Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A50582
|
Memoires of the transactions in Savoy during this war wherein the Duke of Savoy's foul play with the allies, and his secret correspondence with the French king, are fully detected and demonstrated, by authentick proofs, and undeniable matter of fact : with remarks upon the separate treaty of Savoy with France, and the present posture of affairs with relation to a general peace / made English from the original.
|
Savage, John, 1673-1747.
|
1697
(1697)
|
Wing M1673; ESTC R2398
|
65,773
|
194
|
Prince and his Ministers But the French King little cares how much he gives so he may compass his Ends and gratifie his Ambition That Monarch express'd his Thoughts very plainly about that Matter For being one day at dinner when News was brought him that the Treaty was at last concluded with the Duke of Savoy he said before all the Company That the Peace of Italy had cost him dear but he was sure a general Peace would make him amends for all the Sums he had disburs'd These Words need neither Explanation nor Comment therefore let 's return to our Subject When the Duke of Savoy declar'd for the Allies against France he hop'd to reap by it an Advantage no less considerable than all the rest since it nearly concerns his Honour and private Interest For since the Death of his Predecessor Charles Emanuel II. he had liv'd an obscure retir'd Life that little became a Sovereign Prince who takes Place among Crown'd Heads altho' his Revenues be in no manner answerable to that high Dignity Therefore it was now high time for him to make himself talk'd of in the World to illustrate his Reign by some great Action and eternize his Memory by some surprizing Event His Temper and Inclinations did naturally lead him to it For to give every one his Due he is a Man of Courage and wants nothing that can make a great Warrior All these Reasons prompted him to take upon him that Part which we have seen him act ever since the beginning of the War By this means he design'd to make his Friendship and Alliance courted by all the Princes in Europe and become as it were the Umpire and Arbitrator of the General Peace Another thing which the Duke of Savoy aim'd at was to lay such great Obligations upon France at a Juncture when she was expos'd to a World of Enemies that had conspir'd her Ruin as would engage the French King not to treat him as a Pety Prince as he did before and to have more Regard and Esteem for him for the future As for the French King besides the Advantages he design'd to draw from his Royal Highness's Secret Alliance which was to bring the Confederates to a General Peace he has still had another Artifice in prospect which neither the Duke nor his Council ever thought of and which will prove fatal to his Dominions and Liberty For by engaging him to side with the Allies and betray them afterwards he draws upon him their irreconcilable Hatred And the Confederates have all the Reason in the World to treat him for the future as an ambidextrous Shuffler and refuse him their Assistance when France after a Peace is concluded shall go to strip him of his Dominions as she did the Duke of Lorrain and several other Princes who had done her almost the like Services It is not the first time that the Dukes of Savoy have lost their Dominions as appears by the Quarrels which Charles Emanuel Grandfather to his Royal Highness had with King Henry III. and Henry IV. of France Henry III. being in War against a powerful League Charles Emanuel did much the same as Victor Amedeus his Successor has done in our Days Me entertain'd great Hopes of enlarging his Fortune if he should improve that Opportunity to declare himself against France and accordingly in the Year 1588 he joyn'd his Arms to those of the Enemies of Henry III. and having formed a powerful Party of which he made himself Chief he entred Provence surpriz'd the Cities of Marseilles and Arles and was so puff'd up with these Successes that he coin'd a Medal to eternize his Memory where he was represented under the Emblem of a Centaurus trampling upon a Crown with this Motto OPPORTUNE Seasonably meaning that he could not have a more seasonable Opportunity to humble France He paid dear for this Bravado for in the Year 1600 Henry IV. having pacify'd the Troubles and Commotions that distracted France and had given Occasion to Charles Emanuel to form great Designs against that Crown resolv'd to be reveng'd of him and having bent the Stress of the War towards Italy made himself Master of the greatest Part of Savoy and Piedmont And to be even with the Duke he coin'd a Medal where he was seen in the Figure of Hercules beating down with his Club the proud Centaurus with this Latin Motto OPPORTUNIUS that is More Seasonably and Successfully After the Conquest of Savoy and Piedmont Henry IV. at the Entreaty of Pope Clement VIII was at last prevail'd upon to be reconcil'd with the distress'd Duke tho' it was the Opinion of all the Politicians of those Times that Henry IV. ought to have kept Savoy and Piedmont both to chastize the inconsiderate Rashness of that Prince and have a free and open Way to enter Italy whenever he pleas'd This is the Advice that Cardinal d'Ossat one of the greatest Statesmen in those Days gave Henry IV. But upon this Occasion that Monarch shew'd more Generosity than Policy and restor'd Charles Emanuel to all his Dominions One might now very well ask Victor Amedeus II. who broke with France in a Conjuncture of time much like that when Charles Emanuel declar'd himself against Henry III. that is when all Europe arm'd against her and attack'd her on the four Corners of the Kingdom One might I say ask that Prince who is now at last reconcil'd with the French King through the Mediation of the Pope and the other Princes of Italy what Security France gives him to put his Dominions out of Danger Will not the French King after a general Peace is concluded have the fairest Opportunity in the World to strip him of them Shall he want Pretences for that Purpose And is not the Duke of Savoy's Conduct at the first Breaking out of the War of Italy a sufficient one since he alone has carried the Fire-brand of War into France by the Irruption into Dauphine All these Proceedings will furnish new Matter of Discord and Division which in time will kindle a greater Fire and revive the old Pretensions of the French King to the Dukedom of Savoy Principality of Piedmont and County of Nice Savoy was annex'd to the Crown of France about twelve hundred Years ago This happen'd in the Reign of King Clovis who got it by way of Conquest from Gundebald King of Burgundy because this Prince had embrac'd the Party of Alaric King of the Goths who wag'd War against France Clovis incens'd against Gundebald turn'd him out of his Dominions and reduc'd him to live on a small Pension the rest of his Life This unfortunate Prince being dead his Dominions fell for ever to the Crown of France by the Decease of Clotildis Sister to Gundebald and Wife to Clovis to whom they belong'd by Legal Right after her Brother's Death So that this Princess dying without Issue they were appropriated to the Crown of France although Savoy had several times been given by way of Appenage to the second and
