who have Reign'd in your time have as much and also more contributed thereunto If you had had for Competitors Queen Elizabeth Gustavus Adolphus and Charles the V. which would have disputed the Ground with you as you had Charles the II. and James the II. Kings of England the Emperour Leopold and Charles the II. King of Spain who have let you undertake any thing I am perswaded you would not have got so many Victories But this is the unhappy condition of States The downfal of one is the rise of the other I say also farther if it should happen by way of fatality as we may say that the Prince of Orange was not met with in your Reign and also that being met with he had not been animated with another Zeal than the rest of the Princes of Europe for the defence of their Countries and the preservation of their Liberties all would long since have fallen under the weight of your Arms and your Majesty would have finished the great Work of the Universal Monarchy But says his Majesty what do you hear of the Negotiation of the Peace between the two Empires Monsieur Harbord Envoy of the Prince of Orange has he been well receiv'd by the Grand Vizier I know the enterview was to be at Belgrade what have you learnt and what are your thoughts thereupon Do you believe that he will succeed better than Pensionary Hop and the Knight Hussey have done before Sir answer'd de Lorge I know from good Hands that the Grand Seignior wishes for a Peace and that the People will have it at any rate so your Majesty has no more time to lose and there wants but one moment to conclude it and to reconcile these two Powers The French Sirens who are at the Court of the Grand Seignior begin to loose a little of the Charms of their Singing and their Melody as well as their credit The Louis d' Ors are so strongly cry'd down at Constantinople that no Body will have any more to do with them I advise then your Majesty to push on your great designs the time presses prevent your Enemy in the Field your Majesty being at the Head of a flourishing Army may go fall on where you think fit and carry one of the strongest places of Europe I advise you again to make your last efforts to come to a Peace an to hinder the conclusion of the Truce between the two Emperours and if Mony is not capable to hinder it to employ yet more Sovereign remedies the Secrets of †Harbord poysoned Brinvilliers in the Hands of a French Cook are infallible As soon as the Mareschal de Lorge was gone out of the Chamber the King order'd that the Count de Tourville and John Barts should come in Tourville saies his Majesty I have two great designs in hand and I have chose you to execute the one whilst I am going to execute the other at the Head of an Army of one Hundred and Fifty Thousand Men. There is no time to lose the occasion is pressing and the resolution is taken First I propose to my self to re-establish King James upon the Throne of England And in the second place to constrain my Enemies who have flatter'd themselves to stop the Course of my Conquests to ask for a Peace Sir says Tourville nothing is impossible for your Majesty you have a formidable Fleet which makes you Master of the Sea which obliges your Enemies to yield you that Empire for which so many Nations have spilt their Blood The English and the Dutch boasted themselves till now to possess it but the glorious Fight of 1690. has decided it to the advantage of your Majesty so you are in a condition to undertake all that
Bavaria in Piedmont spoil'd all by the great number of Germans which he brought with him which being joyn'd with the Troops of Spain and Savoy Form'd an Army stronger than mine by more than half This inequality of Force stop'd immediately the happy Progress I had made in the beginning of the Campaign nevertheless without going out of my natural Seat I made all the movements I thought my self oblig'd to make to cover the Country to guard the Passages and to shun an Engagement to which they would have drawn me your Majesty having expresly forbid me and that was a great fortune to me to have to do with Germans who gave me the time well to retrench and to possess my self of all the Posts after having left in Carmaniole Four or Five Thousand Men and caused all the Hills and Passages of Suza to be taken up As to the Shock your Majesties Armies suffer'd at the Siege of Coni which Monsieur de Bulonde had the imprudence to abandon after he had his Trenches open'd against it for many days it was sufficiently counterbalanc'd by the small progress the Imperialists made because besides their coming late into the Field the misintelligence which reign'd amongst their Generals absolutely broke the course of their Enterprizes which were terminated at the taking of Carmaniole The Extract of their Counsels of War I had by means of a Pension which I paid to one of their Generals as I acquainted your Majesty by a Letter was of great Service to me and I made use of one Brother Recolet a German by whom I had my be Correspondences to receive my Letters by a sure hand which were brought to me by one named Jenet a Savoyard by Nation who went and took them in a Trunk of an old Tree where the brother Recolet had took a care to put them I then understood that in their Council of War in which the Elector of Bavaria presided joyntly with the Duke of Savoy the Count de Schombergh was to command the Hugneuâ—â—s and the old return'd Refugees made this following proposal That an irruption should be made into Dauphine and Provence goâ—ng thereinto by the Vallie of Keiras after having made themselves Masters of the Castle That from thence they might easily seize upon the small City of Guillestre and that Three Leagues from thence they might continue their march to force the City of Ambrun where there is a very fine Archbishoprick That being once made masters of the most advantagious places of high Dauphine they should not fail to carry the dread and terrour throughout the whole Province which being one of the most oppress'd of France by the Taxes and great Imposts that it pays to his Majesty and ruin'd on the other side by the frequent passage of the Souldiers it would not fail to rise and take up Arms against her natural Prince That the great number of new Catholicks which were in that place would undoubtedly find out a way for a revolt That as for him he was of this opinion that there was no time to be lost the Season being already advanced but too far that the places which remain'd behind possest by the French would give them no disturbance that they should only leave a good Body of the Army upon the Frontiers to sâ—cure Piedmont to make Head against the Army oâ— Catinat and to keep the Garrison of Casal and Pignerol in awe I acknowledge freely Sir that this Project gave me a great deal of trouble and that I fear'd very much that the Ballance would have lean'd to that side because truly according to the rules of War and the true interests of the Duke of Savoy and of his Allies they might thereby cut out a great deal of business for your Majesty and put me out of a condition to oppose them because I should have immediately been obliged to divide the Body of my Army which was already but too small and I should have found my self in a condition to have held out the Campaign no longer To come back to the Count de Schombergh who had resolved upon these conclusions that I have now reported The Count Caraffa who commanded the Imperial Troopâ— spoke immediately after him and said That in truth this Resolution was judicious but that it seem'd too bold an attempt to undertake entring into an Enemies Country to force an Army that possest the Avenues and the passages and which was advantageously intrench'd besides that the Winter which came on apace did not permit that they should at so great a distance engage themselvss in an unknow Country and run a hazard of being cut off that they might expose an Army to great danger by following the advice of Schombergh and that that was not all to enter into an Enemies Country but also to bring the Army back again safe and sound That he did not see how they could succeed in such pâ—ojects whilst the Enemies should possess all the nearest places that made them Masters of all Savoy and put all Piedmont under contribution if thâ—y had not always an Army there to cover it That as for him he was of a quite contrary opinion to that of Monsieur de Schombergh that he did not remember he had read that the Caesars and the Alexanders who had been great Captains ever practis'd any thing like this in the whole course of their Wars In short he concluded that it was very proper with submission to better advice to begin the Campaign by the Siege of Carmaniole that after that place had yielded he judg'd it fit that the rest of the time should be employ'd to treat early for Winter Quarters with the Princes of Italy that the Imperial Troops would be very much fatigued after such a Siege and would be then only fit for nothing else but to take up their Winter Quarters The Count de Schombergh being mindful of the Prince of Orange's interest who had sent him into Savoy to put himself at the Head of the Hugonots could not without being concern'd hear what Count Caraffa propos'd and altho he was of a sweet and pacifick temper a quality which he inherited from his deceased Father as well as that that gave great hopes of his being one of the best Captains of the Age could not nevertheless persuade himself to be quiet he had too long seen himself idle against his will Besides he could not get it into his head whatever he tryd to force himself to believe that a whole Campaign ought to be pass'd in the Siege of so small a place as Carmaniolle whilst they should neglect one of the fairest occasions that ever was offer'd for the Allies to enter into France He reply'd then to all that had been propos'd by Count Caraffa that he was too old a practitioner in War not to have a full knowledg of the Situation of the Country of the Roads of the Woods of the Marshes of the Defiles of the Mountains of the Rivers of the Bridges of the
watry places of the Passages and in one word of all the places by which they can pretend to enter into Dauphine He added to this his knowledg that of having studied from his youth the Genius the Manners the interest the jealousies the strength and the weakness and generally all the predominant Passions of the French Nation in which he had been brought up That a General of some consideration and who strove to understand his Trâ—de ought thoroughly to be acquainted with these things And that he should be very sorry to have it disputed wâ—th him by another that if he should be obliged to support his discourse by examples drawn from the greatest Captaiâ—s he could make it appear as clear as the Sun at Noon that the Caesars and the Alexanders as well as Charles the Fifth the Turennes and the Condes and infinite other modern Generals have not had any other Principle in the Art of War That he propos'd nothing rashly but he pretended to give to the Council so just a draught of the design they propos'd that he was persuaded it was not so much to be rejected as the Count Caraffa would have insinuated Thereupon putting his Hand in his Pocket he pull'd out many Writings The first was a circular Letter in form of a Manifesto which was to be dispers'd upon their coming into the Country to stir up the People to embrace the party of the Allies which was conceiv'd in these terms That all the Inhabitants of High and Low Dauphine were exhorted to come and joyn the Aâ—ms of his Britannick Majesty and of his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy who came with a poteâ—t Army to their relief to help them to shake off the Yoke under which they had groan'd so many years That the old Catholicks as well as the new Converts without distincti n of Religion shouâ—d be equally received by the clemency of these Princes who tender'd them their assistance That God had already on many occasions declar'd himself the Protector of the Armies of the Allies and that they ought nâ—t to doubt but that he would bless their conquests and put them quickly into a condition to deliver all France from her great oppression That they protested that nothing in the exercise of Religion should be changed but that every one should have full liberty of conscience like that the People so peaceably enjoyed in the reigns of Henry