put a Stop to the Designs of the French King However we may say that 't is by the Violation of Treaties that he has laid the Foundation of that overgrown Power which one might justly call the Tyrant of Europe and which has an absolute Sway in almost all Courts After so many living Examples and repeated Experience of the small Credit that can be given to the French King's Word we may safely conclude that his late Renunciation to the Dominions of his Royal Highness will not be of long Continuance The ninth Article whereby the French King engages and promises to assist the Duke of Savoy in order to reduce the City of Geneva was never made publick through Reasons of State and Policy as well as several others which have secretly been agreed upon by the French King and the Duke of Savoy Time will clear this great Mystery However it is certain that France for these many Years past has meditated the Ruin of that City The Protestant Religion which is profess'd there is the chief Reason of these two Princes Hatred against it Besides the good Successes the French King has had in extinguishing the Reform'd Religion in France give him the Hopes to bring it under his Subjection after a general Peace is concluded This grand Design had by this time been accomplish'd had he not fear'd a Rupture with the Switzers who have declar'd themselves Protectors of it He has already but too many Enemies upon his Back and therefore it is convenient for him to dissemble and temporize till he has decided the Quarrels he has with the Allied Princes In the mean time he has taken all the necessary Measures for that Purpose and the French Resident at Geneva is an ill Omen to the Safety and Liberty of that Republick since he only lives there to know their weak and strong Sides and observe all that passes which he presently acquaints his Master withal But when all is done perhaps the French King promises more to the Duke than he is able to perform 'T is not the first time he has been out in his Projects The Face of Affairs does often change in a moment and a small Disappointment may make his Designs miscarry But let us suppose that the French will make himself Master of Geneva what Security can his Royal Highness have that he will put it into his Hands and punctually perform all his Promises I do not know any Body would take upon him that Guarranty The French King's Honesty in those sort of Matters is now become so slippery and suspicious that it is more likely he would keep that Conquest for himself than resign it to the Duke Let us therefore conclude That this Article is just as those that went before that is imaginary and chimerical The French King will never want for colourable Pretences to call back his Word and keep his Promises to the Duke no farther than he has a mind to Thus having examin'd the Treaty of Peace concluded betwixt the French King and Victor Amedeus II. Duke of Savoy let 's now consider the Consequences of that Peace And first let us begin with its solemn Publication at Paris on the Tenth of September 1696. BE it known to all That a good firm stable and solid Peace with an entire and sincere Friendship and Reconciliation has been made and agreed upon between the Most High Most Excellent and Most Mighty Prince LEWIS by the Grace of God of FRANCE and NAVARRE King our Sovereign Lord and the Most High and Mighty Prince VICTOR AMEDEUS the Second Duke of SAVOY their Vassals Subjects and Servants in all their Kingdoms Dominions Countries Lands and Lordships of their Obedience That the said Peace is general betwixt them and their said Vassals and Subjects and that by vertue of the same it is lawful for them to go and come to return and sojourn in all the Places of the said Kingdoms Dominions and Countries to Trade and Merchandise hold Correspondence and Communication one with another in all manner of Freedom and Security as well by Land as by Sea and on Rivers and other Waters on this side and that side the Mountains and in the same manner as it has and ought to have been done in time of good sincere and amicable Peace such as it has pleased the Divine Goodness to grant unto the said Lords Kings and Dukes of Savoy their People and Subjects Which to maintain and entertain it is most expresly forbidden to all Persons by what Quality or Title soever dignified or distinguish'd to undertake attempt or innovate any thing to it contrary or pâ—judicial upon pain of being severely punish'd as Infringers of Peace and Disturbers if the Publick Repose Given at Oar Court at Versailles the Eighth day of September 1696. Signed LEWIS And a little lower Phelypeaux c. This Peace as you see was publish'd at Paris with all the Pomp and Solemnity that usually attend those great Events in which France has a more than ordinary Concern And there 's no doubt but she has affected to shew an uncommon Magnificence in this thereby to dazle the Confederate Princes and make the Success of a Negotiation which she looks upon as the Foundation of a General Peace sound high in all the Courts of Europe The French King's Policy is good enough as to that matter He loses nothing by crying up and proclaiming whatever he does and undertakes but often draws a great deal of Good from a false Shew and so turns both his good and bad Successes to his own advantage According to this Maxim it is observable That during this War when he has lost a Battel or a Town or suffer'd any other Damage he has caus'd Publick Rejoycings to be made and order'd his Generals and Governours of Towns to discharge their Artillery as if he had won a signal Victory over his Enemies This Conduct tho' a little unsincere has brought great Advantages to him First By that means he has dazzl'd his Subjects and kept them in Obedience by flattering them with imaginary Successes and has receiv'd from them at the same time all the necessary Subsidies to answer the vast Charges of a burdensom War Secondly He thereby has confirm'd the staggering Fidelity of the Conquer'd Nations In fine He has rais'd the drooping Spirits of the Soldiers that fought under his Generals and has as we say set a good Face on a bad Game Witness the extravagant Rejoicings made at Paris after the Battel of the Boyne upon the false Report of the Death of the King of England those that were made after the loss of a Fight at Sea and generally in all the Rencounters where the French King's Arms were worsted But we may freely say That all the Parade and Ostentation of the Court of France upon the score of the Peace of Italy will be so far from making any Impression upon the most Serene Allies to engage them to agree the sooner to a General Peace that it