the Fourth and Louis in the Thirteenth They declared also that all the Dâ—btors should be discharged who should submit themselves and come and implore the protection of their Deliverers and lastly that they would maintain the Clergy in their dignities the Gentlemen in their Lands the Merchants in the freedom of their Trade the Countrymen in peace and quiet and the Magistrates in their Authority for the preserving of the Law and the Administration of justice That they should live under a Government far different from that in which they had liv'd and that they should at once be delivered from the great miseries to which they had been reduc'd by the insupportable and Tyrannical charge of Taxes and Imposts which they were obliged to pay to a Sovereign who had made his free People miserable Slaves After the reading of this Manifesto he shewed several Letters which had been written to him by the most considerable of the Nobility of high and low Dauphine the chief whereof were also read in the Council according to order as follows Copy of a Letter written from Dauphine to Monsieur the Count of Schombergh at present in Piedmont Sir I write to you with Tears of joy which have succeeded those of sorrow of which your happy arrival in Savoy hath altogether cured us in hopes that your dear presence will more and more favour the good intentions of his Royal Highness for the good of the publick Peace and the deliverance of so many Spiritual Slaves whose sighs have oftentimes come as far as you even when you were yet in Brandenburgh But it was too early Days then since that the providence of God has reserv'd you till this Day to be one of the Principal Instruments made use of to restore to our Poor Sion her antient splendâ—r and tranquillity We heartily pray to God that he would be pleased to take you into his Holy Protection and would bless all your just designs You cannot believe the inclinations in which the generality and almost every one of the whole province find themselves they seem to me altogether favourable if you were a little diligent and that you would once imitate France in that to whom all moments are precious when she is about to execute her designs I engage you my word upon the Faith of a Man of Honour that there would be a general rising if you would enter into the Country The fear I am in lest my Letter should miscarry doth not give me leave to send you the particulars of all things rely upon the little I have said let me know the time and place and believe me without reserve Sir c. Monsieur Julian will give you my Name and Direction how to send to me Another Written to the same Sir WE are under the greatest trouble in the World to understand that the design you had verbally propos'd to his Electoral Highness of Bavaria and to the Duke of Savoy to enter into Dauphine by the Valley of Keiras was not receiv'd as you expected and as we wish'd We earnestly pray you as many as we are the number whereof is so great that you would be surprized if I should tell you but as that doth not concern the condition of the affair in hand I desire you to excuse me for several reasons We supplicate you I say unanimously to come back to your Post and to be willing once more to employ your interest to make their Highnesses and Count Caraffa understand that it is so important a thing to enter into Dauphin this Campaign taking advantage of the weakness of the places of the good disposition in which the People are at present found and of an assured Conquest of the whole Country if you come streight to Grenoble that if you neglect it I do Prophesie there will remain no more to the Allies than an immortâ—l dissatisfaction for having gone no farther when you might have penetrated even into the Heart of France We have written several Letters upon the same Subject to Messieurs de Monbrun and de Montauban praying them to Communicate them to you I am Sir Yours c. Count Caraffa seeing that Monsieur de Schomberg came immediately to matter of fact and that he maintain'd his Opinion by strong proofs and remarking besides that his Electoral Highness of Bavaria the Duke of Savoy the Prince Eugene the Duke de Leganez the Count de Palfi and the Marquess de Pianese who were all present seem'd in some measure to be willing to applaud him withdrew immediately out of the Council and went home protesting that
he would remain firm in his first resolution that the Council might resolve what they thought fit but for him he knew what he had to do and that the Imperial Troops of which he had the chief Command should make no other motion than what he should order them that he knew the Emperour's mind and so it was needless to lose time in employing it to deliberate thereupon This way of procedure which was so little expected extreamly surpriz'd the other Generals But the Count de Schomberg appear'd so sensibly touch'd at it that he without any more ado presently complain'd and also afterwards acquainted them that he was so little satisfied in Italy that he e'en resolv'd to go back into Holland or into Brandenbourg where he had formerly Commanded the Troops of his Electoral Highness of Brandenbourg The Duke of Bavaria was no less concern'd that after having Travelled through all Germany and Italy to come by hard Journeys into Piedmont where he was expected with such impatience which he did notwithstanding the access of a Fever which he found very hard to get rid of without reckoning a Thousand other unhappy mifortunes which he felt during the length of his Journey And all this in hopes to have gather'd Lawrels at his Arrival if he met with nothing less that he must rest contented as also his other Companions with an Idea only which they formed to themselves of a Glorious Campaign The Duke of Savoy was he who lost most by these Disputes and whom the matter touch'd nearest but as he had not the experience of other Generals he found himself not in a condition with a heat proper for the cause to maintain an Opinion so plausible and so disinterested as that of Count Scomberg's appear'd Besides he was willing to consent to it because they look'd upon this undertaking as the only remedy which presented it self to incommode their Enemy and to discharge their poor States from the Insupportable burthen of the Auxiliary Troops which would Triumph with Joy said he if they should see themselves once Posted in the Enemies Country to take their Winter Quarters there which is just the grievance of the Germans But the bitter Draught that Count Caraffa could not swallow was quite another thing He saw amongst the Princes of Italy plenty enough of all things It is a Country flowing with Milk and Hony whereas in Dauphine he saw nothing but Melancholy Deserts and People already ruin'd by the War which was more than sufficient to make him take another resolution Prince Eugene was of the Opinion of the Duke his Cousin and their interests were too common not to be united together He added that he could not think self-willdness was capable to produce so great disorders and that Princes were happy when they were the only Masters and the Armies Victorious when they were Commanded by one Chief that these three years that the Wars continu'd in Italy their disagreement had alone done more hurt than the Enemy for 't was this angry Goddess of Discord that came incessantly to trouble the most important resolutions and to furnish new Seeds of Division and Dispute which oftentimes arises from a slight occasion That if these contests should be kept up any longer and that we should amuse our selves thus to pass whole Campaigns in deliberating and principally the precious time which was destin'd to enter into Action This would be just to play the Game which France would desire that we drawing our selves insensibly into Winter which is the Mother of business for her she would have a new occasion to cry out as she use to do of Victory because she is assured of her design and takes justly the time of our Retreat and lying in our Winter Quarters The Duke de Leganez Governour of the Milanese was altogether of the Spanish Opinion that is to say Piano veremo and being full of confidence and good will he catch't at all and was ready to embrace the first or second resolution or else both together if that could have been done and agreed to with good Judgment But as the good Man is as great a Wit as was his Predecessor so he seems to have a little more good nature and the glorious House from which he is descended serves him for a Pattern he contents himself nevertheless to follow the Crowd and plurality of Voices for fear to fall into some Heresie if he should have dar'd to have advanc'd from his own Opinion a third project In a word the resolution taken to enter into France was the most proper for him and for all the other States of Italy And if the Count de Caraffa would by misfortune have yielded to it that had been done But as I have already insinuated to your Majesty I had so well fetter'd him with Chains of Gold that he saw himself not in a condition to make one single Step towards it Count Palfi a good German also otherwise a brave Man and the Marquiss de Pianese were absolutely of the Opinion of Count Schomberg and could not consent to the Negative without regret The busyness having then been travers'd by the selfconceitedness of Count Caraffa who as I have represented it had no Body with him but as he had on his side all the Imperial Troops which made the principal Force of their Army he constrain'd all the other Generals in spight of all they had to say to submit to the Law of his Judgment so that not being able to do otherwise they resolv'd at last to act joyntly with him and to open the Campaign by the Siege of Carmanoille of which they made themselves Masters after a great deal of resistance from a part of your Majesties Troops which fought bravely After this Conquest they talk'd no more of any Project for the rest of the Campaign Caraffa keeping faithfully his word which he had so solemnly sworn would hear talk of nothing more but Winter Quarters for fear of violating his Oath and passing for a perjur'd Person so putting immediately his Hand to the Work he began to treat about Contributions with the Princes of Italy who finding themselves in more trouble than if they had an Enemies Army at their Gates found no better way to take to preserve Peace and repose in their Country than to consent to the payment of great Summs which they demanded of them rather than to see their Inhabitants expos'd to the Insolence and Fury of the Souldiers who were ready to fall upon them as upon Innocent Doves The Republick of Genoua and the Dukes of Mantua and Modena will for a good while remember the coming of the Germans into Italy and the other States will have no reason to forget them But to make short since your Majesty orders me and that the time to make your designs appear this Campaign approacheth I will add only to all I have said already concerning the Affairs of Italy that I thought fit as I have let your Majesty know to make
Charge of the War hath Eat it up and his Countries have been in so great a desolation that they have still need of Succour from the Emperor to preserve them whereupon your Majesty has nothing to fear on that side Let us speak one word of the Elector of Treves neither is War his business and his Sword seems to me never to have done hurt to any body That does not hinder him to be one of the Bravest Princes of the Empire but also one of the most unhappy by the entire Desolation of his Countries which have felt the first Fury of the War and saw themselves expos'd to the Violence of the Soldiers the Walls of his Capital City layd even with the Ground the Castle of his residence Batter'd with Cannon Shot and Coblens overwhelm'd under a Shower of Bombs which have been thrown in at several times As for the Bishop of Munster he is so extreamly chang'd since the two first Campaigns that the Aâ—â—ies have no reason to depend upoâ— him nor upon his Troops so that youâ— Majesty has no reason neither to fear any thing from him or that he for his part will come to trouble your undertakings As to what regards the Electorat of Cologne we may put them into the number of those who have greatly suffered having been the Seat of War all the time that the dispute between the Cardinal de Furestemburgh and Prince Joseph Clement remain'd undecided and which was at last ended only by force of Arms which had like to have overturn'd that State and utterly to have ruin'd it So that that Diocess will need many years quiet to repair her lost forces and recover her ancient liberty Be it as it will the Prince Joseph Clement is brave and of whom there is great hopes but on the other side he is too young to measure his Sword with your Majesty so you have no occasion to fear any thing from that Quarter From the Borders of the Rhine let us go a little farther into the Country and see if there is some new Caesar which could carry the Glory of Germany so far as did formerly that great Captain of the Romans I would say a Prince a little resolv'd who should come and put himself at the Head of the Germans to serve them for a Sting and animate them by his presence I only see the Elector of Saxony who succeeds to that Electorship vacant by the Death of the Elector his Father and who seems to be engag'd to follow the Interest of the Elector of Brandenburgh by reason of the ailyance of the Princess of Anspach his Cousin whom he has lately Married But as he is a new Married Man he will be glad to enjoy during the Summer the first sweetness of his Marriage giving nevertheless the Command of his Troops to Monsieur Schoning our good Friend heretofore in the service of the Elector of Brandenburgh and at present happily received and accepted General of the Troops of Saxony so that your Majesty has no more need to fear any thing on that side One Countermarch may be of great use But says his Majesty you say nothing of the Electors of Brandenburgh and Bavaria nor of the Princes of the Houses of Haâ—over who are notwithstanding the Right Hand of all Germany and who may when they think fit Form a Party to ballance all the Power of the Emperour and of the other less potent Princes of the Empire Sir answer'd de Lorge I do not pretend to talk off the Electors of Brandenburgh and Bavaria and mâ—ch less of the House of Hanover because these Princes having a greater share in supporting the War of Flanders than that of Germany since they have the greatest part of their Troops in that Country and that according to my judgment they are resolv'd to make very great efforts I leave the care to Monsieur de Luxemburgh to discourse it throughly being resolv'd to meddle with nothing but the affairs of the Rhine But if your Majesty desires I should speak a word by the way I will obey you willingly and add to what has been said of the Princes of the Empire that to what relates to the Duke of Bavaria we do not doubt but he is brave in his Person and perhaps one of the greatest Princes that the Empire has yet produc'd he hath given signal marks in Hungary where he has done for his Age Actions worthy to be put in Paralell with what the boldest and most glorious Captains have done I add to all that that the Campaign of 1689. in which he Commanded with the late Elector of Saxony the Army of the Confederates upon the Rhine the Dauphin to whom your Majesty had given the Command in Chief of your Army had all the trouble imaginable and was oblig'd to make use of all the tricks of War to avoid a Battle whilst that his Brother-in-Law the Duke of Bavaria made on his side great Marches and forc'd all that oppos'd his passage to come to engage so far it is true that Hatred becomes more and more irreconcileable when it is born amongst Relations or Friends But the failing of Generals by the Death of two of the greatest Captains of the Age Lorrain and Schomberg and the pressing necessities that the Allies found themselves in by the progress that your Arms had made in Flanders Savoy Catalonia and upon the Rhine was the cause that he went to Command in Italy and from thence into Flanders where he actually is It were only to be wish'd by them that his Electoral Highness would use a little more Circumspection in the choice he makes of his Domesticks and principally of his Musicians who wriggle themselves into his Chappel in the Habit of a Priest or Monk not to say of a Fox for nothing but to see what passes and discover to his Enemies his most secret undertakings which is the greatest misfortune that can happen to a General and that he ought to endeavour to avoid as a plague capable to spoil all he does to ruin his reputation to make him unhappy and baffle all his great designs But it is an Universal Malady amongst all the Allies and there are very few of their Generals who have yet found the secret to preserve themselves and this is just the defect of their Breast-Plate and by which your Majesty carries even into the Heart your most formidable Blows and that all the French Generals look upon at this day as the Seed of the Lawrels and Victories they have heap'd up one upon another Your Majesty may conclude from all that I have reported of the Elector of Bavaria that this Prince will be for the future so strongly employ'd in other places that I do not think we shall see him any more at the Head of the Armies of the Rhine But the Elector of Brandenburgh says his Majesty could not he come in Person for by what I can learn he is to make the Campaign without being able to understand where he
is to Command Sir answered de Lorge I have told your Majesty and I 'le repeat it again that all these considerations ought not to stop the course of your Enterprizes The Elector of Brandenburgh has to streight Engagements with the Prince of Orange to leave Brabant These two Princes are inseparable and will always hold together Mutually to maintain their Interests It is not necessary I should enlarge thereupon nor that I should search Proofs at a distance the Catastrophe thâ—t happen'd in England furnishes a convincing Argument and we may say that this was the only Elector amongst all the Members of the Empire to whom the Prince of Orange had open'd his Heart and put confidence in So the Elector on his side favour'd his design as well by his Troops as by the Maâ—esâ—hal de Schomberg whom he offâ—'d him with aâ—l freedom of Heart So in Flanders since the beginning of the War till now and also during the time the Prince of Orange labour'd in Ireland for the reduction of that Kingdom the Elector made it his chief Study to Act joyntly with Prince Waldeck and we never â—â—ve seen him come back again to the Râ—â—e to quit the Command of â—is Troops which are almost all in the Seâ—vice of the Vnited Provinces I add also here that I am perswaded that your Majâ—sty has lost muâ—â— by the Death of the late Elector his Father if you consider the free access and the liberty that he gave to your Ministers who had thereby the occasion to enter into the Cabinet of that Prince to collect his most secret Thoughts Monsieur de Rebenack knows it better than any one but now it is no more so The death of the late Electrice has also depriv'd you of a good part of your best Intelligences so that to renew them in this Court you must implore the assistance of St. Louis and bestow behind the Curtain a good number of Pistols after which your Majesty will be Master of the Secrets there as you are in all other places But answer'd his Majesty as to matter of Intelligence I just now learn'd with a great deal of regret and also with some kind of trouble that the poor General Schoning was arrested by order of the Emperor and carry'd to Spielberg in Moravia where he is Condemned to a perpetual prison That troubles me so much the more because I lose in him one of the most faithful Correspondents that I had in all Germany and in one word a second Fustemberg I shall never forget the Obligation I have to him and the Siege of Bon where he found the Means to make it hold out five whole Months after it was Bombarded which was of great help to me to amuse the Elector of Brandenburgh the whole Campaign If the good Man had been believ'd other Affairs would have fallen'n well out Sir your Majesty will never fail of Spies if you do but largely reward them Money has charms whose Brightness dazle a Man's Reason and makes all things to be undertaken and if your Enemies had this secret your Majesty would not reckon so many Victories nor Conquests But their parcimony has serv'd more to bring your Majesty to the Period whither you are at present come than your great and numerous Armies A Secret Bought is worth a Battle won and a Governour corrupted is worth the Conquest of an Important City So I advise you to keep your self alwayâ— at the Trunk of a Tree in following step by step the Tracts of Richiieu and Mazarine who have so worthily instructed you in tracing their ways to come â—o the end of your undertakings and â—â— come at last to the Universal Monarcâ—y 〈◊〉 the Centâ—â— of all your Gloriâ—us uâ—dertâ—â—ings As to the matter of Monarchy â—nsweâ—â—d his Majesty say what you tâ—â—nk of â—â—e Princes of the House of Hanover and let us make an end of talking of the Affairs of Germany with the Chief of the Empire As to what regards says de Lorge the Princes of the House of Hanover your Majesty has had even to this time no reason to complain of their Hostilities They love Tranquility too well to fear they should come to put themselves at the Head of the Germans to pass the Rhine Headlong and for the Glory of the Nation hazard a Battle As to their Troops which are the finest of Europe the Prince of Orange has found the means to engage them in his service in making the Emperour agree that the Eldest Duke of the Family should augment the number of Electors and that he should be receiv'd into the Electoral Colledge Which shews that the Prince of Orange is look'd upon at present as the Star that Governs in the World and that he has only to desire in order to obtain Prerogatives of a Prince which he hath acquired without thinking of the Universal Monarchy to which your Majesty has aspir'd since so many years and for which you have so mercilesly caus'd so much Blood to be spilt and so many States and Provinces to be overthrown and so many People to be ruin'd whilst this Prince Arrives by the way of Sweetness and complacency and by gaining the Friendship of the People who regard him already as their Deliverer and another Joshua ready to stop the * The King of France Sun in the midst of his course I forgot to tell you says his Majesty that my Agent Bidal has let me know that the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel and the Margrave de Bareith are to Command the Armies of the Confederates upon the Rhine so you will have occasion of a great deal of management I recommend to to you above all to avoid a Battle Sir says de Lorge rest satisfied thereupon if they are two I have the secret in Hand to divide them and I promise my self before-hand with my small number a glorious Campaign But says his Majesty do you know well the Landgrave de Hessel Cassel do you know that he and the Prince of Orange are two Heads in one Cap that he is brave in his Person and that he is to be fear'd Sir answer'd de Lorge yes if he was alone but it is sufficient they are two to Command and by consequence two Heads of which each will have his Counsellors rest satisfied that I will accomplish it alios vidimus ventos says Virgil. We have seen other Outrages and Tempests and it is no new thing that we fight against two Chiefs We do not see Prudence and Wisdom divided and parted in all the parts of Human Body but shee resides and has her principal Seat in the Brain of a Man A Body which should have two Souls would be depriv'd of this agreeable Harmony which produces health and which causes all the parts that compose it to Act in order It is the same with an Army which is Commanded by two Generals It is impossible they should be free from division which is more pernicious than the loss of Battles Besides de Lorge
A King is never Great nor Illustrious who has not carried his Arms among Strangers to make them know his Strength and to make them feel the sweetness and equity of his Commands I had all my Life an aversion for those slothful Kings of the first Race who did not govern their Countries but suffer'd themselves to be govern'd by the Grandees nothing is more pernicious to a Prince than Luxury and too much Repose Nero whose first years were so admirable and so great eclips'd the lustre of them by his Debauâ—hes and his Cruelties which were but the fatal consequence or Idleness Sir answer'd Pompone if your Majesty has so concâ—uded and that you think it fit for the way to a Peace I wish you all Prosperity and a happy Campaign The time of my departure draws near saâ—â— his Majesty I recommend to you above all to have an Eye upon the new Catholicks whom I look upon in my Absence as Enemies most to be fear'd You know what care I have taken to bring them back to the bosom of the Church anâ— how I have bâ—en forc'd to use them to pluck up this cursed Tare which has mix'd it self with the good Corn. Sir answer'd Pompâ—ne I do not know if your Majesty had all the reason in the World to deliver them so mercilesâ—y to the resentment of their Enemies for my paâ—ticular I felt a part of their Misfortunes and Father la Chaizâ— gave me no better Quarters than them Your Illustrious Predecessâ—rs witness the Grandfather of your Majesty Hâ—n y IV. came to the Crown only by their aâ—sistance They did hâ—m so great Services when he saw himself overwhelm'd by the Cathâ—lâ—â—ks wâ—o 〈◊〉 maâ—e a considerable Party ca â—'d Tâ—e League that he woulâ— have undoubtedly sunk withâ—ut their Assiâ—tance so in memory of their Fidelity he graâ—ted them the Edict of Naâ—â—s So that your Majâ—sty ought to consiâ—er that if you have at this day the Crown upon yâ—ur Head as a most worthy Successor of that Great Henry you are no â—ess beholding to them than your Grandfather Pompone says his Majesty let us talk of other things It suffices to tell you That the G â—â—â—es of â—…y Consâ—â—ence having so order'â— it it was no longer in my Power to oppose it In short I am going anâ— therefore recommend to you aboâ—e all my Kingdom my new Converts I recommend to you the Qâ—een of Great Bâ—itain the Prince of Wales aâ—â— the Infant of Eâ— land visit them often and comfort them in their â— sgrace teâ—â— them from me Tâ—â—t I go where Glory calls me to heap up Lawrels anâ— to accompâ—â—sh their re-estabâ—â—shment I recâ—mmenâ— aâ—so to you my Sâ—â— the Dâ—uphiâ—… take care above all to represent to â—â—m the Inj ry he does to his Reputation to love rather the Pleasures of Diana and the Hunting of the Wolf than the noble Works of Mars I recommend to you also the three young Princes my Grand-children entertain them above all with the great Actions of their Grand-father I recommend to you chiefly the Eldest the Duke of Burgundy whom I us'd to call the Prince of Coâ—de because that truly we see as it were rebâ—rn in hâ—m all the shining Qualities of that Prince I recommend to you in short all the Intelligences that I have in Foreign Courts have a care of them receive the Letters that shall be writ to me and cause the Sums design'd for the Pensions I pay them to be return'd I also very carefully recommend to you my Treasury assist Ponchartâ—aine with your good Advice and lend him your Hand in working jointly for settling a Fund for the next Campaign Mony is the Sinew of War without it I should be a Kâ—ng wâ—thout Power and all my great Designs would evaporate intâ—â—moak Sir says Pompone they report of Dagâ—bert that he was so jâ—st and free towards the Churches That he caus'd the Church of St. Dennis to be covered with Silver But your Majesty makes another use of Mony you have a quite different Pity and Justice from that Prince You imitate rather him who finding the 12 Apostles of Massy Silver in a Church caus'd them to be taken from the Altar and having made them into Mony told them That they should go Preach throughout the whole World according to the order that Jesus Christ had given them Monsieur de Pompone being gone out the King order'd that Messieurs de Barbesieux and de Chanlais should come in in all haste Barbesieux says his Majesty the Resolutions are taken I have a great Design in hand Silence we are now at the point to bring great things to Light the Campaign of Mons had nothing like it Ha! what then Sir says Barbesieux I am a going says his Majesty into Flanders at the Head of an Army of 150000 Men to form the Siege of the Key of all the Low Countries Luxemburgh has shou'd it me as clear as the Sun at Noon Sir says Chanlais your Majesty must make haste for I hear that the Prince of Orange will come a Month sooner into the Field than he did last year It is no matter says his Majesty I shall have near 80000 Men more than he and I shall be covered by three potent Armies besides I will make Boufflers go before and possess himself of the Passages Luxemburgh has assur'd me that I have no more cause to fear than if I were at Versailles Sir answer'd Barbesieux if that be so your Majesty will have a good Bargain for all you shall undertake whilst that the Prince of Orange fatigues and exposes himself to the most eminent Dangers Sir says Chanlais Gold and Treason are at this day two great double Keys to your Majesty besides that they open all Gates they operate more in a moment than great Armies do in a Summer's Expedition Both the one and the other must be had says his Majesty I have found out the means to tame the Lion and the Fox which were heretofore incompatible and I only march now to take Possession of what I have bought before Sir says Barbesieux that is not all your Majesty must seek the shortest way to come quickly to a Peace the want of every thing is a dangerous Disease which begins to be felt throughout your Kingdom Barbesieux you speak home says his Majesty and all the advantage I propose to my self by this Expedition is to come to the way of a Peace Sir says Barbesieux I have yet a shorter way and more abridg'd than that to come to a Peace Ha! what says his Majesty It is to put in execution the Project that my deceased Father the Marquiss de Louvois had begun the rough draught of and which he left in his Cabinet after his death that is the White that is the Center whereto all your Majesty's Enterprizes should tend What must be done then says his Majesty Sir the Business in hand is to send the Prince of Orange Chief of the League ad Patres if your
Pity and Mercy On the other side the Devil engag'd himself I. To favour him in all his Designs II. To make him win all the Battles he should fight III. To keep him always in the Love and Favour of his King IV. To cause him to have when he would all manner of Favours of the fairest Ladies V. To make hâ—m Invulnerable And VI. That he should live to the Age of Seventy Five Years But you will say where was Monsieur de Luxemburgh before the Battle of Flerus which made him live again and drew him as we say from the Grave of Silence and Forgetfulness where he had been shut up since the Wars of Holland Nothing was less believ'd than that he was yet in the World and the Opinions were so divided thâ—reupon that wâ— knew not what to believe Some thâ—ught him in â—câ—tland at the Head of the Highlaâ—d Rebels others believ'd him with a Turbet on in â—he Ottoman Army and turn'd into a Grand Vizier and tâ—uly one would have judg'd that the little Genius tâ—ey had the good Fortune and Progress which follow'd the first Campaign that the Infidels made in Hungary was but an effect of his Negromancy it was fear'd also that he had already taught them the greatest Cunning of his Art and Knowledge But others better instructed in the History of his Life and wiser in the Affairs of the times undoubtedly believ'd That the Court of Fraâ—ce or â—ather the Council of the King had thought fit to deliver him to the mercy of Justice to make him an Example as they had donâ— of Bâ—inviliiers as well to appease the People and the Clergy as to satisfie his Majesty's Council of Conâ—cience The Reverend Father la Chaize decâ—ar'd himself a Party against him and fought his death with as much fierceness as one of the ing's Attornies doth that of a Criminal for High Treason So they began already to sacrifice him and all the World thought him just going to finiâ—h his days upon a Scaffold with as much Infamy as his unhappy Father had done before him The Crime then which he was accus'd of had something in it the mâ—st aggâ—avaâ—ing the most crying and the most enormous in the World since they had join'd Poison to Magick Besides the death of the pâ—or Count de Sâ—issons with which he was charg'd cryed aloud to Heaven for Vengeance Others believ'd that the King as angry as â—e seem'd to be against him having made some Reflections on the services that this General had formerly done him in his former Wars was at last pleased to change his sentence of Death into that of Banishment or perpetual Imprisonment There was also a semblance that this last way of punishment was most likely to prevail with him that which his Inquisitors and his Jâ—dges had chose and which they push'd on to the last according to the utmost rigour of Law and practice Be it as it will it is certain and it is the judgment of those who are perfectly acquainted with his History as having always beeen near his Person in the greatest time of his disgrace and who have very wiâ—â—ingly Communicated to us the Memorials which are reported in this small Treatise It is I say certain that Monsieur the Marques de Louvois took his business so strongly to Heart that we may say Monsieur de Luxemburgh doth not only owe him his Liberty but also his Life as well as the new favours which his Majâ—sty Honours him with at present by the Câ—mmand of his Armies which he e'en trusts him with Monsieur de Louvois seeing then that his business was done and that the poor Duke was irreparably lost as he was a wise Minister and penetrating what might hereafter happen he thought that France might yet have occasion of him considering that all the old Generals that were of any Esteem and Reputation began to fail them and that the Duke of Luxemburgh as being the youngest was the only one who remain'd truly Monsieur de Turenne the Prince of Conde and in the last place the Duke of Schomberg had been ravished from the King those by Death and this by the disorders of Religion so very judiciously reflecting that the loss the King lately had of these three Captains was irreparable and that besides France was just a going into such a condition in all likelyhood that she stands in need of all Assistances and Instruments he was throughly convinced that all imaginable Obstacles ought to be remov'd to preserve him He went then to find out his Majesty and told him Sir this is not all your Majesty sees your self at the very point of having all Europe upon your hands and the War which is a going to be kindled will perhaps be the bloodiest that France ever yet felt not only in this Reign but those that preceeded and as your Majesty will have many Enemies to fight with so you will be obliged to have several Armies But Sir that which causes not the least of my disturbances is to see that you have not one General left who has understanding enough and is capable to Command It is true you have yet Lieutenant Genera's enough But for a General in Chief who is a Man of Conduct who has experience and cunning and has been in Battles whether he has won or lost it is no matter which of them for experience makes them Masters I know no Body belongs to your Majesty except Luxemburgh He is the only one who in my opinion seems fit to become a great Captain if he is not so already and consequently in a condition to do you great service I advise then your Majesty to pass over all his faults of which he is accus'd to satisfie nevertheless as much as you can your Councel of Conscience in leaving the Criminal at the Bastile and causing his Tryal under-hand to be delay'd which will flatter the hopes of his Judges and at the same time appease the most inveterate against him who not being able to divine the true cause will tire themselves with talking about it and your Majesty will preserve thereby a Subject who may be serviceable to you in business when it shall be a fit time After this Discourse Monsieur de Louvois observing that his Majesty appear'd half shaken thought that Madam de Maintenon would be of great help to him to push on the business effectually He went then to speak with heâ— and represented to her as he had done to the King the necessity there was to save this General which was lost without recovery if he should be left fifteen days more in the hands of his Judges who would by all extremity mâ—ke him an Example He added that there was no time to be lost that France would one day owe him great Obligations if she would save a Subject who was so dear and so necessary for her which besides the great services he had already render'd the Crown gave yet great hopes for the future